Ice layers of varying thicknesses formed on the lake. After lunch, Minglan, wearing a chubby winter coat, squatted by the pond, looking at the fat fish swimming freely through the translucent ice. After feeling envious,
Carrying an empty fish basket, she returned to the Shou'an Hall. The old lady laughed at her, but Minglan was not angry. She climbed onto the kang on both hands and feet and pressed against the head of the kang next to the old lady to keep warm.
"What kind of fish are you going to catch in the winter? You're going to get cold!" the old lady said with narrowed eyes.
Minglan also squinted her eyes and said lazily: "Sister-in-law has no appetite and said she wanted to eat the spicy and sour fish fish stir-fried with green onions last time... But then I thought about it, winter fish are cold in nature, especially pond fish and grass ice.
Don’t overeat it.”
The old lady covered Minglan's cold little hand with her own hand, and said: "Such a hot girl, don't you know that Brother Bai's daughter-in-law gave birth to a brother and sister?"
Minglan clenched her fists and rubbed her eyes, as if she was a little sleepy, and said vaguely: "The eldest brother said he wanted a daughter, which can be combined with the word 'good'. The eldest sister-in-law didn't say anything, but I know she still wants a child.
"One direct descendant is not enough, two are considered safe.
The old lady smiled softly: "Your sister-in-law is a lucky one. It doesn't matter whether you are a man or a woman."
The grandfather and grandson were talking without a word. When the old and the young were both drowsy from the warmth of the kang, suddenly a sharp cry came from outside. Minglan suddenly woke up, and the old lady also opened her eyes.
Opening his eyes and looking at the brocade curtain at the door, a girl dressed as a maid stumbled in, threw herself in front of the kang, and cried loudly: "Old lady, help me!"
"Xiao Xijuan'er, what's wrong?" Ming Lan asked curiously, this girl is the third-class girl next to Ru Lan.
The little magpie's hair was disheveled, and the makeup on her face was all smeared. Her face was full of fear: "Old lady, Miss Six, go and save Sister Magpie, madam is going to beat her to death! And our girl, sir.
I want Bai Ling to strangle her to death! Grandma didn’t dare to dissuade her, so she secretly released me to find you!” She cried and kowtowed.
"What's going on!" The old lady sat up straight and asked sternly, "Madam, didn't they go to offer incense?!"
Minglan was afraid that the old lady would get dizzy if she stood up too quickly, so she quickly reached out and gently stroked her back.
Early this morning, Dahong Temple consecrated a new Buddha statue. Because Wang usually donated a lot of money for fragrant oil, the old abbot also sent a copy. Wang took Ru Lan there to offer incense and pray for blessings, and also asked for a marriage sign.
.
The old lady kept asking what happened, but Xijuan didn't go with her. She didn't know what happened. She cried and begged for a long time but couldn't explain why. The old lady wanted to go take a look, so Minglan hurriedly called
Cuiping came to pack some clothes.
Minglan originally wanted to go with her, but was left behind by the old lady. Fang's mother comforted her with kind words: "Your fifth sister made a mistake, and I will punish you. There will be some verbal conflicts when the old lady goes. You are my daughter."
It’s not good to hear.【叶*】【*】"
Minglan's heart sank. I'm afraid the matter was serious. It was difficult for her to get involved in the boudoir scandal. After nodding to Fang's mother, she sat back on the kang peacefully. She felt itchy and unbearable, so she waved to Xiaotao.
I went to check out the news. I held a small blue and white jade porcelain hand stove, took a pair of fine copper chopsticks and slowly stirred the charcoal fire inside, and waited patiently.
Seeing that the charcoal fire in the stove was almost burning, Xiao Tao finally ran back panting. Minglan jumped up like a spring, put down the stove, grabbed Xiao Tao's arm, and asked repeatedly: "What's going on?
?Speak quickly."
Xiaotao Napa wiped the sweat from her head, looking frightened: "My wife's main courtyard was so surrounded that I couldn't get in at all, so I just asked around outside, and all I knew was..." She struggled
He swallowed hard and said with trembling lips, "The master is really angry this time. When the old lady went there, the master had already put the white silk silk around the fifth girl's neck!"
