Do you know? Do you know? It should be Green Fat Red Thin Episode 10

  After Old Lady Sheng finished asking her three granddaughters questions, she said she was tired and told the children to go back to their rooms, as the elderly needed rest. Sheng Xiang originally wanted to say a few more words for Mo Lan, but could only hold it in and return to his room.

  As soon as they returned home and before they had a chance to change their clothes or wash up, Housekeeper Wang suddenly arrived at the side of Old Madam. Mr. and Mrs. Shen hastily invited her in. As an old-timer in the household, Housekeeper Wang was straightforward with her words and quickly got to the point - Old Madam wanted Minglan to go over there.

  As soon as this was said, Mr. and Mrs. Shen immediately went to heaven and earth, Wang's family was overjoyed, hated that they couldn't go burn two incense sticks to fulfill their vows immediately, while Mr. Shen was somewhat disheartened, feeling that the old lady would not see Lin's wife after all.

  "Sir, your filial piety has been received by the old lady. The old woman is thanking you on her behalf... Madam, would you mind taking some time to help the sixth young lady with her packing? Please let me know when it's done and I'll come to pick her up."

  Mrs Fang had always been a straightforward person, and after finishing speaking, she bowed her head and left.

  "What does the old lady mean? Among our family's girls, apart from Hua'er, Mo'er is the eldest. Naturally, she should take on more responsibilities. Can't let a naive and weak child do it?" Sheng Hong opened his arms to let Wang Shi undo her clothes. No matter how he thought about it, he felt that Mo Lan was more suitable than Ming Lan. "Not to mention these days, Mo'er has been serving the old lady, everyone says she is filial and obedient. What is the old lady still hesitating about?"

  The king's family was delighted, and he smiled: "This is the old lady choosing a person, you think it's good or not, she has to be willing herself! I often tell Huahua that wearing bright colors makes her look more vibrant, but she prefers light-colored clothes; Father, everything must be done with the other person's consent, you can't just force someone to do something because you think it's good. The old lady will not disobey you in front of you, but she may not be comfortable in her heart. So, don't worry, no matter which child the old lady chooses, aren't they all your daughters? Now that the old lady has spoken, just follow her wishes, and both you and the old lady will be satisfied, isn't that a win-win situation? Besides, the old lady is kind and benevolent, she must have seen how weak and confused Weiyiniang was after her mother's early death, and wants to help her."

  Sheng Hong thought this reason was more plausible, the more he thought about it, the higher the possibility, even if he wanted to promote Mo Lan again, he couldn't force Old Lady Lin to accept her; however, Lin Niang and himself were truly in love, Mo Lan was a crystal of love, for this crystal, he decided to make another effort.

  The next day, Old Lady Sheng had just gotten out of bed when Housekeeper Fang was waiting on her with a white porcelain bowl adorned with silver threads and the pattern of "long life and good fortune" to serve her bird's nest congee. Just then, a maid from outside reported: "Master has arrived." Then she opened the indigo-colored thick woolen curtain to let Sheng Xuan enter. Old Lady Sheng glanced at him briefly, raised the corner of her mouth slightly, and told Housekeeper Fang to take away the breakfast.

  "What brings you here so early in the morning? It's cold outside, why don't you sleep a bit more?" Old Lady Shen said after Shen Hou finished his greetings and sat down.

  Sheng Hong said respectfully: "After Housekeeper Wang left yesterday, I thought about it all night and still felt that it wasn't right. I know that Old Madam is kind-hearted, but you yourself are not yet fully recovered from your illness. If we were to add another ignorant and foolish child, how could our son possibly feel at ease? Why don't we let Mo Er come instead? She's sensible and clever, and she speaks and acts appropriately. She would be able to take care of Old Madam to her satisfaction."

  "This won't do." Old Lady Sheng shook her head and said, "Your heart is good, but you haven't thought this through. A child is a mother's flesh and blood. When I brought Hua'er over just three days after she was born, my daughter-in-law had already lost a circle of weight, almost to the point of losing her shape. She didn't dare say anything out loud, but in her heart, it was like being fried in oil. As someone who has also been a mother, how could I not know? So even though you registered him under my name back then, I still let Spring Aunt raise him. Although the mistress is the children's birth mother, that flesh-and-blood relationship can't be shed... Letting Mo'er leave Lin Aunt at such a young age, I really couldn't bear it... You didn't use the reason of flesh-and-blood relationship to not have the mistress raise Mo'er back then, so why are you willing to give him up now?" As she spoke, she glanced sideways at Sheng Hong.

  "Old lady said so, but tomorrow she..."

  Old Mrs. Shi took over the conversation calmly: "Now Minglan is naturally good at Madam's place, but Madam has to take care of the household, prepare for Hua'er's marriage, and also take care of Rulan and Changbai. It's inevitable that she's a bit overwhelmed; besides, she's not Minglan's own mother after all, so it's inevitable that she's constrained in her actions. It's just right to come to my place, where both sides can benefit."

