Governess Kong turned around and bowed to Sheng Hong, she warmly said “A moment ago, Master kindly said that I am friends with the Old Madame, so I will thicken my skin and put forward my two cents. In families with numerous sons and daughters, parents must be fair and not discriminate, only then can the family truly be at peace. Although sisters should mutually give in to each other but it should be, one gives in today and another gives in another day. There is no reason to ask one to repeatedly capitulate, with time it would be inevitable that hostility would breed among sisters. Is that not true Master?”

She was aged and her voice refined and pleasing to the ear, furthermore her words were clear and methodical. The audience couldn’t help but be convinced, their minds were naturally in unison. Sheng Hong thought back on his usual actions, daughters were not that big an issue but if his sons bore resentment then the Sheng family couldn’t last long. There were after all different rules in place for the treatment of legitimate and concubine-born children. He had treated Concubine Lin’s children generously and blindly in the past and became afraid that disaster would strike if things remained unchanged. Understanding the severity of matters, he couldn’t help but have cold sweat run down his back and he repeatedly cupped his hands towards Governess Kong and parroted yes.

At this moment, unbidden hot tears forced their way out from Hualan’s stubborn eyes. w.a.n.g shi used a handkerchief to dab her tears, both mother and daughter proffered silent grat.i.tude towards Governess Kong. When Minglan heard the words both her eyes beamed and wanted prostrate herself in reverence of Governess Kong, she thought ‘Such bluntness! Such frankness! Extremely awe-inspiring!’.

Finished with Molan, Governess Kong turned her head towards Hualan. Peace once again reigned over Hualan’s heart and her anger smothered. She knelt upright and looked welcomingly at Governess Kong, waiting for her ministrations.

Governess Kong sternly said “First Young Lady, you are the Sheng household’s first young miss and are more honourable than your younger sisters. Not alone Master even the Old Madame has pampered you the most and with time it has given birth to your pampered arrogance. When you are discontent you will rashly reprimand your younger sisters and normally no one will reprimand you. What more you’ve been stoking the fire in your heart over these past ten days.”

Hualan nodded her head, Governess Kong looked at her and with sincerely said “First Young Lady, let me speak some unpleasant words. Daughters are by nature pampered, it is not difficult to act spoilt and pampered in their own house but once they become a married woman, that must be immediately abandoned. You have to be respectfully serve your parents-in-law, you have to be considerate and take care of your husband, you have to politely smile towards your sister-in-laws and his younger sisters.1 You cannot easily offend anyone from your husband’s family, one wrong move and you would immediately be at fault. How am I to start teaching you this when even now you do not have the ability to be considerate? Even if the fault was with your Fourth Younger Sister, you should not coldly and sarcastically scold her. The big sister ought to think of a suitable way to enable her young sisters to know their mistakes and not impair the relationship between sisters.”

Hualan could not refrain and said “Fourth Younger Sister has never listened to me and is unmoved by persuasion. Gov
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erness, please advice me on how I should deal with it?”

Governess Kong coldly said “This would depend on your own capability. If you cannot even handle affairs properly with your own blood sister, once the sun rises and you marry out, in the east would be your parent-in-laws, the west your sister-in-laws, the north your male cousins and the south housekeepers, a household full of strangers separated by blood. How then do expect to be prudent? Do you expect your father and mother to support you even then?”

Hualan listened carefully and was astounded and was silently ruminating her words. w.a.n.g shi however was more experienced, she knew that these were Governess Kong’s considerate words and showed grat.i.tude. “Governess, these words are truly from the bottom of your heart. These words have laid bare your heart and my family’s Hua’er will firmly remember it. Hua’er, hurry up and give thanks to the Governess.” Hualan who was still frozen, was pushed to kowtow by Housekeeper Liu Kun. Seeing that Governess Kong had efficiently domesticated her two older sisters with just a few words, Rulan already obediently lowered her head. Governess Kong glanced at her and with not even half a bit of humour berated her “Fifth Young Lady is really impressive today. At first, your two older sisters merely had a small bicker and would have turned out to be nothing. However fearing that this matter was not big enough, you not only did not try to calm the situation but had to run up and down, fanning the flames. Although you are still young but you should not be this tactless and babble tactlessly. Earlier your father merely spoke a few words and even if the words were unpleasant, you should not be this disobedient and answer back. If it was up to me, you should be punished more severely than your sisters!”

