In fact, Minglan was not good at cozying up to the people she didn"t know. In her previous life, if she had worked in the Propaganda Department the leader of which was her father, things might be completely different now. Her father"s subordinates were all quick-witted and eloquent and always wore those sincere looks. Not only were they able to persuade others, but they made others utterly moved. If they couldn"t convince you, they would bother you to death. The common idol they had was Tang Seng.

After they chatted for a while, Minglan then decided to bid her farewell. Little Shen shi stood up and looked at the hourgla.s.s beside her, pretending to be surprised, “Hey, it"s already this late. The girls should be off school now.” Then she looked at Minglan with a smile.

Little Shen shi had lost her parents at a young age, Her brother and sister treasured her a lot and were never strict with her. As a result, she had got used to a carefree life. However, ever since she had married into the Zheng family, she had to observe the diciplines for women in ancient times and seldom had a chance to go out. Every day, she could only stay in the General"s mansion with her stern sister-in-law and was disciplined all the time. It was hard for her not to feel aggrieved.

Minglan was well aware what Little Shen shi was thinking. She wanted to play dumb, but the expectation in the latter"s eyes was too obvious. Then Minglan gave a wry smile secretly while saying with a calm face, “That"s right, I planned to pick up the two girls after I leave here.”

Little Shen shi hurrahed inwardly and turned around with a smile, “Sister-in-law, the school is near our mansion. I"d like to go with her and pick up my niece.” First Madam Zheng glanced at Minglan and Little Shen shi and then drank her tea without saying anything. Little Shen shi looked at Minglan and the latter lowered her head right away. As they were feeling nervous, First Madam Zheng said, “Then, you two should go together.”

Little Shen shi acted as if she had finally been released. After she changed her outfit in her room in a hurry, she went out with Minglan right away.

“Eh, finally, I could breathe the air outside.”

On the coach, Little Shen shi kept lifting the curtain to look at the outside with a cheerful look, “When I was on the border of the Shu state, I always heard that the capital is the best place in the world with its prosperity and wealth. Unluckily for me, I have been here for such a long time but never really hung out.”

Minglan said smilingly, “You said as if you were so pathetic, I don"t believe you never went out.”

Little Shen shi, with her lips curled, put down the curtain and turned around, saying, “I only came out when going to the temple or the Taoist abbey, or dressing gravely like I am going to worship the ancestors to have meals or tea at others" mansion. The most interesting thing for me is going to the antique shops. What kind of hanging out that is!”

“So what are you planning to do?” Minglan tilted her head and got closer to the censer, feeling drowsy and limp again.

Little Shen shi"s eyes sparkled and she said loudly, “I want to tour all the sceneries and streets and view everything about life. Then I"ll get a full picture of this place under the feet of our emperor!” Minglan laughed and raised her hands from the warmer to applaud Little Shen shi gently. The latter got embarra.s.sed and complained, “Stop laughing at me!”

Seeing that Little Shen shi really got a bit angry, Minglan then stopped joking and coaxed her softly, “I wasn"t laughing at you. Your words all make sense, but as a woman, how can we walk around in this city? I arrived at the capital earlier than you did and the places I have been to are merely a few. That year when the spring was the most splendid, all the women in our family went to the Spring Watch Mountain for sightseeing. Only then did I see the scenery at the outside world. And it was only because my old grandma suddenly wanted to take a tour. The women in our family, including our madam, all dare not propose to hang out except for my grandma.”

Little Shen shi got even more yearning to go out hearing Minglan"s words. After a while, she said, “My mother-in-law is not able to walk now, as for my sister-in-law…” She sighed gently and stopped talking.

Minglan also got very upset because she would like to walk around in this city too. Then she joked, “Then you are left with only one choice. Give birth to as many kids as you can, then when you are surrounded by your grandkids, you can go wherever you want to.”

Little Shen shi flushed at once and said annoyedly, “I regard you as my best friend and tell you everything. You only know how to joke about me! You wicked girl, I will tell you nothing from now on!”

