The Story of Ming Lan

That day was no different from any other.

The lake had frozen over with uneven layers of ice. After lunch, Minglan, bundled up in thick winter clothes, squatted by the pond. Through the translucent ice, she watched the plump fish swimming leisurely, envying them for a while before picking up an empty fish basket and returning to Longevity and Peace Hall. Old Madam teased her about it, but Minglan didn’t mind. She climbed onto the heated kang, snuggling close to Old Madam to warm up.

“Fishing in the dead of winter—you’re just asking to freeze!” Old Madam scolded, squinting her eyes.

Minglan also squinted lazily. “Eldest Sister-in-law has no appetite and said she wanted to eat the sour and spicy dried fish I made last time… But then I thought, winter fish are cold-natured, especially pond fish. With the water shaded and icy, it might make her sick instead.”

Old Madam covered Minglan’s cold little hands with her own and said leisurely, “Sour for a son, spicy for a daughter. I wonder if Brother Bai’s wife will have a boy or a girl this time?”

Minglan rubbed her eyes with her small fists, seeming a bit drowsy, and mumbled, “Eldest Brother said he wants a daughter, so they can have the character ‘good.’ Eldest Sister-in-law didn’t say anything, but I know she still wants a son.” One legitimate son wasn’t enough; two were considered secure.

Old Madam chuckled softly. “Your Eldest Sister-in-law is blessed. It doesn’t matter if it’s a boy or a girl.”

The grandmother and granddaughter chatted idly, both growing drowsy from the warmth of the kang. Suddenly, a sharp cry came from outside. Minglan jolted awake, and Old Madam opened her eyes to look toward the brocade curtain at the door. A girl dressed as a maid stumbled in, throwing herself before the kang and wailing loudly, “Old Madam, save us!”

“Little Xique, what’s wrong?” Minglan asked, surprised. This girl was a third-tier maid serving Rulan.

Little Xique’s hair was disheveled, her makeup smeared, and her face full of fear. “Old Madam, Liu Guniang, please save Sister Xique! Madam is going to beat her to death! And our young lady—the master is fetching a white silk cord to strangle her! Eldest Sister-in-law doesn’t dare to intervene and only secretly let me out to find you!” As she cried and pleaded, she kowtowed repeatedly.

“What is going on?” Old Madam sat up straight and demanded sharply. “Didn’t Madam go to offer incense?”

Minglan, worried that Old Madam might feel dizzy from sitting up too quickly, gently patted her back to soothe her.

Early that morning, the Great Vulture Monastery was consecrating a new Buddha statue. Because Madam Wang usually donated generously for incense oil, the abbot had sent an invitation. Madam Wang had taken Rulan to offer incense and pray for blessings, and incidentally asked for a marriage fortune stick along the way.

Old Madam pressed repeatedly about what had happened, but Little Xique hadn’t gone along and didn’t know the details. She wept and begged for a long time but couldn’t explain clearly. Old Madam decided to go and see for herself, and Minglan quickly called Cuiping to help her get dressed.

Minglan wanted to go along but was stopped by Old Madam. Mama Fang comforted her gently, “Your fifth sister has done something wrong, and the master and madam are punishing her. Old Madam’s intervention is bound to lead to some harsh words. It’s not appropriate for you, as an unmarried girl, to hear such things.”Minglan’s heart sank. The situation seemed serious, and since it involved a scandal concerning the inner quarters, it was not appropriate for her to intervene. She nodded to Mama Fang and calmly returned to sit on the kang. Unable to suppress her curiosity, she waved Xiaotao over to gather some information. Cradling a small blue-and-white porcelain hand warmer, she picked up a pair of fine copper tongs and slowly stirred the charcoal inside, patiently waiting.

Just as the charcoal in the warmer seemed about to flare up from her stirring, Xiaotao finally rushed back, panting heavily. Minglan sprang up like a released spring, set down the hand warmer, and grabbed Xiaotao’s arm, urgently asking, “What happened? Tell me quickly!”

Xiaotao wiped the fine sweat from her forehead with a handkerchief, looking thoroughly shaken. “The main courtyard is tightly guarded—I couldn’t get in at all. I only managed to gather some information from outside. All I know is…” She swallowed hard, her lips trembling, “The master is truly furious this time. When Old Madam arrived, he had already wrapped a white silk cord around Fifth Miss’s neck!”

