The 8th Hualan, Mulan, Rulan, Minglan

My son, do you know what? Your sister Hualan is so outstanding today. Firstly, your father's official career is smooth, and his reputation has always been good. His social interactions are also smooth. Secondly, our family has some wealth, not like those poor petty officials without any family background. Thirdly, that Hua girl is a legitimate daughter, and she has a family with a long history of official positions. How can you compare to this last point? Moreover, you are only a few months older than that Hua girl. In the future, you may have to marry at the same time. Will there be a good family for you then?" Aunt Lin took the warm stove from her daughter's hand, opened it, used a copper hairpin on the side to stir the charcoal fire inside, covered it, and handed it back.

Miss Hualan is a strict and responsible person, lacking in warmth but abundant in authority. Whenever Minglan shows even the slightest reluctance to take her medicine, Hualan is eager to roll up her sleeves and force the medicine down her throat, leaving Minglan in a cold sweat, as if she were already half-recovered from her illness. Hualan also insists that she practice kicking a shuttlecock every day. Under Hualan's supervision, Minglan stands in the courtyard like a prisoner in chains, meticulously kicking the shuttlecock, required to complete thirty kicks each day, with an additional five every three days. Miss Hualan even took a notebook to serve as Minglan's exercise log, meticulously checking off each record with the demeanor of a jailer, insisting that not a single kick be missed.

Mo Lan softly asked, "Mother, please do not take it to heart. Father cares for me so much; among the few girls, apart from my elder sister, I am the only one. In the future, I will certainly not be treated poorly..."

The mother and daughter were momentarily speechless. After a while, Aunt Lin chuckled lightly, "The old lady initially arranged for me to marry into so-called 'cultivated families.' Yet she herself clung to poverty; how could she provide me with a respectable dowry? Bah! I am, after all, a proper young lady from an official family. If I were to rely on eating husks and swallowing vegetables, what would be the point of coming to the Sheng family? Truly laughable"

Wang's words reveal that she is mocking herself: "Whichever deity proves effective, I shall worship; as long as Hua is well, I would even worship the grass by the wall."

Afterward, Hualan was locked in her boudoir to embroider her dowry and temper her disposition. Minglan breathed a sigh of relief; she had now accumulated the habit of kicking 65 shuttlecocks every day, to the point where her legs would cramp. With her guard now confined, she could once again return to her carefree life of eating and sleeping like a little pig, though occasionally she would still be bothered by Rulan.

Aunt Lin held her daughter's small hands tightly, her delicate brows revealing a hint of sternness as she spoke in a low voice: "I have never regretted what happened back then. Serving as a concubine, offending the old lady, and being unwelcome to the madam—none of these things frighten me. Your brother, after all, is a young man; regardless of whether he is born of the main wife or a concubine, he will always receive a share of the family fortune and will have a place to stand in the future. My only concern is you"

Wang said: "Yesterday, I received a letter from the capital, stating that the Duke of Zhongqin's residence will soon finalize a small agreement. Seeing me overwhelmed with work, Hua took it upon herself to handle the matter regarding Ming girl."

Aunt Lin suddenly opened her eyes, staring intently at her. Mo Lan immediately lowered her head, frightened and unable to speak. After a moment of scrutiny, Aunt Lin turned her gaze away and slowly said, "You have grown up and should understand things now. The old lady is good in many ways, but there is one thing she always likes to nag about: 'It is easy to seek priceless treasures, but hard to find a true lover.' As the saying goes, 'Poor couples lament over everything.' The old lady comes from a noble family, so she does not know the hardships of the poor outside. A licentiate earns only six or seven dou of rice and a couple of taels of silver a month. The head maid in our household receives eight coins of silver monthly, and this coat you are wearing is worth fifty to sixty taels. The fine charcoal you burn in your hand stove costs two taels of silver per pound. Adding to that your daily food and clothing, how many licentiates would it take to support you?"

"What did Mother say? I am born of Mother's flesh and blood, so what does it matter if I cause trouble or not?" Mo Lan chuckled as she nestled into Aunt Lin's embrace, "With Mother by my side to guide me, I can surely win the old lady's favor. In the future, when I have a respectable position, I can also allow Mother to enjoy some peace and happiness."

