The residence was filled with guests, bustling with noise and opulence. The ladies gathered in the hall, observing the Gu family's furnishings—sturdy and dignified in appearance, simple and unadorned in arrangement, yet upon closer inspection, every piece was of exquisite quality. The understated wealth exuded an atmosphere of serene comfort. The teacups, bowls, dishes, and vessels on the table were all made of pale pink official kiln Hibiscus Jade porcelain, elegant and refreshing yet charmingly translucent, perfectly suited to the spring season.
The maids serving tea and refreshments were uniformly dressed in white gowns with blue floral patterns, tied with brocade sashes of varying colors. As they moved about serving tea, their steps were light and steady, their replies deferential and appropriate, not daring to glance unnecessarily at the guests.
After taking in the scene, the ladies silently praised Minglan, setting aside their previous underestimation of her. They thought to themselves that she truly came from a scholarly family—despite being a concubine’s daughter, her household management was strict and orderly. For such a large estate, without the guidance of elders, she, young and alone, had managed everything inside and out with remarkable efficiency.
This also raised their opinion of Madam Wang. Several noble ladies approached her to initiate conversation. Having learned well from Princess Pingning’s tutelage, Madam Wang understood the nuances of interacting with these high-born women, carrying herself with both humility and grace.
Minglan seated the eldest and last-to-arrive Old Lady Lu in the place of honor, then made rounds to greet the guests. Noticing Little Shen sitting in a corner, she approached and thanked her, "If not for you today, I wouldn’t have known what to do. I’m truly grateful." She personally poured a bowl of tea for Little Shen, who had talked herself hoarse.
Little Shen unceremoniously accepted the tea bowl and chuckled, "No need for thanks—it only cost me some saliva. I’m a rough country girl who’s risen suddenly, unable to discuss poetry or appreciate the moon. I can’t manage all your intricate etiquette, so I hope you won’t find me tiresome in the future."
"What do you mean by that?" Minglan glanced back at the crowded hall, where Little Shen’s eldest sister-in-law, Lady Zheng Jun, was speaking beside the Marchioness of Shoushan. A thought struck her, and she turned back with a smile, "You’re the Empress’s younger sister, with the Imperial Uncle as your maternal family—it’s you who shouldn’t find me tiresome!" Come, you’ve been introducing people all this time. Now let me introduce you to my sisters."
Little Shen glanced toward Lady Zheng and quietly followed Minglan to the Marchioness of Shoushan. Upon meeting, Minglan smiled and curtsied, "Auntie, it’s been so long! My elder sister mentioned you returned to your hometown. Was the journey pleasant?"
The Marchioness, always forthright and spirited, beamed with laughter, "All was well! While I’m still hale, I hurried back to settle some matters, lest I become unable to travel later. I hadn’t expected that upon my return, you’d already be married—what a shame Wenying missed your wedding feast."
Yuan Wenying, standing nearby, cheerfully linked arms with Minglan and teased, "Well? How will you make it up to me with a feast?"
Minglan tapped Wenying’s forehead with her index finger and retorted playfully, "Shame on you, twisting the truth! You’re the one who missed my wedding feast—you should be the one making it up to me! Tell me, how will you compensate me?"
Little Shen observed the woman beside the Marchioness and murmured softly, "Eldest Sister-in-law."
Lady Zheng, around thirty-three or thirty-four years old, had a dignified demeanor and carried an air of imposing authority. She nodded slowly and asked, "Why hasn’t your maternal family sister-in-law come?"" She was referring to Zhang Shi, the wife of the Marquis of Weibei.
Little Shen lowered her head and replied, "My elder brother said she isn’t feeling well and won’t be coming today."Madam Zheng cast a cold, sharp glance at Little Shen and said calmly, "Your aunt is over there. Come with me to greet her."
Little Shen quickly responded, a hint of delight showing on her face. She gave Minglan a grateful smile before the two sisters-in-law excused themselves from the Marchioness of Shoushan and walked toward the other end of the hall.
Left behind were Minglan and her daughter-in-law Yuan Wenying. The three women exchanged glances, each with different expressions. It was Wenying who broke the silence first, exhaling as she said, "What a formidable sister-in-law! She's even more imposing than a mother-in-law."
The Marchioness of Shoushan said leisurely, "You don't know—Old Madam Zheng has been frail and ill for years and long stopped managing affairs. I've heard that Zheng Xiao was practically raised single-handedly by his sister-in-law. Naturally, she's like a mother to him."
