Volume 3: The Lotus Does Not Spare Its Rouge Colour, Nor Does It Wait for a Golden House to Recommend a Grand Hall Chapter 106

  Round red wooden octagonal carved peony pattern large table placed a lot of food, in the middle is a steamer hot and steamy small steamed buns, around are arranged red bean corn flour cake, goose fat fried bean paste sesame ball, four-color scallion fragrant flower roll, fried sesame seed fruit, also have date paste yam cake, on the side of the small table placed sweet and salty two-color porridge point, golden rice pumpkin porridge and fragrant mushroom chicken porridge.

  Minglan's fingers suddenly moved involuntarily, but she constantly reminded herself that this was her husband's home and she should be mindful of her demeanor.

  The old lady took her seat first and looked around, smiling and asking: "Where's Cui'er? Her sisters-in-law have all arrived, why hasn't she come out yet?"

  The servant standing beside her was ladling out the porridge, and turned to answer: "Seventh Young Miss said that she had eaten with Sun Xiaojie and the young master, and would come back later to pay respects to Second Mistress."

  Madam Shao sat down beside Old Madam, a faint smile on her face: "These days I have to thank Seventh Sister for, with her accompanying Yan sister, I can rest assured."

  Zhu's family had already pulled Minglan to sit down and was softly asking her what porridge she wanted, when she heard this remark, she smiled and said: "My younger sister has the best temper, is respectful and filial, and likes children, I don't know who will be lucky enough to marry her in the future!"

  Old Madam scolded lightly: "Don't spout nonsense, you're making Second Sister laugh."

  Minglan took the chicken and mushroom congee, which emitted a fragrant aroma, and smiled as she said: "You're too kind, I've heard that Seventh Young Lady is exceptionally talented and one of the top beauties in the capital; now I know that not only is Miss Tingcui good at poetry and literature, but also kind-hearted and loving, truly a rare gem." These words weren't idle chatter, as Lian'er had once quarreled with Molan, loudly declaring "My seventh cousin from the Ningyuan Marquis Manor is far superior to you in poetry, literature, and painting!"

  Old Lady's face showed a joyful expression, and she repeatedly said: "Don't spoil her! That girl is very disobedient!"

  Minglan smiled and bowed her head to eat. The salty and fresh porridge was paired with crispy sesame balls and sesame buns, filling her mouth with fragrance.

  If she remembered correctly, Miss Gu Tingcui was a few months older than herself. As for the Gu family, who had been living in Beijing for a long time and had a noble title, the young ladies in the mansion were all engaged early on. So why hadn't she settled down yet? If it was because of mourning for the late emperor, delaying for a year would be normal, but judging from the tone, it seemed that not even a suitor had been approached.

  The reason is nothing more than one, that the originally good family has changed. Either they look down on the family or the family looks down on them; in the past two to three years since the death of the previous emperor and the ascension of the new one, more than half of the prominent families in the capital have been implicated, with great changes in the fortunes of noble families, which is not surprising.

  They didn't speak while eating and didn't talk in bed. The former, her stepmother had achieved, but the latter, Gu Ting Ye couldn't do. After the women finished their meal, the maids brought in basins, towels, and water for washing up. Minglan rinsed herself briefly before having a cup of tea.

  She raised her hand, pinched her fingers, moistened her lips, rinsed her mouth, and lifted the tea cup, a complete set of movements that were warm, gentle, and elegant. The water flowed smoothly, extremely beautiful. Zhu Shi, who was standing beside her, watched with a sideways glance, feeling slightly surprised in her heart: this fourth-rank official's daughter had been well-educated, it seemed that neither the grandeur and luxury of the bustling scene nor the solemnity and strictness of etiquette could faze her; she remained calm and composed, never flustered or hurried. Whether standing or sitting, she was always smiling and content.

  It is said that the old lady of the Sheng family was originally the eldest daughter of the Jinling Yongyi Marquis's mansion, and she was extremely noble and proud. The Xu family is not doing well now, but it was very prosperous in those years. Thinking of this, Zhu understood. It is said that this new madam was raised by the old lady since childhood, no wonder her manners and demeanor were extraordinary.

  On the other side, Minglan was struggling to hold her tea cup with three fingers, still maintaining a subtle smile on her face. In her heart, she thought that when Granny Kong first came to the Sheng household to teach them lessons, she probably didn't think that the things she taught would be used by three out of four girls.

