In early November, the emperor ordered the Imperial Astronomers to select an auspicious day. His Majesty personally went to Yanyun Terrace in the western suburbs, assembled the generals and commanders, performed the blood oath sacrifice to the heavens, and then dispatched three armies simultaneously heading towards Longxi.
Notably, the emperor deliberately separated the Duke of Ying and the Marquis of Weiyuan. It was unclear whether he feared the father-in-law and son-in-law were too close, leading to leniency in military command, or worried about discord between them affecting important matters. In the end, Gu Tingye followed the Duke of Ying along the northern route, Shen Congxing led the Duan brothers westward, while Bo Tianzhou and General Gan took charge of the central route.
According to reports from the Tu family brothers who escorted Gongsun Laotou, the western suburban camp had gathered over a hundred thousand troops. Banners blotted out the sky, weapons and armor stood like forests, and the aura of killing intent soared into the clouds.
Minglan deeply regretted being unable to witness such a grand ancient spectacle. Moreover, with him absent from her side, she felt an empty ache in her heart. Sitting on the kang with a stern expression, she intimidated the maids and matrons standing below into complete silence.
"I say, Miss Fengxian, won't you speak?" Lüzhi pointed at the master-servant pair standing below and said loudly, "Instead of behaving properly as people should, you insist on sneaking around like thieves!"
Fengxian stood there with her head bowed, remaining completely silent. Her delicate and beautiful face still bore traces of tears. Her maid, unable to contain her indignation, muttered, "Our young lady merely met with her maternal relatives once." What's the big deal, making such a fuss as if it were a capital crime..."
Minglan cast a faint glance her way, and the young maid immediately fell silent.
"I established rules from the beginning - if you wish to meet with outsiders, you must report to me first." Minglan slowly played with her fingers. "What is the meaning of quietly using silver to bribe a matron to open the second gate, then sneaking to the side gate to meet someone?"
Fengxian remained silent, but her maid put on a shrewd expression, forcing a smile across her face. "Madam is most benevolent, we all know this. Because Madam has to attend to everything in this household, our young lady feared disturbing you, that's why..."
"Alternatively, you could have informed Liao Yong's wife. Did you tell her?" Minglan said calmly.
The maid was momentarily speechless, then awkwardly said, "Sister Liao... is also quite busy..."
Minglan couldn't be bothered to waste more words on her. Turning to Liao Yong's wife nearby, she said, "Deal with that matron then. Don't keep her in the household anymore. Ten taels of silver was all it took to break her - useless thing."
Liao Yong's wife bowed in response. "She was an old servant from the previous residence, originally guarding the second gate. Who would have thought she'd be so shortsighted."
Minglan nodded. "With the Marquis away from home, the household gates should be even more strictly guarded. Later, recommend some people to me. They shouldn't slack off during daytime either, not just while guarding at night."
For every instruction Minglan gave, Liao Yong's wife responded with acknowledgment.
Minglan glanced at the maid. "Since you've violated household rules, you should be punished. No one can say that because I'm young, there are no rules in my household. However, I can't bear to severely punish Miss Fengxian. Since you and your mistress share such deep affection, you shall receive the punishment in her stead."
The maid immediately looked dumbfounded, her face full of terror as she repeatedly begged for mercy. Liao Yong's wife called two matrons to seize her, saying coldly, "Don't think you can play tricks before Madam just because you have some petty cleverness. Household rules aren't something you can change as you please!"
The maid continued crying out: "...We... we were sent here by General Gan!"
Liao Yong's wife sneered: "Where is that other one named Pianxian who was sent with you to serve Miss Fengxian? I warned you long ago not to overestimate your own importance - you might die without even knowing how it happened!"While speaking these words, she cast a glance at Fengxian, her eyes filled with undisguised mockery and warning.
After the maid was dragged out, Fengxian could no longer hold her composure. She looked up at Minglan, forcing herself to remain calm. "What does Madam intend to do with me?"
