“Minglan, servant you bring me a tangerine, it must be properly peeled.” Young Lady Rulan sitting on the swing.

Minglan sat on the stone chair staring blankly at sky with no movements. Rulan called out a few more times and seeing that Minglan still has no reaction, she smoothly picked up a stone and threw it. Minglan’s shoulders felt pain, turning her hand in pain and saw Young Lady Rulan smiling with her teeth shown “You this foolish one, still do not hurry get tangerine for this young miss!”

Minglan looked at the sky without saying anything, slowly walked to the table by the side and picked up a tangerine. She was just about to peel it, a hand from the side stopped her. That hand was tender and beautiful, ten pointy nails dyed with a light red balsam juice.

“Rulan, you are bullying Sixth Younger Sister again! You come down now!” First Young Miss Hualan angrily rushed over and drag Rulan from the swing with a hand “A few days ago, what did Father say? Among the sisters, Sixth Younger Sister is the youngest, as older sisters we ought to considerate and care for her. You are actually good, bullying her the whole day! Be careful that I tell Father!”

“Who bullied her? I merely asked her to peel a tangerine!” Young Lady Rulan stuck her little belly out and crossed her arms.

“Have all the servants have been exterminated, asking the masters to peel tangerine?! Or is the maid by your side especially precious and actually cannot be ordered around?!” Hualan’s big pretty eyes glared. The three, four maids that originally have watching this mockery hung their heads, withdrawing to the side in terror. “Seeing that Sixth Young Lady is about to peel the tangerine, each and every one of is already dead and do not know how to stop?! What capable maids, actually dare to make a mockery of the masters. One of these days, I will report to Master and Madame, allow you guys to return back home and watch your own mockery all the day long!” First Young Miss Hualan sharply rebuked.

Rulan immediately did not comply, went forward to pull at her older sister’s skirt and loudly said “Big Sister, you are not allowed to bully my people, I will tell Mother! For the sake of a foolish person, born by a concubine and you make things difficult for your own real younger sister!”

“Go tell go tell! I wanted to tell earlier, what concubine’s daughter, Sixth Younger Sister is our sister. Besides Father personally carried her over to Mother’s place, she is definitely our real younger sister! If you speak of such shameful words like concubine-born again, be careful Father will beat with you the planks!” Hualan forcefully used her index finger to poke at Rulan’s forehead.

Rulan was fuming and unable to retort; Minglan lowered her head, act dumb and not speaking.

Although Hualan and Rulan are sisters from the same mother but their appearance are different. Hualan looks like Sheng Hong, beautiful and elegant, thriving heroic spirit between her brows. Rulan looks like w.a.n.g shi, round-faced, features upright, her looks inevitably somewhat common but in the future when she grows up, she might head towards the direction of  looking dignified. The creator was obviously not fair towards these sisters from the same father and mother. Regardless of looks, talent or parents’ love, the younger sister is totally inferior to the older sister. Minglan only hopes that Rulan’s disequilibrate heart will not become even worst.

Actually it is not very hard to make a living at w.a.n.g shi’s side, Older Sister Hualan and Older Brother Changbai already have their courtyards. Little Brother Changdong is still at the stage of drooling, Minglan only needs to deal with Young Lady Rulan. Rulan is actually not a bad person, she only likes to throw her temper and act impressive, itching for others to praise her daily. However she cannot afford to offend the one older sister and brother above her, the one older brother and sister at Concubine Lin’s place she also not able to provoke till there. It is pointless for her to provoke the Younger Brother Changdong who cannot even stand steadily thus the unlucky Minglan is the only one remaining that allows her to order around.

Whenever this happens, First Young Miss Hualan would be like the Great Sage from heavens coming to uphold justice. She may not necessary like Minglan but she cannot watch Rulan’s arrogant behaviour. Being the favoured eldest daughter, her authority at the Sheng household is only second to the three elders. Rebuking younger sisters, punishing servants, whatever the heart wishes, the hand accomplishes, it is clear and logical.

Minglan is very thankful towards this beautiful and dignified big sister. She is really the heaven’s favoured one. Looks, family background, courage, she lacks nothing. She really hopes this big sister will always be this blessed and proud in the future.

