Pinlan strode boldly into the room with Minglan following closely behind. Upon entering the inner chamber, they found it crowded with female relatives—madams, young mistresses, married women, and unmarried girls either seated or standing, all adorned in resplendent jewelry that filled the space with dazzling brilliance. The third wife, seated at the side, clapped her hands and laughed upon seeing Minglan enter, exclaiming, "Ah, speak of the devil! Here comes the very person we were just discussing!"
Minglan acted as though she hadn’t heard, simply following Pinlan as they paid their respects to the elders one by one. Then, she respectfully went to stand beside Old Mrs. Sheng, who was seated at the head of the room. Next to her cousin Shulan sat an elderly woman—Shulan’s mother-in-law. Dressed in a russet-red embroidered jacket, she had five or six large jeweled hairpins haphazardly stuck in her hair, along with a velvet rose. Her neck and wrists were laden with jewelry, and she was covered from head to toe in gold and silver, glittering so brightly it was almost blinding.
From the moment Minglan entered, Sun’s mother had been scrutinizing her from head to toe. After a long while, her wrinkled face broke into a smile, and she remarked, "The other day, I heard from my kinswoman, the third wife, about this child and thought she sounded wonderful. Now that I’ve seen her in person, she truly carries herself like a young lady from a great family. My, what a fine-looking girl!" She then turned to the two elderly madams at the head and said with a laugh, "My nephew is about the same age as this child. Why not take advantage of today’s joyous occasion to strengthen our family ties further? What do you think, dear kinswoman?"
Having spoken, she fixed her gaze directly on them, waiting for a reply. Most of the women in the room stopped their conversations and looked over.
Minglan sneered inwardly. Usually, when proposing a marriage, people avoided being too direct to prevent rejection. Yet this mother of Scholar Sun had the audacity to bring up the match so bluntly in front of half the county’s prominent families—how could they possibly refuse without causing offense?
Well, truth be told, Minglan disliked the way Sun’s mother was eyeing her, as if she were picking out eggs at a market.
Old Mrs. Sheng stirred the tea leaves with her cup lid, remaining silent. Da Lao Taitai frowned slightly and was about to say something to ease the tension when Sheng Yun cut in first: "Oh, dear kinswoman, you do have a sense of humor! Your nephew is nearly twenty, and my little niece here is still so young. How can you call that 'about the same age'? Ah, no, no, that won’t do."
Sun’s mother’s expression soured. "What does a few years’ difference matter? He can keep some women in his chambers for now, and once the wife enters the household, she’ll be well taken care of."
The women in the room reacted with varied expressions—some amused, some shocked, others shaking their heads in disapproval. Many wore looks of scorn and disdain, immediately lowering their heads to whisper among themselves. Minglan couldn’t help but feel a grudging admiration for this scholar’s mother. Before even securing a match, she was openly discussing the prospect of concubines. Either Sun’s mother was deliberately picking a fight, or she genuinely saw nothing wrong with it—ignorance truly was bliss.
Yet they couldn’t openly forbid the idea of keeping women in chambers, or they’d be labeled "jealous." Sheng Yun’s eyes sparkled with a sudden idea, and she said with a laugh, "Dear kinswoman, since you’re selecting a niece-in-law, I must also evaluate my potential nephew-in-law. Our Sheng family holds some modest reputation. My cousin holds a respectable official rank, not to mention his son, who is a Hanlin academician appointed by the emperor! So, dear kinswoman, what merits does your nephew bring to the table when seeking a wife? Does he have any scholarly honors, or perhaps lands and shops? After all, a woman marries for clothing and food—you must give us some details to consider."Sheng Yun spoke rapidly and crisply, her forthright temperament being well-known throughout the county. Her half-truthful, half-facetious remarks made everyone in the room laugh. They all knew that Sun Mu's nephew had been orphaned at a young age and had merely been clinging to his aunt's household. He idled about all day, relying solely on his glib tongue to win Sun Mu's favor.
