Liu Kun's family helped Wang to lie down on Concubine Tanxiang's bed, which was covered with satin and thin cotton. She stuffed a gold-threaded python pillow behind her back. Ru Lan followed a few steps and said hurriedly: "Mother, you are the best."
Talk? I..."
Mrs. Wang waved her hands tiredly and said: "I understand what you are thinking, but...it's useless. Princess Pingning doesn't look down on our family."
Rulan's eyes widened: "...How could it be? I think the princess is quite kind."
Wang smiled bitterly, staring at Ru Lan's ignorant face, and suddenly her expression became serious: "If you think carefully about what the princess said to your sixth sister today, you should use your brain instead of being willful and confused."
Ru Lan lowered her head and thought about it carefully, and gradually understood, and murmured: "...Could it be?" After she figured it out, she suddenly felt a sense of frustration.
Seeing the dejected look on Wang's face, the Liu Kun family couldn't bear to say: "The Princess and the Queen are using good means, deliberately finding excuses for the Sixth Girl, not just looking at her like a child, not offending anyone but also making her point clear.
"
"But, but..." Ru Lan went over and pulled Wang's sleeve and said anxiously, "I, I...Brother Yuan Ruo..."
Mrs. Wang irritably threw away her daughter's hand and said sternly: "What kind of brother Yuanruo? What kind of brother is he? From now on, you should call others 'gongzi'! ... No! I don't want to see you anymore, Liu."
Sister-in-law, whenever Qi Heng is in the house from now on, the fifth girl is not allowed to take a step out of Wei Ruixuan, otherwise she will be served according to the family law!"
Ru Lan has been spoiled since she was a child, and Wang has never been so fierce. She was stunned: "Mother, mother, how could you...?"
Mrs. Wang suddenly sat up with a stern look on her face: "It's all my negligence. I just treated you as a child, and it's okay to pamper you a little more. I didn't notice that you were getting older. After Qi Heng came home yesterday, I listened to what you said.
I also thought about it and let you do whatever you want. Look at what you look like. What are you wearing? You don't look like a legitimate lady from the public, any less than that slutty woman who competes for the limelight! It really embarrasses me.
, if you disobey me, I will slap you to death right now! You will be saved from being embarrassed when you go out!"
Ru Lan had never been scolded like this before, and she was so frightened that she burst into tears. Her mother scolded her so harshly, and she collapsed at Wang's feet, crying nonstop, and said vaguely: "...Why... scold me...
"
Mrs. Wang watched her daughter gradually reveal her girlish figure, and knew that she could no longer be soft-hearted, so she said calmly: "Sister-in-law Liu, give the girl a wet towel to wipe her face... Ru Lan, don't cry. Come up and sit down.
Listen to my mother tell you."
Ru Lan sobbed and leaned on her mother. Wang seemed to recall the past events of her mother's family and said: "My mother has gone through countless wrongs in the past many years. Some of them were calculated by others, and some of them were really caused by her own ignorance."
Yes, now that I think about it, the words your grandmother said to my mother were really good words of wisdom. It’s a pity that your mother didn’t take a word of it to heart at that time, and today you have that bitch Lin Qige! You must listen to your mother’s words now.”
Rulan stopped crying and listened in a daze. Wang paused and said: "...This important matter of marriage has been dictated by parents since ancient times. Some girls go out and agree to it on their own; that kind of shameless thing.
It's the young wife who does this. You are a legitimate daughter, how can you act like that? When a man marries a woman, she should be of the same family. If someone doesn't want you and doesn't care about our family, how can you lick your face and flatter her?"
Ru Lan was the most arrogant and arrogant. She immediately blushed and said, "Of course you can't!"
Mrs. Wang felt a little more comfortable: "You are still young, live a good life as a girl for a few years. When you get married, you will know how comfortable it is to be a girl. With your mother here, you can be a young lady comfortably. Isn't that right?
good?"
Rulan thought about Qi Heng and still couldn't let go: "But Mr. Yuan...Qi is very kind to me. Maybe the princess will change her mind?"
Mrs. Wang got angry again and cursed: "You blind girl, someone gave you three points of love, and you were coaxed into ignorance. If you think about it carefully, doesn't he treat you three sisters all the same?"
Are you generally polite? Speaking of which, he is more affectionate towards Minglan, but only because she is young and childish! Besides, it was his parents who proposed the marriage, and he may not be interested in you, Master Qi and the princess.
What do you want from a well-matched marriage? If you continue to think wildly, be careful and I will tell your father immediately and make you suffer again!"
Ru Lan started crying again and stamped her feet: "Mother... mother..."
