The Story of Ming Lan

Several months later, when reuniting with Sheng Hong's family in the capital, someone once asked Minglan what kind of person He Hongwen was.

After thinking for a long time, Minglan replied: A good person.

The He family belonged to a renowned lineage. The late patriarch of the He family had founded the White Stone Pool Academy, pioneering education for scholars across the land and leading the intellectual elite for decades. Though his descendants hadn't achieved the same prominence as their ancestor, they still enjoyed both wealth and status. Old Madam He had married into a collateral branch of the He family. Her third son passed away early, leaving only He Hongwen as his sole heir, who received much affection from his grandparents.

He Hongwen had studied medicine since childhood. Shortly after the ship set sail, he brewed herbal tea to soothe Minglan's stomach. Though bitter in taste, it was quite effective—Minglan felt much better after just one dose. However, firmly believing that building her own immunity was the true solution, she refused to continue drinking it. Not wanting to appear ungrateful, she secretly poured it out instead.

One day, He Hongwen came to check on Minglan and casually asked, "Did you drink the herbal tea I sent earlier?"

Minglan replied with a straight face, "I just finished it." At that moment, Xiaotao entered carrying the cup, muttering, "Don't worry, miss, no one saw..." She abruptly stopped mid-sentence upon noticing He Hongwen.

Following He Hongwen's gaze, Minglan saw the familiar green herbal stains still visible on the white porcelain lotus-patterned bowl. He Hongwen quietly turned back to look at Minglan. Suppressing her guilt, she calmly said, "Xiaotao, why did washing a cup take you so long?" Xiaotao stood dumbfounded, only managing to stammer, "The cup... was hard to clean."

Minglan forced a dry laugh, avoiding He Hongwen's eyes. "Heh, hard to clean, indeed."

He Hongwen acted as if nothing had happened, smiling gently. "Everything on the ship is less convenient than on land."

Minglan... =_=. Danju, who was attending nearby, lacked such thick skin and turned her face away in embarrassment.

The next day, He Hongwen delivered a double portion of herbal tea in a large bowl. In his presence, Minglan heroically lifted the bowl and gulped down the bitter tea in one go, then proudly showed him the empty bottom for inspection.

He Hongwen smiled and nodded, like a teacher praising a student who had just finished copying lines as punishment.

Strictly speaking, He Hongwen was the first unrelated male Minglan had truly interacted with. Their grandmothers, reunited after long separation, hid in the cabin to catch up on decades of conversation. Under the watchful eyes of elderly maids and young servants, Minglan and He Hongwen ended up meeting several times.

As was customary for young men and women's first encounters in ancient times, their conversation began typically: "What books has little sister Minglan read?"

This sounded familiar to Minglan—she had been required to memorize the section about Lin Daiyu entering the Jia household in her high school textbook. Following Grandmother Jia's classic response, she covered her sleeve demurely and said, "I merely recognize a few characters, enough to avoid being completely illiterate."

She felt quite pleased with her refined lady-like answer.

He Hongwen raised an eyebrow noncommittally, then turned his gaze to the right, fixing it on a stack of practice calligraphy paper on the desk. The ink stains showed considerable writing practice. Embarrassed, Minglan added, "I've only just begun reading 'Admonitions for Women' and 'Classic of Filial Piety.'"

He Hongwen still didn't speak, instead shifting his gaze leftward to the bookshelf. There, piled haphazardly, were several well-thumbed books lying open—covering topics from medicine and divination to astronomy and geography. These were all leisure books Minglan had begged Changbai and Changdong to help her acquire.Minglan was caught red-handed once again. Forcing out a few dry laughs, she said, "...My elder brother asked me to bring this for our cousin."

He Hongwen appeared quite understanding, smiling as he replied, "Your brother has remarkably diverse interests."

The corner of Minglan's mouth twitched as she offered a few more strained chuckles—Heavens above! Forgive her for this! Her brother Changbai only read serious texts, her brother Changsong only pored over account books, and her cousin Changwu felt dizzy at the sight of characters!

