Chapter 183: The Way of the World - Who Can Be Without Feelings
After being entrusted with arranging the match, Mrs. Fang had been waiting for a response. Once Ming Lan gave her approval, Mrs. Fang quickly brought Dan Ju's aunt and uncle along with the young man from the Lu family to formally request the marriage. Ming Lan observed them through the curtain and saw that the young man was robust, down-to-earth, and kind-hearted, which made her even more pleased. Seeing Dan Ju's shy and joyous expression, Ming Lan didn't delay further and confirmed the marriage.
The young man was evidently thrilled, and his kowtows were so loud they echoed through the hall, causing the maidservants to laugh. Lu Zhi, in particular, laughed heartily and kept peeking through the curtain at Dan Ju.
In a small household, there weren't many formalities involved in arranging a marriage. The wedding date could be set anywhere from a month to half a year later. Given that the young man from the Lu family was getting older, the auspicious date was set for five months later. Though the Lu family initially hoped to find a more socially matched young woman for their son, seeing Ming Lan's generosity and Dan Ju's virtues and beauty, their initial regrets had completely vanished.
Afterwards, the various arrangements were handled one by one by Danju's aunt and uncle. Minglan handed over the money to Mama Fang, ensuring that they wouldn't dare to skimp on the essentials under her watch. When a whole roll of fine, bright red satin was delivered to the residence, Minglan gradually reduced Danju's chores, asking her to focus solely on embroidering her dowry. This included everything from the mandarin duck pillowcases and dragon-phoenix wedding garments to the new inner garments, underwear, embroidered shoes, and even the pouches for the groom, parents-in-law, and sisters-in-law. Everything had to be meticulously made by the new bride.
Because Danju was usually kind and considerate, the other maids in the courtyard were all happy for her. Bi Si was particularly envious, but the happiest of all was Lu Zhi. As Danju gradually stepped down from her top position, Lu Zhi felt a sense of 'finally, it's my turn.' With Minglan increasingly relying on her, Lu Zhi walked with an air of confidence, almost as if she were walking with the wind. It took several scoldings from Mama Cui Wei before she calmed down.
"Once Danju is settled, it will be your turn and Xiaotao's." Mama Cui Wei teased deliberately.
To her surprise, Lu Zhi, who was naturally bold and unashamed, raised her head and replied, "To be honest, I've already made up my mind. I absolutely refuse to marry outside. I can still serve the mistress for several more years." In the inner courtyard, large maidservants can often stay until they are twenty, and those who are valued by their masters might even remain until they are over twenty.
Mama Cui Wei was somewhat surprised, but then she laughed and said, "You're quite stubborn now. Let's see if you change your mind once the mistress finds you a good match in the future."
Lu Zhi said, "Sister, you know my brother is honest but dull. Even with me here, he's still sometimes bullied by those who don't know any better. If I were to leave, I don't know what would become of him." She sighed, "Our parents passed away early, and now it's just the two of us siblings. If I don't look after him, who will? Right now, I just hope to serve the mistress well and, in the future, if I receive some favor, find a kind and considerate wife for my brother. I'd feel I've lived up to our parents' spirits."
Cui Wei was quite moved and said, "You're a good sister. It's really hard on you."
While some were happy and some were worried, hearing that Danju's good fortune was near, Ruo Mei also came to offer her congratulations. Seeing the bright red silk boxes on the table and the half-cut and half-sewn bright red wedding garments hanging on the stand, she found them very glaring. Since the day Danju had relayed Minglan's words and had persuaded her, she had been feeling despondent for several days.
Seeing Danju's slightly blushing face, filled with shyness and unspoken joy, Ruo Mei felt a pang in her heart. After exchanging a few words, she took her leave and went to Minglan.
"It's been a long time since I last came to pay my respects to the mistress. I'm so pleased to see that the mistress is still in good health." After completing the formalities, Ruo Mei awkwardly finished the polite remarks, unsure of what to say next.
Minglan glanced at her, taking in her appearance—though well-dressed, her complexion was poor, with a dark cloud on her brow. "Have a seat. Xiaotao, make a pot of Lan'an Maojian for her. You remember it's what you like."
Ruo Mei cautiously sat down on the edge of the round stool, saying, "I'm grateful the mistress still remembers."
Soon Xiaotao came in with a small tea tray, her round face beaming with a smile. "Sister, it's been a long time since we last met, and you're looking even more beautiful now. You're positively glowing!" Her tone was exceedingly sincere.
Ruo Mei's tea-serving action paused for a moment, revealing her embarrassment. Minglan looked up at the ceiling, thinking—indeed, Ruo Mei's jewelry was somewhat excessive and definitely more golden… but did Xiaotao have to be so honest?
After speaking, Xiaotao, completely unaware, cheerfully walked out to wait in the outer room. Ruo Mei slowly composed herself, lowering her voice to say, "Miss Danju has already informed me. I thank the mistress for her guidance and kindness."
Minglan watched her quietly and noticed that while Ruo Mei thanked her with words, she remained standing, showing no sign of gratitude or courtesy. Minglan realized that Ruo Mei still had not understood and was still the same self-absorbed person as before.
