Legend of Concubine's Daughter Minglan

by Usui Takumii

not mine, alpen glow translations and wuxia world. Total: 376 chapters.

14. 71 to 80

Chapter 71: Half-Day Tour at Guangji Temple (1)

This day, Sheng family planned to offer incense for blessings. Early in the morning, the inner mansion was put in uproar. In front of the second gate, three paulownia lacquered carriages driven by giant steeds were prepared, one for Old Madam, Wang shi and Old Madam Hai, one for the three young ladies and one for the girl and woman servants. Another eight strong woman servants and a dozen of body guards were demanded by Wang shi to escort the carriage.

As they all got up early in the morning, Molan and Rulan were too tired to bicker, so they looked as sleepy as Minglan and tried to take a nap while leaning onto soft cushions along the swaying carriage. Disliking Molan, Rulan leaned towards Minglan as best as she could, making Minglan so tortured by pressing pains in her slumber that she woke up by the lasting pain. Hearing the bell and chants from outside, she knew they were about to arrive at the destination.

Minglan played the trick that had been picked up when she was back in school and woke her roommates up for morning study—she proficiently pinched the noses of the two sisters who, after a while of suffocation, woke up quickly and both glared at Minglan. She smiled, "Sisters, we're arriving at Guangji Temple."

Hearing what she said, Molan bowed down and started to groom her hair and check her makeup in a hurry. Rulan followed right after her, reaching out to push upright a shining lotus-shaped double-head hairpin near her temple. The three sisters inside the carriage noticed louder sound of people from outside, most was that of women amidst some little children. It seemed that there were many people coming to offer incense and the fragrance of sandalwoods gradually flowed into the carriage.

Listening to the hustling noise outside, the three girls looked at one another, all feeling itchy but none of them dared to lift up the curtain to take a look. Minglan sighed: The classic group psychology indeed made sense.

The climate in the carriage was inactive when suddenly the carriage was given a nasty shove and the three girls, losing balance, rushed forward together and were almost thrown to the ground. In a second, they heard a burst of loud cursing from outside. Minglan was excited, wondering if the ancient carriage could also be rear-ended.

Rulan as the most agile one climbed up first, touching her head. Though there paved fur blanket in the carriage, she still felt the pain in her head from knocking and shouted out, "What's going on?" Of course, nobody would answer her.

After Molan got up, she, out of vigilance, leaned aside and lifted up the curtain a bit to look outside. Rulan had no time to satirize her and also leaned over. Minglan, the last one to climb up, also followed them to crowd her head near theirs to take a look. Luckily, the carter of the Sheng mansion drove the carriage to behind a big tree which formed a cover, so the three girls weren't caught of peeking.

The sight outside startled them. Old Madam's carriage was halted in front where rose bursts of shouting and crying, putting everything in a mess and stopping the carriage from running over. Not far away a few young lords dressed up luxuriously on big horses were cursing and teasing. Minglan listened up to them and learnt that just now they rushed by on horse and knocked over several stalls at the crossroad. They rode too fast that a lot of passers-by were also knocked down. For a time, children and women cried, and people and horses lay on the ground, thus blocking the road.

Molan scorned, "Dandies!"

Rulan snorted, "Fops!"

Minglan thought to herself, "City admin?"

They saw a young man in red robe waving a whip who kept spitting out curses, "You dirty slaves! Are you blind? How dare you block my way! Let me tread you to death in a way I kill a grasshopper!"

Below him was a man holding his dying mother whose head was covered with blood from the crash. He huffed, "You…you… Aren't there laws? How could you do evil things and trample people like this?"

The man in red slammed a whip and immediately on the man's face appeared a blood mark. The man bowed down to hold his old mother while the man in red, with shaking fat on his face, opened his mouth wide and spat, "Laws? I'm the law! Get out of my way!" The man seemed to be provoked and stubbornly stepped forward to hold fast the leg of the man in red, and the repeated whipping didn't force him to let go.

The other noble youths on horse started to laugh, "Rong Xian! Your whips are not tough enough!"

"Are you suck dry by Cuixian last night? Hahaha…"

"Hey bro. Be careful! Don't hurt your back, otherwise Fairy Brothel will lose half its business!" All the young lords present that dressed up decently on horseback burst into laughter.

The man called Rong Xain got more ferocious and slammed the poor man even harder as if he was planning to tear the man up. As others laughed about it, a cold voice of man rose, "If you want to beat someone up, go back and find a servant. No one cares even if you kill him, but don't make a scene of yourself here! Today the young lord of Cabinet Yang set up a poem party at the plum tree forest at the back of mountain and people are on their way!"

Minglan had decided to ignore them and pulled herself back when she suddenly heard this familiar voice, so she peeked out again. What she saw in the middle of the road was a man in a gown with sapphire blue collar. He looked tall with wide shoulders even on horseback—apparently, he was Gu Tingye.

At this moment, carriages began to gather at the crossroad. All of them were luxuriantly decorated with strong horses and coachmen. There were already servants from several families stepping forward to ask about the situation. The noble young lords smelled a rat, so they left a bunch of silver and with a whip, galloped on away, leaving on the site a group of crying folks that were hurt and trampled out of blue but still struggled to collect the silver on the ground.

Minglan, shaking her head, retreated back to the carriage. It seemed that the rumors weren't false. What risk Yanran had been at!

Most of the females in the carriages were from noble or wealthy families. Seeing the crying folks on the ground, they all gave out great deal of silver to those who had been hurt. Then the crowd began to disperse. The carriages moved on toward the top of the mountain.

Guangji Temple, as one of the Three Renown Temples in the capital, was seated at the left top of the Yumei Mountain in the city west. It was reputed by the epigraph "To Save All Beings" wrote by the first emperor in the beginning of this dynasty. The temple itself wasn't too grandeur nor magnificent, with only three main halls from front to rear, dedicating to Tathagata Buddha, Avalokitesvara, and Maitreya Buddha respectively. On both sides stood a bell tower. The incense offered here was less than in the other two temples, so Old Madam Sheng decided to offer incense here due to its quietness.

Minglan was familiar with the incense-offering and Buddha-worshipping procedure, so the group followed the usher monk into the main hall to meet with the head monk Miaoshan who welcomed them in person. The two sides exchanged conventional greetings before Old Madam Sheng donated a great amount of incense money, followed by Wang shi and Hai shi. Then all females started, at the main hall, from left to right, to worship Buddhas one by one in order. All of them made wishes and burnt much paper as offerings.

As most of those that came to worship Buddhas were females and children, the monks in the temple were either too old with few teeth or too young with new teeth, at the sight of which there were no man in the prime of the life. Minglan exclaimed to herself: How professional!

When she kowtowed to Avalokitesvara with a populus branch in the last hall, Minglan thought of her real parents and brother, so she kowtowed a few more sincerely, hoping everything went well with them. By the time she raised up her head, she saw Wang shi was pulling Hai shi to the children-sending Avalokitesvara at the rear corner. Hai shi, with a red face, worshipped repeatedly while Old Madam Sheng was standing by her side, watching the Avalokitesvara statue in silence. Minglan turned back, finding that Molan was staring at a bamboo draw tube, eager to have a try. At the sight of Minglan's gaze, she smiled behind her sleeve, "Do you want to have a try my sister?"

Before Minglan said anything, Rulan took over the bamboo draw tube and kneeled down, shaking it while chanting something. Molan bit her lips because she shouldn't make any trouble in a public place, so she just watched Rulan shake off a draw. Rulan held it tight in her hands before Molan could read it, and then looked at the other two girls, "Do you want to make a draw? Let's get the draw interpreted afterwards together."

Preceded by Rulan, Molan wasted no time and took over the tube and kneeled down at once. Kowtowing three times in a row, she began to carefully shake the tube, then a draw came off it. Still, the draw was held in the hand before others could read it. Then it was Minglan's turn.

Minglan shook her head and said, "I don't want to. Let's go and have them interpreted." Rulan disagreed and pushed Minglan down onto the kneeling cushion, "I don't agree. You must make a draw." Molan also pretended to echo with Rulan, "My sister, you'd better make one, otherwise, if this is known by grandmother, she must be blaming me for not caring about you."

Minglan smiled bitterly and kneeled down before Bodhisattva. As she shook the draw tube, she was suddenly reminded of what Old Madam Sheng told her after He Hongwen left on that day and couldn't help but flush a bit. In fact, she also considered her future, but in this isolated world where she knew few people, she decided it'd better to trust those who were trustworthy.

After the half-life hurts, Old Madam found that wealth and fame were just floating clouds that couldn't be held in hands. People didn't necessarily have to lead a luxurious life but must live with someone kind and benevolent. At first, she considered Cousin Taisheng as a candidate for her marriage. Though Hu family was a businessman family, Uncle Hu and his son couldn't be kinder and more honest. Besides, Aunt Sheng Yun owed Old Madam Sheng some favor. Therefore, if Minglan married Taisheng, she would definitely live a peaceful and happy life.

Unexpectedly, two men popped up in the middle way. She first met with the young lord and old madam of the He family who liked Minglan very much and revealed her intention to tie the knot. Then Minglan got to know Aunt Li who also wanted her son to forge a marriage with Minglan. After living in the Sheng mansion in hometown, Old Madam Sheng found through careful observation that Big Old Madam Sheng and Li shi also secretly showed their intention of making a marriage between Pinlan and Taisheng. Therefore, in order not to put relatives in dilemma, Old Madam rolled out Taisheng as the candidate.

Thus, the candidates for Minglan's husband turned two, He Hongwen and Li Yu.

Although Li family was well-off, it was a businessman family without high-ranking family background after all (Minglan: Why would a man with both wealth and family background marry me?). He Hongwen, a handsome gentleman of scholarly elegance, was favored by Old Madam Sheng, yet she worried that his wife would inevitably have to endure hardships in the future since he had lost his father at a young age and had an ill mother.

On that day, after Old Madam He diagnosed Hualan, she revealed the truth to Old Madam Sheng that first and foremost, Old Master and Madam He loved this youngest grandson most. As soon as his father passed away, the couple had separated the clan into smaller ones out of concern about their grandson's future life. The real estate and cash of the third house had made clear long ago and was now managed temporarily by Old Madam He. Once the old couple passed away, the three houses would share the property evenly. He Hongwen himself was a doctor and, with an official uncle and other relatives to depend on, his life would be worry-free.

Later, the straight-forward Old Madam He talked more, revealing that He Hongwen's mother had been suffering incurable disease and could survive no more than five years, but, on her mother-in-law's medical care, she struggled to live on to witness with her own eyes her son getting married and building a family. Thinking of this, Minglan felt deeply sinful because at that time she had been a bit happy that she wouldn't have to deal with a mother-in-law in the future.

Molan and Rulan always laughed at her for having no ambition. In fact, from Minglan's point of view, they became misled after witnessing this hustling and bustling capital and meeting with numerous high-ranking officials and imperial aristocrats. However, a man like Sheng Hong, though a huge figure in Youyang, was an insignificant one in the capital.

Just let He Hongwen learn more in the capital and spread his fame emerging from the Imperial Hospital. Then he could lead a leisurely life by opening a clinic in a small county with enjoyable scenery. Speaking of that, He family's hometown was situated in a county near Youyang.

According to Old Madam He's feedback, He Hongwen also liked Minglan very much. Based on the situation in the several meetings, they would make a nice couple after getting married. By then, she would take care of the family property and strive to become the richest family in the county. Then, she would keep four dogs to guard her. What fun to run amuck on the street!

However, Old Madam Sheng also said: no hurry, let's have a look at other people. What if there were someone even more proper for her out there? In a word, she would still observe He Hongwen more and consider longer about Li Yu. There might be some other guys rushing up halfway.

Molan and Rulan found that Minglan kept shaking the bamboo tube with a smirk on her face. Rulan pushed her impatiently and then shook out a draw at random. Minglan stood up and the three sisters began to disclose their draws, which said, in the order of their age from old to young, better than moderate, moderate, and worse than moderate respectively.

Both Molan and Rulan looked complacent and then showed pity to Minglan who held the worse-than-moderate draw in her hand, comforting, "It's just a stupid draw. Don't take it to heart."

Minglan was calm: The draw was a real reflection of what she had undergone.

At the entrance of the temple was the place to interpret draws where seated several old monks. After reporting to Old Madam and Wang shi, the three sisters went there accompanied by girl and old servants. As they approached, they saw a group of women sitting around a young girl dressed up luxuriously. Her face couldn't be seen because she sat facing the same direction as the three sisters headed, but her conversation with the old monk sitting opposite her could be heard, "…Every cloud has a silver lining. Out of the depth of misfortune comes bliss. Though things run tough for you right now, just follow the trend, things at the worst will mend in the end…"

Minglan burst into laughter. All draw interpretations worked under Barnum effect and would be useful all the time.

Molan and Rulan were excited and each found an old monk to interpret draw for them. Minglan stood at behind and made a summary after listening for a while: the future was bright but the road towards it was bumpy; as long as you tried hard, however stupid you were, you would succeed in either marriage, career or health. A principle applicable to almost everything.

Minglan felt that she shouldn't behave differently from others, so she went ahead for draw interpretation. There was an old monk that was unusually ugly with a withered face even dryer than dried orange peel and facial expression that was extremely hideous and horrible. He sat alone at the corner with no one turning to him. Minglan was impatient to wait in lines, so she headed right to him, sat down, and gave him the draw with both hands. The old monk took a casual glance and was about to speak when he suddenly saw clearly Minglan's face. Frowning, he seemed a bit shock. Throwing the draw away, he waved to drive Minglan away as if she were a fly, "This draw is not yours. You don't have to make a draw in the future because it won't be useful."

Minglan was astounded, wondering if she met a half-immortal. Just as she intended to ask, the old monk shouted impatiently, "Go away! The more I say, the more mistakes I make. Don't do harm to me!"

Minglan only got a hazy notion about what he meant and still wanted to say something, but Rulan and Molan had finished and a servant came to take them back. Minglan was pulled forward by You Mama and when she looked back, she found the old monk rush away in a hurry as if he was chased by a tiger. Minglan was pissed off: Who said half-immortals were ready to help others?!

The three girls were first taken to a wing-room to have tea where Od Madam Sheng, Wang shi, Hai shi and the temple head were there. Near them seated a few noble women who kept chitchatting all the time. Some topics were forbidden from under-aged, so Wang shi sent the three girls to a side-room next door to take a rest.

