Do you know? Do you know? It should be Green Fat Red Thin Episode 8

  As summer gave way to autumn, the weather in the north was not as warm as in the south, and the air gradually became dry and cool. The Sheng household couldn't help but make some sweet soup to nourish their lungs and stop coughing. Minglan had been ill for most of the time since she arrived here, and with this change in weather, she became even weaker, often coughing dryly and gasping for breath. When they called a doctor, he only prescribed some nourishing medicine, but Minglan was particularly disgusted by the taste of Chinese medicine. She longed desperately for川贝枇杷露 (a type of lozenge) and咳喘宁 (a type of cough syrup), and the more she thought about it, the more she resisted taking the Chinese medicine. She would drink a bowl and then spit out half of it, spending her days listlessly ill, unable to muster up any energy at all. The once robust Minglan, who had even practiced self-defense techniques, was now truly miserable.

  Sheng Hong and Wang's family carefully considered again and again, and inquired about Yuan Wenshao's character and talent from all sides. Finally, they decided on him. Then they passed the gift-giving ceremony, sent out Hualan's birthdate and eight characters, and proceeded with the asking-for-name ceremony. Wang's thinking was very strange, as she separately invited a high-ranking Buddhist monk and a Daoist priest to combine the eight characters. Both the monk and the Daoist said that the two families were destined for a hundred years of harmony. Only then did Wang put her mind at ease. Sheng Hong glanced at the incense table in Wang's room, where a duster was placed on the left side and a wooden fish stood upright on the right side. He couldn't help but laugh: "Madam, are you believing in Buddhism or Daoism? You'd better be accurate, so that your worship will have some effect."

  Wang knew her husband was teasing her: "Whichever one is efficacious I'll worship, as long as Hua'er gets better, I'd even worship the roots of a wall or grass."

  "Sheng Hong's expression changed: 'I know you have a kind heart, and it's all good intentions. Lately, I've noticed that Ming'er hasn't been well, so please take extra care of her too. If she keeps coughing like this, don't let her lose her young life.'"

  Wang said, "Yesterday I received a letter from the capital, and the Zhongqinbo Mansion will be arriving in a few days. Hua saw that I was busy and took on the matter of Ming Yatou herself."

  Sheng Hong shook his head: "Hua'er is just a child, what does she know? You'd better take care of it yourself."

  Wang smiled and said, "Look at what Old Master says. Hua Yatou is no longer a child. If everything goes smoothly, she will be married either by the end of next year or early the following year. In the future, she will have to serve her parents-in-law and husband, so it's time for her to learn how to take care of others. These past few days, she has given all her share of snow pear soup and almond tea to Ming Yatou. Every day, she stares at Ming Yatou with dead eyes as she takes her medicine, and if Ming Yatou spits up half a bowl, Hua Yatou will add another bowl. Ming Yatou is so scared that she doesn't dare spit out the medicine anymore."

  Sheng Hong was greatly relieved in her heart and nodded repeatedly: "Good, good, sisters should be like this, Hua'er has the demeanor of an elder sister, very good, very good."

  Miss Hua Lan was a strict executor, lacking in warmth but full of majesty. Whenever Minglan showed the slightest reluctance to take her medicine, she would be so angry that she would roll up her sleeves and force-feed it to her personally. Minglan would be so scared that she would break out in a cold sweat, and her illness would improve by more than half. Then, Miss Hua Lan would make her play shuttlecock every day. Minglan was like a prisoner under escort, standing in the courtyard under Miss Hua Lan's supervision, kicking the shuttlecock one by one, thirty times a day, with an increase of five every three days. Miss Hua Lan even kept a notebook as Minglan's exercise log, marking down her daily records with a stern face, not allowing her to miss a single kick.

  Hua Lan is a big sister type of girl, with a strong desire to be an elder sister, but unfortunately her siblings cannot satisfy this need. Chang Bai is too mature and steady, Hua Lan doesn't want to be scolded by him, so she has given up on him. As for Ru Lan, she is willful and stubborn, and Hua Lan has never gotten along with her. Whenever Hua Lan says something to her, Ru Lan would retort with three times as much backtalk. Wang Shi protects Ru Lan, so Hua Lan cannot truly punish her. The two children at Lin Niang's place are not worthy of her attention, and Chang Zhu is too young, so she has never had the opportunity to show off her big sister skills.