  Sheng Hong was blocked and had nothing to say, dryly laughing: "It's still the old lady who thinks of everything, I'm afraid tomorrow will be ignorant and tired you out, then it will all be the son's fault."

  The old lady said slowly: "Ignorant?... I don't think so."

  "Really? What do you mean by that?"

  Old Mrs. Shi let out a soft sigh, turned her head away, and Housekeeper Fang, who was standing beside her, smiled and continued: "It's really pitiful. When Master Shi first brought his wife and children to pay their respects to Old Mrs. Shi after arriving in Dengzhou, after breakfast, all the other boys and girls were taken away by their mothers or nannies, but Sixth Young Mistress's mother was too busy drinking tea to take care of her daughter. I went to look for Sixth Young Mistress and found her kneeling on a prayer cushion in front of the Guanyin statue in Old Mrs. Shi's Buddhist altar, crying quietly, trying not to make any loud noises."

  The old lady said in a low voice: "Everyone thinks she's foolish, but who would have thought that she understands everything. She's bitter at heart, but doesn't dare to speak out, and can only secretly cry in front of the Bodhisattva."

  Sheng Hong thought of Wei Yiniang, feeling a bit heartbroken, and lowered his head to secretly grieve. Old Lady Sheng glanced at Sheng Hong with a hint of mockery and said: "I know that more than half of your heart is given to Lin Yiniang, but Mo Er is clever and has such a mother, even if you worry less, you won't lose anything. It's Six Mei, weak and foolish, considering the late Wei Yiniang's share, you should take care of her more, that's the one who is helpless and dependent."

  Sheng Hong was left speechless.

  After seeing off Sheng Hong, Fang's mother helped the old lady lie down on the windowsill and couldn't help but say: "It's a pity about Fourth Miss, not to mention how Lin Niang is, she's actually a good girl."

  The old lady smiled lightly: "Once bitten by a snake, I'm afraid of those clever and wise girls; they have quick minds and heavy thoughts, when I haven't even figured out one idea, they've already turned over seventeen or eighteen corners in their bellies, it's better to want a silly one who is easy-going; besides, she's not really stupid, didn't you say that day you heard her reciting in front of the Buddha, missing her deceased mother, she's a child with a heart; just take her."

  ……

  The Wang family was delighted, things were going in the direction she had hoped for, that fox spirit did not get its way, Lan did not have to leave her side, and she even managed to produce a sweet potato that wasn't too hot to handle. This place was truly wonderful, with great feng shui, prosperous for her! So the next day, she also got up early, instructing the maidservants to help Minglan pack, planning to send her off directly after paying respects later.

  Among the hustle and bustle, Hua Lan sat sternly on the kang, while Ming Lan sat on a small stool, listening to her elder sister's lecture - no sleeping in late, no slacking off without exercise, no being late for greetings, no being bullied... Hua Lan said one sentence, she responded with one sentence. In the morning, she was already sleepy, but Hua Lan kept going on and on like Tang Seng reciting scriptures, Ming Lan found it strange. A 14 or 15-year-old girl was actually more nagging than the dormitory administrator aunt when she was in school, really a weirdo.

  "Can you hear? What are you thinking about with a silly look on your face all day?" Hua Lan pointed at Minglan's forehead with her scallion-like index finger.

  Minglan came to and murmured with emotion: "He's really fortunate to have an elder sister like you taking care of him."

  "Who?" Hua Lan couldn't hear clearly.

  "Big brother-in-law." Minglan made an effort to open her eyes wide, looking very silly and innocent.

  The busy maids in the house all covered their mouths and giggled, Hualan's face turned red to her ears, she wanted to tear Minglan apart again, but was too ashamed to want to sneak away. Minglan innocently blinked her big eyes at her, using body language to ask: what's wrong, did I say something wrong?

  The Wang family was delighted to see the happy event, and their spirits were lifted. To show that she was actually a kind and loving stepmother, she brought Minglan over a dozen high-quality fabrics, including satin, velvet, wool, thin silk, and embroidered silk... Since they were taken directly from Hualan's dowry, they were very dignified. There were also several pieces of new gold and silver jewelry made for Rulan, which were all given to Minglan, filling her entire body.

  After the greetings, Minglan was led by her mother to see the new room, and Rulan followed with a hop and skip. Wangshi and Hualan continued talking to Old Lady Sheng, while Wangshi was like a salesperson delivering goods, fearing that she would be rejected, so she kept praising Minglan for being honest and obedient, and Hualan couldn't sit still, laughing and saying: "Old lady, you see, the madam is afraid you won't want Sixth Sister, so she's going all out to praise her."