Sheng Hong shook his head and said, "What does a child like Hua know? It is better for you to inquire more reliably yourself"

Even though Mo Lan has always been perceptive, she couldn't help but blush upon hearing this: "Mother, what are you saying? I am still so young, how can you say such things?"

Minglan has a gentle and compliant temperament, doing whatever she is asked without arguing back. She simply gazes at you with her big, sparkling eyes, occasionally lost in thought. Hualan is quite pleased with this little sister, even liking her more than her own sister.

Then why do you still want me to go to the old lady's place? Can she keep me there?

Wang said with a smile, "Look at what the master is saying, how can Hua be considered a child? If all goes well, she will be married either by the end of next year or the beginning of the year after. In the future, she will need to serve her in-laws and husband, so she should learn to take care of others. These past few days, she has been giving her share of snow pear soup and almond soup to Ming, and she keeps a close watch on Ming taking her medicine, insisting that if Ming spits out half a bowl, she must add another bowl. Ming is so frightened that she doesn't dare to spit out her medicine anymore"

A few days later, Madam Sheng finally recovered from her fever and regained her strength, which could be considered as having been given a second chance at life. The Sheng couple, not daring to relax, promptly sent various nourishing medicines from the storeroom to Shou'an Hall. For Minglan, no matter how precious the nourishing medicine was, it was still traditional Chinese medicine, and its taste was not particularly refined. She couldn't help but feel a twinge of sympathy for Madam Sheng. However, before she could dwell on her sympathy for two days, a sudden message came from Shou'an Hall, stating that Madam Sheng, feeling lonely in her old age, wished to raise a girl by her side to alleviate her solitude.

As summer wanes and autumn approaches, the northern regions differ from the south, with the weather gradually becoming dry and cool. The Sheng residence inevitably prepares some sweet soups to moisten the lungs and alleviate coughs. Since Minglan arrived here, she has spent most of her time unwell, and with this change in weather, she has become even weaker, often suffering from dry coughs and shortness of breath. When the doctor is called, he merely prescribes some nourishing medicine, yet Minglan has always detested the taste of traditional Chinese medicine. She yearns for Chuanbei loquat syrup and cough relief medicine, and the more she thinks about it, the more she resists traditional medicine. After drinking a bowl, she would end up vomiting half of it, feeling sick all day long, unable to muster any strength. Once robust and even practiced self-defense techniques, Minglan is truly frustrated.

Sheng Hong felt greatly comforted and nodded repeatedly, saying, "Very good, very good. Sisters should indeed be like this. Hua has the demeanor of an elder sister, which is excellent, excellent."

"There is no need to be overly concerned!" Aunt Lin interrupted her daughter with a single remark, leaning back into the pile of the autumn-colored golden python quilt, she slowly closed her eyes and said, "You are now seven years old and should understand things. When I was seven, your grandfather lost the family fortune, and since then I have not lived a single decent day. Your grandmother did not scheme, and we relied entirely on pawning to get by. At that time, she often sighed that she had not married into a respectable family. We were once little sisters who played and laughed together, yet some ended up adorned in gold and silver, enjoying wealth and honor, while others fell into destitution, even their own family looked down on them. Fortunately, before she passed away, she did one right thing: she sent me to this grand residence."

Mo Lan gazed at her mother's hazy and beautiful face and suddenly spoke: "Then, Mother, why must you insist on being a concubine? Wouldn't it be better to marry well and become the legitimate wife? It only invites gossip everywhere, talking about you, talking about you... willingly..."

Mo Lan listened intently as Aunt Lin's voice gradually softened: "Isn't a woman's life ultimately dependent on a man? If a man is a good-for-nothing, no matter how strong a woman is, she cannot stand tall. At that time, I thought, whether great or small, a husband must possess outstanding character, value loyalty, have talent, and be able to provide shelter from the storm for the family... Being with your father, although I am a concubine, I need not live in fear; at least I can have a stable life, and the children have someone to rely on."

