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

C128. The Ancient Time Was Beyond Her Imagination (1)

It was November already. When standing in the piercingly cold wind, people could even see their breath. Minglan, being lazy again, was attached to her warm brick bed and wouldn't like to move a bit. However, Cuiping came to her and told her to go to the Hall of Peaceful Ages, which made Minglan groan with pain. Seeing Minglan's miserable look, Danju coaxed her into getting out of the bed and putting on the thick wool coat. Only until then did Minglan stop trembling. When she arrived at the Hall of Peaceful Ages, she saw Old Madam sitting on the brick bed uptight with thick golden-python patterned blanket covering her knees. Old Madam Sheng seemed to be in a daze right now, with a piece of paper in her hands.

Minglan stopped being slack right away. Having stepped forward, she took over the Ginseng tea from Cuimei and put it on the tea table. Then she asked lightly, "Grandma, what's wrong?"

Hearing that, Old Madam Sheng came back to sense. With doubtful expression in her eyes, she passed the paper to Minglan, saying, "People from He Family sent this to me early in the morning. You can see it by yourself."

After sitting closer to the warm side of the brick bed, Minglan opened the paper and started to read——

The letter was written by Old Madam He who seemed to have been in a hurry. She had written in the letter that Cao Family couldn't stay in the capital city anymore and would go back to their native place. She also mentioned that Cao Jinxiu had spitted out the truth after being saved from her attempted suicide. It turned out that when Cao Jinxiu had been Concubine Cao in Liang Prefecture, she had been forced by the madam of her family to drink the Red Flower Soup which was used for sterilizing her. At that time, Cao Jinxiu didn't tell everyone because she didn't want her family to worry.

Now Old Madam He wanted to go there and get to the bottom of this thing. And she would be here in the afternoon to give details.

After finishing reading the letter, Minglan put down the paper while beginning to think quickly. Old Madam Sheng slowly leaned on the back cushion on the side of the brick bed, with a peach and double phoenix patterned green porcelain warmer in her hands, saying, "Minglan, what do you say... about this?"

Minglan moved herself toward Old Madam Sheng, weighing her words, "The other issues don't matter that much. However, we still need to be pay attention to two things in the letter. The first one is that Cao Family is going to leave the capital. The second one is that Cao Jinxiu might not be able to be pregnant again."

Old Madam Sheng closed her eyes while nodding slowly, saying, "You are right. Now the situation has changed again."

Since Cao Jinxiu was an infertile woman now, it would be hard for her to find a perfect husband. Maybe only a widower with children would be willing to marry her. Those girls from rich families who didn't have children and lived in widowhood in their maiden home could still remarry again. However, according to the financial situation of Cao Family, no widower from a decent family would marry a girl from their family. As thus, only He Family could take care of her.

Nevertheless, a concubine who couldn't give birth would have no threats to the madam. Moreover, Cao Family was about to go back to their native place. Thus Concubine Cao would exist in name only.

Old Madam and Minglan both got enlightened while thinking of that.

Having put down the warmer, Old Madam Sheng took over the Ginseng tea and stirred the Ginseng slices with cup lid, saying, "This time... We cannot agree so easily. No matter what the people of He Family say, we have to lay it aside." Minglan slowly nodded, showing her agreement with Old Madam.

After the lunch, they had a rest for a short while. In the second quarter of Wei (13:15-13:30), Old Madam He arrived hastily. It seemed that her hurried journey gave her a thirst. She kept drinking the warm tea after sitting down. And although Old Madam He was anxious deep down, she still managed to keep a calm look. Meanwhile, Minglan hid in the inner room as usual, listening to their conversation across the curtain.