boyutpedia Chapter 132 Worries
Chapter 132 Worries
Chapter 132 Worries
"Mo Lan is well-behaved and sensible, and in every way she is no less than the legitimate daughters of other families. But because she is a concubine's daughter, she will inevitably be looked down upon when she is asked to marry in the future."
Lin Xiaoniang's eyes reddened, and she said, "I would like to ask the old lady to let Molan also learn etiquette."
But the old lady has always held a grudge against me. If only she had been born into the eldest daughter-in-law's womb! It's all my fault for dragging her down.
"Why are you saying all this?"
Sheng Hong tenderly wiped away Lin Xiaoniang's tears and said, "Don't cry. I know Mo'er is less troublesome than her two younger sisters. I'll talk to Mother about it."
Hearing this, Lin Xiaoniang was secretly delighted, but she didn't show it on her face. Instead, she leaned against Sheng Hong's chest and said softly, "Won't this put you in a difficult position, sir?"
"What's so difficult about it?"
Sheng Hong said, "Whether it's one sheep or two, it's all the same. It's getting late, and I'm going to pay my respects to my mother anyway, so I'll tell her about this while I'm at it."
"Master, if the old lady doesn't agree, then so be it. I don't want to put you in a difficult position," Lin Xiaoniang said as she saw Sheng Hong out the door and straightened his clothes.
"What's the trouble? It's been a while since I've had your cooking. Go and prepare some food and drinks, and I'll come over for dinner in a bit," Sheng Hong said.
"Yes, I'll go right away," Lin Xiaoniang replied.
Watching Sheng Hong leave the courtyard, Lin Xiaoniang revealed a smug smile and hummed a little tune as she went to the kitchen.
She had only been in the kitchen a short while when Mo Lan returned from school.
Upon learning that Lin Xiaoniang was in the kitchen, he hurried over.
"Mother, have you told Father?"
"Cut these vegetables as I told you to."
Lin Xiaoniang gave an order to the cook and then pulled Mo Lan out of the kitchen.
It has to be said that Sheng Hong really dotes on Lin Xiaoniang.
Normally, a small kitchen would not be set up in the courtyard of a concubine. In ordinary households, only the courtyard where the old master and old lady lived, and the courtyard where the first wife lived, would have a small kitchen.
The meals for the rest of the people were all prepared and delivered by the main kitchen.
A favored concubine could at most send her maid to the kitchen to let the kitchen know in advance what she wanted to eat.
Moreover, the amount cannot exceed the standard, otherwise the servants in charge of purchasing will not buy any ingredients at all.
But Lin Xiaoniang had a small kitchen set up in her courtyard.
"Your father has already gone to Shou'an Hall," Lin Xiaoniang said.
"Mother, what did you tell Father?"
"I'll teach you another trick today."
Lin Xiaoniang laughed and said, "I never asked your father to talk to the old lady. Mo'er, remember, don't always ask men what they want, and don't always ask them to do things."
Doing this frequently will eventually cause resentment.
You have to approach it indirectly, using subtle methods to achieve maximum effect.
She hadn't said anything yet, only that she wanted Mo Lan to learn manners from the nanny, but she was afraid that Old Madam Sheng wouldn't agree.
Sheng Hong said he was going to talk to Old Madam Sheng, and she was also concerned about whether it would put Sheng in a difficult position.
Given Sheng's personality, even if he had spoken to Old Madam Sheng, he probably wouldn't have said anything more if she didn't agree.
But after she said that, Sheng Hong also said it was just a small matter.
As she was leaving, she said that if the old lady didn't agree, then so be it.
Men, after all, care about their pride.
She subtly blocked Sheng Hong's escape route by speaking with concern for him. Even if Old Madam Sheng did not agree, Sheng Hong would do his best to fight for it.
Based on her understanding of Old Madam Sheng, she wouldn't fall out with Sheng Hong over something like this.
"Daughter understands." Mo Lan nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite.
"Your son greets Mother. Is Mother well?" Sheng Hong bowed and said.
No need for formalities.
Grandma Sheng waved her hand and said, "Please sit down."
------
"Why."
Sheng Hong acknowledged and sat down, then looked at the old lady and said, "Mother, didn't you want to invite Granny Kong to our home? When will she arrive?"
"She'll be here tomorrow, why are you asking this?" Old Mrs. Sheng asked.
"My son was hoping that if he could be raised by the palace maids, people would look at his daughter with more respect when she was getting married in the future."
Sheng Hong smiled and said, "Moreover, the girls in the family are usually studying, and their manners and etiquette are indeed a bit lacking. They need to be properly disciplined."
Upon hearing this, Old Madam Sheng frowned slightly and said, "You often say that among the girls in the family, Mo Lan is the most well-behaved, and Ru Lan is a restless person, so I didn't mention this matter."