The most admirable thing about He Hongwen was his ability to sincerely play along even when exposing Minglan's lies, appearing completely convinced by her flimsy excuses. Faced with such tactfulness, Minglan felt she could no longer maintain her facade and began treating him with genuine sincerity.

As they approached Jinling, the weather grew warmer. During her previous northward journey to Dengzhou, Minglan had just arrived in this world—physically weak, short of breath, and at a low point in life, she had no leisure to appreciate the scenery. Now, however, her mood was entirely different. The landscape along the riverbanks grew increasingly delicate and gentle. Sitting by the window, Minglan watched the scenery and the busy canal transport of goods on barges and sampans. Having traveled this route numerous times, He Hongwen cheerfully pointed out and explained the sights.

"Big white bird, big-mouthed bird... sack boat!" Minglan exclaimed dully, her vocabulary strikingly limited.

He Hongwen laughed and explained, "Those are cormorants, excellent at catching fish... Those are seagulls... Wait, no, those are grain transport boats..."

Minglan, bright and playful, and He Hongwen, reserved and steady, found great joy in each other's company.

"...My mother wished for me to pursue imperial examinations and become an official, but I've failed to live up to expectations. I only enjoy studying medicinal herbs and medical texts," He Hongwen confessed with embarrassment.

"Brother He, you undervalue yourself. Studying sacred texts serves to assist wise rulers in governing the nation above, and bring honor to ancestors while benefiting descendants below. Yet all paths lead to the same destination—practicing medicine to aid the world can equally benefit common people and glorify one's family. Your grandmother's father possessed extraordinary medical skills and ethics. In his youth, he personally traveled to epidemic areas to save lives, and in his later years, he presided over the Imperial Hospital and promulgated medical decrees. How the world admired him!" Minglan spoke with utmost sincerity. Medicine was truly a noble profession—and when done well, quite lucrative too.

He Hongwen's eyes lit up, smiling warmly at the girl across from him.

"My father passed away early, and my mother is frail and ill. My inability to fulfill her wishes by pursuing scholarly honors makes me an unfilial son," He Hongwen's melancholy hung over the autumn scenery like a thin veil.

Minglan spread out her pale, delicate hands, revealing visible needle marks: "I've never enjoyed embroidery. Grandmother hired several tutors to teach me, but the butterflies I stitch still resemble houseflies. When I think about it, I'm being unfilial too."

He Hongwen smiled gently. "You're still young, younger sister. With gradual practice, you'll surely improve. My cousin Jin'er excels at embroidery, but that came from daily practice." Minglan rubbed her fingers and casually asked, "Oh? Does she live in Jinling too?"

He Hongwen's expression darkened. "No... Several years ago, her father was convicted in the 'Xiaoliangshan Mine Case,' and the entire family was exiled to Liangzhou."

Minglan fell silent. Several years ago, the Xiaoliangshan mine collapse had killed over a hundred miners. The mine owner colluded with local officials to embezzle compensation funds and instead arrested the widows and orphans of the deceased miners, nearly sparking public outrage and major unrest.

The Emperor had been furious upon learning of this. He knew it was merely residual fallout from the succession struggle, but could only punish the primary culprits among the officials. Accomplices received symbolic punishments, so few officials were ultimately implicated. She hadn't expected his cousin's family to be among those few scapegoats."...Well, since it's exile, the crime likely isn't too severe - those with heavy sentences would have been executed. Isn't there a general pardon? Your cousin should be able to return eventually." Minglan could only offer such comfort. With the new emperor's ascension came amnesty; unless convicted of unforgivable crimes, exiled prisoners were generally pardoned. Everyone knew the old emperor's days were numbered.

