Chapter 216: Several Solutions to the Housing Problem Concerning Concubines and the Illegitimate Daughter (2)
Translator: Iris
After the breakfast, Minglan had a cup of tea and then bid her farewell. The coach was already waiting at the outside. As the women and the suitcases were all on the coach, the wheel started to head to the Cheng Manor. It only took them a short while to arrive. After Minglan got off the coach, she asked Liao Yong’s wife to help unload all the cases and led Rong and the other two women to sit in the soft sedans with green tops. Then, they all went to the inner yard. Only after they arrived at the inner gate did they get off the sedan.

As they walked toward the inner yard, Hongxiao enjoyed the scenery along the way a lot. She could see pavilions, flowers and birds everywhere. She admired that although the manor seemed not so sumptuous, it was super elegant and delicate. Meanwhile, Qiuniang was observing the maids and servants, finding them making way for Minglan right away and standing by the side reverently. After Qiuniang had tea in the side hall of the House of Auspiciousness, she saw the maids who served them behaving quite well-mannered. And during the whole time she and Hongxiao was there, none of the maids even glanced at them secretly.

Qiuniang thought secretly in shock, “They told me that the new Madam is a young woman. But little did I know that she is so good at handling the family matters.’ She felt a bit happy for Gu Tingye that Minglan was better than his last wife in every aspect. Nonetheless, thinking of that, she couldn’t help worrying that Gu Tingye would no longer need her anymore.

After Minglan sat on her seat, she took a sip of the tea, feeling herself suffering from work overload. This kind of busy life really was not something she wanted. So she decided to solve the deal right away, in order to take a nap as soon as possible.

Minglan put down the tea cup and turned around to ask, “Cuiwei, have you already cleaned the rooms up?”

“Madam, you have already ordered us so many times of that.” Cuiwei who stood beside Minglan stepped forward and said with a smile, “The rooms are ready and the servants were distributed. Even the hot water was already prepared. Young Lady Rong, Concubine Gong and Qiuniang could wash themselves and rest right away after they arrived at their rooms.”

Qiuniang stood up instantly to express her thanks. Hereupon Hongxiao also got up and said smilingly, “Thank you, sister.”

Qiuniang glanced at Minglan and said gingerly, “I’m just a maid. The only thing I should do is serving Master and Madam. I don’t deserve all of this! Madam, I am so flattered! It’s already a great honor for me to serve you and Master.”

Minglan waved her hand lightly, saying, “You served Master long time ago. It’s no big deal those young maids serving you, let alone that it would make our family look good.” Her voice sounded soft but firm, which stopped Qiuniang from arguing anymore. Then the latter sat down gratefully.

Minglan paused a bit and then smiled to Rong, saying, “You must be tired now. I’ll make short of long. There are not so many people in our family. It’s good to have the three of you here. Rong, I was planning to let you live in the House of Cardamon Fragrance. But I still have to ask you now. Do you like to live in your own yard or live with me?” After all, Rong was still too young to live in an independent yard. Minglan had lived in her own yard only after she had reached ten years old.

Rong still lowered her head and kept her skinny body unmoved in silence. After a long while, Qiuniang got anxious seeing Rong refusing to talk. Then she came over to pull Rong’s hand, saying, “Answer the question now. Madam is asking you.” Rong suddenly raised her head and looked at Minglan quickly with alert and hostility in her eyes. Then she lowered her head again and still remained silence.

Seeing the situation getting awkward, Hongxiao helped ease the tension, “Don’t blame her, Madam. Lady Rong has been like this the moment she started to live in Marquis Ningyuan’s mansion. She never talks to us very often in ordinary times either. But she is clear in her mind.”

“What do you think?” Minglan looked at Hongxiao with the corner of her mouth curved.

“How dare I make decisions for you, my madam. But…” Gong Hongxiao who had already had plans inwardly smiled and said, “Lady Rong is still too young to live in her own yard. Besides, it has been so many years she and Master haven’t seen each other. A daughter should always live close to her father. I think it’ll be better if Lady Rong could live with you, Madam.”

Minglan pondered for a while with a calm look, then she nodded slightly. Seeing that, Hongxiao was bursting with happiness. Before Minglan spoke anything again, she said immediately, “… Also, Madam, forgive my rudeness for asking this. After all, Old Madam Qin has asked me to take care of Lady Rong. I don’t want to fail Old Madam Qin. So maybe I should also live with Lady Rong…”

On these words, she couldn’t help glimpsing at Minglan’s look. Cuiwei had already stopped smiling while staring at Hongxiao with a cold expression.

Hearing that, Minglan couldn’t help but chuckle, saying, “So you also want to live in my yard? But you are a concubine. It’s not like there are not enough rooms in Cheng Manor. I was planning to present you a new yard.”

Hongxiao acted timidly and answered, “My Madam, I know about your kindness. But I couldn’t enjoy a pleasant life while my real duties are forgotten.”

Minglan admired how organized Hongxiao’s words were. It seemed that this woman had repeated saying that secretly for many times. However, Minglan was not afraid of her. Everyone in this world could speak out a set of principles. Once the family matters were involved, everyone could claim to be in the right. Of course Gong Hongxiao would have a bunch of reasons to live in Minglan’s yard. However, Minglan could retort that woman with more reasons too. Moreover, as the Madam in Gu’s mansion, Minglan could lord it over other women for sure.

The most import thing was, Minglan was pretty sure that no one would dare to find fault with her because she presented a yard for her husband’s concubine.

–”That’s inappropriate.”

As Minglan was about to speak, a heavy voice from a man came through from the side– Every woman in the side hall turned around, seeing Gu Tingye entering into the hall from the side door, still in his red court robe.

“Master, you are back.” Minglan stood up tenderly with a very standard and proper posture, which made Gu Tingye look at her with a meaningful look in his eyes while giving out a mysterious smile. After he sat down next to Minglan, she poured a cup of tea for him and said with a smile, “Rong is back. I was discussing about her residence with Concubine Gong.”

Gong Hongxiao, Qiuniang and Rong all stood up and gave their obeisance to Gu Tingye. After that, Rong raised her head and stared at her father blankly. Qiuniang, with tears filled in her red eyes, looked at Gu Tingye lovingly in excitement. After that, she never removed her eyes from him anymore. Hongxiao was stunned at first. Then she looked at Gu Tingye with a tender look while putting on a slight smile on her pretty face.

Gu Tingye who seemed to have already got used to being gazed like that didn’t take it seriously. Right now he only stared at Rong quietly. The latter shrank her neck and lowered her head again. With the look on Gu Tingye’s face turned more and more gloomy, he didn’t say anything.

Minglan couldn’t help scolding, ‘Why the hell can’t you say something!”

“Second… Second Master.” Qiuniang, with tears still in her eyes, finally couldn’t help but speak in a trembling voice, “How are you? You didn’t have anyone accompanying you over these years, how have you been when you were at the outside?”

Gu Tingye was thinking of something else and almost answered her perfunctorily. Suddenly he remembered that Minglan was sitting next to him. He raised his head to look at Minglan. Although Minglan wasn’t wearing a sullen face, she still held the tea cup with her eyebrows knitted slightly. Suddenly, Gu Tingye was angry at Qiuniang for being so rude. Then he looked at Qiuniang sullenly. The latter saw Gu Tingye saying nothing to answer her with an indifferent look, feeling bitter deep down.