However, ever since her son passed the imperial examination to become a xiucai, Sun Mu had considered her family a scholarly household and looked down on ordinary families. She was determined to find a good match for her nephew and had pestered every prominent family in the county. Out of respect for the Sheng family, no one had been outright rude to her. After several polite rejections, Sun Mu grew somewhat discouraged. A few days ago, upon hearing Third Madam mention Minglan, she revived her hopes. She thought that although Minglan came from an official family, she was merely a concubine-born daughter. By making a marriage proposal, Sun Mu would actually be honoring her. Yet, to her surprise, neither of the two old madams responded, leaving her hanging dryly. Moreover, Sheng Yun's sharp tongue showed no mercy, each word striking a nerve. Sun Mu's face darkened: "My nephew may lack scholarly honors or wealth, but he is the legitimate son of his father's primary wife!"
Pinlan's small face flushed crimson, her eyes nearly spitting fire. Beneath her sleeve, she unconsciously clenched Minglan's hand with such force it almost drew blood. Minglan lowered her head and freed her other hand to gently pat Pinlan—Li Shi was also concubine-born.
When Sheng Wei was seeking a wife, the elder Sheng master had nearly squandered the family fortune. Fortunately, Old Master Li, being kind-hearted, remembered the friendship he shared with Old Master Sheng during their wealth-building years and arranged for his granddaughter to marry into the Sheng family. However, his son and daughter-in-law were unwilling and intervened to substitute a concubine-born daughter instead. Who could have predicted how fortunes would shift over thirty years? Now, within the Li family, Li Shi had married the best—her husband was both capable of earning money and devoted solely to her. The legitimate daughter who had been replaced back then had ended up in a far less desirable marriage, likely regretting it deeply.
One should not expose others' shortcomings. Over the years, as the Sheng family gradually prospered, no one had brought up Li Shi's origins again. Sun Mu's words were excessive. The room fell into silence, and everyone glanced at the Sheng family members and Madam Zhu, the aunt-by-marriage who was quietly sipping tea beside them. They saw that the eldest madam, Li Shi, who had remained silent until now, was staring directly at Sun Mu, her eyes icy cold, as she said calmly, "There is an order of seniority. Minglan has several older sisters above her. In terms of age, Third Uncle's daughter Hui Jie would be a better match for your nephew."
Third Madam, who had been gloating moments earlier, suddenly found the spear turned toward her and was struck squarely. She hastily waved her hands, "No, no, that won't do! My family would never accept a lazy, impoverished..." She abruptly stopped, seeing Sun Mu glaring furiously at her. If not for the crowd watching, Sun Mu would likely have assumed her field-tilling stance and started hitting her.
Nevertheless, the women in the room understood Third Madam's meaning. They covered their mouths with light laughter, casting mocking glances at both Sun Mu and Third Madam, making their old faces burn crimson.
Pinlan was inwardly delighted and finally released Minglan's hand. Minglan also felt a sense of vindication. She tugged Pinlan's sleeve, and the two quietly retreated a few steps, moving away from the crowd to rest behind the lattice screen.
At that moment, a beautiful young woman seated beside Third Madam covered her mouth with a light laugh and said, "Mother, don't be so quick to refuse. Brother-in-law Sun holds an official rank—perhaps Madam Sun wouldn't even consider our sister worthy!"Lady Sun’s expression softened slightly as she snorted coldly, “Indeed, Third Madam worries too much—!” She deliberately drew out the last syllable, causing Third Madam to tremble with rage. Huilan, standing behind her, was mortified, lowering her head to bite her lip and twisting a handkerchief fiercely in her hands. She shot a glare at the beautiful young woman, who paid her no mind and didn’t even glance her way. The other women in the room snickered softly.
With so many people earlier, Minglan hadn’t managed to remember everyone. Pinlan quickly explained, “The one in watery red sitting beside Third Aunt is Sister Yuelan, and the good-natured one next to her is Sister Xiulan.”
