Minglan and Molan had vastly different preferences and essentially no shared interests, but the finely dressed, delicate-browed young lady before them had successfully struck a chord with both sisters—they both disliked her.
In the Taoran Pavilion, several young ladies were having tea. Kang Yuan'er held Rulan's hand and said, "Dear cousin, the white tea you sent me last time was excellent. My mother initially thought its appearance strange, finding the silvery-white buds rather eerie, but who knew it would taste so fresh with a delicate aroma?"
Rulan smiled faintly. "If Cousin likes it, I ought to give you more. However, all the white tea was distributed by Sixth Sister. You'll have to ask her yourself."
Kang Yuan'er immediately turned to Minglan, who gently blew on her tea and smiled. "It's nothing special—just some tea Sister Yanran sent from Yunnan. It's merely rare, and there wasn't much to begin with. I couldn't hold onto it and have already given it all away."
Kang Yuan'er's delicate oval face darkened as she stared at Minglan. "It seems Sixth Sister doesn't consider me one of the family. Why wasn't I included when it was distributed?" Her brows furrowed with barely concealed anger.
Molan tittered sweetly. "Oh, Sister Kang, my sixth sister is most sincere. With so little tea, there wasn't enough for our own sisters, so naturally we had to prioritize family over outsiders."
These words added fuel to the fire. As Kang Yima's youngest daughter, Kang Yuan'er had grown up accustomed to throwing her weight around at home due to her mother's indulgence, where even her half-sisters dared not breathe heavily in her presence. Never having suffered such snubs before, she immediately sneered upon hearing Molan's words. "Gifting this and that—even Wenying from Eldest Sister's family received some, but not me! It seems you look down on me, Cousin. I'll have to speak with Aunt about this."
Rulan also frowned. "You should have saved some for Cousin. We're all family."
Minglan set down her steaming teacup, shaking her heated hand, and replied unhurriedly, "Sister Yanran only sent two and a half catties of white tea in total. One catty I sent to our Youyang ancestral home for Old Madam, who's been working hard there looking after Da Lao Taitai on behalf of our branch—we grandchildren ought to be filial. Then half a catty went to Madam Wang, and the remainder was divided among us four sisters, Eldest Sister-in-law, and Sister Yun'er. Since Eldest Sister has always taken good care of me since childhood, I gave my share to her, which is why Sister Wenying also received some. If Cousin truly likes it, I'll write to Sister Yanran and ask her to send more, but Yunnan is far away, so you'll have to wait."
Ultimately, Minglan had distributed the tea only among the Sheng family members. What right did an outsider have to complain? She hadn't even kept any for herself, giving it all to Hualan. Even if this were brought before Madam Wang, Minglan could justify her actions.
Unable to find any fault, Kang Yuan'er curled her lips in displeasure before forcing a smile. "I was merely joking. Why take it so seriously, Cousin?"
As the legitimate daughter of an aristocratic family whose fortunes had declined due to her father's incompetence, she couldn't match Hualan and Rulan in material comforts. While she only disliked Molan and Minglan, she frequently provoked Rulan—smiling amiably to her face but often boasting behind her back about how she dominated her half-sisters at home. Every time she visited, Rulan would end up quarreling with Molan and Minglan for quite some time afterward.Kang Yuan'er's eyes darted mischievously as she smiled again: "I've often heard Sixth Sister is clever-fingered and praised for her needlework. Last time I asked Sixth Sister to make two bed canopies for my mother—how are they coming along?" Minglan replied lightly: "It'll be a while yet, I'm afraid."
Accustomed to venting her temper on her half-sisters, Kang Yuan'er snorted coldly: "Making such excuses for a simple task for an elder! Everyone says you're filial and virtuous—is this how you show it? Or do you look down on my mother?"
Minglan glanced at Molan, who was quietly sipping tea with her head bowed, and decided to handle this alone. She put on a troubled expression: "Cousin, how can you say that? It's not as if I've been idle. Earlier when the weather was hot, I thought children are most prone to catching chills in summer, so I hurriedly made two layered cotton-silk soft bellybands for Shige and Quange. I'm slow and clumsy-handed—it took me forever to finish and deliver them. Aunt Kang, being an elder, would surely understand putting children first."
Rulan's eyes lit up: "You made... two bellybands?" Minglan blinked twice at her meaningfully: "Yes."
Rulan immediately fell silent. Whenever Minglan made anything for Hualan, she always made two copies—one credited to Rulan—so among visiting relatives, Rulan could also appear virtuous and diligent. Minglan had always been tactful in this regard.
Seeing Rulan wouldn't back her up, Kang Yuan'er grew angrier: "Then when exactly will they be done? Don't tell me you're stalling! All my sisters at home finished theirs long ago."
Minglan spread her pale, delicate hands innocently: "How could I compare to Cousin's household? Fifth Sister only has me as a younger sister, while your family has plenty of hands. Ah, Fifth Sister, if only you had more sisters—it'd be livelier, and more help with chores!"
