After Gu Tingyu had passed away until now, Old Madam Qin had never mentioned about handing over the power of ruling the family and the family property. It was inappropriate for Gu Tingye and Minglan to talk about it because they were the seniors in the family. Now that Gu Tingcan was about to get married, no one knew that… However, Gu Tingye and Minglan seemed not so worry about that.

The servants who had gone out to deliver the message about Minglan’s pregnancy was back. The first group of people who came to give congratulations were from the Sheng’s family. Minglan had thought that she would receive a gift or Wang shi’s visit at most. As Minglan’s stepmother, the best Wang shi would do was suggesting her to rest well. However, to Minglan’s surprise, in the afternoon…

“Grandma?!” As Minglan saw the noble and dignified old lady showing up, she got off bed at once, “Why did you come here! You should take care of yourself first!”

“Don’t move!” Old Madam Sheng almost sweated with fright with seeing Minglan reaching out her hand. Then she cried out, “Lie down. Don’t move too quickly!”

Danju stepped forward to press Minglan down right away. Meanwhile, Xiaotao, the smart girl, dragged an armchair to the brick bed. Mama Fang supported Old Madam Sheng to sit beside Minglan, then Wang shi could only stand behind the old lady reluctantly.

“Foolish girl, have you never met me before? I am far from dead.” The moment Old Madam Sheng sat down, she couldn’t help scolding, “The first three months is the most important. Don’t move, or I’ll thump on you!”

Minglan gave out a beaming smile and wriggled her body toward Old Madam Sheng like a little monkey while saying adorably, “It has been so long you haven’t seen me; you must miss me so much, grandma. I guess you just want to find an excuse to visit me.”

Old Madam Shen held her little granddaughter in her arms, scolding while patting on the latter’s shoulder, “You are going to be a mother. Stop being so naughty! Straight up, sit upright, now! My life is much easier without you, I probably might live longer!”

However, Minglan was not afraid of Old Madam Sheng and was clingy to the latter like a sticky candy. She had been missing her grandma for a long time. Now that Old Madam Sheng had come, Minglan became a needy girl again and kept saying, “Grandma, you are thinner than before and got more winkles, that must because you miss me too much.” Or “Absence sharpens love, missing others ages you.” Or something like that. Old Madam Sheng was amused but also irritated. She wanted to pull the girl over to spank her, but also wanted to kiss the girl as if the latter was a little child.

The grandma and the granddaughter chatted and laughed with each other, making Wang shi who was ignored the whole time wear a purple face. Then Old Madam Sheng finally spoke sternly,

“You are well aware of the things that you should be careful of. Anyway, you have to be careful during this period of time. The things you eat, the clothes you wear, even the censer, the silver charcoal and the flowers and grass in the garden, and the most important, the people around you, should be paid attention to. You can never be wrong to be strict even if you will treat others unjustly. If you are afraid that it will hurt the servants’ feelings, you can send the ones you think are guilty to the other estates and then make a thorough investigation after you give birth to the baby…”

“Grandma, I know all of that.”

Minglan said those words repeatedly because Old Madam Sheng didn’t stop giving the instructions. Minglan could only keep saying those words in order to put her grandma’s mind at ease.

After Old Madam Sheng had given all these advices, she turned around to say to Mama Cui, “You have a lot of experience in brewing the medicine. I won’t ask anyone else. I will trust this child with you.”

Mama Cui bowed and said in a hurry, “I remember every word you have said, Old Madam. I have served Madam since she’s a little girl. I can promise you that I’ll protect her and her child with my life.”

Old Madam Sheng nodded with satisfaction.

Minglan was very touched but also felt there was a bug in her ear. Then she changed the subject right away, “Hey, why didn’t I see Quan here today? I wonder if he still remember me.”

Wang shi finally had a chance to talk, “That boy is really naughty lately. We didn’t’ bring him hear being afraid that you will be disturbed by him.”

“How’s Hui doing?”

Hearing her granddaughter’s name, Wang shi was all smiles again, “That little girl is so much better than her brother. She never cries or make troubles. Every time she sees people, that tame and considerate little girl will laugh. You father and grandmother loves her a lot.”

“What about comparing her to my Eldest Sister and Fifth Sister?” Minglan made fun of Wang shi on purpose.

Wang shi rolled her eyes and said loudly, “Hui is much better than your sisters!”

