Qi Heng has been a proud man in his life. He has a noble and handsome family, is generous and easy-going to others, has a gentle temperament, and loves to study voluntarily without being beaten or scolded by his father. With the advantages of Brother Bao, he is a little more motivated than Brother Bao.
He was steady, and after three lunches at Jian'antang, he was laughing and talking elegantly. Even Fang's mother, who had been widowed for twenty-eight years, began to soften her expression a lot.
About twenty years ago, the Duke of Qi's palace was in a state of great fortune. Both of his sons married the daughters of famous nobles. The eldest son married the eldest daughter of the Grand Marshal of the Army and his uncle, and the second son married the Marquis of Xiangyang.
The only daughter of Qi Guogong, who was originally at the bottom of the noble family, became extremely popular overnight. However, this good luck came at a price. The two daughters-in-law were naturally very arrogant and had bad tempers, which made their mother-in-law dizzy.
She takes care of everything about her husband.
The eldest daughter-in-law took advantage of her father's ability to run the army with an iron fist and wiped out all the warblers and swallows in her husband's room, pulling out flowers and weeds. As a result, the couple only had one child, and it was a medicine jar. Although her family's power is not as strong as it used to be.
, but Mr. Qi’s sword was old and he couldn’t give birth to a second son. A few years later, his second daughter-in-law came in and followed the same example and beat Qi Heng’s father to death. Since Qi Heng was born,
Later, Princess Pingning could no longer reproduce, and Master Qi was not allowed to open a second battlefield, so she could only live a miserable life with an elderly and childless concubine.
Except for a cousin who has been lying in the house all year round to recuperate, Qi Heng doesn't even have a single brother or sister. He can usually play with his cousins, but Princess Pingning strictly guards against any girls who may become her daughter-in-law, so
They didn't even have much contact with their cousins on a daily basis; after entering the Sheng Mansion to study, and with Princess Pingning instilling the concept of male and female defense day and night, Qi Heng firmly kept a distance from the two flowers and jade Mo Lan Rulan, only Ming Ming
Princess Lan didn't say much.
So for Qi Heng, Minglan is the only little sister he has met so far, and she is as beautiful and well-behaved as a chubby squirrel. Qi Heng fell in love with her at first sight, but Minglan always likes to pretend to be a little girl with a stern face.
Seriously, after eating a few meals, Qi Heng could not help but tease her even more. In fact, Qi Heng was a very good person. He ate Minglan’s fish soup and fish breasts that day, and brought Minglan some fish soup the next day.
The cookbook he dug out from the bottom of his box included recipes for making soups, medicinal meals, and pasta. When he saw Minglan making sewing needlework there, on the third day he brought a few new flower patterns from the capital and a full bag.
More than ten colors of pearl thread.
Minglan couldn't refuse the temptation, and she often became very attentive and cute after scooping up people with short hands. She brought Qi Heng a stool to add tea, and when she saw him coming home from school, she greeted him with greetings, saying, "Brother Yuanruo, you have worked hard in studying. Brother Yuanruo, please take a rest."
, running around as busy as a chubby squirrel, and talking to Qi Heng very well-behaved and humorous.
"Sixth sister, you are bullying the weak." Qi Heng saw Minglan scooping up water plants to play with the goldfish and said deliberately in a joke.
Minglan said innocently: "No, I didn't know it was weaker than me before I fought with it."
"Then why don't you play anymore?" Qi Heng asked again when he saw her throwing away the water plants.
Minglan said sincerely: "I listened to brother Yuanruo and stopped bullying the weak." - She felt that she was really a bitch.
Qi Heng was very happy and rubbed her head again. He laughed so hard that his beautiful eyebrows were stretched and dazzling, as beautiful as Gu Kaizhi's Wei and Jin Dynasty elegant paintings. The little maids in Jian'antang were fascinated.
On the fourth day, he finally stopped coming for lunch. Minglan scooped out the water plants again and walked calmly to the goldfish tank.
"...Girl." Xiao Tao came in from outside, holding an exquisite straw basket in her hand, with a confused face, "Master Qi asked someone to bring this to the girl, saying that it would be fun to use this grass to tease the fish."
Ming Lanton was there, very helpless. Well, maybe she thought too much...
Ever since Mo Lan moved into Wei Ruixuan, the Wang family has grown up one head and two older. Even though the girls have the same amount of money in public, privately the Wang family naturally gives more to their daughters, even if they have three bodies every season.
Of course her daughter would need two more new clothes. Even the old lady didn't say anything. Wang was naturally happy and confused. Who knew that Mo Lan looked at her weak eyes but sharp eyes. Even if Ru Lan had a new hairpin, she would still cry.
For the first half of the day, her eyes were red and swollen from crying, and she looked miserable. Then she walked out of the room and let everyone see her. Mrs. Wang gritted her teeth in hatred and wished she could be slapped.