Rulan's expression turned peculiar. She didn't even want full-blooded sisters, let alone half-siblings. Molan burst out laughing before covering her mouth with trembling shoulders. Kang Yuan'er stamped her foot: "That's not what I meant! I'm saying you're too slow!"
Minglan said earnestly: "Cousin is right. I must practice diligently and learn from all my cousins. I ought to reach the skill level of professional seamstresses someday!"
This time even Rulan couldn't help curling her lips into a smile. Aunt Kang was sweet-tongued but bitter-hearted, often bossing and bullying her half-children—marrying poorly and marrying off poorly. In all Aunt Kang's visits, Minglan had only seen two of the Kang family's half-daughters. Though pretty as flowers, one was timid and couldn't handle important occasions, while the other deliberately flattered her stepmother and half-sister.
Whenever Minglan saw such scenes, she thanked heaven she hadn't been born into that kind of family—otherwise, she might have turned around and sought death immediately. That said, this Kang Yuan'er was a bully who picked on the weak, targeting her precisely because she had neither birth mother nor full brother.
Kang Yuan'er was seething but couldn't find words to refute her—Minglan never left any verbal handles to grasp.
Suddenly, noise erupted outside as if there was an argument. Rulan frowned and sent Xique to check. After a while, Xique returned smiling: "Miss, it's nothing serious. Xizhi was trying new hairpins in her room, and Xiye thought hers were missing. Turns out they were sent by Xizhi's family, so they bickered a bit. I scolded them, and they've made up."Rulan was about to speak when Molan cut in, half-jokingly and half-seriously: "This girl is too clueless. Though both are house-born servants in the same household, Xizhi’s parents are both trusted by the master and mistress, and her elder brother and sister-in-law are capable. Xiye’s mother died long ago, and her father is a drunken fool—how can she compare to Xizhi? Even if she wants to compare, she should first see if she’s worthy?"
Kang Yuan'er’s face turned ashen. Rulan felt uneasy but didn’t know what to say. Molan deliberately glanced at them before continuing to Xique: "Besides, though all are maids in the young ladies’ courtyards, each has different parents and ancestors. Spending all day meddling in others’ affairs, taking an inch and demanding a mile—she shouldn’t overestimate herself."
Kang Yuan'er slammed the table and stood up, her delicate hands reddening from the force, and furiously demanded, "What do you mean by that?!"
Molan feigned surprise: "I merely gave the girl a couple of admonishments—no beating or scolding. Does Cousin find it improper? I wouldn’t dare overstep. If you enjoy disciplining maids, you may do so in your own courtyard." Molan smiled cheerfully at Kang Yuan'er. Her backing had never been Madam Wang, and Kang Yuan'er had often mocked her for being a concubine-born daughter. Kang Yima had actively advised Madam Wang not to arrange overly advantageous marriages for concubine-born girls, fearing they might overshadow the legitimate branch. Resentment had long festered.
Furious, Kang Yuan'er exchanged a few more sharp words before the gathering ended unhappily.
Minglan watched the trembling leaves on the branches outside, seeming on the verge of falling, and turned to Rulan with a smile: "The weather is turning cold. Father’s knees always ache when chilled. Why don’t we make him a pair of kneepads? Fifth Sister, would you like to prepare the velvet cloth?"
Sheng Hong had a clear understanding of his daughters’ capabilities and disliked pretense. However, contributing even a little effort could count as participation, earning slight praise from him. Rulan immediately brightened: "Sure! I happen to have some fine fabric here. You can choose later." In truth, even the rubbing work was done by maids—she merely provided materials.
According to official mourning regulations, the inner courtyard women were largely unaffected—they merely avoided operas and lavish banquets. They could still visit relatives, do needlework, and gossip, whiling away the days effortlessly.
But for the men, it was harder. After enduring the first few months, several influential noble scions in the capital gradually reverted to their old ways: some hosted private feasts and revelries at home, others indulged in the pleasure quarters, and a few secretly took concubines.
The new emperor had just ascended the throne, and officials were still gauging his temperament, drafting memorials with caution. Unexpectedly, a greenhorn newly assigned to Sheng Hong’s office submitted a memorial exposing the indulgent antics of the capital’s pleasure-seeking nobles, young and old. The emperor, livid, erupted in anger during the court session.
Having finally become emperor, he dared not sleep with concubines, host banquets, or even retain palace musicians to observe filial mourning for his late father. He lived more austerely than a monk, purer than mineral water—yet those state-supported noble scions dared to "set fires while forbidding commoners to light lamps"? Did they take him, the governor, for a corpse?!
The emperor acted swiftly: first, he lavishly praised the inexperienced censor, commending him for being "upright, loyal, and filial," unlike those who "curry favor," then promptly promoted and rewarded him. Next, he issued an edict ordering the Shuntian Prefecture magistrate to intensify crackdowns, expanding the censors’ supervisory duties, and preparing the Five-City Battalions to make arrests at any time.With a model to follow, the Censorate immediately sprang into action. Sheng Hong, having already established some foundations, naturally didn't want to offend too many powerful nobles and only picked some minor issues to write about. However, those junior censors waiting for their chance grew bold, impeaching nearly all the influential figures in the capital. Ancient standards for men's virtue were simple: filial piety came first among all virtues. The new emperor, using the pretext of "fulfilling filial duties for the Late Emperor," left no room for objection—especially since the upright censors had always disliked the powerful aristocratic families.