A little monk found a vacant and clean side-room for them. Surprisingly, the moment Rulan stepped her feet in, she saw the room was already occupied by a girl who sat at a round table and enjoyed tea. By her dress, she was the girl that had her draw interpreted just now. At around fifteen, she had fair skin, slim eyebrows, and round eyes from where charm emerged.

Chapter 72: Half-Day Tour at Guangji Temple (2)

Seeing a pretty girl inside, the three sisters became hesitant to walk in. Molan took a glance at Rulan who squared her shoulders and stepped in. Molan and Minglan followed up. They sat down on a Luohan bench (a long coach) near the window, then girl and woman servants flooded in, taking out the tea and refreshments they brought on carriages and putting them on the tea table. They then went out again to fetch hot water for making tea.

The girl made no reaction to this scene and just enjoyed her own tea. Minglan examined her closely, finding that she was wearing a peach-red slanting gown made of Hangzhou brocade belted at waist. Around the sleeve and collar was grey-mouse fur. The gown was fully-embroidered with intertwining flowers of gold line. Above her feet, a moonlight-white skirt could be seen. Near her chest hang a huge pure gold auspicious lock, the brilliance of which made people dazzled. On her head was a pair of gilded jade hairpin with pearls. The girl also examined the three sisters when she lowered her head and she found that all of them wore luxurious clothes and a pure gold yingluo-patterned necklace with three jade locks which displayed top quality. The behaviors of the three sisters were also well-mannered and graceful.

After some tea, Molan stepped forward to talk with the girl, who quickly revealed her family background, in a restricted way, "My family name is Rong; alias name is Feiyan. My father is Earl Fuchang."

Molan paused for a second and smiled, "You must be the niece of Imperial Concubine Rong."

Rulan and Minglan showed different expressions because a family like this sounded cheerful but in fact was miserable. One of the daughters of the bricklayer family had been chosen to be a concubine of the Emperor and the family got entitled. However, it was known to all that unless the daughter could give birth to a son that could be entitled as crown prince or imperial lord, otherwise this kind of entitlement couldn't be inherited. The luckier ones could inherit the entitle for three to five generations while the less lucky ones could only maintain the title for one generation and degraded as folks. Therefore, usually a family like hers would waste no time trying to forge marriage or nurturing talents in order to prolong the wealth and prosperity of the family.

Though Imperial Concubine Rong was most favored by the Emperor, who was too old to be capable, so she had no children for now and forever, leaving the family with a question mark regarding its road to marriage building.

Rong Feiyan smiled, saying, "My brother and sister-in-law took me here. There are too many people in that room and the noise gives me headache, so I find this quiet room to take a rest. I apologize if I've bothered you."

Although the words were polite, her expression obviously looked overbearing. Rulan had always hated those who were better than herself, so she just enjoyed her own tea and didn't joined the chatting. Minglan, on the other hand, was reminded that the man on horseback whipping folks called Rong Xian was her brother, so, feeling disgusted, she didn't want to talk with her either. Only Molan was there trying hard to socialize. Her cautious and pleasing manner intrigued Rong Feiyan and the two gradually touched on Sheng family's life in Deng Prefecture.

"You have kinship with Qi family?" Brilliance burst out from Rong Feiyan's eyes. She immediately felt herself having overacted, so she held back a little and asked cautiously, "Have you met with their second young lord?"

Molan smiled, "Of course we have. Back in Deng Prefecture, he went to school with our eldest brother. We were also invited to the birthday party of Marquis Xiangyang before the Spring Festival…We also met with Sixth Princess and her daughter, Xianzhu Jiacheng."

Rong Feiyan snorted a bit and said unhappily, "Shouldn't a family member of a locally-inhabiting imperial lord stay in their own land? Why did they keep coming to the capital? Our ancestral rules would be broken in this way."

Molan looked calm and seemingly comforted her, "Stop saying that. Nowadays, Sixth Imperial Lord is most trusted by the Emperor. It's very likely that he will make something in the future!"

Rong Feiyan's face turned sullen, she crashed her hand into a fist and heavily thumped down upon the table. The pure gold with diamond pomegranate flower ring made pitching noise against the table. She sneered, "Something? He'd better not make a joke of himself."

Molan's smile was very pleasing. Only a person like Minglan who had lived with her for many years could tell that Molan actually hated Rong Feiyan. Molan then chose some popular topics among young ladies in the capital to share with Rong Feiyan.

The Sixth Imperial Lord and Rong family was in fact the two sides of a same coin. One was emerging while the other was degrading with power and privilege that could be deprived easily in the future. Minglan lowered her head, picking snacks in the plate, and took a random look at Molan.

The capital was that big where gathered a group of seemingly solemn but gossipy underneath females of high-class families. The fact that Rong family was interested in Qi Heng wasn't a piece of news. Rong family's several attempts to forge marriage with Qi family had been turned down and now with a Junzhu Jiacheng, the situation became two dogs fighting for one same bone. How interesting!

With a few more words, a girl servant from Rong family came in to pick up Rong Feiyan, and a Mama of Wang shi also came to inform the three girls back to have vegetarian meal. After such a morning, the three sisters were already starving, so even Molan, who had been an elegant eater, had a full bowl of rice. Minglan herself ate up half basin of stir-fried cabbage and Rulan held a plate of oiled bamboo shoot and didn't let it go. After lunch, they all took a cup of fresh tea that Guangji Temple fried and sipped slowly. The warmth of tea in the stomach made Minglan feel comfortable.

It was time to go, but Hai shi was considerate to find that Old Madam Sheng looked tired, so she said gently, "We just had lunch. It's not good for health to get on bumping carriage right now. Why don't we rest for a moment before setting off? Old Madam, Madam, what do you think?"

Wang shi was tired too, so she readily agreed. Old Madam Sheng also nodded. Minglan, seeing that seniors approved, at once turned to You Mama for blanket and pillow to take a nap.

Unexpectedly, Molan walked up to Old Madam and Wang shi, smiling, "Grandmother, madam and sister-in-law, I've long heard that the Dewdrop Pavilion at the backyard of Guangji Temple is a relic from the previous dynasty. The pillars are inscribed with a poem by late Scholar Gao. Besides, the Nine-Dragon Shielding Wall is also a unique scene which is very exquisite. Since I'm here today, I want to take a look myself to broaden my eyes."

Rulan didn't want to stay indoors and was intrigued by what Molan said. She ran to Wang shi, shaking her arm, "Mother. You said we should discipline ourselves in the capital, so we were under high pressure. This is a rare opportunity, please allow us to hang around."

Wang shi was moved by Rulan's request. She turned around to look at Old Madam Sheng who was leaning on the back of a luohan bench and said, half closing her eyes, "Send some Mamas to accompany them and watch them closely." Wang shiknew this was a sign of approval, so she turned back and told Rulan seriously, "You have only two hours; be back immediately afterwards!"

Rulan was overjoyed, bowing like a monkey to Wang shi and Old Madam and then turned around to drag Minglan. Minglan wasn't interested, sticking to You Mama, "I'd rather not go. Let me take some rest. You guys go without me."

Rulan stared at her, "You just had lunch. Without walking around, you will throw up again later in the carriage!" Then she lowered down to Minglan's ears, bellowing, "I hate to go with her. You must be there!" Her fingers squeezed and gave Minglan a nasty pinch in the arm.

Minglan had no choice but to go with them.

At the back of the third main hall of Guangji Temple was a spacious lot paved with bricks. It could be used for religious rituals. In the middle of it was a clear pond behind which was a lengthy arch wall. One end of it extended towards the Dewdrop Pavilion and the other directed to the plum forest at the other side of the mountain. It was tranquil in the yard with only a few little monks gently sweeping fallen leaves.

In the early spring, sunshine didn't bake but was rather warm and soothing. The three sisters, accompanied by several female servants, wandered at a low pace along the pebble trail. The first site greeted them was the Nine-Dragan Wall. A ferocious mighty dragon hovered in the middle as if it was about to come out from the wall. The colored glaze on it was still vivid after wind and rain.

Molan seemed to suddenly have great interest in folk relief art, praising while watching from the scales of each dragon to the faded colored glaze. Rulan didn't like to be disciplined, so she demanded the servants to remain at the yard and was now jumping and running and chirping and laughing cheerfully. Minglan followed her languidly and struggled to hold back yawning. As they walked, she suddenly smelled a subtle wave of plum fragrance. Looking up, she saw more plum trees coming up. Minglan paused for a second and stopped at once, saying, "Forth elder sister, let's stop here. We should head for the other end to take a look at the Dewdrop Pavilion."

Molan was moving forward with great enthusiasm. Hearing the words, she looked back, "We haven't finished this side yet. Let's go further."

Seeing her innocent smile as sincere as real, Minglan also smiled, "The Nine-Dragon Wall is symmetric. Watching this side is the same as watching all of it and we'll save a lot of time and energy."

No matter how Minglan tried to persuade her, Molan just didn't agree and insisted on watching the rest of it. Rulan didn't get it at first, but judging from Molan's soft and seducing expression, she was reminded of the scene of Molan grooming her hair. By now she could infer something, so she said loudly, "Further ahead is the plum forest where at this time a poem party is being held. Is it proper if we're seen by them?"

Molan gently smiled, "We're just enjoying ourselves. Why does it have anything to do with others? It's okay even if we were seen by them." Her speech sounded candid and upright, and upon finishing, she raised her head up high to display her innocence.

Rulan sneered, "You've been a talker. Do you think I have no idea of what you're up to? Listen, you'd better give it up soon! Look how frivolous you are! Don't disgrace the family in public!"

Molan's pretty face turned red and she refuted at once, "I don't understand what you're saying. We're all sisters, so why put it so ugly? If you believe that, I'll then go further away. Let's see what incident could happen?! You can just send people to catch me back!" Then she left right away.

Rulan hit the roof. Since the place was already near the plum forest, she didn't dare to shout out to summon up servants but just stamped her feet with rage.

Chapter 73: Half-Day Tour at Guangji Temple (3)

Minglan, with a water-still face, took a few steps forward and stood in front of Molan who said with hatred, "Must you act against me and defamed me out of blue? To prove my fame, I must go forward!"

Raising her arm, Minglan grabbed Molan easily and said casually, "Are you sure not to go back with us?"

Molan made her resolution and huffed, "I'm sure!"

"Alright!"

Then in a wave Minglan threw something right at Molan who screamed out and found a big patch of mud stain on her sunny-after-storm gown made of Su brocade!

"What is this?" Molan bellowed, her face turning purple.

Minglan slightly unfold a piece of handkerchief in which there was a lump of mud. It turned out that Minglan had wrapped it in her handkerchief and held in her hand as Rulan talked with Molan just now.

"You, you and you…" Molan shivered with rage and pointed at Minglan. Rulan who stood next to them was also in shock.

Minglan said leisurely, "Go ahead and meet with those noble young lords. Make a step forward, the mud will be on your face."

"How dare you do this to me?!" Molan finally came back to reason a bit.

Minglan sneered, "I planned to wake you up with a slap on the face but gave up since we're sisters! Now I have these words for you: You don't want your face but we do! Father has acted with caution for his whole life and Old Madam and Madam have dedicated their lives to manage this family. I won't allow you to ruin everything!" To be honest, Minglan had wanted to beat her up for long.

Molan raised her arm trying to beat Minglan but the latter managed to escape in a flexible move. Then, Rulan seized Molan from her back. Molan's eyes turned red, and she cried, "I'm going to tell daddy that you two bully me!"

Rulan was amused by her, laughing, "Go ahead! If daddy knew that you showed up in public, would he praise you with applause? The best you can get is hard beating!" Thinking for a second, she added, "Sixth younger sister has always been nice and honest. Even if daddy doesn't believe me, he will believe her!"

Molan bit her lips with rage and started ferociously at Minglan and Rulan. Minglan wasn't a bit daunted, and turned to Rulan, "Just now when we watched the Nine-Dragon Wall, forth elder sister slipped down accidentally and made her skirt dirty. Let's hold her back. I guess Old Madam is going back home."

Rulan clapped and laughed, "Forth elder sister, shall we go?"

Molan stamped her feet with hatred and turned around heading back. Rulan caught up immediately, shouting, "Forth elder sister, allow me to help you." At this moment, she hoped more people see Molan in dirt.

Minglan laughed to herself in behind and felt cheerful as if the fatigue from the all morning had disappeared. For these years, every time Molan did something irritating, Minglan, by her original temper, had wanted to stand up and give her a lesson, but she was stopped by Old Madam, who persuaded, "Women are restricted in many aspects. Unless you have hard evidence, or don't start easily in case of impressing others as harsh and mean, which will affect your action in the future."

Molan and Concubine Lin were of same temperament, always bad-mouthing behind one's back and setting one against another, yet, in front of Sheng Hong, behaving as poor women that had been bullied by everyone in the mansion. Last time when Molan was punished for humiliating herself in front of Junzhu Pingning, Sheng Hong was cheated afterwards by Concubine Lin's tears into believing that it was Wang shi who deliberately let Molan make a scene of herself in public.

The reason why Sheng Hong now was so biased toward Molan was no other than the fact that Wang shi and Rulan had left an impression of being domineering and bullying to Sheng Hong. A pair of mother and daughter as fierce as lions VS. a pair of poor mother and daughter as meek as sheep. When a man walked into this kind of scenario, his brain would break down and the protective testosterone would automatically make shitty judgement.

Therefore, she never argued with Molan, especially in front of Sheng Hong, and just got along with her like loving sisters.

Minglan shook the handkerchief, rolled it into a lump and tucked it into her sleeve. As she was about to leave, she heard a soft laughter which made her whole body tighten up. She turned around at once. Since she didn't raise her head up, what she saw first was a pair of pink-sole and black-instep shoes and the corner of a piece of sapphire blue gown embroidered with silver lines. She looked up, finding a huge cloud of shadow was hovering over her head.

Minglan immediately took back a few steps. Squinting over, she found that sunrays at this moment were cast upon half of the man's gown, making it bright and vivid while the other half of it was blocked by the shadow of stone wall which made it dark blue and the patterns on it enchantingly exquisite as if carved out with glaze.

"Second uncle." Minglan bowed with all respect.

Gu Tingye pulled the corner of his mouth and satirized, "Is it proper to treat your own sister like this?"

Minglan lowered her head and still answered in a respectful tone, "Even an upright judge couldn't make clear domestic affairs. If what I did is wrong, my father will be the judge to punish me." What she meant was: it's none of your business!

