"On such a fine day, why must you lose your temper so? Heng'er is grown now—how must he feel when you keep beating his servants?" Lord Qi, having changed into casual attire, reclined against the kang as he spoke to his wife.
Princess Pingning, draped in a bean-green embroidered brocade jacket, held a delicate porcelain bowl of ginseng soup. Her face darkened at his words. "That disgraceful boy! Instead of helping manage affairs during his grandfather's birthday celebration or seizing the chance to acquaint himself with uncles and elders, he schemed with such underhanded tricks. Hmph! When the girl paid him no mind, he moped all day. When seeing off guests earlier, his face was so sour you'd think he was collecting debts."
Lord Qi sighed. "Don't be angry. You've already sent Chun'er far away, and no one else knows of this. Ah... after all, she comes from a scholarly family—the girl knows her place. Let this matter rest."
Princess Pingning asked curiously, "Then why are you sighing?"
Lord Qi gazed at the carved cloud patterns on the beam overhead and said wistfully, "We only have this one son. He's been sensible and studious since childhood. When he was seven or eight, he went cricket-fighting with the Duke of Ling's young master and returned to a thrashing from you. That night when I checked on him, he was struggling to sit up and finish his tutor's assignments."
Princess Pingning fell silent. Lord Qi continued, "Heng'er has never given us cause for worry or asked for anything—this is the first time he's defied your wishes. Truth be told, I noticed years ago how taken he was with Sheng-xiong's youngest daughter. I didn't mention it then, thinking it was just a childish infatuation that would fade in time. But now... I believe he truly loves that girl."
The princess's expression shifted several times before she forced a smile. "They say the father should be stern and the mother kind, but our roles are reversed—I'm the cruel mother, you're the merciful father. But would you really let our son marry the illegitimate daughter of a fifth-rank official?"
Lord Qi said nothing. Princess Pingning glanced at her husband's downcast eyes and continued slowly, "Though your nephew is sickly, he's still alive and well. I won't curse him to die early just so our son can inherit the title. This means we must plan for Heng'er's future! I've already sounded out the palace—His Majesty still favors the Third Prince, only worrying he lacks an heir. The Sixth Royal Concubine's movements are being watched by the palace, and since His Majesty hasn't commented, isn't that tacit approval? County Princess Jiacheng seems decent in both appearance and temperament—where else could we find such a good match?"
Lord Qi sighed again—he'd never been a match for his princess wife in debates. "I only hope Heng'er can come around."
Princess Pingning studied her husband's kind face, recalling how their son had knelt weeping and begging earlier. Her heart softened slightly. The couple sat in silence, broken only by the clinking of her spoon stirring the soup. After a while, her expression relaxed as she said gently, "I do care for our son. If... he truly loves her, perhaps after the county princess enters our household, we could seek to take that girl as Heng'er's concubine? She's merely an illegitimate daughter—it would be suitable enough..."Before he could finish speaking, Lord Qi seemed to choke on his saliva and started coughing. He waved his hands repeatedly: "No, no, no, don't even think about it!... Although Brother Sheng hasn't said anything himself, his eldest son clearly has a promising future. He's only had two audiences with His Majesty but has already received imperial praise once. Brother Sheng is a shrewd man - just look at the marriages he arranged for his son and daughter. One connects him with powerful nobility, the other with respected scholars. How could he possibly agree to give his daughter away as a concubine? Would he still be able to face me in official circles afterwards? Moreover, he once mentioned to me that his youngest daughter was raised by Old Madam since childhood. You know better than I what kind of person Old Madam Sheng is."Princess Pingning still disagreed: "She's just a daughter of a concubine, what's so special about her?""
Lord Qi gave his wife a disapproving look: "Let me say one more thing - don't let the flattery you've received these past few days go to your head. If Brother Sheng really intended to make his daughter someone's concubine, why would it have to be Heng'er? In the capital and throughout the fiefdoms, how many princes and nobles are there? If he could really swallow his pride and send his daughter away, she might even become a secondary consort!"
Princess Pingning recalled seeing Minglan earlier that day - even she couldn't help but take an extra look. With such quality and appearance, becoming a secondary consort wouldn't be difficult. Thinking this, she suddenly chuckled softly. Lord Qi asked curiously: "What is it?"
Princess Pingning gently put down her bowl and smiled: "I'm laughing at how similar you and your son are. Just now, Heng came to beg me, saying all sorts of sweet words and making countless promises. When I couldn't shake him off, I suggested taking Minglan as a concubine. He immediately panicked, repeatedly saying it wouldn't do, that Minglan has a strong character. He nearly knelt right there amidst the broken porcelain pieces."
