The Story of Ming Lan (知否知否应是绿肥红瘦)

The Story of Ming Lan

Episode 19

Momo, is it okay for you to have tofu today?

Okay, tofu then.

Buy a chicken too,

so we can make some soup for Eldest Young Master and Second Young Miss.

I even asked Old Liu to save me a fresh fish.

- Let's go now. - Be good.

Don't worry.

We're going out to play now.

Keep watch of them. Don't let them run around.

Yes, got it.

Seductress, I won't leave this door one stop.

Let's see what tricks you'll come up with.

Good! Good!

Look. All these are high quality goods.

These ones too.

Have a look. All these fabrics are not bad.

Play here.

Wait for me.

Boss, help me watch them.

I surely will remember Third Miss Yu's dowry.

Wait. Wait and I'll get it for you. Wait here.

Aren't you Attendant Zhao from the House of Yu?

Greetings.

It's great fortune to meet you here, since we'll be a family in the future.

Please give me the honor to have some tea with you.

What one family?

I'm Xiao Cui, a maidservant serving the outside mistress of Second Young Master Gu.

It's rare to be meeting you here. Let's go have some tea in the Fan Restaurant.

Once we're in the House of Gu together, we should take care of each other.

Oh, so you're from that woman.

Your mistress is quite good.

By that time, it might be you taking good care of me.

Why must you be this courteous?

My mistress is feeling uneasy.

She only wishes that Third Miss can accomodate her.

From now on, she surely will attend to her day and night, do her best to serve her, and will not slack off at all.

This is a token from my mistress.

Good thing your mistress is sensible.

Owner Wang, I'll just go have some tea.

I'll buy you fabric later.

Okay. Okay.

Attendatn Zhao, after you.

Young Miss Rong and Young Master Chang, let's go now. We'll go have some fruits and snacks in Fan Restaurant.

Sister, are we going to Fan Restaurant for some snacks?

- Right. Let's go. - They are...

These are the children of my mistress with Second Young Master Gu. They are very intelligent kids.

From now on, they surely will be filial to Third Miss Yu as if they were her own.

Your outside mistress even dared to have a child?

And there are even two of them?

Reputation is no big deal.

Big Madam, we both have children.

You surely can understand my feelings.

No matter what,

I can't let my own daughter gamble the rest of her life.

Yes. Yes.

You surely know about this outside mistress, right?

While you haven't cleaned up your own house yet,

you dare make connection with our House of Yu.

Marquis, our House of Yu is after all a family of scholars and educators.

Must we be humiliated like this?

Big Madam, you've said it too seriously. That woman is just someone from the streets.

Once Third Young Miss marry into our house, she'll be the official main wife.

If she wants to give her away, sell her, beat her up, or scold her,

she can do them.

Right. She can do them.

You must be kidding me then.

No matter what her background is or her status is,

whether she's being kept inside or outside the house,

as long as she has been favored, then she's a woman in Young Lord's heart.

A lady from our house hasn't entered your family yet

and we already have to manage this huge pile of a mess.

Must we do so? Of course, we can choose not to.

Let me put it this way.

This mistress is quite formidable.

This is not the first time that our House of Yu suffered from her.

If she isn't cleanly gotten rid off,

our Yanhong...

even if we are to care for her here in our house for five more years,

our House of Yu can afford it.

What Big Madam means is...

...we have to get rid of the children too?

I don't really have any opinion.

It's just better to make it very clean.

What Big Madam Yu said is right. Just get rid off them.

Okay. We'll listen to you.

We'll get rid of her in a very clean manner

and let Third Young Miss marry into our family without any worries.

Okay. With your words,

I feel more at ease now.

How about this? Let's have Second Young Master come here to be our witness and ask for his permission,

so that I can give my husband some assurance when I go back.

Big Madam, we already said that

we can get rid of her.

- Yes. - Just be at ease.

Marquis, I'm not a meddlesome person.

We also know that your second son

is quite a famous person here in the capital.

He is very independent.

If he doesn't agree,

let's not waste our time anymore.

No wonder Young Master came back to get these items. They look nice.

All these were my mother's dowry.

Most have been used up.

Only a few are left.

I'm thinking that since I'm getting married and establishing my own manor,

it's better to take these items back with us.

Later on, pick a few

and put them in the chest for the betrothal gifts. My mother will want that.

Young Master,

this fabric doesn't look good.

I fear that it can't be used as a betrothal gift.

When did your eyes learn to be crafty?

From now on, I don't have any Little Mother anymore.

This is for you.

I will never forget the great favor you did for me.

We won't give this away. Store it well.

Okay.

Second Young Master, Marquis is meeting a guest in the front receiving hall.

He asks that you go there to give a response.

- Father. - Send away your outside mistress and her children.

Send them away today.

What?

Second, Big Madam Yu already knows about it.

It's better that you drive away that lady and her children.

Only by doing that can your marriage with the Yu family proceed.

Mother, don't rush.

Big Madam, you've already known about Manniang beforehand.

Why did you suddenly visit today?

If there are still two children, that's another story.

Big Madam, let's talk in private.

Young Lord, let's just talk here.

Marquis and Big Madam can also serve as our witnesses.

May Big Madam investigate it wisely.

My outside mistress is weak and couldn't take care of herself.

If I let go, I fear that she might die.

In consideration of how the heaven takes pleasure in the welfare of living things,

for the sake that she has bore me two children,

just let her into my house and give her a status.

I'm willing to transfer three salt farms

under the name of Third Miss as a compensation.

Three salt farms?

Indeed. Each one earns 9,000 liang a year.

May Big Madam be merciful.

Young Lord, if you didn't say those words earlier,

I still will make you drive that woman and her children away,

and Hong'er would most likely be married to you.

But after saying those words,

I think we should just cancel this marriage.

Why?

Three multiply by nine is 27. That's twenty-seven thousand liang of silver.

All just to give her a status.

What outside mistress?

She clearly is your life.

But Hong'er is also my life.

In this muddled water of your house,

it's better that she not come anymore.

- I'll take my leave. - Big Madam Yu!

Big Madam Yu, please stay. We can discuss this matter further.

We surely will send away the woman.

Second, quickly agree with it.

Why do you need him to agree?

The order of the parents, the advice of a matchmaker..

Servant! Servant!

What are you doing?

Take some men to Tianshui Alley and bind that woman.

You can't!

Do you want that lowly bitch

or this compatible marriage?

Father, she's not a lowly bitch.

If you don't drive her and her children away,

don't ever step into my house again.

If I'm not even able to assume responsibility for this matter, why would I bother getting married?

You... This... Damn you!

Big Madam, Big Madam, don't lower yourself to Second's level.

He's still a child.

Since husband already agreed, then...

then it surely will be done.

Husband has agreed.

Kneel down.

Kneel!

You asked us to seek marriage from the House of Yu. I thought you've mended your old ways.

What kind of house does Imperial Tutor Yu has?

A house of scholars with renowned clean and respectable reputation.

If you two are married, our family will be rid of the reputation of being a crude warrior family.

We'll be able to come up with scholars. Such good marriage fate.

But you're muddled because of a woman!

You're disobedient and unfilial!

Is it I who is muddled because of a woman

or you being smart because of money?

Is it I who is disobedient and unfilial,

or you never really giving me a chance

to fulfill my filial duties to my mother for even a day?

Based on what you said, your parents and siblings have all wronged you. Is that it?

Was it then the wind or rain that raised you when you were born?

This house is the wind

and rain.

For so many years,

whatever I said was wrong,