The 102nd time

  On the day of the imperial examination, the Sheng family sent Lai Fu to wait outside. He stretched his neck and waited for a long time before Chang Feng and Wen Yanjing stumbled out, one with a pale face as if he had overindulged in sex; the other with a yellowish complexion as if he had gone hungry for several days. Compared to Chang Feng's heavy heart, Wen Yanjing seemed more at ease, after all, whether or not he passed the exam, his wife and her family would still be there.

  Different mental states lead to different results, half a month later the list was announced, Wen's husband passed as a jinshi, and in the imperial examination he got second-class third-grade 32nd place, after passing the test, either enter the Hanlin Academy or be appointed to an official position; while Zhang Feng's brother... cough, take the exam again.

  As the wedding day approached, Rulan's behavior became somewhat unnatural, one moment laughing and joking, the next suddenly losing her temper. When Wang Shi came to talk to her daughter, Rulan retorted with three sentences, leaving Wang Shi no choice but to seek Minglan's help to mediate.

  "Sixth Sister, look..." Xī Juān said with difficulty, opening her mouth.

  "It goes without saying, I'll just take a look." Minglan knew what she meant, as she was good at pretending to be silly and coaxing little girls. Unbeknownst to her, from some time ago, she had almost become Rulan's fire extinguisher, and Xiaojue would also often come to seek her help.

  As soon as she entered the Taoran Building, because her dowry had already been taken away, she only saw that the originally golden and silver-ornamented boudoir seemed a bit empty. Like an orchid, she sat stupidly in front of the window. On one side, on the dark red lacquered wooden clothes rack, a magnificent large red wedding dress was propped up, suddenly making the whole room seem much brighter.

  "Oh! Sister is now a noble person, how come you have the time to come to my place?" Ru Lan said with a sharp tone as soon as she saw Ming Lan.

  Minglan sat quietly beside Rulan and smiled: "Sister, is there anything uncomfortable? Tell me about it."

  Like Orchid gave a sidelong glance at Minglan, coldly smiling and saying: "I'm someone with no luck, where would I have this good fortune?!" After finishing speaking, she puffed out her chest, turned her head away, and used her back to face Minglan, both arms heavily propped on the table.

  Minglan thought for a moment and then asked cautiously: "What did Madam say to you?"

  Ruolan didn't turn around, she just loudly hummed with her nose, Minglan immediately understood and felt extremely helpless, secretly grumbling to herself - it's all because of that annoying Gu Tingye!

  A few days ago, Wen Jia chose an auspicious day to send the betrothal gifts. After Gu Tingyan flipped through the almanac, he found that it was the best day in this period, so he sent someone to ask if they could come and put up the engagement banner on that day. At that time, Wang Shi didn't think much of it, but Sheng Hong readily agreed.

  On that day, the Wen family had only prepared a modest amount of flowers, tea, fruit, sheep, geese, wine, and wooden ducks, plus a few pieces of good fabric. However, Gu Tingyan was like a nouveau riche who had just struck gold in South America, and the betrothal gifts he sent were enough to fill an entire courtyard.

  First, there were 128 pairs of golden pigs (Minglan's zodiac animal), weighing a total of 1,000 taels. There were also 88 pieces of Jiangnan silk, 88 pieces of Jiangbei silk, and 108 pieces of colorful embroidered cloud brocade and Shu silk. Additionally, there were 18 pairs of dragon and phoenix hairpins with inlaid pearls, 18 pairs of dragon and phoenix earrings, as well as abalone, sea cucumber, conch, dried mushrooms, shrimp, squid, sea cucumber, fish fins, and fish belly, along with some high-quality seafood dishes. The Hai family and the old lady suspected that these were all tribute goods that had been smuggled in.

  As for other items such as three sacrifices, fish, wine, seasonal tea, sugar, fruit, and so on, they were countless. Finally, there was a pair of fat, loud geese.

  Actually, Gu Tingyan was just following the etiquette of those aristocratic families who enjoyed wealth and power, and it wasn't excessive or overstepping boundaries. However, this deeply irritated Wang Shi, whose long-suppressed unease finally erupted. She had known all along that these differences in wealth would gradually become apparent, and this bloody contrast undoubtedly served as a opening salvo.

