Minglan celebrated the simplest Spring Festival on the second year of Chong De. There was no huge feast and only a few fireworks. She even received fewer new clothes than before. However, the simple settings didn"t damp down Sheng Hong"s excitement. On the New Year"s Eve, all the people of the Sheng family gathered together to have the family union dinner and stay up late until midnight.

Since Sheng Hong considered his family a literary family, he wouldn"t allow any vulgar programs such as finger-guessing game or cards game happen. According to the custom, Changbai, as the eldest brother, stood up with no expression on his face and recited a poem, “Will there be no New Year"s Eve next year? I am afraid time waits for none. Let us enjoy tonight with cheer. So that childhood will no longer run!”

The poem which was written by the famous poet Su Shi was called "Staying up All Night on New Year"s Eve." and was considered a very motivational and inspiring piece of work.

However, the response from the audiences was quite indifferent. Only the little chubby Quang paid tributes to his dad by dancing with joy and laughed with all his little teeth exposed. Meanwhile, Sheng Hong was having a tic at the muscles around his eyes. Minglan curled the corner of her lips. Rulan was deeply in her thought. Changfeng held the wine cup with his head lowered. w.a.n.g shi served the dishes for Old Madam Sheng while rolling her eyes. She almost yelled to the sky—— Now even she could recite this poem!

Changbai really was an unusual man. He had recited this poem on every New Year"s Eve with the same contents, same tone, same fluctuation and even the same expression on the face——which was poker-faced.

The first year when Hai shi had married to Changbai, she had stared at her husband with blush on her face and heard him reciting the poem shyly. Now two years had pa.s.sed, she was looking out of the window as if nothing was happening now, thinking, "The moon on the New Year"s Eve is so big and bright."

After that, Changfeng recited the poem "Upon Pa.s.sing the Imperial Examinations", which was written by Meng Jiao. He finished the last line "Pleased with the vernal breeze and my swift trotting steed; Ere the day"s done, we"ve all the Chang"an flowers seen." with perfect cadence. Sheng Hong had stroked his beard while listening to the poem with a smile. However, after Changfeng finished reciting the whole poem, Sheng Hong straightened his face and read Changfeng a lecture, “… Avoid conceit and impetuosity. Do not let your mind wander randomly. And always remember that complacency is the biggest obstacle in studying!”

Changfeng drooped his head with his face br.i.m.m.i.n.g over with depression. He was always an uninhibited man who enjoyed a romantic life. Ever since he had pa.s.sed the examination of the provincial graduate, he had been longing for going out for fun. However, much to his disappointment, he had been grounded by Sheng Hong and could only study in the mansion every day. Finally, the New Year arrived and he thought he could have a chance to amuse himself. Little did he know that Sheng Hong would demand all the people in the mansion to keep extremely low key. Therefore, Changfeng lost his only chance of going out to have a good time.

Minglan totally understood Sheng Yong"s intention. It was like the people who won one hundred million prize would move away at the same night. It was a wise choice to keep a low profile when someone attained a great success. At present, the emperor was still investigating the accomplice of the rebels. Lots of the influential officials and the n.o.bles were worried about their own destinies and lived in terror every day. If anyone dared to swagger around, his family might suffer from a serious attack.

Therefore, although Sheng Hong was super delightful deep down, he still needed to put on a sorrowful look and sighed deeply from time to time to express that the happy event of his own family was not worth mentioning and he only wanted the prosperity of the whole nation.

Minglan felt that quite funny, so she lowered her head immediately to cover the amused look on her face.

There were dozens of new year"s dishes being freshly prepared on the bright rosewood Ruyi big round table. The bottoms of all the plates were soaked in the hot water to keep warm——The Five Blessings, The Auspicious Beginning, The Unity and Happiness, those were all the name of the dishes… There were also chicken and duck, fish and meat along with various soups. Actually, those dishes were mainly made for watching instead of eating. Most of the people there only took a few bites. Minglan picked a dish which looked very verdant. As she chewed the minced fish and mutton vegetable roll slowly, the delicious taste filled in her mouth right away.

After Sheng Hong had scolded Changfeng, Old Madam Sheng claimed that she was tired and needed to have a rest. Minglan could only watched her grandmother leaving but couldn"t follow. This was the last time she stayed in the Sheng family on the New Year"s Eve. So Old Madam Sheng had told her to stay up late with Sheng Hong and w.a.n.g shi to perform her duty as their daughter.

Seeing that Old Madam Sheng had left, w.a.n.g shi put down her chopsticks with joy right away. After that, she turned to Hai shi with smile on her face—— w.a.n.g shi was expecting to enjoy her daughter-in-law"s service! However, before she started to give any orders, Hai shi had a sick feeling due to her pregnancy at once. Then, Hai shi covered her mouth and rushed to the outside to vomit. When she came back with the support of the others, her face already turned livid while her lips turned deadly white.

Seeing that, Sheng Hong waved his hands and told his daughter-in-law to go back and have a rest. Changbai also waved his hand and told his wife to bring their son back to their room. When Changbai and his father had waved their hands, w.a.n.g shi hadn"t even got a chance to say a word. Before she could react, there was no one left beside her. Then she was struck dumb and could only stare at Minglan and Rulan blankly.

Large snowflakes were falling outside. Even though the floor had already been heated and the firewood in the stove was burning vigorously, people inside the room could still feel the cold air. w.a.n.g shi was the only one who wore a radiant face. Minglan took a look at w.a.n.g shi and thought maybe the latter needed a few bottles of stabilizing syrup.

