After being entrusted with the role of matchmaker, Mama Fang had been eagerly awaiting a response. As soon as Minglan gave her approval, within two days Mama Fang brought Danju's aunt, uncle, and the Lu family youth to kowtow. Minglan observed carefully from behind the screen and saw that the young man was sturdy-limbed, healthy, and honest-looking, which pleased her even more. Seeing Danju beside her, blushing with barely contained joy, Minglan wasted no time in finalizing the marriage.
The young man was so overjoyed that his forehead knocked loudly against the floor tiles in the hall, causing the maids in the room to burst into laughter. Lüzhi laughed particularly loudly, peering through the screen toward Danju as she chuckled.
Common families didn't follow elaborate betrothal protocols—engagements could last anywhere from six months to as little as one. Since the Lu youth was already older and shouldn't be delayed, the wedding date was set for five months later. His parents had originally hoped to find a bride from a modest but respectable family of similar status. However, seeing Minglan's generous arrangements and Danju's virtuous beauty, their initial regrets quickly vanished.
Subsequent matters were handled by Danju's aunt and uncle. Minglan entrusted the funds to Mama Fang, confident that under her watchful eye, they wouldn't dare cut corners on the dowry items. When a full bolt of fine, bright red satin was delivered to the estate, Minglan gradually reduced Danju's duties, allowing her to focus solely on embroidering her trousseau. This included everything from mandarin duck pillowcases and dragon-and-phoenix wedding robes to brand-new inner garments, underclothes, embroidered shoes, and even pouches and shoe uppers for her future husband, in-laws, and sisters-in-law—all to be meticulously stitched by the bride herself.
Because Danju was always kind-hearted, all the courtyard maids shared her happiness. Bisi was especially envious, but Lüzhi was the most delighted. As Danju gradually stepped back from her primary duties, Lüzhi felt a surge of "finally, it's my turn" ambition. With Minglan increasingly relying on her, she walked with such a spring in her step that Cuiwei had to scold her several times before she settled down.
"Once Danju is married off, it'll be your turn and Xiaotao's," Cuiwei teased deliberately.
Unexpectedly, Lüzhi, bold by nature, lifted her chin without a trace of shyness: "To be honest, sister, I've long decided not to marry outside. I can still serve Madam for several more years." If married within the household, senior inner chamber maids could often remain until age twenty, and those highly valued might even be kept until their mid-twenties if their mistresses were reluctant to let them go.
Cuiwei was somewhat surprised but then laughed: "You stubborn girl, talking tough now. Wait until Madam finds you a good match—we'll see if you change your mind then."
Lüzhi replied: "You know how it is, sister. My brother is honest and slow-witted. With me around, some still dare to bully him now and then. If I marry outside, who knows what might happen to him?" She sighed. "Our parents died early, leaving just the two of us. If I don't look after him, who will? All I hope for now is to serve Madam well and eventually earn her favor to help my brother find a kind, considerate wife. That would allow me to face our parents in the afterlife with peace."
Deeply moved, Cuiwei said: "Good sister, you've truly borne much hardship."While some rejoiced, others worried. Upon hearing the good news of Danju's impending marriage, Ruomei came to offer congratulations. Seeing the vibrant red silk brocade box on the table and the half-finished crimson wedding gown hanging on the dress form, she found them painfully glaring. Ever since Danju had relayed Minglan's words to her and offered earnest advice, Ruomei had been dispirited for several days.
Witnessing Danju's slightly flushed cheeks, shy yet radiant, with endless joy and happiness shining from the corners of her eyes and brows, Ruomei felt as if thorns were pricking her heart. After exchanging a few words, she took her leave and went to see Minglan.
"It's been a long time since I last paid my respects to you, Madam. I'm overjoyed to see you in good health as always." After finishing her greetings, Ruomei mechanically uttered these formalities and then fell silent, unsure of what to say next.
