Chapter 204: Farewell Day
As the golden wind rises and it's the season for crabs, at this time of year, Ming Lan would usually be holding a vinegar jar, eagerly waiting for the chrysanthemum crabs to be steamed. However, now that she is pregnant, she has naturally been forbidden from eating them. Mother Cui has a stern expression, saying, "Crabs are cold in nature; Madam, you shouldn't eat them."
Ming Lan feels a bit saddened: "In this world, anything delicious is either cold or hot, or else dry or damp. The food that could reassure Mama is all tasteless like wax. It seems the heavens have created these things just to make it difficult for people."
Mama Cui patiently comforts her: "What a glutton you are! Be careful that the little one inside hears you and ends up blaming you!" Unlike Gu Ting Ye, she has firmly believed from the beginning that Ming Lan is carrying a boy.
It's not that simple!—Thinking of the yellow, fragrant, and rich crab roe, Ming Lan feels like there's a cat scratching in her stomach. When she was pregnant with the chubby little one, she couldn't casually eat anything as she was always on edge, fearing that the old white flower would be watching her closely. During that time, she was frightened day and night but didn't feel particularly uncomfortable.
Seeing her distressed, Gu Ting Ye simply orders that no one in the household is allowed to eat crabs. He adds that if Madam catches even a whiff of them and gets her appetite going, he'll make sure to tie up the Marquis and steam himself. (he would ensure that the Marquis (referring to himself) would be tied up and steamed instead, as a humorous exaggeration of his willingness to sacrifice his own comfort to prevent her temptation.)
Ming Lan laughed so hard that she rolled over on the kang (a traditional heated bed). Seeing his mother rolling around so amusingly, the chubby little boy, Tuanzi, opened his pudgy hands and tried to pounce on her. Halfway through, his father lifted him onto his back and then let go, leaving the chubby toddler to grunt as he practiced climbing.
Gu Ting Ye had just mentioned, "Why don't we eat some crab claws," when the housekeeper, Cui Mama, who had just entered with a stew pot, overheard him. He quickly coughed and added, "Of course, it's best not to eat them."
Seeing her husband act like this, Ming Lan couldn't help but burst into laughter and found him adorable. Taking advantage of the moment when no one was watching, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him twice. Little Tuanzi, imitating her, also pounced into his father's arms, leaving slobbery kisses all over his father's face.
Gu Ting Ye wiped his face and scolded, "Silly boy, can't you do this properly?"
He pulled his son over and gave him a couple of kisses as a demonstration. Unfortunately, Tuanzi didn't understand the sentiment. Instead, he just used a bit more silly strength, trying to nibble on his father's face with his tiny white teeth, leaving several little bite marks, and then clapped his hands, laughing as he looked at his parents.
Ming Lan couldn't hold back anymore and collapsed on the edge of the kang, laughing uncontrollably.
Gu Ting Ye, both amused and annoyed, lightly patted their son's bottom and scolded, "You only know how to laugh! You're a mother now; can't you say a few words?" Ming Lan chuckled, "This little guy, why is he so silly?" Gu Ting Ye frowned and replied, "Can't you say something nice?"
Ming Lan immediately responded, "Your son has a good set of teeth." It seemed even a rough-and-tumble father like him could be nibbled by such tiny teeth.
As the chill gradually set in, even though she couldn't eat crab, Ming Lan's life became more comfortable. The crisp autumn air was perfect for outings. In early October, the couple sent off the fifth uncle—
Old Master Wu was in high spirits, reciting a poem in the style of the ancients and even poured half a jar of farewell wine into the ground. He was determined to make a name for himself at the academy. In contrast, Old Madam Wu looked listless, her eyes swollen and red.
Later, Madam Xuan told Ming Lan that her little girl's wet nurse had heard from the sister-in-law of her third son, who worked for the Wu family, that Old Madam Wu had initially refused to leave the capital, but Old Master Wu was adamant. Old Madam Wu threw a tantrum, saying she didn't want to live anymore, which only angered Old Master Wu further—"Even if I have to carry you in a coffin, you still have to go!"
Since Gu Ting Yang's death, the Ting Di couple had been very dissatisfied with Old Madam Wu, and Ming Lan suspected that they were the ones secretly spreading this news.
The farewell scene was festive and cheerful, especially for Old Madam Si, who was glowing and exceptionally kind to Ming Lan, showering her with care. She even pulled Ming Lan to her home for tea. Unable to refuse, and considering it was on her way home, Ming Lan went along.