Minglan was stunned. Xiaotao, still wiping cold sweat, continued, “I waited secretly for a while and saw the maids carrying Sister Xique out. Oh heavens, she was covered in blood, her clothes soaked through. I don’t even know if she’s still breathing! I couldn’t hear what was happening inside, and then Mama Liu came with the matrons to shoo everyone away, so I came back!”

Minglan’s heart thumped wildly, as if a taut string were being plucked. Suddenly, she gripped Xiaotao’s wrist and said gravely, “Go find Danju. Take some silver and see if we have any bruise ointments or medicines in our room. Then, both of you hurry to find Little Xique. Use silver if you need to bribe anyone, apply medicine if needed—do whatever you can to save her!”

Understanding the gravity of the situation, Xiaotao immediately hurried off. Suppressing her unease, Minglan slowly sat back down and picked up the teacup on the kang table, taking a small sip. Little Xique was a good girl, and Minglan had always liked her for her character—loyal and sincere to Rulan, often coaxing and advising her, kind to subordinates, and frequently covering up the mistakes of the younger maids. Minglan did not want her to die or be permanently disabled.

A long while later, the tea in Minglan’s hand had turned cold, the icy porcelain feeling like a lump of ice in her grasp. She set down the teacup and glanced outside, where the sun was gradually setting, yet there was still no news. Minglan began to feel disheartened. She waited until dusk had fallen completely before hearing a flurry of footsteps outside.

Hearing the rustle of the main hall’s curtain being lifted, Minglan rushed out. She saw Hai Shi supporting Old Madam as she entered, with Mama Fang bracing Old Madam’s body and carefully helping her onto the warm divan, arranging cushions for her to lean against and rest. One look at Old Madam’s face sent a wave of panic through Minglan—her expression was ashen, her breathing uneven, her chest heaving violently as if she were enraged. Beside her, Hai Shi wore a look of guilt and embarrassment.

“Grandmother, what’s wrong?!” Minglan threw herself onto Old Madam’s knees, trembling as she reached for her hand. Finding it still warm and the returned grip firm, she felt somewhat reassured.Old Madam slowly opened her eyes, her gaze still carrying a trace of resentment, which softened only when she saw it was Minglan. "I'm fine, I just walked a bit too fast and got a little breathless." As she spoke, she glanced at Hai Shi and noticed her slightly swollen abdomen and the hand gently rubbing her lower back, yet she stood with bowed head not daring to speak. Old Madam's heart softened, and she said, "Help your eldest sister-in-law to rest on the kang in the side room. She's been standing for quite a while." Minglan nodded and gently supported Hai Shi as they walked toward the side room.

Once inside, Minglan helped Hai Shi onto the kang, propping her up with Old Madam's pillow cushion. She took the teapot from the thickly padded warmer on the kang table, poured a cup of tea, and pressed it into Hai Shi's hands. Hai Shi thanked her and took a sip of the hot tea, feeling the warmth seep into her body, which made her feel somewhat better.

Seeing that Hai Shi's complexion had improved, Minglan anxiously asked, "Eldest Sister-in-law, what exactly happened to Fifth Sister?! Wasn't Father at the Censorate? How did he suddenly return home! Tell me!"

Hai Shi hesitated for a moment, but recalling the argument between Sheng Hong and Old Madam earlier, she thought there was no need to hide it from Minglan anymore. Gritting her teeth, she spilled everything in one breath.

Madam Wang and Rulan had gone up the mountain to offer incense. Everything was going well at first, and Madam Wang, noticing that Rulan had been much more well-behaved lately, allowed her to stroll in the courtyard while she went to speak with the abbot. In the blink of an eye, the matrons accompanying Rulan were sent back, saying Rulan had only taken Xiao Xique with her for a walk. Sensing something amiss, Madam Wang immediately sent people to find Rulan, but the Great Temple was not as quiet as the Guangji Temple. It was a bustling place with many worshippers and a large complex, making it difficult to locate her quickly.

Just as Madam Wang was growing frantic, Rulan returned on her own, claiming she had only taken a walk in the woods of the rear garden.

