Do you know? Do you know? It should be Green Fat Red Thin Episode 22

  After reading for three to five days, Zhuang Shiniang had put away all the things and proposed to Old Lady Shen that she would teach the piano art to the three girls every month for a few afternoons. At first, Old Lady Shen did not agree, fearing that it would be too tiring for her. As a result, Zhuang Shiniang made a guarantee with a heroic spirit, and Old Lady Shen had to agree. At that time, Minglan was taking a nap in the pear flower room and suddenly realized that this was why Mr. Zhuang's tuition fees were so high. It turned out that it was worth the money, and it was actually "buy one get one free".

  However, what is usually given as a gift may not necessarily be good. Mistress Zhuang was even more difficult to fool than Master Zhuang. At Master Zhuang's place, you didn't have to do homework or memorize books and answer questions, just writing two articles would suffice. But Mistress Zhuang was strict, with each girl having a seven-stringed guqin in front of her, teaching the girls one-on-one, and even setting time limits for inspections and exams.

  A whole bunch of palaces, corners, merchants, and feathers came down, making Minglan dizzy and disoriented. She finally realized that she didn't have a single artistic cell in her body. No wonder she was rejected by the teacher when she chose to study music in college. In the guqin class, Yulan suffered even more, and she couldn't compare to Minglan's patience. She could break five or six strings in one morning. Molan, on the other hand, was a natural-born talent, picking it up easily and playing smoothly after just starting out. After being praised by Mistress Zhuang several times, she practiced even more diligently. Within ten zhang of Lin Qi Ge, birds took flight in surprise.

  However, the guqin is usually a high and rare thing. In this era, the ultimate goal of most ordinary people is still just to have enough food and clothing. I estimate that the number of ancient people who can understand and appreciate the guqin will not be more than the number of giant pandas in ancient times. Minglan thought about her identity as a sixth-rank official's daughter and thought that as long as her future husband is not an eighteen-year-old loyal listener, she would be laughing secretly, and dare not ask him to understand such high-end goods.

  About a month later, Hualan sent back the first letter from Beijing. Old Mrs. Sheng's eyes were blurry and couldn't see clearly, Wang Shi was illiterate, and there were some private matters inside that weren't suitable for boys and maids to know. In the end, it was still Rulan and Minglan who worked together, stumbling over each other to read the letter aloud.

  This is a letter of good news, roughly saying that life after marriage is very happy. Yuan Wenshao is also quite considerate to her. The two maids in the house who have been serving since childhood make Hualan feel uncomfortable, but since getting married, Yuan Wenshao has not paid attention to them again. Her father-in-law, the old master of Zhongqin Mansion, likes this lively and lovely new daughter-in-law very much, but her mother-in-law is indifferent, only doting on the eldest daughter-in-law. Later, after inquiring, it was discovered that the eldest daughter-in-law was actually the niece of Master's wife's cousin, no wonder she couldn't get along with Hualan. However, because Yuan Wenshao has a good reputation outside and is considered to be a credit to the low-key Zhongqin Mansion, the servants in the mansion do not dare to underestimate Hualan, and life is still quite good.

  Minglan read on, thinking that it wasn't bad after all. As long as her father-in-law was the one truly in power at the Ning Manor, his liking someone was a good thing. Generally speaking, if he liked his daughter-in-law and didn't like going to the Tianxiang Lou, then that was a good thing!

  Wang heard everything and finally let out a long sigh. She knew that Hualan was picky, and even if something was 30% good, she would only praise it as 10% wonderful. Now that she spoke like this, Wang estimated that their life after marriage would be quite comfortable.

  "It's common for parents to rely on their eldest son, and it's even more ordinary to look highly upon their eldest daughter-in-law. Don't take it to heart, just live your own life well, be filial to your in-laws, serve your husband..." Old Lady Sheng couldn't help but nag.

  Wang sighed and said, "I knew it was this way, but Hua has always been the first in our family since childhood, never letting anyone surpass her. Now... Ah, waiting until later when we separate households will be better. Anyway, the eldest branch of the family belongs to the main house, and Hua and her husband living on their own is not bad either, besides, the son-in-law is also a capable person."

  If it were usual, Old Lady Sheng would certainly say a few words of great principles such as 'parents are not separated', but after all, she was heartbroken for Hualan whom she had raised since childhood, and her heart went smoothly, saying: "It's good to learn some rules in front of elders, and later when you live alone after separation, you will have a program, it's more important to have good news early..."

