The Story of Ming Lan

After the confrontation, that very afternoon Madam Wang brought Minglan to the Longevity and Peace Hall to report the situation.

"What did you do with Ginkgo after taking her back?" Old Mrs. Sheng, having changed into a dark blue silk jacket embroidered with eight floral medallions, leaned against the window-side kang and asked indifferently.

Madam Wang frowned. "I originally thought her diligent, which is why I assigned her to serve Liu Guniang. Who would have thought she'd turn out to be such a shameless creature? I've already sent her to work at the manor." Being demoted from a second-rank maid with light indoor duties to manual labor at the countryside manor was indeed severe punishment. Madam Wang paused, then smoothed her brows and turned to pat Minglan's hand gently. "You're too honest, child. If the maid was being mischievous, you should have reported to me earlier. Why endure it?"

Minglan blushed. "It's only because you care for me that you punished her so severely. Actually, Ginkgo was quite efficient in her work. She's young and ignorant, that's all. The other maid, Jiuer, is very good. These past days when I failed to maintain proper discipline and the maids in my quarters were causing chaos, she and a few others remained honest and diligent at their tasks. I haven't even thanked you for that, Madam."

Only then did Madam Wang feel she had regained some face. She smiled at Liu Kun's wife standing nearby. Liu Kun's wife secretly rejoiced, though she knew her daughter wasn't that exemplary - but praise was always welcome. Seeing Minglan so perceptive, Old Mrs. Sheng sitting in the seat of honor shot Minglan a seemingly casual glance. Receiving her grandmother's signal, Minglan responded with a slight, bitter smile.

Old Mrs. Sheng lowered her gaze. "You've handled this well. Not only have you taught Ming Yatou a lesson, but you've also intimidated those ignorant ones. With you managing things, I feel at ease." The old madam rarely praised anyone. Feeling proud, Madam Wang smiled. "You flatter me, Old Madam. This daughter-in-law doesn't deserve such praise."

Old Mrs. Sheng smiled faintly. "Minglan has been by my side since childhood, yet she hasn't learned half of your capabilities. All she knows is appeasement and peacemaking. So weak and incompetent - how can she manage anything?!" She glared fiercely at Minglan. Minglan stood up nervously and said meekly, "This granddaughter won't be like this anymore. I'll definitely learn to properly manage the servants and not trouble you and Madam with worries."

Madam Wang smiled. "That's the right attitude. Ming Yatou is young and doesn't understand management yet, but she'll learn. Don't worry, Old Madam." Old Mrs. Sheng showed some satisfaction and praised Madam Wang a few more times before sternly scolding Minglan: "Madam has to manage this entire household, and you're adding to her burdens! If you can't control the people in your quarters anymore, I'll deal with you too!"

Minglan quickly agreed repeatedly. Madam Wang, all smiles, stood by Minglan's side offering assurances and guarantees. Only then did Old Mrs. Sheng's expression soften.

Liu Kun's wife stood quietly nearby, thinking: The old madam is formidable, and Liu Guniang is no simple matter either. She glanced slightly at the smug Madam Wang, tightened her grip on her handkerchief, and decided to keep her thoughts to herself.After Madam Wang's display of authority that day, the young maids in the house fell into a silence as if their tongues had been abruptly plucked out. The next day, Mama Fang delivered a ruler for discipline, making the girls even more diligent and efficient. Those who usually played and joked with Minglan now came and went with aggrieved expressions. Minglan offered no comfort but distributed the drafted "Mucangzhai Work and Conduct Guidelines," implementing a hierarchical system where senior maids conveyed instructions to junior ones. She set aside time daily for junior maids to discuss the guidelines in small groups, fostering mutual supervision and encouragement to build a harmonious and beautiful Mucangzhai.