In just half a month, the emperor punished over a dozen noble families with varying severity, from salary deductions and demotions to reprimands.
About a dozen particularly conspicuous imperial relatives, refusing to submit to authority, openly insulted inspecting officials on the streets. The emperor immediately dispatched imperial guards to arrest them, take them to the palace for a beating, and after their injuries healed, confine them to the Imperial College dormitories. Several scholars known for their hatred of evil were invited to conduct a training program focused on rites, righteousness, integrity, shame, loyalty, filial piety, moral integrity, and justice.
The emperor personally appointed two grand academicians to conduct regular inspections and random recitation tests. Those who failed to recite the texts were forbidden from returning home, while those who disrespected their teachers received additional beatings. The emperor's attitude was essentially: "Let's see if we can't beat you into submission, you insolent brats!"
These spoiled young nobles, usually busy with cockfighting, dog racing, and bullying men and women, had no time for cultural education. Their detention period was repeatedly extended. As the weather grew colder, they remained trapped inside, miserably eating plain vegetables and steamed buns. Several particularly lawless ones were beaten black and blue, with the most vociferous cries coming from the beloved son of Princess Qingning. She rushed to the palace in tears to plead for mercy, but before she could even see the two empress dowagers, she was stopped outside.
A eunuch coldly read an imperial decree: "The sovereign father has passed away, and the entire nation mourns. You, of imperial blood, having received such imperial favor, cannot be permitted such wanton disobedience. Those who show such disloyalty and unfilial behavior are not worth keeping."
Princess Qingning was shocked. Emperor Renzong had always been benevolent and kind, showing favor to all imperial descendants and rarely punishing capital nobility with imperial connections. Only then did the princess realize: the emperor had changed. From that point on, no one dared to enter the palace to plead for mercy. When these wayward nobles finally completed their training program, they had to go to the palace to express gratitude, each claiming their cultural level had qualitatively improved and they could now help their families write couplets and invitations. A few, psychologically scarred during their reform period, could even spontaneously compose clumsy poems with surprisingly proper tonal patterns.
After this round of crackdowns, both court officials and the public understood: whether the new emperor was wise remained to be seen, but he was definitely not to be trifled with—unlike the previous emperor who had been easier to influence.
"His Majesty is establishing his authority," Sheng Hong said, standing before his desk dressed in a simple round-collared blue robe. He finished writing a calligraphy piece and stroked his long beard. "Quite right—first secure the capital, then deal with other matters."
Changbai, standing nearby, pondered for a moment before speaking softly: "His Majesty has already ascended the throne. Could there still be opposition?"
Sheng Hong switched to a smaller vermilion brush to add notation in the corner of his artwork: "Naturally. Prince Jing is the Late Emperor's fifth son. By birth order, he should have succeeded to the throne. But the Late Emperor disliked his violent temperament, enfeoffed him early, and expelled him from the capital. After the 'Shenchen Rebellion,' the Late Emperor hurriedly established the current emperor's mother as empress. By emphasizing legitimate lineage, he secured the current heir's position. How could Prince Jing possibly accept this?"Changbai nodded slightly with understanding. "Now that the sovereign-subject relationship is settled and righteousness lies with the Emperor, we can only hope His Majesty will be magnanimous and not hold grudges against the Prince of Jing. Maintaining peace is no easy task."
Sheng Hong set down his brush, seemingly satisfied with his calligraphy. He picked up his personal seal to stamp the work, saying to his son, "Matters of the imperial family are not for us to meddle in. We should focus more on our own affairs." After imprinting the vermilion seal, he continued, "In Old Madam's letter, she mentioned that Da Lao Taitai likely doesn't have much time left. When that happens, Wu Ge'er will have to observe mourning for a year. What a pity - he hasn't even completed one year in his battalion commander position."
Changbai said quietly, "Cousin's situation is manageable. He performs his duties excellently and gets along well with both superiors and colleagues. After nine months, we can help facilitate his reinstatement. However... aunt visited again yesterday."
Sheng Hong held up the calligraphy scroll to examine it in the light, frowning at these words. "Regarding your uncle's matter, it's not that we're unwilling to help. But he's too arrogant about his talents, recklessly criticizing the Grand Secretariat, and even dares to scrape meat from mosquito legs - he'll stop at nothing for gain."
Though Changbai didn't care for his Uncle Kang either, they were still relatives. With his aunt repeatedly pleading for help, he felt they couldn't completely ignore the situation. "Perhaps we could assist our cousin instead. He seems steady and capable enough to be useful."
Sheng Hong put down the scroll, paced back and forth a few times, then looked up. "That would be acceptable."
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