  Elite educators are indeed different, efficiency is high!

  It took a bit longer to eat, and turning his head to glance at the water clock, he softly said: "Madam, it's almost time, I'm afraid the Fourth Old Master and the others are already waiting. Why don't I invite Seventh Young Miss and the others to go over themselves? From their dining place, it's even closer."

  Old Madam thought for a moment, nodded and said: "It's also good." She turned her head to smile at Minglan and the others, "Good things are coming, our appetites have opened up, we've eaten so much effort, let's just go now, it's not good to keep everyone waiting."

  Minglan and her three sisters stood with their heads bowed and responded in unison as they followed Old Madame out.

  Just a few steps out, they saw Gu Tingyan and another young man standing in the courtyard. As Minglan and others approached, the man's eyes sparkled, his lips were red and white, and he looked very similar to Gu Tingyu, but with a more bright and elegant air. When he saw Madame and her entourage, he immediately bowed and said: "Mother, I was just talking to Second Brother about this garden. Why don't we learn from the Ninghou family and plant a full of locust trees?"

  The old lady couldn't help but smile when she saw her youngest son, and scolded him gently: "You're not making progress, you spend all day playing around, don't even know to study or practice martial arts to improve yourself, it's laughable for your second brother!"

  Gu Tingwei stretched out an arm and put it on Gu Tingyan's shoulder, smiling: "Mother, I've been like this since I was a child. When did Second Brother ever laugh at me? When I was young, I climbed trees to dig bird nests and couldn't get down, afraid of being scolded and punished, didn't dare tell you, every time it was Second Brother who secretly carried me back! Right, Second Brother?"

  Gu Tingyan smiled and looked at him: "You're going to be a father, you should learn some economic ways too."

  The old lady smiled even more: "With you supervising this monkey, I can rest assured." Then she turned to Minglan and said, "This is your third brother who doesn't make progress."

  Minglan took a slight step forward, lowering her head and casting down her eyes, saying softly: "Third Brother."

  Gu Tingwei bowed his head and clasped his hands: "Second Aunt."

  The two groups of people merged into one, and Zhu Shi walked to her husband's side with a sense of self-awareness. Ming Lan reacted slowly, half a beat late, so Gu Ting Ye waited for a long time before walking over to stand beside Ming Lan himself. He couldn't help but glare at her, only to see her big, watery eyes blinking blankly. The morning mist in the courtyard had just cleared, leaving her long eyelashes slightly damp. Gu Ting Ye's heart softened, and he asked in a low voice, "Are you full?"

  Minglan's face twisted in a mixture of sadness and indignation as she shook her head gently.

  "Go back and eat again."

  Ming Lan immediately nodded, with a flattering expression on her face, as if she had a tail that would definitely wag at this moment. Gu Ting Ye's mouth curved slightly upwards, and he slowly turned his head back, with a serious look on his face.

  Mrs. Shao supported the old lady in front, followed by two couples behind, and they walked around the Haitang Chuihua Gate, along the winding path of the east wing's front door, and soon entered the main courtyard, passing a magnificent carved screen wall with a grandeur that seemed to shake the heavens, and suddenly opened up before them. A wide and spacious corridor stretched out, and after walking more than fifty steps, they came to a very large and bright hall, where sixteen bright red lacquered wooden doors were all open, with the three large characters "Rui Xuan Tang" written on the plaque above, thick and powerful, as if imbued with the spirit of gold and stone.

  Minglan raised her eyes to look around, and all she saw was the simple yet heavy decorations that filled her sight. Compared to the luxurious richness of Xiangyang Houfu, this place had a more rustic and elegant pride, with an extremely impressive atmosphere.

  As the crowd approached, a man in his forties with an air of authority stepped forward and bowed, saying: "Madam Tai, Madam Hou, Second Master, Second Mistress, Third Master, Third Mistress, please come in quickly. Both elderly gentlemen have already arrived."

  Madam Tai nodded slightly, and Madam Shao turned her head to glance at her before turning back to say, "It's a bother for Manager Qin, go and announce it."

  Qin Guanshi went in at the sound of the voice.

  Minglan stood beside Gu Tingye, suddenly feeling a chill emanating from him without reason. She couldn't help but steal a glance at him, only to see his expression calm and collected, with a slight upward curve of his eyebrows. Minglan lowered her eyelids, but then caught sight of his hand clenched into a fist in his sleeve, his knuckles slightly white. Fortunately, the wide sleeves of his crimson robe were quite loose and covered much of it.

