The Story of Ming Lan (知否知否应是绿肥红瘦)

The Story of Ming Lan

Episode 10

Flower arrangement is a very deep and refined art form.

Even though I've worked for many decades in the Palace I have only a superficial understanding.

I can only be your guide.

Flower arrangement places emphasis on external form and inspirations from the heart.

Not only does it need to be beautiful but more importantly it needs to be interesting.

If you can also illustrate some point of philosophy then it would be transcendental.

Misses you'll need to study and comprehend

the abstruse philosophies and mastery involved yourselves.

Give it a try yourselves first.

The form is rather graceful.

But the colour combination is lacking.

Momo please show me.

Colour combinations can be heavy and rich or light and elegant,

be cold, or warm be complementary

or one main and the other supplementary.

Your arrangement Miss, does not have any point which draws people's attention.

Yes it is light, but there is no elegance.

What if I put in this one?

This one is colourful enough, but glaringly so.

Give it a bit more consideration Miss.

Momo,

Momo, how about I switch it to these?

These flowers are already very pale in color,

if you switch in this light purple it would be even paler and cold.

Momo...

Momo, what about this crimson one?

The colour is bright and eye catching.

If I was to choose, I would choose these two bright yellow ones.

Try it.

Put it here.

Yes, indeed, it's the final touch required Momo-Kong.

Once the bright yellow flowers were added all the flowers in the vase seem to come to life,

without loosing the light and elegant feel.

No need to rush Miss.

You have just started and has already made much progress. It is very good already.

Then Momo, you must swiftly teach us,

how to match it to our cloths and to people's disposition.

I have talked much today and my throats a bit dry.

I need to return to my room and drink something soothing.

Misses continue with your work. No need for obeisance.

I'll be back shortly.

- Please take your time. - Please take our time Momo-Kong

Fourth-Sister, you are certainly putting in a lot of effort.

You don't put effort into ladies arts like weaving and embroidery,

instead you focus on incense preparation, flower arrangement,

things that noble and prestigious families like.

It's as if you would have need of such knowledge in the future.

As Momo-Kong said, while such skills are trivial,

it's better to know it and not use it, than be ignorant and a laughingstock.

I've always been obtuse, but I don't want to loose face for the family,

so naturally I must clarify things I'm unsure about.

Fourth-Sister, if you know you're obtuse then you should be more sensible.

Don't constantly hog Momo-Kong's time.

Can't you tell the old Madame doesn't want to bother with you?

That's why she lied about going back to her room for medicine. It's so that she can avoid you.

When have I hogged Momo-Kong?

It's because Father told me to study diligently with Momo-Kong,

He would test me on everything later on. i dare not disobey.

So what if I ask a few questions about what I don't understand?

Stop always pressing me with Father.

Momo-Kong was especially invited here for me and Sixth Sister.

We are her actual students.

You? You were forcibly stuffed in here.

You got an advantage but you flaunt about it.

You really did learn some low maneuvers.

You see someone with something nice, you snatch it and once you've got it, you whine about how it's unfair for you.

What are you talking about, Fifth Sister?

What low maneuvers? What snatching from others?

We are all born to the same father. Why is it you both can learn, but I can't?

You're just bullying me because I am a concubine-born.

Fine, fine, fine. I am just an extra.

Why bother being born in this world and be an eye sore?

I'll just die instead.

Crying, and crying, and crying again!

Every little thing happens, and you act like you're in mourning. Faking it again.

Why do you always cry like your own mother died?

Last time it was clearly you who scourged me.

But you faked your crying before Father and caused him to punish me.

What are you trying to get out this time?

Are you just trying to have the governess see it and deem that I'm bullying you?

And get Father to punish me again?

Fourth Sister, please stop crying.

Fifth Sister, you speak a few sentences less too. If Momo-Kong hears you,

she'd think our Sheng daughters are ill-mannered.

Fourth Sister, Momo-Kong won't be at our house forever.

She'll leave when it's time.

Do you want to learn on the more side or less side?

Just over a bought of grudge, to delay your learning would be a loss with no gain.

Enough. No need to talk to her.

Who cares if she learns or not.

Big Sister married into a count manor, but not everyone has that luck.

I advise you not to be hold such foolish hope.

You just belittle me for being a concubine-born.

You deprecate me left and right with words.

Fine, fine, fine. I know I am an extra.