  Minglan was gentle and obedient, doing whatever she was told without complaint. She wouldn't even retort when scolded, only looking at you with a timid expression, her bright eyes blinking occasionally as she sometimes fell into a daze. Hualan was very pleased with this little sister of hers, almost more so than with her own sister.

  The Sheng family acted quickly, and soon came the betrothal gifts. As Yuan Wenshao was indeed not young, they pointed out that they could get married by next year. Sheng took out the article frame from his examination days, wrote some cloudy and ambiguous words in the letter, it's unknown whether the other party can understand or not. The general meaning is that the daughter is still young, and cannot bear to marry early, sincerely expressing the loving father's heart for his daughter. Then the Yuan family immediately added a lot of betrothal gifts, also invited a ceremonial officer from the Temple of Imperial Praise to come and present the betrothal gifts. Sheng gained both face and money, and very appropriately added some dowry, and set the wedding date in May next year, both families were very satisfied.

  After that, Hua Lan was locked in her boudoir to embroider her trousseau and cultivate her temperament. Ming Lan let out a sigh of relief. She had already accumulated 65 shuttlecocks to kick every day, kicking until her legs cramped up. Now that she was being watched and confined, she could return to her carefree life of eating and sleeping like a little pig, although occasionally she would be disturbed by Ru Lan.

  The weather gradually turned cold, and spring, summer, and autumn were still fine. As soon as winter arrived, the difference in climate between the north and south immediately became apparent. Every household began burning earthenware heaters, various kinds of brick stoves, and even beautifully crafted wooden stoves - which combined a wide and comfortable bed with a heater. Minglan was originally from the south and had no idea that ancient northern China had such warm and cozy heated beds. It must have been due to her playing shuttlecock that despite the cold weather, Minglan did not catch a cold or fall ill, but others did.

  Mrs. Shi was getting old, and the long journey from south to north had taken its toll on her health, making her somewhat unaccustomed to the local climate. After autumn arrived, she started coughing, and as she was normally strict, the maids and servants in the house didn't dare force her to take medicine or exercise, so the root of her illness never went away. As soon as winter came, she would occasionally have a low-grade fever, but on this particular day, she suddenly had a high fever that left her whole body burning hot, almost fainting. The doctor who came to examine her said it was very serious, and old people were most afraid of this kind of severe cold, fearing that if they weren't careful, they would be gone. This had scared Mr. and Mrs. Shi half to death.

  If Old Lady Sheng passes away, Sheng Hong will have to observe a mourning period, and Hua Lan will have to guard the grave. But Yuan Wenshao is already twenty years old, how can he wait any longer? Sheng Hong and his wife immediately realized the severity of the situation, so they worked together in harmony, taking turns day and night to care for Old Lady Sheng. They carefully considered every prescription, and personally tasted every bowl of medicine, almost exhausting themselves to the point of illness. However, this filial son and virtuous wife's behavior earned them praise from all the officials and scholars in Dengzhou, which was a fortunate coincidence.

  A few days later, Old Mrs. Sheng finally broke her fever and recovered, barely escaping with her life. Mr. and Mrs. Sheng didn't dare to relax, and immediately sent various nourishing medicines from the warehouse to Renshou Hall. As for Minglan, no matter how expensive the nourishing medicine was, it was still Chinese medicine, and its taste couldn't be improved. She secretly sympathized with Old Mrs. Sheng in her heart. Before she could sympathize for two days, a message suddenly came from Renshou Hall, saying that Old Mrs. Sheng, being old and lonely, wanted to raise a girl by her side to alleviate the coldness.

  As soon as the news came out, some families were happy and some were worried. Let's talk about the happy ones first.