In front of Ming Lan, Old Madam Si had Liu Yiniang serve tea and fetch water, fanning her and wiping her sweat—clearly enjoying her status. Madam Xuan, standing nearby, could only manage a bitter smile, having no intention of intervening.
Liu Yiniang had long lost the charm of her youthful years; her age showed clearly. After complaining a bit, Old Madam Si remarked, "If you don't want to serve here, why not go to the northwest? That child, Ting Bing, is all alone; it would be good for him to have someone to take care of him."
Liu Yiniang thought that even if the main lady was difficult to serve, it was better than enduring the harshness of the northwest. She cherished her own life and did not want to suffer there, so she did not dare to retort against Old Madam Si. Instead, she kept begging Ming Lan to ask Gu Ting Ye to look after her son more.
Ming Lan couldn't help but curl her lips, wanting to invite her to visit the grave of Yu Yan Hong three days before—just to avoid giving others a chance to wear a green hat.
As they entered the middle of the month, the Ministry of Personnel issued performance evaluations and appointments for officials. Uncle Wang indeed received an official post in Jiangnan, and the entire family left the capital first. Sheng Hong and Chang Bai went to see them off. Hua Lan initially wanted to take Ru Lan along to send them off, but she was unexpectedly persuaded by Ru Lan instead.
"What did Mother say? Grandmother would rather have Auntie go to court to protect her! Hmph! Clearly, Auntie is malicious; she harmed Old Madam and framed Mother, yet Grandmother still wants to cover it up? Father and Brother going is just courtesy, but we are married off—why should we go?! Grandmother can't tell right from wrong, completely disregarding the Sheng family's reputation, and we are supposed to go and appease her? Mother is so wronged! It really makes people think we have no temper at all!"
Thinking of how well-off her maternal family used to be, and now how the family had fallen apart, Hua Lan also felt angry. Although Grandmother was an elder, Wang Shi was their real mother, and now she was starting to serve her sentence—thus, in the end, the two sisters did not go.
However, the most surprising thing that day was that Mo Lan went.
Old Madam suddenly fell ill, and Wang Shi returned to her hometown to pray for her mother-in-law's blessings and longevity. This excuse might work on outsiders, but Mo Lan, who knew Wang Shi's character well, immediately sensed something was very off. Furthermore, she heard that Chang Bai was taking Old Madam to her new position, which made her realize that something serious had happened in her maternal family.
Unfortunately, no one could explain the situation clearly. Chang Feng was clueless (he truly did not know the internal details), and Liu Shi was even more slippery. The other sisters were not even worth asking.
Worried, Mo Lan was scratching her ears and cheeks in frustration. She had no choice but to ask those around her to use money to lure the servants of the Sheng family into revealing some information. After nearly a month of back-and-forth, she only managed to find out that on the day Old Madam suddenly fell ill, Ming Lan had surrounded the Sheng residence and even captured and interrogated some people (Chang Feng had heard screams but did not know who it was). In the end, it was said that Mama Qian, who was close to Wang Shi, had connections with outsiders, plotting to steal the family wealth, which frightened Old Madam into falling ill, enraging Sheng Hong and Ming Lan, who then sealed the estate for questioning.
Moreover, Aunt Kang from the Kang family had recently fallen gravely ill and was sent to the countryside for recovery. However, it was unclear which estate she had been sent to, and most of her trusted aides had also been sent away to attend to her, resulting in both the master and servants disappearing without a trace.
Given all of this, Mo Lan knew there was something fishy going on, but she could not uncover any more details. After sending off the Wang family members that day, Mo Lan still hadn't managed to pry even a hair's breadth of information from Wang Jiayi. Left with no choice, she dutifully accompanied her father in conversation back to their residence, continuing until they reached the study, where she subtly tried to inquire.
"...Father, I heard from the servants that on the day Grandmother fell ill, Sixth Sister suddenly had the guards of the marquis's residence surround our home. What happened there?"
Sheng Hong sighed, and the standard answer flowed from his lips: "There was a traitor in the family who colluded with outside thieves to steal, which scared Old Madam quite a bit. To prevent the thieves from destroying evidence and escaping, they simply surrounded the estate."
Mo Lan felt like she was about to spit blood—how could it be this same answer? She bit her lip and said, "I also heard that Sixth Sister's people were torturing and interrogating those at home…"
"Alas, it's hurtful, but for the sake of questioning the thieves and ensuring Old Madam's peace of mind, we have no choice," Sheng Hong said.
Mo Lan tried to probe several times, but all her attempts returned empty-handed. She quickly said, "Father, it's just catching a household thief; there's no need to mobilize the marquis's guards. Our own family servants are more than enough. Sixth Sister's actions are truly... and Aunt Kang..."