I'll just won't live anymore, is that alright?

Fifth Sister.

- What? Hey! - Let me just hit my head to death.

- Fourth Sister! - Hey, you let go!

Hurry and come help.

Let me hit myself to death.

- Miss. You can't. - You all don't mind her. She can't bear to die.

Fourth Sister.

What in the world has happened?

It's so late and class hasn't been dismissed so the girls can eat.

Fourth and Fifth Misses were fighting, with crying and screaming.

Momo-Kong is punishing them to transcribe Fragrance Invitation.

Fifty times per person and each not dismissed until they're done transcribing.

Each hall's servants are hiding outside.

No one dares to go in the room to plead for the misses.

This time, Sixth Miss is having to be punished along the two older sister again.

Unfair again.

Perhaps you'd like to go take a look?

I invited her to come teach my granddaughters rules.

How can I break the rules myself first?

That old sister of mine is most fair.

She won't wrong anyone.

This is good too. Give them a lesson.

Later on, they will walk fewer crooked paths too.

Master. Master.

Master.

Momo.

I've disturbed everyone today.

Originally, this matter needn't startle so many.

But since Old Madam entrusted me, I don't dare to languish in my duty either.

Hence we've disturbed Your Lordship and Your Ladyship.

Also, since Miss Mo is raised in Small Madam Lin's room,

I've caused you to come make a trip too.

Please speak at ease.

I imagined there were fast mouths on the way,

that reported the fighting that occurred this afternoon to the three of you.

Though it's a petty matter of the boudoir, the misses are all grown.

Some things must be made clear from right and wrong.

They need to be aware that a thousand-mile long embankment can be collapsed by one ant hole.

If minor wrongs are not punished, they will brew to big wrongs.

You delinquents! To incur such shameful acts!

You all kneel.

The floor is cold. Let's not freeze the misse's knees.

Come. Lay cushions down for the misses.

You lack knowledge of etiquette and speak nonsense.

How are you different from the coarse village women?

What face do you have left to be descendants of Sheng House?

You're at least all girls. If you were boys,

you'd hardly spare yourselves from fighting over house and inheritance in the future.

And this is would be the calamity that divides the brothers!

There is no earnest if we don't apply the house punishment.

You needn't be upset, Your Lordship.

Blind punishment isn't apt either.

The misses must come to realize where they've wronged.

I am the governess that's teaching the misses.

So to be loose, I am a half teacher too.

How about letting me to ask them?

Momo, your refined knowledge is the top-notch.

Even the noble ladies of the palace back then were at your disposal for asking and scolding.

So these delinquents? Please ask to your pleasing.

Do you all know your wrongs?

We do.

You all say you know your wrong but I think, maybe not so.

In this world, most matters can't escape from reason.

I am someone who's never been fond of saying one thing to the surface but another behind.

It will just cause misunderstanding.

So today, before you in person,

and before your parents, let us speak to the clear at once.

Then let's start with the cause.

Fourth Miss, raise your head. I will ask you.

Fifth Miss said you are always snatching the sister's thunder.

Hogging my lesson time. Do you acknowledge?

It's all Mo'er's fault.

Mo'er had thought, it's a rarity that Momo-Kong is here.

So I wanted to learn more.

So I can earn honor for my father and for the family.

I didn't think.

I didn't think I've incurred the displeasure of the sisters instead.

It's all my fault.

Forth Miss, you are smart and sharp and outstanding in all matters.

But today, I must advise you.

Don't let your smart

regard everyone else as fools.

You must be aware that the smart man can be ruined by his smarts.

You wronged in two things.

First, a wrong in speech.

When you argue with your younger sisters, you should not have

kept saying concubine-born and main wife-born.

Though I have not been in this house for long, I can see clearly.

Fourth Miss, ask your own conscience.

How does your father treat you?

Though you are a concubine-born daughter,

you are allowed to be raised under your birth mother with no worries of clothing or food.

One word of discord and you whine and cry wildly about dying.

Is this the behavior of a grand house?

Secondly, you held bad intention.

You kept saying you wanted to learn.

You wanted to earn honor to your family.

Do you mean then, that you're the only daughter of Sheng?

Only through your earning of honor will the Sheng be honored? Then what about your younger sisters?

They needn't learn and they needn't earn honor then?

Fourth Miss, I know you always push yourself to be top.

But every person has their own fate.