Minglan shook her head. "Even if she were his mother, Little Madam Zheng seems excessively afraid of her."
Yuan Wenying chimed in eagerly, "Yes, yes!"
The Marchioness glared. "You two ignorant girls, what do you know? You've never suffered under a mother-in-law!"
Minglan hunched her shoulders and chuckled. "Look at you! I won't speak for myself, but Sister Wenying is truly blessed. With her aunt as her mother-in-law, she's showered with affection—where's the suffering in that?"
"Mother! Look at Minglan's sharp tongue!" Yuan Wenying tugged at the Marchioness's sleeve coquettishly, shooting a mock glare at Minglan. The Marchioness laughed and pulled them both close, embracing them gently. "Alright, alright, you're both fortunate children!" After a few more lighthearted remarks, she sighed. "Speaking of which, the Shen family is also at fault. While it's not exactly favoring the concubine over the wife, they've elevated that Concubine Zou too much. Today, the Marquess of State's wife didn't come—probably upset again."
Minglan asked, puzzled, "What does this have to do with the Zheng family?" Why would Madam Zheng give Little Shen such a look?
The Marchioness glanced around and, seeing no one nearby, explained, "The Duke of Ying commanded troops in his early years, and the Zhang family has deep roots. Few who've served in the military have no connections to the Zhang family. Moreover, the old duke once saved Old Master Zheng's life."
Minglan understood. She turned to look at the two Zheng sisters-in-law and sighed softly. "Speaking of a sister-in-law being like a mother, I've heard that Little Madam Zheng was practically raised by the late Madam Zou, the Marquess of State's former wife. Their bond as sisters-in-law was very deep."
Each had their own loyalties and hardships. At this, the Marchioness also sighed and shook her head gently. Just then, Yuan Wenying's eyebrows twitched as if she had suddenly remembered something. She couldn't resist adding, "Actually, it's not just that. There's also..."
Before she could finish, a noblewoman around forty or fifty years old approached. She had a round, plump face and was dressed in a maroon jacket embroidered with coin patterns, her hair adorned with pearls and jade—an excessively lavish appearance. Minglan quickly stepped forward and curtsied. "Madam Gan."
Madam Gan beamed, taking Minglan's wrist affectionately. "Oh, you child! Look at you—you've lost weight! You must be exhausted! You should have said something if you were tired. Never mind others, but I'm always eager to help! But you're such a capable child too. Look at this house, this garden—simply marvelous..."Lady Gan's voice was shrill and piercing, and when she spoke the entire room could hear her. She lavished praise on everyone inside and outside the house, holding Minglan's wrist and sighing with admiration repeatedly—though Minglan had received countless compliments in her life, this particular round of flattery was the most unbearable. Her ears buzzed, and her scalp tingled intensely.
Lady Gan went on and on, speaking with excessive familiarity. Minglan couldn't help but wonder: when had she become so close to this old woman?
As she spoke, Lady Gan reached out to stroke Minglan's hair, putting on the airs of a doting elder. Minglan suppressed her discomfort with great effort, maintaining a smile all the while. She was curious to see what tricks this old woman had up her sleeve!
For a full quarter of an hour, Lady Gan spun elaborate tales that would have overwhelmed most people. Yet Minglan remained unruffled, simply lowering her head with a faint smile. For every eight or ten sentences Lady Gan uttered, Minglan replied with only two or three words. Though her responses were brief, her tone remained gentle and respectful, without the slightest hint of impropriety. Growing impatient, Lady Gan abruptly changed the subject: "...If you ever face any difficulties, you can always come to me. After all, we're practically family! Ah... how is my adopted daughter Fengxian doing now?"
Minglan's heart tightened, and she sneered inwardly: Here it comes. Aloud, she replied with a smile, "She's doing well," offering not a single word more.
Lady Gan paused, suppressing her irritation as she forced a laugh. "My, my, today I've met someone who treats words like gold."
Minglan continued smiling without responding.
Gritting her teeth in frustration, Lady Gan thought this inexperienced young wife should have been easy to manipulate. Yet she found herself powerless—no matter what she said, Minglan remained impassive. She had no choice but to press on: "My adopted daughter was born into an official's family, but fate has been unkind to her. Now that she has entered the Gu household, she has escaped her misery. I hope you will look after her for my sake!"
Minglan still wore her smile. "Naturally."