Upon hearing this, Sheng Hong said somewhat awkwardly, "Although Mo'er knows the rules, she can't compare to those young ladies from prominent families in terms of etiquette. Besides, learning etiquette from the nanny is mainly to make her more respected when it comes to marriage in the future."
"What about Rulan?"
Grandma Sheng asked, "If Mo Lan also comes, and a girl is admitted, how will she go to school?"
"Why don't we let Rulan learn with us?" Sheng Hong suggested.
Upon hearing this, Old Madam Sheng knew that Sheng Hong's visit this time must be due to Lin Xiaoniang.
Otherwise, Sheng's target wouldn't have been only Mo Lan. It wasn't until she mentioned Ru Lan that she suggested Ru Lan come and learn together.
After a moment of contemplation, Old Madam Sheng looked at Sheng and said, "Granny Kong was a nanny who taught etiquette in the palace, and her requirements were extremely strict."
She has been in the palace for so many years, and she has only been out for a short time now. Her teaching style is probably still as strict as in the palace, and she will be punished if she makes a mistake.
Minglan was raised by me, so I can let her scold and beat me as she pleases, but I won't interfere. Can you make decisions about Molan and Rulan?
"Of course my son can!"
Sheng Hong immediately replied, "Mother, rest assured, no matter how the nanny disciplines you, I will not interfere!"
"In that case, go and tell Zhuang Xuejiu. Once he arrives tomorrow and we confirm when classes will start, I'll have someone notify him," said Old Madam Sheng.
"Thank you, Mother."
After chatting with him for a while, Sheng said goodbye and left.
Seeing her father leave, Minglan hesitated, as if she wanted to say something but couldn't.
"Do you want Zilan to learn manners too?" Old Mrs. Sheng asked.
"My granddaughter has this idea, but then she thinks her little sister is too young," Minglan said.
Unlike in the original drama, Wei Xiaoniang did not die along with her unborn child; she gave birth to a daughter.
In Minglan's generation, male members' names included their generational name, and the last character had to be a radical for wood.
The girls didn't have a generational name, but the last character in all of them was "Lan".
Her younger sister's name is Zilan.
"Your concerns are valid."
Grandma Sheng nodded slightly and said, "Zilan is only six years old. There are many movements that she can't do properly at her age. It wouldn't be of much use for her to learn them."
You don't need to worry about her. Once you all get married and start your own families, she'll be the only child left in her family, and your father will pay more attention to her.
Besides, there are no people in her family around her age, so there won't be any conflicts.
"Since Grandmother says so, then let's not let her come." Minglan said somewhat embarrassedly after her grandmother had seen through her thoughts.
She was actually worried that after she got married, her mother and sister would be bullied and mistreated in the Sheng family.
Thinking that her younger sister could learn etiquette from her, she could visit Shou'an Hall more often, gain the favor of Old Madam Sheng, and be taken care of by Old Madam Sheng in the future.
Secondly, she can take this opportunity to teach her younger sister more.
When Grandma Sheng said that, she was telling her not to worry about her mother and sister.
The younger generation has all married and is long past the age of vying for favor.
Moreover, Wei Xiaoniang gave birth to two daughters, who could not inherit any of the family property, so it had no impact on Sheng Changfeng.
For so many years, Wei Xiaoniang has kept a low profile and rarely even showed her face, and Lin Xiaoniang has never targeted them.
Without any benefit to them, Lin Xiaoniang will not target them in the future.
The next day, Mo Lan and Ru Lan also did not come to the school. Sheng Changbai explained the reason to Wang You and the others.
When Sanlan was around, the little interactions between Molan and Rulan were like a spice in the school.
They hadn't felt anything before, but suddenly Sanlan was gone, and there was no more excitement to watch. Wang You and the others were a little unaccustomed to it.
It took a few days for me to gradually get used to it.
More than half a month later, the school finally had a holiday.
There were only ten days left until the Chinese New Year.
Not only did they get a holiday, but the imperial court also got a holiday on this day.
When Wang You returned home, he learned that today was the last morning court session before the end of the year, and that the officials had collectively submitted a memorial requesting the establishment of an heir apparent.
Although the emperor did not agree, he did relent, saying that a final test would be conducted before the crown prince could be determined.
After the morning court session ended, Prince Yong and Prince Yan were kept behind until an hour later before they left the palace.
What they discussed remains unknown, since Wang Min was not an official who had pledged allegiance to either of them.
Wang You frowned slightly after hearing this. He remembered that Rong Feiyan was kidnapped on the Lantern Festival of the following year, after the imperial examination.
In other words, at that time the crown prince had not yet been confirmed, but it was almost certain that it would be the Prince of Yong.
Otherwise, the Prince of Yong would not have had such audacity.
In other words, the emperor had not officially confirmed the heir apparent until the Lantern Festival the year after next.
He couldn't immediately tell whether some unforeseen events had led the Emperor to decide on the Crown Prince ahead of schedule, or whether this was merely an excuse for the Emperor to delay.
This incident also occurred in the original drama, but the emperor somehow managed to delay it until the year after next.
