Old Madam Qin had never expected that Gu Tingye would return. Therefore, for the past decades, she had been paving the road for her own son and made a great efforts in managing Marquis Ningyuan’s family. The management of the personnel and the rules for the expenses were quite clear, which guaranteed that there weren’t so many corruptions in the family. Even the few servants in front of Minglan now were also quite efficient. The only problem was that their eyes were too sharp and they just loved to treat people differently according to others’ statuses.

“Now that Seventh Lady has got married and Eldest Brother has passed away less than three years. I think there wouldn’t be any large banquets in our family. We would at most invite all our relatives for a meal on the festivals.” Minglan put down the teapot with her long and thin fingers crossed, saying slowly, “Old Madam also said that our families have squandered so much money before. You know that we don’t have a lot of money now. I hope everyone of you could be hardworking.”

Actually, as long as the money of the family could be spent according to the budge Minglan made, the family would never make ends meet. Furthermore, she could even have some savings to prepare for the dowry for Rong and Xian. Well, the money was also saved for the little bastard in her belly.

A well-dressed servant stepped forward with a smile and said with an ingratiating look, “Madam, why did you say that? Our Master is valued by His Majesty now, our family would never lack money. Even we, the servants, are very honored by others at the outside.”

Minglan stared at her quietly, then the servant stopped smiling embarrassedly.

“… Last year, I strengthened discipline in the estates that His Majesty has rewarded to us. A steward in the estate, though had his indenture in our family, bullied kind tenants and even got someone killed. Master broke the steward’s limbs and sent him to Yousi Yamen. At last, the steward was beheaded. Master got so angry and also sent that steward’s seven families to Kilipachi.”

Hearing that, all the servants turned their faces pale. The silence within the room was absolute.

“Also, last August, a few evil-minded servants were plotted something together. After Master learned about that, he sent those servants as well as their families to do hard labour in northwestern area.”

The heart of Peng Shou’s wife trembled. She knew more or less about what Minglan had talked about. At that time, Gu Tingyu had just deceased. During his funeral, Mama Lai had shuttled from the two mansions frequently. Later on, Mama Lai’s son had been accused of corruption all of a sudden and sent to a distant exile. The eight people of Mama Lai’s family had disappeared without a trace, so had lots of the servants in the Cheng Manor. No one knew where they had been sold to.

Ever since then, the Cheng Manor was guarded strictly like the prison.

“You have all worked for a long time in the Gu family and watched Master growing up. The days you have spent in this place are much longer than me.” Minglan’s speech sounded composed without any threatening tone, “You know Master’s character better than I do.”

‘What is Gu Tingye’s character?’ All the servants looked at each other at a loss with their heads lowered.

At the age of ten, he already had had the gut to ride a horse on the street and injured dozens of the civilians. Old Master Gu had paid a lot of money and apologized for many times. At twelve, he had held the collar of Gu Tingyang, his cousin, and pushed the latter’s head in the cesspool, which nearly drowned his cousin.(However, Gu Tingyang was fainted by the stink.) At thirteen, when everyone had saved Gu Tingbing who had been hung on the roof for half the night, the latter had already almost scared and frozen to death. At fourteen, he had dragged Duke Ling’s grandson three laps on the drill ground with a rope tied to a horse. Duke Ling had almost sued to the imperial court. At sixteen, he had even dared to retort his father. There had been so many servants coughing blood after being kicked by him.

As the servants remembered Gu Tingye’s overbearing reputation, they couldn’t help but shrink their necks.

That was what Minglan wanted to see. She said with a cold voice, “Let me put this first, even if you think that I am too young and ashamed to punish the old servants, you have to think about Master. Anyway, if I have so solutions one day, I can only ask Master for instructions.”

The threat was very effective. Those servants dismissed themselves tamely.

Minglan held her belly and looked up at the roof. She couldn’t do too much needlework or read too many books for fear that her eyes would be hurt. Though she had plenty of entertainments now, she still felt bored. At a moment like this, playing Mahjong would be the best choice. This activity wouldn’t make her tired and could also exercise her brain. Unfortunately, in order to keep a good image of herself, Minglan could only hold that endure that feeling.