  "Why did Mother ask me to go? Everyone says that the old lady has a bad temper, is cold and distant, and hardly speaks a word all year round. The house is simple and there's nothing good in it. Besides, the old lady never liked you, I'd rather not go and make a fool of myself." Mo Lan was snuggled up in her bed, wrapped in a brown fox-fur coat with golden tips, holding a horizontal golden gourd-shaped enamel hand warmer in her arms, already looking elegant and refined at a young age.

  Lin's mother looked at her daughter, both proud and worried: "Good child, how can I bear to let you suffer, but we can't help planning for the future. You've seen your sister Hualan's wedding preparations, it was a grand affair, with many people seeking our family's connection! In a few years when you're old enough to marry, who knows what kind of splendor it will be?"

  "What a scene?" Mo Lan bowed slightly, his tone still so elegant. "Mother, don't mention anything about being born to different mothers again. Father has already said that he will not mistreat me in the future. He will treat my older sister and me the same way. I will have my own glorious days, besides, you have property in your hands, what do I have to be afraid of?"

  "My son, do you know what? Your sister Hualan is so radiant today. First, it's because your father is a successful official with a good reputation, and his social interactions are smooth. Second, our family has some wealth, unlike those poor officials who have nothing. Third, Huayan is the eldest daughter of her family, and she has a prestigious maternal uncle's family. This last point, how can you compare to that? Moreover, you and Ruyan are only a few months apart in age, and in the future, you'll probably be married off at the same time. Will there be any good families left for you?" Lin Yiniang took the hand warmer from her daughter's hands, opened it, and used the copper hairpin to stir the charcoal fire inside. After covering it up again, she handed it back.

  Even Mo Lan was taken aback and couldn't help but blush: "Mother, what are you talking about? I'm only a few years old, why are you saying this?"

  Lin's aunt grasped her daughter's small hands, her delicate eyebrows and eyes revealing a hint of severity. In a low voice, she said: "I have never regretted what happened back then. Being a concubine, offending the old lady, not being tolerated by the madam - I'm not afraid of any of these things. Your brother is after all a young master, regardless of whether he's born to a wife or a concubine, he'll eventually get his share of the family property and have a foothold in society. What I worry about is you."

  "Mother, don't take it to heart. Father is like this because he dotes on me. Among the girls, apart from elder sister, I am the only one left. In the future, he won't treat me unfairly..."

  "It's not like you can go anywhere!" Lin Niang interrupted her daughter, leaning back on the pile of autumn-colored golden silk quilts, closing her eyes and speaking slowly. "You're seven years old now, it's time you understood things. When I was seven, your paternal grandfather had already ruined our family, and since then I've never had a decent day. Your paternal grandmother didn't have any plans, she just relied on pawning things to get by. She would always sigh that she hadn't married into a respectable family. In the past, we were playmates who grew up together, some of whom wore gold and silver and lived in luxury, while others fell on hard times and weren't even welcomed back to their natal families. Luckily, before she passed away, she did one thing right, sending me to this prosperous household."

  Inside the house, it was quiet, with only the incense burner on the floor slowly emitting clouds of smoke. Lin Niang's mind wandered slightly as she recalled the scene when she first entered the Sheng Mansion: At that time, although Sheng Hong's official position was not high, his ancestors had left behind a large family business for their descendants. The old master was also a scholar who had passed the imperial examination with honors, so the Sheng Mansion naturally had an air of elegance. There were exquisite and beautiful gardens, gold-plated silverware, and luxurious clothing made of satin and silk for all four seasons. In her lifetime, she had never imagined that there could be such a wealthy and noble life, such a life of luxury and pampering. At that time, Sheng Hong was also refined and handsome, with a gentle and courteous demeanor, which led her to have other thoughts...

  Mo Lan looked at her mother's vague and beautiful face, suddenly opening her mouth: "Mother, why do you have to be a concubine? Why can't you just marry well and become the main wife? You've caused so much gossip, people talking about you, saying you... are willing to..."

