Little Cardamom

Chapter 6 – Three Beauties

The first five days of the first year of Chengkang finally passed in the hustle and bustle without any danger, and the flavor of New Year also quietly dissipated with the winter snow that gradually stopped.

The two people who knocked Ming Tan into the water have not yet been found, but it is a good thing that the Duke of Ling’s House has the good sense to admit the claim that Liang Zixuan fell into the water and let Liang Zixuan stay in the house for a few days, which is a perfect story.

Mrs. Pei does not know the inside story, but she thinks that the Duke’s house is very generous, and is a good family. But Ming Tan did not acknowledge it, and when the Duke’s family sent greetings and gifts privately, but she did not even glance at them.

After spring, the tailors and embroiderers from the embroidery workshop were invited to come to the Marquis of Jing’an’s residence to measure and make clothes.

Ming Tan had already thought for a long time that it would be inappropriate to show off after the withdrawal of the marriage, so this time she chose some plain colors, moon white, jade blue and light green.

Mrs. Pei thought she wanted to be fresh, so she didn’t stop her, but pointed out two more brightly colored ones for her to use as outer shirts, and said affectionately: “During the week, it’s fine to be plain in the house. But this spring is a time to enjoy the flowers, so girls should wear brighter and more lively clothes, and be in good spirits, and who wouldn’t like it when they see it.”

“Mother is right.”

Ming Tan didn’t hesitate much, and answered, but in her heart she was annoyed that she couldn’t wear these beautiful clothes to go out in spring.

Mrs. Pei never let anyone off the hook when it came to such trivial matters as food, clothing and expenses, so she gave Ming Tan a regular allowance, and gave Shen painting an additional one as well.

When she remembered something, she explained to the manager of the embroidery workshop: “The remaining pieces will be made according to the figure of the third young lady, and according to the time, the third young lady will return soon. If they don’t fit, we can fix them up again when she returns to the capital.”

“Yes.”

The housekeeper answered to the task, but in her heart, she was wondering whether the delicacy of these clothes should also be made according to the young miss. After all, she often walks in the deep house courtyard, and is therefore able to detect the subtle changes in the Marquis’s Lady in front of her.

In fact, not only Mrs. Pei’s attitude was subtle, Ming Tan and Shen Hua are stunned for a moment when they heard “Third Miss”.

The Marquis of Jing’an has always had a healthy yin and yang. By Ming Tan’s generation, the girls could be counted on one hand. When the old lady was alive, several houses were not separated, and the cousins were ordered together.

There is no direct sister above Ming Tan, the two cousins in the second and third houses have all been married. Ming Chu, a concubine sister, is still in her youth and is similar in age to her. The only thing is that Ming Chu and Aunt Liu have been accompanying her father, the Marquis of Jing’an, to guard the border and have not returned to the capital for five years.

Previously, Ming Tan only remembered that when her father returned to the capital, the matter of withdrawing from the marriage could be put on the table, but she forgot that Ming Chu and Aunt Liu would also return together.

She and Ming Chu used to have a very bad relationship, so when she comes back, won’t there be another person to see her as a laughing stock when the marriage is withdrawn?

As for Shen Hua, the first thing that came to mind was that Ming Chu, the third Miss Ming, is of the same age as her. Although she is a concubine daughter, she has a high rank and is favored, so her status is comparable to hers, and she has a number of appropriate marriages in the capital, so when she returns to the capital at this time, she is afraid that the two of them will have to crash into each other in the marriage discussions.

For a while, several people in the hall are silent, with their eyes lowered in contemplation.

Seeing that their return date is near, Mrs. Pei asked the embroidery workshop to prepare clothes in the meantime, and also began to send the subordinates to pick up the marquis.

She is very good when it comes to taking charge of the family, and within a few days, the marquis house was tidied up with a new look, and even Aunt Liu’s courtyard was refurbished, with no fault to be found.

Seeing that Mrs. Pei was so attentive, Zhang Mama couldn’t help but nag when she was combing her hair: “Madam, why do you have to take care of everything even in Mrs. Liu’s place. That woman is in a position to take advantage of the Marquis for five years, and now I’m afraid she is very arrogant.”

Mrs. Pei’s face is still graceful and elegant in the mirror, not answering.

There is no one around, and Zhang Mama came closer to whisper: “In the end, in the house, the heir is important. It’s difficult for Madam to do this, but there are not no beautiful girls in the mansion. Otherwise, there are many young girls in the capital. The Marquis and Mrs. Liu have been together for so many years, seeing new ones, he should also be tired of.”

Mrs. Pei picked up her hairpin and gestured to her head, looking like she was not very interested in it.

“Madam!” Zhang Mama couldn’t help but cry out again.

Mrs. Pei glanced with the tail of her eyes and said in a light voice: “You’re wrong to say that.”

She put down her hairpin, her gaze became deep and distant: “My love with the marquis is just like this, when I first went to the foreign post, it was also because I did not want to suffer the suffering at the border and asked to stay in the capital. I should be grateful to Mrs. Liu, for her five years at the border. The Marquis has not taken in any new people, not to mention adding a son or daughter, saving me a lot of trouble. And if I had another concubine to go for, I don’t think she would be as capable.

” Besides, there is no such destiny for me to foster a young one, not to mention the trouble and effort, it is also impossible to inherit the title. It’s better to spend more time on A’Tan rather than this kind of twists and turns.

