The next morning, Minglan was unable to teach Changdong as planned, for Rulan and Molan had arrived early. Taking advantage of the fact that Old Madam had not yet risen, they entered the right-side room that served as a study. Sensing trouble, Minglan subtly signaled Danju with her eyes. Understanding the message, Danju went to wait outside the door for Changdong and informed him that the lesson was canceled for the day.
Molan arrived first and, after much hesitation, praised every detail of Minglan's study from start to finish before finally stating her purpose—she wished to switch seats with Minglan. Minglan understood her intentions but feigned ignorance, saying, "Oh? Didn't Fourth Sister specifically choose the seat by the left wall? You said the light there was dim and that too much sunlight made you dizzy due to your delicate health." This had previously left Minglan squinting in the glare, until Old Mrs. Sheng fortunately found a roll of dark gauze in the storeroom to cover the study windows.
Molan blushed faintly and stammered without giving a clear reason. Just then, Rulan arrived and was much more straightforward, bluntly requesting to switch seats with Minglan: "The middle is too dark; it's brighter by the window!"
Minglan found this amusing and deliberately clapped her hands cheerfully, saying, "That's perfect! Why doesn't Fourth Sister and Fifth Sister simply swap seats? Fifth Sister can enjoy the brightness, and Fourth Sister won't get dizzy."
Molan's face turned grim as she twisted her handkerchief in silence. At first, Rulan didn't understand, but upon learning that Molan also wanted to switch seats, her expression soured as well. The two sisters glared at each other in a standoff. Minglan, pretending innocence, said, "I don't mind sitting anywhere, but which sister should I give my seat to?" For some reason, Minglan felt a mischievous sense of delight.
After much internal calculation and noting Minglan's childish appearance, which seemed less threatening, Molan and Rulan concluded: neither would switch seats.
At this age, the girls' appearances began to change. Molan had grown taller, graceful as a slender willow, with a delicate, melancholic charm. Rulan, taking after Madam Wang, had a robust and dignified figure, nearly as tall as Molan. Though not as beautiful as Molan, she radiated youthful vitality. Only Minglan remained plump and round, like a little steamed bun. Minglan rubbed her nose—it was a matter of genetics, nothing she could do about it.
From that day onward, the era of the three sisters dressing identically came to an end.
Molan wore her hair in a small flowing-cloud bun, adorned with a pair of coral, turquoise, and beeswax bead flowers, and a fresh magnolia blossom pinned at her temple. She was dressed in a light incense-green gauzy silk gown embroidered with long-stemmed flowers, and her wrists jingled with pairs of silver-wire jade bracelets, looking as tender as a green magnolia. Rulan's double-loop buns were decorated with a colorful glass butterfly hairpin, its long pearl and jade tassels shimmering as they swayed. She wore a cross-collared, multicolored kesi silk dress, with large pearls strung on fine gold threads dangling from her ears, lively and elegant. With such attire, she rivaled Molan in charm.
Both sisters were dressed elegantly and modestly, without being overly flashy. Minglan felt a bit dazed watching them and was silently grateful for her wise decision that morning to have Cui Mama style her hair in two round buns, simply wrapped with coral beads, which looked quite adorable.Qi Heng arrived early in the morning accompanied by several young servants and book attendants. Over his moon-white inner garment, he wore a sapphire-blue long waistcoat with embroidered sea waves and auspicious beasts at the collar, which accentuated his snow-white complexion and upright posture. Molan's eyes lit up, and she gracefully walked over, speaking as gently as water, "Brother Yuanruo, I happened to have some inspiration last night and composed a poem. I wonder if it is well-structured? Could you please offer some guidance?"
As she spoke, she took a floral-patterned letter paper from her sleeve and handed it over. Unexpectedly, Qi Heng did not accept it and said with a smile, "Fourth Miss's two elder brothers are both talented individuals. Why not seek their advice?" Molan was immediately embarrassed but quickly responded, "Zhuang Xiansheng often praises Brother Yuanruo for your exceptional talent. That is why I wanted to ask for your opinion. Why be so reluctant to offer a comment?" She pouted her small mouth, appearing innocent and charming.
Qi Heng took the letter paper and read it carefully. Molan simply stood by his side, leaning in and whispering softly. Then Changfeng also walked over, and the three of them discussed the poem's tonal patterns and parallelism. Changbai, meanwhile, recited poetry to himself leisurely, not joining in.
Rulan had been watching coldly from the side, her little face dignified and serious, her back straight. Last night, Mother Liu and Madam Wang had told her that a truly respectable young lady of a noble family should never casually engage in conversation with others. If there was to be conversation, it should be Qi Heng who approached her first. A young lady of high status ought to maintain her dignity. Seeing Molan's behavior, Rulan gritted her teeth in frustration, only sitting even more proudly upright.
Minglan lowered her head and silently repeated a hundred times, "Form is emptiness."