Lord Qi snorted through his nose: "Naturally. Old Madam Sheng was absolutely resolute in her day."
The Princess sighed: "Speaking of which, among the three sisters in that family, that child is actually the most impressive - well-behaved, sensible, with outstanding character and appearance. Seeing how obediently she serves her grandmother and legal mother, I quite like her too. What a pity we have no fateful connection."
After a while, Lord Qi suddenly remembered something and turned to ask his wife: "So you're inclined toward the Sixth Prince's side? What about young Consort Rong? Her elder brother has come to sound us out several times."
Mentioning this made Princess Pingning tremble with anger, the pair of phoenix-patterned gold bracelets inlaid with gems on her wrists clinking together: "Pah! Their ancestors for eight generations were all bricklayers' slaves! They're just relying on youth and good looks to please His Majesty. How dare that vulgar family entertain thoughts about ours! They're living in a fool's paradise! Now that His Majesty is growing older and she hasn't produced any children, her good days are numbered!"
After pondering for a moment, Lord Qi said decisively: "That's just as well. But you mustn't refuse too absolutely. Push this matter to Sixth Royal Concubine instead - pretend to be in a difficult position and let those two families fight it out themselves. This way we won't offend anyone, and Sixth Royal Concubine will know we're not desperate. We should maintain some dignity, lest Heng'er can't hold his head up before the County Magistrate's daughter in the future. As for the matter between Heng'er and the Sheng family's daughter, keep it completely secret."
Princess Pingning smiled: "I'll do as you say."
...After returning from the Marquis of Xiangyang's residence that day, Minglan slept in the Longevity and Peace Hall that very night. She recounted the matter with Qi Heng in detail and expressed her true feelings. Old Mrs. Sheng held her little granddaughter without saying a word, only letting out a long sigh. The grandmother and granddaughter lay awake with their eyes open until late at night, when all was quiet. In her half-asleep state, Minglan suddenly heard the old madam whisper softly, "You're a clever child. Knowing it's a dead end ahead, you won't take that path again."
Exhaustion washed over her all at once. Minglan felt her eyes grow moist and rested her head against her grandmother's arm, letting the fabric absorb all her weakness and hesitation. She told herself that when she woke from this sleep, she would continue to live well and happily.
On the second day of the twelfth lunar month, Madam Wang invited tailors from the Heavenly Clothes Pavilion to take measurements for her children. Changbai selected several pitch-black colors without even lifting his eyelids. Changfeng, as usual, picked out the most expensive and elegant fabrics. Changdong only dared to choose the inconspicuous ones. When the tailors reached the three sisters...
"What time is it already? Even the maids and servants have new winter clothes, and we're only making new clothes now," Molan casually flipped through the fabrics, her words carrying an implied meaning.
Rulan, unusually alert, immediately retorted, "It's not like you only get new clothes once a year. You've never lacked seasonal outfits. We just moved to the capital, and Mother has been busy, so it was delayed."
Molan covered her mouth with a light laugh, "Oh, I didn't say anything. Why are you so anxious, sister? But in my opinion, since Mother is so exhausted, why not ask someone to help manage household affairs? It would lighten her load without delaying matters. Wouldn't that be better?"
Recently, Madam Wang had been extremely busy with social engagements, visits, and wedding preparations, inevitably neglecting some household duties. Consort Lin took the opportunity to ask Sheng Hong to share some responsibilities. Sheng Hong thought it feasible, but Madam Wang firmly refused.
Knowing Molan's intentions, Rulan sneered, "You'd better scheme less and peacefully be your young lady. Mother would thank heaven and earth for that." Molan put on a worried expression, "Sister, you misunderstand. I'm only concerned about Madam's health. What's wrong with children worrying about family affairs? Why call it 'scheming'? Sixth sister, what do you think?"
The focus shifted back to Minglan again, and Rulan also widened her eyes to look at Minglan. Minglan had a terrible headache—this was the downside of the Three Kingdoms situation. No matter what happened between those two, she was always dragged in.
Rubbing her temples, Minglan sighed, "The Heavenly Clothes Pavilion has excellent goods and exquisite needlework, ranking first in the entire capital. Because business is booming, those wanting new clothes at year-end usually place orders in the ninth or tenth month. We arrived in the capital late, so it's fortunate we can get them made now. The servants' new clothes were rushed by the sewing team. Madam was thoughtful, wanting us to look bright and fresh in front of our new sister-in-law when Eldest Brother gets married, which is why she didn't settle for ordinary needlework."