Both of these are still very important.
If it were the former, he wouldn't have to worry about Prince Yong kidnapping Rong Feiyan like in the original drama, leading to a series of subsequent events.
However, if it is the latter, it means that it has not deviated from the original trajectory.
It is highly likely that the story will continue to unfold, with Princess Jiacheng and Rong Feiyan vying for Rong Feiyan's affections, and Prince Yong sending men to abduct Rong Feiyan.
"What are you thinking about?" Wang Min frowned when he saw his son staring blankly for a long time.
"I was wondering about the Emperor's purpose in doing this," Wang You said, coming back to his senses.
"It's not so easy to guess what the emperor is thinking, and since we're guessing, we might be wrong. It's best if our family doesn't get involved in this kind of thing."
Wang Min cautioned: "Throughout history, the struggle for the succession has been the most dangerous."
History books only record those who guessed correctly, but many more families that failed to guess correctly fell into ruin or even perished.
I know you know the Crown Prince of Yong, but this matter concerns the lives of our entire royal family. You absolutely must not get involved, understand?
"I understand, Father. Rest assured, I have not had any contact with the Prince of Yong's heir all these years," Wang You said.
"That's for the best." Wang Min nodded.
Back in the central courtyard, I could hear Mu Jie'er's voice from outside the courtyard.
"Get down quickly."
Upon entering the courtyard, one could see Mu Jie'er looking up and talking to the mountain spirit in the tree.
Meow~
Upon seeing Wang You, their savior, return, the mountain lord let out an excited cry.
"You're causing trouble for the mountain king again," Wang You said irritably.
"I didn't."
Mu Jie'er said aggrievedly, "Didn't you say before that the Mountain Lord was too fat and needed to lose weight, otherwise it would affect its lifespan?"
"Forehead--"
Wang You thought about it and realized he might have actually said that before.
This year, the tiger has indeed gotten fatter and fatter. I wonder if it's because he's getting old and doesn't like to move around much.
By now, the mountain tiger is almost eight years old.
How long can a tabby cat live?
Wang You couldn't quite remember, but he thought it had been about ten years.
By that calculation, Shanjun is considered middle-aged or elderly among cats.
"Let it be. Besides, if you can't even catch it, it means it's still quite flexible, so it shouldn't be a big problem."
Wang You then went inside.
Mu Jie'er followed him inside and whispered, "Second Brother, would you like to see Sister Minglan?"
"What are you planning to do now?" Wang You asked, frowning.
"It's not that I'm pitying someone who can only correspond with my future sister-in-law, and even then, we have to do it secretly—ah—"
Mu Jie'er covered her head and said coquettishly, "You flicked my head again! I was just about to help you!"
"You're talking nonsense."
Wang You said irritably, "How come my correspondence with my fiancée is considered sneaking around? Anyone who didn't know better would think I did something shameful."
"But you're doing it secretly, do you think you'd dare to deliver the message openly?" Mu Jie'er retorted.
Wang You could only glare at Mu Jie'er with hostility.
"snort!"
Mu Jie'er snorted coldly, "I originally wanted to help you and let you meet Sister Minglan, but since you're unwilling, then forget it."
After saying that, he made a move to leave.
"etc."
Wang You stopped her and said, "Tell me, how do you plan to help me?"
Some of the ancient rules were disgusting.
The two were engaged and could not meet.
Of course, this doesn't mean we can't meet at all.
The Wang and Sheng families are relatives, so if you visit the Sheng family for the New Year, you will definitely be able to see them.
""
Meetings are strictly limited to a certain period before marriage.
The phrase "cannot meet in person" here refers to private meetings or one-on-one conversations.
The reason for doing this is to prevent the young couple from losing control and having intimate contact after getting engaged.
If this gets out, it will be extremely embarrassing.
Therefore, the rule came about that once a marriage was arranged, people were not allowed to meet or have contact with each other in private.
Even when Wang You goes to the Sheng family to pay New Year's respects, Minglan has to avoid the younger generation when they gather together and cannot appear.
In short, Wang You has not spoken a word to Minglan since the engagement was arranged.
"Judging from the weather, it's going to snow tonight."
Mu Jie'er whispered, "Only when it snows can one take a boat trip on the Bian River, which is truly one of the Eight Scenic Spots of Bianjing. When I came home from school today, I specially sent an invitation to Sister Minglan, inviting her to take a boat trip tomorrow."
"You'll come with me then, and you'll naturally see Sister Minglan."
"Tell me, what do you want?" Wang You asked.
Taking a boat trip on the Bian River is indeed one of the Eight Scenic Spots of Bianjing, but as Mu Jie'er said, only when it snows can the Bian River be considered a true scenic spot.
The scenery is a level below that of ordinary places.
"I've already had someone book a boat, but if we try to book another boat tomorrow, it might not arrive," said Sister Mu.
"Just tell me what you want to buy." Wang You knew her personality too well.