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

C189. Regulating the Family, He Family's Medical Books (120.2)

Minglan played the role as an onlooker. After she had seen Danju becoming more and more thoughtful, she finally felt relieved. At first she had thought that Danju had been too kind to everyone and lacked imposing manner. Now come to think about it, Minglan herself couldn't even act toughly since she was only an illegal daughter of Sheng family. How could she expect Danju to be resolute and strict?

After the regulation had been put into force for a few days, all the ones got what they deserved. Some were beaten, some were fined and the ones who had made serious mistakes were kicked out. The Houses of Auspiciousness regained its peaceful and disciplined state. Minglan was also very satisfied with her organized yard. Xiaotao then flattered Minglan in good time, "Madam, how effective you are! How clever you are!"

Minglan said enigmatically, "It's not hard to punish the servants in big families like us. But the people whom those servants secretly take orders from are harder to deal with." That was why the affairs of the prestigious families were always complicated.

As a matter of fact, Xiaotao didn't get what Minglan meant. But it didn't stop her from keeping fawning on Minglan, "How clever are you! How efficient are you, Madam!"

Minglan turned around with a straight face, saying, "Can't you praise your madam with some new words?"

Xiaotao, feeling a bit awkward, replied with the corner of her mouth twitched, "Madam... You know about my good intentions, that's enough. Haven't you told us that not everything was as it seemed?"

Minglan glared at Xiaotao for a long while, then she sighed and patted her little maid, saying. "You are right."

After a few days, someone came to report that Hai shi had given birth to a girl.

Minglan picked two strings of dazzling coins. There were nineteen gold coins each of which was engraved with auspicious words as well as a round gold ingot being threaded onto each red string. Minglan said proudly, "Luckily I am a girl of foresight. Eldest Sister is also about to give birth. On their babies' Three Shower Day, I can present the strings to each of the babies." (T/N: In ancient times, the family would shower the baby after three days the baby was born. And that day was called Three Shower Day.)

"Isn't the gift... a bit humble?" Danju reminded that cautiously. After all, Gu family was richer than Liang family and Wen family. "Also, madam, are you really going to present them the same gift?" Danju bit her lips. As she saw it, Hai shi had treated Minglan so much better than Hualan.

Minglan then lectured, "My stupid Danju, remember this, all the gifts that are given to someone in public shouldn't be too showy. You want others to assume us as upstarts? Also, what do you want Fourth and Fifth Sister to do if we give expensive gifts? What kinds of gifts should they present? The dates of the two newborns' birthday are so close. If my gifts to the two babies are not the same, I will only bring myself troubles. When we present gifts, we are meant to let the receivers and ourselves enjoy this procedure. I can prepare something expensive for Eldest Sister-In-Law on the feast for her one-month baby."

The sun shined brightly on the Three Shower Day of the baby of the Sheng's family. After Minglan told Gu Tingye where she would go, she then took a small sedan to Sheng's mansion. Sheng Hong happened to be on a day off this day. So Minglan came to visit him first. When she entered into the room, she saw Sheng Hong scolding Wang shi about something with a straight face. Meanwhile, Rulan was standing beside them with a depressed look on her face.

After Minglan had given her obeisance to her parents, she stood up smilingly while saying in a tame voice, "Dad, your beard has grown longer. Hmm, almost as long as the one of Prime Minister Shen's."

Sheng Hong couldn't help curve the corner of his mouth. Then he stroked his long beard which he had put many efforts to keep and spoke affectedly, "Don't talk nonsense! You have already got married. Stop being like a child!"