"You understand then. In the future, serve Master Gongsun well, and strive to bear him offspring as soon as possible. Both the Marquis and I will reward you generously."
Ruo Mei felt a pang of bitterness. She had deliberately referred to herself as a 'maid' hoping Minglan would say something more, but it seemed... She had no choice but to respond, "I understand, Mistress." After a pause, she gathered her courage and asked, "But I am clumsy and often displease the Master. I hope the Mistress can offer some guidance on how I should conduct myself properly."
The fact that she was willing to ask for advice showed there was still hope for her. Minglan smiled and pointed to the door where Xiaotao had just left. "Do you remember when we first arrived? Xiaotao served in the outer study for a while."
Ruo Mei didn't understand Minglan's meaning and simply nodded, "Yes, the Master has also mentioned that Xiaotao is very useful." She had even felt a bit sour at that time, secretly unhappy that she wasn't chosen, despite being the one most knowledgeable in literature.
"Actually, Xiaotao is not particularly clever," Minglan said slowly, stirring the tea leaves.
This wasn't surprising; it was likely common knowledge from Mucang Study to Jiaxi Residence. Ruo Mei widened her eyes, waiting for Minglan to continue.
"Especially since she had never served in the study before. During that time, the Marquis and the Master indeed suffered quite a bit. When asked to heat a pot of wine, it was either too hot or too cold; when asked to organize documents, she would unfold and refold each page separately." Remembering those days and Gu Tingye's complaints, Minglan couldn't help but laugh to herself.
"I remember when she first came to the Housekeeper's place, one task would take Danju a single instruction to remember, but she needed two or three repetitions to understand," Minglan said with a smile. "I was initially worried that Master would blame me for assigning such a clumsy person to serve him. But, as it turned out, Master ended up praising her." In fact, Gongsun Baishi quite liked Xiaotao and intended to extend her service period. Unfortunately, Xiaotao had no affection for the study or for the clerks, and as soon as someone else took over, she would flee back immediately.
Ruo Mei gave a dry smile and said, "Master said that Xiaotao is a loyal servant."
"Master has a sharp eye," Minglan nodded. "I once instructed Xiaotao that nothing seen or heard in the study should be leaked outside. You've inquired about the study's conditions several times. Even if you were to get upset, has she ever revealed even a hint?"
Ruo Mei felt dejected. At that time, her admiration for the scholarly environment led her to inquire about trivial matters, but even when she asked about Master's favorite tea, Xiaotao refused to say a word. They had a falling out, and did not speak for a full half month.
"Even for you, she is like this. The old woman who handles procurement has always been kind to Xiaotao. One day, she was too lazy to check in person and asked Xiaotao if the silver filigree charcoal in the study had been used up, but Xiaotao wouldn't tell her either." Minglan stared intently at Ruo Mei, "What kind of person you are doesn't matter at all. What matters is, what kind of person does Master want?"
Ruo Mei's body slightly trembled, and she looked up at Minglan, unable to speak for a while.
...
Watching Ruo Mei's departing figure, Minglan shook her head.
Ruo Mei is an intelligent person; she knows well what kind of concubine Gongsun desires. It is simply about being 'obedient, understanding, and content,' and most importantly, not being preoccupied with romantic fantasies. What Ruo Mei envied was not just Danju's good marriage, but Danju's wholehearted happiness.
"If you ever feel dissatisfied in the future, just remember why you married in the first place. It might make things easier." — This was Minglan's final piece of advice to Ruo Mei, after which it would be up to her own fortune.
In the days that followed, Danju focused on teaching the young maidservants, constantly reminding, instructing, and carefully explaining everything. Time flew by, and a little over a month later, her aunt and uncle came to fetch Danju for her preparations. They said that the family home had been renovated and was now ready for a respectable marriage ceremony. The stewardess who came along also confirmed that the household items were in good condition.
Minglan rewarded Danju with a set of red gold head ornaments and several bolts of fine fabric. Additionally, she gave Danju thirty taels of marriage silver, and instructed Xiaotao to secretly place two silver notes of one hundred taels each in Danju's trunk. Although Xiaotao was slow-witted, she was quick and reliable in handling such tasks.
Afterward, Shao Shi gave a pair of shrimp-shaped gold bangles, and Qiu Niang also presented a small gold hairpin.
After dismissing everyone, Minglan personally burned a document of indenture and handed a small box to Danju, gently reminding her, "Inside is your household registration. The paperwork with the government office has been completed. Live your life well."
Danju knelt on the ground, crying loudly. Minglan comforted her for a long time before she finally stopped crying. As Danju slowly stood up and was about to turn away, she suddenly looked back, her eyes filled with tears, and said, "Miss, back then you used to love sitting by the porch railing reading."
Minglan smiled through her tears and said, "You were worried I might fall, so you worked overnight to make a cloth pouch and tied it to the railing."
"That pouch wasn't made very well. It tore, and you ended up falling badly. Housekeeper Fang wanted to punish me, saying that when the master was wrong, instead of advising you, I only made things worse."
"I was bedridden for three days, and you cried by my bedside for those three days; when I recovered, you fell ill."