Lady Gan was growing breathless with frustration. Struggling to maintain her smile, she added, "Fengxian can read and write, and has studied some poetry and verse—though of course she cannot compare to you. If she makes any mistakes, feel free to discipline her; no need to spare my feelings! But if you two get along harmoniously, she could assist you with household affairs, inside and out."
Minglan lowered her eyelids, her voice warm and modest. "That can be discussed."
Lady Gan stared at Minglan for a long moment, finally losing her composure. With a displeased tone, she raised her voice: "Seeing how busy you are today, I can't bear it as your elder. Why not have Fengxian come out to help? That way, I can see her too!"
As soon as she finished speaking, the surrounding chatter and laughter noticeably softened. Though not everyone in the room had heard their conversation, several clusters of women nearby had caught every word. Minglan distinctly felt countless probing eyes upon her. Though the women pretended not to notice, they were openly and covertly observing how the situation would unfold.
Many noblewomen shook their heads inwardly, feeling that Lady Gan was going too far. It was utterly inappropriate to insist on summoning a concubine or bedroom servant during a formal hostess's banquet—and to do so so publicly.
Minglan gazed calmly at Lady Gan, her eyes suddenly sharp and clear. Under such a gaze, Lady Gan felt a twinge of guilt—but also a flicker of secret satisfaction.Beside them, Yuan Wenying and her mother-in-law were quite anxious. In such a large banquet setting, the host absolutely must not lose their temper, let alone argue with guests. Yet Lady Gan was notoriously sticky as glutinous rice, unafraid of shame or ugliness, and skilled at pestering. They feared Minglan might be unable to refuse and would have to bring the woman out. If Lady Gan then presented her to the crowd with formal greetings, it would be as good as official recognition—and the consequences could be endless!
"Help?Minglan smiled as she retorted.
Lady Gan laughed heartily. "Exactly! We're all family—it wouldn't do for you to work yourself to the bone while she enjoys herself in comfort." Her tone then shifted to concern. "Speaking of which, I haven't seen her in so long..."
"Certainly!" Minglan cut her off, agreeing readily. The surrounding guests were all startled—some secretly sneered, some smirked mockingly, while others simply watched the drama unfold.
Lady Gan was overjoyed and about to speak when Minglan suddenly smiled like spring blossoms in full glory, saying gently, "I've long heard of Miss Fengxian's exceptional talents, once the pride of the Orchestra and entertainment office. Today, I was just worried our current performers might not hold the scene. Why not invite Miss Fengxian to sing, dance, or play an instrument? What do you think, Lady Gan?"
At these words, half the room fell silent. The women stared blankly, some so shocked their jaws dropped. The Marchioness of Shoushan couldn't suppress her laughter, quickly covering it with a handkerchief, while Yuan Wenying leaned behind her, shoulders shaking uncontrollably—Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! To deal with such a shameless pest, it's best to tear off all pretense outright!
There was no fault to be found in Minglan's words—everything she said was true: the Orchestra and entertainment office was a fact, and her exceptional talent was also a fact. Even if Miss Fengxian were an officially recognized concubine, so what? Men from wealthy families sometimes had their concubines perform songs and dances at banquets.
Lady Gan trembled with rage but met Minglan's direct gaze—calm, firm, and utterly fearless.
Lady Gan had to avert her eyes. She never dreamed Minglan would so bluntly pierce that thin layer of pretense. She had assumed a young bride like Minglan would be too embarrassed to speak of it and would have to swallow the insult. Her face shifted through several shades, darkening with anger, and as she gritted her teeth, she faintly heard mocking laughter around her, turning her complexion to the deep red of pig's blood.
Truth be told, many noblewomen present also disapproved of Lady Gan's behavior but saw no need to intervene in matters that didn't concern them. Yet they spared no effort in enjoying the spectacle—they hadn't helped Minglan, so they certainly wouldn't help Lady Gan either.
Just as Lady Gan was unsure how to save face, Old Lady Lu, who had been feigning deafness at the head of the room, suddenly declared loudly, "Sixth Girl, I say, when will the feast begin? If this old woman starves, I'll go complain to your grandmother!"
This amused many ladies nearby, who chuckled. Minglan blushed slightly in embarrassment. "Oh dear! I've met so many people today and got carried away chatting—I nearly forgot! Please don't mind me, Madam. Let's start the banquet now."
Old Lady Lu waved her hand. "No matter. For a young girl handling this for the first time, you've done quite well!"As they spoke, Minglan instructed the maids to lead the female guests out of the flower hall toward the lotus pond side hall where the meal was set. Old Lady Lu's interruption had disappointed many who had hoped for drama, but Lady Gan breathed a sigh of relief and took the opportunity to exit with the others.