When Zhuang Xiansheng entered the classroom and saw the room full of dazzling pearls and jade, he began the lesson without showing any expression. Qi Heng was an excellent front-desk companion; his tall frame almost completely shielded Minglan from view. With such a good barrier, Minglan happily dozed off behind him. Having been exhausted by the morning's commotion with Molan and Rulan, she was already tired. As for dozing, once she started, she truly fell asleep. When she woke up, she saw a pair of bright eyes looking at her with a smile.
"Did Sixth Sister sleep well?" Qi Heng smiled, looking at the rosy little face and pair of chubby small hands resting on the desk. Minglan chuckled foolishly twice, "Quite well, quite well." Fully awake, she looked around and realized class had ended. Everyone was packing their books and instructing servants to tidy their writing materials.
Qi Heng turned around, crossing his long arms on Minglan's desk, and said with a smile, "Sixth Sister slept very soundly. You must have been tired from studying late into the night, right?"
Minglan adjusted the hair buns on her head and replied shamelessly, "Not too bad, not too bad. It was only natural."
Qi Heng's eyes sparkled with even more amusement. Minglan continued silently reciting, "Form is emptiness."
That noon, Minglan still did not get to take a nap. An esteemed guest had arrived at the house—Princess Pingning, Qi Heng's mother, was visiting. She was currently at the Longevity and Peace Hall, speaking with Old Mrs. Sheng and Madam Wang, waiting to meet the children of the Sheng family.The imperial court's officially enfeoffed third-rank princess indeed carried herself with extraordinary grandeur. Minglan had barely glimpsed the lush canopy of the osmanthus tree in the Longevity and Peace Hall from afar when she noticed two neat rows of bowing maids and servants standing outside the hall. Mama Fang was already waiting at the entrance and immediately announced their arrival upon seeing them. Following Changbai's lead, everyone held their breath and filed into the main room according to seniority. There they saw a beautifully dressed woman seated opposite Old Mrs. Sheng in the central positions, while Madam Wang sat in a crabapple wood armchair carved with the "Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea" motif placed slightly below Old Mrs. Sheng. Qi Heng stepped forward first to pay respects to the three elders, then stood beside the finely dressed woman.
"Quickly kneel and pay your respects to Princess Pingning," instructed Old Mrs. Sheng.
The six Sheng children sequentially knelt and greeted the splendidly attired woman before taking their positions behind Madam Wang.
Having settled herself, Minglan stole a glance at Princess Pingning. The princess appeared barely over thirty, wearing a ginger-yellow thin satin jacket embroidered with vibrant peonies amid green foliage, layered over a moon-white sheer satin inner garment with a small standing collar. Below she wore a dark green long skirt with fine pleats, revealing the tips of her delicate embroidered shoes—each surprisingly adorned with a pearl the size of a fingertip. The princess's cloud-like hair was loosely styled, her demeanor tranquil as still water. With elegantly arched eyebrows and slender eyes, she possessed an exquisite beauty whose features bore sixty to seventy percent resemblance to Qi Heng's. Minglan thought to herself, "No wonder that young gentleman is so handsome."
Princess Pingning presented each young master and miss with meeting gifts: Changbai and Changfeng each received a jade pendant (though Minglan couldn't assess their quality), Changdong received a golden intricate lucky doll, while the three girls each got a string of premium southern pearls—each bead perfectly round, luminous, and undoubtedly valuable. Old Mrs. Sheng remarked calmly, "Your Highness is too generous. Such extravagance makes us rather embarrassed."
Princess Pingning smiled faintly. "The young ladies are so delightful, I've taken quite a liking to them. It's a pity I lack such fortune myself, having only this troublesome Heng'er. What harm is there in giving them more gifts today? Besides... ah, they've suffered some injustice—"
Minglan's heart raced with apprehension. What could have happened?
Madam Wang turned to the three Lan sisters with a smile. "Zhuang Xiansheng has already spoken with your father. From now on, you needn't attend classes with your brothers anymore. Focus instead on learning needlework and proper decorum at home..."
Molán felt a wave of disappointment. Glancing at Rulan's composed expression, she realized the latter must have known beforehand. Her mind raced: aside from class hours, opportunities to see Qi Heng were scarce—she couldn't possibly intrude on Zhuang Xiansheng's lessons. But if she couldn't see Qi Heng, what advantage did she have in terms of parental arrangements or social status? Remembering Qi Heng's handsome features and gentle, courteous demeanor, Molán burned with resentment and frustration, clenching her fists inside her sleeves, momentarily missing Madam Wang's subsequent words.
Minglan, however, breathed a huge sigh of relief. Wonderful! If these joint classes had continued, the family school would have become a battlefield. Amituofo! The conflict has dissipated without a trace—most fortunate indeed.
Later, as Princess Pingning conversed with Old Mrs. Sheng, Madam Wang attempted to interject several times but found no opportunity. During their discussion, Princess Pingning suddenly smiled and asked, "...Which one is your household's Liu Guniang? My Heng'er kept laughing when mentioning her after returning home."Minglan was lost in thought, fantasizing about not having to attend classes tomorrow morning. After sending little Changdong away and paying her respects to Old Madam, she planned to catch up on some sleep. Suddenly being called upon, she felt somewhat uneasy. Old Mrs. Sheng smiled and beckoned Minglan over: "Well, this little rascal, since she's been raised under my care but I haven't had time to properly discipline her, has become utterly mischievous."
