Old Mrs. Sheng's first matchmaking endeavor brought good fortune, as Mrs. Kang personally went to assess Changwu. Having endured a lifetime of arrogant, lecherous, and incompetent scholars, Mrs. Wang took an immediate liking to Changwu upon meeting him. She saw a tall, imposing figure with an open and warm demeanor—though not particularly handsome or fair-skinned, he radiated honest reliability. By late spring, the Kang Family had consented to the marriage. Considering both parties were no longer young, the two families agreed to hold the wedding as soon as possible.
While things flowed smoothly on this side, the Yu Family faced bleak circumstances. Though Lord Yu had retired for years, he still had connections in the capital. Despite Princess Pingning's glowing recommendations, investigations revealed a grim reality, truly fulfilling Molan's ill-omened words: the second son of the Marquis of Ningyuan was indeed "perverse."
From childhood, he had been domineering and reckless, frequently causing disturbances by galloping through streets and picking fights. He often associated with prodigal sons of noble families, living a frivolous life. As he grew older, he mingled with low-class rogues, frequented brothels, and kept young opera performers, accumulating a trail of scandals. When the Gu Family finally arranged a marriage for him, the second son disapproved and sought to break it off. When the old marquis and his wife refused, he boldly confronted the bride's family during a grand banquet, publicly humiliating and mocking them until they were nearly driven to suicide from shame. The marriage naturally fell through, and thereafter, no respectable family in the capital would marry their daughters to him. In desperation, the Gu Family began seeking matches beyond the capital.
Frowning, Minglan gazed out the window. With no one else to confide in, Yanran invited Minglan to her home every three to five days to discuss updates from Lord Yu's inquiries and her own feelings. These updates felt like a series of tragic episodes. The latest news suggested the man might even have homosexual tendencies, closely associating with several notorious noblemen in the capital who favored male companions, even visiting male brothels together!
Heavens! As a professional legal worker, Minglan knew all too well that the real world was far from ideal. Rotten people remained rotten—there were few hidden reasons or reformed prodigals. Moreover, gay men were simply gay and not easily "straightened." Hadn't they seen the tragic life of the wife of Japan's famous writer Yukio Mishima? She too had married with the dream of "straightening" him, but what was the result? Even after bearing two sons, Mishima remained proudly and internationally gay.
In the few BL novels Minglan had read in her past life, the love between male leads was beautiful and soul-stirring, while female characters were almost universally relegated to cannon fodder. How many girls who enjoyed BL novels would actually want to marry a gay man?
Minglan certainly didn't, and she doubted Yanran had such a preference either.
One day, Minglan was invited to the Yu residence again. Holding Yanran, whose eyes were red from crying, she listened to her weep intermittently for a long while. Recently, Lord Yu and his son had been fiercely arguing via letters. Lord Yu wanted to break off the engagement, but his son adamantly refused, insisting that children's marriages should follow parental authority—implying the old man had no say! Lord Yu retorted, "If children's marriages are decided by parents, then so be it," and sent a blank letter of divorce without a signature, accusing his daughter-in-law of disobedience and filial impiety, demanding his son sign it to divorce her at once!Over there, the stepmother was weeping and threatening to take her children back to her maiden home, while here, the elderly lady was crying and urging the father and son to cease their conflict. Yanran, being the focal point of this turmoil, couldn't help but feel heartbroken and distressed. She said directly, "...Minglan, my dear sister, I truly am unfilial, causing such unrest in the family. Perhaps I should just go ahead and marry him!"
Minglan did her best to cheer her up: "Perseverance leads to victory! What fault is it of yours? It's all your stepmother's instigation, trying to trample a beautiful flower into the mud. If they want to climb the social ladder, why don't they arrange a marriage for your half-sister? She's only two years younger than you and of marriageable age. Instead, they push you forward—isn't that just harming you?"
Yanran had cried so much over the past few days that she looked almost haggard and very frail. "My grandfather is old and can't withstand this turmoil. He's been bedridden for many days now. If anything were to happen to him..."
Minglan sighed. "Oh, what's there to be so upset about? Your father hasn't betrayed his lord or committed treason; he's just been confused by those trying to arrange a marriage. Everyone makes mistakes in life. I once stole fruit that my grandmother had offered before the Buddha and got my hands slapped for it. Once you get past this hurdle, how could blood relatives hold a grudge? And as for you, even though things are tense now, if you marry well and live happily for ten or twenty years, then return to your maiden home with your husband and children, bringing wealth and gifts, do you really think your father would disown you?"