Gu Tingye's eyebrows slanted up; a bit shocked, he said, "Since you call me uncle, it's my duty to tell you right from wrong."

Minglan looked up and smiled mischievously, saying suddenly, "I forgot to congratulate you on your wedding." Then she gestured with her chubby fair hands in a pleasing way, "I wish you and my aunt-in-law many children and a lasting marriage!"

Gu Tingye's face fell gloomy at once and his eyes turned sullen. Minglan regretted for what she had done and couldn't help stepping back.

At the end of last month, Gu Tingyu married Yanran's younger sister who had been spoiled since birth and was extremely bad-tempered. Upon getting married, she devoted herself into transforming the well-known dandy playboy across the capital. The fifth day after their wedding, she sold out her husband's two concubines and on the tenth day, she forced Gu Tingye to either study or practice martial arts, forbidding him from hanging out. On the fifteenth day, she drove away his friends who came to find Gu Tingye to watch opera. On the twentieth, somehow getting the news, she took a bunch of male and female servants to Gu Tingye's house out of Gu mansion and smashed and crashed it into pieces. Luckily, Gu Tingye arrived timely, otherwise Manniang and her two children would have been sold out in bags.

Gu Tingye was never a mild-tempered person, so he claimed a divorce which was naturally turned down by his father Marquis Ningyuan. Then the father and son fiercely fought over it and almost issued a case in the court. One show after another provided the capital with topics to talk about and laugh at during after-dinner tea.

Gu Tingye's look visibly turned dangerous. Minglan's mind alarm set off automatically, so she showed apology at once, saying gently with her head lowered down, "Don't be upset uncle. I shouldn't have said that." Gu Tingye's furry dropped a little. At the sight of Minglan's lowered little head, he said to himself, "Why be angry at a child." Therefore, he said, sounding sad, "How innocent Manniang is!"

Minglan readily agreed, "You're right, uncle! Aunt-in-law acted too rashly." She even nodded hard to display her agreement.

The words made Gu Tingye irritated again out of no reason. He watched Minglan from the corners of his eyes, overbearingly, and sneered, "Don't be pretentious. You're all the same snobbish and looking down upon Manniang. You don't know how much she suffered!"

Minglan was discouraged because she found it difficult to fool this guy, so she sighed, "Uncle, it doesn't matter how others think of Manniang as long as you yourself know how good she is! For anyone from Yu family, they naturally regard her as no simple person since she could travel from the capital to Deng Prefecture safe and sound all by herself with two little children, and she even dared to show up and make a scene in Yu mansion."

Gu Tingyu snorted and took a glimpse of her from overhead, "She has been leading a hard life by wisdom and tactics. Of course, she is not as delicate as you young ladies!"

Okay! Another Sheng Hong here! And another Concubine Lin! Whatever Manniang did was right. Even if she killed someone or set fire, it would be others' fault!

Minglan hated this. She raised up to look right into his eyes, tried hard to hold back her inner resentment and talked in a calm voice, "Uncle. There is something that I don't understand. Could you help me?"

Gu Tingye was a little shocked, saying, "Go ahead."

Minglan took a breath and said in a clear voice, "The eldest young lady of Yu family has been in the capital with Cabinet Yu until she was thirteen years old and is famous for her quietness and kindness among noble families. I bet you must have heard of it before you sincerely went for proposal many times. Therefore, if Manniang really wanted to be by your side, she could just wait until sister Yu marries you. By her mild and kind nature, even if Old Master Yu and Old Madam Yu don't approval for the time being, they would compromise sooner or later, then wouldn't Manniang get what she wants? Why did she bother to make a scene in Deng prefecture to upset Old Master Yu? Wouldn't this ruin everything?"

Gu Tingyan's lips moved a bit. He just asserted that Manninag was resourceful, so now he couldn't say that Manniang hadn't expected that.

Minglan sneered in her heart. She had thought about these long before.

Manniang's real intention to show up in Deng prefecture wasn't at all to let Yanran accept her, but instead, she was afraid that Yanran's virtue and outstanding exterior would take Gu Tingye's favor from her. What Manniang wanted was that Gu Tingye could marry a ferocious wife who would fight with him every day so that she, as a concubine, could gain all the love and stabilize her status!

Seeing Gu Tingye's fickle expression, Minglan hurriedly soften her voice and said with sincerity, "Uncle, you're an upright man and just take my words as an evil man's wish. I just feel unfair for my friend eldest young lady Yu. Probably, Manniang really has her own unspeakable difficulty."

After all, the reason why Minglan dared to say these was her insight of Gu Tingye's personality. He acted to his own will defying rules and rituals. In modern times, he was just an avant-garde youth, but in ancient times where rules and rituals were strict, he was regarded as an offbeat playboy. This kind of person, even if acting evil, would be a person true to himself rather than a hypocrite, let alone a nasty obscene slob, so it couldn't be wrong to flatter him.

Gu Tingyi was in a mental mess and got even more irritated after hearing Minglan's insincere flattering, bellowing, "Leave now!"

The order was sound of heaven to Minglan who lifted up her skirt to slip away and disappeared in a short while.

Chapter 74: Those Who Bullied Me Must Be Bullied by Me

Returning back home, Minglan immediately confessed to Old Madam Sheng about the mud incident. Old Madam was lying on the Luohan bed, silent. Minglan was a little worried, asking, "Grandma, do you think I was wrong?"

Old Madam shook her head, stroked Minglan's soft hair, and said slowly, "You didn't do wrong and your fourth sister won't report to your father with a fanfare, yet…" Minglan held her breath, waiting for Old Madam to continue, "I'm afraid it's easy to fight an open war but difficult to escape from backstabbing."

Minglan understood what Old Madam meant after thinking for a while. She looked up, "Daddy will take a rest the day after tomorrow and I'll send him the new shoes I made for him. Grandmother, please pretend that you don't know this incident."

Old Madam nodded.

On this day, it was Sheng Hong's off-day. After urging Changfeng and Changdong to work hard in the morning, Sheng Hong, in casual clothing, started to practice calligraphy and read a few lines in the study room of inner mansion in order to demonstrate his maintenance of scholarly cultivation regardless of years of being an official.

At this time, Minglan came in wearing a lovely smile on her face. Sheng Hong frowned a bit, his face looked somewhat icy, yet Minglan seemed to not notice that at all and took out the new shoes she had made to hand over to her father while ordering servants to help him put them on. Then, she stood to one side, smiling and waiting for praise.

The moment Sheng Hong slipped his feet into these thick-fur shoes, he felt soft and comfortable. Stretching his feet to fit in the shoes well, he couldn't help feeling warm mentally and was reminded of all the staff that Minglan had made for him and how filial she had been since she was a little girl. He praised, "My daughter is so sweet."

Little Minglan ran over, elated, and pulled Sheng Hong's sleeve to tell him this and that, chirping about funny things happened to her. Minglan was eloquent and when she told a story in a funny way, even Sheng Hong couldn't hold back and burst into laughter.

Minglan said with a bitter face, "…Needle is no easier thing than writing brush. When I hold it well, it's never obedient, but if I put a hard thimble against it, it turns nice! Hem, I finally get to know that a needle can also be a bully!"

Then she spread out a pair of pair chubby hands to show to Sheng Hong the many needle holes on a few fingers.

Sheng Hong felt both amused and moved and pointed to Minglan to laugh at her. Minglan looked really adorable when she played cute. Looking at the lovable look of his little daughter, Sheng Hong pulled his lips and finally asked, "A few days ago when you went to Guangji Temple, why threw mud at your fourth sister?"

Minglan lost her breath for a second. Finally!

Then she stretched her eyes wide open, looking at loss and staring at Sheng Hong with shock, "This is…what fourth elder sister said?"

Sheng Hong couldn't answer for a time. That night when he went to Concubine Lin's place for rest, Molan showed up crying to accuse of Minglan's deed. Concubine Lin also cried heartbrokenly, so Sheng Hong hit the roof and just as he was about to reprimand Minglan, he was stopped by Concubine Lin with seemingly good intention for him, "…My master, sixth young lady is the apple of Old Madam's eyes. If you punished her for Molan, then Molan would be disliked by Old Madam! Then how could my daughter and I live a peaceful life here in the future? My master, as long as you're pitiful to us for what we've suffered, I'm gratified. Just let the incident stop here."

As she spoke, she even kept kowtowing, begging Sheng Hong not to mention this again and continuously emphasizing how Minglan took advantage of Old Madam's love to look down upon Molan and bullied her and so on, offering Sheng Hong more than enough to be irritated. At that time Sheng Hong, though furious, promised Concubine Lin, but he got really dissatisfied with Minglan and the anger got greater the longer he held it back. However, today what Minglan impressed him was an innocent filial girl who he liked very much, so he spat it out naturally.

"Don't ask who said that! Just tell me yes or no." Sheng Hong persuaded her in a gentle way, "It's nothing more than bickering between sisters. If you did something wrong, just apologize to your fourth elder sister."

To his surprise, Minglan didn't say anything but just dropped pearl-like tears one after another, biting hard her lips to remain silent. With a pair of big wet eyes, she sobbed, "Daddy, do you really think of me as an unreasonable person like that?"

Sheng Hong recalled what Minglan had done these years were all proper and satisfying, so he doubted, "Is there anything I don't know?"

What Minglan feared was Molan's backstabbing which could kill her before she knew it. Therefore, now that everything was put on table, she was greatly relieved.

She looked up and said with a loving voice, "Father, please call up fourth elder sister here; no matter what, it'd be better not to talk behind her back."

Sheng Hong thought for a while and waved to order servants to call Molan. Soon, Molan came in. She had been writing in the House of Mountain Moon, so knowing that Sheng Hong wanted her, she picked a few of satisfying ones to let her father take a look. To her surprise, upon entering the study room, what she saw was Minglan whose eyes were red with crying and Sheng Hong who was comforting her. Sheng Hong wasn't upset with Minglan at all seeing her crying so sad, but just took her as a naïve child, persuading her, "Don't cry my poor child. It was just a slump of mud. Even if you were wrong, your sister is sure to forgive you…"

Hearing this, Molan felt suddenly caught by chill.

No matter what Sheng Hong said, Minglan just stayed silent and sobering. At the sight of Molan, she stood up immediately, with tears in her eyes, she questioned her elder sister, "Daddy said that I threw mud at you a few days ago. Did you say so?"

Molan immediately raised her eyes to look at Sheng Hong as if accusing "Why didn't father keep your words?" Sheng Hong at once felt embarrassed, so he put on airs as a father, "Now, both of you are here, just make it clear!"

Minglan stepped forward and seized Molan's sleeve, slightly shaking it and crying, "Answer it; answer it. If you really couldn't get over it, just educate me as your younger sister. Why did you tell daddy behind me yet say nothing now?"

Molan was persecuted by Sheng Hong's gaze, biting her teeth she said, "Right. You threw that at me, didn't you?"

Minglan gently wiped away her tears and asked, "Alright! Then, sister, could you tell daddy what we bickered over that made me behave so brutal as to throw mud at you?"

Molan's face turned red and she said vaguely, "Just something." When being asked what things in specific, she couldn't answer.

Minglan turned around to look at Sheng Hong and complained, "For these years, I never bickered with fourth elder sister. Even if something happened, we get along the next day. Daddy, please think about it. Why must I embarrass my sister in public?"

Molan's look made Sheng Hong suspect and thinking of the constant bickering between Rulan and Molan, he scolded, "Did you defame your younger sister?"

Being shouted at, Molan was more nervous, so she, remained silent, wiped her eyes in a hurry in order to buy some time. However, surprisingly, Minglan talked, "No, father. I did throw mud at sister, but I don't think I did wrong."

Sheng Hong got even more confused by her words. Minglan looked calm and depicted what had happened on that day with a few sentences in a clear and logical way. As she spoke, Molan's face got redder and redder while Sheng Hong more and more ferocious. Finally, he thumped hard on the table and cursed, "You undisciplined thing! Don't you know how many men were there in the plum forest? How dare you crush in! Why are you so shameless?!"

Molan felt her knees became weak and kneeled down at once, crying and defending herself, "…I didn't. I just saw the exquisite Nine-Dragon Wall and wanted to see all of it, but sisters criticized me too straightforward, so I was so angry that I insisted on going further."

Seeing Molan crying so hard, Minglan hurriedly kneeled down too. Pulling Molan's sleeve, she looked sad, "My sister, you didn't think straight. No matter how exquisite the Nine-Dragon Wall is, could it be more important than father's fame? How cautious father has acted as an official? We daughters, even if couldn't share his concerns, shouldn't find troubles for him! In the plum forest were a bunch of famous young lords in the capital, if you were seen by them, then, then…."

Minglan had difficulty talking on as her voice stumbled. She turned around to cry behind her hands. Sheng Hong was so upset that he slapped over a teacup with one wave. The porcelain pieces scattered all over the ground. His face was in purple and hands were shaking out of control. He shouted at Molan, "Stop crying! You're elder but not mature than your younger sister! Where did you learn those things? Do you take all others as fools? You shameless thing! How could you tell on your sister!"

This was the first time that Molan was scolded by Sheng Hong like this, so she cried even harder.

Minglan didn't keep quiet either. She moved forward on her knees to Sheng Hong, pulled his sleeve with tears in her eyes, and said earnestly, "I thought sister was just thoughtless for the moment. I was afraid that grandma might blame sister, so I kept it all to myself. I even didn't tell grandma because I thought we were sisters with blood bonds and even if something unpleasant happened, we would get over the next day, but I didn't expect…didn't expect that sister should badmouth me behind my back!"

Minglan looked heartbroken, and her crying was distressful. She turned around to look at Molan, questioning in a soft tone, "Fourth elder sister, fourth elder sister, why did you do this to me?" She looked devastated for being betrayed by blood-bond siblings.

Molan was a bit dumbfounded. To be honest, in terms of crying and acting poor, she and her mother had never failed. At a time when they had no rivals, she was confronted with an unprecedented challenge.

Minglan fell onto the ground near Sheng Hong's feet, so mournful and pitiful that Sheng Hong was almost heartbroken. He pulled Minglan up to sit on the chair and then turned around, pointing at Molan, cursed with harsh words, "You black sheep! How much I loved you and how could you do such a nasty thing? Your younger sister dissuaded you for the sake of our whole family, but you should hate her for this and take revenge against her! You're so young but so relentless. Why should I keep you in the family? Come and call up Madam!"

