The Story of Ming Lan (知否知否应是绿肥红瘦)

Story of Ming Lan

Episode 7

Take it there.

Hurry. Quicker handed.

What are you cleaning for? q

Marquis, 2nd Young Master said he's already sent letter.

To have Nanny Chang who was from Bai family to come to the capital.

She's arriving today so he said to clean a room for her.

That Nanny Chang is just a wet nurse.

We haven't seen her in over a decade. Why is she coming?

Nanny Chang hasn't seen me in a long time and misses me dearly.

I grew up drinking her milk.

I can't be an ingrate.

If you truly want to repay, that is a good deed.

Just give her some silvers then.

Don't trouble her to make the trip.

An elderly leaving her hometown will be hard to adjust.

What's there not to adjust?

When my mother was alive, this courtyard is where Nanny Chang served her.

I think having her come and be a chief maidservant is quite suiting.

She's just a wet nurse. She wasn't even your mother's close maidservant at marriage.

What does she know?

How can she be a maidservant?

I think you should report it to Big Madam.

And have her arrange personnel for your room.

Nanny Chang's matter. I've already told Mother.

I bet you didn't tell her,

that you want her to be a chief maidservant?

Your conduct is improper lately and if she comes,

she'll assist you to let you indulge in wine and women more.

Father, why do you fret so much over a wet nurse?

You try all measures to keep her from coming into the manor.

Quite peculiar it is.

My eldest brother and Third Brother.

Their courtyards' chief maidservants are both wet nurses.

How is it they can but I can't?

Can't be that it's because my mother's birth

and even my wet nurse is more lowly than others.

How is it that every time I mention your wrongs,

you bring up these old matters to sing your own lament?

If you were a success and learned to be good,

wouldn't I feel confident in whoever you choose?

I sing my own lament?

In this manor, other than my mother and third brother,

who doesn't scoff at me due to my own mother's birth?

Now I haven't learned to be good,

and you even blame the wet nurse you haven't seen in years.

Fine. Whatever Father says it what it is.

Since I was little,

no matter what I say or do, it's all wrong anyway.

Then let me be wrong all the way.

You all stop.

You seal all the side rooms of this courtyard.

No one is allowed to live in it.

Seal each and everyone one.

Just leave the room for the vile thing to live. I will see where he can stuff her then.

Father. Why such anger?

Sealing the doors is a great ominous act. May you reconsider, Father.

Ask your brother.

Ask him what great deeds he's committed.

2nd brother.

He just set up a house for a woman.

It's not such a big deal.

Many noble young masters set up houses for their mistresses and it's not just ours.

I hope it's not the reason to harm the relationship of father and son.

A mistress outside? When did he start to keep one?

Don't be angry with 2nd Brother over this, Father.

2nd Brother is young and confused.

Enticed by a song entertainer is a common happening.

Song entertainer?

So you are keeping a lowbred too?

You just couldn't contain yourself and had to make the kill?

Speak. Did you or not?

I have.

I do have a mistress outside and it's been many years too.

Father. Do you want to seal my room too?

You're not married yet but you set up house with mistress first.

Which great daughter would marry you now?

My reputation now, even if I don't keep a mistress out,

no great daughters would marry me anyway.

Kick them out from Bianjing.

You are not to see her ever again.

Or else?

Or else I will beat you to death.

Then beat me.

Beat me to death and Gu House would be more serene.

2nd Brother. You!

2nd Brother.

Your health is like this, but you only just recovered from your illness a couple of days ago.

Why do you insist on coming?

What if your illness comes back?

I've been eating medicine since I was born.

Dragging onto today, I'm only just subsisting.

I only hope 2nd Brother can be a success.

So he can inherit the family business and lessen your worries.

Don't mention that vile thing.

At this rate I'd never hand the family business to him.

If he won't say where that whore is kept today,

I will just beat him to death.

You can never.

Father. 2nd Brother is a Gu offspring no matter what.

If you keep up the beating, he will die.

Stop.

2nd Brother, concede now.

Bid your wrong to Father already.

With an older brother like you,

I have many wrongs to commit.

What?

You pretend to stop the discord.

But in reality you wanted to expose to Father that I keep a woman outside.

You colluded with those from fourth and fifth houses.

All to find out where I've installed the mistress.

You didn't achieve it after many tries so you thought of this,

to have Father force me.

Stop. Oh no. Stop.

2nd Brother is spouting nonsense from the pain. Stop.

I will tell you. You don't need to bring three and four in.

Even if your elder brother said it on purpose,

that's because you're lame and he wants you to repent.

But you frame him with your eyes open.

You are truly hopeless.

Father.

If I don't tell you even in death today,

will you really beat me to death?

If it's not on the account that you have the imperial exam pending,

I would beat you to death today.

After the exam,

after the exam I will ask you the whereabouts of that whore.

First Brother.

Long time no see and your measures are getting more skilled.

Forcing me to confess didn't work.

So you wanted to agitate Father to beat me to death instead.

What great grudge do you have against me?

What wildness do you speak of?

You and I are not enemies.

Whether we are enemies or not, you are aware in your heart.

Just that, you didn't get what you wanted today.

I'm quite sorry about that.

The days are lots to come so you can play your trick at me all you want.

I am thick skinned and fleshed. Even if I get 20 beatings a day,

I will still live longer than you.

You!

Nonsense!

Don't worry. Father can't bear to beat me to death.

Stop your dreaming.

You're so soft-boned.

I had to argue alone with Father.

You said nothing.

Back when you fought back Big Sister's betrothal goose, you were mighty and fierce with pitch-pot.

That resolute. What happened to it?

You were raised by Grandmother for a few years and you're a soft-bone like this now?

5th Sister, you said so many things but did Father believe a word of it?

I testified for you and did Father believe a word of that either?

5th Sister, you're used to smooth days.

But since little, I knew circumstance is stronger than people.

No matter what we say, Father would believe her.

What's the use of saying a lot?

You're just a soft-bone.

Molan will ride on your forever with the way you are.

We were just having to kneel a bit.

You spouted a few more words and we have to kneel for three days now.

Why then?

You want me to swallow my pride and endure? No way.

Molan that little whore. Flipping the truth with lies.

We cannot coexist. I will never give up.

5th Sister, listen. How loud is the wind outside?

We need to kneel here for three days!

And you're concerned about the loudness of wind outside?

Silly Sister. If the wind is big, it will be cold.

Nanny Liu.

Is it the middle of the rabbit hour yet?

Not yet. Still an hour left.

Has the minister released Ru'er and her?

Master went to court.

He's not back yet.

I won't sleep anymore. I'm going to go see Ru'er and them.

Even if you don't sleep, 5th Miss still needs to sleep.

How can she sleep kneeling?

Hurry. Hurry.

Take it.

Hurry though. Have Big Madam hurry.

So many eyes are watching.

Nanny Zhi.

This house stil belongs to Sheng. The name isn't Lin.

You misunderstand, Sister. I mean, Master is watching.

The old lady is so cold hearted.

See how she dotes on Ming girl normally.

She got whipped twice and has been keeling for 14 to 16 hours.

But the old lady doesn't even come look?

Yes.

You didn't sleep soundly at all last night.

But then again.

The old lady isn't the minister's real mother.

So naturally she's not the 6th girl's real grandmother either.

How much can she really dote on her? Just putting on the look.

What a relief that the old lady didn't ask me for Ru'er back then.

Or my heart will be fried now.

5th Miss is the legitimate daughter of Sheng House so the old madam wouldn't treat her the same.

What's the difference? Even her own father doesn't dote on her.

Would her father's main mother dote on her instead?