Yanran let out a teary chuckle, her heart filled with hope. "Can it really be like that?"
Minglan patted Yanran's shoulder firmly. "Don't worry! When your grandfather was Chief Grand Secretary, he weathered countless storms. How could he capsize in a small ditch now? Ahem, not that I'm calling your father a small ditch! You need to pull yourself together, take good care of your grandfather by his bedside, and don't wear such a mournful face. Put on a smile! How big of a deal is this, anyway? No betrothal gifts have been exchanged, no ceremonies held—it doesn't count as breaking off an engagement!"
In Minglan's view, the situation was still salvageable. Lord Yu was so furious that Lord Yu in the capital likely wouldn't dare to defy him too much. With that letter of divorce hanging over them, Lady Yu wouldn't act rashly either; otherwise, she would have already finalized the marriage without consulting anyone, and breaking it off then would have been troublesome. After hearing Minglan's detailed analysis, Yanran finally felt somewhat relieved.
The matter remained at a stalemate. Minglan became like a beacon in the dark for Yanran. Whenever Yanran felt lost or shaken, she would seek out Minglan, who would comfort her with a few jokes, temporarily easing her anxiety. As a close friend, Minglan felt it was her duty. Over time, Lord Yu, the elderly lady, and even Yanran's uncle and aunt all praised Minglan endlessly, commending her for her good nature and kindness.
Perhaps misfortune had reached its limit and gave way to better times. After a few more days, the situation began to improve. It was said that Gu Er Gongzi had very sincerely visited Lord Yu in person to propose marriage, and the Old Marquis had written a heartfelt letter of proposal. After reading it, Lord Yu and the elderly lady began to waver. After all, he was a nobleman's son, and if he was willing to reform, it might not be a bad match.
Yanran, being gentle by nature, felt somewhat tempted when her grandparents expressed this view. Minglan pursed her lips but said nothing.
"A ox taken to Beijing is still an ox." Having spent years observing and recording court proceedings, Minglan firmly believed in an old drunkard's saying: a woman might change for a man, but a man will never change for a woman—it's just a matter of how long he can keep up the act.Sheng Hong scheduled Changbai's wedding for early next year, to be held in the capital. As his official term would end by year's end, the entire Sheng household began inventorying properties and servants again from late summer. Some acquired farmlands and manors were sold off when appropriate, while locally hired maids and laborers were dismissed when necessary. Minglan also started having individual conversations with the maids in Twilight Cang Study, asking if any were unwilling to follow.
Those born into servant families needed no discussion. Among those bought from outside, only Xiaotao, Ruomei, and three other young maids fell into this category. The Sheng family treated servants generously, and Minglan had a gentle temperament, so none of the maids wished to leave. After questioning over ten girls, only two chose to stay with their parents.
Minglan then began taking stock of her personal assets. Truthfully, she had little private savings. Although Old Madam gave her ample pocket money, much had been spent on managing the maids and matrons, leaving only several dozen taels of silver. After careful calculation based on current prices, Minglan estimated this could support a farming family of six or seven for two to three years. While seemingly substantial, it couldn't accomplish much in official circles. However, she had accumulated numerous gold, silver, jade jewelry, and decorative items over the years. The calligraphy, paintings, and books gifted by elder brother Changbai were particularly valuable. Minglan decided to create an inventory ledger, systematically recording her possessions item by item.
Before she moved into Twilight Cang Study last year, Old Mrs. Sheng had retrieved a set of jewelry boxes from their old residence in Jinling and sent them over. The complete set contained nine boxes. The largest stood one chi tall with nine layers containing forty-nine open compartments and eighteen hidden ones. The smallest box was palm-sized yet opened to reveal nine tiny compartments. The boxes nested within each other, with removable partitions throughout. All were crafted from premium ebony with crabapple flower openwork carvings and inlaid with dark golden mother-of-pearl, accompanied by nine pairs of opposing fish-shaped locks in varying sizes and eighteen delicate half-fish small locks.
Though the set showed its age, the wood remained smooth and glossy. The brass and copper components were polished to a mirror-like shine, reflecting beautiful hues in the light. The exquisite antique craftsmanship left Minglan virtually speechless. This masterpiece represented the pinnacle of Tian Gong Workshop's craftsmanship - their finest artisans had worked day and night for a full month to create this premium item. It had been part of Old Mrs. Sheng's dowry!