Minglan was shocked. Xiaotao stopped sweating and continued: "I waited secretly for a long time before I saw the mothers inside carrying Sister Magpie out. Oh my God, she was covered in blood and her clothes were soaked.
I don’t know if I’m still angry! I couldn’t hear what was going on inside, and Mother Liu came with the ladies to chase them away again, so I came back!”
Minglan's heart skipped a beat, as if a string was being plucked there. She suddenly grabbed Xiao Tao's wrist and said in a deep voice: "Go find Dan Ju, bring some money, and then check whether there are any in our house."
What kind of plaster is needed for stick sores? Then the two of you quickly go to find the little magpie. If you want money, put some money in it, and if you want to apply some medicine, please try your best to save her!"
Xiaotao knew that the matter was serious and immediately left. Minglan suppressed her uneasiness and sat back slowly. Then she picked up the tea bowl on the kang table and took a slow sip. The little magpie was a good girl, and Minglan liked her very much.
As a normal person, she was loyal and sincere to Ru Lan. She often persuaded and coaxed her, treated her leniently, and often helped hide the mistakes of the little girls. Ming Lan did not want her to die or become disabled like this.
After a while, the tea in Minglan's hand became cold, and the cold porcelain was like a lump of ice in her hand. Minglan put down the tea bowl and looked at the sun outside, which was gradually setting in the west, but there was still no movement.
Minglan gradually became discouraged. She waited until it was getting dark before she heard a burst of chaotic footsteps outside.
Hearing the sound of the curtain in the main hall being lifted, Minglan hurriedly ran out and saw Haishi helping the old lady in. Fang's mother supported the old lady's body and carefully placed her on the hot couch, holding her sideways.
Resting against the plush cushion. Minglan suddenly panicked when she saw the old lady's face. She saw that her face was livid, her breath was uneven, her chest was rising and falling violently, as if she was very angry, and Heidegger's expression on the side
Sorry and embarrassed.
"Grandma, what's wrong with you?!" Minglan threw herself on the old lady's knee and shook her hand tremblingly. She felt that the tentacles were still warm and the fingers that she held back were also very strong, so she felt somewhat relieved.
.
The old lady opened her eyes slightly, her eyes still filled with resentment. When she saw that it was Minglan, she softened and said, "I'm fine, I just walked a few steps faster and got a little angry. ~" As she spoke, she glanced at Haishi, only to see that
Seeing that her lower abdomen was slightly bulging, one hand was gently rubbing her lower back, but she was standing with her head lowered and did not dare to say a word. The old lady felt soft and said, "Help your sister-in-law to rest on the bed in the cubicle. She will also stand there."
It's been a long time." Minglan nodded and gently helped Haishi walk towards the second room. As soon as she entered the second room, Minglan helped Haishi onto the kang and gave her the old lady's pillow to lean on.
He took out a teapot from the warm cage wrapped in thick cotton on the Kang table, poured a cup, and put it into Heide's hand. He thanked him and then took a sip of hot tea. The warmth melted into his body, and he felt comfortable.
A little more.
Seeing that she looked better, Minglan asked hurriedly: "Sister-in-law, what happened to the fifth sister?! Isn't daddy in the Metropolitan Procuratorate? Why did he come home suddenly! Tell me!"
Haishi hesitated for a moment, but then he remembered the dispute between Sheng Hong and the old lady just now, and thought that there was nothing to hide from Minglan, so he gritted his teeth and said it in one breath.
Mrs. Wang and Ru Lan went up the mountain all the way. It was a good time to offer incense. Mrs. Wang saw that Ru Lan was much more well-behaved now, so she let her walk in the courtyard. Mrs. Wang went to talk to the abbot. Unexpectedly, in the blink of an eye, her husband asked him to accompany her. The women who were staying were sent back by Rulan, saying that Rulan only asked the little magpie to accompany her for a walk. Wang felt something was wrong and immediately asked people to find Rulan back, but Dahong Temple was no better than Guangji Temple. The temple was clean, there was a lot of incense there, and there were many people in the temple, so I couldn't find it for a while. Just when I was getting anxious, Ru Lan came back by herself, saying that she had just walked in the forest in the back garden.