  From that day on, whenever she saw Minglan, she was no longer in a good mood. However, since Minglan was after all the future daughter-in-law, she was always busy with her daily tasks at Shou'An Hall and didn't have time to slack off. Wangshi had no choice but to go find Rulan to lecture her, speaking words that were sour and unpleasant to hear. Minglan didn't even need to think about it to know what they were like - just some "If you don't cause any trouble, all these benefits will be yours" and so on.

  What infuriated Wang Shi the most was that all these betrothal gifts were directly sent to Shou'antang, and she didn't even get a chance to touch them. According to Old Lady's intentions, it was likely that more than half of these gifts would follow Minglan to the Gu household as her dowry.

  Even if Rulan has a deep affection for Wen's brother, she is after all an ordinary woman, who also cares about her reputation and has vanity. Who wouldn't be envious of the wealth and status of the Sheng family? Now, from the stewards to the servant girls in the Sheng household, everyone is extremely courteous and flattering towards Minglan.

  Minglan is also an ordinary person, and when she sees gold, silver, and jewels, her heart beats fast. When she saw the mountain of betrothal gifts, her little heart was racing for a while. Just looking at the golden jewelry alone, Danju and Xiaotao took half an hour. The large wooden makeup box with nine layers and eighty-one suites that Old Lady sent over finally came in handy, stuffed to the brim.

  For the first time in her life, she felt that it was okay to get married like this, as long as alimony was guaranteed. If the marriage failed, she wouldn't be left scrambling.

  "If Fifth Sister has anything on her mind that's not pleasant, she can just tell me about it." Minglan tried to soften her tone.

  Who would have thought that Rouran suddenly turned around, raised an eyebrow in disdain and coldly hummed: "How dare I?! The madam has said it before, maybe next time I'll even need my sister to help me out!"

  Minglan thought about the days, and in just a few days, both of them would be getting married. She figured this was her last chance to tease Rulan, so she decided to go all out and make her happy, sending her off with a big smile. With a sly grin, she said: "Fifth sister, little sister has a question for you - if it were possible now, would you be willing to switch places with me? I'll marry into the Wen family, and you can marry into the Gu family?"

  Her face changed color in surprise and uncertainty, and she asked back: "Are you willing?"

  "Of course!" Minglan agreed with a smile, "I originally thought that Fifth Brother-in-law was quite good, he would climb mountains in the middle of the night to meet his lover, and he knew how to recite poetry and write romantic words, now he's even passed the imperial examination, why wouldn't I be willing?!"

  "How dare you!" Like Orchid slammed her hand on the table and stood up, her voice thundering, making Minglan's eardrums buzz.

  Minglan rubbed her ears and leaned back in her chair, smiling and bending at the waist: "What's wrong with sister?"

  Ruolan let out a deep breath and stared at Minglan for half a day before sitting down in anger.

  Minglan slowly leaned over, putting her arm on Rulan's shoulder, and whispered in Rulan's ear: "That year when we went to the Zhongqin Bo Fu family gathering, I saw my sister-in-law's mother, and after returning home, my sister told me something, have you forgotten?"

  As she spoke, a crimson tassel made of golden silk threads swayed back and forth beside her ear. She said slowly: "I remember... I said that all mothers-in-law in the world are hateful. If I had to live a life as miserable as my elder sister's, I'd rather be an old spinster forever."

  Minglan sighed softly in her heart and said gently: "You understand it all, why get angry? Sister... are you afraid?"

  Like an orchid, she bowed her head, tears welling up in the corners of her eyes. Unconsciously, she grasped Minglan's hand and held it tightly, choking back sobs: "I'm scared, I'm afraid that Brother Jing will disappoint me, that his sharp-tongued wife will bully me, that I'll lose face among my sisters-in-law! I also know that life in the Gu household isn't easy, but...but I don't want to get married..."

  Like Orchid burst into tears, Wang's scolding added to her 'pre-marital jitters', and even the rough-skinned woman couldn't withstand it.