Minglan chuckled cheerfully. Then she pointed to Wang shi and said with a cute voice, “Grandma, did you hear that? Madam forgets about her daughters when she has her granddaughter around. I’ll tell her off to my Eldest Sister and Fifth Sister. You have to testify for me. Madam loves another girl and doesn’t care about them now!”

Everyone in the room burst into laughter. The maids and the servants turned around and sniggered. Old Madam Sheng hugged Minglan tightly while cursing the latter with a smile, “Wicked kid.” Wang shi turned her face completely red with laughter while covered her eyes with her handkerchief and forgot about the unpleasant feeling she had had just now.

“Other things don’t matter. It’s just you are not able to attend Changfeng’s wedding in the next spring.” Old Madam Sheng looked at Minglan with a caring look, “You can let your husband to attend the feast.”

Minglan nodded with a smile. Wang shi suddenly remembered something and said, “Your Eldest Sister also wanted to come but was held off by something. She said that she would visit you when she was available.”

“Tell Eldest Sister that she doesn’t need to come if she’s too busy. We are all sisters, she don’t have to care about the courtesies.” Minglan was afraid that Hualan would have to deal with Old Madam Yuan, that wicked woman, if she wanted to leave the Yuan mansion.

“It doesn’t matter. She said that she could come.” Wang shi said smilingly, “She wanted to give you some instructions considering that she had lots of experiences. I guess she also wants to show how capable she is.”

Everyone laughed again. No one mentioned about Molan.

…

What kind of a life did a pregnant woman lead? During the first three months of Minglan’s pregnancy, she was supposed to do less of the sports, including walking. The only thing she needed to do was eating and sleeping like a pig. She didn’t need to think about anything except for her physical needs. Right now, she really felt herself like a little pig who always got drowsy after eating and hungry after awaking. When she met others, she could only mumble in a muddled state.

Moreover, every day she would think of a new dish she wanted to eat. Sometimes she wanted sweet dishes, sometimes salty, sometimes spicy and sometimes plain. Sometimes she even felt the water having a special taste and sometimes was unable to smell the rice.

Now it was the time for Gu Tingye, the rich childe, to show his ability. He was able to get all the dishes Minglan had wanted to eat, not matter they were in the corners of the streets or the famous restaurant, belonged to which kind of cuisine. The only thing he needed to do was pointing the way and the dishes would be sent to him in no time.

As he glanced at Minglan who was devouring the food in front of him and then at her still flat belly. He started to have sweet fantasies while feeling sweetness deep down.

After a few days, while Minglan was still immersed in happiness life, something happened in Marquis Ningyuan’s mansion.

Xiaotao came to report with excitement, “Old Madam Yang is here!” Minglan lay on the bed listlessly and said snappishly, “It’s not a big deal. Why are you acting like this? Tell them that I’m unable to come due to my body condition.”

“It’s not like that, Madam.” Xiaobai said with redness on her face. In a cold day like this, she even had hot sweats on her forehead. “Old Madam Yang hasn’t asked you to go. She has been talking with Old Madam Qin in a closed room ever since she arrived. She seemed to be in a quarrel with Old Madam Qin!”

…

“How many dowries did you prepare for Tingcan?!” Old Madam Yang had rushed to the Gu’s mansion in a hurry. Right now, she was thumping on the table while questioning Old Madam Qin without caring about her manners.

Old Madam Qin got a bit angry but still put on a smile, “Well, why did you ask about your niece’s dowry? Don’t worry, I won’t disappoint the Princess and her husband. You won’t feel disgraced either. I can’t say that Tingcan’s dowry would be the most luxury, but the things I prepared for her will exceed most of the families in the capital can give.”

“What rubbish are you talking about?!” Old Madam Yang wiped her sweats which were all cold on the forehead, “You have married into this family for decades and must know the tradition of the Gu family. Are the dowries you have prepared for Tingcan much more than it should be?”

Old Madam Qin reached to the teacup with her head lowered without uttering a word.

Old Madam Yang said in a rage, “I’m not here to complain about my grievances or settle accounts with you. It’s your own business how many dowries you will prepare for Tingcan. But tell me, why haven’t you given the Gu’s family property to Tingye and his wife yet?”

Old Madam Qin, with her mouth curled, gave out a sarcastic laugh, “What? Are they finally unable to stand with that and telling everyone about this? I thought they would look down on the little asset. Look how they have flaunted their property.”