"So nothing happened?" Minglan had already guessed what Rulan had been up to, and her anxiously suspended heart slowly settled back down.

But Hai Shi gave a bitter smile and shook her head. "If only that were the case! When Madam saw that Fifth Sister had returned safely, she thought she had been overly suspicious. They had a vegetarian meal before descending the mountain and returning home. But as soon as they arrived, they discovered that the Master had returned from his office early and was waiting in the room. The moment he saw Madam and Fifth Sister, without a word of explanation, he stepped forward and slapped Fifth Sister across the face!"

"Why?!" Minglan's heart leaped into her throat again.

Hai Shi set down her tea bowl and sighed heavily. "It turns out that Fifth Sister... she... she had already developed feelings for that scholar, Wen Yanjing! They had arranged to meet at the Great Temple. They only exchanged a few words, but as luck would have it, heaven was not on their side! It just so happened that General Gu also went to perform rites for his deceased mother that day!"

Minglan's eyes nearly popped out of her head. "He... he saw Fifth Sister?!"

Hai Shi's heart felt heavy, and she shook her head. "That's the worst part of it! General Gu was too busy with official duties to go personally. Besides, he has never met Fifth Sister, so even if he had seen her, he wouldn't have known who she was. It was one of the matrons from General Gu's household. She had been sent to add blessings to the rites and happened to see them from a distance when she came out to present robes and hats to the young monks. And to make matters worse, she had met several of us when she came to deliver gifts before!"Minglan remained frozen on the kang, unwilling to move and unsure of what to say. Hai Shi sighed and continued, "I suppose the nanny reported everything to General Gu as soon as she returned. Around noon, a servant went to the Censorate to request an audience with Father-in-law, who immediately returned home!... After repeated questioning, Fifth Sister only said that she had already intended to comply, and this was just to see Scholar Wen one last time."

Upon hearing the entire story, Minglan nearly fainted from shock. With great difficulty, she managed to utter, "...Fifth Sister was far too careless!"

Hai Shi sighed softly without responding. In truth, she agreed with Minglan. Since Rulan had already decided to end things, as long as it remained concealed, it wouldn't have been an issue. But to be caught by her future in-laws during a tearful farewell—what wretched luck!

"...What do we do now?" Minglan asked weakly after a long pause, suddenly noticing that Hai Shi's gaze had become evasive, as if she dared not meet Minglan's eyes. Puzzled, Minglan pressed her several times until Hai Shi stammered, "Just now... General Gu sent a letter..."

Before she could finish, hurried footsteps echoed from the outer hall, and Cuiping announced from outside, "The Master and Madam have arrived."

Minglan glanced at the unsettled Hai Shi and pricked up her ears to listen. She heard Sheng Hong say something in a low voice, followed by Madam Wang's sobbing. Then, Old Madam erupted in fury, her voice sharp with rage, "Don't even think about it! Shame on you as a father, to even consider such a scheme!"

The anger in her tone was piercing, and Minglan had never heard Old Madam so incensed. Slowly, she climbed down from the kang and stood by the thick, golden-brown brocade door curtain embroidered with cloud patterns, listening intently.

Sheng Hong urgently pleaded, "Mother, please hear me out! This is the only way! In recent days, no one in the household has breathed a word about it. In public or private, we've never clarified which daughter was to be betrothed to the Gu family. Brother-in-law only mentioned it was Hua'er's sister. Neither my wife nor I have had a proper conversation with Gu Erlang, nor have we specified which girl was intended. I doubt Gu Tingye has any clear idea either. The messenger who came to relay the message was very vague—it didn't seem like an accusation, more like a reminder. Given that, why not let the mistake stand? After all, Minglan has long been registered as a legitimate daughter. Otherwise, this marriage alliance could turn into a feud. I was so frantic earlier that I sent a letter stating that Rulan was originally betrothed to Wen Yanjing, and Minglan was the one to marry into the Gu family..."

