It is the end of summer and autumn is approaching, the north is unlike the south. The weather is slowly getting cold. Inevitably the Sheng household will boil some sweet soups to moisten the lungs and suppress coughs. Since Minglan came here, half the time she is sick and this change in weather made her extra weak. She often coughs and pants and the invited physician merely prescribe some nourishment medicine. It just has to be the taste of traditional medicine that Minglan hates, she eagerly missed Chuanbei Pipakao1 and the cough pills. The more she thinks of it, the more she resisted traditional medicine. When she drank a bowl, she wanted to vomit half of it and was sickly the entire day. Also unable to gather half a strength, Minglan who once strong and practiced self-defense arts really cannot get more annoyed.

Sheng Hong and w.a.n.g shi considered again and again, they also asked around about the character and talents of Yuan Wenshao. Finally they decided on him, then the etiquette of formal proposal has pa.s.sed and sent out Hualan’s birth characters for the next etiquette2. w.a.n.g shi’s reasoning is extremely magical, she actually separately hired a senior monk who has achieved the way and a promising Daoist priest to match the eight characters. The monk and priest all said that both birth characters will live a long happy married life together. This then a.s.sured w.a.n.g shi. Sheng Hong looked at the several incense tables in w.a.n.g shi’s room, the left displayed a hossu, and the right a wooden fish,3 he cannot help but laugh “Madame ultimately believes in Buddhism or Taoism, also who can say for sure. When you have prayed to the right one, it will be more effective.”

w.a.n.g shi knows that her husband is teasing her. “I will pray to whoever is effective, only desiring that Hua’er is good, making me worship the walls and gra.s.s is also okay.”

Sheng Hong held back his face “I know your heart as a caring mother, the most kind. Lately I see that Ming’er is not good, you also give more attention. Continue coughing this way, do not send away a small life.”

w.a.n.g shi said “A letter from the capital came yesterday, the household of Count Zhongqin will be coming in a few days to arrange the engagement. Hua’er saw that I was busy till beaten blue and black, she then took over Girl Ming’s affairs.”

Sheng Hong shook his head “What does a child like Hua’er know, it is still better than you are involved, more reliable.”

w.a.n.g shi smiled “What is Master saying, how is Girl Hua a child anymore. If everything goes on smoothly, end of the next year or the start of the following year she will then marry. In the future, she has to wait on her parents-in-law and husband, she ought to learn how to care for others. These few days, she sent her portion of the snow-pear soup and almond hot soup to Girl Ming. She even fiercely watched Girl Ming take the medicine everyday, if she vomits half a bowl then a bowl must be added. Girl Ming was scared that she dares not vomit the medicine already.”

Sheng Hong’s heart was greatly comforted and continuously nod his head “Good good, this should be the way between sisters. Hua’er has the demeanor of an eldest sister, very good very good.”

First Young Miss Hualan is a strict instructor, lacking in tenderness and has abundance of grandiose. Minglan merely revealed the slightest intention of refusing to take the medicine, she will then wish she could roll up her sleeves and personally pour the medicine. Minglan was scared till she starts sweating, for the most part she got better. Hualan also dragged her out to kick the shuttlec.o.c.k.4 Minglan was like a criminal being escorted, under the strict supervision of Hualan, she kicked the shuttlec.o.c.k systematically. She must kick no less than thirty times everyday and increase by five every three days. First Young Miss Hualan actually made an exercise journal for Minglan, with a warden like face, she recorded it everyday, one less kick is out of the question.

Hualan is model older sister type of girl, her heart filled with the older sister complex. What a pity her younger brother and sister from the same parents are unable to fulfil this need of hers. Changbai’s character mature and dependable, it is thankful that Hualan need not be instructed by him and Rulan is wilful and crafty, stubborn and unruly. Hualan usually do not get along with her, once she say a sentence to her and will have three sentences retorted. w.a.n.g shi shields Rulan and Hualan also cannot really punish Rulan. And the two at Concubine Lin’s place, she feels it is beneath her dignity to b.u.t.t in. Changdong is still too young thus she has always no chance to exhibit pattern of an older sister.