"The Marquis once told me that when General Gan sent you here, he said, 'This is the daughter of a disgraced official. She has some beauty and a docile temperament, suitable for the Commander's cleaning and amusement.'" Minglan casually shifted her posture, allowing Xiaotao to massage her aching calf from the other side. "You are educated, Miss. What do you think 'cleaning and amusement' means?"
The servants in the room responded with soft, mocking laughter. Mama Liao was the first to speak: "We servants may not be educated, but even we know what that means. Cleaning is a proper task, but amusement... well... that refers to a plaything! It's a pity, though—Madam never asked you to pick up a broom, nor did she use you for amusement. Instead, she provided you with good food and drink, and new silk clothes for every season."
The surrounding gazes felt like needles piercing her skin. Fengxian's face flushed red, then suddenly turned deathly pale.
Minglan watched her for a moment before waving her hand to dismiss the other servants, leaving only Xiaotao and Lüzhi in the room. Then she said, "You asked me what I intend to do with you. But first, I'd like to ask you: What are your own plans?"
Fengxian looked up abruptly, tears welling in her eyes, and pleaded mournfully, "...Although the Gan family redeemed me from the Orchestra and entertainment office, I am still registered as a government slave. How could I live an ordinary life outside? I only beg for Madam's mercy—grant me a meal to eat, and I will serve you and the Marquis with utmost loyalty..."
Before she could finish, Minglan shook her hand. "Don't speak such nonsense again."
Seeing the despair in Fengxian's eyes and the tears streaming down her face, Minglan spoke bluntly, "You've been in this residence for four or five years now, haven't you? I entered this household later than you. If the Marquis had any intention of taking you in, why would he wait until today? You are the daughter of a disgraced official and were sent by the Gan family—the Marquis would never accept you. If he wanted to take a proper Concubine, there are plenty of options. Why would he choose you?"
Fengxian fell to her knees. She knew that most daughters of disgraced officials ended up humiliated in the Orchestra and entertainment office. Those with better luck might be redeemed by merchant families to become concubines, while the unlucky ones could even be sold into brothels.
Respectable families rarely took women from the Orchestra and entertainment office as Concubines. Initially, the Gan family had merely sent her as a plaything. Moreover, the Gu and Gan families were mutually wary of each other. At first, she had hoped that if she could win Gu Tingye's favor, she might start as a bedroom servant and, after bearing a child, gradually be elevated due to the Marquis's merit and prestige. But who could have known...
Tears streamed down her face uncontrollably. She was already over twenty years old. Since her father's conviction and the confiscation of her family's property, she had been like drifting duckweed, with nowhere to settle. "...Madam... does this mean my life is over?"
Minglan sighed. "Mama Chang said you still have a sense of shame. Over the years, I've observed that you've been relatively honest. Now, you have three paths before you."
Fengxian quickly looked up, her eyes filled with hope.
Minglan continued, "First, if you have reliable relatives, I will release you to seek refuge with them. Marry a farmer far away, and I will treat it as if I've married off a maid. Second, Lady Che is currently in our residence. I can ask her to help you either find an honest, humble family to marry or become a concubine for a wealthy household. The farther south, the better—where the sky is high and the emperor is far away. No one will ever bring up your origins again."Fengxian listened with great trepidation, her face shifting through various expressions.
Minglan continued, "Furthermore, if you don't wish to leave, I can search among the manors to find you an honest servant to marry—that's the third option. You should make a decision quickly. Once you're older, nothing comes easily anymore."
After speaking so much in one breath, Minglan felt rather tired. She asked Lüzhi to take Fengxian out, then leaned back weakly against the pillow. Her fingers tapped lightly on her belly as she gazed up at the ceiling beams carved with fiery pomegranate vines, lost in thought.
Before Gu Tingye left, he had told her she could start making arrangements to get rid of Fengxian. Did this mean that Old General Gan would soon...?