Seeing that, Old Madam Yang took a deep breath and calmed herself, then said, “I’m not joking. If you don’t do this right, Tingcan’s wedding would be screwed!”

“What?! Why is that!” Old Madam Qin, palms on the table, stood up right away anxiously.

“I have to start from the time when I went to the Princess’s mansion to ask for Young Master Han’s Geng Tie.” (T/N: Geng Tie was a card on which written the personal information of the man or woman who is going to get engaged.)

Old Madam Qin sat down tremblingly with a confused look.

Old Madam Yang calmed her breath and said slowly, “A few days ago, someone from the Princess’s mansion came to me to ask for Tingcan’s Geng Tie. I delayed for a few days in order to show an air of superiority for Tingcan. Only until today did I go to the Princess’s mansion with Madam Huang. I have wanted to get Young Master Han’s Geng Tie first and then gave them Tingcan’s. However… Huh, I ran into something truly annoying!”

“What happened? The people of the Han family changed their mind?” Old Madam Qin, shocked and scared, said that with shivering voice.

“No.” As Old Madam Yang remembered how embarrassed she had been in front of the Princess, she continued with indignation, “In fact, Princess Qing Chang was also furious about this… Yesterday, there was a feast in the Royal Palace which all the imperial membered attend. Before the feast started, the guests gathered around to chat with each other. Someone mentioned about the engagement between the Han and the Gu family. Then everyone started to give their congratulations one after another. Some of them also praised about Tingcan’s talent in literature. Although Princess Qing Chang hasn’t said anything at that time, she was glad indeed. Everything was perfectly fine, but, but…!”

“Say it!” Old Madam Qin got hasty.

Old Madam Yang said angrily, “Grand Princess Lin Xiang suddenly talked about Tingcan’s dowry! She said, ‘General Gu has inherited the title for more than half years but still not received any piece of the Gu’s ancestral property.’ She also said that you, Old Madam Qin, never let go of the control of the family affairs as well as all the farmlands of the Gu family, which made Madam Gu a nominal marchioness. Well, you know that Princess Lin Xiang never gets along well with Princess Qing Chang.”

All the three princesses, Qing Ning, Qing Chang and Lin Xiang were not given birth by the Empress. However, at least Qing Ning had been raised by Empress Jing An, which gave the former a nobler identity than the other two princesses. Lin Xiang’s mother was Bao Lin (title of an Imperial Consort), however, at last her days were not as glory as Qing Chang whose mother was just an imperial maid. Therefore, Lin Xiang and Lin Xiang had competed with each other since their childhood.”

Hearing that, Old Madam Qin held the teacup so tightly and nearly made the cup inlaid in her palm. Old Madam Yang continued, “Luckily, you are quite popular among the imperial members. Someone put in some good words for you and claimed that you were just worried that Tingye and his wife were too young to handle everything and would entrust them with all the property after you explained everything clearly to them. However, another woman sneered right away, saying, ‘If she’s the blood mother, it’s reasonable for her to worry about her son and daughter-in-law. Now the situation is that the stepmother has been keeping the property the whole time! Isn’t that suspicious?’”

As speaking of that, Old Madam Yang couldn’t catch her breath. Then she took a sip of the tea to wet her throat, “Princess Qing Chang was still fine at that time. She said that you would entrust Tingye and his wife with all the family property soon and that the others shouldn’t discuss your family’s matter. However, Princess Lin Xiang sneered, ‘Maybe she is going to hand over the properties after her daughter gets married. Sister, you are so lucky to have such considerate in-laws!’ The implication in her words was so obvious. Princess Qing Chang was furious at that time and nearly smashed the teacup.”

Old Madam Qin was quivering with anger and her lips were trembling, not able to make a sound.

“Actually, everyone knows how mean Princess Lin Xiang can be. So not so many people have taken her words seriously. However, when the feast started, Princess Qin Ning, the two Empress Dowagers and Empress came.”

Old Madam Yang swallowed hard, “The Empress asked randomly, ‘What were you talking about?’. Princess Lin Xiang told her right away. Then a few other Grand Princess and young princesses, the imperial consorts all started to mediate the dispute in order to ease the tension. After that, the two Empress Dowagers also made some jokes about this. This thing should have ended like that. However… Grand Princess Qing Ning said jokingly, ‘People of one kind come together. Sister Qing Chang, no wonder why you could become Marchioness Zhennan’s sister-in-law. Hearing that, Princess Qin Chang almost fainted out.”