Wang shi was teaching Rulan to read fish-scale account. Rulan was impatient and wanted to give up after making two mistakes. Wang shi was upset and about to curse her daughter when the good news dropped from heaven. She rushed to the study room in a hurry and found that her black-faced husband was desperately cursing Molan and Concubine Lin, kneeling down, was crying next to her.

In a few words, Wang shi got the whole story and was overjoyed. Seeing Minglan almost passed out from crying, she immediately put on the face of a loving mother and ordered servants to take Minglan back for rest.

Minglan didn't witness what happened later because she was 'too sad'. In the evening, Rulan, with excitement, came to tell her everything. Molan was beaten by discipline-ruler 30 times on each hand, which swelled up high later, she was then grounded for half a year, and forbidden from reading poems and line but to copy Female Rules and Commandments for a hundred times.

Wang shi had wanted to drag in Concubine Lin into this incident, but Molan was tough enough to insist that Concubine Lin was also cheated from the truth, so finally Concubine Lin was only punished with 50 times ruler-beating and being grounded for three months.

…

"You knew this long before?" Sheng Hong snorted in the bed, his rare day-off spent being furious.

Wang shi sat in front of the mirror, carefully applying cream to her face, and answered in a relaxed voice, "Yes. Rulan told me right afterwards."

"Why didn't you tell me?!" Sheng Hong thumped on the bed with rage.

Wang shi was in great mood and specially changed a piece of brand-new silk red pajama embroidered with yellowish lotus leaves with cute insects on them. In the exquisite gown, she turned around and smiled, "How dare I make comments on them? You've always criticized me for being narrow-minded and disliking fourth girl. Why should I bother to tell you! It's not just me that didn't want to tell you, even Rulan told me not to let you know, otherwise you might blame me again."

Her voice was dragged long as if teasing him.

Sheng Hong choked on the words. Wang shi elegantly stood up and sat down on the bed, smiling, "This time I bet you know how hard fourth girl is. It's fair to say that in terms of scheming, ten Rulan will be defeated by half Molan. Unfortunately, the ability wasn't used in a good way."

Sheng Hong was also angry but on a second thought, he asked, "Old Madam didn't know this either?"

Wang shi burst into laughter, "Old Madam was intolerant to that kind of things. If she knew it, could nothing happen until now? … Alas, sixth girl is so sweet to hide it from Old Madam just to protect fourth girl's face. Yet, the kindness wasn't appreciated but hated instead!"

While satirizing, Wang shi felt really delighted.

Sheng Hong also sighed, shaking his head, "Thanks to Old Madam's teaching, Minglan turns out to be a filial and upright girl who knows maintaining harmony among siblings." Speaking of it, he suddenly sat up and resented, "Don't let fourth girl meet Lin shi again. Do not let her learn evil tricks!"

He wasn't unaware of Concubine Lin's tricks, yet because of their relationship, he had been tolerant as much as possible. For those that couldn't be tolerated, he just scolded and disciplined her to obey rules. He had thought that a concubine living in the inner mansion couldn't result in serious consequence. However, he was dissatisfied about his daughter's behavior, so he immediately decided to separate the daughter from her mother.

…

"Stop crying! I know you feel terrible. It's fourth elder sister's fault. Let's just ignore her!"

Rulan spent no effort but watched for free the scene that she had been dreaming of for long. Witnessing Molan being beaten up and crying and being cursed by Sheng Hong in a hating tone, Rulan's happiness generated patience to comfort Minglan the credit-owner. Yet, after long persuading, Minglan still kept crying, so Rulan complained, "Why are you still crying!"

Minglan lowered her head and kept wiping her eyes with a handkerchief: Shit. The Osmanthus oil was too effective! Even better than what the commercial claimed!

Chapter 75: Tranquil Life

Translator: Iris

After the incident, Minglan hadn't been troubled for quite a long time. Her father Sheng Hong acted nice and legitimate mother Wang shi showed her concerns. In addition, Rulan frequently came to talk with her. Seeing this situation, Old Madam Sheng couldn't help pulling Minglan by her ear and pretended to scold her with a smile, "You such a cunning girl!"

Flushing in red, Minglan was a little bit embarrassed with fingers of two hands clenched, "Grandma, aren't you sick of my calculation?"

Turning eyes to newly emerged green outside the window, Old Madam said in a rather slow speed, "The calculation in our house is to some extent moderate. You won't want to see the real calculation. Even things in a slush pit are cleaner than those vicious thoughts."

Minglan was depressed to hear that, "Is there any once-for-all solution? It's troublesome to remain cautious of any calculation at any time."

A faint smile sprawled Old Madam's wrinkled face, "Of course there is. However, you need to persuade yourself first."

Minglan was confused and Old Madam continued, "All your father asked are clear and easy to satisfy. Concubine Lin is no longer a young woman. Actually, all your Dimu needs to do is just to buy an amiable woman who knows about poems and don't give any chance for her to have babies."

Silenced for a while, Minglan signed, "Madam wouldn't agree. It's like piercing her heart with a sharp knife."

Old Madam replied in an ironic smile, "Then she has to live with it. If she is able to live with it for a while, she would buy herself a peaceful life, a sound and safe life!"

"What if she can't live with it?"

Seeing Minglan's sullen face, Old Madam said lightly, "Your elder grandma and I haven't ever thought of calculation. My self-esteem stopped me while she was kind-hearted. Later I couldn't bear with my life but she did."

Minglan silenced again. Grandma listened to her heart, fought back and was satisfactory for a while. However, later she was lonely and wretched for almost half of her life. Not a single one within the whole Sheng family was biologically related to her. Nevertheless, elder grandma endured great hardship, fought for decades and was now able to enjoy her late life with grandchildren surrounded.

Minglan signed slightly after she finally got grandma's message. If there should be one needed to die, apparently it was better anyone but me. To live a good life, men needed to be harsh on themselves while women needed to be harsh on others.

It was March by lunar calendar. Magpies chattered above on trees. Weather was rather pleasant with sun in the sky. Wang shi's mood was as good as the pleasant weather recently.

At first, there came good news of Hualan's pregnancy. And it was diagnosed by Old Madam He that the baby was a boy and was in good condition. Tears of joy prompted out of Wang shi's eyes. She started to prepare decent gifts and entrusted Old Madam Sheng to give the gifts to Old Madam He. Afterwards, she was busy donating silvers to both Taoist and Buddhist temples, which annoyed the abbot of Guangji Temple for he thought believers should adhere to one religion. Wang shi's act to him was like a woman married to two husbands and according to laws should be drowned to death! However, Wang shi was just worried for she didn't know which god was more helpful. She feared that if she only donated money to one god, the others would be irritated.

When Wang shi was troubled by the religion, Concubine Lin seemed to be haunted by bad luck. This time since she was totally grounded, she couldn't check her business as usual and issues occurred. It was hard to open a business in the capital city if you were not supported by high-ranking officials. Thus, she practiced usury. However, her business was involved in deaths of people and therefore revealed.

Actually, usury was common and to some extent a legal business. However, it was not quite good for an official if he was found practicing usury. On hearing the news, Sheng Hong was as mad as a wet hen. He then took back all the estates he gave to Concubine Lin all these years and entrusted them to Old Madam for daily management.

It was said that Wang shi was striking a wooden knocker when Sheng Hong broke in a dudgeon. Sheng Hong pounded the table, cursed Concubine Lin, and rushed out. Thus, Wang shi immediately chose to be a Buddhist since the wooden knocker brought her good news.

Minglan thought in her heart that Sheng Hong actually had thought for Molan and Changfeng. His act was just to punish Concubine Lin for a while. He knew Old Madam wouldn't degrade herself by taking the estates as her own and would eventually return them to Concubine Lin.

Leaning against the door, Concubine Lin kept thumping her chest, stamping her feet, and pretending to seek death for almost half a day after she had been grounded, trying to attract Sheng Hong's attention. However, Sheng Hong ignored her and planned to keep her grounded for a year or so.

These days, Wang shi frequently visited Earl Zhongqing's mansion to see her pregnant daughter. Each time, she would go with a carriage of supplements and come back with a mouthful of gossips about upper classes, which accidently enriched lives of women in the Sheng family.

And during these days, it was also heard that Gu Tingye finally distanced his family. He ran away from home alone regardless of his wife, father, mother, and even mistress. Marquis Ningyuan was so irritated by him that he was seriously ill and could only rest himself on bed. However, to remain dignified, according to the Marquis's family, Gu Tingye was out for more experience.

Minglan was a little disturbed to hear this, "Maybe…have I ever influenced Gu Tingye's decision?"

Followed by Gu Tingye's incident was a scandal. The lady of Marquis Fuchang was kidnapped by gangsters when she was out one day. Only one of her servant girls escaped and was lucky enough to be rescued by Madam Zhao, wife of a secretary of Zhongjidian and Madam Qian, wife of assistant administrator of the Department of State Affairs, who were on their way to temples. Lady Rong was finally rescued, but…

"Lady of Marquis Fuchang? Sister Feiyan?" Minglan suddenly figured out who was involved in the scandal.

"You bet!" Rulan rolled her eyes and then said with uncertainties, "Could it be that … she…?" Her pauses totally revealed what she wanted to say.

Their sister-in-law Hai shi signed, "Even if nothing happened, who would believe! The girl's reputation is ruined. What a pity. The Rong family only has one girl now. Paralysis struck Marquis Fuchang when he heard the news. Imperial concubine Rong blacked out after crying her heart out."

Minglan also felt sad for Feiyan and asked in a low voice, "Did these gangsters get arrested?"

Hai shi shook her head in a mysterious way and said implicitly, "Governor of Shuntian Prefecture (equivalent to Beijing Municipality in today's People's Republic of China but the prefecture jurisdiction was different) has searched the city for gangsters at the very night, but no traces were found."

Rulan was surprised, "Could it be that they can fly in the sky and proceed underground? Or, is it that the officers are not competent?" Hai shi said with a gentle smile, "Officers are competent enough since it is Imperial Concubine Rong's family that is involved."

Minglan lowered her head and said nothing.

According to the strict identity management system of the capital city, even Ximen Chuixue (lit. Simon blows wind, a figure of a wuxia novel by Gu Long with top martial skills) was able to be found by the government of the capital city and armed forces of five cities, let alone a group of common gangsters. Since no signs of gangsters were found, it meant that they were not really gangsters!

Few days later, words came out that Rong Feiyan couldn't bear the shame and committed suicide by hanging herself from a beam.

One month later, the daughter of the sixth prince and the son of Duke Qi got married. The daughter-in-law of Princess Royal was the matchmaker for the bride and the royal highness of Duke Liang for the bridegroom. Xianzhu Jia Cheng finally married Qi Heng with generous dowry. Almost half of the city witnessed the marriage. Feasts were held for three days and nights. Tables for the dinner served to guests as they arrived extended for miles.

On this very day, Molan was grounded and listless. She only had two bowls of porridge. Rulan ate three bowls of rice for a row and had a midnight snack to ease her sad feelings. Minglan closed doors of House of Clear Dusk and sent away all her servants. She sat alone, cleaned all things Qi Heng had sent to her one by one, packed them up again, and locked them up with a box.

It was early cool summer. Since He Hongwen's mother got better, Madam He sent an invitation to the Sheng family, asking them to come over. Hai shi was pregnant and occupied by morning sickness. Rulan got cold. Wang shi needed to take care of them both. Molan was grounded. Only Old Madam and Minglan had the spare time.

Minglan was a little bit anxious to see her future mother-in-law. However, what she saw was a gentle woman. Though with a pale face due to sickness, her smile was just like that of He Hongwen's and was as comfortable as hot-spring water.

He Hongwen's mother was first worried that Minglan would act awkward because she was the daughter of a concubine. However, she found Minglan was a soft girl who acted in a dignified way. What was more, she was quite cute with a pair of dimples when she smiled. On a second thought, the girl was raised up by Madam Sheng and must be educated well. He Hongwen's mother was rather happy after figuring all these out. She then held Minglan's hands and talked to her with smiles. When she coughed, she would move away from Minglan, avoiding infection. She even reminded Minglan to bath first with honeysuckle and mugwort before seeing others such as the pregnant woman.

As for the herbs, they were absolutely provided by He Hongwen for free.

"Brother Hongwen's mother is so nice. Her disease is not infectious at all, but she acted carefully." Minglan finally relieved on her way home.

Madam Sheng held her granddaughter in arms with an amiable smile, "It's too early to be relieved. Even if she wouldn't call her daughter-in-law to serve her in the future, as her daughter-in-law, could you rest when your mother-in-law gets sick?"

On a second thought, Minglan raised her head, flushed and said in a low voice, "I'm willing to be a filial daughter-in-law. She is lonely to stay alone. I'd like to talk to her and kill time with her together."

Old Madam Sheng was delighted to hear the answers. She touched Minglan's hair softly and smiled, "Our Minglan is a good girl."

Burying herself in Old Madam's arms, Minglan said in a low voice, "I would serve her well. If she is fond of me later, I would be able to invite my grandma to live with me for quite a while. At that time, grandma, we two and the two madams of He could play together. What a lively scene!"

Madam Sheng managed a poker-face and pretended to scold Minglan, "Nonsense! Not a single married girl had ever asked grandma to live in her mother-in-law's house."

"No, there is." Minglan answered with her head raised, "I've heard that official Liu's mother-in-law lives in his house and is treated as his own. In addition, she maintains good terms with official Liu's mother."

Madam Sheng couldn't help laughing, "She lives there because she doesn't have children and is lonely at late age. However, I have both children and grandchildren."

Minglan lowered her head but retorted in a low voice, "So I say grandma you stay for a while and frequently stay for a while."

Old Madam Sheng was surprised to hear that. She felt warm in her heart and tears welled up in her eyes. She stopped talking but held Minglan in her arms swaying. The way she swayed was like that of swaying a little baby.

Hualan's belly grew as days went by. Minglan was absorbed in making little bellybands and clothes for the little baby. Rulan was forced by Wang shi to practice needlework in Minglan's house so that at least she could put her name on the list of gifts when clothes were sent away.

Recently, Minglan lived a happy life. At night, she could talk to grandma and play cards with her. In the day, she could either practice needlework, copy scriptures, or kick the shuttlecock with Rulan. Rulan practiced her shuttlecock skills with Minglan and was super happy since she would win every time.