This time, the emperor's personnel arrangements were quite interesting. Given Old General Gan's seniority, even the Duke of Ying would have to call him "elder brother," let alone Shen, Gu, and Duan. Only when encountering Old Commander Bo was he at a loss and had to serve as deputy—to borrow a phrase from Comrade Li Yunlong, "When I was a squad leader, you were still carrying an iron pot as a cook!"
Moreover, this mission involved pursuing guerrilla forces. The central route army, bearing the banner of the main force with such conspicuous command flags, was clearly meant to serve as a decoy. Coming and going in vain, they couldn't escape the charge of "returning without merit, wasting resources."
If the emperor was pleased, he would beam with delight: "My ministers are blameless. You have made great contributions to the other two route armies. All shall be rewarded together." If the emperor was displeased, he would turn hostile: "You two are veteran generals. I never expected you to disappoint me so."
Minglan estimated, well, the emperor would likely appear very displeased in public but be quite pleased in private.
It seemed Old Commander Bo was going all out this time, willing to sacrifice half a lifetime of prestige to secure his descendants' favor with the emperor. Impressive, impressive... However, even she could see through a scheme of this level, so how could the Gan family fail to notice?
Minglan shook her head, deciding not to dwell on it. Gu Tingye, at least, was in a good position this time. The Duke of Ying had always been reliable—the type who was both steady and didn't restrict his subordinate generals' actions. The advantage was that they wouldn't suffer major losses; the drawback was that they wouldn't achieve great merits.
But it didn't matter. Coming back safely was what counted. Let the imperial brother-in-law bask in the limelight.
The more she thought about it, the happier she became. Hugging her belly, she rolled around on the kang, grinning like a little mouse that had successfully stolen oil, as if her husband would return home completely unscathed tomorrow.
...
After this day, Minglan had originally thought that a delicate beauty like Fengxian, faced with such a difficult decision, would need to agonize over it for a couple of months. Who knew that when it came to lifelong matters, she wouldn't be indecisive at all?
In just two days, she tactfully asked Cuiwei to convey to Minglan that she was willing to become a concubine for a wealthy family. However, she requested that they find her a good household—one with substantial assets, a kind-hearted mistress, and a relatively young man (if he was too old, she wouldn't be able to have children).
...Such specific requirements.
Minglan was stunned for a moment, then smiled wryly and went to invite Che San Niang.
Che San Niang, already aware of the whole story, slapped her thigh and laughed. "What's so difficult about this?"
Accustomed to handling affairs outside, she was brisk and sharp. After a moment's thought, she said, "Originally, my husband knew many salt merchants—they'd be the easiest to deal with. But such businessmen tend to interact with officials. To avoid future entanglements with the Marquis household, it's better to find a stable local landowner. Let's look along the inland rivers, in remote areas with high mountains and long roads—somewhere peaceful and far from trouble."Minglan smiled, "Thank you, sister. I truly wouldn't know what to do without you."
Che San Niang chuckled teasingly, "You're too kind-hearted. For someone like her, you're still racking your brains to secure her future."
"As you've seen, she neither accepts poverty nor is without her own background. Keeping her here always makes me uneasy," Minglan sighed. "But truly selling her off somewhere carelessly—I can't bear that either. Well, it's just a small effort, though it troubles you to make inquiries everywhere."
Che San Niang laughed, "What trouble? She's not bad-looking, presentable, and still a maiden—finding someone willing to take her as a concubine isn't difficult at all. Besides, in our line of work, if we aren't well-connected and widely acquainted, how could we succeed?"
Touched, Minglan said sincerely, "With Elder Brother Shi away with the army delivering provisions, I'm sorry to have you staying here in the residence. If there's any inadequacy, please don't stand on ceremony with me."
Che San Niang threw her head back in a hearty laugh, revealing her molars, "What kind of talk is that, madam? I grew up in a fishing village, sleeping on straw mats. Even though I've enjoyed some comfort lately, I've never lived in such fine quarters before."