Minglan made a sound of understanding. The legitimate mother, legitimate sister, and the illegitimate daughter—truly, the saying “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” likely didn’t apply to Yuelan.
Huilan, noticing the women around her whispering and pointing as if at her, flushed crimson with embarrassment. She stamped her foot and, unable to bear it any longer, turned and rushed out. Seeing her sister’s rudeness, Xiulan offered an apology and followed her out. Yuelan, growing impatient sitting with Third Madam, stood up and walked over to Pinlan and Minglan. With a familiar air, she reached out to touch Minglan’s clothes and hair, saying with a smile, “What a lovely little sister—I took a liking to you the moment I saw you.”
Minglan had met many women in Dengzhou but had never encountered anyone so forward. She subtly shifted her body to avoid the touch. Pinlan watched coldly without saying a word. Yuelan, undeterred by the sisters’ lack of response, continued talking to herself. Pinlan, annoyed by her, pursed her lips and turned away to fetch some tea and snacks.
As Yuelan chattered, her eyes fixed greedily on the pearl-and-gold-thread floral hairpins adorning Minglan’s twin buns. The gold filigree was exquisitely crafted, and the pearls were round, lustrous, and clearly valuable. Envy stirred in her heart as she reached out to touch them, saying, “I’ve never seen pearls this big before! Second Uncle is an official, so you must be used to luxury, little sister. Why not lend these to me for a couple of days? It’ll help me look grand in my in-laws’ home!”
Minglan widened her eyes in astonishment. Was this… a request for her belongings?
She suddenly found herself missing Molan. No matter how scheming Molan was, at least her tactics were of a higher caliber—she would never stoop to shamelessly demanding things from a cousin she’d just met. Before Minglan could respond, Yuelan had already acted, swiftly plucking the hairpin from Minglan’s head to examine it closely. Stroking it with satisfaction, she turned back to Minglan and smiled, “Thank you, little sister. I’ll return it to you later.” With that, she began to fasten it into her own hair, leaving Minglan speechless.
Just then, Pinlan returned with the tea and snacks and caught the tail end of Yuelan’s words. Fury flared within her. She crept up behind Yuelan and, with a sudden move, snatched the hairpin back, thrusting it into Minglan’s hands. She sneered, “Is this borrowing or robbing, Sister Yuelan? Minglan hasn’t even agreed, and you’ve already helped yourself! They say your husband is wealthy—are you still coveting your little sister’s things? What kind of sister acts like this?”
Yuelan, seeing the prize snatched away, flared up in anger, “I was speaking with Minglan—what right do you have to butt in? Pah, you spiteful creature! Watch out or you’ll never marry!” She then turned to Minglan with a smile, “Little sister, you must understand—us country gentry may have money, but we can’t buy fine things like these. I only wanted to borrow them for a couple of days. Surely you’re not that stingy, are you?”Pinlan was about to retort when Minglan grabbed her arm. Minglan calmed Pinlan with a look, then turned to Yuelan with a smile and said seriously, "My apologies, I'm stingy. I won't lend it."
Having said that, she immediately pulled Pinlan forward. Yuelan stood rooted to the spot, gaping, as she watched Pinlan help Minglan readjust the floral hairpiece while moving closer to Old Madam to chat cheerfully. Not daring to chase after them to demand it further, Yuelan could only stomp her foot in frustration. She was accustomed to coveting others' belongings; she had thought that after snatching the hairpiece, she would quickly return to the main hall. Seeing Minglan remain silent earlier, she assumed the girl was timid and too embarrassed to make a scene, thinking the matter would quietly blow over once they returned home. Never had she expected...
Yuelan returned sulkily to Third Madam's side, only to learn that the opera outside was about to begin. Most of the women in the room had already followed First Madam Li Shi out. Yuelan hurriedly caught up with Third Madam. Sheng Yun and the two old madams had intended to go as well but were detained by Sun's mother, with Aunt Zhu also listening nearby. Pinlan and Minglan found a pair of stools to sit on and chat by themselves.