That same day, after Old Mrs. Sheng scolded her, Mama Fang relayed the message that Minglan was to dine alone in Mucangzhai. Aside from morning greetings, she was to focus on "organizing" her quarters. Minglan bore this hardship for over half a month until, on a clear morning, she slipped into Mucangzhai with a small bundle. She lavished attention on the stern-faced Old Mrs. Sheng, clinging to her grandmother, massaging her shoulders, kneading her legs, serving tea and water—all with exaggerated flattery. Gradually, Old Mrs. Sheng softened, holding her coquettish granddaughter close without pushing her away, though her expression remained cold.

Seeing the improvement, Minglan quickly presented her tribute. With an ingratiating smile on her delicate, lovely face, she offered the gift: "Hehe, Grandmother, look! This is a warm cap I made for you. It has a fine cotton lining and a Zhaojun-style design with singed velvet. Try it on..."

Old Mrs. Sheng glanced at it: the cap was small and lightweight, a bright ginger yellow edged with a finger-width of black, embroidered with elegant longevity patterns in full-surface and laid-velvet stitching. She felt a fondness for it even before speaking. Before she could utter a word, Mama Fang exclaimed in admiration, "Truly, it's Liu Guniang who understands! Knowing that once the snow melts, the Old Madam dislikes wearing large, heavy warm caps, she brings this dainty one. Look at the fine stitches and exquisite embroidery—even the Heavenly Clothes Pavilion couldn't produce anything better! Come, Old Madam, try it on..."

Taking the cap, she fitted it onto Old Mrs. Sheng's forehead. It snugly followed the contour of her head toward the back, where a pearl clasp fastened perfectly. Old Mrs. Sheng reached up to touch it—the velvet was soft, warm, and exceptionally comfortable. She glanced at Minglan, who was still anxiously clinging to her arm with a foolishly ingratiating grin, and felt her heart soften. Mama Fang continued praising, "It shows the Old Madam hasn't doted on Liu Guniang in vain—see how well it fits! The young lady has grown up, and her needlework improves daily."

Minglan humbly demurred, fawning like a sycophant: "Oh no, no—it's mainly because Grandmother has such a well-shaped head."

Old Mrs. Sheng couldn't hold back a laugh. She pulled little Minglan into her arms, patting her firmly twice, and scolded, "You good-for-nothing!" Minglan immediately clung to her like sticky candy, wrapping her arms around her grandmother's neck and showering her with affection.Mama Fang breathed a sigh of relief. Old Mrs. Sheng had worn a stern expression for the past half month, making her feel quite stifled too. Watching Old Mrs. Sheng on the kang attentively asking Minglan about how she had eaten and slept during this period, Mama Fang quietly withdrew and promptly instructed the kitchen to add several dishes Minglan liked. She thought about how Old Mrs. Sheng had eaten alone these past few days and hadn't managed to eat much.

Life at Longevity and Peace Hall returned to its usual rhythm, and daily routines resumed as before.

Minglan went to find her elder brother Changbai again. He was currently intensively preparing for the spring imperial examinations and only had some free time before dinner. Minglan calculated the timing and went early to wait for him. As soon as she entered the courtyard, she was led inside by Changbai's chief maid Goat Hair and seated, then served tea and snacks. Several maids moved about without making a sound. Minglan reflected that along her way into the courtyard, she hadn't seen a single pretty maid—not to mention comparing to the beauty of Ruomei and Ke'er, even those at the level of Bisi and Lüzhi were rare. Minglan once again marveled at how remarkable her eldest brother was.

Minglan still remembered years ago when they were selecting servants, Changbai was the first to choose. He didn't pick for talent or looks, only selecting a few simple and honest ones. Madam Wang was quite frustrated, feeling that since her son was grown, he should have some attractive maids in his quarters. She insisted on choosing a few beautiful ones. Changbai then said that women with outstanding talent and beauty often had high ambitions and were prone to causing trouble, which would disturb his studies, so he firmly refused. Madam Wang felt a lump in her throat, unable to voice some thoughts—Son, these girls are meant for you to 'disturb' with. What does a teenage boy need with such quiet? She then subtly and implicitly explained the meaning of 'bedroom servants.'