Sheng Hong suddenly became alert, shooting her a cold, piercing look. "What do you want to ask? Our home was burglarized, and it frightened Old Madam. Your sister and I panicked and were determined to uncover the traitor within, which is why we acted somewhat improperly—what exactly do you want to know?"
Mo Lan shrank back under her father's gaze but gathered her courage and spoke tearfully, "Father, there's clearly more to this story. Those outside may not know, but how could I not? All my sisters are aware, yet I'm the only one left in the dark. Is it so that I don't share the Sheng surname? Am I not your own flesh and blood? Why must you treat me this way, hiding the truth from me…"
As she spoke, she broke into sobs, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I know it was uncomfortable for you when I got married, but we are still blood relatives. I'm worried about Grandmother, and I'm worried about you, Father. Now that something has happened in the family, I've been anxious day and night, unable to think of food or tea. My siblings all know—why can't I? Am I really so unworthy…"
Seeing her cry so heartbreakingly, with her reasonable complaints, Sheng Hong couldn't help but soften his heart. Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly remembered his eldest son's words: "The more people know about this matter, the greater the risk. Human hearts are inherently difficult to read, especially for women in the inner quarters who often lack a broader perspective and cannot distinguish between light and heavy matters. Hualan and Rulan are protective of their mother's reputation, and Sixth Sister has made many inappropriate moves in this situation; they wouldn't dare to say a word. But others are a different story..."
Though Chang Bai hadn't named anyone specifically, Sheng Hong knew that aside from a few core individuals with vested interests, it was best that no one, not even their closest relatives, knew the details—especially those from the Lin family. If petty thoughts led to damage to the Sheng family's reputation, it would be too late to regret.
"There's nothing to this matter; you're overthinking it," Sheng Hong said coldly. "You keep talking about sisterhood, yet you don't consider that among all your sisters, you are the only one without children."
Mo Lan, who had been crying intensely, was caught off guard by this painful truth. She stared wide-eyed, tears streaming down her face, "Father... how could you..."
"I have three sons and four daughters, and except for the youngest, Chang Dong, they have all blossomed and borne fruit. Whether it's your brothers and sisters-in-law or your several brothers-in-law, they all enjoy loving marriages. Yet you, the one who has been married for several years, remain childless, and no matter how many concubines your husband has, what can you say about it?!"
Mo Lan's face was filled with tears as she cried out sharply, "Father...!"
"Your elder sister is virtuous and kind, and your brother-in-law treats her with great love. The couple, the fifth girl and her husband, are also harmonious and happy. Not to mention, Lord Gu is entirely obedient to the sixth girl. From the same father, why don't you compare yourself to your sisters in managing a household and raising children? Spending all day gossiping and listening to rumors, is that proper behavior?!"
Having mingled in the official circles for many years, Sheng Hong could be sharp with his words when he truly intended to be, using language like a sword that was impossible to counter. "Your own family is in such disarray, and you still have the energy to meddle in your maternal family's affairs? You're losing sight of what's important and pursuing trivialities without knowing what you're doing!"
Mo Lan hadn't expected that just asking a few questions would provoke such a severe reprimand from her father. She felt utterly humiliated, unable to articulate her shame, and her chest burned with anger as she ran out of the door crying. After taking a few steps, she thought about how embarrassing it would be if the servants saw her, so she forced herself to hold back her tears. She wiped her eyes and walked with her head down.
Because of this incident, she didn't go to see off Chang Bai three days later.
Chang Feng awkwardly chuckled and apologetically said, "My sister said that there are matters at the Liang residence and she can't leave..."
Old Madam Sheng's expression was unexpectedly grim, and Sheng Xiong sighed while slapping his thigh, not daring to look his biological mother in the eye. Chang Bai, on the other hand, remained calm and composed.
"Ah, it's no matter. Fourth Sister has her difficulties; who in the family doesn't understand that?" Hua Lan turned to speak again. "Fifth Sister, you startled me. I thought you wouldn't be able to come today! I heard that Fifth Brother-in-law has been assigned far away; why haven't you set off yet?"
Ru Lan had been waiting for this question for a long time. She immediately affectionately supported the old lady, saying, "Who says otherwise? We were supposed to leave a few days ago, but my husband said that since Grandma is leaving today, as the younger generation, we'd rather delay our departure and escort Grandma a little before heading out; that's the filial thing to do."
Sheng Hong had a long face but smiled as he sighed, "What my son-in-law said makes sense."