  Lin's aunt suddenly opened her eyes, staring at her intensely. Mo Lan immediately lowered her head, too afraid to speak. Lin's aunt gazed for a moment before turning away and saying slowly: "You're grown up now, you should understand... Old Lady is fine in every way, but there's one thing - she loves to nag about 'it's easy to find priceless treasures, but hard to find someone with feelings'. They say that poor couples have a hundred sorrows. As the eldest miss of the Hou Mansion, Old Lady doesn't know the hardships of poor families outside. A servant's monthly salary is only six or seven dou of rice and one or two strings of copper coins. The head maids in our mansion each receive eight mace of silver per month. Just this coat you're wearing is worth fifty or sixty taels, and the silver-threaded charcoal in your hand warmer costs two taels of silver per jin. Add up what you eat and wear every day - how many servants' salaries would it take to support you?"

  Mo Lan's forehead was beading with fine sweat, and Lin Niang smiled bitterly: "Besides, must a poor scholar necessarily have good conduct? At that time, I had a cousin who married a poor scholar, originally expecting to have a bright future. But that scholar could only write two mediocre essays, failed the imperial examination, and was unsuccessful in business. The whole family relied on my aunt's efforts, she accompanied her husband through thick and thin, gave birth to children, and saved up a few acres of land. That year, the harvest was slightly better, but the poor scholar wanted to take a concubine. My aunt refused, and was scolded every day for being unvirtuous, almost getting divorced. She couldn't bear it, so she allowed the concubine to enter the household. In just a few years, she was bullied to death, leaving behind several children who were mistreated by others. Hmph! That scholar, when he came to propose marriage, also spoke extravagantly, with a mouth full of virtuous words and phrases, saying how he would love and cherish my cousin, be harmonious like the music of the qin and se... Bah! All empty talk!"

  Mo Lan listened intently, and Lin Niang's voice gradually became softer: "A woman's life is not just relying on a man. If the man is useless, even the strongest woman can't stand up straight. At that time, I thought that no matter what, my husband must be a man of good character, with a strong sense of loyalty and responsibility, who can provide for the family... Following your father, although as a concubine, at least we don't have to worry about our livelihood, and the children will have someone to rely on."

  The mother and daughter were speechless for a moment, then Lin Niang smiled lightly: "In the past, Old Lady had found me some so-called 'farming and reading families', but she herself insisted on being poor and frugal. How could she give me a decent dowry? Bah! I am also a proper official's daughter, if I just wanted to eat plain food, why would I come to the Sheng household? It's really laughable."

  "Then why did you let me go to the old lady's place? Can she keep me?" Mo Lan couldn't help but speak out.

  Aunt Lin smiled warmly: "Foolish child, this is your father promoting you! I may be a respectable person, but I'm still just an aunt. You weren't raised by the mistress, so if you can stay with Old Lady and learn some etiquette and manners, you'll earn more respect when you go out in the future. When it's time to arrange marriages, you'll be considered better than ordinary girls. The master said he'd let Old Lady choose a child herself, but think about it - Hualan is getting married, Rulan can't bear to part with her, Minglan is a sickly and disagreeable girl, the young masters need to study, so who's left?"

  Mo Lan was both surprised and delighted: "Father really loves me, but... I'm afraid of Old Lady..."

  Lin Yini smoothed her hair, her eyes flowing with a smile: "I know the old lady's character, she is straightforward and likes to sympathize with the weak. Although she is a bit arrogant, it's not difficult to serve her. Tomorrow morning, you go to the old lady's place to pay respects and serve her. Remember to be careful and gentle, show a remorseful attitude, don't call me 'mother' again, just call me 'aunt'. Sometimes, even if she scolds me a few words, it doesn't matter, as long as your mouth is sweet and your movements are quick. I'm afraid the old lady won't blame you for my mistakes... Alas, it's all because of me that you're in this situation. If you were born to the mistress, you wouldn't have to try so hard to please that old woman..."

  "What did Mother say? I am Mother's flesh and blood, what nonsense is this about being implicated or not. Mo Lan scolded with a smile as she leaned into Lin Niang's arms, "With Mother by my side to guide me, I will naturally be able to win over Old Lady's heart, and in the future when I have a good reputation, I can also let Mother enjoy some peace."

  "Good child, when Master rises to a higher rank and becomes an even greater official in the future, who knows, you might have an even more impressive marriage than your elder sister, and there will be boundless good fortune waiting for you."