Minglan's gaze swept over her. Though Ruomei's attire was still elegant, her complexion was poor, with a shadow of gloom between her brows. "Take a seat. Xiaotao, brew a cup of Lan'an Maojian tea. I recall you're fond of it."
Ruomei cautiously perched on the edge of the round stool. "You're too kind to remember, Madam."
In no time, Xiaotao entered with a small tea tray, her round face beaming with a cheerful smile. "Sister, it's been so long since I last saw you, yet you've grown even more beautiful! You're practically glowing with golden radiance!" Her tone was utterly sincere.
Ruomei's hand, holding the teacup, froze mid-air, her expression turning awkward. Minglan sighed inwardly, glancing at the ceiling—it was true that Ruomei wore rather too many accessories, and those accessories did contain rather too much gold... but did Xiaotao have to be quite so honest?
Having delivered this remark, the completely oblivious Xiaotao skipped cheerfully out of the side room to wait in the outer chamber. Ruomei slowly composed herself, masking her embarrassment, and said softly, "Sister Danju has already spoken to me. This humble servant thanks you, Madam, for your guidance and care."
Minglan watched her quietly. Though Ruomei voiced her gratitude, her posture remained rigid, without even the slightest bow. It was clear she hadn't truly understood and was still the same self-admiring Ruomei. "As long as you understand. Serve Gongsun Xiansheng well from now on, and strive to bear him children soon. Both the Marquis and I will reward you handsomely."
Ruomei's heart ached with bitterness. She had deliberately referred to herself as 'this humble servant' earlier, hoping Minglan would say something more, but instead... She could only reply, "This humble servant understands." After a pause, she mustered her courage and asked, "But this servant is foolish and often displeases the master. May I ask for your guidance, Madam—how should I conduct myself properly?"
The fact that she could humble herself to ask such a question showed there was still hope for her. Minglan smiled slightly and pointed toward the doorway through which Xiaotao had just exited. "Do you remember when we first arrived here? Xiaotao once served in the outer study for a time."
Uncertain of Minglan's meaning, Ruomei nodded. "Yes, the master also mentioned that Xiaotao was quite capable." Back then, she had felt a twinge of jealousy, secretly resenting why she hadn't been chosen instead, especially since she was the most literate among them.
"Actually, Xiaotao isn't particularly clever," Minglan said slowly, stirring the tea leaves.
This was no secret—probably everyone from Twilight Cang Study to Jiaxi Residence knew it. Ruomei widened her eyes, waiting for Minglan to continue.
"Especially since she had never served in a study before. During that period, the Marquis and the master truly suffered quite a bit. When asked to warm wine, she'd either make it too hot or too cold; when tasked with organizing documents, she'd take them apart page by page and stack them neatly." Remembering Gu Tingye's complaints from those days, Minglan couldn't help but chuckle inwardly."I remember when she first came to Mama Fang's place—Danju would remember things after being told just once, but Xiaotao needed to hear them two or three times before she understood." Minglan smiled faintly. "I originally worried the teacher would complain about me sending such a dull-witted person to serve him. Yet later, he actually praised her." In truth, Gongsun Baishi had taken quite a liking to Xiaotao and even considered extending her service period. Unfortunately, Xiaotao held no fondness for the study and particularly disliked the species known as "private secretaries." The moment someone else took over, she fled back as if her life depended on it.
Ruomei gave a dry laugh: "The teacher said Xiaotao is a loyal maid."
"The teacher sees with piercing clarity." Minglan nodded. "I once instructed Xiaotao that nothing seen or heard in the study should be revealed outside in the slightest. You tried questioning her about the study's affairs several times, didn't you? Even when you grew annoyed, did she ever divulge even a hint?"
Ruomei's expression darkened. Back then, she admired scholarly refinement and had only asked about trivial matters. But even when she inquired about what tea the teacher preferred, Xiaotao refused to say a single word. They had a falling out and didn't speak for a full half month.