"Miss, promise me you won't sit on the railing again."
"And you made me promise with a pinky swear."
Danju could no longer hold back. With a thud, she knelt on the ground and cried, "Miss, let me bow to you once more."
She kowtowed heavily, and when she stood up, her face was drenched with tears. She clung to Minglan's legs and sobbed, "Miss, I really can't bear to part with you!"
Memories surged in Minglan's heart, and she was overwhelmed with sorrow. Tears flowed uncontrollably as she covered half her face with her sleeve and steeled herself to push Danju away. "Go, go. May you have a happy family, children, and a long-lasting life! Go, go…"
Watching Danju slowly move toward the door, glancing back with each step, Minglan suddenly recalled their first meeting. Back then, she only had a naive Xiaotao by her side, and when Housekeeper Fang brought her to Minglan, she too had looked back repeatedly like this.
"Sixth Miss, I'll go get some snacks for you to eat."
"Miss, please stay seated here. The house is quite empty, so don't wander around."
"I'll be back soon. Xiaotao, please take good care of the Miss."
The little girl spoke in a soft, childish voice, her face filled with a gentle attentiveness beyond her years, chattering on endlessly. Minglan felt a pang of sadness and turned her head away, unable to watch Danju leave.
Xiaotao accompanied Danju all the way to the intersection, almost wanting to follow her home. When she returned, her eyes were swollen like big peaches, and she buried herself in the bedding, refusing to come out.
When Gu Tingye returned to the room at night, Minglan was still looking dejected. Gu Tingye, feeling a pang of sympathy, said, "If you're so reluctant to part with her, why not keep Danju in the residence and find a promising young man for her?"
Minglan used a cloth to help dry his wet hair and replied softly, "They have been with me from the very beginning. I just wish for them to have a good life. It would be worth all these years of connection."
Gu Tingye, holding their son in his arms, playfully tossed him up and down, making the little boy giggle. Hearing Minglan's words, he was quite surprised. To him, the concept of fate or affection between a master and servant didn't quite make sense.
He put their son on the bed, allowing him to crawl around on his own, then pulled Minglan close and carefully examined her face. Seeing her eyes swollen and red, he couldn't help but frown slightly and said, "You've always treated them well. If you're so unwilling to part with her, she should have asked to stay herself. It seems she's ungrateful after all!"
Minglan forced his large hand away and said with a tearful and unhappy tone, "Stop talking nonsense!"
Gu Tingye was momentarily stunned and then chuckled, "Alright, alright, I won't talk nonsense." He then joked, "With so many maids, if you react like this every time one gets married, how would you ever manage?"
Minglan gently wiped her tears and, hearing this, self-deprecatingly said, "It's just her and Xiaotao. As for the others… well, it's just how it is."
Gu Tingye leaned back slowly and asked with interest, "Is it because these two were with you the earliest?"
Minglan pondered for a moment before replying, "...Because back then, the three of us were all genuinely devoted."
Hearing this, Gu Tingye was somewhat moved and couldn't help but ask, "Does that mean the later maids didn't serve you with the same sincerity?"
Xiaotao was an unexpected reward during my most unfortunate times, and Danju was an encouragement award when my future was uncertain. As for later, when the old lady's favor towards me increased and I established my footing in the Sheng family, my feelings started to become more complicated.
Minglan thought carefully, organized her thoughts, and then replied, "Once I became the wife of Lord Gu, whether it was genuine or not didn't really matter." Gu Tingye quietly looked at her for a moment and then sighed, "I wish I had met you at that time."
Minglan blinked her big eyes twice, her face suddenly showing a strange expression as she stared at him, her face gradually turning red. Gu Tingye initially didn't understand but soon realized that while Minglan was just learning to run in her childhood, he was already riding horses and making a ruckus.
The couple looked at each other for a while, unsure of what they were thinking, but they both smiled simultaneously. Minglan's earlier gloom vanished as her lips quivered with her smile. She tilted her head and recalled her childhood, saying, "When I was young, there was a time when I went with my father and grandmother to see the lanterns on the street. A few young men in splendid attire rode fast horses through the street. Mama Fang tightly held me and whispered, 'Look, look, my girl, these are bad people!'"
The scene was so vivid that Gu Tingye twitched his mouth and grabbed his son, who was climbing on top of him, with a slightly darkened face.
Seeing his expression, Minglan quickly tried to remedy the situation by changing the subject. "Today, the Qi Guogong Mansion sent an invitation saying that soon the old lord will be having a birthday banquet. It is rare to live to seventy in a lifetime, and the old lord reaching such an old age is also exceptional. Since they are holding a celebration for his sixty-ninth birthday this year and won't hold another one, they certainly want us to attend."
"Speaking of which, Wang has known Princess Pingning for such a long time, but Minglan has never once been to the Qi Guogong Mansion."
"Ah, so it's the Hedong Mansion?!" Gu Tingye raised an eyebrow upon hearing this, his dark eyes showing a hint of amusement.
Minglan was puzzled. "What Hedong Mansion?"
"Madam, with your broad knowledge and memory, haven't you heard of the 'Hedong Lion's Roar'?"