  ……

  Time flies like an arrow, the Sheng Mansion is quiet and peaceful, Old Lady Sheng slowly puts the household rules in order, Wang Shi also gradually takes back control of the household, all matters are handled according to personal rank, if there's any indecision, they ask Old Lady. Sheng Xuan sees that the household is in order, the servants and maids are well-behaved and obedient, he's very satisfied, only Lin Qianer complains constantly, Sheng Xuan remembers Kong Yiniang's words, forces himself to ignore Lin Qianer, even when Feng Ge'er and Mo Si'er try to mediate, he puts on a strict fatherly face and scolds them one by one.

  Lin's aunt would not give up, having been spoiled for over a decade. She employed various tactics: one moment she was ill, the next she was melancholic, then she cried and complained, and another time she stirred up trouble. However, after sharing a bed with her for many years, even the best tricks became old, and Sheng Zong had developed strong antibodies against them. Instead, he often thought of his mother's kindness towards him when he was young, feeling more and more unfilial. Remembering why he and his mother were estranged, he felt a domino effect, hardened his heart, turned cold to Lin's aunt, and redirected his passion towards work.

  Encouraging farming and weaving, adjusting the distribution of merchants, in just two or three years, Dengzhou was governed to be rich and prosperous, with no less tax revenue submitted, achieving good political performance. Moreover, he was skilled at socializing, and local officials in the capital often had dealings with him. When his three-year term was up, he was re-evaluated as having excellent performance, promoted to fifth rank, and reappointed.

  With a successful career and smooth sailing, Sheng Hong didn't pay much attention to Lin Yiniang's constant sulking. Instead, he often clashed with Wang Shi, who had a bad temper, but got used to it over time. Whenever they argued, Sheng Hong would emerge victorious, as Wang Shi couldn't defend herself against his accusations of "disobedience", "disrespect", "unfilialness" and "unvirtuousness". With no way to fight back, Wang Shi was always at a disadvantage. In contrast, Sheng Hong spent his days leisurely, often visiting the young and beautiful Xiang Yiniang and Ping Yiniang to lift his mood and offer guidance on their children's education and behavior.

  Lin's aunt took a look at the situation and didn't dare to mention anything about her share, so she used her gentle tactics to coax Sheng Xiang back, but from then on, she was much more honest.

  Minglan was in Shou'antang, playing with Old Madame Shen. The old and young got along very well, harmonious and joyful, laughing and chatting nonstop. Every time Shen San came to pay his respects, he felt that the atmosphere in Shou'antang was very comfortable and pleasant, so he also relaxed his mood, chatted more freely with Old Madame, sometimes teasing her about Minglan's failed embroidery works, and with Mo Lan and Rulan adding to the fun, even Changbai and Changfeng seemed to have achieved something in their studies. The wives had also collected their tempers, and at first glance, it seemed like a harmonious family. Shen San couldn't help but feel a sense of peace and prosperity.

  This afternoon, there was another guqin lesson with Mrs. Zhuang, and Minglan had been feeling pain in her fingers since morning. Mr. Zhuang just wouldn't stop talking, and at this rate, they wouldn't even have time to rest at noon. She looked up resentfully and found that except for her and Zhang Chang who was practicing calligraphy, everyone else was enthusiastically engaged in academic discussions.

  The most popular topic in the capital city is currently the dispute over the throne between the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince. The Third Prince has recently taken in many concubines, working day and night, exhausting himself to the point of seeing stars, but despite his efforts, he still hasn't produced a son. The prince's mansion is filled with Taoist priests and Buddhist monks, burning incense and praying daily, which has attracted the attention of many officials who were originally just watching from the sidelines. Meanwhile, the Fourth Prince's only son is growing up strong and healthy, already starting to learn how to speak. The Fourth Prince is feeling more and more confident, his temper improving with each passing day, surrounded by an increasingly large crowd.

  The emperor's body is getting worse day by day, and the debate over the candidate for the throne has reached a boiling point. Both sides have their own people waving flags and shouting slogans, constantly citing classics and arguing with great enthusiasm.

  Mr. Zhuang today lectured on "Kongzi Jiayu: Qu Li Gong Xi Chi Wen". There is a sentence in it, "Gong Yizhong's eldest son died and his younger brother was established." As a good teacher, he usually connects theory with practice to explain the text. Moreover, Mr. Zhuang has a generous and open-minded personality, so he threw out this topic and let the students discuss it among themselves - Should the eldest be established? Or should the most virtuous and capable one be established? Which is better.