Mrs. Wang was hard-hearted this time, pointing at Ru Lan and scolding: "You are shameless, a young lady from a wealthy family, but you have only met a young man from outside twice, and yet you are so worried about her. It is so shameless!"
Ru Lan was scolded for being stupid. She was so ashamed and angry that she turned around and ran away, crying. Liu Kun's family wanted to chase her, but Wang stopped her. Instead, she yelled at the curtain: "Make her cry! This
It's a shameless crime. If she can understand when she wakes up crying, if she can't understand, I will still beat her! The beating makes her know the etiquette, justice and shame! Go and ask outside, which young lady will take care of the marriage by herself? Any decent young lady will do it.
It is up to the elders to make the decision. On weekdays, I don’t even ask a question. Even if I say a word, I will be embarrassed for a long time! Even if you are young and ignorant, you can still learn how her elder sister behaves dignifiedly. How can I
I have done evil in my life and gave birth to such a shameless girl, so why not beat her to death!"
Rulan heard it outside, and she cried so hard that she ran all the way to the boudoir, threw herself into the pillow and quilt, cried so hard that she refused to come out.
Mrs. Wang sat where she was, her chest heaving with anger. Liu Kun's family came up to cheer her up: "Madam, don't get too angry. The girl is young after all, and it's easy to compete with the fourth girl on weekdays. She may not really know the rules.
But I just saw what the fourth girl was doing and imitated her, and I just got angry and imitated it."
Mrs. Wang said bitterly: "It's all that bitch! You can't lead my son into trouble!"
Liu Kun's family brought another cup of tea to Mrs. Wang to drink. Seeing that Mrs. Wang was a little calmer, she tried to say: "Then the Qi family... has Madam really given up? She is from a good family."
Mrs. Wang shook her head and said: "We are both mothers, and I know what the princess is thinking. She has a son like this, with such good looks and such a good family background. Which girl will he not be able to hire in the future? Although our master is also a good man, he is not.
He is from a wealthy and noble family, but he is not one of the Holy Emperor's confidants. The Qi family themselves are from the Duke's Palace, so how can they look after us?"
Pursing her lips, Mrs. Wang added: "To be honest, if it were Hua'er today, I might still be able to compete, but Ru'er..." sighed and continued: "I'm not talking about my own family.
Frustrating words, how can she be worthy of Qi Heng in terms of appearance and talent? I have thought so about my own daughter, let alone the princess? Forget it, why bother asking for trouble, we have nothing else, and these arrogance are still there
Yes. Ru'er doesn't have much skills, so in the future I just need to find someone who is a good match and won't be bullied!"
Liu Kun's family smiled and said: "My wife has changed her gender. She is so sensible. I'm sure I will like it when I hear it."
Mrs. Wang sighed and said, "I have suffered for half my life before I realized that the marriage my parents chose for me was really a good one. My mother-in-law would be relieved of worries and my husband would be progressive. Although he was not rich and powerful, he would still have plenty of food and clothing. If it hadn't been for me,
If I wasn't careful, it wouldn't be that bitch's turn to come in! Thinking about my sister's life now, hey... it's really dangerous. I'm jealous that my sister married better than me. My sister married into the Kang family with such tricks, and she ended up like this.
What if I...hey...don't say anything anymore."
Liu Kun's family scooped away the empty tea bowl and came back to continue rubbing Mrs. Wang's back: "When my wife was four or five years old, I was sent to inspect the northwest. The old lady wanted to go with me, so I entrusted you to my uncle.
, To say that the uncle and the old man are really good people, they have no daughter of their own, and they are very close to the old man as brothers, so they treat the wife with great pampering, but after all they are in business, how can they compare with the old man and the old lady in terms of knowledge?
I learned all those skills from the old lady, who only reunited with her parents when she was ten years old, how can you blame her?"
Wang said quietly: "It's hard to say what is good or bad in this world. Since I was a child, I have always felt that I was inferior to my sister. When I came out of the cabinet, her husband's family background was also higher than mine, and I even made a big fuss.
, I almost got raped by my father. At that time, my mother told me that the Sheng family has a simple population, and the mother-in-law is not a relative, so she will not put up a show to entertain the daughter-in-law. The husband-in-law is a motivated man, and as long as he can help me, he will have a good life in the future.
However, as long as I behave myself as a daughter-in-law, it will be fine. Although my brother-in-law comes from a noble family and has good knowledge, he is not very considerate. He is a young man, and my mother does not like it, because the old man of the Kang family has a very close relationship with his father.
My in-laws. Now that I think about it, my mother really has kind words."
Liu Kun's family smiled and said: "When you are a girl, you can only know the benefits of being a mother yourself. It seems that this is true."
