The Legend of Concubine's Daughter Minglan

Chapter 40

Miss Liu pretended to be astonished and inhaled, causing other girls in the group began discussing. A bit shocked, Minglan turned back to the shameful Yanran and then took a glance at the ladies who either took pleasure in the tragedy or avoided eye contacts. The most kind of them just said, in an indifferent tone, a few words to comfort Yanran. Minglan hit the ceiling. She knew they reacted in this way was out of nothing but mere jealousy.

Speaking of it, Yu Yanran had the highest ranking among all the girls. Although her father was just Vice-Minister, her grandfather was Head of the Cabinet with world-wide prestige. The former Emperor granted him a four-character calligraphy praise written by the emperor himself "restriction, diligence, prudence and endeavor", so the family was qualified to make a direct match with the second legal son of the Marquis. Many years ago, they had tried every means to marry Hualan, as first legal daughter of Sheng family, to the second son of a degrading Marquis.

Minglan wanted to relieve Yanran from embarrassment, so she pointed at herself and shouted, "Boys are of course naughty when they are young! What's more, rumors are not reliable. Sister Liu heard I was eccentric and weird before she saw me in person, but look at me, how pretty and kind I am!" Miss Liu smiled in awkwardness while all others burst into laughter. Minglan continued to be cheeky and said, "Am I not right? Am I not pretty or kind-hearted?"

Rulan pointed to Minglan, "You, you, you..." She laughed down on the tea table and held the stomach with hand, not able to speak out a complete sentence.

The whispering in the house turned into bursting laughers. Noticing Yanran's blushing face was getting lighter, Minglan felt pity for her, so she decided to further step up to finish the drama, "Sisters know little news. What's fresh about Yanran's match? I wanted to make a match between little Red and little White in my fish tank!"

Everyone laughed harder, filling the room with joy. Minglan said with a serious face, "Little Red and little White have accompanied me for a long time. Since they are at age, it's my duty, as their lady, to consider about their marriage!"

The girls laughed with their bodies leaning to all directions. Wu Baozhu tiled upon another girl's shoulder, face blushing from laughter, and wiped out tears, "Is it successful?" Minglan nodded, "It's quite difficult."

Chen Xinya got stomachache from laughing and tried so hard before she could speak out a few words in a high pitch, "...Why is that?" Minglan looked cautious and answered with wagging head, "Marriage, a life time significant event, must obtain parents' approval and match-maker's testimony. However, I... Where should I find the fish's parents and the match-maker?"

Chen Xinya guffawed, "Why not you be their parent and I be the match-maker? Let's hold the ceremony now!"

The girls almost laughed out their minds. Rulan laughed her way to Minglan, giving her a hard pinch, "Little girl, you have most jokes. What would you do if other sisters over-laughed?" Seeing what Rulan had done, they crowed to Minglan one after another and touched and rubbed Minglan, who struggled to escape. However, she had a tiny figure and was pinched all around, but she still shouted, "Be serious! Be serious! We're talking about serious marriage!"

The girls were happier, running and jumping all around the yard. Since they were immersed in playing, Minglan was relieved and winked at Yanran who had moved to the door. Yanran nodded and slipped away when no one saw her. After quite some effort, Minglan got rid of those girls when her clothes turned messy. With an excuse of tidying herself up, Minglan left while Rulan's laugher could still be heard, "Isn't my little sister funny? My father and brothers also love her so much..."

Then was Molan's voice with a little sneer, "The girl is sharp-mouthed!"

Other girls' voices could also be heard, "I think she's good, both funny and honest."