  Minglan sighed softly and said, "People say there are three things in the world that cannot be believed. The first is when an old person says they don't want to live anymore, the second is when a young person says they don't want to grow up, and the third is..."

  "What is it?" asked Lan, slowly wiping away her tears.

  "The third is the eldest daughter who says she doesn't want to get married!"

  Like an orchid, she was so angry that she picked up two fists and went to punch Minglan. Minglan cried out for mercy, and after a long time of apologizing, the matter was finally settled. After this commotion, Yulan was no longer sad. The two sisters leaned against each other, panting, and lay on the kang, chatting idly.

  "It's really not easy being a daughter-in-law, but it's much more comfortable being a mother-in-law!"

  "Grandfathers are all from beating their grandsons, and mothers-in-law are also tempered by their daughters-in-law. Sisters will have that day too."

  "How nice it would be if there were no mother-in-law!"

  "Where did the son come from if there's no mother? The fifth sister is more ruthless than a monk who has finished reciting scriptures."

  "I want... we want to live a good life!"

  "That's natural, living people have to make a living, it's only dead people who don't."

  "You'd better be careful! The relatives in the Gu household look down on you as a concubine's child, they'll give you a hard time!"

  "It doesn't matter, just don't look at their faces."

  Minglan didn't actually like Rulan very much. Although they both had outgoing personalities, compared to Pinlan's bold and cheerful nature, being unrestrained and kind, Rulan was a bit more sharp-tongued and willful, with a tendency to be overbearing. However, as Minglan glanced sideways, she saw that Rulan was no longer angry, excitedly pulling her along and talking about how she would decorate her new home - this girl whose emotions were written all over her face was the only truly vivid and real existence in this subtle and reserved courtyard.

  February 27th, extremely auspicious and beneficial, suitable for weddings and marriages.

  My brother-in-law is in high spirits, with a successful career and a supportive wife's family. Many of his friends and classmates who helped him welcome the bride accompanied them on their way, amidst a festive atmosphere of red decorations, music, and firecrackers, making it a lively and grand occasion.

  This time, Zhang Feng finally found an opponent. At the entrance of Shengfu, he engaged in a war of words with Wen's husband for half an hour, reciting poems and songs from Tang and Song dynasties, speaking eloquently and vividly, drawing cheers from the crowd, creating a lively atmosphere, and Wang finally showed some excitement.

  The old lady liked cleanliness, and this time she finally gave face to Wang's family. After eating three rounds of wine, she returned to Shou'an Hall to rest. Minglan was also very happy in her heart, and she ate a few bowls of food in a daze, only feeling the heat rising to her cheeks, her head spinning. She couldn't lie down in the house, so she went out into the courtyard, taking a few steps to clear her head.

  The night was cool and refreshing, but the sound of loud laughter and chatter still came from outside the courtyard, accompanied by the fragrance of wine wafting over. The clinking of cups and plates indicated that the banquet had not yet ended, which made the inner courtyard seem even more serene. Minglan walked slowly along the stone path, suddenly feeling a bit mischievous, wondering if the ice on the pond had melted, and thinking that she should catch a few more fish before getting married.

  Hurrying a few steps, I finally arrived at the pond and saw a tall figure bent over, holding onto the stone edge of the pool with their head down, as if vomiting. The person seemed to hear footsteps behind them and slowly turned around, half of the moon shining on the rippling lake surface, reflecting that person's elegant and refined features like beautiful jade.

  Minglan's footsteps faltered and her heart tightened, she immediately thought of turning around and leaving.

  "...Six sisters?" The faint scent of wine on Zhi Heng's body mingled with the misty spring air, unexpectedly refreshing.

  Minglan forced herself to stop in her tracks, a smile on her face: "Long time no see, I haven't even congratulated you on your new marriage, congratulations!"

  Qizheng's pair of eyes were extremely good, and the dense emotions and sweet intentions all seemed to be contained within them. His clear and deep eyes gazed quietly at Minglan as he slowly said: "I should say congratulations, sister's wedding is approaching, I'm offering my felicitations here." As he spoke, he bowed his head slightly and made a full bow.

  Minglan immediately returned the courtesy with a bow and also made a slight curtsy.