  At first, both Zhang Bo and Zhang Qing were opposed to it, thinking that discussing court politics would bring trouble. Mr. Zhuang waved his hand and said with a smile: "It doesn't matter, nowadays in the capital city, even in a teahouse, people often discuss this, let alone those aristocratic families and high-ranking officials. It's okay to talk about it behind closed doors, besides, what we're discussing today is the establishment of the crown prince and the wise, which has nothing to do with court politics. Let everyone come and discuss it!"

  This proposition is also very realistic in Shengfu, and since the teacher said so, the classmates immediately joined the discussion enthusiastically; The debate between the two sides was very clear-cut, Changbai and Rulan were naturally the orthodox faction, Changfeng and Molan were instinctively the Xian Neng faction, and Minglan was fishing, while Zhangdong gave up his rights.

  Chang Bai first subtly brought up Qin Er Shi Hu Hai, the rotten emperor who started it all, to illustrate that not following the principle of primogeniture can ruin a good dynasty. Chang Feng quickly countered with the example of Han Wu Di - Liu Xiaozhu was ranked tenth among the sons of Han Jing Di. However, Chang Bai, being more well-read in history, succinctly pointed out that even though Han Jing Di favored Liu Xiaozhu, he first made Wang Meiren empress to legitimize things according to ritual and law before properly making Xiaozhu crown prince, which precisely illustrates the principle of primogeniture.

  Chang Feng's heart skipped a beat, and Mo Lan continued, gently bringing up the infamous foolish Emperor Hui of Jin. She spoke softly: "...the entire court knew that Emperor Hui was stupid, but in order to maintain the proper succession, they still enthroned him. This led to Jia Nanfeng's domination and the War of the Eight Princes. If they had enthroned a different young prince at the time, the Jin dynasty would not have been reduced to ruling only the south. What do you think, big brother?"

  Although Orchid lacks theoretical weapons, she is better than being overly confident: "How many idiots like Emperor Hui of Jin can there be in the world? Can't four sisters consider all first-born sons as idiots?"

  On one side, the extreme example of Emperor Yang of Sui's cruel and tyrannical rule was cited, with a heart-wrenching account of the disaster it brought to the common people. On the other side, the example of Li Shimin was immediately countered, with a lengthy description of the prosperous era of Zhenguan, illustrating that a younger son is not necessarily inferior to an elder son. The debate between the two sides was intense and evenly matched, but thanks to Mr. Zhuang's moderation, no one lost their temper, and everyone spoke in a refined and polite manner, despite the undercurrents of tension.

  After talking for half a day, everyone's mouth was dry and tongue-tied. Only then did they realize that Minglan was still leisurely standing on the side. Immediately, they concentrated their firepower to demand that Minglan take a stand. Minglan's eyelids twitched wildly - this was asking her to take sides! But at this time, if she pretended to be weak, she would gradually be automatically eliminated from the ranks of equals among her siblings. The outcome of being overly timid and not daring to speak out, always shrinking back and hesitating, had already been well illustrated by Miss Ying Chun.

  Of course, this also doesn't fit Minglan's character. After thinking for a moment, she smiled and said to her brother, sister, and Mr. Zhuang: "I have an idea in my mind, but I'm not good at explaining it. Why don't I act it out instead? It'll be fun! However, later on, no one is allowed to speak."

  Mr. Zhuang was very pleased, nodded in agreement, the others were also generally okay, Minglan immediately called out Danju to come in, bowed her head and instructed her in a low voice, Danju responded, after a while she brought in three little maids with double braids, one of whom was Yancao who had just been assigned to Minglan's place, the other two were Rulan and Molan's little maids.

  Three young maidservants stood timidly in the hall, kowtowing to their master and then standing stiffly, looking at each other in confusion.

  Minglan said warmly to the three of them, "Just now, Mr. Zhuang was lecturing us and had just evaluated the strengths and weaknesses of my three sisters. Since Mr. Zhuang has not been in our household for long, it's not good for me to praise myself, so I'll have you three eloquent ones discuss who did well, and Master will reward you!"

  The wild geese all looked up at Minglan with surprise, the other two went to look at their own masters, only to see the three young ladies nodding in agreement, they believed it was true. Minglan smiled and turned her head to glance at a few onlookers, then spoke seriously to the three maids: "You all say, Fourth Sister, Fifth Sister and I, which of the three girls is the most virtuous, intelligent and good-tempered?"