After thinking it over, Changbai agreed to his mother's suggestion. But later, he asked Liu Kun's wife to speak to all the maids. When Madam Wang heard what was said, her face reportedly turned the color of mung bean paste.

For two consecutive generations, the female heads of the Sheng household had handled the issue of bedroom servants in largely similar ways. Back then, Old Mrs. Sheng, as the daughter of a marquis household, had disposed of all of Old Master Sheng's bedroom servants upon entering the family, and no one dared to criticize her. Later, when Madam Wang entered the household, she followed suit by sending all of Sheng Hong's bedroom servants away to be married off, which Old Mrs. Sheng tacitly approved. Thus, when Changbai had Mama Liu announce: "In the Sheng family tradition, whether a bedroom servant is elevated to concubine and her future treatment depends entirely on the young madam to come," Madam Wang nearly spat blood again. Nonsense! Without the hope of bearing children and being promoted to concubine, who would want to remain a bedroom servant into old age! Seeing her son's frowning, glaring expression that so resembled his father's, Madam Wang couldn't retort, truly grinding her teeth in frustration.

The young maids were quite disheartened. After serving Changbai for a longer time, they came to understand that although this young master was young in years, his temperament was solemn and steady. He meant what he said and hated nothing more than those who broke rules or acted seductively and affectedly. Minglan strongly suspected this was a childhood shadow left by Consort Lin.

As a result, the enthusiasm of those slender-waisted, peach-blossom-faced young maids to climb into the young master's bed greatly diminished. Changbai's small courtyard became very harmonious and peaceful, with masters and servants alike maintaining silence and quiet. Only the sounds of chickens and dogs could be heard. Several times when Danju went to deliver items for Minglan, upon entering the courtyard, it was so quiet she didn't dare to breathe heavily.

—The above intelligence was provided by Xiaotao, with the internal monologue filled in by Minglan.

There was even more to it: Changbai named the maids in his courtyard respectively: Goat Hair, Wolf Hair, Purple Hair, Chicken Hair, Pig Hair, Mixed Hair... Among them, the prettiest girl sent by Madam Wang was named—Mouse Whiskers@@~~!After learning this, Xiaotao said to Minglan very sincerely, "Miss, thank you."

Just as she was lost in thought, Changbai returned from school. At first glance, he saw Minglan sitting there and immediately asked, "Has Sixth Sister come? Have you finished copying 'Madam Wei's Listening to the Waves Calligraphy Copybook' I gave you last time?"

Minglan's smiling face froze in place: "Uh... not yet, still a bit left."

Changbai sat down opposite Minglan and, without even taking a sip of tea, began scolding her nonstop: "Excellence in work comes from diligence and is wasted by idleness. Even though you've moved out of Longevity and Peace Hall, you mustn't slack off. Although you're a girl, you still need to practice your handwriting properly, lest people laugh at you when you show it later..."He went on about how studying was to understand principles, and if one didn't know etiquette, they'd be close to barbarism, endlessly."

Minglan felt depressed. She couldn't understand why this usually taciturn brother, who barely spoke three sentences a day and never scolded Molan or Rulan, would lecture her at such length every time. Last time, over the ginkgo incident, he had scolded her for a full half-hour. She couldn't talk back either - if she did, the scolding would only intensify. She could only droop her ears and listen obediently while Xiaotao, standing nearby, chuckled treacherously without any sense of loyalty.

Finally, when Changbai reached a pause in his lecture and took a few sips of tea to moisten his throat, he asked, "What did Sixth Sister come for?"

Minglan grumbled inwardly that he'd finally remembered to ask, then pouted and told Xiaotao to bring forth the item—a pair of newly made cotton shoes: "Here, I worked hard to finish them. I added half an inch to the soles, so even if it rains in the capital, you won't have to worry."

