First Madam Xuan turned most cheerful. Second Madam Bing, though was jealous of her eldest sister-in-law, still had to play up to the latter in a hurry, “Let’s not talk like this. This is not fixed yet. The lady’s reputation is the most important thing!” Hearing that, First Madam Xuan laughed happily and give Minglan a glance, saying, “My sister-in-law is right. Let’s just eat!”

The women at the table all put on different looks. Minglan lowered her head and smiled. The others didn’t know about that news, but she had already got the message long ago.

Hearing their conversation, Old Madam Qin raised her eyebrows to Aunt Kang. The latter returned a glance. After they had a tacit understanding, Old Madam Qin suddenly sighed to Old Fourth Madam and Old Fifth Madam, “Gosh, you two are so lucky to have so many descendants. Now you are even going to have your great-grandchildren. Our family still stays quiet.”

Old Madam Qin’s heart leapt, but she didn’t say anything with a smile. Fifth Old Madam who didn’t understand why Old Madam Qin had said that then picked up the talk smilingly, “Just be patient. Tingye and Tingwei are both young. They’ll have a lot of children.”

Second Madam Di took a look at Shao shi at once, finding the latter in low spirits with her head lowered. Then Second Madam Di scolded her mother-in-law inwardly for saying those stupid words.

Old Madam Qin lowered down her head and said worriedly, “Let’s not talk about the others, but Tingye is the backbone of this family. He has to have many children. Every time I think of this, I always feel so ashamed to meet Old Master.”

After she had said that, the atmosphere got cold at once. Not only the smart people on the pot, even Fifth Old Madam felt something wrong. She looked at the others’ faces and then stopped talking.

Aunt Kang was the only one who didn’t feel the weird ambience. She even smiled and took Old Madam Qin’s arm, “We have so many things in common. I wish that I could solve your problems.” Old Madam Qin then held Aunt Kang’s arm and said intimately, “If you really pity me, why don’t you promise me one thing?”

“I’ll promise you tons of things, not to mention one.”

Old Madam Qin took a look at Kang Zhao’er and said straightly, “I really like your daughter. Why don’t you marry her into our family? I’ll make her the second wife of Tingye. If she could bring more children to this family, I’ll treat her like my own child!”

Aunt Kang took a look at Minglan on purpose and chuckled, “No problem! Zhao’er is so lucky to be favored by you!”

Kang Zhao’er who stood beside them nearly lowered her head to her chest with her face extremely red like a red cloth.

The others looked at each other at a loss as they saw the two women putting on a show. At last, everyone fell their eyes one Minglan. The latter, face remaining calm, picked up a piece of cabbage in vinegar slowly to eat.

Aunt Kang looked at Minglan and said loudly, “I am more than willing to agree with this. I’m just afraid that my niece wouldn’t agree!” Old Madam Qin smiled without even turning around, “How’s that even possible? My daughter-in-law is the nicest person who will never get jealous!”

“You are right.” Aunt Kang continued, “You know the He family from the White Stone Pond, right? The Old Madam of that family adores my niece a lot and wished that Minglan could become her great grand-daughter-in-law. Before Minglan got married, Old Madam He always visited my sister’s family.”

As saying this, she gave a stare to Minglan with a vague threatening look in her eyes.

At noon, the sun gradually went down and a cloud covered the sky. It suddenly got cooler and people could hear the sound of the cold breeze blowing into the room. They all remained quiet and only First Madam Xuan and Shao shi looked at Minglan with concerned looks.

Minglan finally finished that cabbage in vinegar. After she put down her chopsticks with three of her long and tender fingers, she wiped her mouth with the napkin composedly. Aunt Kang got a bit vexed and said to Minglan, “My niece, just say it, are you going to agree or not?”

Minglan put down the napkin slowly and lay it flat on the table. After that, she said with a smile, “Actually, I also wanted to tell everyone a story. I have wanted to say it privately, but since we are all families and Old Madam and Aunt Kang are so close, I won’t hide it anymore.”

Old Madam Qin’s eyes suddenly flickered, but then she covered the vicious look in her eyes at once.

Minglan said slowly, “Last year, some people from the Ma family, which used to be Marquis Jinxiang’s family, came to visit me one day. I didn’t want to meet people from the guilty family and told the steward to slight them over. However, the Ma’s people said that they hoped that we could aid them with some money for the old times’ sake. They also said that before they were found guilty, the young masters and ladies were all Old Madam Qin’s regulars, especially the First Master, Ma Yu, who has played with Sister Tingcan since his childhood. I heard that Old Madam adored him a lot and wished that he could become her son-in-law…” It was a complete nonsense that people of the Ma family had come. They never visited Minglan. No one from the impoverished family would have the guts to ruffle anyone’s feather. Minglan got all the message from Tu Hu.