"If she was like that even with you—Old Lady An from procurement has always doted on Xiaotao. One day, feeling too lazy to check personally, she casually asked if the silver-thread charcoal in the study was running out. Xiaotao still wouldn't tell her." Minglan fixed her gaze intently on Ruomei. "Actually, what kind of person you are doesn't matter in the slightest. What matters is—what kind of person does the teacher want?"
Ruomei trembled slightly, lifting her head to stare at Minglan, unable to speak for a long while.
...
Watching Ruomei's retreating figure, Minglan shook her head.
Ruomei was an intelligent woman—how could she not know what kind of concubine Gongsun wanted? It was simply eight characters: 'obedient, sensible, knowing her place, and abiding by her duties.' Most importantly, she shouldn't spend all day dreaming about romantic nonsense. These past few days, what Ruomei truly envied wasn't Danju's good marriage prospects, but Danju's overwhelming sense of happiness.
"If you ever feel unhappy in the future, often remind yourself why you chose to marry him in the first place. Perhaps it'll make you feel better."—This was her final piece of advice to Ruomei. From now on, it would depend on Ruomei's own fortune.
In the following days, Danju focused on training the young maids, constantly instructing them, carefully giving directions, and patiently explaining matters one by one. Time flew swiftly. Over a month later, Danju's aunt and uncle came to take her home to prepare for the wedding, saying their house had been renovated and they could now hold a respectable ceremony. Mama Fang, who came along, also reported that the furniture crafting was progressing well.
Minglan rewarded Danju with a set of pure gold head ornaments and several bolts of high-quality fabric. Following Cuiwei's precedent, she added thirty taels of wedding silver. She also had Xiaotao secretly place two hundred-tael silver notes in Danju's luggage chest. Though Xiaotao's mind worked slowly, her hands were deft, making her most reliable for such tasks. Subsequently, Madam Shao chimed in with a pair of gold shrimp-whisker bracelets as a gift, and Qiu Niang followed suit with a small gold-plated hairpin.
After dismissing everyone else, Minglan burned a deed of servitude in front of Danju and pressed a flat box into her hands, softly advising: "Inside is your household registration. The matters at the government office have been settled. Live a good life from now on."Danju knelt on the floor weeping bitterly. It took Minglan quite some time to console her before her tears subsided. As Danju slowly rose to her feet and was about to turn away, she suddenly looked back, her eyes brimming with tears. "Miss, you used to love sitting on the corridor railing to read books."
Minglan held back her own tears and smiled. "You were afraid I might fall, so you stayed up all night sewing a cloth safety net from fabric scraps to tie across the railing."
"That net wasn't sturdy enough—it tore and caused you to take a terrible fall. Mama Fang wanted to punish me, saying that when our mistress acted improperly, instead of advising against it, I came up with foolish ideas."
"I lay in bed for three days, and you cried by my bedside for all three. When I recovered, you fell ill instead."
"Then you made me promise never to sit on the railing again."
"And you even insisted we pinky swear."
Danju could no longer contain herself. With a thud, she knelt on the ground again, sobbing, "Miss, please let me kowtow to you one more time."
She bowed her head deeply to the floor. When she rose, her face was streaked with tears as she clung to Minglan's legs, weeping mournfully, "Miss, I truly cannot bear to leave you!"
Memories flooded Minglan's heart, filling her with such sorrow she could hardly control herself. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she covered half her face with her sleeve and hardened her heart to push Danju away. "Go now, go. May you bear children, enjoy a harmonious and happy family, and live a long, fulfilling life! Go, go..."
Watching Danju inch toward the door, looking back with every step, Minglan suddenly recalled their first meeting. Back then, she only had the clueless Xiaotao by her side. When Mama Fang brought Danju to her, the girl had kept looking back just like this.
"Liu Guniang, I'll go fetch some snacks for you."
"Miss, please sit properly. There are many empty rooms here—don't wander off."
"This servant will return soon. Little Sister Xiaotao, you must watch over our miss properly."