Madam Sheng also laughed, pinching Ru Lan's nose, "Your husband is a good son-in-law, but you, girl, are simply terrible! If it weren't for your husband, would you have left first?"
Ru Lan exclaimed in a playful tone, twisting and pouting, "Grandma, you're being unreasonable! You're turning a good intention into a bad thing!"
Everyone laughed heartily.
As the time to leave approached, Old Madam Sheng saw Ming Lan standing there with a naive and silly smile, which made her uneasy. Taking the opportunity, she pulled her little granddaughter aside by the ear and advised, "Silly girl, I'm leaving now. You need to pay more attention and be humble and reflective. Don't be so careless that you let someone deceive you without realizing it!"
Ming Lan cheerfully replied, "I know, I know." She thought of Aunt Kang and wondered who was deceiving whom.
"What do you know!" the old lady said angrily, tugging at her ear. "I heard that recently, because you can't eat crabs, your husband ordered everyone in the household not to eat crabs either? What about your widowed sister-in-law and your niece? She's currently devoted to mourning, hardly goes out, and can't neglect her meals. If outsiders find out about this, they'll blame you two for being harsh to your widowed sister-in-law!"
Ming Lan covered her ear, secretly cursing Mama Cui for being an eavesdropper. She lamented, "Granddaughter isn't that unreasonable! I already sent several baskets of blue crabs; each one is as big as your purple sandalwood fish!"
"What a sin, what a sin! You little scamp, how dare you compare food to a Buddhist offering? Aren't you afraid the Buddha will strike you down!"
Ming Lan initially wanted to say, "It's the Thunder God and Lightning Mother who punish people; each deity has their own responsibilities, and the Buddha doesn't manage these matters." However, with her earlobe being pulled painfully, she could only keep chanting praises for the Buddha to atone for her words.
Madam Sheng released her grip and sighed in relief, saying, "What people say can be frightening. You need to be cautious everywhere; don't let others find something to use against you." She then continued to ramble on about various daily matters, making Ming Lan feel as if she was nodding like a woodpecker.
As everyone was bidding farewell, they still chatted non-stop. After urging three times, Chang Bo finally got the group of women and children to board the carriages one after another, followed by a large number of baggage and attendants—there were at least ten carriages. Looking at her grandmother's smiling face just before getting into the carriage, Ming Lan understood that her grandmother was happy. After a lifetime of feeling stifled under the roof, she was now free under the vast sky and sea, how could she not feel joyful?
After sending off the elderly matriarch and her eldest son, Sheng Mansion suddenly felt half empty. Sheng Hong couldn't help but feel lonely once again (the last time was when Wang Shi left). Seeing his father sigh, Chang Feng suggested that the siblings all have a meal together. Hua Lan immediately responded, clapping her hands and laughing, "As long as the brothers-in-law are on duty, as long as you don't mind that we're just girls, we'll keep you company for a few drinks!"
Ming Lan smiled and said, "That sounds good! Although I can't drink, I'm happy to join you. In a few days, Fifth Brother-in-law will have to set off, and Fifth Sister will be busy preparing her things and people. Who knows when we'll gather again for a meal and drinks? Let's take advantage of today!"
Ru Lan hurriedly waved her hands and said, "Drinking is fine, even if you get drunk and need to be carried back, but just don't start reciting poetry or anything like that!"
Sheng Hong couldn't help but chuckle, stroking his beard and laughing heartily, "Alright, alright!"
Seeing this, Liu Shi laughed as she went down to make arrangements.
She first instructed the servant to set up a long table with a high phoenix-shaped top in the main hall, with four small square tables on either side. Then she took out several food boxes, soup bowls, and rice baskets, arranging different floral patterns on each table, with the largest dining utensils on the main table and smaller ones on the others.
One of the head servants saw this and laughed, saying, "Madam is going to serve a divided banquet; it looks like a Lily of the Valley table setup."
Liu Shi smiled. Unlike Chang Feng, who was carefree and happy-go-lucky, she thought that even though they were family, when it came to drinking at the banquet, it was best to avoid pushing cups and exchanging toasts too much. Sure enough, after Sheng Hong took his seat and saw the spacious hall with the children neatly arranged on either side, he felt both grand and lively, and he was very pleased. He praised Chang Feng, saying, "Your wife is a virtuous one; you mustn't act up or cause trouble."
This remark was passed along by the wife of a servant, and when Liu Shi heard it in the room, she simply smiled and let it be. She instructed the maid to give the servant a copper coin, which made the wet nurse beam with joy. "It's worth it for Madam to have worked hard all day; it's already this late, and she hasn't had a bite to eat."