Sun's mother was there, boasting extravagantly about her son with no bounds: "...The county magistrate insisted on inviting my Zhi'er for a drink, saying he wanted him to write a plaque! Oh my, Zhi'er had no choice but to agree. To be honest, it's the magistrate's good fortune to receive Zhi'er's calligraphy..."
Pinlan could bear it no longer and whispered into Minglan's ear, "In truth, it was brother-in-law who got drunk and insisted on giving his writing to the magistrate! And that time, my father had matters to discuss with the magistrate, but brother-in-law barged in, drank recklessly, and spouted nonsense, causing my father no end of apologies to the magistrate!"
Minglan was utterly embarrassed. This Sun's mother was something else—she could probably get a job at CNN.
After indulging in self-praise for a long while, Sun's mother finally remembered Old Mrs. Sheng: "I heard your grandson is also a scholar, Old Madam. How old was he when he passed the imperial examination at the county level?" This was Sun's mother's favorite topic, one she never tired of. Even if the other party had topped the palace examination, if they had passed the county-level exam at an older age than her son, she would still boast endlessly.
Old Mrs. Sheng chuckled lightly, "Fifteen." Sun's mother was quite pleased: "Oh, that's later than our Zhi'er, but still quite young and talented." Old Mrs. Sheng replied modestly and offhandedly, "Not particularly talented. That year in Dengzhou, there were several child scholars aged eleven or twelve."
Sun's mother forced a dry laugh, "That's nothing special. Perhaps the exams were particularly easy that year. Even if they're all scholars, it doesn't mean they're all talented."
This remark offended Aunt Zhu, who was nearby. Unable to hold back, she retorted sarcastically, "Speaking of which, how many times has your son taken the provincial-level exam since passing the county-level one at twelve? Why hasn't he passed yet?"
Sun's mother suppressed her anger: "Some people take decades! What's a few years?"
Aunt Zhu covered her mouth with a light laugh: "You're quite right. Decades do happen."Sun's mother was furious. Seeing that the women of the Sheng family did not come to her aid, she had no outlet for her pent-up anger and turned to scold her daughter-in-law Shulan beside her: "Why haven't you refilled your mother-in-law's tea? So useless and lacking in perception, what good are you?" Shulan, publicly humiliated, flushed crimson to the tips of her ears and lowered her head to summon a maid. Pinlan, witnessing her sister's distress, felt a pang of heartache but could not speak out, only clenching her fists. Minglan quickly whispered in her ear, "Don't act rashly, stay calm, stay calm. Your grandmother knows what she's doing."
Old Mrs. Sheng continued watching the tea leaves drift without showing any emotion. Da Lao Taitai grew somewhat angry but did not let it show on her face, listening quietly instead.
Sun's mother watched Shulan walk away with dissatisfaction, pursed her lips, and turned back to say, "Dear mother-in-law, it's not that I'm boasting, but finding someone with both the character and appearance of my son Zhi is as rare as searching for a lantern in broad daylight! For your daughter to marry into our family is a blessing accumulated over eight lifetimes! Yet after all these years, she still hasn't produced an heir. In any other family, she would have been sent away with a letter of divorce long ago."
Sheng Yun, who was fiercely protective of her own, closed her mouth but ultimately couldn't hold back: "Some women take ten years after marriage to bear children! In these four or five years, my niece has even helped her husband take in several concubines!"
Madam Zhu chimed in, "That's right. Offspring are bestowed by ancestors and heaven. With a house full of concubines already, what more could you want?"
Sun's mother sneered, "If she were truly virtuous, she would have allowed those women to enter the household properly, instead of keeping them outside and making us a laughingstock."
Da Lao Taitai said sternly, "How can women of unclean origins enter the family? Your son-in-law is a scholar—how can you say such things without fearing to disgrace your ancestors?"
Sun's mother retorted indignantly, "Your daughter is incompetent herself, yet she wants to prevent her husband from taking concubines? Do you expect our family line to die out?"
