ALL NOVEL Seeing the people in front of them going further and further, Minglan reminded Rulan in an extremely low voice, “I have heard from Old Madam Sheng that Madam and our father had used to be in a great relationship. They respected each other and lived a happy life. They were only estranged from each other afterwards because Madam loved to interfere with father’s works. After that, Concubine Lin has taken advantages of that and won favor of father.”
Actually, it was not rare to see women meddle in their husbands’ or sons’ business affairs. However, the difference lied in whether those women’s helps had contributed to the thrive of their husbands’ careers. Wang shi who only cared about her own selfish interest and never cared about righteous principles must have caused lots of troubles for Sheng Hong.
Concubine Lin really was a good example since this woman had caused great damage. Rulan who assumed herself as the biggest victim of Concubine Lin’s incident took a tumble. Then she thumped her palm with her other fist and said, “I have also heard a bit of that before. Then… Sixth Sister, what can I do?”
Minglan was living a good life right now. Thus she also hoped Rulan could enjoy her life. Then Minglan suggested, “You can see Fifth Brother-In-Law’s attitude toward this. If he mentions this thing to you over and over again, you can go talk to Eldest Sister-In-Law. She is from the Hai family. No one knows this kind of thing better than her. After she talks to our brother, you would know if they could help you on this then. Also, next time you run into something like this, you can always do so.”
“That’s a good idea!” Rulan nodded constantly, smiling. She trusted Hai shi all the time. Then she asked, “What if my husband doesn’t mention about that position?”
Minglan rolled her eyes to Rulan and said, “That means he doesn’t care about that job that much. You can save your efforts then. Stop thinking of the hard life in Imperial Academy! If you make decisions for him on his career all the time, you might lose his love to you!”
Rulan truly valued her love with Wen Yanjing. And due to that reason, she didn’t mind being a wife of a humble official who worked in the Imperial Academy. Hearing Minglan’s words, Rulan nodded heavily.
After a while, Rulan suddenly recalled something and said, “That’s right. I can also ask you for help! Everybody says that my Sixth Brother-In-Law is a powerful man! Hey, you will help me on this, right?” With her eyes squinted and her arms akimbo, she said that in an overbearing tone, like the way she had used to be when she hadn’t got married.
Minglan held Rulan’s arm again and said with a smile, “Of course I’ll help you. Since you have asked, I will definitely tell my husband about this. But I need to tell you first, the civil officials and military officers are assigned to different duties. If father and brother help you on this, Fifth Brother-In-Law can still lay low and the only thing that needs to be done is the paper work. But if your Sixth Brother-In-Law helps him… Well, don’t blame me if everybody knows about you having asked a favor for your husband.”
Minglan’s words made Rulan quite fearful. All the scholars had strong self-esteem. If Wen Yanjing knew that everyone was aware that he had to ask favor from his brother-in-law, things would get really ugly for Rulan.
Minglan stared at Rulan smilingly. In the times when everyone was full of schemes, it was really difficult to find a girl who was so straightforward and innocent like Rulan.
“Sixth Sister, although I am a stupid girl, I can still tell right from wrong. I know you have uttered those words from the bottom of your heart because you want the best for me. I know you always treat me nice. Please forgive my occasional bad temper.” Rulan suddenly said that softly while holding Minglan’s hand.
Minglan suddenly felt a bit guilty. Then she held Rulan’s hand and said in a gentle voice, “We are sisters. You don’t have to say that. By the way, did Fifth Brother-In-Law treat you well?” On these words, Minglan looked Rulan up and down, finding the latter wearing a red Beizi embroidered with butterflies flying through the flowers. Although that clothes seemed a bit too ceremonious, it still made Rulan’s face look quite rosy. According to Rulan’s look, Minglan guessed that this girl must live well.
As expected, Rulan raised her head proudly with blush on her face and said shyly, “Yes, of course. He treats me really nice. He always writes poems and draws pictures with me as long as he’s free.”
“Draw the portrait of you?”
“Of course it’s me!” Rulan glared at Minglan fiercely, saying, “Yanjing said my face is bright and I’m natural and graceful. I’m the best model for him to draw!”
“Right, right, right. Absolutely.” Minglan fixed her words right away, “Then… what about your mother-in-law?”
Rulan said complacently, “Every time that old woman bothers me, my husband will go to the Imperial Academy. If that woman’s words sounded too harsh, my husband would say ‘Since you disdain the daughter of Sheng family, why do you still have the nerve to stay in the mansion they have bought for us? Feel free to move.’ Then my mother-in-law just stopped scolding me.”
Minglan laughed out at once, which made Wang shi turn around to look at her. Then Minglan had to restrain herself immediately. It was very difficult for women to live in the ancient times. Minglan really felt happy for Rulan. After all, Sheng Hong and Changbai had all spoken highly of Wen Yanjing. So Rulan’s husband couldn’t be a bad guy.
Alas… if only all her sisters could be happy, frank and easy to handle like Rulan. However, that was impossible. In no time, Minglan met another sister of her, Molan.
Molan was sitting in Hai shi’s room while chatting with other women who had come to celebrate the baby’s birth. Her pretty face seemed to be covered with a bit gloom. The purple red Beizi embroidered with peonies on twisted branches on her did seem expensive but also made her look a few years older than her actual age. That huge gold pin with five phoenixes spreading the wings toward the sun on her hair seemed super glittery and dazzled everyone in the room.
Rulan twitched her mouth the moment she saw Molan. Then the she approached Minglan deliberately and whispered, “Why did she put on air like that? Everybody in the capital knows that Marquis Yongchang’s mansion is having a hard time right now. Not only has His Majesty warned them several times, even her father-in-law was suspended from his military duties. Fourth Brother-In-Law should feel lucky to be able to keep his current position. There is no chance for him to get promoted.”
Molan only nodded stiffly when seeing them. She seemed to want to talk with Minglan. However, Rulan made sure that would never happen by standing between her two sisters. Minglan, with a calm look on her face only talked with other women guests in the room. After that, she came over to the newborn. The baby girl looked like Hai shi a lot with slender eyebrows and eyes as well as a pair of slightly curved lip.
Madam Liu whose husband worked in Dali Temple looked at the baby and said with a smile, “What a pretty girl. She looks just like her mother. I’m looking forward to seeing her growing up to be an educated lady.”
With lots of cloths being wrapped on Hai shi’s head, she reclined on a deep purple cushion embroidered with dark color flower patterns and auspicious words, saying smilingly, “What’s so good looking like me? I hope she can look like her aunts. They are all real beauties.”
Another Madam Liu said with a smile, “No matter who she takes after, it’s all good. You and your sisters-in-law are all blessed ones.” While saying this, she couldn’t help looking at Minglan. They all knew that Hai shi wanted her daughter to be like Minglan.
As Rulan looked at the little baby, she suddenly recalled something. Then she dragged Minglan over and asked in a low voice, “Eldest Sister is going to give birth to a baby after a few days, have you already made some baby clothes and shoes? Eh… can I we share some of the clothes?”
Minglan, being startled, glared at her and said in a low voice, “You are already a married woman. How can you still ask my help for needlework! I’ll tell this to your mother-in-law!”
Rulan pounced on her and threatened her fiercely in a light voice, “You dare?! I’ll pinch you to death!”
Minglan begged for mercy right away, “Of course I have already prepared a piece for you!… But let’s make a deal. Only for this year. Next year, you won’t get anything from me!”
Seeing them laughing and teasing together, Molan twisted the handkerchief in her hands and felt resentful inwardly.