He Hongwen was deeply grateful for Minglan's kindness. After a long pause, he said: "My uncle was indeed at fault back then. Where there's wrongdoing, punishment follows - it wasn't unjust. But pardon would naturally be welcome." He paused again before adding: "I have some self-prepared snow clam ointment for little Ming's hands. When doing needlework in winter, fingers become stiff. This ointment can promote blood circulation and soothe meridians."

The youth's words were gentle, his gaze warm, like the last pale golden sunlight of late autumn when chill first begins to emerge, slowly warming Minglan's cheeks until they grew flushed.

After five or six more days of sailing, they finally docked. The pier was crowded with servants and stewards craning their necks to look - half were Sheng Wei's people coming to escort Minglan's party to Youyang, while the other half wore mournful expressions, there to take Old Mrs. He directly to her parental home in Jinling where her gravely ill father lay.

Old Mrs. He held Old Madam Sheng's hand and spoke at length before letting go. He Hongwen earnestly advised Minglan: "Ming, you should take care of your health." Long journeys with constant travel by carriage and boat are most likely to cause illness. After returning, rest properly for several days before going out to play."

Minglan nodded vigorously.

Sheng Wei had come personally with his eldest son Changsong to meet them. This was Minglan's first time meeting this elder cousin - he had slightly dark skin, thick eyebrows and large eyes, a resonant voice, and an open, hearty demeanor, bearing strong resemblance to Changwu. Upon seeing Minglan, he laughed heartily: "This must be our sixth cousin Minglan! Father's been talking about you constantly in front of Pinlan - she's been clamoring to meet you for years!"Ming sister has never been to Youyang, right?" It's a wonderful place - our Sheng family's ancestral home and clan temple are both there. It's just an hour's carriage ride to Jinling. Later I'll take you and Pinlan out to explore."

"Jinling has too many high officials and nobles - as business people, we don't mix in those circles. It's better to stay in our hometown - spacious with beautiful scenery. Doesn't Ming's younger sister like fishing? We'll prepare fishing gear for you later. With miles of fish ponds, you could practically poke the water with a rod and catch something!"

"Autumn mountains are most beautiful. Before winter comes, you must see the mountains covered with maple trees - different from those in the capital, less refined but more wild..."

The day was clear and warm, with refreshing autumn breezes. Even sitting in the sedan chair didn't feel stuffy. While Sheng Wei conversed with Old Madam Sheng, cousin Changsong rode alongside Minglan's sedan, keeping her entertained with constant chatter. Minglan felt the joy of a child going on an outing.

Though surnamed Sheng (prosperous), the family originally wasn't prosperous at all - rather, they were somewhat "leftover." It wasn't until Old Master Sheng seized opportunities during the dynasty transition to build wealth, currying favor with several high officials and following the merchant-official collusion route, that the Sheng family gradually flourished. They repaired the Ancestral Temple, built a clan shrine, and constructed a massive residence in their hometown Youyang. Those of merchant backgrounds often pursue cultural refinement - the old master's first act after prospering was to hire at great cost a young lady from a declining scholarly-official family as his wife, with whom he had three sons.The eldest son inherited the family estate but was licentious and pleasure-seeking, becoming infatuated with a concubine of singing-girl origins. He created a farce of favoring the concubine over the wife, and it was said that by the time he died, the family fortune was nearly depleted. The second son was Minglan's grandfather, an elegant and dashing Tanhua (third-ranked scholar in imperial examinations) who married the fiery-tempered daughter of a marquis. Their relationship became almost hostile, and he died from a common cold before reaching thirty. The third son was the most extreme—indulging in drinking, gambling, and womanizing—yet he managed to live to this day.

Minglan sighed deeply: the attempt at genetic improvement had failed completely, with all lines wiped out.

Servants had already been sent ahead to announce their arrival at the old residence. When Minglan's party arrived, the main gate of the Sheng residence was wide open, with a row of well-dressed women standing at the entrance. As Old Mrs. Sheng and Minglan stepped down from their sedan chairs, a middle-aged woman with a round face stepped forward, bowing deeply to Old Mrs. Sheng with a smile: "Aunt, you've finally arrived! Our Old Madam has been waiting so eagerly her neck has grown long. Not seeing you all these years, yet seeing you so hale and hearty—nothing could make your niece-in-law happier!"