Liu Kun's family advised: "Don't take it to heart, madam. What if she just went to the master to cry? The three girls each have a backer, which the master also knows. Our girl has a wife, the fourth girl has Aunt Lin, and the sixth girl has a wife."
There are old ladies who just recite their own scriptures. If you have the ability, you can take back Aunt Lin's property and move the sixth girl from Jian'an Hall to Weiruixuan and let Mrs. Zhentong educate these girls. At that time, if Mrs. Lin has a
A thick man can talk easily."
Mrs. Wang said angrily: "How come I don't know what's going on here? I'm not afraid to say it to you, sir. But that damn girl comes in and out with a sad face all day long. I don't know what kind of publicity I have received outside."
Liu Kun's family laughed and said: "The child has no scheming and thinks that he can control the wife in this way. The wife might as well go to the master first and say that the wife didn't beat her, scolded her and gave her food and drink. But the fourth girl still cried all day long. Mrs.
I'm afraid that the care won't be good, so I'd better let the fourth girl go back; my wife hasn't touched the fourth girl with a finger, let's see what she can say? If she really dares to say that my wife favors one and favors others, my wife will have something to say."
Wang hesitated and said: "...What if she doesn't say anything and just cries there?"
Liu Kun's family shook their heads and said: "Madam, you can say that you took good care of her, but she cried and cried all day long, just like a stepmother who bullies her daughter. You can't afford this reputation. What should I do?"
Wang felt that although it was a bit harsh, it was still in line with etiquette, so she did as Liu Kun's family did. Sheng Hong was really unhappy after hearing this, so he went to talk to Mo Lan. When he entered the door, he asked Mo Lan to kneel down and lecture him.
, the maids outside only heard Mo Lan crying uncontrollably, and Sheng Hong scolding, "... learn the dirty trick of crying once, making trouble, and hanging yourself"... learn from the behavior of ladies, "... take back... the property."
and so on, and then walked away.
It was the first time in her life that Mo Lan was scolded by her father, and she cried all night. The next day, she went to greet Mrs. Wang honestly, served tea and water like a daughter, and listened to whatever Mrs. Wang said, even if
Even when she was being scolded, she bowed her head and listened obediently. Seeing her aggrieved look, Mrs. Wang couldn't help but act like a step-mother.
In ancient times, it was a patriarchal society with a clear division of labor between men and women. Men worked to make money and women took care of the house. After a child was born, everyone took care of half of it. Sheng Hong took care of his son's studies and became an official to earn rice. Wang was responsible for disciplining the conduct of his children, distributing monthly silver and taking care of the housework.
The servants were required to make clothes and jewelry for their daughters on a regular basis. If they had contact with the female relatives of Dengzhou officials, they would bring the three Lans out to meet the guests. However, Mrs. Sheng was very strange.
Go orchid.
A few days after his aunt came to visit, Mrs. Wang suddenly realized it and sighed: "I am indeed very calculating and have a loving father's heart!"
Liu Kun's family was sitting on the kang table checking accounts with Mr. Wang. After hearing this, he hurriedly asked why. Mr. Wang smiled bitterly and said: "I have always wanted to put those two girls in my name. Minglan is just fine. Mr. Wang
The wife took her over, and I probably won’t have to worry about it when she gets older. Looking at the situation when the Qi family’s young master came this time, I knew that this girl is still an honest girl, and she has not imitated the shameless person who rushes to fawn over her.
, I know my identity and won’t argue with my eldest sister. It doesn’t matter if I put her in my name. At worst, I will also add some dowry to her later, but the fourth girl... Huh! The master knows about my quarrel with Aunt Lin.
It has been a long time, and the children are not related to each other, so it is not easy to force me to accept the four girls, so I came up with this idea of making rice and rice. First, get the people over and let me teach, raise, and greet guests.
When Mo Lan gets older and we plan to get married, I won't be able to shirk her name if she is asked to do so."
After hearing this, Liu Kun's family secretly thought that his wife had grown up, and said with a smile: "What you said makes sense, I think it is the same. But you don't have to worry, it's common for wealthy families to have this concubine in the name of her aunt.
Such things are recorded in the genealogy, but they are just deceiving the ancestors in the front and deceiving the descendants in the back. Who in this world does not know the details of the other person! Is it possible that people from the outside really think that Mo Lan was born to his wife, that is?
She looks decent enough to get a good marriage, but no matter how decent she is, can she still be a decent girl who can respect her wife?!"
Mrs. Wang sighed and said, "I don't know what you are saying, I just feel unhappy." Thinking of Aunt Lin's past when she was so favored, Mrs. Wang became choked with anger and panic, always thinking about how to make that bitch
It would be better if your daughter married in a miserable state, but you can't be reckless. If you accidentally harm your own daughter, the gain will outweigh the loss.
