The Story of Ming Lan (知否知否应是绿肥红瘦)

The Story of Ming Lan

Episode 55

Marquis, you recently don't go to morning court if you're unhappy.

Is it really find to keep doing that?

Just wipe the sword.

Okay.

Young Master. It seems to be Young Master Sheng.

Quickly. Quickly. Turn to the other side. Don't let him discover me.

Or else, I'll get scolded badly.

Marquis, something's not right. It seems he exactly came here for us.

He's coming.

Brother Changbai!

The rabbit is now cooked. Come quickly and eat.

Is there a problem?

You're not scolding me for not attending the morning court these past two days?

If there's really a problem, there's no need to

go to morning court everyday.

It's cooked.

I knew it. It's because you heard that I've gotten tea leaves from Yanran,

hence, you came over here to have some tea.

The teas of Madam Yu's house can be considered one of the best.

Since you've gotten so many, drinking two cups won't really make you run out of it.

I heard that she's about to give birth.

Her child is almost 2 years old!

Look at your memory.

I...am also pregnant.

Really?!

Lower down your voice.

- It's still not stable. Just two months. - Then...

Then...

Duke of the State and his wife surely are at ease now.

Although my parents are very happy,

now that I'm pregnant,

hence...

State Uncle went to Little Zou's place now?

I do now how virtuous that past one is.

It's just that if that Little Zou is easy to get along with,

our house would have been peaceful and harmonious.

But she just have to do things in an extreme manner.

Since time immemorial, giving birth is pacing at the doors of death.

Don't think too much. Just smoothly

deliver this child first.

You'll have the idle time to think about those in the future.

That Sixth Little Sister of yours is so heartless.

Planting beans below the Nan Mountain,

The grasses are luscious but the bean seedlings are few.

A few days ago, I told Shen Cong a story for his pleasure.

I told him not to favor a loser.

His Little Zou then angrily charged at me to grimace at me.

A woman is like dodders or usnea plants, willingly entrusting herself to a wooden bridge. (a woman entrusting herself to a man)

Other dodders or usnea are very concerned about their husbands.

That Sixth Sister of yours is really something.

I feel like she's a bramble plant.

My auntie casually stuffed a woman at us to be her spy.

But she just accepted it eagerly, like she's itching to even light firecrackers in welcoming me a concubine!

If you want to govern the country, manage your own house first.

She asked me what I'm angry at.

How could a smart person like her not know what I'm angry at?

She's trying to anger me to death!

That far away Cowherd Star (Altair),

The bright Weaving Maid (Vega).

Separated by a clear and shallow Milky Way Galaxy,

Forever unable to talk to each other.

Can you stop reciting poems?

Tell me, am I right or not?

You two have been fighting like this for quite some time now. Aren't you bored already?

If you don't like something, why don't you

just directly tell it to my Sixth Little Sister?

You just have to beat around the bush, covering up all your rears.

I'm a man. When did I block my sides?

When did you block your sides? What you're not doing is not just blocking your sides.

That story that you told General Shen, was actually

your own frustration. You used that drink with him

to water the piled up earth in your heart!

No such thing.

You said that a concubine seized the inner harem.

And then another concubine urged their husband to accept the princess as a wife.

But if you think about it the opposite manner,

the first concubine was sincere. She'd rather be a shrew,

than share her husband's love.

The second concubine is faking her affection. Just for her own safety,

she'd rather that his lover approach the princess.

Clever or slow-witted,

sincere or faking affection,

how many people in this world can really discern it?

You've already thought about things upto this point.

You then should discuss things with my Sixth Little Sister,

lay down all your cards and make it clear.

Are you still the past Gu Second

who doesn't fear the heaven or earth, and would just push through bravely?

With love comes worries.

With love comes fear.

If I open up the problem to her,

she surely will do things according to my desire. It then loses any meaning.

You also should stop saying it.

There really isn't any problem, but worriers just make problems for themselves.

I hope that everything she does is sincere.

I've promised her that I'll let her live a carefree life.

All these were planned by you. It has nothing to do with her.

It was you who decided on everything.

Yet you have to be mincing like this, being so moody. You're making people at a lost on what to do.