  Two people sat facing each other in silence, by the pond, where only the gentle sound of water could be heard.

  Minglan wanted to slip away, but Qi Heng kept staring at her, as if he couldn't get enough of the sight. Minglan's nerves weren't strong enough, so she could only think of something to say: "You... how did you end up here?" This was the inner courtyard of the Sheng manor; how did an outsider like him manage to get in?

  Qī Huì Měi's eyes curved slightly as she smiled faintly, "After drinking a few more cups, Brother Cheng let me rest in his study." He was familiar with the paths of the Sheng Mansion, and Zhang Bo's study was located at the intersection of the inner and outer courtyards. It wasn't unusual for him to make his way to the waterfront.

  Minglan was speechless, and another eerie silence fell. Qi Heng gazed at Minglan, from the corners of her eyebrows to her eyelashes, to the curve of her smile, to the small dimples on the corners of her mouth. Memories flooded his mind, and a surge of resentment welled up in his chest. He let out a cold laugh:

  "Sixth sister, don't worry, last month Wei Bei Hou got married, during the banquet, he toasted like a cloud, Gu Du Du rushed to help Shen Guo Shu block many wines, Shen Guo Shu said that when Gu's family gets married, he will return the favor. ...Oh, I forgot, from now on, I shouldn't call you Sixth sister anymore, in terms of seniority, I should call you Second Aunt!"

  Minglan listened, without saying a word, and after half a moment, slowly said: "What you said is true."

  Qī Huáng's face flushed with intoxication, and for a moment he couldn't stand upright. He swayed, leaning against the mountain rocks to prevent himself from falling over. Wanting to say something harsh to pierce Ming Lan's heart, yet he couldn't bear to; the two fell into another period of silence.

  Qī Huò's expression turned gloomy, and he finally couldn't help but say: "I have a sentence that has been stuck in my heart for a long time; I'm asking you today, hoping you'll give me an honest answer."

  "Excuse me," said Minglan faintly.

  "Zhi Heng stood up straight, took a deep breath, and his jade-like face was stern and serious. 'All these years, you're not unaware of my feelings for you, but you've always pretended to be clueless, treating me with cold indifference. Today, I'll say it out loud: if you had even a hint of response to my feelings, I'd fight to the death for it! But from the start, you've looked down on me, thinking I'm untrustworthy, that I'd drag you down and harm you, avoiding me like a venomous snake or a fierce beast. Why is this?!"

  Minglan lifted her head, revealing a section of tender and delicate neck like a lotus root. Her slender and beautiful lines made Qi Heng almost infatuated. After a while, Minglan gently lowered her eyelids and slowly said: "We've known each other since childhood, but I'm afraid you don't even realize it yourself - you're actually quite similar to the young mistress. On the surface, you appear carefree and nonchalant, but in reality, you're extremely strong-willed. Despite already having a good family background, you still study diligently and conduct yourself with integrity, making you one of the most outstanding young men among the noble sons in the capital."

  Minglan's tone was melancholic, her face turned towards the lake, as if recalling something from long ago. She continued slowly: "You want to excel in everything, having just learned a few days of Han fu, you're already thinking about studying Shi Jing; practicing Guan Ge Ti, but also unwilling to give up Yan Ti Liu Ti; Mr. Zhuang has just praised your calligraphy for showing some small achievement, and you've gone on to study color painting. You also know that greed will lead to indigestion, yet day after day, you rise early and work late, forcing yourself to master many subjects and skills."

  Zhi Heng detected a faint sadness in Ming Lan's tone and felt a pang of distress in his heart.

  Ming Lan paused for a moment, composed her thoughts, turned around, and looked at Qi Heng quietly, saying: "You're too good, you want to do everything perfectly, I'm not worthy of it. Your heart is too big, and you can't put it down either."

  Zhi Heng only felt a sharp pain in his heart, he bit his lip hard, biting until the tip of his tongue tasted a faint metallic taste, before he managed to say: "You... have always been extremely perceptive."

  Minglan stared at her toes, feeling a dull ache in her heart, and said, "With no one to rely on, I have to think things through for myself."