Occasionally, He Hongwen would send seasonal herb supplements and took the chance to meet Minglan stealthily. If he was lucky enough, he could talk to her in several sentences. Otherwise, he could only look at her through the curtain. Even so, He Hongwen was still very excited and would flush out of excitement. He would look back repeatedly at every step when he left.

Molan was rather lucky. On the second day of her grounding, Wang shi had heard new gossips from Hualan. The gossip was rather unexpected and attracting. It was said that Qi Heng didn't get along with Xianzhu Jia Cheng very well. Xianzhu was rather imperious. She was accustomed to beating servant girls. In addition, she tended to suppress the senior branch of the Duke Qi family. It was also heard that once Qi Heng planned to make a servant girl as his concubine. However, the girl was beaten to death by Xianzhu Jia Cheng with a random excuse the next day.

Qi Heng was more than furious. He packed his bedding up and slept in the study room. No matter how Xianzhu cried and screamed, he just ignored and was unwilling to sleep with her. The deadlock lasted for two months since then. It was not until Qi Heng was persuaded by sick Junzhu Pingning before he agreed to move back.

"Hum, what a good daughter-in-law picked up by Junzhu!" Rulan couldn't wait to express her feelings delightedly.

Molan instead commented in a more poetic way with eyebrows frowned slightly, "Poor brother Yuanruo! It isn't easy to be born into the Duke Qi family." She came to apologize to Minglan and wished to restore the relations between her and Minglan. Of course, Minglan agreed "sincerely".

Minglan then said indifferently, "They would finally be rewarded." The marriage was just a political investment, everyone got what they wanted. There was no need to pity on themselves or others.

Days of getting rewarded were coming soon.

The old emperor finally made up his mind after a severe disease. He asked the Imperial Clan Court to remake jade records at his last gasp. The sixth prince's youngest son was adopted by the third prince as his heir. Warehouses were opened and grains were taken out to be distributed to common people for celebration. It also meant that the heir to the throne was finally settled.

"Amitabha. The emperor has made a wise decision!" Hai shi started her Buddhist rituals following Wang shi, "This event finally comes to an end. People are troubled for a long time since the heir hasn't been determined."

Minglan thought in her heart, "The emperor's decision is absolutely wise, or else he couldn't be called as emperor."

At the very night, Wang shi held a feast at home. All family members gathered together. Sheng Hong's eyes twinkled with pleasure. He drank several cups in a row and praised the emperor several times in blurred words. Even Changbai couldn't help reciting a paragraph of Lessons Taught by the First Founder of a Dynasty with a poker face. Changfeng wrote a poem on the spur of the moment, thinking highly of the emperor's decision and profound influences brought about thereby.

"Is this little incident worth celebrating?" Rulan wasn't interested in politics and was confused.

"Yes, of course." Minglan's face was totally red out of the wine. She smiled, "Common people know to whom they are going to knee down and officials know to whom they should devote their loyalty to. Everybody has goals and it's a happy ending."

It was a great thing indeed. The Duke Qi family had let off over ten thousand silvers worth firecrackers. The whole capital city was decorated with lanterns and colored hangings. Everybody was cheerful except for the sad fourth prince's family. However, they were a family. After mediations by imperial concubine De and Shu, the two brothers reconciled with tears in front of the old emperor.

Poor chief steward and the two scripture interpreting teachers of the fourth 'prince's camp! They were sacrifices in this event.

These were the rules in the royal family. If princes were not good at school when they were little, it was the attendant who accompanied them studying that should be beaten. When they grew up, it was the maid and eunuchs who should take the responsibilities for their wrongdoings. More often was the case that henchmen died first in power struggles between princesses.

Thinking of this, Minglan paid high tribute to previous time travelers who remained safe and sound in fights between princesses. Now, apparently, she was unable to do that. Alas! How the condition of time travelers declined these days!

Chapter 76: Shen Chen Mutiny

Minglan was still in bewilderment when recalling the days of the revolt after quite a long time.

It was the fifth day after Third Prince adopted a son, Rulan got a bamboo growing so well that she invited Molan and Minglan for her showing off. Molan, getting tired of Rulan's boasting, began to talk about He family in a rather awkward tone.

"Old Madam He and grandma enjoy years of friendship. It was such an honor that He family sent an invitation yet madam, sister-in-law and you sisters were not available to go, so that only left me and Old Madam." Minglan gave a perfect answer.

Rulan chuckled craftily with her mouth covered and deliberately protracted her voice, "Ohoooo…I see, fourth elder sister was quite busy then."

Molan stared back at her quite indignantly.

According to Old Madam Sheng, the two family were quite pleased with the bride- and bridegroom-to-be, so the match was half decided. However, the marriage of the two elder sisters of Minglan were yet to be decided, so they kept it secret from all except Sheng Hong and Wang shi in case any harsh rumors arose.

Sheng Hong behaved quite like a loving father who nearly investigated everything about He family. After thorough consideration, he nodded in approval, "Though not populous, his family is wealthy. The boy is sensible and capable. Minglan is a blessed one with Old Madam Sheng caring for her."

Wang shi pouted her mouth, "The boy's father died early and his grandfather retired long ago. Only his elder uncle is a sub-prefect (Tongzhi) in a remote place. But his background is enough to match with Minglan."

In fact, Wang shi felt quite envious as though He Hongwen looked common with ordinary background, he was balanced-equipped for a future son-in-law, a wealthy family with official background. Whoever married him could run the household without heavy burden to serve the parents-in-law. Common yet quite economic.

From where Minglan belonged, He Hongwen was the so-called budget husband pursued by many. Sheng Hong went to the Ministry of Works after the conversation while Changbai went to the Imperial Academy.

It was a gloomy day; the sun was nowhere to be found even by the noon. The early winter was unexpectedly hot with the comeback heat of autumn, the air quite sweltering that it drove all in sweats.

In the first quarter of Shen (15:00-16:59), the loud noise of bells resonated through the whole city, the heavy thumping sounds of which frightened all. Then a curfew was imposed and all houses were closed with not a single man on the street. Soliders patrolled every corner of the city and killed anyone suspicious, causing the perish of countless innocent souls in merely a few hours.

All noble and aristocrat families closed their doors waiting anxiously for the end. Wang shi was panicked when Sheng Hong and Changbai didn't make it home by evening. Hai shi managed to stay calm but stared blankly without focus with her pregnant belly.

The whole family was overwhelmed by fright and panic as Sheng Hong and Changbai were missing for three whole days with not a single piece of news about their whereabouts or safety. All females gathered in the Hall of Peaceful Ages waiting anxiously for the unknown. Old Madam Sheng berated with a serious face about their panic as she ordered servants to pry into news.

However, the situation got even tenser that even outings for food and daily supplies were prohibited. Anyone trying a few more arguments for justice would be beheaded on the spot. No valuable information could be gained. The only thing known was that the Imperial Guards controlled the Imperial City with some other soldiers dispatched from Commandery of Five Armies. Old Madam Sheng then privately sent some to get news from Kang Yun'er, only to learn that Changwu also disappeared for days. Unwilling to take shelter in her father's home, Yun'er just stayed in her own house waiting in tears for her husband's safe return.

All females sat together, panic stricken and absent minded. In the silent room came the soft sobbing of Molan, Rulan buried herself in Wang shi's arms, Hai shi stared blankly in the air, Changfeng paced restlessly at the door, Changdong, with his eyes wide open, dared not to speak and only grabbed tightly at Minglan's sleeve. While Minglan felt a chill down through her spine and couldn't help trembling in the smeltering day.

It was the first time she realized how important Sheng Hong and Changbai were to the family. She dared not even to delve deep into the consequence if they died.

A good son Sheng Hong was not, nor a great husband, yet he was indeed a responsible father who would remember to check his children's school work, instruct his sons in studying and educate the girls on rites whenever he got a minute. And he never abused. He selected the families for best match for the children of marriageable age, and searched through connections for great teachers, which was how Changdong got his opportunity to enter a great school in imperial city.

Minglan couldn't contain her fret any longer, she wanted to cry as she didn't want to lose such a father.

The fourth day, Sheng Hong and Changbai still didn't get home. The only vague news they got was the third prince plotted a rebellion to the throne and was executed. The fourth prince was now rummaging through the city for suspected accomplices on His Majesty's decree. The teachers of third prince had been executed, eight junior officials of Zhanshi House (department in charge of daily affairs of the emperor and princes) killed, Shen Zhen the Great Bachelor of Wenhua Palace, Yu Yan the vice prime minister of Cabinet and director of Ministry of Penalty committed suicide on imperial order for conspiring with third prince. More officials implicated were prisoned upon imperial decree with their safety unknown.

The news only increased the panic. For a time, the whole city was shadowed by fright.

"Where is this imperial edict prison?" Rulan asked with terror, "Are father and brother there?"

Molan burst into tears, "It is the prison constructed upon His Majesty's order. All those in it would be tormented, if not killed. Are father and brother also…"

Minglan berated coldly, "Watch your mouth, fourth elder sister! Father and brother have always been cautious, never ganging up for personal interest. How could they be involved with no connection with anyone from third prince's?"

"Not necessarily so," Concubine Lin who had been standing behind couldn't help retorting, "Madam has been on friendly terms with Junzhu Pingning who is the in-law of sixth prince, and sixth prince is on the same boat with third prince…"

"Shut up!" Old Madam Sheng fumed before Lin could finish her words. Smashing the tea cup to the ground with hot tea splattering, Old Madam Sheng stood up before all in the room and demonstrated such an imposing air that Minglan had never felt before.

"Stop any ominous nonsense with all unknown. I'll slap whoever talks nonsense." Old Madam Sheng scanned the room with her sharp gaze, Wang shi sobbed with tears in eyes while Concubine Lin lowered her head in silence.

Old Madam Sheng continued with firmness on her face and voice, "Family members of military officers all lead their life in peace and calmness when their father and brothers fight in the battlefields. Are they useless like you?"

The ladies controlled their cries a bit, then Old Madam continued firmly, "Life and death is normal, wealthy or poor depends on the heaven. We Sheng family has the protection of ancestors and sheltering from Buddha, they sure will return safe and sound."

Gradually, all calmed down, yet whether it was due to the rebuke from Old Madman Sheng or it was because the panic decayed all by itself was unknown. Wang shi wiped her tears and continued to manage domestic affairs, reproaching those panic-stricken servants with a fierce expression and ordering them to guard the door.

That night army with unknown origin sneaked into the city by darkness and confronted fiercely with the guards. Luckily, Sheng Manson wasn't in the central area. Hideous bloodshed happened in the area around the Imperial Palace with killing, flames and civilians dying in the riot.

Harem all stayed home in panic. After over 36 hours of bloodshed it stopped on the sixth morning. It was a quiet day with the drizzle dispersing the stuffiness and the cool breeze blowing away the depression in everyone's heart. Then Sheng Hong and Changbai came home with the rain.

The father and son both looked bedraggled, one with disheveled hair and sunken eyes as if having spent a whole week in prison, the other with hollow face and pale lips as if having watched horror movies for seven days.

Wang shi threw herself into Sheng Hong's arms in tears and smiles, Concubine Lin tried that too but was stopped by Liu Kun's wife before she got a chance. Hai shigrabbed firmly at Changbai's arm without any regard to manners. The three Lans were so overjoyed that they pulled their father by the sleeve with tears running down their cheeks. In the whole mess of asking and answering, Old Madam Sheng ordered everyone to stay calm and let the two wash themselves up first.

The past days were like a journey through life and death, tormenting as if a generation had passed. Sheng Hong couldn't help throwing himself to Old Madam's arms in tears after tidying himself up. Changbai held the crying Hai shi and Wang shi in arms and comforted gently for quite some time before the two finally calmed down. Old Madam Sheng ordered all servants out and inquired in detail what had happened.

Sixth days ago, the old emperor quitted the morning court by illness as usual. All political affairs were then reported to the Cabinet by the head of all departments. All was well before the riot suddenly came. The first sign of it was the commander of Imperial Guards Xu Xin was ambushed and killed outside the door of Xihua Gate, then the vice commander took over the guardian team, enforced a strict curfew and welcomed fourth prince into the imperial palace to 'protect' His Majesty.

Sheng Hong knew it immediately that fourth prince started a coup.

The vice commander of Five Armies, Wu Yong, detained the Lord Commander Dou, deployed soldiers to control the Six Ministries and other important departments and took many officials into custody. Then the imperial guards besieged imperial palace and third prince's mansion, while fourth price, holding the forged imperial decree, executed third prince with a cup of poisoned wine, and forced His Majesty to grant him as the Crown Prince.

Minglan was shocked: It was the same as Xuan Wu Gate Incident.

T/N: The Xuanwu Gate Incident was a palace coup for the throne of the Tang dynasty on 2 July 626, when Prince Li Shimin (Prince of Qin) and his followers assassinated Crown Prince Li Jiancheng and Prince Li Yuanji (Prince of Qi).

However, fourth prince was not Li Shiming, nor the old emperor Li Yuan. The old emperor had prepared in advance a secret plan for emergency. Sheng Hong and Changbai knew not how His Majesty quelled the mutiny, but the three troops stationed in suburb of the capital swarmed into the city and at the same time the several vice commanders in Five Armies managed to escape, rescued Commander Dou, and killed Wu Yong by surprise, taking the guardian team back in control. Then they led the manpower of the three troops into the city, launching counterattack against the Imperial Palace to rescue the emperor.

The table had turned. Fourth prince was arrested with his accomplices either killed, arrested or running away, marking the end of Shen Chen Mutiny lasting for seven whole days.

Sheng Hong signed, "Luckily, Lord Minister is alert who immediately led us into the secret chamber in Ministry of Works where stored food and water. We all survived these tough days. However, other colleagues…suffered. An upright one was killed for not willing to yield in and those killed or wounded in the mutiny are still unknown."

Changbai who had been silent all the while suddenly spoke, "Prime Minister of Cabinet escaped, vice Prime Minister was murdered. Those conspirators forced the Grand Secretary to forge imperial decree to grant the throne to fourth prince, his lordship refused, cursed them in rage and smashed himself upon the golden steps. Blood splattered everywhere. Then they forced Educator Lin who refused too and accepted his fate with smiles. Then it was Tutor Kong's turn who spat on the conspirator and threw himself to the sword held to his neck." With that, even Changbai who always kept his emotion well nearly sobbed with eyes turning red. Hai shi wiped tears in silence as the several noble officials were once students of his grandfather who all taught Changbai much in court.