Mrs. Wang finally smiled: "My sister and I had a fight over my brother-in-law, but my sister won later. It's really funny to think about it! In the future, when I choose a son-in-law, I will be satisfied if he has half the skills of my mother."
Liu Kun's family also laughed. After a while, Liu Kun's family suddenly thought of something and said: "Madam, what do you think the fourth girl will say to Aunt Lin when she returns? Will Aunt Lin talk to the master?"
Mrs. Wang suddenly burst into laughter: "I wish she would go to the master and tell me! If she really tells me, she will be scolded for it!"
…
It was a rare occasion for the Wang family to predict events as if they were divine. That night, after Sheng Hong left the office, he went to Linqi Pavilion to rest.
"...What did you say?" Sheng Hong asked doubtfully, "Mo'er will continue to take Mr. Zhuang's class?"
Aunt Lin said coquettishly: "I know that the master is trying to avoid suspicion. Sister Ru and Sister Ming have nothing to do with it. They don't like books very much. But Mo girl is different. She followed the master's temper and has been knowledgeable and sensible since she was a child. Now
She was listening to Mr. Zhuang's class with interest, so why did she stop? So I interceded with the master, and at most it would have been separated by a screen."
Sheng Hong frowned and said: "No, Mo'er is not a man after all. Even if he has a lot of poems and books, so what? Is it possible to take the exam for the top prize? The girl's family has been studying for a few years, which is enough. In the future, she can learn more at home.
Nühong is the serious one! Ming girl Qianer made me a black purse, which is steady and generous, very appropriate. It’s time for Mo’er to learn needlework.”
Aunt Lin gritted her teeth after hearing this and tried to hold it back. She walked to Sheng Hong's side and gently squeezed his shoulders to loosen her muscles and bones. She then blew her breath into Sheng Hong's ear and persuaded her softly: " Whether you study or not is a trivial matter, why don’t you want to be long-term? Think about the young master of the Qi family, think about our Mo’er..."
Sheng Hong suddenly turned around and looked at Aunt Lin in disbelief. His body, which had just been a little dizzy and hot, suddenly became cold: "What does the young master of the Qi family have to do with Mo'er?"
Aunt Lin didn't notice anything different about Sheng Hong and went on: "I see that Mr. Qi is really a talented person and has a good family background. Today I was talking about poetry and prose with Mo'er. We are very similar. How about..."
Sheng Hong stood up excitedly, waved away Aunt Lin's soft red hands, and looked Aunt Lin up and down. Aunt Lin was so frightened by the sight that she forced a smile and said, "What are you looking at, Mr. Hong?" "
Sheng Hong sneered and said, "Look where you have such a big tone. You can't stop talking about marrying the young master of the Duke's family!"
Aunt Lin tightened her sleeves and said in a trembling voice, "What do you mean, Mr. Hong? Could it be that I said the wrong thing."
Sheng Hong walked away a few steps, waved his hand to the maid beside him, then stood in front of the window again, closed the window pane, looked back at Aunt Lin, and whispered: "Qi Heng's grandfather was the Marquis of Xiangyang, and the Marquis of Xiangyang had meritorious service in escorting him back then. However, one of his legs was broken, so the Holy Emperor made his only daughter Princess Pingning. The princess grew up in the palace and was extremely favored. Lord Qi's official residence was the third rank, and she was transferred to the Salt Envoy. It is a very fat job, and no one will be allowed to serve unless he is a loyal minister or a powerful person; another thing is that the eldest son of the Duke of Qi only has a weak and only son, and he has no heirs so far. Heng's!" Sheng Hong took a breath, picked up the tea bowl and took a sip, then continued: "The young masters who were born in Duke Hou's Mansion are either mediocre or debauched bullies. A motivated and talented child like Qi Heng is still There are really not many!”
Aunt Lin's eyes shone as she listened, and her heart became hot. She wished she could recruit Qi Heng as her son-in-law immediately. Unexpectedly, Sheng Hong changed his tone, turned around and looked at Aunt Lin in disbelief, and said in a voice: "Qi Heng has such a talented family background. , my parents are from a wealthy family, and no noble girl can be hired by him. When we proposed marriage to his family in the capital city, we almost broke the threshold, and it was my turn to be the governor of a small state!"
Aunt Lin immediately poured a basin of ice water down, her heart became cold, and she still said: "Although there are many noble girls from wealthy families in the capital, there are a few who are as outstanding as our Mo'er. She is well-born, and can write poems and songs." Everything comes, why can’t it take the turn?”
Sheng Hong sneered and said: "You have no idea! When did you hear that the legitimate son of a noble family would hire a concubine to be the wife of the first wife? You must have a brain for your wishful thinking! Don't laugh so hard when you say it. What a belly! Even Rulan, born to my wife, may not be considered highly, let alone a concubine like you!"