  Minglan was on her guard, secretly being vigilant.

  As they stepped inside, the room was already filled with people, a cacophony of chatter filling the air. The chairs on either side were lined with men and women seated in order of age, with two elderly couples at the head, leaving an empty space in between, likely reserved for the mistress of the house. As soon as the mistress and her entourage entered, everyone from the top seat down stood up to greet them. The mistress smiled and said, "I've made you all laugh, a group of women chattering on and on, delaying things for so long, I'm truly sorry." A middle-aged woman standing on the right side laughed and said, "Sister, what are you saying? It's just a short wait, there's nothing to apologize for!"

  Madam Ta sat down in the front, Madam Shao sat on the right side of the women's seats, Zhu Shi followed, and Gu Tingwei went to sit in the middle of the men's seats on the left. Afterwards, Mr. and Mrs. Gu Tingye paid their respects to their elders, and the maids had already prepared the tea cups and cushions. Gu Tingye and Minglan knelt down together to pay their respects, while Madam Ta introduced them warmly from the side.

  Since she wasn't a direct relative, Minglan didn't need to kowtow this time. She just had to present tea and address them as elders, of course, with less effort came fewer rewards, and she only received two embroidered pouches.

  After the bow, it was time to pay respects to the siblings of the same generation. Those who were older than Gu Tingyan had to make a courtesy call and offer blessings, while those who were younger had to come over and pay their respects to Minglan instead. This time, the commentator was replaced by Zhu Shi, whose voice was clear and crisp, and her explanation was very detailed and clear.

  Actually, before marrying over, Old Lady Sheng had roughly informed Minglan about the internal affairs of the Gu family. Minglan, adhering to her diligent and studious spirit, took notes seriously - currently, there are three branches in the Ningyuan Marquis's residence: the first branch, the fourth branch, and the fifth branch.

  Actually, when Old Master Hou's father passed away, the family had already divided and the concubine-born branches had moved out. Some of them lived on Ningyuan Street relying on the main branch for survival, while others, after making a name for themselves, went to live in separate residences outside.

  Originally, the fourth and fifth houses were also going to move out, but because Old Master Hou had been away for many years, guarding the border, the Hou Mansion could not be left unattended, so he let his two younger brothers continue to live there; when Old Master Hou received an imperial edict to transfer back to the capital with his family, the people of the third house got along harmoniously and lived together again.

  Fourth Master was born with a rich and sturdy appearance, with the air of a wealthy gentleman. Only his eyes seemed somewhat dull. Fifth Master, on the other hand, had the demeanor of a scholar, with five long whiskers that gave him an air of elegance and refinement. He was one of the few literati in the Gu family, having passed the imperial examination in his youth but never managed to become a high-ranking official. He had held several minor positions but now spent his days at home, idling away by writing poetry and painting, with quite a reputation among the capital's elite.

  Minglan barely remembered them.

  Here is the translation:

  Next came a string of 'Gu Ting X's, both male and female, each with their families in tow, pulling and tugging. Ming Lan was so shocked that her brain short-circuited. She remembered sending out eight calabaza-shaped pouches and five lotus-flower pouches, plus a big package of golden ingots and three or four pieces of jade jewelry, leaving Ming Lan's eyes wide with distress.

  When Madam Zhu finished speaking and picked up her tea cup, Minglan only understood her own direct relatives. Old Master Hou had three sons and two daughters in total. The sons were each born to a different wife. The daughters were Gu Tingyan, the married daughter who was not present today, and Gu Tingcui, the unmarried daughter who was still in the boudoir - a beautiful girl with a melon-shaped face, bright eyes, three parts clever, three parts elegant, four parts reserved, with a bit of the pride of a talented woman.

  Apart from this, Minglan also knew that the "Fourth Aunt" who had joked with her on the wedding night was actually the eldest daughter-in-law of the Fourth Old Master.

  Danju stood in the hall, her temples bulging with several blue veins, her eyes wide open and ferocious, as she gritted her teeth to memorize these relatives, preparing to review knowledge points with Minglan after returning; Minglan was heartbroken over today's big loss, but also felt ashamed of her own foolishness, muttering a few sentences under her breath; the little maid attending beside her, Xiangyun, heard this and quickly encouraged: "Miss, you're that 'knowing what is good'."