Minglan smiled in relief. Initially, she had worried that Che San Niang might struggle with the Marquis household's tedious rules and feel constrained. Unexpectedly, she was eloquent and full of amusing stories, possessing great social skills. In just a few days, Madam Shao had become so familiar with her that even the usually aloof Ruomei enjoyed chatting with her, alleviating some of the gloom from Gongsun Laotou's distant travels.
After chatting and laughing for a while, Che San Niang hesitated before finally saying, "Madam, there's something I've noticed, but I'm not sure if I should mention it. I... I can't be certain..."
Minglan asked curiously, "Please go ahead, sister."
Che San Niang frowned, "I think Sister Ruomei's belly is really too large—perhaps she's carrying twins." Then she smiled wryly, "I was carrying twin girls back then, but only one survived."
Minglan was greatly startled and immediately sent an invitation for the physician recommended by Doctor Lin to come examine her. Watching from behind the screen, she saw that Ruomei, at five months pregnant, had a belly as large as six or seven months, and couldn't help feeling anxious.
After taking the pulse for a long time, the physician came out shaking his head, "It's definitely just one." Wiping his sweat, he thought to himself that he often came to the Ningyuan Marquis Household for routine check-ups—if he couldn't even discern this, it would be disastrous.
After a thorough examination and inquiry, he finally confirmed, "In my opinion, it is indeed not twins." To avoid any mishap, he added, "Perhaps it would be safer to consult another physician."
Minglan was indeed not entirely reassured, so she successively invited several other renowned obstetricians. Unexpectedly, they all said Ruomei was not carrying twins, but had simply over-supplemented, causing the fetus to grow too quickly.
After several days of busy efforts, this was the conclusion. Minglan was truly exasperated. Checking the account books and warehouse expenses of Gongsun's small courtyard, she was shocked to find that the precious ingredients Ruomei had consumed over the past few months were almost enough for her to give birth to two children!
She immediately sent Cui Mama to speak with Ruomei, explaining how many pregnant women die in difficult or stillbirths due to oversized fetuses.Ruomei, knowing full well that Cui Mama was an honest woman who would never speak nonsense, was immediately frightened pale. Seeing she had been scared too much, Cuiwei quickly stepped in with comforting words, coaxing her for a long while before she calmed down.
Minglan, her anger still simmering, summoned the matrons serving Ruomei and scolded them harshly: "The young maids may not know better, but you’ve all served for years—how could you not understand this principle? Don’t play the fool with me! Tricking your mistress into over-supplementing so you can skim some profits in between? Listen carefully now: if anything happens to Concubine Mei or the child, none of you will escape—every last one of you will be sold off!"
The matrons below trembled and kowtowed repeatedly, begging for mercy. Minglan was exasperated that such a thing had happened right under her nose. If not for fear of alarming Ruomei, she would have loved to punish those scoundrels immediately! Still, Ruomei was also rather foolish herself.
Minglan then wished Madam Gongsun would hurry to the capital so she could hand over this hot potato. Once the time came, she would send along the contracts of these wretched matrons and let Madam Gongsun deal with them—training or disciplining, it would all be up to her!
Che San Niang consoled her, saying, "It was all my wild guessing that caused this commotion."
Minglan quickly replied, "Sister, please don’t say that." Then she added resentfully, "If not for your timely reminder, who knows how long that silly girl Ruomei would have kept supplementing?!"
In the following days, Minglan ordered Ruomei to strictly follow the imperial physician’s instructions: adjust her diet, move about more, and try to relax. Cui Mama, however, only worried about Minglan’s health. Fortunately, the physician repeatedly assured her—your honored marquise is truly in good health; moreover, occasionally losing her temper, shouting and scolding to vent pent-up frustrations, isn’t bad for a pregnant woman. It’s better than bottling up lovesickness and sorrow.
Cui Mama remained silent and did not relay the latter part to Minglan.
With so many twists and turns—surprises here, shocks there—it somewhat diluted the sorrow of Gu Tingye’s departure.
By late November, Zhang Shi sent word that Old Madam Shen’s cold had completely recovered—so well that there was absolutely no risk at all. She asked Minglan to arrange the matchmaking tea party.
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