These words were spoken harshly and urgently, like a steel knife peeling off Auntie Lin's glamorous body, leaving only her humility and abjection. Auntie Lin couldn't help but cry: "I just said it, the master said it, why should I open my mouth and shut up when I was born as a concubine?" Is it hurtful? I said it at the beginning, fearing that my aunt would delay Mo'er's life in the future, but I was right!"
Sheng Hong snorted in his nose and said: "What's the delay? It's because your eyes are high and your heart is higher. Your mind is not clear and you are thinking wildly. You have to have a degree of control when climbing high! You don't know what Mo'er's background is or what other people's background is. Think about it carefully and just daydream about it. Why didn't you say let Mo'er be the Queen? What a wishful thinking!"
Aunt Lin felt as if she was being stabbed with hatred. After thinking about it, she leaned over to Sheng Hong and said as softly as silk: "Hong Lang, this is not all for my concubine and Mo'er. Think about the good family background of the Qi family. If I can get married to them, my future career will be smooth sailing, and the Sheng family will benefit a lot, right? I might as well give it a try..." His voice was soft and charming.
After hearing this, Sheng Hong was greatly moved and said to Aunt Lin, "Give it a try? Do you want me to propose marriage?"
Seeing this, Aunt Lin nodded with charming eyes.
Sheng Hong took a deep breath, calmed down, and said angrily: "I will tell you honestly today, it was the princess who proposed the distinction between men and women and hinted not to ask the girls in the house to study together! She didn't mean it anymore. It’s clear that I just don’t want to get involved with our girl! Besides, if the princess changes her mind in the future, it won’t be the concubine’s turn!”
Aunt Lin didn't expect this and said in surprise: "It's the princess...? How could it be?"
Sheng Hong thought about the consequences in his mind, and the more he thought about it, the more afraid he became. He pushed Aunt Lin, who was pulling her sleeves, to the ground, and cursed: "You asked me to give it a try? What if I come to propose marriage and get married again?" Refuse, how do you expect me to stand in front of Mr. Qi in the future? You ignorant woman is so stupid. You only think about your own little plans and don’t think about the whole family. If I listen to your stupid words, what will happen to me in the future? What can you do if your career is ruined?!"
Aunt Lin knew that she had said the wrong thing, and she turned pale with fright. She raised her neck and said hoarsely: "Master, Mo'er has been provocative since she was a child. Her appearance is not easy to say. She is also proficient in poetry and speaks well. I always think about the future. It’s better not to wrong her in the marriage! Master, she is also your biological daughter, you can’t ignore her!"
Seeing that the woman was still entangled, Sheng Hong slapped her hand away and said: "As long as you are not greedy and do not try to reach high, I will pay attention to Mo'er's marriage and I will never wrong her! Come on, I will ask people to clean up the empty west courtyard of Wei Ruixuan. Tomorrow I will ask Mo Lan to move in with Ru Lan. From now on, the old lady will control everything that is suitable, and the rest will stay in Linqi Pavilion. I taught you how to lead a bad person! If I learn your tricks, do you want Mo'er to be my concubine in the future?!"
After hearing this, Aunt Lin couldn't breathe and almost fainted. She hugged Sheng Hong's thigh and begged. Sheng Hong thought of his children's future, so he kicked her away and strode out. .
Aunt Lin was still lying on the ground. Mo Lan, who was hiding among the branches, opened the curtain and came out. Her face was also full of tears. She went over and gently helped Aunt Lin up. Mother and daughter looked at each other with tears. After a while, Aunt Lin held her daughter's hand. , said: "My child, don't listen to your father. He is a big man and doesn't know the twists and turns of the inner house. In terms of background, you can't compare to Ru Lan, but your appearance and talent are not ten or a hundred times better than hers." Same father, why should you succumb to her in the future?! If you don't strive for strength, who will get the best one?! Do you want to be like Lan Cha all your life?"
Mo Lan's eyes were filled with tears: "But, but, if my father finds out, he will not let me go lightly..."
"Silly boy, you have to be smarter and borrow some tricks to find a name, so your father won't notice; good boy, your poems are good and your writing is good. As time goes by, I don't have to worry about Mr. Qi not thinking of you... My child. , don’t cry, it will be good for you to live in Wei Ruixuan in the future. You look at Rulan coldly and see what she has. If there is anything missing, go and ask the wife for it. If the wife doesn’t give it... Huh, I told her to walk around because she can’t eat! Didn't the old lady say that girls were generally noble before they came out of the cabinet?"
Aunt Lin's delicate features turned out to be sharp.