  "Know people and use them well." Minglan felt much more at ease in her heart.

  After the ceremony, a string of maidservants came in with tea trays and pastries, while the men remained seated in the hall drinking tea and chatting. The women got up and walked a few steps inside, this hall was extremely spacious, with a carved wooden screen slightly separating the sides, the sounds of laughter and conversation could be heard from both sides, and faces could be seen.

  Inside, several round tables had been set up, with a variety of four-color tea fruits arranged on top. Minglan was pulled by the enthusiastic Zhu Shi to sit beside her, and several young wives and misses came over to talk to Minglan. Since Minglan couldn't recognize who was who, she responded with shy smiles; fortunately, it was their first meeting, so they didn't discuss anything substantial.

  When praised for her new clothes, Minglan smiled and said, "Oh no, it's nothing."

  She praised her hairpin accessories in the boudoir, and Minglan continued to smile: "Too kind, too kind."

  She praised her elegant and dignified appearance, Minglan blushed and continued: "How dare I, how dare I."

  ...and so on.

  After a few words, all the young ladies found Minglan boring and couldn't tease her or get her to say more than a few sentences. They dispersed and sat together chatting. Only Tai Fu Ren, Fourth Old Madame, Fifth Old Madame, Shao Furen, Xiangyun and Zhu Shi remained at Minglan's table.

  "...Still, it's Eldest Sister who has the good fortune, every one of these daughters-in-law is exceptional. Just look at Rulan's wife, she's a beauty fallen from heaven, I just can't help but like her!" Fourth Old Mistress beamed with smiles, constantly sizing up Minglan, whose purple and gold double-colored satin jacket was quite luxurious. "Compared to my niece's wife, the ones in our household are not even worth mentioning!"

  Mrs. Wang swallowed a mouthful of tea and forced herself to say, "Oh my mother-in-law, you want me to praise this heavenly sister-in-law of mine? I have no problem with that, who can deny her goodness? But please leave some face for your daughter-in-law too!" As she spoke, she leaned into Fourth Old Mistress's bosom. Fourth Old Mistress laughed and scolded, "You shameless monkey, you want to save face today too?"

  Everyone burst out laughing, Minglan made a shy face, smiling and lowering her head - looking at the mother-in-law's affectionate enthusiasm, probably no one would think that this fourth old lady is a stepmother, while Gu Tingxuan is the son left by the first wife.

  In comparison, the old lady was much more gentle. She only held Minglan's hand and quietly said a few words: "You just arrived, you don't know, these years your mother-in-law has been working hard, in the family big and small, warm and peaceful, pitying the poor and loving the young, is the most suitable person."

  Fourth Old Lady also said: "Who says it's not? Yu Ge'er's body is not good, she wants to take care of him, Yu Ge'er's wife manages the household and she wants to help, Yan Jie she wants to take care of, inside and outside one big family she has to worry about everything, really hard for her!"

  The old lady smiled: "Look at you two, well... never mind, but I have a thick skin and am not afraid of shame, go ahead and flatter me."

  This remark caused another burst of laughter from everyone, and Mrs. Shao looked at the madam with a grateful gaze.

  The old lady's face was thin and pale, her temperament warm and elegant. In a low voice, she continued to say to Minglan: "Don't listen to rumors from outsiders, your mother-in-law is not easy to get along with; now that you've entered the family, you should often advise Rulan in the future, only then can the family be harmonious and prosperous."

  The four old ladies chimed in with their enthusiastic "yes yes"; Minglan naturally nodded vigorously.

  Just as they were laughing and chatting, a loud argument suddenly came from outside. The fourth old master was furious, saying: "...... Gu Tingyan, you're so good! You've become so arrogant now, not giving your uncle any face! It's not like we're asking you to go through thick and thin, just going out for a drink at night is also a kind intention from your uncles and brothers, but you look down on people like this?"

  Gu Tingyan sat quietly, neither arrogant nor humble: "The military affairs in the camp have not been clarified yet, and I still need to handle several important matters entrusted by the Emperor. After lunch today, I will return to the Governor's Mansion. This wine... let's drink it another day."