Molan's face immediately darkened, "It's not just this one matter. Can everything be this rushed? Sixth sister, why not think about the future?" Minglan smiled slightly, "The future? We'll have a new sister-in-law then."
Molan secretly gritted her teeth. The entire household praised Liu Guniang for being gentle and rarely quarreling with others, but when she became serious, Molan could never find a single fault in her words.
Rulan beamed with joy upon hearing this, taking Minglan's hand and saying, "Sister is right. Come, come, I have plenty of fabrics here. Come and choose!"As the wedding date approached, the Hai family's dowry flowed into the Sheng residence like a steady stream. The furniture—beds, chairs, tables, and screens—all gleamed with a pleasing reddish hue. There were dozens of large chests filled with fabrics, along with various decorative ornaments. Additionally, hundreds of acres of farmland and an unknown number of shops were included as part of the dowry. Minglan could only stare in astonishment.
"...The ancients spoke of a 'ten-mile bridal procession,' meaning they prepared everything a woman would need for her entire lifetime—from chamber pots and washbasins to even burial garments. Old Madam’s dowry was exactly like this," Mama Fang explained, her face glowing with pride as if she were sharing in the honor.
Minglan stammered, "Is such an extravagant dowry really necessary?"
Mama Fang nodded emphatically. "A bride becomes three inches shorter in her husband’s home. But if her dowry is substantial, she can stand tall, because her daily expenses come from her own family, not from relying on her in-laws."
Minglan counted on her fingers and remarked, "With all this, not only could it support our sister-in-law, but it could also sustain our eldest brother and several concubines. They say the Hai family values integrity and simplicity, but it seems the 'purity' of integrity and the 'poverty' of simplicity are not the same characters."
Mama Fang’s face twitched slightly.
Unmarried young ladies had little to do with wedding festivities—they couldn’t drink toasts with the groom or join in the bridal chamber antics. It wasn’t until the next day that the three Lan sisters got a clear look at their new sister-in-law, Hai Shi. After kowtowing to Old Madam, Hai Shi proceeded to the main hall to pay respects to her parents-in-law.
Hai Shi wore a grand red brocade gown embroidered with golden floral patterns, paired with a skirt adorned with flowing clouds and bats. On her head was an intricate gold phoenix hairpiece, its wings seeming ready to take flight. When she bowed gracefully to Sheng Hong and Madam Wang, the nine-section gold coiled bracelets on her wrists made not a single sound.
Minglan sighed inwardly: What skill!
As Hai Shi lifted her head slightly, Minglan studied her carefully. She had an oval face with slender eyes and delicate features. Though not as radiant as Hualan or as beautiful as Yun’er, she carried an air of refined elegance. In more poetic terms, she was "graceful and scholarly, her inner cultivation shining through." Observing the young couple’s interactions, Minglan noticed Changbai’s protective demeanor toward his bride and knew her brother was pleased with his wife.
However, tastes differ. Madam Wang seemed somewhat dissatisfied, feeling that her son, with his exceptional character and appearance, deserved nothing less than a moon goddess or a legendary beauty like Wang Qiang or Xi Shi. When Hai Shi presented her with tea, Madam Wang accepted it with a dignified air and handed over a red envelope. Noticing Sheng Hong’s glance, she then removed a mutton-fat white jade bracelet and placed it on Hai Shi’s wrist, symbolizing harmony and completeness.
Sheng Hong cleared his throat and offered a few words of encouragement to the newlyweds, urging them to "respect each other and bear many descendants." Minglan recalled how, when Uncle Sheng had said similar words to Changwu and Yun’er, Yun’er had been too shy to lift her head. In contrast, this sister-in-law from the Hai family remained composed, only a faint blush coloring her cheeks. Even the maids and matrons attending her were poised and proper.
Minglan cast a sympathetic glance at Madam Wang, suddenly sensing that this sister-in-law would not be easy to handle.
After paying respects to their parents, it was the turn of the three younger sisters and two younger brothers to greet the newlyweds. Hai Shi had prepared five exquisitely crafted silk brocade pouches—two gourd-shaped in stone blue and indigo, and three lotus-shaped in silver red, pale purple, and rose purple. As the second-to-last to bow according to age, Minglan had no room to be picky.