Little Shen shi annoyed Minglan the most. That woman claimed that she wanted to pray at ten temples in order to get pregnant and managed to persuade her mother-in-law with that excuse. On the beautiful spring days, the weather was getting warmer gradually. Old Madam Zheng had rested at home for recuperation for a long time. As she thought that she might not have so many days to live, she was tempted at once. General Zheng and his wife were both very filial. Seeing that their mother who had never wanted anything had the intention to go for a walk, they decided to achieve what she wanted at once. As a result, Little Shen shi went outside to have fun under the cover of accompany her mother-in-law.

It would be fine if that was the only thing she did. However, she, knowing that Minglan was utterly bored at home, sent lots of letters to the latter to show off. Sometimes she wrote, ‘The mountain stream truly is the best. I’ll bring a basket of crabapples to you, they are crispy and tasty.’ Sometimes it was, ‘The scenery is splendid here. When I stood on the top of the mountain, I really wanted to travel by the wand several times.’ What an illiterate girl! There were even misspellings in her letter! It should be ‘travelling by the wind”!

Minglan, as sulking as she felt, started to consider if she should cut this uncultured woman off!

It had to be admitted that Minglan’s family was the best to her. After seven or eight days, Wang shi brought Liu shi, her new daughter-in-law and Hualan to see Minglan. Minglan mustered all her passion to greet them, but only found Wang shi wearing a long face.

After Minglan asked Wang shi to sit on the seat of honor, she started to measure the young madam who stood beside Wang shi. The young madam was wearing a red snow weasel fur coat embroidered with butterflies flying through the flowers pattern and a peony red pleated skirt, trimmed with two-fingers wide black fur. Her dark hair was in a neat round bun, anchored by a large gold hairpin with five phoenixes facing the sun. A pair of large pearl earrings graced her ears.

How to describe her? She dressed very formally, and it was impossible to pick a single fault in her dress code. She was also a formal person. The way she stood as well as the angle at which she lowered her head were so perfect like the ones written in the textbook. However, as for her appearance… Minglan had met this woman before. Now after observing the latter closely, Minglan realized that Xiaotao was right. Though Liu shi looked well-educated, her face truly was… well, a bit unspeakable.

“This must be my new sister-in-law. I should visit you, pardon me for my inconvenience.” After Minglan gave obeisance to Wang shi, she asked Liu shi to sit at once. Hualan had already sat down before Minglan asked her to.

“Sixth Sister-in-law, don’t say that.” Liu shi had a gentle and tender voice, “We are all families. There’s no need to apologize. You are pregnant now, it should be me visiting you.”

Danju didn’t want Minglan to get too vigorous with her swollen belly and then helped the latter to sit down at once. Minglan had already sensed that there was something wrong with Wang shi. Now was not the right time to say ‘You look great’ or speak any claptrap. After Minglan pondered for a while, she said in a hurry, “Madam, you seemed slimmed down a bit. You must be exhausted lately. You have to take a good care of yourself. Eldest brother and sister-in-law will be so worried about you now that they are not at home.” As saying this, Minglan knitted her eyebrows in order to show how much she cared about Wang shi.

Hualan praised about Minglan’s speech inwardly. Liu shi also couldn’t help casting a glance at Minglan. As expected, Wang shi, with the look on her face turning better, said with a calm tone, “You truly are a considerate kid. These days… Alas, forget about it. Everything goes wrong lately.” After saying that, she glared at Liu shi.

Liu shi stood still like a clay figurine. Minglan then chatted with Wang shi right away. Hualan who seemed a bit helpless also joined the conversation. Liu shi stayed quiet the whole time. The ambience was fine at first. However, Wang shi still didn’t about her grievance and sneered Liu shi, “Others’ daughters-in-law are gentle like cats. However, there is an unlucky family taking in a wild cat which knows no rules and likes to make troubles…”