  The whole house, master and servant, all laughed. Old Lady Sheng liked Hualan's straightforward words the most, and smiled saying: "Little girl, even your own mother is being tricked by you, be careful that she might cut back on your dowry, or else you'll have no one to cry to!"

  Hua Lan's face turned red again, and she turned her body away without speaking. Wang Shi had a smile all over his face: "What the old lady said is right, I'm worried that this girl has been spoiled at home and will be laughed at when she returns to her husband's family."

  Old Mrs. Shi turned to Madame Wang and said seriously, "I was just going to mention this. Since Hua'er's engagement, I have written to my old sisters in the capital, asking them to recommend a steady and well-bred nurse to come and help teach Hua'er some rules of etiquette. Those old people who have come out of the palace are knowledgeable about books and reason, and understand the rules of propriety. I hope you won't blame me for being too interfering."

  Mr. Wang was overjoyed and immediately stood up to deeply bow to the old lady, with a sob in his voice: "Thanks to the old lady's thoughtful consideration, I was also worried about this. If it were an equally official family, it would be fine, but Huahua is engaged to a earl's mansion; although our family can be considered a noble family, those ducal mansions have many rules and conventions, ordinary families can't learn them, let alone the Zhongqin earl's mansion. In the future, when interacting with relatives and friends, they will either be from the Wang or the duke's mansion. Huahua is also a straightforward person, I've been worried that she doesn't understand etiquette and will be looked down upon in the future! The old lady has really solved my biggest problem today, I'm here to kowtow and thank her! Come, Huahua, you come too, and kowtow to the old lady!"

  The Wang family's tears came down, and Hua Lan hurried over. Before she could kneel down, she was pulled into Old Lady Sheng's arms. The old lady called for Housekeeper Fang to help up Mrs. Wang while holding her eldest granddaughter tightly, looking at her with a choked voice: "You're a lucky child! Your father has been searching everywhere for the right match for your marriage, and that young man's character is among the best. You have Old Master Hou protecting you from above and your husband's family supporting you from below. In the future, be obedient and listen to them. When the nanny comes in a few days, learn from her about etiquette, manners, and how to behave properly. That way, when you arrive at your husband's home, you'll earn respect... Ah... thinking back to when you were still small, now you're all grown up and getting married..."

  Hua Lan endured for a moment, but tears still flowed down: "Don't worry, ancestor, I'll be fine. You also need to take good care of yourself. Your granddaughter will come visit you often in the future."

  Mrs. Sheng felt a pang in her heart, nodded to Fang's mother, who took out a large, flat wooden box from inside. The wood looked old, but the golden filigree and dragon patterns on the corners of the box shone brightly. Fang's mother handed the box over to Mrs. Sheng, who passed it to Hualan, saying: "Your dowry was prepared several years ago in Quanzhou, your parents did their best, there's nothing lacking. This ruby and gold headdress was given to me when I got married, now I'm giving it to you."

  The box was opened, and the room was suddenly filled with a dazzling golden light. The gold was bright red, obviously freshly washed, and the rubies were huge and sparkling, each one as big as a thumb. They shone brightly, dazzling to the eye, even Wang, who came from a wealthy family, was shocked and couldn't move his eyes away. Hualan was stunned, holding her breath.

  The housekeeper smiled and stuffed the box into Hualan's hand: "Quickly take it, young lady. The rubies on this were brought back by Old Master Hou from Kiev in the Great Snowy Mountains, made into a full set of headdress for the old madam as her dowry, eighteen pieces in total, from head to body to hands, carefully crafted with red gold, taking two classes of craftsmen three months to complete. Even wearing it to the palace to meet nobles would be enough, young lady. This is Old Madam's heart's desire, quickly take it."

  Hua Lan was suddenly moved, and she buried her face in the old lady's bosom and began to cry. She thanked her while crying, and Wang Shi on the side also wiped away tears, this time the tears were absolutely genuine.

  ……

  The old lady's decision to raise the six girls had already been made, and it spread throughout the Sheng Mansion in just one morning. When Lin Niang heard about it, she smashed a teacup on the spot. Mo Lan sat beside her, wiping away tears as she cried: "I said I wouldn't go, but you insisted that I go. Look now, this is really humiliating!"

  Several maids standing by didn't dare to make a sound, the whole Sheng Mansion knew that Mòlán had been serving the old lady diligently these past few days and thought it would be her who was going, but unexpectedly there was a change of plans at the last minute, this time it's really embarrassing.

  Lin Yiniang stood in the house, her hairpins and earrings scattered all over, her beautiful face twisted into a fierce expression. She said with hatred: "Hmph! That dead old woman wants money but has none, and she's not even the master's own mother. What kind of airs is she putting on? If she doesn't want you, we don't care either. Let's see where she can go!"