Minglan laughed happily. Then she moved on the thick and soft cushion and clung to Little Shen shi"s shoulders, saying in a soft voice, “Sister, it"s my fault. Please forgive me. I won"t do it again.” After she spoke sweet words for a long time, Little Shen shi finally cooled down.

She poked Minglan"s forehead and cursed with a smile, “Nuisance. Your master must have made a big mistake in his previous life, otherwise he wouldn"t have married a foxy girl like you! He must be either tricked or p.i.s.sed off by you every day!”

As the two women who were at the same age were chatting with each other, they gradually were gently hitting each other with laughter. After a while, Little Shen shi sat up and said sadly, “The capital is a great place indeed, but also very troublesome. I prefer to enjoy a carefree life on the border of the Shu State.” Minglan leaned on the woolen cushion and stared at Little Shen shi quietly.

Then, Little Shen shi said in a low voice, “I only hated to part with my brother and my sister.”

Minglan still said nothing. She suddenly remembered Princess Diana, a famous tragic character. When Princess Diana was a n.o.body, she had wanted to be the princess, but when she did have become a princess, she longed for love and freedom. No one could always get the best of both worlds. Little Shen shi wanted to enjoy the wealthy life in the capital while living an unconstrained life. However, clearly she was not lucky enough to fulfill that wish.

If one liked to eat salty fish, he had to be able to endure the thirst. Since she wanted the high position and great wealth, she had to endure the hardships.

The affairs of the Zheng family also gave the people in the capital a lot to talk about. Minglan heard some of the rumors.

When Little Shen shi had just married into the Zheng family, she complained about her sister-in-law in the imperial palace since she had the Empress as her support. She wanted to cut her sister-in-law down to size by inviting the imperial members to help her, thus she could then live a comfortable life.

However, never did she know that First Madam Zheng was tougher than her. After Little Shen shi had just complained tearfully in the palace, Empress Shen didn"t even think of what she was going to say to First Madam Zheng. The latter had already knelt in front of Old Madam Zheng and asked for leaving the Zheng family with the reason that she was too menial to be Little Shen shi"s sister-in-law.

Old Madam Zheng who was around eighty years old was scared out of her wits. First Madam Zheng had married into the Zheng family for over ten years and she had always been close to Old Madam Zheng. Not only was Old Madam Zheng very satisfied with First Madam Zheng, but the latter had made a great contribution to the family by giving birth to children, dealing with the family affairs and creating a harmonizing atmosphere in the family. Under no circ.u.mstances would Old Madam Zheng let her leave. At that time, Old Madam Zheng, sick and weak as she was, put on her n.o.ble costume and went to the imperial palace to ask for mercy at once.

At that time, the discussion about this issue was rather heated.

Actually, it was more like a public condemnation since all the people had sided with First Madam Zheng without any hesitation. She was from a prestigious family and enjoyed a great reputation. Her ancestor"s memorial tablet was placed in the Imperial Ancestral Temple and her granduncle"s memorial tablet was in the martyry. Nearly ten percent of the monuments of virtue in the country had been built up for the members of her family. (How scary her family rules would be?) As for First Madam Zheng, she was the most famous virtuous madam in the capital.

Little Shen shi hadn"t married into the Zheng family for a long time and already forced such a n.o.ble and gentle woman to leave. That behavior truly deserved to be condemned. People claimed that since Shen family which hadn"t become the Consort kin for long had already been so arrogant, it would surely create bigger problems in the future.

According to what Sheng Hong had said, some civil officials had already prepared to submit the impeachment they had written to the emperor.

Not only that, the imperial women, led by Grand Princess Qing Ning, were also quite dissatisfied with Little Shen Shi.

"Marquis Zhongjing"s family (First Madam Zheng"s parents" family) is n.o.ble and virtuous. Now what, princesses like us still don"t dare to slight our sisters-in-law, you, the sister of the Empress, think that you have the right to do that? What a shame! Who do you think you are? Princess Taiping?"

Empress Dowager De and a few princesses had also sneered at Little Shen shi.