In this world, the only person who would dare say that I'm mincing

can only be you.

It's burnt!

In a few months, we can see another child.

Once the child is born, I must personally carry her

and make her some clothes.

Sister Zhang came earlier and said that she's pregnant.

- Really? - Yes.

The ducal house would be setting up a banquet then.

The palace should be more at ease now.

I remember we have a Hunan fabric before with very soft texture.

It's perfect for making baby clothes.

The child is still in her womb. Why are you rushing?

What do you know?

In making clothes for babies, you must use the softest fabrics.

If you still want to embroider it, it would be quite laborious. You have to prepare beforehand.

Xiaotao, come to the stockroom with me.

Open the door and let's choose the fabric.

Big Madam, you haven't eaten much for dinner. Eat some pastries first before we go there.

Why didn't you eat dinner?

Marquis also ate very little tonight. Hence, he especially bought some pig's hoofs from Fan House.

You can make those sewing work anytime you want.

But if the pig's hoofs of Fan House gets cold, it won't be delicious anymore.

It's already late at night.

How could I still eat pig's hoofs? I'll just eat some flaky pastries.

Miss, I...

I think these pastries were overly cooked.

Let's go.

The pastries are overcooked. Just eat pig's hoofs.

Other people are having a child, so why are you being so happy for them?

Once you're the one giving birth to a child,

you can be happy by then.

How is it your business if I have a child or not?

It is not my business?

Why am I sitting here then?

To eat pig's hoofs.

What pig's hoofs?

The two of them can really make people worry.

What would Big Madam do if she doesn't have me?

This flaky pastry today is really delicious.

Of course!

Big Madam personally made these.

It's not overcooked.

Yellow team scored!

Minglan can really play.

Yellow team wins!

The price is an embroidered work with gold lining,

a pair of baby shoes!

That wife of our Second can really torment people.

Lady Zhang of the ducal house of Ying, a very precious lady,

who is even pregnant

was dragged by her to come in this muddy field.

If anything bad happens,

how would we explain it to Duke Ying of the State?

Sister, stop worrying.

The children have grown up. They even have conferred title to protect themselves.

They surely know how to act within bounds.

If you ask me, Sister, you're still their stepmother.

Although your status isn't as noble as a birth mother,

you don't have to worry about matters that a birth mother would worry about, right?

Look at how old we are now. We should just be enjoying the blessings.

That Miss Zhang is a very spirited woman.

Even if the ladies in the capital won't give her respect,

they would give Duchess Ying some respect.

A few days ago, in the banquet of Duke Wei of the State,

Duchess Wei kept pulling your Second daughter-in-law and won't stop in her praises.

She said that she's sensible and a good stewardess.

For people like the duke and duchess who are people with iron masks (upright and selfless),

yet they were willingly praising your Second Daughter-in-law, in my opinion...

Your Second-in-law came from a small status family.

Her first banquet got destroyed by the Zhang Family and Zou Family.

No matter how you look at it, she is someone that is better kept under the table.

You should just loosen your grip so everyone can live their days better.

That's right. As long as she loosens her grip,

everyone's life would be better.

Oh, my, I seemed to have soiled my dress.

I think we should go back to the carriage and change to another one.

That brat initially had a hard time getting along with other political families.

Other than winning the favor of Second, she was never invited in any family banquets.

This time, other than the ducal house of Ying, even Duke Wei of the State's House has sent her invitations.

In just a few months time, the wind direction has changed.

The Zhang family of Duke Ying of the State is a pillar of the empire.

And their daughter-in-law

is from a highly reputable family of scholarly officials.

Now that Second Madam was able to win the good side of Miss Zhang,

the whole ducal house treats her as a benefactor.

How can other ducal houses not remember to invite her?

She's now fully fledged.

The wind direction has also changed.

Second is also highly favored by the emperor.

I fear that...

...our future days will be harder.

These past days, we kept hitting the wall.

None of our plans was successful.

Do you know why?

It's because the people from that courtyard are too smart.

Smart?

There are so many smart people in this world that have bowed their heads to a bloody state.

Being smart won't work.