Every morning now, Minglan will be carried by a mama and go together with w.a.n.g shi to pay respects to Old Madame Sheng. Before that, every concubine will pay their respects to w.a.n.g shi first, Concubine Lin has a regular pattern to paying respects. She will probably pay respects for three days and rest for two days. Reason is Tiger’s Balm— her body is not well. If the night before, Sheng Hong rested at her place, she will support her waist and says that her body is tired. If the night before Sheng Hong did not go, she will support her chest and says that her heart is tired. Every time Concubine Lin comes to pay respects, w.a.n.g shi needs to tune her mental condition for a very long time, so as to avoid herself raging and throwing herself to scratch off that lovely cheeks of Concubine Lin. It is an extreme challenge to w.a.n.g shi’s cultivation.

In contrast little Minglan, merely five six years old, do not have a favoured mother, young and stupid. It is not essential for w.a.n.g shi to bully her however she also would not specially care for Minglan. Anyways eating and sleeping with Rulan however the attentive ones still can see the differences.

Every food displayed are all Rulan’s favourites during meals, Minglan followed to eat, no rights to pick the dishes. Rulan’s clothes are all new, Minglan wears the remaining although it is ninety percent new. Any new fruits or desserts, naturally it is urgently given to Rulan to eat first, the leftovers then are given to Minglan. As for the jewelries such as gold silver jade necklaces and chains, Minglan have not seen them from the start. However each time w.a.n.g shi goes out, she will still give her to wear something on her neck and head to fulfill the facade.

Minglan planned her occupation road, when it is time to act foolish, act foolish, when it is time to complain, complain. Young Lady Yingchun’s1 bitter experience has already told us that it is not to suffer in silence that peace and security is obtained. A concubine-born daughter with no one to rely on, if you do not fight for yourself, who will still pay attention to you. This is called heavens will help if you help yourself.

The mama by Minglan’s side is a lazy and careless old woman, when you want the east often she will give you the west. More a.s.signments, the more noise. Often times she will pout her lips in displeasure. The young maids will also follow her example, all are also cannot be more lazy, they will have ‘private talks’ frequently in a voice that Minglan can hear. What ‘the left once, the right once, never-ending, really tormenting people to death’, ‘acting what haughty, still thinking that she is some affluent families’ daughter, merely just born by a concubine’, ‘calm down the sooner the better, who is patient enough to serve her’ and such.

Minglan did not utter a single word and pretended not to hear a single word, ordering around as usual. Because Sheng Hong has not completely trusted w.a.n.g shi, so every now and then he will go check up on Minglan. During this time, Minglan will honestly and bluntly say “I was thirsty last night, Mama did not give me water…… has the crab-apple flower you gave me the last time blossomed yet? I have not seen it…… the desserts Madame gave? Mama said that her little grandson loves it, so she took it away…… Mama said to wait till she is free then she will patch up this hole on my clothes.”

Sheng Hong’s expression immediately dropped, w.a.n.g shi also utterly embarra.s.sed. Recently she has been busy with Hualan’s age of coming ceremony, where does she have the effort to care for Minglan. Once she got angry, she punished every maid that embarra.s.sed her. In the beginning the maids were not happy an as usual created difficulties for Minglan. Minglan also did not take it seriously and continued to complain. Just two times, the servants all became honest, Minglan’s days are also better.

Actually complaining is a skill, it is the same living in the modern-day workforce and in the olden times Sheng family. Complaining well will improve your own life while complaining badly produces the opposite effect. There is a trick to this. Firstly, the person you are complaining to must be correct, in the beginning Minglan knows that w.a.n.g shi did not take her to heart only raising and it is fine if she does not die. On the contrary, Sheng Hong still remembers the good of Concubine Wei and felt guilty that she died at such a young age so Minglan’s complaint is to Sheng Hong. Secondly, the target of your complaint must be specific. Minglan only complained about the maids and did not mention w.a.n.g shi at all. Instead she often speaks of what w.a.n.g shi gives, it is the servants who are lazy and evade work, it is still fine if w.a.n.g shi listens at the side. Lastly, it is also the most important, must act foolish. From the time Minglan woke up, she is always acting foolishly and blankly. Her words not nimble and her reaction is also slow, completely like a dummy with no schemes, actually is safe.

1. From the Dream of Red Chambers, she is known to be weak-willed and very unwilling to meddle in the affairs of the family, after her marriage, she was abused by her husband

Can a normal six years old go through this in the ancient times? That is really a tough situation to be in even for a sixteen years old. There is a possibility that this chapter will be split into three but I will try to get them all in the same week. Next up, time to marry out the daughter!