While speaking, she noticed a delicate young girl standing behind Old Mrs. Sheng and tentatively asked: "Is this my niece?" Old Mrs. Sheng chuckled: "Exactly this little monkey. She's been raised by my side since childhood, perfect to keep Pinlan company."

Then she glanced meaningfully at Minglan.

Minglan immediately stepped forward, standing properly and respectfully before bowing obediently: "Greetings, Da Bomu. May Da Bomu be well."

Li Shi's eyes curved into smiling slits as she repeatedly said: "Good, good, good child." She carefully touched Minglan's face, admiration shining in her gaze: "This child is truly beautiful and well-mannered. You must stay longer this time and teach your wild monkey of a cousin Pinlan, lest she remains like an unbridled wild horse." Then she pointed to a young woman beside her: "This is your Eldest Sister-in-law. If you need anything during your stay, feel free to tell her."

Minglan bowed again respectfully: "Greetings, Eldest Sister-in-law."

Wen Shi immediately helped Minglan up, saying gently: "No need for such formality, younger sister. After paying respects to Old Madam, you can see if you like the room prepared for you. If not, we'll change it immediately. This is your own home—please don't stand on ceremony."

Li Shi, plump and dignified, was both warm and authoritative. While speaking, she already guided Old Mrs. Sheng's party inward, passing through the second gate and tea rooms, following the corridor into the inner residence. After circling around the screen wall, they entered the main hall where Da Lao Taitai lived. Entering, Minglan saw a silver-haired old woman sitting at the center—thin and frail in appearance, but with exceptionally bright eyes. The moment she saw Old Mrs. Sheng, she stood up and reached out with both hands.

Old Mrs. Sheng hurried forward several steps, calling: "Eldest sister-in-law."

Da Lao Taitai returned the greeting affectionately: "Sister-in-law, it's been many years. With your poor health and following Hong'er to various official posts, I didn't want to burden you. I only hoped to see you once more in this lifetime—today my wish is granted by Buddha's grace."

Her voice choked slightly with emotion. Old Mrs. Sheng, quite moved, exchanged some warm words before having Minglan kneel and pay respects. Da Lao Taitai held Minglan's hand and examined her carefully, nodding repeatedly: "This child is lovely—pretty and blessed with good fortune."This was the second time today someone had praised her beauty. Minglan had to resist the urge to touch her own face. How beautiful could a twelve-year-old girl really be? It was probably just polite flattery among relatives—after all, one couldn’t very well say upon meeting, "Why does your child look like a squat gourd?"

Changwu, usually straightforward, seemed unusually bashful today. Ever since Minglan entered and said, "Congratulations, Brother Wu," he had turned as red as a boiled lobster. After stammering a few replies to Old Mrs. Sheng, he stood stiffly to the side, head bowed and face flushed, cultivating the reserved demeanor befitting a groom.

While Old Mrs. Sheng and Da Lao Taitai were talking, Li Shi pulled Minglan over and pointed to a girl of similar age standing nearby. "This is your cousin Pinlan. Actually, you two are the same age."

Minglan looked at the girl. She had a round face and large eyes, resembling Li Shi, with a pair of spirited, elegant eyebrows that gave her face a vibrant energy. The girl was also studying Minglan. When their eyes met, Minglan smiled warmly and greeted, "Hello, Sister Pinlan."

The girl’s eyes sparkled as she replied, "Hello, Minglan."

Then, stealing a glance at her mother and seeing that Li Shi had gone to attend to the two elderly ladies, she gave Minglan an exaggerated wink with her left eye. Startled, Minglan quickly glanced around before her playful side took over. She winked back in response, then immediately lowered the corners of her mouth, assuming an expression of perfect innocence.

Pinlan’s eyes widened, brimming with laughter.