Seeing the conflict dissipate, First Wife of Gu Tingxuan quickly stepped up to guide the guests. Minglan remained at the rear of the procession, but just as she was about to exit, Yuan Wenying grabbed her sleeve. Wenying's face was flushed with suppressed laughter as she whispered in Minglan's ear, "Do you know how many 'adopted daughters' that shameless woman has given away?"
Minglan asked curiously, "Many?"
Wenying nodded excitedly: "One to your household, one to Uncle Shen's, one to Deputy Commander Zheng, and several to garrison commanders at the northern border! I heard she distributed them all during one banquet - every officer present received one from General Gan!"
Minglan was astonished. She had already witnessed Lady Gan's audacity, but never imagined the Gan family would stoop this low: "But... but... both the Shen and Zheng families have just celebrated new marriages!"
Doing something so blatant suggested they were merely pawns, making her wonder who was truly pulling the strings.
"Exactly! I hesitated to tell you before, but seeing how unfazed you are, I feel relieved!" Wenying revealed her pearly white teeth, eyes sparkling with excitement. "The Concubine Zou in Uncle Shen's household is formidable - she immediately passed the girl along to someone else. The Zheng family had it worse - they didn't want to offend the Gans, but Young Madam Zheng just married and absolutely refused. She cried and protested for over half a month! Lord Zheng Jun, fearing the Empress's displeasure, decided to accept the girl for his younger brother. That's when Madam Zheng put her foot down! Known for her dignity and strictness, she despises flirtatious women. Without another word, she found a respectable concubine for her husband, declaring she'd rather he take a proper concubine than such a woman. Another uproar ensued..."
"What happened next?" Minglan pressed, thoroughly engrossed.
Wenying nearly choked laughing: "Heh... then Old Madam Zheng intervened... hehe... she accepted the girl as a concubine for Old Master Zheng! Haha... Old Master Zheng has been bedridden for years and can barely move..."
Minglan gasped in admiration, speechless: "Heavens... heavens... this... this..."
"That's why the two Zheng sisters-in-law remain at odds," Wenying finally caught her breath, wiping tears of laughter. "My eldest sister-in-law grew up with Elder Madam Zheng. Since her maternal home is distant, she often visits us. When she shared this story, we were all indignant! The sheer shamelessness!"
The two women clutched their stomachs laughing before composing themselves and hurrying out. Both shared cheerful, witty dispositions and got along splendidly, chatting and laughing as they walked. Minglan casually asked, "By the way, have you visited your maternal family and seen your new nephew?""
Wenying immediately sighed: "I went. My second sister-in-law is well, the baby is healthy, everyone's fine... except my mother."
"What's wrong?"
Wenying grimaced: "Recently, my aunt sent a concubine to my father. My mother nearly tore the roof down protesting, but to no avail. The concubine served tea formally the day before yesterday."
"What?! So... soon?!"Minglan was overjoyed and nearly revealed her true feelings, quickly changing her words at the last moment: "How could Aunt do such a thing?"
"Exactly!" Yuan Wenying said anxiously. "Who knows what Aunt was thinking, bringing in a woman in her twenties—practically an old maid. They say she comes from a respectable family, but after her parents passed away, she delayed her own marriage to raise her younger siblings. Her appearance and temperament are quite good, and she’s even literate. Father..." She sighed heavily. "Father likes her very much."
Minglan deeply admired the efficiency of the Marchioness of Shoushan—truly a high-caliber talent who grasped things instantly.
The Marquis of Zhongqin was advanced in years and by nature stern and solemn. A teenage girl might not catch his eye, but a gentle yet resilient woman with life experience would suit him far better. Moreover, a woman who had delayed her own marriage to care for her younger siblings likely had good character and wouldn’t stir up trouble by overshadowing the legitimate wife in the future.
Now Hualan’s mother-in-law would have her hands full. Minglan secretly breathed a sigh of relief, hoping Hualan could lead a more comfortable life. She glanced sideways at Yuan Wenying and felt a pang of guilt.
She rubbed her nose, lowered her head with a frown, and linked arms with Yuan Wenying. With a solemn expression, she strode forward resolutely, conveying her firm stance: as close friends, they would share both sorrow and fate. If your mother has been wronged by a mistress, it’s as if my mother has been wronged too. In this world filled with socially accepted mistresses, let them strive together to create a brighter tomorrow.
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