Princess Pingning took Minglan's small hand and examined her closely. Seeing Minglan's plump, fair, and adorably naive appearance like a little squirrel, with soft, comfortable hands, she said: "What a delightful child, no wonder Old Madam dotes on her. I've grown fond of her at first sight too... Miss Ming, tell me, aren't you unhappy about no longer attending Zhuang Xiansheng's classes?"
Catching sight of Qi Heng's annoying smile, Minglan thought to herself what a tricky question this was, and could only awkwardly reply: "Not at all, not at all..."
Qi Heng couldn't help himself and, covering his mouth, whispered a few words into Princess Pingning's ear. The princess immediately became amused and hugged little Minglan even tighter, laughing: "...Well now, this works out perfectly - you can save your afternoon nap then..."
Her siblings who attended classes together had long noticed Minglan dozing off, and they all burst into laughter. Rulan went over to Madam Wang and whispered something. Old Mrs. Sheng thought for a moment and understood too, pointing at Minglan while laughing uncontrollably: "...You little scamp! Now that you're exempted from school, you must be thrilled!"
Minglan's face flushed bright red. Bowing her head and gritting her teeth, she silently cursed: Qi Yuanruo, you bastard reporting on your aunt! Hope your son is born without a dick!
Just then Princess Pingning added: "...Heng'er, you can't just tattle for nothing. Since you don't have a younger sister of your own, you should treat Ming'er as your own little sister from now on..."
Old Mrs. Sheng smiled faintly and said something about "how could we presume to climb so high," while Madam Wang's expression changed slightly before she quickly composed herself and joined in the conversation with laughter.
Minglan secretly glanced at Molan and Rulan, and seeing they remained unaware, suddenly felt a pang of pity for them.
...
※※※
※※※
[Author's Note]
First, this story is set in a fictional dynasty simulating Ming and Qing customs.
Readers who have followed my previous works already know about women's status in earlier dynasties. What I want to say is that the Qin, Han, Tang and Song dynasties before Ming and Qing were all eras of remarkable grace and freedom. The Han people of those times were filled with untamed spirit and passionate boldness. Even during the weak Southern Song period, there were heroic poets like Xin Qiji and Su Dongpo who could write lines like "We roast the bull's meat in the camp / While various instruments play / Borders are heard / In the horse's neight" and "Huge rocks strike air, / Surging waves smash on the shore, / Rolling up thousands of heaps of snow. / The land so fair / Has witnessed heroes of yore." An era capable of such heroic poetry could never be overly rigid or constrained.
If I were writing about a dynasty before Ming and Qing, I definitely wouldn't be writing slice-of-life fiction - I'd be writing stories of struggle. Empress Lü could be recorded in imperial annals, Zhuo Wenjun could sell wine publicly, Wei Zifu's family could dominate the court, Madam Gongsun could amaze audiences with sword dances, Wu Zetian could rule under her own name, Liu E could lead the Northern Song as regent. In such upright times, talented and ambitious girls had opportunities to live remarkable lives.However, by the Ming and Qing dynasties, the Confucian institutional system had matured into an impeccable structure. From men to women, from the Supreme Ruler to commoners in the streets, life's norms had become highly standardized. Throughout these two dynasties, have you heard of any renowned women? Whether in the inner court or beyond, no matter how talented women were, they could never become another Li Qingzhao; no matter how enchanting or cunning, they could never influence court politics. It wasn't that women lost their brilliance, but rather the era of such brilliance had passed.
For instance, take the Hongzhi Emperor whom many admire - he had only one Empress throughout his life. But have you heard of any extraordinary deeds by this Empress? Her only surviving son, the Zhengde Emperor, grew into a playboy and mischievous child whom she couldn't control, ultimately leading to the Jiajing Emperor's succession. It wasn't that she didn't want to intervene, but Ming dynasty institutions simply didn't permit her involvement in the crown prince's education.
However favored Consort Zheng was, her son could never become crown prince, only the Prince of Fu.
As for the entire Qing dynasty, just as Cao Xueqin wrote: "Thousands of red flowers in one grotto, all beauties share the same sorrow." Countless remarkable women were buried beneath the oppressive feudal ethical codes.
Therefore, this farming novel of mine simulates how a female protagonist would navigate life within the rigidly structured society of Ming and Qing dynasties.
...
Furthermore, I've made the protagonist a concubine-born daughter not because I want her to overcome numerous obstacles, master various skills, and carve out her own territory in ancient times. Rather, I believe concubine-born daughters in ancient times had access to broader social strata than legitimate daughters. She would hear disparaging remarks, face status discrimination in marriage arrangements, receive unreliable protection from her legal mother when troubles arose, and likely marry into families of different social classes. Consequently, she would need greater subjective initiative - though such initiative remained severely limited in the strictly hierarchical feudal society where women had few opportunities to control their own destinies.
(That's roughly the idea - please don't scrutinize me too closely!)
OpenNovel