  Qiheng looked at Minglan's frail and delicate body, as if a gust of wind could blow her away, his heart softened with a sour feeling, saying: "I know your difficulties, I... I've never blamed you, I only hate myself for being so useless! Gu... He's actually not a bad person, don't listen to the rumors from outside, you... you must live a good life!"

  Minglan's chest was filled with surging emotions as she raised her head and said loudly, "I came to this world for a lifetime, just to live a good life!"

  After finishing, Qi Heng's eyes had already turned red, and tears seemed to be welling up in his eyes. Ming Lan still smiled brightly like a sunny day, smoothed out her clothes, covered the few drops of moisture on the tip of her shoes, and then curtsied elegantly before turning around and leaving without looking back.

  Above the head, a crescent moon like a hook, faintly shining with a faint light, but already without the brilliance of just now.

  Minglan hastened her steps towards Shou'antang, quickly entering the inner room. She saw that Old Madame had just removed her hairpins and changed out of her formal clothes, leaning against the edge of the kang to rest. After Minglan paid her respects and dismissed the attendants, she stepped forward and said: "Grandmother, tell me about the He family's affairs. How are things now after your last visit?"

  The old lady was made somewhat curious by Minglan's actions, staring at her for a while before revealing a very peculiar smile: "Since the engagement was settled, you never asked me about the Guo family again. What's going on? You want to know now?"

  Minglan's expression remained unchanged as she said bluntly, "Some things aren't something you can ignore just because you don't want to know about them. It's better to be aware of what's going on."

  The old lady slowly raised her body, with a few points of appreciation and satisfaction in her eyes, saying: "I have already explained the situation to the He family, you are already engaged, but since there is no formal agreement between the two families, no matchmaker, and no betrothal gifts, then it's all off!"

  Minglan nodded and bowed her head in thanks to the old lady, then asked: "What about the He family? What did they say?"

  The old lady smiled slightly, her eyes flashing, and replied: "My younger sister is a very open-minded person. After what happened with the Cao family, she had already counted it in her heart and wouldn't hold any grudges. Brother Hong has always been ambitious, and upon hearing that the Zhang family intends to go to Yunnan and Guizhou to collect medicinal herbs and consult famous doctors, he has decided to follow them on this trip to broaden his horizons. He will probably leave in a few days and won't return for at least two or three years. As for Mrs. He, she has always been weak and recently hasn't been feeling well, so she just needs to take care of herself slowly."

  Minglan's face was as calm as water, without any movement or change in expression. She asked again, "Did the people of the He family have any words or objects to give me?"

  The old lady smiled and shook her wrist, causing the Buddhist beads to tremble. "My sister knows the inside story," she said. "She only said that you've been wronged and that He's family won't speak out half a word. Anyway, Mr. He has already submitted his memorial, asking for permission to return home and retire. It'll probably take about a year or so before he leaves Beijing. As for the rest...only Brother Hong left a message for you."

  "What did he say?"

  The old lady said slowly: "He said, sorry for you, it's his own fault that he has no virtue and no blessing, and it has nothing to do with you."

  Minglan listened, speechless for a long time. The old lady stared at Minglan's expression, her tone heavy with emotion: "You don't have to take it to heart, some knots are better untied early on. Anyway, you won't see each other again in the future, so focus on living your own life."

  Minglan raised her head and smiled, warm and gentle, bright and clear. "Grandmother is right," she said. "However, whether we see each other or not in the future doesn't matter much. He Lao Furen is Grandmother's acquaintance, just a common friend."

  The old lady heard this and felt a huge weight lift off her mind. She praised him, saying: "You've come to terms with it, that's the best."

  Minglan smiled and said: "Eyes are in front of the head, they should look forward."

  The author has something to say: If Lan gets married and goes out, the next chapter will be Minglan's wedding. As for the bridal chamber, I'll consider it occasionally, trying my best to satisfy everyone.

  Everyone loves this article, and they have written reviews, made comics and videos. I'm deeply moved, don't worry, I will definitely write the next part well, and make sure the ending is perfect, not a letdown.

  But this kind of thing is just family trivia, there are ups and downs, but it can't be a thrilling argument; I think everyone's concern for me is quite big.