Goat Hair quickly took them and handed them to Changbai for inspection. The black uppers were thick and soft, with faint embroidery of a few sturdy pine and cypress trees, simple yet elegant. Changbai accepted them without changing expression: "Thank you for your trouble, Sixth Sister."

Minglan puffed out her cheeks: "I've become like your personal maid! Making shoes is the most exhausting work. Combined with the last pair of soft-soled shoes, I'm completely worn out. Look at my hands—they're full of needle pricks!" She stretched out her small hands for Changbai to see. He glanced at them, his face remaining impassive and saying nothing, but reached out to gently ruffle Minglan's soft bangs covering her forehead. "Write down what you like and have someone bring it to me. I'll bring it back for you from the capital."

Only then did Minglan's face brighten, and she said cheerfully, "Thank you, Big Brother."

Goat Hair held the shoes, turning them over and over, and praised, "The young lady truly has excellent skill. Our master always says he likes the shoes you make the most, that they're the most comfortable to wear. I've tried to learn from you and made shoes according to the master's old ones, but why don't they turn out as well as yours?"

Minglan shook her head proudly: "This unique skill can only be grasped intuitively, not explained in words. The shoes are right there—figure it out yourself."

—Actually, it wasn't that extraordinary. Everyone has their own walking habits—some lean forward, some backward, some turn outward, some inward. The shoe uppers can reveal the shape of the foot and where pressure is applied, while the soles show the pressure points of the ball and heel of the foot. Based on this, different soft and hard fabrics are used accordingly, carefully balancing tightness and looseness. Minglan had applied the same meticulous attention she once used to compare legal clauses and finally figured it out.

Goat Hair smiled and said, "Alright, I'll ponder it carefully." Then, holding the shoes, she turned and left.Minglan estimated it was time to head to Longevity and Peace Hall for dinner and rose to leave. Changbai glanced at her, hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Sixth sister... I heard that a few days ago, when Brother Qi returned to Dengzhou to resume his studies, he sent someone to deliver gifts to you, but you turned them away at the door?"

About ten days prior, Qi Heng had returned to Dengzhou with his parents and, on his first day attending classes at the Sheng residence, sent a servant to Twilight Storage Studio with presents. After an intense internal struggle, Minglan resolutely rejected these sugar-coated bullets. Unable to storm in and pull Minglan’s ears, Qi Heng swallowed his frustration and sought out his close friend Changbai to plead his case.

Minglan cleared her throat and said solemnly, "The Book of Rites states that boys and girls should not share the same mat after the age of seven. As my sisters and I are growing older, it is proper to avoid suspicion and not casually accept gifts from unrelated men."

Watching his jade-doll-like younger sister speak so righteously, Changbai’s lips twitched as he replied, "...That pair of Wuxi clay dolls were tributes from the south and aren’t worth much."

Minglan shook her head emphatically. "Neither of my elder sisters received anything—there’s no reason for me alone to have them." She then reiterated the principle of maintaining proper boundaries between men and women. Recalling Qi Heng’s complaints and entreaties, Changbai added, "Those clay dolls look very much like you." After a pause, he continued, "They even have dimples at the corners of their mouths."

Minglan’s small face remained stern as she shook her head again. "Brother, please consider my position. If Fourth Sister and Fifth Sister were to find out, what would I do? Since you study with Brother Qi, kindly explain the reasoning to him thoroughly."

A flicker of understanding passed through Changbai’s eyes as he quietly observed Minglan for a moment. Her brows were like jade, her lips red, her teeth pearly, and her eyes bright—yet her gaze held a hint of regret. After a thoughtful pause, he nodded slowly. "Yuanruo grew up without siblings, so it’s natural he finds you endearing. However, it is indeed time to maintain proper distance now. I will speak with him."

Minglan smiled her thanks and left with Xiaotao for dinner at Longevity and Peace Hall. Watching her petite figure recede into a slender, graceful silhouette, Changbai was suddenly struck by a thought: If only Minglan had been born of the same mother as he, how wonderful that would have been.