"Should Commander Dou arrive half a day later, it would be my turn, a seventh ranked official." Forcing a wry smile, Changbai continued, "I even wrote my posthumous papers and hid them in my sleeve."

Though her son was alive by her side, Wang shi turned pale out of terror and gripped Changbai firmly by the sleeve. Changfeng looked dismal, twitching his lips as if trying to manage some great response. However, in the end he just lowered his head. Eyes of Concubine Lin who was sitting behind glimmered with somewhat pity.

Silence reigned the room that even a pin drop could be heard. Then came Sheng Hong's long sign, "Both were princes and brothers by blood, why committing such a brutal deed?"

No one could answer that. Changbai managed to hold in his emotion and said in a light voice, "If only His Majesty could decide the crown prince earlier."

All the issue derived from the long years of suspension of the crown prince. The old emperor's hesitation rendered the two princes in a long lasting hostile position with each buying over a group of manpower. Civil officials of both sides attacked one another, military officials ganged up in separate groups. The warring relationship between the two parties worsened to the point of extreme tense which was set to flames by the point the old emperor agreed third prince to adopt an heir.

At that time even if fourth prince himself gave up the throne the men supporting him wouldn't agree for the once touchable power that they had been scheming for years.

"Luckily Yuan the nephew in law and Changwu are not injured. We must thank our ancestors for the bless." Old Madam Sheng heaved a long sign of relief.

Much trusted by Commander Dou, Yuan Wenshao was detained and rescued together with Dou and then followed him to quell the mutiny. Therefore, he should be fine with dereliction offset by merits. The Zhongwei Guardian Team where Changwu worked was assigned tasks out of the capital, so he was not involved in the bloodshed and even made somewhat contribution in stopping the mutiny, therefore he would probably get promoted.

The brutal massacre, the great change of the imperial court caused numerous civilians and officials to perish, bringing countless families to ruins. All were exhausted by the tragedy, so Old Madam told everyone to get back for some rest. All filed out with Sheng Hong in the lead who intended to compose two memorials to the throne in his study, followed by Changfeng and Changdong, then the young ladies.

Changbai was the last to get up who turned back to Old Madam Sheng and Wang shi after moments of hesitation, "One more thing…sixth Princess and Xianzhu Jiacheng died in the revolt."

By that point the three Lans were already out of the door but still caught the words due to the extreme silence of late night, who all stopped in shock and went back to the door on tiptoe for eavesdropping.

Old Madam Sheng and Wand shi were both stupefied with hasty voice from Wang shi, "How come?"

Changbai managed some words, "Marquis Fuchang contrived with fourth prince, Little Imperial Concubine Rong was the planted agent in palace who summoned the harem of some noble families into the palace and took them in custody. When the mutiny began, Rong Xian forced into the palace and dragged away sixth princess and Xianzhu Jiacheng. Not until yesterday when Commander Dou led troops into the palace were they found dead in a chamber…they were…"

With that, Changbai paused as if trying hard to find the proper words. But then on a second thought, he knew it would be hard to be kept secret since their corpses were seen by quite a lot soldiers, so he explained in short, "They died from rape…"

The air froze. The girls were chilled to the bone. Rulan and Molan turned ghastly pale out of fright, covering their mouth to stop themselves from making any sound. Minglan, though not able to peek inside the room, could imagine the shock everyone got.

Then came the dry voice of Old Madam Sheng after a while, "Was it for…the girl of Rong family who committed suicide out of shame?"

"Precisely," Changbai replied in a soft voice. "Rong Xian had been claiming that he wanted to avenge for his sister. Rong family had ferreted out the ruffians kidnapping Lady Rong long ago. It turned out they were the guards and house servants of sixth princess who had planned to just disgrace Lady Rong and force her out of the capital. However, it went awry as Xianzhu Jiacheng, with viciousness at such a young age, intervened. While Lady Rong was a girl of pride who couldn't bare the shame and…"

His pause didn't stop others from getting the unsaid meanings.

"They could have reported to His Majesty!" Wang shi chimed in quite hastily.

"What difference would that make?" asked Changbai calmly.

Indeed! It wouldn't make any difference. There was no way that the old emperor would kill his daughter-in-law and granddaughter for Rong Feiyan. The thing was Little Imperial Concubine Rong bore no heir. And the sixth prince acted in such a rampant manner even with the old emperor still on the throne. By the time the old emperor died, Rong family would be like the meat on sixth prince's chopping block, leaving them no alternative but to go and seek refuge with the cornered fourth prince. And the death of Rong Feiyan was the ignitor.

No more words from the room, then Minglan, holding her two elder sisters each with one hand, turned away and left. Molan sobbed as they walked back with mouth covered. Xianzhu and Feiyan were two young girls of prime age who they had drank tea not long ago, now both died a violent death.

Rulan sobbed, "Is it over?"

Minglan thought to herself, "I'm afraid not. Crimes are yet to be decided, awards for contributions yet to be granted, plus a new crown prince to be selected."

Chapter 77: The Tranquility After the Mutiny (1)

The snow that had been accumulated for the whole winter melted in the early spring of April. Though the buds on the branch had nudged their heads out, the tripod inlaid with two golden characters "Shou" (longevity patterns) was still burning with silver charcoal, making the room warm. On the pearwood table before the bed placed several bowls of herbal concoction held in palace porcelains painted with beauties. Besides the bed placed a wooden armchair covered by fur with leopard print, on which sat a middle-aged man in extravagant clothes who looked genial and grew short beads.

"Heng'er has been in the exam for a whole day. I wonder how he is doing?" A soft voice of woman came from the bed.

Lord Qi replied, "Heng'er has been studying hard for months on end without rest, he is sure to earn a degree. Don't worry about him, your top priority is to tone your body. You've been on medicine since the beginning of winter. On account of your sickness we didn't even celebrate the Spring Festival."

Junzhu Pingning leaned against a brocade cushion inlaid with golden peonies, her face yellow, her cheekbone protruding. She looked gaunt with not the slightest of her previous high spirit to be seen. Sickly she said, "Heng'er is blaming me."

"Don't overthink. Mother and son would never bear grudge overnight," Lord Qi comforted. "The coup before the Spring Festival has caused much loss for all departments. Nearly half of the officials in Imperial Academy and Cabinet were killed as their offices were quite near to the imperial palace. Therefore, His Majesty granted a new session of exams early this year. Heng'er has been working hard to try and earn a degree this time."

Junzhu Pingning signed heavily, "Don't try to cheer me up. Heng'er has been praised for his decorous appearance and erudition. Now he is not only widowed but also laughed at by all. It is all my fault."

Lord Qi went silent while in heart he thought that her wife was not wrong. She took the right bet but just lacked a bit of luck.

Eyes reddening with tears, Junzhu Pingning choked with sobs, "I sensed something wrong when learning what happened to the girl of Rong family. Yet that time…we had no choice. I don't like Xianzhu either. Her arrogance and disregard for life were by no means blessing to the family. Yet I still forced Heng'er to intimate with her. However, even so, I never expected her to die so miserably."

With that, Junzhu Pingning couldn't help sobbing while Lord Qi, unable to manage any comforting words, only patted lightly on his wife's hand and wiped her tears gently with handkerchief.

Junzhu Pingning said in a low voice, "The scene that Rong Xian forced into the palace would frequently come into my dreams these months. The ferocious-looking rebels, the blood-dripping swords, the palace maids crying and struggling, and Sixth Princess and Xianzhu being pulled away right in front of me…" Her eyes were filled with undisguised fright… "It was at that very moment I finally realized that several lives were costed behind this marriage."

With that, she could no longer contain herself and cried in her husband's arms.

Lord Qi and Junzhu were couple from young. Though they would bicker in life, his heart couldn't help softening a bit when seeing her wife crying her heart out. So he consoled in a gentle tone, "The recklessness of Sixth Princess and her daughter well indicated the villainy of Sixth Prince in his conferred land. His Majesty was infuriated and stripped him of the noble title, making him only a powerless royal member. If not for pitying that the third imperial consort has only this son, even the heir would be deprived of the title. Little Consort Rong and Consort Shu committed suicide while Fourth Prince was sentenced to death with all his children degraded as plebeians. Ay! Ten years of power struggles yet ended in vain overnight. The implicated nobles and aristocrats couldn't even be numbered. Thanks for His Majesty's mercy and wisdom that father-in-law and our house are much favored. We…should take it easy."

Speaking of this, Lord Qi couldn't help but sign, "Man proposes, God disposes. Who'd ever thought that Eighth Prince would become the crown prince."

"Is it settled?" Junzhu Pingning asked with doubt as she was no longer certain about anything.

Lord Qi helped his wife down to the cushion and forced a smile, "His Majesty has conferred Shuyi (a title of an imperial concubine) Li as the Queen, Consort De the Imperial Noble Consort for her loss of a son. However, Shuyi Li was merely a maid from the Clothes-washing Palace and was only given a tile after she gave birth to a son. His Majesty never favored her and just placed her in a palace beside the Cold Palace (where guilty imperial concubines live after they are deprived of the titles) for her late years. What His Majesty truly means by naming her as the Queen is clear to all. In addition, His Majesty has already summoned Eighth Prince to the imperial city."

Junzhu Pingning signed after a long silence, "His Majesty never favors the two yet now…Man can never bend the will of fate. The prosperity of an empire lies in a great emperor. Now all other princes are all too young, only Eighth Prince is appropriate for the throne. I remember that Eighth Prince's conferred land is in Shu (ancient name for Sichuan Province), when will he arrive at the capital?"

"Road in and out of Shu is a tough one, it will take at least a month," Lord Qi said and moved closer to his wife, persuading in a gentle voice, "So it's best that you pay more attention to tone your health condition. If Heng'er can earn a degree this time, you'll have a lot to deal with."

Reminded of her son's great career, Junzhu immediately braced herself up from the cushion with hope gleaming in her eyes which then was replaced by a sign, "I don't know who Heng'er takes after. He's indeed a stubborn kid."

"What's wrong with our son?" smiled Lord Qi.

Junzhu Pingning stared at the top of the bed carved with pomegranate patterns that meant fertile with descendants and replied in a quite discouraged tone, "His Majesty granted the new session of court exam before the Spring Festival, so I let him compare note with and ask Changbai for some advice about the articles since they are on friendly terms. Guess what? Your dear son would rather wait outside the Imperial Academy than visit Sheng Mansion!"

"Em? Why?" Lord Qi was quite confused.

Junzhu Pingning shot a displeased glance at her husband, "Remember the maidservant that Xianzhu killed with flogging? Don't you think her eyes look quite familiar?"

Lord Qi pondered for a while then it suddenly dawned on him! He said with hand covering forehead, "Ah! That's why Heng'er kept such a foolish, vulgar and flattery girl! So he still loves Sheng Hong's little daughter?"

Junzhu Pingning nodded in approval, "Luckily the girl doesn't socialize often or Xianzhu would have long suspected. Hey, what are you thinking about?" With that, she pulled the corner of her husband's robe.

Lord Qi was then staring at the copper stove of violet gold with his head lowered and only came to himself when pulled by the sleeve. He immediately explained, "I was thinking that Sheng Hong was indeed a blessed one. Minister Lu always behaved like an ignorant one with deaf ears and clouded mind, yet in the time of emergency, he was quite alert and resourceful to not only lead his family safely through the danger but also protect all the documents in Ministry of Works. After the coup was quelled, His Majesty rewarded all officials in Ministry of Works for 'Calmness in the Hour of Peril'. Old Minister Lu was then granted to enter the Cabinet while Sheng Hong was promoted to be the fourth-ranked Left Intermediate Censor (Qianduyushi) of Court of Censors."

Junzhu Pingning grumbled with unconcealable jealousy, "Not only so! Sister Wang is in high spirits for these happy events. Her son is promoted as Librarian of Imperial Academy (Dianji, an eighth-ranked official responsible for the management of departmental memorials to the throne, documents and books), her nephew Bazong (a seventh-ranked military officer) and her son-in-law vice commander…See, over there are the red eggs from Sheng family! Double portions of it! Her first daughter gave birth to a fatty son last month and this month her daughter-in-law delivered a son too!"

T/N: Red eggs are gifts sent to relatives and friends as a token of jubilance and celebration when young ladies get married or when newborns turn one-month old.

On the pearwood round table inlaid with marble flowers placed a plate of bright red eggs. Upon seeing them, Lord Qi was reminded of something so he turned to his wife, "Old Marquis Ningyuan's death-day is at the end of the next month, will you go?"

Junzhu Pingning was still overwhelmed by the jealousy from seeing the red eggs, so she said, "No, we're long ago distant relatives out of Wufu (five costumes for mourning of the dead). Sending a portion of sacrificial rites would suffice. Speaking of that, Tingye's wife has passed away for over a year." With that, she heaved a heavy sign and harrumphed, "My poor uncle has been cautious for his whole life, yet he is so unfortunate that his son would be involved in the coup after his death. Tingyu is in poor health and now involved in the coup, leaving the whole family in fear of being reported and deprived of marquis title."

Lord Qi was quite upset hearing the words. Now looking at the red eggs, he then had some ideas, "Now that Heng'er still wants the girl of Sheng Hong, why not you try to propose? I now think they are a great match."

Junzhu Pingning harrumphed, "We're late. Sheng family has a plan."

Lord Qi asked out of surprise, "You've already asked about it?"

Qi family and his son were hapless enough, now if being refused, it would be indeed the worst came to the worst.

"Do you think I'm that imprudent?" Getting her husband's meaning, Junzhu Pingning comforted, "Sister Wang is straightforward, I coaxed it out of her with a short conversation. Her legal daughter is arranged to match with the nephew from her mother's side, but that is not decided yet, she plans to keep searching for someone great. Minglan's future husband has long be chosen by Old Madam Sheng, a youth from a side-branch of He family in Baishitan."

Lord Qi was quite upset by the news yet thinking of his son's disappointed look, he ventured with some hesitation, "What about the last girl of Sheng family?"

"Bah!" Junzhu Pingning couldn't help but despise lightly and frown at her husband, "Heng'er is not at the point of making do with a concubine born daughter! If not for the fact that Minglan is brought up by Old Madam Sheng and her good nature, I'll never take her either. I just want to compensate our son for my previous mistake."

Silence reigned the room for quite a while before Lord Qi said, "Then better choose carefully this time and don't forget to ask Heng'er first. It would be best that Heng'er himself likes the girl."