  The young maids were still young and inexperienced, so they started talking one by one. One said that Rulan practiced calligraphy every day and was filial to her parents. Another said that Molan recited poetry and composed essays every day, with a dignified demeanor. Yancuo said that Minglan practiced embroidery day and night, often doing this and that. At first, they spoke in a somewhat reserved manner, but they couldn't withstand Minglan's encouragement from the side, occasionally interjecting a few words and increasing the reward. As a result, they became more and more excited as they spoke, gradually becoming flustered and red-faced, even pointing at each other and accusing them of nonsense, and eventually resorting to personal attacks among the maids.

  Minglan hastily waved her hand to stop them before they started arguing, and asked again: "I'll ask you again, which of the three sisters is the eldest?" This time, the three little maids had no objection, and after a while, they all stammered that it was Mo Lan. Minglan heard a commotion behind her back, but ignored it and asked again: "Which of the three sisters is born to Madam?" This time, Yu Lan's maid said loudly: "It's our young lady, of course." The others had no way to refute this.

  Minglan turned back to smile at everyone, and Mr. Zhuang's eyes showed a hint of approval as he nodded slightly towards her. Minglan knew this was already praise, so she happily turned around, only to catch sight of Big Brother Changbai looking at her. Their gazes met, and Big Brother Changbai even smiled at her like an immortal from heaven, causing Minglan to become utterly flustered.

  Sheng Changbai is a peculiar person in the entire Sheng household, born with a taciturn and introverted nature, his actions are dignified and strict, mature beyond his years. Whether reading or doing things, he always seems experienced and self-assured. He is completely different from Sheng Hong, who is garrulous and open-minded. It's said that he resembles the late King family's patriarch, and it's also said that he often has a poker face when facing his birth mother, Wang Shi.

  Today's smile, I reckon even my younger sister Rulan hasn't experienced it before. Minglan pulled up her chilly neck.

  At this time, Chang Feng couldn't help but speak up: "Sixth sister, this isn't right." Everyone turned to look at him, and saw that Chang Feng raised an eyebrow and said: "These little maids have just arrived not long ago, they haven't even learned the rules yet, how can you tell who is virtuous, intelligent, and has a good temper? Of course it's because of protecting their master that they're arguing." Chang Bai didn't say anything, but slightly raised the corner of his mouth. Ming Lan nodded and said: "Third brother says reasonable things, then let's change to a better way to distinguish them."

  Then she turned back to ask the three little maids, Minglan said with a serious face: "You are young and don't understand the rules, but you all have eyes. I'll ask you, among these three girls, who is born the most beautiful, stunning, and captivating? This can be decided."

  Ming Lan finished speaking in one breath, and as soon as she did, everyone burst out laughing. Mr. Zhuang was holding onto the table, laughing so hard he was shaking all over. The others were also giggling uncontrollably, while Zhang Bai just shook his head with a wry smile. However, amidst all these sounds, there was a faint, out-of-place laugh that came from behind the screen at Mr. Zhuang's back, where there was a rear door. Could it be some careless servant who had slipped in?

  After a slight smile, everyone looked at the screen in confusion. Zhang Bai said in a deep voice: "Who is behind? How dare to trespass on this land?"

  The next moment, a young man walked out from behind the screen. He was wearing a lake blue cross-necked long gown with silver silk embroidery and white bat-shaped patterns, with a light blue jade belt around his waist. On the belt, there was a pale blue moon-white gourd-shaped bag with a shiny turquoise bead as a decorative button. The young man seemed to have just come in from outside, with some pink peach blossoms still on his shoulders. His raven-black hair was loosely tied up with a jade crown.

  Mr. Zhuang saw him and smiled: "Yuan Ruo, how did you run here? Where is your wife?"

  The young man walked to Mr. Zhuang's desk, bowed his hands and said loudly: "Sir, it's been a long time no see, we parted ways in the capital city, today I'm finally lucky enough to see you again. My teacher's wife asked me to wait outside, but I waited left and right, sir, you didn't finish your class, I was anxious and couldn't bear it, so I sneaked into the back hall, please don't mind, fellow students."

  As he spoke, he bowed to the children of the Shi family with a smile, his lips red and white, his eyes bright and clear, his eyebrows elegant, his figure as slender as a bamboo shoot, truly a handsome young man with a captivating presence, everyone who saw him exclaimed: "What a handsome young man!"