Minglan’s character obedient and polite, she does whatever you ask of her. If you say a few sentences about her, she also will not retort, only shyly looked at you. Vivid big glittery eyes, occasionally she will daydream a little. Regarding this small younger sister, Hualan is very satisfied, nearly liking her better than her own younger sister.

The household of Count Zhongqin moves rather quickly, in no time they are engaged. Because Yuan Wenshao is actually not that young, they indicated the middle of next year for the wedding to be completed. Sheng Hong put on the same arrogance when he wrote an essay for the imperial examinations and wrote some rambling excuses in the letter, do not if others will understand. Probably meaning that the daughter is still young, cannot bear to marry her off early, with sincere words expressing his gentle fatherly love for his daughter. That Yuan family immediately added quite a few more betrothal gifts and still invited a rite official from the Honglu Government Office to send the betrothal gifts. Sheng Hong have made enough profits inside and out, also very kindly added more to the dowry and moreover set the wedding to be on the fifth month of next year, two families are very satisfied.

Afterwards, Hualan has been locked in the chambers to embroider her dowry and train her temper. Minglan let out a long sigh of relief. Currently, she has acc.u.mulated to kick the shuttlec.o.c.k sixty-five times a day, kicking till her legs cramped. This time the one watching over her has been locked up, she also can return to days where she eats and drinks like a little pig. Of course, getting disturbed by Rulan periodically.

The weather slowly turned cold, summer and autumn were still okay. Once it entered into winter, the climate differences in the north and south immediately shows. One after another, every branch started to burn Lumbricus5, all kinds of heated brick beds and also exquisite and beautiful wooden beds— just combining the wide and cozy brick beds with the wooden ones. Minglan is originally a southerner, never knew that the ancient south had such warm and comfortable heated beds. Reckon to be the credit of kicking the shuttlec.o.c.k, Minglan actually did not catch a cold despite the weather being this cold. However, others fell sick.

Old Madame Sheng is after all aged, migrating from the north to the south is extremely far, more or less not acclimatised. She started coughing after entering into autumn, her usual imposing maids dare not force her to eat medicine and kick shuttlec.o.c.ks so her sickness have not once been broken. Once they entered in winter, from time to time, she will have low fever. Suddenly this day her whole body was boiling and practically fainted. When the physician came, he also said it is very dangerous. The elderly are most afraid of this kind of fiercely cold illness, if there is a mishandle then it is afraid that they will go down. This frightened the Sheng Hong couple badly.

If Old Madame Sheng was to go, Sheng Hong would have to mourn, Hualan has to observe mourning.6 That Yuan Wenshao is already twenty, how is he to wait. The married couple immediately realised the gravity of the situation thus of the same mind, worked as one. Day and night they took turns to care for Old Madame Sheng. Carefully considering every prescription, personally tasting every bowl of medicine, nearly working themselves to sickness. However this appearance of a filial son and virtuous daughter-in-law caused all officials and gentries to eagerly praise, also can be considered a stroke of luck.

After a few days, Old Madame Sheng’s fever finally subsided and recuperated, at last picking up that life. The Sheng Hong couple dare not relax, eagerly sending all kinds of nutritious medicine from the storehouse to Shou’an Hall. To Minglan, no matter how precious the nutritious medicine is, it is still traditional medicine. That smell is not that superior, her heart inevitably secretly sympathises with Old Madame Sheng. She sympathised for only two days and news suddenly came from Shou’an Hall that Old Madame Sheng is aged and lonely. She wishes to raise a girl by her side to temporarily ease her loneliness.

1. Nin Jiom cough syrup that is very popular among the Chinese and it tastes sweet, unlike the Western cough syrup.
2. It is known as 問名 (Wen Ming) where prospective brides sent their birth characters to the groom’s family.
3. Hossu is bamboo stick with hairs at the end and the wooden fish is the instrument used in chanting.
4. This is the asian shuttlec.o.c.k, a plastic base with four feathers.
5. It is a kind of earthworms used in medicine.
6. This mourning is the ancient practice of ancestors veneration where there are a list of practices the children ought to do for three years, this is important because it also means marriage is a big no no.

Resist all bitter medicine. I understands how Minglan feels about those traditional medicine, most of the time they are bitter and it is simply a torture to drink them. Next up, Concubine Lin takes the stage with her philosophy!