Junzhu Pingning couldn't help but add after seeing her husband's caring for the son, "I heard that Sheng family and He family haven't made the match public. Moreover, Sheng family is in

Chapter 78: The Tranquility After the Mutiny (2)

Precisely, Sheng family in its heyday had its bad news.

"Mother, please rethink about it. Long journey would exhaust anyone at your age," persuaded Sheng Hong who hurried to Hall of Peaceful Age without even a minute to change from official uniform to casual wear. Sitting down there were Wang shiand the children.

Old Madam Sheng shook her head quite firmly. Thumbing the prayer beads of eaglewood, she said, "As sisters-in-laws for dozens of years I can't just stay away from her when she is on her death bed."

Sheng Hong then frowned and asked Taisheng who sat quite restlessly by the side, "How on earth is Elder Aunt?"

Taisheng grew much taller than several years ago when Minglan visited Youyang. The then fat and short boy was now a slim youth. He stood up and bowed quite apologetically to Sheng Hong, "Uncle, please pardon me. Grandmother has not been feeling well ever since the Spring Festival. We've invited retired Imperial Physician Bai to help who told us that grandma's final days would be in a few months. Third house has been coming to make trouble ever since that leaked out, claiming that great grandfather had left behind great wealth which they also enjoy a share. While next time they would offer to manage the family matters for Elder Uncle. Third grandfather would always sit there unwilling to leave. With his old age we dare not to force him out…We really don't know what to do with them."

Upon hearing that, Sheng Hong heaved a long sign and turned to Old Madam Sheng, "Mother, how shall I forgive myself should anything happen to you?"

Changwu who was sitting in silence with shame by the side immediately kneeled before Sheng Hong, pleading sincerely, "This nephew is unfilial. Being a grandson yet unable to wait upon grandma's side. And now even exhaust second grandmother with such a long journey…Taisheng will escort Old Madam to Youyang this time and Mother will try every means to look after Old Madam. Please rest assured, Uncle."

Wang shi grumbled with a long face, "It's easy to say so."

Just as Sheng Hong was about to continue the persuasion, Old Madam put down the prayer beads and waved her hand, "Say no more of it. I've made up my mind. I'll set out tomorrow." With a short pause she continued in a rather gentle voice after seeing Sheng Hong's worried face, "I know you're filial, yet for a matter important as this I must go as long as I can move my old body. Speaking of that, we not only survived safe and sound through the riot, Bai'er and Wu'er are both promoted, which couldn't be possible without your daily discretion but we should also thank Buddha and our ancestors for the protection. Thus, we should bear kindness and gratitude in heart to accumulate more luck and blessings. It is more so with our family members."

Sheng Hong and Wang shi exchanged a glance and knew the persuasion should stop here. Then Changbai walked Changwu and Taisheng out. Minglan knew the matter was settled so she stood up and vowed earnestly to her father, "Please rest assured, father. I'll take good care of grandma along the way."

To all's surprise, Old Madam Sheng shook her head, "No, you're not going with me."

Minglan was astonished. She had been spending nearly every second with Old Madam Sheng for these years, now it would be too unbearable for her to part with her dear grandma. However, Old Madam Sheng turned to Wang shi before Minglan could manage a word, "Minglan is growing up and it would be inappropriate to take her around. I'll leave for Youyang first, if my elder sister-in-law do…then you can let the girl come."

Wang shi immediately stood up and bowed with respect as response. Old Madam Sheng continued, "Bai's wife is now in confinement of childbirth, then please take the bother to run the household." Then taking a glance of Minglan's sad face, Old Madam Sheng couldn't help but add, "Sixth girl has never been away from me for long. She's such a foolish girl that I'm quite worried. Please watch over her in case she misbehaves."

Wang shi was quite clear about the unsaid meanings in the words so she smiled, "Old Madam Sheng over worried. Minglan is a considerate girl, better than her two elder sisters."

Old Madam Sheng nodded, "Thanks for the bother."

Seeing Old Madam Sheng caring so much about Minglan, Molan could no longer constrain her jealousy so she smiled, "How partial you are, grandma. Why you just worry about sixth younger sister? Fifth younger sister and I are indeed poor girls no one cares for."

Rulan felt bumpy too yet she was not willing to be used, "Sixth younger sister is still young. It is only natural that grandma worries for her…Bur grandma does favors sixth younger sister the most." With that, she even pouted her mouth out of unjust treatment.

Old Madam Sheng smiled without saying anything yet Sheng Hong frowned and reprimanded, "Where did you learn your manners? Old Madam Sheng is setting out tomorrow yet you two care only about yourself not her well-being."

The two Lans lowered their head in silence.

Minglan stayed in Hall of Peaceful Age for the night, pleading repeatedly to go together with a sad face which worked perfectly with Old Madam Sheng normally, but not this time. Minglan couldn't help but grumble, "Your granddaughter no longer suffers carriage or boat sickness and I can be useful to help you kill the boredom. Big uncle's is not a strange place, we're family…"

Old Madam Sheng was annoyed then amused by her dear granddaughter's tiny complaint. Slapping gently on Minglan's head, she put on a serious face, "Stay home and learn from your sister-in-law. Look how she behaves under your mother and how tactfully she manages affairs. Then look at yourself? Such a clinging girl! Someday you'll get married, too." Worried by the thought, Old Madam Sheng couldn't help thumping the tea cup on the table.

With mouth pouted high, Minglan whined in low spirits, "Why not you come with me when I get married?"

Old Madam Sheng couldn't constrain her serious face any longer. Upon hearing Minglan's naughty words, she was nearly choked on the tea. She then put down the tea cup and pinched Minglan's face, teasing, "I should have disciplined you with hard beats when you were young. Such a spoiled girl."

Knowing it was impossible to dissuade Old Madam Sheng, Minglan changed the topic and began to exhort her grandmother to take care of herself on the way, to drink more water over the night, to not get cold from frequent night-ups and that it would be better to wait till the sun got high to take a walk…her naggings went on and on till Fang Mama and Cuiping went in, bantering, "Time changes. Young lady is now a grown up and knows to care for Old Madam. It used to be Old Madam who nagged young lady, now it's quite the contrary."

Old Madam Sheng felt her ear tingling from Minglan's nagging. Having no way to stop her granddaughter, she just signed quite helplessly, "Taisheng brought you a letter from Pinlan. Every time you hear from her, you would be happy for quite a time. Why not read it now?"

Minglan just played with her little fingers to play dumb and then wiggled herself on her grandmother like a restless squirrel, rubbing her grandmother's neck with her little head, which drove Old Madam Sheng into laughter out of itchiness. The grandmother and granddaughter then enjoyed the game of tickling and dodging which amused Fang Mama and Cui Ping a lot, who, daring not to laugh out loud, just got out of the room without making any noise and left the two enough private time for fun.

Not until quite a while later did the two finally stop the game which disheveled the coiffure of Old Madam Sheng, who also felt the delight in it like an old child. She then patted gently on Minglan's hand and scolded, "Stop it and listen to me."

Minglan then sat straight quite obediently.

Old Madam Sheng then began in a rather grave tone with sincerity, "Ay…I thought I would make do with my life without any child to look after. Never had I expected that I would have a rascal to bother me as this."

Hearing that, Minglan just buried herself in Old Madam Sheng's arm in silence. Quite touched by her intimacy, Old Madam Sheng held Minglan in her arms and said in a rather gentle voice, "I've been stubborn since young. Acting rashly like a pettish girl spoiled by parents and incorrigible even when severely hurt. Looking back now, I just wished I could suffer more as a child. How long can I protect you, silly girl? You'll have to learn how to get along with mother- and sister-in-law when you get married. I can't always put you under my arm and shelter you from all the storms. So learn to get along with your mother and sister-in-law while I'm away in Youyang, okay?"

Minglan lifted her little head and nodded in silence, her eyes moist with tears dropping from her long eyelashes, her face so fair as jade. Old Madam Sheng could never bear to stand her pitiful look, kindly she said, "They wouldn't be restrained with my absence. Your mother, though not excellent in interpersonal communication, excels in running the household. Your sister-in-law is a resourceful and tactful one. Look how they manage things…You'll be of age for your 'hair-do ceremony' in a year or two."

T/N: Hair-do ceremony, 及/jí/笄/jī/, to reach marriageable age, usually at a girl's fifteenth birthday when her hair will be bound.

Minglan sobbed, "I don't wanna to part with you, grandma."

Old Madam Sheng simply patted gently on the girl with unceasing signs.

Chapter 79: Seniority, Legitimacy and Kong Rong the Good Boy (1)

After Old Madam left escorted by Taisheng, Minglan was still immersed in the sorrow of separation when Rulan came to the House of Clear Dusk with a fanfare. In the moment, Minglan was lying on the soft bench, looking tired and numb holding a big cushion in her arms. Rulan walked over and patted her face, "Hey! Wake up, stop being sad! Alright, you're the only filial granddaughter and we're heartless ones!"

Minglan had no strength to argue with her, just answering wearily, "Don't say that. You're sad inside, but I'm too naïve to hold it back and put it all on my face."

Rulan's punch was met with a cloud of soft cotton. She had nothing to reply, so she headed right to the point, "Emm, I bet Pinlan sent a letter again. Tell me what happened to the scholar Sun."

Minglan rolled her eyes to the roof.

The series of Pinlan's letters had two themes, one was 'the record on the decline of the family of a heartless conscienceless scum' and the other was 'the record on the recovery of Sheng Shulan, a kind and elegant lady mistreated'. Ever since Minglan mentioned these for once, Rulan had become a loyal audience of this serial story.

Speaking of it, on that year after Sun Zhigao gained half of Pinlan's dowry with a letter of divorce, he immediately welcomed the accordingly innocent dancer-prostitute into his family as his legitimate wife while Shulan was sent to the village where Guijie'er (Sheng Yun's daughter) lived after getting married. It was a place with abundant natural resources and full of rich yet simple folks. Besides, Guijie'er's father-in-law was the head of the village, so there were no gossips about Shulan there.

Without Shulan's deterring and the prevention from Shulan's hands, Sun Zhigao started to spend all his day drinking and calling prostitutes, frequently throwing a party at fancy restaurants and inviting a bunch of men with a pose of learning to get drunk and hang out with prostitutes. Really enjoyed his life to extremity! Yet, his behavior was known to the local official who, out of rage, denounced him, during a seminar of local scholars on the theme of local examination, as 'immoral and unconscientious' and 'a scum among scholars'. Sun Zhigao went back with the humiliation and acted worse since then.

Sun's mother was easy to coax. Having no idea as to what to do with the great deal of money, she decided to follow others to do investment, for one time into cosmetics shops, for another into grain shops and sometimes even into the dear money industry. Though a wide range of industries were touched upon, the result was all the same, that was losing money. Minglan suspected that uncle Sheng Wei must have added fuel to the fire secretly.

Hence, after the dancer-prostitute gave birth to a boy, Sun family's situation became much worse than before. Yet, Sun Zhigao was a superficial man who wanted to impress others as rich and classy. Therefore, in order to continue his extravagant life, he had to sell out much of his family property. Though his mother tried to prevent him, he always refuted her with the remark that once he passed further exams, he would blahblahblah….

However, his wife apparently turned impatient. One day after Sun and his mother turned back home from a dinner party, they all passed out into dead sleep after taking drunk-cure soups. When they woke up, they found the many belongings and boxes of silver money were all gone, except for a touching long letter left by the rare girl and Madam Sun's nephew: It said that they two had known each other long ago and the son she gave birth to was also the nephew's. They had fallen in love with each other long ago. Though the love was deep enough to move everyone, fate didn't do them a favor to let them have each other. Having suffered for all these days, they finally couldn't cheat themselves into denying their true emotion and decided to be together. They begged the 'benevolent and generous' madam Sun and the 'noble and great' Sun Zhigao to understand their relationship as well as the behavior of taking away all of the property.

Once the incident was known to the public, Sun and his mother immediately became the laughing stock in Youyang. The love birds left in hasty, with no time to sell out the house but was able to sell all the lands and other valuable properties. Since then, Sun Zhigao's life turned miserable at once. No restaurants allowed him to pay on credit any longer, and book and stationery stores came at him one after another to collect debts. Looking at the porridge and pickled vegetables, Sun and his mother began to realize how nice Shulan was and tried to reach her in Cangxiang. At first, Sun even intended to put on airs to indicate that his willingness to marry Shulan again was degrading for him. To their surprise, by the time they arrived, they found that Shulan had not only gotten married but also been pregnant for long.

Shulan's in-laws was a big family in the neighboring village, boasting houses and lands. Her new husband was an honest and friendly guy. This time, Sheng Wei and Li shi carefully examined the character of their son-in-law as well as enjoying the respect as parents-in-law, happily married their daughter to him.

Sun and his mother were stunned at Shulan's swelling stomach. Sun said something ugly out of anger, but Shulan, no longer the mousy girl she used to be, sneered and gave them a good mocking. Guijie'er was even tougher to point out Sun's problem— "Maybe it's you who are interfile. Go to see a doctor and don't ruin the life of your girl."

Sun Zhigao almost died of humiliation when a group of honest and well-built countryside men arrived. They didn't waste time in speech and went right to the point in beating him up and throwing him out.

The latest news was that Shulan gave birth to a pair of twins, one daughter and one son while Sun Zhigao, on the other hand, became a regular visitor to pawnshops.

Rulan, having produced a table of melon seeds crust, didn't have enough of the story and, at the same time, was dissatisfied about Minglan's dull way of telling the story. Minglan was also unhappy about that and picked up the account book that Old Madam gave her to read carefully.

Question 1: One acre of medium-quality non-irrigated land was worth about five taels of silver while one acre of irrigated land doubled that. However, one acre of top-quality irrigated land could be sold for twenty taels of silver. The question was: If you had one thousand taels, how to use them to achieve best result?

Answer: It depended on the actual situation and existing policies.

Question 2: The family had ten household of servants who accompanied the bride upon marriage. After three generations, excessive in-house servants were produced who over-evaluated themselves and occupied a larger proportion of domestic expenditure. How to cut it down?

Answer: The best solution: family planning and stricter disciplining; medium-good solution: let them leave; the last solution: sold them out.

Question 3: There was a large population in the family. The males didn't have earnings and lived beyond their means. How to deal with that?

Answer: Separate the smaller clans and let them depend on themselves.

