Do You Know?: Rule the World.

Chapter 120 Aunt Wei Arrives, Hai's Method of Entering the Door

Lin Qinshuang felt no particular emotion about registering Minglan under Wang Ruofu's name.

She desperately hoped that Mo Lan could marry into a powerful family so that she could have support.

If the title is registered under the eldest daughter-in-law's name, even if she rises to a higher social status in the future, the glory and prestige will only go to Wang Ruofu, and she herself will not benefit much.

She knew that neither the old lady nor Wang Ruofu liked her, and that if she didn't make a big fuss about it, there would be no future for her.

Moreover, the fact that Mo Lan had been raised by her side since childhood could be easily found out by asking around in Bianjing.

It's really not worth the effort to plan this.

During this period, there has been no movement from the Duke of Qi's mansion because Qi Heng has stayed at home.

Liang Liulang's attempts to curry favor became more and more frequent, whenever a lady in the city held a poetry gathering or elegant poetry contest.

If Fan Molan is there, he will definitely come over to talk to her.

Upon learning this, Lin Qinshuang couldn't help but feel anxious, after all, the Qi family and the Liang family were worlds apart.

To test Sheng Hong's opinion, she dressed up specially today and even went to the small kitchen to make some trendy dishes and pastries herself.

As night deepened, candlelight flickered inside Linxi Pavilion, filling the room with brilliance.

After Sheng Hong tasted a few bites of the side dishes, Lin Qinshuang's eyes sparkled, and she asked with a smile, "Hong Lang, how does it taste?"

Sheng Hong put down his chopsticks and nodded with a smile.

"Shuang'er's skills are getting better and better, but these rough jobs can be done by the servants. Why bother yourself?"

Lin Qinshuang smiled and personally got up to pour him a cup of wine, saying, "How could the servants know Honglang's preferences as well as I do?"

Then, she changed the subject and said softly, "Seeing our Mo'er getting older every day, and still no marriage in sight, I really feel bad about it, but the eldest mistress doesn't help at all..."

"Don't worry, I've been looking after Mo'er these past few days."

Sheng Hong casually put his arm around Lin Qinshuang's shoulder. "Speaking of which, do you have someone you like?"

Lin Qinshuang had been waiting for these words, and her eyes darted around.

"What does Honglang think of the young master of the Qi family? Mo'er and he have been classmates at the academy for many years and are quite familiar with each other."

Upon hearing this, Sheng Hong was immediately stunned, staring at her in surprise, "Shuang'er, you...you actually took a liking to the Qi family!"

"What does Honglang mean by this? Does he mean we can't manage the Qi family?"

"Although Mo'er is born out of wedlock, she excels in everything, including playing the zither, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, and prose."

"Besides, our eldest sister is the Crown Princess, and our second brother is a newly appointed Hanlin scholar. They can manage to manage their family well."

Lin Qinshuang frowned, her eyes filled with tender affection.

Sheng Hong shook his head repeatedly.

"Shuang'er, the princess is not easy to get along with. She speaks to people with her nose in the air, and she wishes her young master could be paired with Chang'e in the moon."

"Besides, do I really need to mention your own background again?"

“Even the eldest daughter-in-law has no intention of marrying Ru’er off to the Qi family, yet you’re still making plans here.”

Lin Qinshuang was born to a disgraced official. Although the Lin family did not commit a crime that could lead to the extermination of the entire clan or exile, her children were not implicated.

But the words "daughter of a disgraced official" are an indelible mark.

If word gets out, and the officials of the Censorate add fuel to the fire by accusing him of sympathizing with a disgraced official, then it would be more than just a matter of losing face and reputation.

Therefore, Sheng Hong's plan for Mo Lan's marriage was simple: to preserve the Sheng family's reputation.

Furthermore, we must plan ahead to prevent anyone from using Lin Qinshuang's background to their advantage, making things difficult for Molan in her husband's family and causing the Sheng family to lose face as well.

He also knew that Mo Lan's temperament was very similar to Lin Qinshuang's, and he genuinely liked this kind of behavior.

But which of the mistresses of the powerful families in Bianjing wasn't a cunning fox?

Anyone with discerning eyes can tell at a glance how well-mannered the young ladies in the mansion are.

If they really rely on Hua Lan's influence, they could marry Mo Lan off to a prominent family.

I'm afraid that within three days, her little trick will be seen through, which will only make things worse.

Furthermore, not only was the old lady unhappy, but who knew what kind of trouble Wang Ruofu would cause...

"Is Honglang now looking down on my humble origins? Back in the day..."

Before Lin Qinshuang could finish speaking, Sheng Hong interrupted her, "I understand your thoughts. Mo'er is my most beloved daughter."

“I will personally oversee her marriage. I will make sure she marries into a family with a respectable background and good morals.”