A sharp crack rang out, likely from a teacup meeting its demise. Old Madam's voice trembled with fury, "You think you can have your way? You and your wife have failed to raise your daughters properly, one after the other bringing disgrace upon this family, and now you expect others to clean up your mess! Last time, I sacrificed my dignity for you. This time, you dare scheme against Ming Yatou? Let me make this clear: Dream on!"The Old Madam gasped heavily for breath before continuing, "Your fine wife here never remembers Minglan when there are good things or luxuries to be enjoyed. But when some noble family comes inquiring, she agrees to Rulan without even asking for details! Now that trouble has arisen, she suddenly remembers Minglan! One is utterly selfish, caring only for her own daughter; the other is blinded by greed, obsessed with rank and wealth. What a fine pair of wolf-hearted, tiger-minded spouses you are! Do you take me for dead?"

With a dull thud, Sheng Hong seemed to have knelt heavily. Madam Wang began weeping softly, pleading mournfully, "Old Madam, you wrong me by saying this. Though Minglan didn't come from my womb, I've treated her exactly the same as Rulan these past ten-plus years—never with any neglect. Now that Ru Yatou has committed such a mistake, I deeply regret not having her raised under your guidance to learn proper manners! Old Madam, if nothing else, please consider Hua'er's situation. She's having a hard time at her in-laws', relying entirely on her husband's consideration. If this matter isn't resolved properly today and General Gu resents her husband, what will become of Hua'er? She was raised by you too—you can't only cherish Minglan!"

The Old Madam seemed to choke momentarily before scolding sharply again, "Hua Yatou has borne a son after all, and was properly wedded. Would they really dare divorce her? Should her sister sacrifice her entire life to make Hua'er's easier?! You two might find Gu Tingye amusing, but I think nothing of him!"

Then Sheng Hong cried out loudly, "Old Madam, what should we do now? Your son truly has no way out! I considered strangling that disgrace to at least uphold our family's honor, even if it means canceling the engagement and enduring ridicule. I blame myself for failing to educate my daughter properly—I've brought this upon myself and blame no one else. But General Gu..." Sheng Hong seemed to sob, "Word came days ago that Gu Erlang has invited General Bo and Lord Zhongqin as matchmakers. They were nearly ready to exchange birth certificates! If we cancel now, how would the Gu family ever let this rest!"

Minglan could no longer hear what followed. A ringing filled her ears as if something had shrouded her hearing. After the shock came a numb daze. She slowly approached Hai Shi and asked softly, "Does Gu Tingye truly wish to marry me?"

Hai Shi nodded with difficulty. "Yes, the letter stated that Gu Tingye desires to join our families in marriage. It even added afterward that girls raised under the Old Madam's care are always commendable." To her, this line sounded somewhat pointed, as if implying something—she believed Sheng Hong had noticed it too.

The Old Madam had early earned a reputation for jealousy, but later public opinion turned dramatically. After Old Master Sheng passed away, she preferred clashing with her maiden family over upholding her husband's legacy. Widowed young, she used her dowry to pave the way for her stepson, arranging his marriage and managing the household, ultimately leading to the Sheng family's current prosperity. Decades later, more people praised the Old Madam for her noble character and integrity.Hai Shi also felt she had wronged Minglan and Old Madam. Recently, she had learned that the marriage arrangement with the He family was nearly settled—they were only waiting for Rulan’s betrothal to be finalized before the He family would come to request the birth chart. Who could have expected… Hai Shi couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. She noticed Minglan still wore an expression of disbelief, tilting her head back in a daze. After a while, Minglan couldn’t resist asking again, “Eldest Sister-in-law, did Gu Tingye truly say he is willing to marry me?” Her tone held no grievance, but rather a hint of incredulity.

Hai Shi confirmed once more, “It is indeed true.”

Minglan’s mind felt numb. Biting her lip, she tilted her head and thought for a long while—recalling Gu Tingye’s coldly mocking face, his relentless and probing temperament, and his fiery yet icy disposition… Minglan felt she was overthinking it. Had coming to this ancient era taught her the art of wishful thinking? But after a moment, she couldn’t help feeling her speculation was quite reasonable.

Outside, Old Madam’s furious scolding could be heard, mingled with Sheng Hong and Madam Wang’s incessant pleas. Minglan slowly sank onto the small stool, sighing, her mouth agape, her thoughts in disarray. Cupping her cheeks, she fell into a daze.

Grandmother, Master, Madam, and poor little Rulan—I think, perhaps, we’ve been played.