Liu Kun's family looked at Wang's face and knew that she was overreaching again, so they advised: "Madam, please be more relaxed. In the future, when a girl gets married, she will also refer to her family's dignity. As long as Brother Bai becomes successful in the future, she will not be allowed to see his wife."
The look on his face; according to me, Madam, please don’t get angry with the girl and aunt, the most important thing is to keep an eye on Brother Bai’s study. Autumn is about to begin, so we just hope that our eldest young master can succeed in one fell swoop.
Well, my wife will have dignity for the rest of her life!"
Thinking of her eldest son, Mrs. Wang suddenly became energetic. She patted her embroidered pier and said, "That's right. That bitch praises Brother Feng all the time for his knowledge. He took two exams before he passed the government examination. The master is as doting on him as he is.
Yes, it’s ridiculous that she failed the college entrance examination this time. Look at her talking about it in the future! You reminded me well. Fortunately, my mother sent you here!"
After studying in this way for a year, as the provincial examination gradually approached, Mr. Zhuang was lecturing intensively, and simply put Changdong, who was still memorizing "The Analects", into a half-day class, leaving only the three older boys to study intensively. Although Changfeng was still
He was not a student, but he could still be considered a half-candidate. He was recruited into the pre-exam cram school. Wang’s daily diet of fish soup, chicken soup, and pig brain soup made Sheng Hong scratch his head and wanted to ask a few questions, but he failed.
Zuo calmly scooped up a copy of the Tao Te Ching to show off.
Minglan was a little clerk with no political awareness. She and her grandmother were sitting on the kang bed by the window, eating freshly steamed red beans, yams, rice, and rake. This was Minglan’s new idea of a southern snack. Grandma and grandson ate it.
The fragrance lingered on her teeth and cheeks, and Minglan said vaguely: "...Well, it's so delicious...I also have a basket for my grandmother to use as a late-night snack to warm her stomach."
Mrs. Sheng scooped up a wet towel and wiped her hands, and said, "Give some to Brother Bai to eat. It's not easy. This is also helping the Sheng family shine. You will also benefit from it later." After thinking about it, she added.
"I think the schoolbag you made for Brother Dong last time was very good. This time your brother is going to take the exam. You can put your other work aside and make something useful for him. Your brother also
I will miss you."
Minglan nodded. When she saw that the boy beside Xiao Changdong was not strong enough and had to scoop a lot of things to go to school, she simply made him a backpack with three layers of pockets, a shoulder strap with splendid patterns, white clouds and blue sky and grass.
The trick is to use loose sandalwood beads that Mrs. Sheng doesn't use and tie them with an elastic band at the mouth of the bag. It's light and beautiful, and it seems like something Xiao Changdong likes.
After her craftsmanship was recognized, Minglan was very encouraged. After Changbai sent a pair of goldfish last time, she made an azure-colored pine, bamboo and plum fan cover and sent it to them. Changbai was happy and sent back the braided flower bamboo that is a specialty of Tongcheng.
Come over with the pen holder.
Minglan felt that she was extremely wise in deciding the direction of study; girls can still choose their study direction, but boys have only one goal - the imperial examination.
There are many benefits to taking the imperial examination. If you do well in the examination, you can become an official. If you do not do well in the examination, you can become a private teacher in the village. The important thing is that once you have achieved fame, you can be exempted from tax, even if you are a scholar.
There is no need to kneel down when you become a county magistrate; the imperial examination is not only of great significance to change the destiny of civilian men, but also to the children of officials like Sheng Changbai. In ancient times, official positions were not hereditary. Father Sheng was an official, but his sons were
You have to rely on your own ability to take the imperial examination in order to obtain an official position, otherwise the prosperity of the Sheng family will only last for one or two generations.
These were all said by Mrs. Sheng, with a solemn tone in her tone. Minglan secretly glanced at her. From a long time ago, Minglan had realized that her grandmother was very strange. Although she was born in a Hou family
Although she was a powerful person, she was very disdainful of those Gongsun masters who relied on their cuteness. She was opposed to those students who relied on their own ability to take the imperial examinations, but she had an inexplicable fondness for her. I guess that was how she fell in love with Sheng Hong, his father, who was a prodigy in poetry and poetry.
Yes.
While Ming Lan was reasoning about the previous situation, she unconsciously stretched out her hand to scoop up another cake, but found that Mrs. Sheng had already asked Fang's mother to put the snacks into the warm box and send them away. Mrs. Sheng turned around and saw Ming Lan.
Lan stretched out her little white hands in the air, frowned, and advised earnestly: "Xiao Mingya, listen to my grandmother, you are getting older and you don't eat as well as you did when you were a child. You are too fat now, so you have to wear clothes.
It doesn’t even look good.”
Minglan retracted her chubby paws nonchalantly. Isn't she trying to cover up her beauty and pretend to be low-key?