Chapter 206 - Before and After the Feast (4)

Lots of noble women shook their heads secretly, feeling Madam Gan going too far. How dare anyone force a madam to call out her husband’s concubine and Tong Fang while she was entertaining the guests?

Minglan stared at Madam Gan silently with a sharp and clear look in her eyes. Under the fierce gaze of Minglan, Madam Gan suddenly felt a bit guilty but also a bit pleased with herself.

Yuan Wenying who was standing aside got quite anxious. On a huge feast like this, the madam couldn’t fly into a rage or argue with her guests. But this Madam Gan was famous for her shameless characters. She was not afraid of being humiliated. And the thing she was best at was pestering others. Yuan Wenying was scared that Minglan couldn’t refuse Madam Gan’s request and would let Lady Fengxian come out. By then, once Madam Gan let Lady Fengxian make her public appearance, Lady Fengxian’s position in Gu family would be admitted. And that would bring Minglan lots of troubles!

“Help?” Minglan asked that with a smile.

Madam Gan laughed loudly, saying, “Yeah. You two are families. I can’t let her rest there and do nothing while you are exhausted out there.” After saying that, she changed into a worried voice, “Come to think about it, it has been a long time I haven’t seen her…”

“No problem!” Minglan interrupted her and agreed without any hesitation. Everyone in the room was stunned. Some women sneered at Minglan, some showed sarcasm on theirs face, others only waited to watch the fun.

Madam Gan was overjoyed. As she was about to talk, Minglan suddenly gave out an beaming smile while saying gently, “I have heard that Lady Fengxian is a talented and skillful girl in Jiao Fang (Imperial Musical Institution). I was afraid that those performers I have invited are not able to impress my guests, I should invite Lady Fengxian to sing and dance for us. What do you say, Madam Gan?”

After she had said that, the whole room fell into silence, dead silence. All the women guests looked over in a daze. Some of them were shocked with their mouths wide open. Countess Shoushan who couldn’t help laughing had to use a handkerchief to cover her mouth. Yuan Wenying lied on the back of Countess Shoushan with her shoulders trembling– Nice! Nice move! That shameless woman deserved to be humiliated like that.

No one could find faults in Minglan’s words. Because she had only told the truth. It was true that Lady Fengxian had been a member of Jiao Fang. It was also true that she had been a skillful performer. Even if everyone admitted Lady Fengjian as Gu Tingye’s concubine, those things still couldn’t be denied. Sometimes the masters from the prestigious families would also let their concubines sing and dance for the guests. So it was not a rare thing anyhow.

Madam Gan trembled with rage. However, Minglan only looked right into her face with a firm expression in her eyes, feeling not scared at all.

Madam Gan had to look away. She never realized that Minglan would reveal Lady Fengxian’s identity straightly. Madam Gan had thought that a young woman like Minglan would be ashamed to say that out loud and swallow the anger. Right now, her face turned livid with anger. As she gnashed her teeth, she could still hear titters and sneers around her. Then her face turned purple with rage.

In fact, most of the noble madams there detested Madam Gan’s conduct. But there was no need for them to chip in because they had nothing to do with Gu’s family affairs. However, they were willing to have a good laugh at others. Since they hadn’t helped Minglan before, they wouldn’t help Madam Gan now.

As Madam Gan was in a dilemma, Old Madam Lu who had sat there playing dumb the whole time suddenly said loudly, “Sixth Girl, when will the feast start? I am starving now. Aren’t you afraid that I’ll complain to your grandmother?!”

Her words amused lots of the women there. Minglan blushed and apologized with embarrassment, “Alas, I have got acquainted with so many people today. Forgive me for forgetting about the time because I got so happy talking with all of you! Old Madam Lu, the feast will start right away.”

Old Madam Lu waved her hand and said, “It doesn’t matter. It’s the first time you giving a huge banquet. You have already done a great job!”

On these words, Minglan ordered the servants to lead the guests out of the flower hall to the side hall beside the Lotus Pool where the dishes had already been served. Lots of the guests were still disappointed that they couldn’t watch the fun due to Old Madam Lu’s interruption. Madam Gan only felt relieved that she could find a way out and followed the crowd.

Seeing the dispute being put to an end, Sister Xuan-in-law helped lead the way at once. Minglan walked behind the guests to bring up the rear. As she was about to walk out of the door, she was dragged over by Yuan Wenying whose face had already turned completely red with laughter. She approached Minglan and whispered, “Do you know how many foster daughters this barefaced woman has sent out?”

