Legend of Concubine's Daughter Minglan 知否知否 应是绿肥红瘦

C20 - The Unfairness of Rulan

That four little maids are all below ten, two of them younger than Minglan, two older. Their names to distinguish them: Er'ya, Zhaodi, Xiaohua and Niu'zi.[1] Old Madame Sheng smiled and let Minglan give them a new name. Minglan has some experience in this, Xiaotao's name was given by her. This four might as well be called 'Li'zi, Lizhi, Pipa, Guiyuan',[2] the entire set of fruits. How orderly.

When she was just about to open her mouth, Danju lightly coughed from the side and said with a smile "The two older sisters by Fourth Young Lady are named Luzhong and Yunzai. Heard that it came from the books, no wonder that it sounds pleasant and refined."

Xiaotao who stood beside Danju used her eyes to express her despair over her name. Old Madame Sheng and Mama Fang teased Minglan with a smile yet not a smile, causing her mind to be in chaos. Is it not just Tang poetry, who does not know?

Under great distress, Minglan immediately flipped a poetry book and looked for a poem quickly. Gao Chan is good right, as impressive as Li Bai? That person is immortal of poetry all right![3] Minglan stood in the middle with infinite grandiose. She pointed at the small-sized girl "You are called Yancao." Pointing at the skinny girl "You are called Bisi." Pointing at that tender and shy girl "You are called Qinsang." Finally, that neat and bold girl is called Luzhi.[4]

Danju is the most considerate, immediately went forward and accommodated "Young Lady gave such good names, pleasant and good-looking. Moreover, the four of them are green, Xiaotao and I are red.[5] Thank you, Young Lady for favouring these two stupid ones."

After she spoke, she still pulled Xiaotao along to bow to Minglan. Minglan more or less found her self-respect back. Xiaotao is also very happy and followed to sing praises "Yes, Older Sister Danju and I still can be eaten, they cannot be eaten."

Minglan: ......

Old Madame Sheng immediately laughed on the couch, happily watching the children make a scene. The four new girls covered their mouths and softly laughed, Mama Fang sat on the small stool and smiled. She thought with agreement: since the coming of this Sixth Young Lady, this Shou'an Hall is really good.

Old Madame Sheng became more cheerful as the days go by, perhaps her heart is at ease, her body is also much better. Sheng Hong is very happy, frankly saying that wanting to raise a child is right, Old Madame has the energy to govern the house already. It has not been long since the change in personnel within the Sheng household's inner residence, Changbai has returned from sending Hualan off. Because Sheng Wei and Changwu still have to remain in the capital to do work, Changbai returned first. There is also another skinny old mister who came- Scholar Zhuang.

Sheng Hong has already begun to invite Mister Zhuang into the household to teach a few years before, sending gifts in many carriages, writing abundant dozens of earnest letters. To no avail since Mister Zhuang had extensive teaching reputation, the rate of students becoming worthy of respect is high, causing his business to be very good and always busy. A few months before, Mister Zhuang celebrated his seventy birthday, drank too many cups in happiness at the banquet and unfortunately caught a cold. He lied in bed for a few months, the physician proposed that he should go to a place with warm climate and recuperate. Jiangnan is too far, Prefecture Deng is just nice.

Mister Zhuang touched his weary old body that barely weighs anything and felt that his old life is important. Thus he agreed to Sheng Hong's invitation and followed Changbai from the capital. Together wit

h him there is also a confident woman,[6] their daughter has already been married far away to Jinzhong, it is unclear whether the son is ceremonial official or registrar official in a southern county. Sheng Hong specially opened a little courtyard on the west side of the household, refurbishing it for several days to let Mister Zhuang and wife stay.