Question 4: Parents-in-law couldn't think straight, referring side clans and not willing to separate the family. Sisters-in-law were greedy and brothers-in-law lust for women. The family property was in great deficit. The husband favored concubines to wife while her maternal families didn't care about her. There was no way out for her.

Answer: Wait for reincarnation…

What reflected on account books was not only financial situation, but also complicated interpersonal relationships which always ended up in a mess. Minglan read the book the whole day and felt her head was to explode. A big family was doomed with troubles, each smaller clan having its own intention. Therefore, many problems were no way to be solved. What you could do was to wait until there was a younger generation to hand over the hot potato who would then wait for the next generation.

"Young lady." Danju lifted up the curtain and came in, reporting with a smile, "Madam sent maid to tell that we have new spring clothing and accessories. You can select some there."

Minglan got off the bench. While Danju helped her tidy up hair and clothes, she asked, "Is everything good in the courtyard?"

Danju thought for a while and answered in a low voice, "Of course it's no better than when Old Madam is around. A few little girls are gossiping."

Minglan smiled and told her, "You don't have to scold them specially. Just keep an eye on them." Danju didn't understand while Minglan just smiled with the corner of her mouth curved, "People in the inner courtyard are good-weather people with whom you can share fortune but not misfortune. Let's just wait and see."

In order to nurse Minglan's body, Old Madam used to be extremely careful in her food. Daily snacks, either cream, crispy, or steamed, kept changing in turn. Night meal, soup of bird's nest in crystal sugar or red jujube porridge or other best dessert were all served until Minglan's skin turned as fair and smooth as porcelain. Even her servants could have a share of the benefit, but now they were provided the same as all other people.

Danju understood and said seriously, "How nice you treated them ever! If they hated you because of no more getting the benefit, I'd curse them to hell! My lady, I'll keep an eye on them."

Xiaotao held Minglan to Wang shi's room. Wang shi was lying on the Xiangfei bench and chitchatting with Liu Kun's wife. In the middle of the room were two square tables putting together. On them placed folded new-colored clothes made of brocade in brilliant new patterns. Molan and Rulan were standing by the tables and examining these clothes with eyes. At the sight of Minglan, they both gave her a stare.

Wang shi knew that Minglan was always a moment slower in doing everything. It was understandable that she was slower in greeting seniors, but she even came later for staff distribution. Therefore, for each time she only got what others didn't want, and also because of this, no one criticized her for being late. Wang shi put down the teacup, took up a small black pitch wood case, and let Liu Kun's wife hand it to them, smiling, "This is the latest sample from the Shop of Crystal Jewels. Your eldest sister had it customized before the Spring Festival. She liked its brilliant color, so she sent it here for you to choose."

Liu Kun's wife opened the case and put it near the brocade on the table. What greeted them was dazzling brilliance from inside the case. Minglan took a look at it and found in the case three hairpins. One was love-flower tassel hairpin inlaid with glaze; one was golden dangling hairpin inlaid with southern pearl and carved with bat pattern; and one was honey-colored crystal hairpin. All of them were in the latest style and shone with crystal brilliance.

The three Lans then looked at one another before Rulan pouted her mouth, "Go ahead, fourth sister. Father says that we should have respect for seniority."

Molan smiled lightly, stepped forward to examine the three hairpins carefully, and finally chose the most dazzling golden dangling one. Rulan burst into laughter suddenly and turned to Minglan, "Sixth younger sister, do you know in the story of Kong Rong the Good Boy, who is the good boy? The younger brother or elder brother?"

T/N: Kong Rong the Good Boy is related with a well-known story commonly used to educate children – even in contemporary times – on the values of courtesy and fraternal love, which involves a four-year-old Kong Rong giving up the larger pears to his older and younger brothers. This story, commonly known as "Kong Rong giving up pears", is also mentioned in the Three Character Classic, a text used for elementary education since the Song dynasty.

Chapter 80: Seniority, Legitimacy and Kong Rong the Good Boy (2)

Minglan didn't know how to answer her, so she just smiled bitterly, "Fourth elder sister, don't you know that I have little learning? Don't baffle me please."

Rulan rolled eyes at her and then turned to Molan instead, "Father always praise you as the one with most learnings, don't you think so, my fourth elder sister?"

Molan's face turned purple from embarrassment. She forced a smile, "If you like this one, just tell me. Is it necessary to cite a story? We are sisters. I, as your elder sister, won't take away what you like."

Rulan said slowly, "It's not about hairpin. It's just I want to learn from you as my role model."

"Then you choose first!" Molan put down the golden hairpin, her eyes looking down, full of resentment.

Rulan despised her, "Now that you already picked that one, how can I take it away from you? Father will blame me."

Minglan frowned at Rulan's further pushing. She looked up at Wang shi who was immersed in the conversation with Liu Kun's wife and didn't take a glance at them at all, as if having no idea of what was happening over there. Minglan lowered her head, understanding it all.

This time, the Emperor opened a Special Examination of Divine Grace. Many sons of Sheng Hong's former classmates and colleagues attended the exam, but only Changfeng didn't even pass it to make pre-scholar and had to watch this rare opportunity fly away. Therefore, recently, Changfeng was disliked by Sheng Hong in every aspect. A few days ago, the final session started when half of the Department of Supervision were talking about their sons taking the exam, making Sheng Hong quite depressed. He went home with a long face and headed directly to Changfeng's study room, planning to urge him to pass the autumn exam next year and achieve even better result from then on.

Unexpectedly, the moment he reached the door, he heard laughter of a man and a woman. He kicked open the door, finding that his son was laughing and holding a jade writing brush in a handsome pose while next to him was a provocative pretty girl who pulled up her sleeves to let Changfeng write erotic poems on her fair smooth arms.

Sheng Hong had a pair of sharp eyes, so by one glance he saw the erotic lines on the arm "Crystal fragrant skin of mine/wait for you to unclothe and try". It made Sheng Hong hit the roof at once and immediately ordered to bind Changfeng up for club-beating based on the family rules. Afterwards, the handsome charming young lord could do nothing except for crying and shouting. Concubine Lin came over, kneeling down on the ground to beg mercy for him.

Sheng Hong was so upset that he, in front of everyone in the main hall, pointed at the mother and son, rebuking them as "losers of no promising future".

Concubine Lin felt wronged as well. Didn't she want to well discipline her son? However, after all, she was a concubine whose son wouldn't listen to her at all. In addition, she feared strict discipline might do harm to their relation, and he was the only one she could rely on for the rest of her life.

Sheng Hong decided to carry on the inspection, thoroughly rummaging Changfeng's study room and leaving no stone unturned. As a result, a dozen of pornographic pictures and poem collections were found, and the paper of the books were quite old, an indication that they had been leafed through for many times.

Sheng Hong flew into a rage, taking up a club to hit Changfeng on his own and grounded him. Then, he contacted the family accountant to prohibit Changfeng from getting money at random and any expenditure more than five taels of silver must be reported to him.

There were just two reasons why Concubine Lin was loved, one was herself and the other was her son. At present, she was no longer loved by Sheng Hong like before and her son was despised. Therefore, at a time, the servants across the mansion, who all had crystal hearts that could see things through, began to curry favor with Wang shi.

"What do you want?" Molan sneered. She had never been mocked like this before.

"I don't want anything." Rulan slowly flapped the clothes while saying deliberately, "Yet if you insist me picking first, this would go against father's will. We need a good reason. Otherwise, as sisters of the same family, is there anyone who is nobler than others?"

She stretched the last syllable and watched Molan with provocation.

Molan bit her lip, aware that Rulan was forcing her to spell out the "legitimacy priority" thing. Many years ago, when Concubine Lin was Sheng Hong's favorite, Molan frequently used it as a method to gain more pity and love from Sheng Hong.

Although things had changed, she couldn't give in easily. At the sight of Minglan who stood next to her lowering her head, she had another idea, smiling, "You're right fifth younger sister. In the story of Kong Rong the Good Boy, the elder brother gives up the larger pear for the younger brother, so let sixth younger sister choose first."

Minglan took a look at Molan. Alright, the sympathy that had just been provoked for her vanished at once. Seeing Molan walk up to pull her over, Minglan turned around flexibly and avoided Molan's reaching hand. Minglan had already found an excuse, and just as she was about to say, a voice came over from outside, "Master is back."

Wang shi, who had been watching the drama from aside, was a bit shocked. Taking a look at the water clock which suggested four o'clock in the afternoon, time before the due time he got off work.

Liu Kun's wife was alert and immediately helped Wang shi get up to welcome Sheng Hong. He was in the official costume, walking in, looking upset, and a few strands of his beard pointed to different directions. He headed right to the master's chair and sat down. Wang shi ordered tea for him in a hurry, walking over and smiling, "You're back, my master. Why did you return so early today?"

Sheng Hong took off the official hat with great care and replied casually, "Today is the final day of the special exam. We saw even the head of our department leave, so we all went home as well." An official shouldn't act different from others. As long as no bottom line was broken, it'd be best to follow suit.

The three sisters stood in a line and greeted Sheng Hong respectfully.

Sheng Hong nodded in response to the three girls, but the clothes and hairpins on the table made him frown, "Didn't Hua'er send these yesterday? Why do you give to them until this day?"

Wang shi froze for a moment before she tried to explain, "A few days later, the Mansion of Marquis Zhongqin will hold a one-month birthday party for Hualan's son. I suppose it would be improper to wear too plain, so I added more fabrics and give them today."

Sheng Hong nodded. Suddenly, he recalled the scene when he just came in. Molan and Minglan were standing on one side and Rulan on the other. On the table, there was an open jewelry case. He took a look at Wang shi, feeling unhappy, "How come Rulan is the only one choosing? Did my Molan and Minglan get something?"

Molan walked gracefully to Sheng Hong, smiling, "Let fifth younger sister choose first."

Sheng Hong knew that Rulan and Wang shi were of the same temper and never generous. He believed that Wang shi might have bullied Molan, daughter of a concubine, so he at once shot a stare at Rulan whose face then turned pale.

Minglan felt something wrong and hurriedly stepped forward to pull Sheng Hong's sleeves, laughing, "Father, please do our justice. Just now, fifth elder sister said that based on age, fourth elder sister should pick first; yet fourth elder sister said that we should learn from Kong Rong and she let me pick first. In this way, no matter what, it'll be either me or fourth elder sister that would pick first, but fifth elder sister could never have the luck. How poor she is! Therefore, this time, I'm willing to let her pick first. Do you think this is a good idea, father?"

Sheng Hong had always liked Minglan. In view of her cute and lovely look and childish speech, he smiled to the three sisters and said, "That sounds good. I'm so happy to see you get along well with each other."

Molan secretly bit her teeth because she couldn't refute and only had to agree with a smile. Rulan was also relieved. Wang shi took this opportunity to cut in, "Later I'll send these staff to your houses and let you make your own decision. Your father needs rest."

The three young ladies retreated with respect.

After the three daughters left, Sheng Hong stood up and walked into the inner room with Wang shi. He stretched out his arms to let Wang shi unclothe him and asked, "Is Quan well? How about our daughter-in-law?"

Reminded of the chubby grandson, Wang shi was all smiles, "Good! They are all good! The child is too young to take out, otherwise I would have taken him out to meet you. The boy has really strong arms and legs!"

Sheng Hong laughed as well and kept saying, "By his look, he is a blessed boy. Strong boy, nice! Nice!" As the folk saying went, the youngest son and eldest grandson were the old couple's favorite children. The sight of grandson's swaging white chubby little arms softened Sheng Hong's heart. He kept telling Wang shi to take good care of him.

"Not only Quan, Hualan's Shi is also adorable. Last time I visited them, he was already able to smile. How sweet! He looked exactly the same as Hualan when she was young!" Wang shi exclaimed with full joy in her heart, "From now on, Huanlan's life could get easier with her son propping her up. She doesn't have to take cold eyes from her mother-in-law!"

Sheng Hong, in fact, loved this eldest daughter very much. Among so many of his children, Hualan was the only one that he had held in his arms to coax her into eating or sleeping. As an official who shouldn't judge people, Sheng Hong couldn't help but comment, "Marquis Zhongqin is a nice guy, but his wife…She's getting better now."

Wang shi snorted, "Hem, but for my visiting them, she had planned to throw a small party of two-table dinner for the one-month birthday. Both are her sons, for one she threw a fifty-table dinner party and for the other a small one like that. Wouldn't she be afraid of being laughed at? Our son-in-law is filial but in a stupid way. My poor baby Hualan. I'm afraid much of her dowry has been cheated by them. This time, only after you and Changbai got promoted did her mother-in-law stop making troubles. Hem! Why isn't she grateful for Hualan's willingness to marry her son at a time when the family was on decline?"

Sheng Hong thought for a while, saying, "That day I mentioned this to the old Marquis. He will discipline his wife."

Speaking of this, Sheng Hong suddenly thought of something and asked, "What about Molan's marriage?"

Wang shi folded the official gown, frowned and sighed, "I did try to reach out, but none of them is to your liking. You don't like the editor, one of Changbai's colleagues, because he's too poor. As for the one I beg others to set up, you don't like him for lacking family background. Then all others are sons of concubines. To be honest, some of them are indeed good candidates, yet they're as picky as we're when it comes to finding a daughter-in-law. What kind of match does Molan, a daughter of a concubine, deserve? Where should I find a perfect guy?"

Sheng Hong felt uncomfortable as well. Actually, he thought those candidates were good enough, but he couldn't turn down Concubine Lin who cried to beg him for a better one. Confronted with reality, Concubine Lin had to compromise, and she found that He Hongwen was really good in many ways.

"I have to let you know in advance. A few months later, Molan will turn sixteen. I will give up if she's still so picky. Yet, even if she doesn't fear of a late marriage, Rulan and Minglan do. By then, don't blame the younger sisters of not waiting for her." Wang shi explained the possible bad case scenario to Sheng Hong in advance.

Sheng Hong's eyebrows were pushing together as he got a headache, "Old Madam mentioned this to me once. Last time she went to Youyang, she met a boy called Li Yu, our sister-in-law's maternal nephew. He is a progressive learner with abundant family property, a good candidate. Let's wait and see whether he could make pre-scholar in next year's exam."

He really trusted Old Madam's choice. When Old Madam mentioned this to him, she told him with a smile that the boy carried the same temperament with him as a youth. Thinking of this, Sheng Hong felt much better. Someone like him must be a handsome talented youth!

Nice, nice! If they could make a couple, Molan was so blessed.