"Isn't this okay?" Minglan basically guessed what Rulan was doing, and Lao Gao's worried heart slowly relaxed again.
Unexpectedly, Haishi smiled bitterly, shook his head and said, "It'll be fine if nothing goes wrong!" Seeing that the fifth sister came back safely, the wife felt that she was too worried, so she took her sister to eat vegetarian food before going down the mountain and returning home. Who knew that when she returned home, Then I realized that the master had left the office early and was sitting in the room waiting. When he saw his wife and fifth sister, he stepped forward and slapped fifth sister without any explanation!"
"Why is this?!" Minglan's heart started to rise again.
Haishi put down the tea bowl and sighed: "It turns out that the fifth sister, she, she has long been in love with the Prime Minister Wen Yanjing... They met in Dahong Temple. They only exchanged a few words, but who knew God is so unkind! Who would have thought that General Gu would go to do something for his late mother today!" Minglan's eyes almost popped out of her head: "He, he... saw Fifth Sister?!"
Haishi was so worried that he shook his head and said, "This is where the bad luck lies! General Gu was busy with official duties and did not go there in person. Besides, he had never seen the fifth sister before, and even if he had seen him, he would not know that she was a member of General Gu's mansion. Mother, she was ordered to bring blessings to the cause, and she saw her from a distance when she came out to give the little novice monk robes and hats, but she had seen a few of us when she came to give gifts!"
Minglan froze on the kang, not wanting to move at all, and not knowing what to say. Haishi sighed and continued: "The mother must have reported to General Gu when she got back. At noon, a boy went to the Metropolitan Procuratorate to ask for an audience with the father-in-law. , the father-in-law immediately returned to the house! ... After repeated questioning, the fifth sister only said that she had already wanted to obey the order, and that she was going to see Mr. Wen for the last time."
Minglan listened to the whole process and could hardly hold back her breath. She finally managed to say: "...Fifth sister was too careless!"
Haishi sighed quietly and said nothing. She actually agreed with Minglan. Since Rulan also decided to end this matter, it would be fine as long as she covered it up tightly. However, she let her future husband's family see it when she said goodbye with tears. This is too much luck!
"...Then what should we do now?" After a while, Minglan asked feebly, and suddenly found that Heide's eyes were evasive, as if he did not dare to look into Minglan's eyes. Minglan felt strange and continued to ask. Several times, Haishi hesitated and said: "Just now, General Gu sent a letter..."
Before he finished speaking, there was a burst of panicked footsteps in the main hall outside, and Cuiping preached outside: "The master and his wife are here.
Minglan glanced at the uneasy Hei Shi, then pricked up her ears to listen outside. She only heard what Sheng Hong seemed to say in a low voice, and then Wang Shi's sobs. Then, the old lady became furious and cursed fiercely. : "Don't even think about it! Fortunately, you are also a father, so you can think of such an idea!"
The voice was angry and sharp. Minglan had never heard an old lady so angry before. She slowly walked off the kang and stood next to the thick golden-brown moiré brocade curtain, listening to the sounds outside.
Sheng Hong said anxiously: "Mom, after listening to your son's words, this is the only way out! In these days, no one in the house has spoken, and no one has ever said clearly who is going to be admitted to the Gu family. She only said she was Hua'er's sister. My wife and I have never had a good conversation with Gu Erlang so far, let alone which girl he was betrothed to. Gu Tingye probably didn't know, and the person who came to deliver the message also spoke in a very cryptic way. , It's not like asking for a crime, but like a reminder. In this case, it's easy to admit that the mistake is wrong. Anyway, Minglan has already been remembered as the legitimate daughter. If not, this marriage will become a feud. The son was so anxious that he went. The letter said that Ru'er was going to be betrothed to Wen Yanjing, but Minglan was going to marry the Gu family..."
There was a crisp sound of 'pop', which must have been a tea bowl being damaged. The old lady's voice trembled angrily: "You think so well, you and your wife don't know how to educate your daughter. One by one, one on the right, and one on the right, they are immoral. In the end, both Others will take care of it. The last time I showed off my old face, this time you actually plotted against the girl! I tell you, it’s a dream!”!