Minglan asked wonderingly, “Many?”

Yuan Wenying nodded with excitement, “One to your husband, one to Empress’s Brother, one to Commander Zheng. Besides, the commanders-in-chief in northern area also received her foster daughters! I heard that it was on a feast that General Gan gave those girls to every general present!”

Minglan was shocked. She had already witnessed how shameless Madam Gan was, but she didn’t realize that the people in Gan family were all like that. “But, but, but… Empress’s Brother and Commander Zheng have just got married!”

Since General Gan had done that so obviously, he must be a pawn of someone else. Minglan wondered who had been backing his family.

“That’s right. I was afraid to tell you that before. Now I know you wouldn’t be scared by anything like that. I am so relieved now!” Yuan Wenying laughed happily with her white teeth exposed, then she continued excitedly with light flashing in her eyes, “Concubine Zou in Empress’s Brother’s family really is a tough woman. She gave that girl away in no time. However, things were not easy in Zheng family. They didn’t want to fall out with Gan family. But Second Madam Zheng who has just married into Zheng family refused to take in that girl and cried for half a month! Official Zheng Jun was afraid that Empress Shen would be displeased to see her sister suffering grievance, so he decided to take in that girl for his younger brother. Then it was Madam Zheng’s turn to protest. Madam Zheng is famous for her decent and strict character. The enchanting girl who was sent by Gan family is the type she hates the most. So she, without any hesitation, found another girl for her husband and claimed that she agreed that her husband could take a concubine, but never would she accept an indecent girl like that in their family. Then she kicked up a row again…”

“What happened next?” Minglan asked, totally intrigued.

Yuan Wenying almost choked with laughter and continued telling the story brokenly, “Ha ha… After that, Old Madam Zheng took up the matter. She, she… Ha ha, she took in the girl for Old Master Zheng! Ha ha… Old Master Zheng has been ill abed for many years and couldn’t even move now…”

Minglan gasped in admiration with mouth wide open, saying, “Oh my gosh, oh my gosh… this is, this is…”

“That’s why Madam Zheng and Second Madam Zheng are in a bad relationship with each other now.” Yuan Wenying, who finally fetched her breath, wiped her tears and said, “My eldest sister-in-law and Madam Zheng are good friends. Madam Zheng’s parents’ home is far from her own mansion, so she visits our family very often. After she told us about that story, we were all indignant for her! Gan family is so shameless!”

It took quite a while before they finally stopped laughing and headed outside together right away. The two straightforward and humorous girls really hit it off with each other. They chatted and laughed happily all the way to the side hall. Minglan asked, “By the way, have you seen your little nephew in your parents’ mansion?”

Yuan Wenying sighed in depression at once, “Yeah, I have. Second sister-in-law is fine. My little nephew is fine. Everyone is fine except for my mother.”

“What happened?”

Yuan Wenying replied with a worried look on her face, “Lately my aunt sent a woman to my father. My mother almost tore the roof down. But she could do nothing about it. That woman has already become a concubine of my father the day before yesterday.”

“Ah? So…” Quickly?!

Minglan, being overjoyed, almost exposed herself. As she was about to spill the beans, she corrected herself right away, “Why did aunt do that?”

“No one knows.” Yan Wenying said anxiously, “I didn’t know what my aunt was thinking. The girl she sent to my father was from a decent family. She hasn’t married until now because she had to take care of her brothers and sisters after her parents deceased. Not only is that girl pretty and gentle, she also knows how to read. My father…” She sighed, “My father likes her a lot.”

Minglan admired how efficient Countess Shoushan was. What a highly-competent woman! A little instruction was enough.

Old Master Yuan was an old and serious man. So he wouldn’t be interested in those teenage girls. However, a gentle and tough girl who happened to have many life experiences was a better choice for him. Moreover, a girl who had delayed her own marriage for raising her sisters and brothers should have a good heart. So, her existence wouldn’t really threaten Old Madam Yuan’s status in their family.

Anyway, Hualan’s mother-in-law would have lots of things to do. Minglan hoped that Hualan could finally live an easy life. After Minglan had breathed a sigh of relief secretly, she glanced at Yuan Wenying, feeling a bit guilty.

Minglan, having rubbed her nose, held Yuan Wenying’s arm with her head lowered and her eyebrows knitted while stepping forward with grief on her face. Minglan made it clear that as Yuan Wenying’s friend, she was deeply affected by the bad news of Yuan family as if she had experienced it herself. Since concubines were legal existence in this world, they should work hard and fight for their bright future together.