  The old lady's whiskers were blown up, and she slapped the table loudly: "You dare to use busy work to shirk! You think I haven't seen the world? Your father was ten times busier than you back then. Whenever your own brother called out, when didn't he respond?! Your uncle is speaking, and you actually dare not respond?!" As she spoke, she seemed about to pounce over, as if wanting to kick a few times. On the side, Gu Tingxuan desperately hugged his own father and whispered a few words in his ear. Only then did the old man remember that this was not his own son, and it wasn't good to scold him randomly, so he sat down with a huff.

  "Brother Tingyan is not as tolerant as his father, can't take care of both sides." The fourth old master saw that he was being tolerated. Tingyan coldly stared at the fourth old master, his fierce gaze suddenly became intense, and then quickly retracted. The fourth old master saw him suddenly filled with murderous aura, his face darkened, and for a moment, he had a few parts of fear, and didn't dare to be presumptuous, turned his head and stopped speaking.

  The old man saw this and was quite dissatisfied, twirling his whiskers and frowning: "You have official business to attend to and can't enjoy the banquet, that's fine; but why must you insist on living outside the mansion? Wouldn't it be better to live in your own home? Why do you want to stir up rumors and gossip outside?"

  Minglan's heart skipped a beat as she recalled that Gu Tingye had said last night that the old lady had agreed to let them live separately, so why was there another change? As she thought about it, she couldn't help but sneak a peek at the old lady. The old lady looked embarrassed and stood up, anxiously saying towards the outside: "Fifth Uncle, forget it! Don't say anything else! If Brother Ye wants to move out, he must have his own reasons!" Fourth Old Madam pulled the old lady back down and said in a gentle tone: "What reason could there be? As long as Mother is still alive, not being by her side to show filial piety is the greatest fault. No matter how glorious Brother Ye is on the outside, being unfilial to his mother is the first crime." As she spoke, she glanced over at Minglan.

  Minglan continued to lower her head, thinking to herself: You're kidding, right? Who are you trying to fool? Am I a wooden stake? It's true that disobedience is a serious crime, and if it happens to any official, they'll be skinned alive. But this only applies to biological parents or stepmothers recognized by law! The woman in front of her was her stepmother, wasn't she? A borderline case under the law. Since ancient times, conflicts between stepmothers and sons have been a gray area that even the imperial court doesn't usually get involved in.

  At first, Sheng Hong was handling cases in Dengzhou. There were two similar cases where a stepmother was killed by her stepson and a biological son killed his stepmother. In the case of the stepson killing his stepmother, he was sentenced to beheading and then changed to exile and labor reform. However, in the case of the biological son killing his stepmother, he was only sentenced to exile for several hundred miles and could return home after a few years. Sheng Hong received great praise from local elders and gentry for handling these two cases and was awarded a plaque with the words "Bright Mirror Hanging High".

  But this can't be said out loud, alas, Second Uncle, you're really pitiful.

  As expected, Gu Tingyan on the other side was speechless for a moment, deeply furrowing his brow, with anger simmering beneath the surface. However, the Fifth Elder was an upright and learned man who wasn't intimidated in the least. He continued to scold, looking straight at him: "That governor's mansion of yours was bestowed by the Emperor himself; whether you live there or not is entirely up to you. What's the point of insisting on going back? As the saying goes, 'Of all virtues, filial piety comes first.' Repaying kindness is more important than receiving it. You've read books since you were young, how can you be so muddled?! Hurry and apologize to your mother, say you won't go!"

  Gu Tingyan clenched his fists, his face gradually becoming stern and cold. He stared quietly at the Fifth Old Master for a long time, who glared back at him angrily. After a while, Gu Tingyan slowly stood up, tall and imposing, exuding an aura of authority without being angry. He said calmly, "It's hard to defy imperial orders. I'll leave this afternoon."

  With just a few words, Gu Tingyan bowed respectfully with his fists clenched, turned up his sleeves and brushed off his clothes, then turned around and left. The people in the hall were left staring at each other in shock, with Old Master Wu almost fainting from anger - just as Gu Tingyan couldn't speak clearly, he also couldn't really go to the Yamen to accuse Gu Tingyan of disobedience. This scoundrel Gu Tingyan was really good at this!