He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and continued, "I think there are a few promising young men among this year's new graduates."

"Although their social standing is not as high as our Sheng family, they are all scholars who have passed the imperial examinations. Mo'er will definitely have no worries about food and clothing after marrying into their family."

"After a few years of training and experience in other places, with the support of the Sheng family, the future will naturally be bright."

Lin Qinshuang was slightly anxious, "How can they not compare to our family? How many courtyards do they have? How much property do they own?"

Sheng Hong glanced at him sideways, "Why are you so bothered by these things?"

"When you humbled yourself to become my concubine back then, was it because you coveted the Sheng family's wealth?"

"This servant..." Lin Qinshuang was speechless for a moment when asked the question. She pursed her lips, lowered her eyes and said, "Honglang, what you said is really a terrible injustice. This servant naturally admires Honglang's outstanding talent."

"That's it then. For the sake of the Sheng family's reputation, Mo'er should not marry into a higher social class."

"Back then, I didn't even want Hua'er to marry into a wealthy family. It was an unexpected stroke of luck that our family had this opportunity."

Sheng Hong narrowed his eyes and clicked his tongue in amazement.

Mo Lan, who was eavesdropping outside the door, couldn't help but wipe away her tears. She refused to marry down!

No matter what, she would never want to be inferior to Rulan and Minglan in this lifetime!
-

Eight or nine days later, Shulan and her party had reached the territory of Sizhou.

At today's court assembly, Zhao Han solemnly expressed to the Emperor his intention to establish the Firearms Bureau and the Divine Machine Battalion.

Knowing that his health was declining, Zhao Zhen only wished to witness the imperial army's western expedition and the recovery of Western Xia before he died, and was naturally willing to give his full support.

As this matter concerned vital military and national affairs, the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of War devoted themselves wholeheartedly to it and dared not delay in the slightest.

At the same time, the Sheng family also welcomed a guest who had not visited for a long time - Aunt Wei, Wei Shuyi's younger sister.

The two sisters have very different personalities.

Wei Shuyi is gentle and kind, and acts with great caution, while Aunt Wei is intelligent and straightforward, and would never let herself suffer any loss.

In the backyard of the Sheng family mansion, in the flower hall, Aunt Wei, following proper etiquette, first came here to pay her respects to Wang Ruofu.

"Greetings, Madam."

Wearing a light blue satin dress and with only a few silver ornaments in her hair, Aunt Wei bowed respectfully.

Wang Ruofu looked up at her and said softly, "Madam Wei has come from afar, there's no need for such formalities."

"Speaking of which, the last time I saw Madam Wei was when Brother Liu was born."

Aunt Wei nodded slightly. "Yes, four or five years have passed in the blink of an eye. I have always kept them in my heart. Now that I have a little free time, I immediately went to the capital to see them."

"The lady's demeanor now is even more elegant and noble than when she was in Yangzhou."

Wang Ruofu straightened her back, a hint of pride in her eyes, and said solemnly, "Our family is indeed very different from what it used to be, and so is your sister."

"Back then, after my eldest sister came to the Sheng family as a concubine, the family was able to afford two acres of land and a pond. Now, the Wei family's life is thriving."

"Without Madam, the Wei family would not be where it is today. We sisters will never forget this kindness."

Aunt Wei knew Wang Ruofu's temperament, so she spoke with utmost deference, which pleased Wang Ruofu and made her smile even more.

"We're all family, there's no need to be so formal."

After Wang Ruofu finished speaking, he beckoned to the maid beside him to take her to Tingxue Residence to see Wei Xiaoniang.

Aunt Wei's figure disappeared into the flower hall.

Liu Mama stepped forward and said, "Madam Wei, what brings you here at this hour?"

Wang Ruofu looked up at her, unconvinced, "Look at how polite she is, she's probably just here to freeload."

"It's just a matter of a little money, no need to worry about it."

Tingxueju (Listening to Snow Residence)

As soon as Aunt Wei entered the courtyard, she saw Wei Xiaoniang standing under the eaves with Liu Ge'er in her hand, waiting for her.

"Big sister..." Aunt Wei choked up and quickly took a few steps forward.

Then, she turned her gaze to Brother Liu.

Seeing his chubby face and the way his features resembled his older sister, she couldn't help but feel a lump in her throat. "Brother Liu has grown up so much."

Wei Xiaoniang smiled gently and said softly, "Brother Liu, quickly call her Aunt."

Liu Ge'er raised his little face and obediently bowed: "Greetings, Aunt."

"Yes!" Aunt Wei responded and immediately took out the gift she had prepared beforehand from her sleeve and stuffed it into Liu Ge'er's hand.

After entering the room, Wei Xiaoniang instructed Xiaodie to take Liu Ge'er out to play, and then pulled her to sit on the soft couch together.