Old Madam Qin felt half of her body deadly cold and went completely speechless.

Marquis Zhennan lived a lavish life and was bad at managing. As a result, his family was short of money. Marchioness Zhennan, that tyrannical and scheming woman, coveted on her daughter-in-law’s dowry. Her three daughters-in-law had all brought a great fortune to Marquis Zhennan’s family. Thus the family reputation wasn’t that good. Princess Qing Chang hated Marchioness Zhennan’s tacky behaviors and wished that she could distance herself from the latter. After she had been regarded as the same kind of person as Marchioness Zhennan, she had simmered with rage at once.

After Old Madam Yang had said that, she and Old Madam Qin both stayed quiet for a long time. Then Old Madam Qin said with hatred, “It’s nothing wrong preparing more dowries for my daughter! How can they be like this!”

Old Madam Qin who had got carried away now calmed down, “Sister-in-law, don’t try to fool me. If you prepare the dowries according to the Gu’s rules and add some of your own dowries, Tingcan’s dowry will contain a great amount of money already. I know how many dowries you have. If you want your daughter to get married with a large fortune, that’s fine! But you have to use your own money instead of the Gu’s ancestral property!”

“Tingcan is the only legal daughter of Old Master, why can’t she get married with a large fortune?! Even if I want to take some ancestral property, so what? When the lady from Marquis Xuanmen’s family got married a few years ago, her mother even took out half of the family property! Not to mention the dowry that Marquis Xiang Yang has prepared when Princess Ping Ning got married!” Old Madam Qin suddenly seemed quite stubborn.

Old Madam Yang also got a bit angry and said with a loud voice, “I am not the only legal daughter of my father, but I know that only the master in the family could decide how to use the ancestral property! Are you in charge of the family now? No, but Tingye is! It’s just unreasonable for you to have taken out some of the ancestral property secretly as Tingcan’s dowry! Later, the rumors would be that the stepmother of Tingye empties the Gu’s ancestral property in order to prepare her blood daughter’s dowry! The reputation you have built for half your life would be ruined! So will your daughter’s reputation!”

“Fine! Let’s say the master has to agree.” Old Madam Qin still disagreed to yield like a beast at bay, “How did others know that Old Master hasn’t given me the order?”

Old Madam Yang snorted, “I don’t know if my brother has given the order. However, before Tingyu passed away, he called all the people in the family clan and showed them two piles of paper, that I did know. Not only our families know that, a lot of people outside this family also know. Why would a man who was about to die take great pains to do that? You think the outsiders are so stupid that they couldn’t even think?”

It was a simple guess. Gu Tingyu had only done that because he had been afraid that his stepmother would loot the family property secretly because his brother knew nothing about the details.

After they argued for a while, they both got exhausted. The room fell into silence again.

Old Madam Yang sighed deeply, “I also have a daughter, so I understand your feelings. However, the prestigious families value their reputation a lot. Princess Qing Chang’s behavior shows that she is an honest and straight person and the marriage alliance with the princess’s family truly is great event. If you insist on keeping the property, I have to quit acting as your daughter’s matchmaker. Please ask someone else to help.”

After Old Madam Qin thought over hundreds of ideas, she finally slumped onto the chair. Then she couldn’t help crying, “My poor girl. I only wanted to prepare more dowry for her since she couldn’t depend on her father or brother. I never realized that I would be set up!”

Old Madam Yang waved her hand, seeming very tired, “Think about it. I am not able to get the Geng Tie for the moment anyway, but you have to think fast. After the New Year’s Eve, Tingcan’s age will be… Alas, you should weigh the gain and loss.”

As an aged woman, Old Madam Yang really was wearied after being sneered for half day and arguing with Old Madam Qin for the other half. So, she didn’t bother to say anything. After she had taken a few sips of the tea, she bid her farewell. This was the mansion where she had used to live, so she walked out very fast.

The more she thought of this, the greater her headache was. When walking on the road, she didn’t even want to say a word. She stepped on the wood carving double short stools with the support of the servants by the gate and then got into the coach. The moment she sat still in the coach and was about to move her aged body, she suddenly saw that there was already someone there. The figure was sitting upright in the coach.

She was almost scared out of her wits. After she looked closely, she exclaimed, “It’s you!”