“Over these years, you can see that half of the future of our Marquis Mansion lies in marrying a daughter, and the other half lies in the elder brother’s. When I married into the Marquis Mansion, the eldest son was already young, so I was not able to raise a mother-son bond, but over the years, because of A Tan, he did not lack respect for me.”

Zhang Mama very much agrees to this point: “Eldest son went to Pang Mountain to serve in these few years, and never forget to write letters and send gifts. Knowing that Madam has the old problem of knee pain, he also specially brought back a prescription from Pang Mountain. Although he has no great talent, he is a man who knows how to be courteous and respectful.”

Mrs. Pei’s lips hooked in satisfaction when she thought of this.

After a long time, she suddenly remembered something and asked: “By the way, is there something unusual about A’Tan recently? The other day in the Palace, she stared at the Liang family ladies for a while. When she is outside her discipline is very good, if there is no matter, she will not be so rude. There is also the Yuanxi falling……after the Liang family sent a gift for concern, she was also light, and did not seem to be happy.”

Zhang Mama said: “Little Miss is young, the Liang family is the first one to settle a marriage when she was a child, and the two families usually have little contact, it is normal to be less concerned. As for the Liang family gift for concern and the future in-laws favor, the young miss must be happy in the heart, but the daughter’s face is thin, it is difficult to show it.”

Mrs. Pei still felt that something was wrong, but did not say anything more.

The Marquis of Jing’an Mansion was waiting for the head of the family to return to the capital, and recently the nobles in the capital were more concerned about another major event that suddenly broke out without warning –

The marquis of Chengen, Gu Jinzhong, has taken over the fields, opened salt mines, and committed several crimes. Now he has been cut off from his title and sentenced to exile for thousands of miles, and the always favored Yu Guifei has been sent to the cold palace because of her involvement in this case. The good thing is that the crime is not as bad as for the family members, in addition to the people involved, the rest are only relegated to the common people, men will not enter the examination.

When people talk about this matter, they can’t help but sigh.

“Being relegated to common people and failing to enter the imperial examination, there is no hope for the Gu family to recover within three generations.” Bai Minmin sighed, “At the last Yuan Palace banquet Gu Jiu Rou was bold enough to offer a song, it’s only been a few days, how could this be so sudden?”

Zhou Jingwan, the daughter of the Hanlin Scholar who is a good friend of Ming Tan and Bai Minmin, said softly: “Not so suddenly, that day I did not go to the banquet because of cold and was resting at home, but later I also heard about the events in the Hall. The situation in the Hall at that time, in fact, has already indicated a lot of things.” (T/N Hanlin is an official name in ancient China. Its origin can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty . During the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty , outstanding talents were selected from the literary attendants to serve as Hanlin Scholars.)

Ming Tan has long thought through the connections. Zhou Jingwan’s words are exactly what she had in mind.

Only Bai Minmin was confused: ” A Tan, did you understand? How is it not sudden, and how is it foreshadowed?”

Ming Tan did not bother to explain, and pushed the stack of walnuts on the table to her: “Eat some more, to replenish your brain.”

“……?”

Bai Minmin reached out to hit her.

Ming Tan was busy dodging and said with reserved disgust, “Look at you, you don’t have any trace of the virtuousness and chastity that I and Wan Wan have. If you are like this, how can you make a name for yourself as one of the ‘Three Beauties of the Capital’?”

“……?”

“It’s okay for Wan Wan, you have nothing to do with virtuousness and chastity, you’re just pretending in front of outsiders, shameless!”

Ming Tan: “That is better than you. You can not even pretend in front of outsiders!”

“Okay.” Zhou Jingwan covered her mouth with a handkerchief and laughed lightly. She was always delicate and her voice was soft and gentle, “Don’t argue, I’ll say it.”

The three of them were sitting by the patio of the Zhaoshui courtyard, sipping tea. As they were

Zhou Jingwan patiently explained: “This time, the incident occurred, on the surface. It is said that the county magistrate Zhang Ji and Marquis of Cheng’en are very close, and privately collected a lot of Gu family’s incriminating evidence. But when you think about it, Zhang Ji is a prosperous official because of the Marquis of Cheng’en, why would he suddenly denounce? Is there really a corrupt official who will give up evil and turn to good overnight?

“Moreover, in the past, the imperial officials have also impeached the Marquis of Cheng’en, but His Majesty always gently overlooked. But this time there was a thunderstorm in the courtroom, and strictly ordered a thorough investigation……”

Hearing this, Bai Minmin seems to vaguely understand something.

Zhou Jingwan stopped at this point, changed the conversation and continued: “Dingbei King often conquered the North, and rarely returned to the capital. I do not understand his temperament. But even if he is really self-reliant, and will not put Yu Guifei and Marquis of Cheng’en in his eyes, and directly disrespects people at the palace banquet, His Majesty and Empress shall still reprimand him lightly.”

“Oh……I get it.” Bai Minmin sorted out her thoughts, “you mean, his majesty has long wanted to clean up the Gu family, so when the scene was so ugly, he and her majesty did not say anything on behalf of Gu Jiurou……then think so, his highness Dongbei Wang is also very likely to have known his majesty’s mind, only so was he unrestrained and uncaring, right? ”

“In my opinion, His Highness is really that reckless.”

A reckless man, what can he know? Ming Tan elegantly said somewhat unconcerned.