In the quiet of the library, only the incense burner on the ground slowly exhaled wisps of smoke. Aunt Lin was momentarily lost in thought, recalling the scene of her first day entering the Sheng residence: at that time, although Sheng Hong held a minor official position, his grandfather had amassed a substantial family fortune for his descendants. The old master was also a successful scholar, and naturally, the Sheng residence was grand. The exquisitely beautiful garden, the gilded and silver-painted utensils, the silk and feather garments for all seasons—she had never imagined that such a life of wealth and privilege existed in this world, such a life of comfort and ease. At that time, Sheng Hong was also refined and handsome, cultured and elegant, which inevitably led her to entertain other thoughts...

Old Lady Sheng, having reached an advanced age, has experienced considerable discomfort due to the long migration between the north and south. After the onset of autumn, she began to cough. Known for her strict demeanor, the maids and servants in the house dared not force her to take medicine or engage in physical activities, resulting in her illness persisting. As winter approached, she occasionally suffered from low fevers, but one day she suddenly developed a high fever, feeling as if she were burning up, nearly losing consciousness. The doctor who came to examine her expressed grave concerns, noting that the elderly are particularly vulnerable to such aggressive cold ailments. If not managed properly, it could lead to dire consequences, which greatly alarmed Mr. and Mrs. Sheng.

Aunt Lin smiled and said, "Good child, when the master is promoted to a higher official rank in the future, it is quite possible that you will marry into a more respectable family than your elder sister. At that time, there will be great blessings awaiting you."

Aunt Lin looked at her daughter with both pride and concern: "Good child, how could I bear to see you suffer? However, we must plan for the future. You have seen how your elder sister Hualan is being courted for marriage; it is truly a situation where one family is sought after by many, how splendid it is! In a few years, when you come of age, I wonder what the situation will be like?"

As the weather gradually turns cold, spring, summer, and autumn are manageable, but with the onset of winter, the climatic differences between the north and south become immediately apparent. Each household has begun to heat their kang, with various types of earthen kangs and beautifully crafted wooden kangs—these are bedding that combines a wide and comfortable bed with a kang. Minglan, originally from the south, had never known that in ancient northern regions there existed such a warm and comfortable kang bed. It is likely due to her practice of kicking a shuttlecock that, despite the cold weather, Minglan has not caught a cold or fallen ill; however, others have succumbed to illness.

"Why did Mother call for me? They all say the old lady has a temperamental disposition and is cold-hearted, hardly speaking a few words throughout the year. The room is very simple, with nothing of value, and besides, the old lady has never favored you; I have no intention of making a fool of myself by going there." Mo Lan was nestled in the warmth of the kang, wrapped in a brown, gold-dotted gray squirrel fur coat, holding a horizontally placed golden gourd-shaped cloisonné hand warmer in her arms, already displaying a graceful and elegant demeanor at such a young age

When the news broke, some rejoiced while others were dismayed. Let us first speak of the rejoicers

If Old Lady Sheng were to pass away, Sheng Hong would have to observe mourning, and Hua Lan would have to keep the rites of filial piety. As for Yuan Wenshao, who is already twenty, how could he wait? The couple, Sheng Hong and his wife, immediately realized the gravity of the situation. Thus, they united in purpose and worked together, taking turns day and night to care for Old Lady Sheng. Every prescription was meticulously examined, and every bowl of medicine was personally tasted, nearly exhausting themselves to the point of falling ill. However, this display of filial piety and virtue earned them praise from all the officials and gentry in Dengzhou, which could be considered an unexpected success.

The Duke of Zhongqin acted swiftly, and before long, he made a small commitment. Given that Yuan Wenshao was indeed not young, they aimed for the wedding to take place by mid-next year. Sheng Hong took out the essays he had written during the imperial examination and penned some vague excuses in the letter, unsure if the other party would understand. The gist was that his daughter was still young and he could not bear to marry her off early, sincerely expressing a father's love for his daughter. The Yuan family immediately increased the betrothal gifts and invited an official from the Honglu Temple to formalize the engagement. Sheng Hong gained both reputation and substance, and wisely added some dowry, setting the wedding date for May of next year, which pleased both families.