The old lady breathed heavily and continued: "This good lady of yours, I never think of anything good and fragrant. Girl Ming. When a high-ranking dignitary comes to inquire about it, she doesn't even think about anything without asking clearly." Ying Ding Ru Lan! Now that something has happened, I think of the girl Ming! One is very selfish and only cares about his own daughter, and the other is greedy and only cares about fame and wealth. They are such a black-hearted couple. You think I am dead. Awesome!"
There was a muffled sound, and Sheng Hong seemed to kneel down heavily. Wang started to cry softly and cried sadly: "Old lady, you have wronged your wife by saying this. Although it means that the girl did not fall from me, In the past ten years, she has been just like Ru Lan. I have never treated her too lightly. If this girl made such a mistake, I also regret not raising her to you and learning the rules! Old lady, don't look at it. If you don't look at it, you have to look at it for Hua'er's sake. She is having a hard time in her husband's family, but her uncle is still considerate of her. If things go wrong today, and General Gu resents his uncle, what will Hua'er do? Yeah! She was raised by you, you can't just love Ming girl!"
The old lady seemed to be confused for a moment, and then she scolded sternly: "Girl Hua has given birth to a son after all, and she is married to a bright matchmaker. How can we still ask Xiu to come back? Can we ask my sister to pay for her life to make her life easier?! Then Gu Tingye You and your wife find it interesting, but I don’t like it!"
I heard Sheng Hong shout loudly: "Old lady, what do you think we should do now? I really have no son! I wanted to strangle that evil obstacle to finally correct the family style. At worst, I can drop this matter and make people laugh at it." .It’s all the blame for the son’s failure to teach his daughter well. No one can blame him for his own consequences, but General Gu..." Sheng Hong seemed to choke up, "The news came a few days ago that Gu Erlang has invited General Bo and Uncle Zhongqin to be matchmakers. , it’s about to change the Geng Tie, if we give up now, how can the Gu family be willing to give up!"
Minglan couldn't hear the rest of the words clearly. She only felt her ears roaring, as if something had enveloped her hearing. After the shock, she fell into a numb trance. She slowly walked up to Haishi and asked softly: "Gu Tingye Do you really want to marry me?".
Haishi nodded with difficulty: "Yes, the letter said that he, Gu Tingye, is willing to marry the Sheng family. He also said at the end that the old lady's adopted girl is always good." In her opinion, , this sentence is a bit harsh and seems to be implying something; I believe Sheng Hong can also see it.
The old lady was jealous of her reputation in the early years, but it suddenly became worse. After the death of Mrs. Sheng, she would rather fall out with her natal family than support her husband's family. She became a widow in her youth, used the dowry to pave the way for the common people, married a daughter-in-law and took care of the family, and finally became a widow. With the prosperous situation of the Sheng family today, decades have passed, and more and more people praise the old lady for her bookishness, uprightness and uprightness.
Haishi also felt sorry for Minglan and the old lady. Recently, she knew that the marriage with the He family had almost been discussed recently. She was just waiting for Rulan to come to the He family to ask for the marriage proposal. Who knew... Hai She couldn't help but sigh inwardly, but she saw Minglan looking in disbelief, with her head tilted up in a daze. After a while, she couldn't help but ask again: "Sister-in-law, did Gu Tingye really say that he is willing to marry me?" Me?" There was no grievance in his tone, but a bit of surprise.
Heidegger affirmed again: "It's true."
Minglan was confused. She bit her lip and tilted her head and thought for a long time. She thought of Gu Tingye's cold and sarcastic face, his temper that got to the bottom of things, and his fiery and glacial nature... Minglan felt that she had thought too much. After coming to the ancient times, I actually learned to be sentimental? But after a while, I felt that my guess was really reasonable.
The old lady's angry scolding came from outside, and Sheng Hong and Wang continued to plead. Minglan slowly sat down on the small stool, sighed, opened her mouth, confused her mind, held her face in her hands and started to froze. Already.
Grandma, master, wife, and the unlucky little Ru Lan, I thought, maybe we were tricked.
The author has something to say:.
It’s afternoon now, since yesterday was my day off.