Liu Shi, tired, leaned against the kang and sat down. "What can be done? If only my husband had the capability of his elder brother, managing everything properly, I would gladly learn from my sister-in-law and be at ease, without having to worry."
The wet nurse sighed, "Your husband is good, but he's still a child and doesn't understand the difficulties of managing a household."
Liu Shi picked up the bowl of rice from the kang table, listlessly stirring the grains. "Take this time, for such a big event. My brother-in-law is so capable and powerful, from the old lady of the Wang family to our own master; they're all older generations, and they have them all under control. Just watch, in the future, all of Grandma's silver, antiques, shops, and farmland will all belong to my brother-in-law's family for generations."
The wet nurse, scooping soup with a spoon, hesitated and said, "…The old lady wouldn't be that biased, would she?"
"If I were her, I would be biased," Liu Shi said with a bitter smile. "They're not even related by blood; my brother-in-law has at least raised them for a while and is still the eldest legitimate grandson. This time, he's shown such sincerity and filial piety; why shouldn't everything go to him? Moreover, the household funds, my sister-in-law's dowry, my brother-in-law's family… No matter how much my parents give me, how can it compare?"
"Madam, drink some soup first. This is pigeon soup stewed with angelica root," the wet nurse handed the soup bowl to Liu Shi and couldn't help but sigh. "Alas, after all, you're from the concubine's line, so it's hard to compare with the 2nd young master Sheng. But Master (father-in-law) does seem to prefer the 3rd young master."
Liu Shi took a few sips and then put the bowl down. "That's all we can hope for. It's said that even a hero can be defeated by a lack of money. I just hope the Master sees how well-off my eldest brother in law is and how difficult it is for us, and will allocate more to us in the future... but there's still young Brother Dong."
The wet nurse had no comforting words and remained silent for a while before finally saying, "I see that the eldest master and eldest mistress are both kind and generous, and they wouldn't treat their younger half-brother harshly."
Liu Shi smiled faintly and paused, her chopsticks resting in the bowl. "To be honest, none of the young ladies in this family are really stingy or petty... except for my own dear little sister-in-law!" She sighed again, "I'm not greedy. I don't pine for what's not mine. Heaven have mercy and remember that my marriage has not been easy, and help my husband advance in his studies so we can build our own fortune in the future."
The wet nurse smiled along and agreed, "Yes, yes, that's the right way of thinking. After all, our Master said it himself—many of those prominent families may appear grand on the surface, but inside they're filthy and full of complications. You would have only suffered more had you married into one of them, and there'd be no place to air your grievances. The Sheng family, by contrast, has a clean and upright reputation, simple rules, and well-behaved, promising descendants. It's actually easier for a daughter-in-law here. But still..."
Her expression suddenly tightened, and she whispered softly, "The Master may not be calculating, but you can't afford to be careless. Lately, I've noticed that Wan'er, that girl, seems to be with child, and right now, you only have one daughter. Should we...?"
Madam Liu remained composed, replying calmly, "I'm already aware. There's no need for us to act... This time, let those restless people see for themselves. Let's see if having a bit of extra flesh in the belly can really elevate them to the heavens!"
The wet nurse, reassured that Liu had a plan, was about to urge her to eat more when suddenly, a maid rushed in. She knelt down and reported anxiously, "Madam… just now, someone came from the gatehouse with a message from the household of the Sixth Madam, saying… saying that the Sixth Master sent word, to quickly inform the Sixth Madam and the Master, that the father-in-law of the Fourth Madam… has passed away."
Even as sharp as she was, Liu was briefly confused by the tangle of titles. After thinking for a moment, she asked, "Is it the Yongchang Marquis family, the Liang family's old master?"
The little maid was momentarily stunned, then quickly nodded after snapping out of it.
Madam Liu was taken aback and muttered to herself, "Now Fourth Sister really does have 'family matters to attend to'..."
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Author's note:
Annotation 1: The "shared meal banquet" is something you've probably seen before. It's similar to the scene in *Dream of the Red Chamber* when Granny Liu visits the Grand View Garden. Grandmother Jia sits at the top, and a group of girls sit in two rows, each with a small square table in front of them. The table is arranged with food boxes and delicate, small tableware. From above, the setup resembles lily-of-the-valley flowers, hence it's called a "lily-of-the-valley table."
Annotation 2: In ancient times, there were many ways to arrange banquet tables. There's even a setup called a "pear blossom banquet," which is also quite elaborate, though unfortunately, I haven't found detailed descriptions of it.