Rulan was about to complain but Sheng Hong’s intense eyes immediately silenced her. She withdrew and repeatedly kowtow admitting her mistakes. “I am wrong! I am wrong! Please forgive me, Father. I will not dare to speak nonsense next time!”

Seeing that Rulan acknowledged her mistake, Sheng Hong’s anger simmered down. He knew that this daughter is simple in her thoughts and untamed. Now that she became repentant, he was not longer angry.

Lastly, Governess Kong’s eyes stopped on Minglan. Minglan’s forehead creased and immediately knelt properly. She bravely lifted her head and Governess Kong looked into her pair of clear pupils “You must feel that you are not in the wrong and should not be implicated, is that right?”

Minglan hesitated for a while and then firmly nodded her head. Governess Kong said in a serene tone “Let impart you a logic today, brother and sisters of the same family are of the same breath and branches, they share a common glory and a common ill repute. Even if you alone are not in the wrong but your three older sisters have all wronged, you are wrong although you have not erred. Therefore I will punish you collectively, do you understand?”

Minglan dropped her jaw wide and through the corner of her eye she saw Governess Kong’s maids carrying several canes in. She felt queasy and nearly fainted, This! This! This! This was simply guilt by a.s.sociation! d.a.m.n it, what unlawful charge was this but unfortunately this was ancient times. It is inconceivable to not accept, Minglan could only sullenly nod her head.

Sheng Hong felt pity for Minglan and couldn’t help but plead mercy for her “Governess, at the end of the day, Ming’er did no wrong. Moreover she is the youngest and her body weak, why not just scold her and not punish her. She has always been obedient and sensible, she will firmly remember it next time.”

Who knew Governess Kong was strictly impartial and shook her head “It’s not possible, if we only let her off now, would it not be encouraging young masters and young ladies not to get involved in the future. If there is a need from brothers, what should happen if everyone just watched the fire burn from across the river? She must be punished. This caning of Minglan is to teach the young ladies to understand what it truly means to be one family!”

Minglan cried out in grief internally ‘Why the heck should she be beaten with a cane to help everyone understand this issue?!’

Governess Kong walked a few steps and quietly said “I have never commented on the sisters fights. I played the deaf-mute for over ten days, thinking that you girls are real sisters and at the end of the day would be able to make peace by yourselves. Thus I was patiently waiting for you all to settle it, however I did not expect that you sisters would argue like those poor families who lack proper food and clothing. How different really were you all from those who are fighting for sc.r.a.ps of food and clothes to wear? Not even the slightest conduct of a young miss from an established family was visible. It disappointed me greatly. It is a rule that if the clan wants to prosper, the brothers and sisters have to work as one. Many big clans normally start falling apart from here. I hope that each and every young lady here would reflect deeply on their actions.”

Sheng Hong nodded as he listened. He felt that it made sense, if they were to enter the capital in the future, it would be better if they did not embarra.s.s themselves. Governess Kong truly offered gems of wisdom, even he himself benefited. As expected as one who came out of the palace.

Governess Kong finally decreed “Now everyone of you will be spank ten times on the hands and once you return, finish copying the《Examples of Women》fifty times. Those that do not finish copying by tomorrow need not learn from me anymore!”

Having said that and she swung the cane from the tray. It was made out of old bamboo, strong and st.u.r.dy with a light red gloss under the candle light. When waved, the sound of the wind splitting was enough to scare a person silly. Rulan turned jelly and imploringly tugged at w.a.n.g shi’s clothes. Molan started to cry in dismay again. Hualan strained her neck and bit her lips, Minglan entered a comatose state.

Governess Kong drew a breath and eyed the few people in the room and said “However at the end of the day you girls are still delicate young misses. After punishment, there is no need to divulge this matter outside this room to protect the good name of the young ladies.”

She then ordered the four maids to hold a cane and march up by each young misses side. w.a.n.g shi stared at the cane, couldn’t bear it any longer and was about to plead for mercy, suddenly she heard a delicate and soft voice ”…Governess, please wait”.

When everyone turned to look, it was actually Concubine Lin that had spoken.

1. 妯娌小姑 (Zhou Li Xiao Gu): 妯娌 are the wives of your husband’s brothers while 小姑 are the younger sisters of your husband

Translated: alpenglowpaled
Edited: Eers