Pinlan could bear it no longer. Unable to listen any further, she turned and walked away. Minglan hurriedly chased after her. Pinlan, physically strong but emotionally distraught, ran nearly half a mile in one breath while Minglan nearly exhausted herself catching up under a willow tree. Clutching Pinlan's arm tightly, Minglan refused to let go, panting heavily.
Pinlan kicked the tree repeatedly, cursing angrily, "Damn it! How could someone as good as my sister end up in such a situation? Why? Why?"
Minglan patted her chest, catching her breath, and waited until Pinlan had tired herself out kicking. Then she slowly led her to a well-sheltered artificial hill, where they sat on a clean rock. Minglan didn't know how to comfort her. If she were still a modern clerk, she would have boldly shouted, "Get a divorce!" But here... alas... The two sisters sat in silence for a long time when suddenly, hurried footsteps and voices came from behind the artificial hill.
"...Sister, don't go! Let me finish what I have to say!"
"I'm going to watch the opera. There's no need for you to say more—I don't want to hear it."
—It was Xiulan and Huilan! Pinlan and Minglan quickly exchanged glances.
As an experienced eavesdropper, Minglan's first instinct was to cover Pinlan's mouth. To her surprise, Pinlan was faster, placing a hand over her own mouth and sitting perfectly still, intently listening. Watching such a smooth and practiced motion, Minglan couldn't help but wonder: Could she be a fellow enthusiast?Over there, Xiulan spoke up—"Marriage is as crucial to us women as being reborn. You mustn't be foolish, sister! I've heard of that young master—though wealthy, he's lustful and fond of women, with many concubines since his teens."
"What can I do? Aunt guards against me like a thief—I can't even catch a glimpse of Cousin Taisheng. Now that I'm of age, I have to find another way out," Huilan said bitterly.
"Taisheng? Oh, don't even think about that. There are things you don't know. Back then, Aunt wanted to marry Uncle, but our grandfather insisted that Great Uncle arrange her marriage to another family, even nearly beating Uncle to death. I heard it was Second Old Madam who stepped in to save him. Even if Aunt doesn't hold a grudge, she won't look favorably on our branch of the family," Xiulan said with a sigh.
Pinlan and Minglan exchanged glances—so there was such a story? Pinlan's eyes sparkled with excitement, while Minglan was filled with gossipy curiosity—so Uncle and Aunt had a love marriage!
A few dull thuds sounded, as if someone was stamping their feet, and Huilan's voice came from behind the rockery: "...Sister, look at their extravagance today, and what Pinlan and Minglan are wearing—any single piece of their jewelry is worth all of mine! I won't live in poverty. If I marry, it must be into wealth!"
"Don't be silly. Marriage isn't just about money. Although your brother-in-law's family is poor, he treats me sincerely, and my mother-in-law is considerate. Now, with him and our two children, I'm more content than if I had lavish feasts every day! Don't envy Yuelan for marrying rich—her husband is utterly shameless, chasing women daily and beating her whenever he pleases. Even the concubines with children don't respect her. Would you want that life? You should sincerely ask Da Bomu for help—she'll make decisions for you," Xiulan pleaded earnestly.
Huilan seemed to sneer a few times: "That's because you're lucky, sister. You and Shulan married at the same time—how did she fare? She married a scholar from a poor family, but he wasn't as kind-hearted as your husband! He lives off his wife's dowry yet bosses her around all day, and Shulan is too weak to stand up to him! Hmph, forget it. Wealth is more reliable..."
After saying this, heavy footsteps echoed, as if she had stormed off, leaving Xiulan hurrying after her, their voices fading into the distance.
Pinlan slowly released her hand from Minglan's mouth, a faint, ambiguous smile on her face. She said leisurely, "Ming sister, suddenly I'm not angry anymore. After all, no matter what, my sister has never been laid a finger on."
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[Author's Note]
Huasheng, also known as floral victory, is an ancient women's hair ornament shaped like flowers, typically worn in the hair or on the forehead. (According to Baidu.)
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