Within a few days, Minglan's premonition had become a reality.Hai Shi's training as a daughter-in-law proved remarkably successful. She served Madam Wang with utmost reverence, not only performing the morning and evening greetings but remaining by her side from dawn until Sheng Hong and Changbai returned home each evening. When Madam Wang ate, Hai Shi stood ready to serve dishes; when she drank tea, Hai Shi tested the temperature first; when she washed hands or face, Hai Shi held the basin and prepared towels—all while maintaining a gentle smile without the slightest hint of weariness. Not only did she never complain, but she conversed cheerfully as if attending to Madam Wang brought her genuine joy.
Mo Lan longed to find fault but could pinpoint no flaws. Ru Lan attempted to assert her status as the husband's sister, only to be deftly appeased. Ming Lan watched with trepidation: "Must all daughters-in-law endure this? Did Elder Sister live like this in her marital home?"
Mo Lan and Ru Lan immediately thought of their own futures, sighing anxiously.
Even Madam Wang, who had initially intended to assert dominance over her new daughter-in-law, found no shortcomings to criticize. Occasionally when she deliberately picked faults, Hai Shi would accept the criticism with sincere gratitude, thanking Madam Wang for her guidance with such genuine expression and docile attitude that it either came from the heart or marked her as an acting virtuoso.
"Silly child, no one enjoys suffering hardships. But achieving what she has accomplished is truly remarkable," Old Madam Sheng chuckled, holding her youngest granddaughter on the heated kang.
Madam Wang soon understood the implications. After several days of enjoying such service, Sheng Hong couldn't resist making pointed remarks—though not explicit, his meaning was clear: comparing how she had served his mother in the past to how comfortably she now accepted her daughter-in-law's ministrations. Not only Sheng Hong, but even the elderly servants in the household praised the young madam while subtly criticizing Madam Wang. As gossip spread, Madam Wang became acutely aware.
Truthfully, Madam Wang felt uneasy. Having been raised by her uncle and aunt until her teens, she had spent little time with her biological mother before marrying. Her childless uncle and aunt had doted on her like precious jade; her mother, burdened by guilt, had never disciplined her strictly; and after marrying into the Sheng family, Old Madam had never enforced strict maternal authority. Thus she had navigated life with unchecked boldness until now.
With this living exemplar constantly beside her, she grew increasingly uncomfortable. Finally, during the New Year's Eve family reunion dinner, Old Madam watched the tirelessly busy Hai Shi and said to Madam Wang with a slow smile: "You are more fortunate than I—destined to enjoy a daughter-in-law's service."
The profound implication struck immediately, sending cold sweat down Madam Wang's back.
Right after the New Year celebrations, Madam Wang hinted that Hai Shi needn't attend her constantly. Hai Shi pretended not to understand. After enduring several more days, Madam Wang made her meaning explicit, but Hai Shi steadfastly refused, claiming it would be improper and unfilial. Madam Wang nearly choked with frustration, especially with Consort Lin fanning the flames. Whenever Sheng Hong visited her quarters recently, he inevitably began with comparisons between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law—and seemed to enjoy the comparisons more each time.
Finally, Madam Wang insisted firmly that Hai Shi stop accompanying her constantly and instead serve at the Longevity and Peace Hall. Only when Hai Shi redirected half her filial devotion to Old Madam did Madam Wang finally breathe easily again.Old Madam naturally wouldn't be harsh on her granddaughter-in-law, often telling Hai Shi to go rest or accompany Minglan in playing chess and reading. Sometimes they would gather with Mama Fang or Rulan for a game of cards. After winning several strings of cash from Hai Shi consecutively, Minglan immediately felt this new sister-in-law was both amiable and generous. Although Hai Shi had been well-versed in classics since childhood, she showed no trace of pedantry, treating her younger brothers and sisters-in-law with approachability, broad-mindedness, reasonableness, and affection.
Changdong secretly told Minglan that since Hai Shi took over some household responsibilities, Concubine Xiang and his life had improved significantly. Their monthly allowances were no longer delayed, and their clothes and pastries were all of the finest quality.
"Sister-in-law, when you first arrived and were so filial toward Madam, weren't you exhausted? Or is this how all new brides must behave?Minglan pretended to be childishly ignorant while testing Hai Shi.
"Your eldest brother told me to do so," Hai Shi whispered. Having been with Minglan for nearly two months, she knew the girl was gentle and lovely, not one to gossip. Besides, Minglan wasn't born from Madam Wang's womb, so Hai Shi spoke more freely with her than with Rulan or Molan, making their sister-in-law relationship quite harmonious.
"He said I'd only need to endure for half a month before passing the test," Hai Shi added with a mischievous wink.
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