As she spoke of that, everyone there understood what had happened. With Old Madam Qin’s face turning deadly pale, she grabbed the napkin tightly. Minglan looked at the look on Old Madam Qin’s face and said with a light laugh, “There are so many people seeking gratuitous help these days. No one would believe them. I ordered someone to tell the people from the Ma’s family that it was normal for the young masters and ladies from the two close families to hang out with each other. Since they have no proofs, then that was pure bluffing. At that time, Sister-in-law Tingcan was about to get engaged with the young master from the Princess’s family, so I just gave the Ma’s people the money and sent them away because the less trouble the better.”

Old Madam Qin breathed hard and put on a reluctant smile, “You did a right thing.” She knew that the people of the Ma family had never come. However, since Minglan had already known about this thing, it meant that she could use this against Old Madam Qin. Then the latter could only say, “Since the adults are friends, it’s normal for the children to have fun with each other. Still, we don’t make spontaneous decisions about their engagements, in case others might gossip.” With that, she looked at Aunt Kang with a meaningful look.

Aunt Kang understood what she meant and chuckled to Minglan, “That’s right. Such a huge thing like the engagement truly needs great caution. I have talked so rudely just now. Your cousin Zhao’er isn’t looking for a Madam’s title. She could be a concubine and serve you and your husband.”

Minglan still shook her head and said with a voice which everyone could hear, “No. Not my husband’s second wife, not a concubine.”

Aunt Kang stood up at once and said loudly, “Did my sister teach you to be so jealous?”

Minglan still said word by word slowly with the same smile, “My aunt, I guess you don’t know this. If a woman of the Gu family is considered a jealous person for not bringing her husband a concubine, I don’t dare to receive this honor.” After saying that, she looked to Old Madam Qin with a beaming face.

“When I have just married into this family, I also felt curious. My father-in-law was the eldest son of his parents and got married early. Why are his children the youngest in their generation?”

“How dare you discuss the elders without respect!” Old Madan Qin said in a heavy voice.

“I dare not!” Minglan put her hand on her chest with astonishment, “I was praising my father-in-law. Where can we find such an affectionate man like him? He has waited for ten years to have his first son in order to protect his wife.”

Minglan was not afraid to bite. She had tolerated these women in the ordinary days, now they really had gone too far!

Old Madam Qin’s face turned purple in anger. Minglan then turned around and ask, “Fifth Aunt, you know about this better than anybody else. Why did my father-in-law refuse to have a concubine?” Fifth Old Madam showed an awkward look. She knew about the inside story and had used this to stop Fifth Old Master from having any concubines or Tongfang. At the present, she could only stammered, “Eldest brother-in-law was not willing to.”

Minglan turned her head right away and looked right into Old Madam Qin’s eyes, “Did Old Master tell you by himself that he wanted to have a concubine?”

Old Madam Qin was enraged and wanted to shout abuse at once. Suddenly, she remembered her original plan, then she held back her anger and said slowly, “Girl, you don’t need to be so anxious! Decent men would either be busy with study or official business. They would never ask to have concubines by themselves. Virtuous wives should find some girls to serve their husbands. I know what you are thinking. Even if you don’t trust the other girls, you should trust your own cousin. Just hear my advice, you should agree with this for your own reputation.

It had to be admitted that Minglan was irritated. She felt her chest stuffy and suffocated. However, calmness was needed the most at a moment like this. Then she shook her head and said resolutely, “It’s not going to happen only because she’s my aunt’s daughter.”

As a matter of fact, Minglan had already prepared herself for the concubine thing. She could even pick a concubine for Gu Tingye by herself. After all, she could never stop a man from loving another woman. However, she could choose someone whom she was unable to control. The girl from the Kang family was her relative and also Wang shi’s relative. Minglan could never agree with that.

“What do you mean?” Aunt Kang screamed. Old Madam Qin was also startled and said with a trembling voice, “This, this is your aunt!”

“She was invited by you, not me.” Minglan kept shaking her head, “If you haven’t invited her, I would never ask her to come. The less I meet her, the better.” Just let this got ugly!

“You, you…” Aunt Kang pointed to Minglan and couldn’t utter a single word, looking like an old dog which fluffed up. This time, even the women from the Fourth and Fifth family got a bit displeased. They found Minglan’s words so unpleasant to the ears.

Minglan raised her head to take a look at the people who were looking at her with condemnation in their eyes and said calmly, “Haven’t you been curious why I always feel reluctant to meet my aunt? You have blamed me for being disrespectful to my aunt. Actually, there is a reason. If you have made a careful inquiry, you should know that Aunt Kang seldom meets my grandma when she visits the Sheng family. Especially since the Second Year of Chong De, Aunt Kang never visited my grandmother.”

The guests were all confused. Then they all look to Aunt Kang.