"Sister, you could have just written to me, why bother making this trip? Has something happened at home?"

Aunt Wei grasped her hand in return, "Everything is fine at home. I just wanted to see with my own eyes how you're doing in the Sheng family." "And has Lin Xiaoniang still treated you...?"

Wei Xiaoniang shook her head, a faint smile playing on her lips.

“When she first came to the capital, she was quite covetous. Whenever the master stayed in my courtyard, she would find various excuses to send people to invite him away. She was kind on the surface but ruthless on the inside when she was with Liu Ge’er.”

"Even if she wanted to now, she wouldn't have the chance. His Highness the Crown Prince treats Liu Ge'er very well."

“If something happens to Brother Liu, once a thorough investigation begins, how can she escape?”

Aunt Wei frowned and said indignantly, "Back then, she almost took your and Liu'er's lives. I'm afraid you won't escape her clutches tomorrow either!"

"Are you just going to keep swallowing this insult, sister?"

Wei Xiaoniang lowered her eyes, recalling how Xiaodie had secretly found the doctor who came to the mansion to take her pulse.

When asked, Lin Qinshuang refused to let the doctor reveal the truth that the fetus was larger than expected, citing concerns that she might overthink things.

On that day, there were three midwives in the house: one was home to take care of her sick grandson, one was drunk, and the other had disappeared without a trace.

Even Minglan, who was only eight years old at the time, knew it was Lin Qinshuang's doing, so how could she be confused?

"It's not that I don't want to report it, it's just that the time has not come yet."

“With the Wang family backing her up, the eldest daughter-in-law has been helpless against us all these years. We must plan this matter carefully.”

"You and the old lady will arrive at your home in a few days. Stay a while longer, she misses you very much."

"Over the years, Ming'er has been raised by the old lady and has become more and more beautiful. She has also learned a lot of skills. Now she can even read account books."

When Minglan was mentioned, Wei Xiaoniang's eyes softened considerably.

"Ming'er is so well-behaved, how could you bear to do that?" Aunt Wei couldn't help but scold.

"I can't ruin her future just because I can't bear to part with her." Wei Xiaoniang shook her head and sighed softly.

-

After the ship arrived in Bianjing, the old lady was still uneasy because she had been disturbed by river pirates on the way there.

They decided to stay overnight at Yuqing Temple and pray for the entire Sheng family.

Shulan, escorted by a female eunuch, rode in a sedan chair straight to the East Palace.

The grief of my grandmother's passing, coupled with the recent turbulent journey.

Shulan's originally radiant cheeks were now slightly pale, and there were faint dark circles under her eyes.

"Your Highness, Your Majesty," Shulan said respectfully, her eyes lowered.

Hua Lan reached out and helped her up, comforting her, "The person is gone, but the living remain."

"If you grieve too much and harm your health, you will only be letting down the old lady who loved you so much."

Shulan nodded gently. After the female official reported her words and actions over the past few days as usual, Zhao Han asked her to go to the side hall to rest.

When Madam Wu learned that Minglan had returned, she was naturally overjoyed.

Despite Liang Liulang's objections, he had already decided to find an opportunity to spend some money to hold a few elegant gatherings and get closer to Minglan.

This was to let her know the strength of the Yongchang Earl's Mansion, so that she would be willing to marry into it.

At the same time, the marriage between Sheng Changbai and the Hai family was officially put on the agenda.

As the eldest son of the Sheng family, this marriage is not only a matter of Changbai's life, but also a matter of the Sheng family's reputation.

Wang Ruofu was well aware of the risks involved and dared not slack off in the slightest, keeping himself busy all day long.

From the patterns of the silks used to decorate the new house to the pomp and ceremony of the wedding procession, she had to personally inspect everything, for fear of making any mistakes.

To save face for Wang Ruofu, the old lady also asked Wei Xiaoniang to return the housekeeper's key to her.

After all, it wouldn't be good for the Hai family's daughter to know about what happened before as soon as she entered the house.

With the keys in hand, Wang Ruofu was able to stand tall at home again and became even more diligent in his work.

In mid-October, it was Sheng Changbai's big day of getting married.

The Sheng family home was decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, with vermilion lanterns hanging high under the eaves.

The maids and servants, with red ribbons tied around their waists, moved nimbly between the front hall and the back courtyard, each with a smile on their face.

The same applies to the Hai family.

After watching his granddaughter get married, Hai Daren submitted his resignation to the Ministry of Personnel and returned to his ancestral home in Jiangning with his wife to live out his remaining years.

As a prestigious family with five members who had passed the imperial examinations, Hai Chaoyun's dowry was so lavish that it was astonishing.

Various kinds of furniture and decorations, glowing with a reddish light, stretched along three streets and alleys of Bianjing.

There were forty loads of fabric for spring, summer, autumn and winter alone, and all of them were shimmering and of the highest quality, rarely seen by ordinary people.