Being plagued by her own pent-up feelings of sadness, w.a.n.g shi poured the wine for herself and drank one cup after another while glimpsing at Minglan from time to time. As a matter of fact, w.a.n.g shi always considered herself a qualified mother who was thoughtful for her illegal children. Even before Minglan was born, w.a.n.g shi had already had plans for her.

At that time, w.a.n.g shi had thought that if Concubine Wei had given birth to a boy, she had had to give Concubine Wei a cold shoulder. But if the child Concubine Wei had conceived with was a girl, she would continue to lavish praises on Concubine Wei. As a result, w.a.n.g shi had got what she had wanted. A beautiful baby girl had been born. After that, Concubine Lin and Concubine Wei had kept fighting each other while w.a.n.g shi had benefited from the tussle.

As time had gone by, the baby girl had gradually grown up and had had a sign of becoming an extremely fine creature. Then w.a.n.g shi had planned to marry Minglan into a family which could be beneficial to Sheng family or at least could offer a huge amount of bride price.

Later on, Concubine Wei had been dead. Minglan had been sent to the Hall of Peaceful Ages after staying with w.a.n.g shi for a short while. Time had flown fast, Minglan had turned into a gorgeous and charming lady who also had a cute and adorable personality. The good side was that Minglan had managed to share Sheng Hong"s adoration to Molan. But the bad side was that Rulan seemed too mediocre when compared to her sisters.

The more w.a.n.g shi drank, the more upset she got.

"If only Minglan could be like her mother." w.a.n.g shi thought. Concubine Wei was also a beautiful woman, but she was always nervous in public. That kind of woman would never be a threatening to w.a.n.g shi. However, Minglan was nothing like that. She was extremely pretty and elegant while acting prudently but never sloppily. When Rulan stood together with Minglan, people always a.s.sumed that the latter was the legal daughter.

Fate was such a funny thing. At last, among all the girls, Minglan was the one who married to a man with the highest position. Right now, w.a.n.g shi was slightly drunk. For a moment, she even saw the picture of her bringing Concubine Wei into the Sheng family excitedly. Then she began to wonder if what happened now was the consequence of what she had done before.

Minglan who sat there also detected the displeased look on w.a.n.g shi"s face. Knowing that w.a.n.g shi had been mentally and physically exhausted preparing the dowries, Minglan decided to turn around quietly and avoid any eye contacts with w.a.n.g shi. As she turned her head, her eyes fell right upon on Rulan. At present, Rulan was blushing with her head lowered while turning half round to look out of the window with tenderness and love exuded through her eyes. Minglan knew instantly that Rulan must be thinking of her sweet Wen Yanjing again!

After what had happened in the Grand Great temple, Sheng Hong and w.a.n.g shi both felt repulsion to this unexpected son-in-law. Nevertheless, Wen Yanjing was a man who never gave up on himself. Right after he had been recovered from the wounds which had been given by Changbai, he came to the Sheng"s mansion and apologized sincerely to Sheng Hong and w.a.n.g shi by kowtowing to them. At first, w.a.n.g shi put on a show of bad temper and left him kneeling on the ground. Sheng Hong also went back to his room to read books before he spitted out some courtesy words indifferently.

Hearing what had happened, Rulan rushed over crazily. The moment she saw Wen Yanjing, she burst into tears. The two lovers went down on their knees while crying bitterly face to face. They almost cried out the tears of blood. w.a.n.g shi couldn"t bear to see that, so she could only drag Sheng Hong out toughly.

Minglan wasn"t aware of the details. She only knew that Wen Yanjing had stated that nothing was going to change his love to Minglan, not even a marriage proposal from the princess! It was said that w.a.n.g shi had been deeply touched immediately. In no time, Old Madam Sheng"s principle of considering love the priceless thing in the world had resonated with w.a.n.g shi. At that time, even Sheng Hong, the sophisticated civil official had got his eyes welled up with tears. He had held his future son-in-law"s hands tightly and given his best wishes to Wen Yanjing"s career and marriage.

—— Mama Liu had blocked the scene when Wen Yanjing had been in the room. Thanks to brave Xique who had provided all the information to Minglan.

Minglan was stunned when she heard the whole story. She didn"t doubt that w.a.n.g shi had really been touched. After all, women tended to be more romantic than men, no matter how insensitive the woman was. As for Sheng Hong… Since he couldn"t deny the reality and had already vented his anger. He preferred not to stay in an awkward relationship with his future son-in-law. So he had only done that to give Wen Yanjing an out.

Afterwards, Rulan dropped all her depressions before and beamed with joy all the time. She even embroidered the poet which had been written by Wen Yanjing on her handkerchief—— "The moon climbed to the tree by the lotus pond, the swan goose is in the cloud while the fish is in the water, they were only disappointed that they couldn"t tell each other their innermost love." Minglan got goose b.u.mps when she saw those pa.s.sionate words. However, Rulan enjoyed the poet very much and continued her embroidering work with shyness on her face.

A moment like this always made Minglan speechless.

What was love? Was it love when Anna Karenina gave up her family to live with her mistress and laid herself on the railway tracks? Was it love when w.a.n.g Baochuan (T/N: famous female character in Chinese drama) chose to stay in a poor and shabby dwelling for 18 years instead of being in her rich family? Suddenly, Minglan had the impulsion to ask Gu Tingye, “I jump, will you jump?”

"Stop it!" Minglan thought that she must be out of her mind.