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

C98. A Loser Leads a Miserable Life

When Changwu and Kang Yun'er came back, they saw Minglan sitting on the soft couch safe and sound. She was sorting and counting the treasures with her head bowed. Dangju sitting beside her quietly peeled a tangerine and stuffed a segment of the tangerine into Minglan's mouth now and then. Xiaotao and Luzhi sat opposite, both looking at the account book: one read it aloud, the other ticked the belongings. The bright and boundless sky outside the window was as clear as the calm river. The scenery was very good.

The couple's jaws dropped to the floor in disbelief. Minglan calmly reported what had happened: They packed the belongings, and then the pirates boarded the ship, so they jumped into the river. Afterwards, the members of Cao Bang came and drove the pirates away. At last, they returned to the ship.

Minglan narrated the events to the couple, brief and to the point. She felt her manner of speaking coming closer to Brother Changbai's.

The couple felt guilty about leaving Minglan alone in the ship. But quickly they turned guilt into motivation because they knew that this event would get their clan into trouble if it wasn't well handled. So they took action at once. Kang Yun'er was indeed Aunt Kang's daughter. She handled the follow-up matter in a decisive manner. She gave the servants stern warnings and kept their mouths shut. When they arrived at the destination and went ashore, everything had been properly disposed of.

Changsong, who had received the letter from Changwu in advance, led a group of family servants to wait on the quayside. It was of course a delight for them to meet again after such a long separation. Changdong refused to sit in the carriage and insisted on riding a horse. He pressed his brothers until they finally gave in and allowed him to ride. Yun'er stood with arms akimbo to support her aching and limp waist and chatted with Changsong. After they had a short talk, two meticulous servants helped Yun'er sit in a carriage with blue linoleum curtain. Minglan was about to follow her to the carriage, but a servant came up and helped her sit in another one. As soon as she entered the carriage, she saw Pinlan smiling happily at her with an octagonal compartmentalized box for assorted fruits in her hands.

The two girls didn't see each other for two years. Pinlan grew into a beautiful girl with a graceful figure. Li shi had subjected her to strict discipline in the past two years, which successfully changed her from an impetuous and lively girl into a gentle and decent woman.

Pinlan missed Minglan very much. When she knew that Minglan would arrive today, she was eager to see Minglan earlier, so she piteously entreated her mother and sister-in-law for a long time. At last, she was allowed to the quay with her eldest brother to pick Minglan up.

Minglan and Pinlan were congenial sisters. They embraced each other warmly the moment they met, and then they were having horseplay in the carriage by pinching each other's cheeks or shoulders. They didn't stop frolicking until a Mama outside the carriage gave them a warning cough.

"You wicked girl! I miss you terribly!" Pinlan clung to Minglan's arms with a big smile. Minglan was struggling to pull her hands back and trying to tidy up her hair that was mussed by Pinlan. She shook Pinlan's hands off with force and said, "I will tell Aunt that you hurled abuse at me."

Pinlan twisted her face into a ferocious look and showed her white teeth. Then Pinlan sprang at Minglan, rubbed her hair and pinched her cheeks. Realizing that she couldn't defeat Pinlan, Minglan raised her arms in surrender. The two sisters quietened.

"How is First Old Madam Sheng these days?" Minglan asked with concern. Pinlan's eyes dimmed with sorrow as she answered, "Last month she got better but since the weather turned cold, her condition has aggravated again. These days she is dizzy and sleepy all day and can't even say a complete sentence. The doctor says that she's going to die in the next few days."