Sixty-eight loads of gold, silver, jewelry, and ornaments were distributed across four to five hundred acres of fertile land in Bianjing and Jiangning, along with countless shops and account books.

Even chamber pots, washbasins, burial clothes, and coffins were prepared, along with two yellow horses worth a thousand gold pieces.

Not to mention Hai Chaoyun alone, it's enough to support the entire Sheng family.

It's almost three stories higher than when Hualan got married.

Only the dowry given by the old lady when the only daughter of the Marquis of Yongyi married into the Sheng family could be compared to it.

The dowry items were crammed together in the backyard, making Wang Ruoyu grit her teeth and feel a surge of anger.

How come a simple-minded girl who came back from the countryside has such successful children and is still so tolerant of her husband?

She was the legitimate eldest daughter of the Wang family, outstanding in both appearance and talent, yet she had to endure such humiliating days in the Kang family!
Wang Ruoyu grew angrier the more she thought about it, and her jealousy and hatred towards the Sheng family and Wang Ruofu intensified.

Ironically, Wang Ruofu was worried that she wouldn't be able to handle her daughter-in-law in the future and wouldn't be able to act like a proper mother-in-law.

Zhao Han and the Duke of England were busy with the establishment of the Shenji Battalion.

Although he did not attend, he still instructed the officials of the Eastern Palace to send a generous gift to Sheng Changbai.

This can be considered as giving the Sheng family enough face.

After finishing all the arrangements for the homecoming ceremony, Sheng Changbai and Sheng Hong discussed the matter and decided to personally take their new bride, Hai Chaoyun, to the Eastern Palace to express their gratitude.

Hua Lan noticed that her three younger sisters were almost of marriageable age, so she specially sent someone to deliver a message.

Let them come to the palace with us and stay for a few days. This will broaden their horizons and make them look very respectable.

Early this morning, at Wei Rui Xuan.

Wang Ruofu sat in front of the bronze mirror with a long face, unsure whether to be angry or sigh.

I felt a tightness in my chest.

Hai Chaoyun has been following the rules of the household for the past few days, making her feel extremely uncomfortable.

She would greet me every morning and evening, help me dress and go to bed, and stand by my side to serve me food when I ate. She would also test the temperature of my tea before serving it to me.

She washes your hands and face, holding the basin beside you, and even lends a hand to help you walk; she practically chews your food and feeds you.

Trying to deliberately make things difficult is like punching cotton – there's no way to apply your strength.

Rulan, oblivious to her own limitations, tried to act like a proper sister-in-law.

As a result, Hai Chaoyun's few words and a few pieces of jewelry made her overjoyed, and she ran to Shou'an Hall to show them off to Minglan.

As Liu Mama tied her hair up, she said in a low voice, "Second Brother's wife is so sensible and gentle, why does Madam always try to make things difficult for her?"

"What do you know? I only have one son, Bai'er."

"After all the hard work of going from daughter-in-law to mother-in-law, can't you even do this much?"

Wang Ruofu frowned, feeling even more uncomfortable all over.

After a moment, she said quietly, "It's strange, but Linxi Pavilion seems to have been quiet these past few days."

"Given the Hai family girl's background, shouldn't Madam Lin be more restrained? If you ask me, Madam should also know when to stop."

“Back when you first married into the Sheng family, when did the old lady ever make you serve her like this? She didn’t even have proper etiquette.”

Mother Liu spoke earnestly, worried that if her eldest daughter-in-law went too far and angered Madam Hai, it would be a loss for her.

Moreover, Changbai also protected the Hai family in every way.

"The old lady isn't the man's biological mother, so there's no need for such formalities..."

Then, feeling a little guilty, she changed the subject, saying, "Where's Ru'er? Doesn't that girl know she went to the palace with Changbai and the others today?"

"When the Fifth Sister learned that she could enter the palace, she was so excited that she didn't sleep all night. She washed up and got dressed early in the morning."

"I just went to Shou'an Hall to call for the Sixth Miss."

"Such a great opportunity to make us proud, and we have to bring all three Lans along!" As Wang Ruofu spoke, he felt a throbbing pain in his forehead.

Madam Liu twitched the corners of her mouth and whispered, "I heard from Fifth Miss that Madam Wu of the Yongchang Earl's Mansion has been quite interested in our Sixth Miss these past few days. Could it be that she's thinking of proposing marriage?"

“The Earl’s mansion is not bad, but Minglan’s marriage is decided by the old lady, and we have no say in it.”

"It has to be something the old lady approves of." Wang Ruofu shrugged, not taking the matter to heart at all.

In her opinion, Minglan has always been obedient and well-behaved, and now that she is registered under her name, it wouldn't be a disservice if she were to marry into a noble family and become their principal wife.

(End of this chapter)