The small girl spoke in a milky, childish voice, her face showing a tenderness and consideration beyond her years as she chattered on without end. Overwhelmed by a wave of sadness, Minglan forcefully turned her head away, refusing to watch Danju exit.
Xiaotao accompanied Danju all the way to the crossroads, nearly following her home. When she returned, her eyes were swollen like large peaches. She entered the room, buried her face in the bedding, and refused to come out.
That evening when Gu Tingye returned to their chambers, Minglan still appeared despondent. His heart ached at the sight, and he said, "Since you're so reluctant to part with her, why not keep Danju in the manor? We could arrange a marriage for her with a promising young man."
Minglan wiped his damp hair with a cloth, speaking softly, "They were the first to follow me. I only wish for them to be well, so these more than ten years of companionship won't have been in vain."
Gu Tingye held their son in his arms, gently tossing him up and down, making Tuan Ge'er giggle incessantly. Hearing Minglan's words, he felt rather surprised. In his view, when masters showed favor to servants, what did "companionship" have to do with anything?
After setting their son on the bed to crawl freely, he pulled Minglan closer and carefully examined her face. Noticing her red, swollen eyes, his expression darkened. "You've always treated them well. Seeing their mistress so distressed, she should have volunteered to stay. It seems she's ungrateful after all!"
Minglan forcefully pried his large hand away, displeased and on the verge of tears. "Don't talk nonsense!"
Gu Tingye was momentarily taken aback, then chuckled. "Alright, alright, I won't talk nonsense." He then teased, "With so many maids, if you carry on like this every time one gets married, how will you endure it?"Minglan gently wiped her tears and replied with self-mockery, "It's only her and Xiaotao. The others... well, never mind."
Gu Tingye leaned back slowly, intrigued. "Because they were the first to follow you?"
After a moment of contemplation, Minglan said, "...Because back then, the three of us were all sincere."
Hearing this, Gu Tingye was moved and couldn't help asking, "Were the maids who served you later not sincere?"
Xiaotao was an unexpected prize during her most difficult times, Danju was an encouragement award when her future was uncertain. Later, as Old Madam grew increasingly fond of her and she gained a firm footing in the Sheng family, emotions began to mix with other considerations.
Minglan thought carefully and organized her words before answering, "After I became Madame Gu, whether they were sincere or not didn't matter much anymore."
Gu Tingye looked at her quietly for a while, then suddenly said wistfully, "I wish I had met you back then too."
Upon hearing this, Minglan blinked her large eyes twice, her expression suddenly turning quite peculiar as she stared at the man, her face gradually reddening. Gu Tingye was initially puzzled but soon realized - when Minglan was just learning to run as a child, he was already riding horses through the streets and causing trouble.
The couple looked at each other for a long moment, not knowing what the other was thinking, but they laughed simultaneously. Minglan's previous melancholy vanished completely as she laughed with trembling lips, tilting her head to recall childhood scenes: "When I was little, I once followed my father and grandmother to see the lantern festival. Several richly dressed young men galloped past on fast horses, and Mama Fang held me tightly, whispering 'Look, look, young lady, these are bad people!'"
The scene was too realistic. Gu Tingye twitched the corner of his mouth, grabbed Tuan Ge'er who was trying to climb onto his head, his face darkening slightly.
Seeing his displeased expression, Minglan quickly tried to make amends and changed the subject: "Today, Marquis of Qi Manor sent an invitation, saying the old marquis will soon hold his birthday banquet. Reaching seventy is rare since ancient times, and the old marquis's longevity is truly remarkable. This year's sixty-ninth birthday banquet will be the last one held. Therefore, they insist we must attend."
Speaking of which, although Madam Wang had known Princess Pingning for so long, Minglan had never visited Marquis of Qi Manor before.
"So it's the Henpecking Manor?!" Gu Tingye raised an eyebrow upon hearing this, his dark eyes showing amusement.
Minglan was momentarily confused: "What Henpecking Manor?"
"My lady is so knowledgeable, haven't you heard of the Henpecking Wife's roar?"
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