"What kind of situation is this?" Mo Lan slightly bowed, her tone still so refined, "Mother, please do not speak of legitimate and illegitimate children anymore. Father has long said that he will never treat me unfairly in the future. He will treat my elder sister this way, and he will treat me the same. I will have my own glorious days. Moreover, Mother, you have assets in your hands, so what do I have to fear?"

Mo Lan was both surprised and delighted: "Father truly cares for me, but... I am afraid of the old lady..."

After much deliberation, Sheng Hong and Wang Shi inquired extensively about Yuan Wenshao's character and abilities, ultimately deciding on him. Thus, they proceeded with the betrothal gifts and sent out the birth date of Hualan to conduct the name inquiry ceremony. Wang Shi's approach was quite remarkable; she actually invited both an accomplished monk and a promising Taoist priest to compare the birth dates. Both the monk and the Taoist priest declared that the couple's birth dates indicated a harmonious union for a hundred years. Only then did Wang Shi feel reassured. Sheng Hong glanced at the incense table in Wang Shi's room, where a whisk was placed on the left and a wooden fish on the right, and couldn't help but chuckle: "Madam, are you a believer in Buddhism or Taoism? It would be better to be clear about it; aligning with the right faith might yield more effective results."

Aunt Lin smiled gently, saying, "Silly child, your father is just flattering you! No matter how dignified I may appear, I am still just a concubine. You are not raised beside the madam. If you could stay close to the old lady and learn some manners and etiquette, you would be more respected when you stand out in the future, and you would be considered slightly higher than an ordinary illegitimate daughter when it comes to marriage proposals. The master said he would let the old lady choose a child herself, but think about it: if Hualan gets married, Madam Rulan will be reluctant to part with her, and Minglan is a sickly and listless girl. Who else is left for the young masters to study with?"

Sheng Hong's expression suddenly became serious: "I know you have a kind and compassionate heart, and you mean well. Recently, I have noticed that Ming'er is not well. Please pay more attention; if this cough continues, it may cost a small life."

Mo Lan felt beads of sweat forming on her forehead, and Aunt Lin smiled bitterly, saying, "Moreover, does being from a poor background necessarily mean one has good character? At that time, I had a cousin who married a poor scholar, hoping for a brighter future. However, that scholar could only write a couple of mediocre essays, failed the imperial examination, and was unsuccessful in business. The family relied entirely on your Aunt Zhang's efforts. She endured countless hardships alongside her husband, bore him children, and even managed to save a few acres of land. That year, when the harvest was slightly better, the poor scholar wanted to take a concubine. Your Aunt Zhang refused, and as a result, she was scolded daily for being unvirtuous and was nearly divorced. Unable to withstand the pressure, she had no choice but to allow the concubine to enter the household. Within a few years, she was driven to her grave by anger, leaving behind several children to be mistreated. Hmph! When that scholar first came to propose, he spoke so grandly, filled with words of virtue and wisdom, promising to cherish my cousin, to live in harmony, and to respect each other... Bah, all empty words!"

Aunt Lin brushed her hair back, her eyes sparkling, and smiled, saying: "I know this old lady quite well; she has a noble and straightforward character and is particularly fond of showing compassion to the weak. Although she can be a bit arrogant, she is not difficult to serve. Starting early tomorrow morning, you should go to the old lady to pay your respects and attend to her. Remember to be careful and gentle, and put on an appearance of apology and guilt. Never call me 'mother' outside; you must call me 'Aunt.' It’s fine if you occasionally say something unflattering about me; just be sweet-tongued and quick in your actions. I believe the old lady won’t hold my shortcomings against you. Alas, it’s all my fault for dragging you into this. If you had been born from the lady, you wouldn’t have to go out of your way to please that old woman..."

Hualan is a big sister type of girl, filled with the complex of being an elder sister. Unfortunately, her younger siblings cannot fulfill this need. Zhang Bo is naturally mature and prudent; Hualan would be grateful if he does not scold her. In contrast, Rulan is willful, difficult, and unruly. Hualan has always been at odds with her; for every remark Hualan makes, Rulan retorts with three. The Wang family protects her, so Hualan cannot truly punish Rulan. As for the two at Aunt Lin's, she looks down on them and does not bother to intervene. Zhang Dong is too young, so she has had little opportunity to play the role of the big sister.