When the set was moved into Twilight Cang Study, Rulan merely felt somewhat bitter, having seen many of Madam Wang's quality dowry items. She only made a few sour remarks and gave Minglan dirty looks for several days. But Mogang nearly turned green with envy on the spot, looking as if she could devour Minglan alive. She later wept to Consort Lin, who in turn lamented to Sheng Hong.
Sheng Hong could only shrug: Old Madam's dowry was hers to give as she pleased - what could he do? To put it bluntly, since the old lady had no biological sons after marrying into the Sheng family, if the Yongyi Marquis family came to claim remaining dowry items after her passing, he would have no grounds to object.
After licking her wounds, Consort Lin resolved to rise from where she fell and attempted to pay respects at Longevity and Peace Hall again. However, Mama Fang stopped her outside. When Consort Lin knelt weeping at the entrance, attracting household spectators, Old Mrs. Sheng took to her bed with dramatic moans. The physician's diagnosis after taking her pulse came down to two phrases: depressed moods and blocked meridians.
In simpler terms: the elder was displeased! Sheng Hong promptly dragged Consort Lin away.Initially, Minglan felt quite guilty, thinking she had brought Consort Lin upon them. However, Old Mrs. Sheng responded with utter indifference: "This isn't the first time. Whenever she wants something from me, she comes here to make a scene!"
Minglan grew curious and eagerly asked what had happened before.
Old Mrs. Sheng didn't hold back, speaking bluntly: "...That year when her affair came to light, the Madam wanted to drive her out, but the Master protected her, threatening to set her up as an outside mistress if she wasn't allowed in. The Madam refused to accept her tea of respect, so she came crying to me, kneeling on the ground for hours without getting up, begging me to fulfill her devoted heart. She pleaded day and night, saying that if I didn't fulfill her wishes, she would have no choice but to dash her brains out. I was utterly exhausted by her pestering, so I dismissed everyone and asked her one question alone: 'Why must you become the Master's concubine?' She insisted it was because she admired his talent and character! Hmph, if she had just admitted that she grew up poor and fearful of hardship, coveting wealth and luxury, I might have swallowed my anger. But she had to deceive me with talk of genuine affection! She was just counting on my past reputation, using the word 'true feelings' for everything! Hmph, what does she know about true feelings? True feelings should be... true feelings should be..."
"True feelings should be: unswayed by wealth or rank, unmoved by poverty or obscurity, unyielding to power or force!" Minglan interjected.
"Hehe, quoting Mencius like that—aren't you afraid your tutor will cane you?" Old Madam inwardly praised her but pretended to scold, lightly slapping Minglan's palm a few times.
"What happened after that?" Minglan asked, her eyes sparkling.
"Disgusted, I called the Master to speak face-to-face. I told him I could fulfill them, but I never wanted to see her again. If she agreed, I would immediately authorize her entry into the household, but she was never to come before me afterward! At first, she wept and wailed, putting on a show of torn emotions. After a few days of feigned reluctance, she half-heartedly accepted. I forced the Madam to let her in."
Minglan remained silent. Old Madam sighed and continued, "Not a word she says can be trusted. In the years after she entered, she did come to apologize to me—crying, begging, kneeling, and kowtowing as if it cost nothing. She pleaded for me to understand her sincere emotions, to forgive her unintentional mistakes... So I directly summoned your father and told him that if she bothered this old woman again, I would move out and live alone. Only then did your father issue a strict order forbidding her from coming!"
After listening for a long while, Minglan sighed softly. For a long time, she had sensed a hidden, intense emotion beneath Old Mrs. Sheng's calm, stagnant surface. She was a proud woman who loved and hated fiercely—such extremes often hurt others and, even more easily, herself.
Recalling how Molan had once tried to win her over, Minglan gradually realized Old Mrs. Sheng had a peculiar temperament: if others didn't ask, she was willing to give; if others schemed meticulously to gain something from her, she would stubbornly refuse. Thinking of this, Minglan secretly felt relieved.In her previous life, Minglan had a bright future ahead during her prime years, only to be swept away by a mudslide. After reincarnation, her circumstances were even more dire, turning her into a complete pessimist. From the day she entered Longevity and Peace Hall, she never asked for anything and always assessed Old Mrs. Sheng’s situations from the most pessimistic perspective. Noticing that Longevity and Peace Hall, unlike Madam Wang’s quarters, rarely had snacks or pastries laid out, she even saved her own pocket money to buy treats to share with the old madam, leaving Old Mrs. Sheng both amused and exasperated.
Consort Lin and Molan lacked nothing in ability, tactics, or ambition, yet they failed to understand that what the old madam truly valued was "non-contention."
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