  Ming Lan couldn't help but applaud, however —

  Gu Tingyan's departure was too abrupt, leaving Minglan feeling very awkward. The other women present couldn't help but glance at her with disapproving eyes. Minglan wanted to retreat as well, but her seat was in a dead-end position, and she was blocked by Zhu Shi and Fourth Old Madam. She felt her scalp tingling under the scrutiny of everyone's gaze, and inwardly cursed Gu Tingyan for being so ungrateful - he had only thought of himself when retreating, leaving her to cover his back!

  Still, Mrs. Tai came out to mediate, and in the midst of the silent stalemate, she chuckled and said, "Hey, brother and sister, see? This is your second master's temper! You'd better be more careful in the future!"

  Minglan nodded repeatedly.

  The atmosphere only relaxed a bit, and the four old men outside heavily tapped their tea cups, saying discontentedly: "Not understanding etiquette like this, even if you achieve great merit, it's all in vain!"

  As soon as this was said, both inside and outside, not a few people began to criticize Gu Tingyan with one word and another. Although the words were very obscure, the general meaning was roughly the same.

  The Seventh Young Lady, Gu Tingcui, was particularly angry and loudly said, "Mother treats Second Brother this way, yet he is so unfilial!" She glanced at Minglan, who was lowering her head and not speaking a word, then loudly said: "Second Sister-in-law, what do you think? I've heard that you were well-read in poetry, books, etiquette, and rituals since childhood. You must be clear about the meaning of filial piety. Today's matter, can you also make some comments? Do you think Second Brother is right?"

  Mrs. Wang's brow furrowed with concern as she went to look at Minglan, and everyone's gaze followed her, even the men outside quieted down. Minglan smiled coldly in her heart, slowly raised her head, her face calm and relaxed, with two small dimples still on the corners of her mouth, which surprised the other women.

  Minglan did not answer directly, but said loudly: "Two years ago, the former Minister of Works, Lu Lao, was praised by the Emperor for his 'diligence, caution and warning, high age and virtue', not only promoted to the second assistant of the Grand Council, but also soon after, he was rewarded with a mansion inside Xifengmen.

  "What are you doing..." Gu Tingcan couldn't help but interrupt, and was immediately pressed down by Mrs. Shao.

  Ming Lan counted on her fingers, speaking slowly and clearly: "Actually, the old mansion of Lord Lu was not bad at all. Although it's a bit far from the Imperial City, it has beautiful scenery, with clear mountains and rivers, and is surrounded by good friends and relatives who live in the same area. They often gather together to enjoy each other's company, drink wine and engage in elegant conversations. It's really a wonderful thing! At that time, I heard that many relatives and friends advised him not to move, just stay where he was. After all, it was a reward from the Emperor, so why should he leave? But Lord Lu didn't say a word after receiving the imperial edict, he just moved away. He said that the kindness of the ruler is like heaven, if one doesn't accept it, it's disrespect."

  Inside and outside the hall became even quieter, only hearing the Fourth Old Master slowly lifting the tea lid, the crisp ringing of porcelain, Fifth Old Master's anger made his chest feel suffocated, but he also didn't speak. This big hat was pressed down, no one dared to scold again. The house remained silent for a long time before Madame finally sighed: "It's hard on both uncles and Rong'er, because of this old woman, it's all been stirred up."

  Zhu was the most alert, and hastily stood up laughing: "Yes, Second Uncle is loyal to the king, Fourth Uncle and Fifth Uncle are for filial piety, everyone is not wrong. I'll go take a look now, at least have lunch before leaving, and then prepare a few good wines, uncles and Second Uncle drink two cups, talk it out and that's fine!"

  The old lady also hurried to mediate, saying loudly: "Wei's sister-in-law is very considerate, we'll set up a table and drink together; we're all family, what can't be said?"

  After these words, the atmosphere became much more relaxed, and everyone gradually began to talk again. The room was once again filled with warmth and laughter. Minglan let out a deep breath of relief, lowered her head and chatted with Mrs. Wang, but just as they had exchanged a few sentences, a timid maid suddenly appeared at the doorway. She slipped into the room cautiously, and Minglan glanced over to see that it was Xia Zhu. Her face was pale, and she stammered softly: "Second Mistress... Second Master is calling for you. He says there are many trunks and boxes that don't know how to be dealt with..."

  The women in the inner house had strange expressions, all with weird smiles staring at Minglan. Minglan's face burned with anger: Can't you see that the battle is already over? Do we still need you to save the scene?! Rely on you? The girl has already been ruined?!

  Can men really be trusted?!!