At night, only after they had talked with each other until midnight did they go to sleep .

Minglan still felt sad when she went to sleep, she even wished that she could thump her chest and stamp her feet in her dream to vent her feelings . Gu Tingye also lay on bed quietly while holding her in his arms . Minglan thought that he might found it inappropriate to do any intimate things with her after he had just cherished the memory of his dead mother .

The man’s body was burning hot, which made Minglan who was in his arms feel like sleeping with a stove . After a short while, she already got sweats all over her body . As she was in a daze, she only wanted to kick the quilt away . However, while she was kicking, she hurt her toes . Then as muddleheaded as she was, she moaned and complained, “My toes hurt . ” After that, she felt a huge calloused hand rubbing her puffy toes . At first, he just rubbed her toes . However, he kept messaging her, then started to slide his hand higher and higher along her smooth leg . Minglan roller her body, trying to get rid of his hand . She really wanted to say, “Just think of your poor mother . ” But she didn’t have the guts to utter those words . So, she only said to him, “You have to go to the Imperial Court tomorrow . ”

The man seemed to pause right away . Then he wiggled with discomfort while holding Minglan even tighter in his arms to rub her with his body .

After a long while, as the sky slowly brightened, with Minglan’s eyes half squinted, she stared at the bed curtains in a trance and touched the bed . However, there was already no one beside her . Then she instantly woke up with a jolt, calling, “ . . . Where is Master?”

As the red silk bed curtain with clouds embroidered by golden threads was lifted, Danju approached Minglan with a smiling face and said, “My Madam, Master would be late already if he waited for you! I think Master is already in the Imperial Court right now . ”

Minglan sat on the bed blankly while thinking, ‘The Morning Report in the Imperial Court starts at four o’clock in the morning . If the time on the road is also counted, Mr . Gu might only have slept for two hours . No wonder why it only took a short while for him to behave himself last night . It’s really difficult to be an official in the ancient times . ’

“Who helped Master wash himself?” Minglan asked that in a still feeble voice .

“We also got up late . Thanks to Xiahe (Lit . summer lotus leaf) and Xiazhu (summer bamboo) who still remembered about their duty . Madam, please give us a working schedule to let us serve Master in the morning by turn . ” Danju glanced at Minglan’s body which was buried in the brocade quilt . It could be seen that Minglan’s bare shoulders had some new blue and purple marks before the old marks faded away . Right now, Minglan was only wearing a red exquisite Ruyi necklace and a greenish yellow bellyband which was embroidered with green flower-de-luce .

Seeing the dark circles under Minglan’s eyes again, Danju felt both angry and worried . Then she took a white cotton underwear over for Minglan to wear .

Minglan, being in a daze, let Danju help her get off the bed . Suddenly, something occurred to her . Then, having got rid of Danju’s hand, Minglan walked on the thick carpet with her bare feet to the hourgla.s.s . Then she found that-- It was just half past five in the morning .

Minglan began to let her mind wander . The situation right now was so weird . She didn’t need to give morning obeisance to anyone in this mansion or call the roll in the morning . And her husband had already gone to work . Did it mean that . . . she could sleep for a bit longer?

Thinking of that, she ran straight back to her bed . Then she raised her feet and lifted the quilt to lie in the bed again .

Danju was too familiar with the whole set of Minglan’s action . Then she lifted Minglan from the bed anxiously and cried gently, “Madam, you cannot sleep again . Don’t forget you have so many things to do today . One Mama has already pa.s.ses on the message that all the maids and servants would gather together in the front hall and wait for your orders . If you sleep again . . . sleep again? I’ll call Mama Cui over!”

Minglan then got up miserably . Having bathed herself in the bathtub for a long while, she finally felt better . The soft light from the horn shape palace lanterns gradually got dimmed while the day broke . As Minglan sat in front of the dresser to let Danju help her get dressed, Xiaotao entered into the room and reported, “Mama Lai who is in charge and Liao Yong’s wife are here . ”

“Tell them to come in . ” Minglan said gently, “Danju, since we don’t need to go out today, you can make a simple bun on my hair . Leave the rest of my hair where they are, I don’t want my scalp being so tightened . ”

Danju who had been taught directly by Mama Fang had already got used to serve Minglan . With her quick and neat actions, she coiled Minglan’s hair into a bun quickly . Then she braided the rest of Minglan’s hair into flower buns and put them under the big bun . At last, she decorated her masterpiece with pearl hairpin and gold clips .

After a short while, A stocky middle-aged woman with a round face and a thin woman with slightly dark skin came in . After that, they gave their obeisances to Minglan in a reverent posture . Minglan nodded slightly, saying, “Mama Lai, Liao Yong’s wife . ”

Only after that did the two of them get up . Mama Lai laughed and said first, “Madam, please receive our respects . How do you feel today? I should have given my obeisance to you earlier . But I didn’t dare to bother you since you have been too busy these days . Yesterday, Master has told us that Madam would check on the servants in the mansion today . ”

Minglan gave out a kind smile and said, “I’m fine, everyone has come, right?”

“It’s the first time Madam gives orders to us, we have got up very early to wait for you . ” Mama Lai said that deferentially with a smile, “I wonder . . . ”

Minglan looked at the hourgla.s.s beside her and interrupted, “After half an hour, I’ll meet you in the Morning Sunlight Hall . I want the two of you divide the servants into groups first . ”

Mama Lai was confused . In the meantime, Liao Yong’s wife suddenly raised her head while asking cautiously, “Madam, I dare to ask, how should we divide them? By their duties? Or by their family connections?”

Minglan looked at her with admiration and answered, “By their duties . The ones who do the same jobs should stand together . ” As she was saying this, she saw that Mama Lai seemed to want to say something . Then Minglan turned around and said, “Mama Lai used to work for Old Madam Qin, right? Why don’t you lead all the servants from Marquis Ningyuan’s mansion to stand in another group . ”

Hearing that, Mama Lai gave out a reluctant smile and said, “We all belong to the Gu family . There is no need to separate us from the others . When I left Marquis Ningyuan’s mansion, Old Madam Qin has told me specifically that you were such a good-temper madam and we should try our best to serve you well, my madam . ”

Minglan, having turned around slowly in front of the dresser, stared at Mama Lai quietly, which made the latter’s heart trembling . After quite a while, Minglan put on a light smile on the corner of her mouth while saying in a polite but cold tone, “Just do as I told . ” She had no intention to give Mama Lai a reason .

Liao Yong’s wife who was a bit surprised glimpsed at Minglan secretly right away . Then she lowered her head . Mama Lai looked at Minglan’s face which was as gorgeous as the snow, finding herself in awe for no reason . After that, she also lowered her head and agreed to Minglan .

After they got out of House of Auspiciousness, Mama Lai and Liao Yong’s wife bid farewell to each other smilingly and headed to two different directions .

Liao Yong’s wife was young and walked very fast . It only took her a short while to to walk out of the narrow lane along the hallway . There were already a bunch of women waiting for her . As they saw Liao Yong’s wife, they rushed forward to her and cornered her while asking,

“What kind of person Madam is?”

“Does she have a good temper?”

Liao Yong’s wife said in a heavy voice, “It really surprised me that a young and delicate girl like Madam would have such an imposing manner! Mama Lai has already met with a rebuff just now . You should all behave well . Don’t ask yourself a snub!"

On the other side, Mama Lai had also returned to the yard where all the servants lived . When facing the questions from others, she only replied heavily, “She is a tough one!”

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