The Legend of Concubine's Daughter Minglan

Chapter 18

That night, Sheng Hong wanted to drink through the night with Sheng Wei. Wang shi accompanied Old Madame Sheng to talk. Before dinner, Mama Cui lead Minglan back, Danju and Xiaotao hugged two big bags of presents and there was still two coarse-work maids carrying a chest behind.

Old Madame Sheng pulled Minglan to her side, rocking her like a little darling for a long time. She smiled "This time, our Ming'er is really rich. Tell grandmother, what did First Uncle send over?"

Minglan did not see it clearly from the start, opening up her little fingers to recall "There is... gold, satin, pearls, bracelets, erm... hairpins, more hairpins...... erm, still, still..." She said still for a long time and could not recite it in the end. Old Madame Sheng listened till her eyes turned white, she extended her finger and poked Minglan's little head, with a strict face she said "... still, still you this little dummy!"

Minglan's face turned red. Everyone laughed together.

Having said, Old Madame Sheng then asked Cuiping to instruct the maids to open the cloth and box to take a look— four bolts newly made satin, three bolts of brocade from Sichuan, Guangze designs were extremely bright and neat. Two sets of Four Treasures of Study from Huizhou, a pair of pure gold sardonyx bracelets, a matching set of beaded gold hair pins, red round coral bead and all kind of coloured beads in a box. Five new types of rings and the remaining ones are all sorts of girly gadgets.

Old Madame Sheng frowned "This gift is a little too much."

Wang shi smiled "First Brother-in-law said that he has not seen them for many years and might as well make up for it." Then she turned her head towards Minglan and said "You this silly child, everyone says can remember words quickly. Why can you not remember all these things? No wonder Old Madame says you are a little dummy!"

Minglan laughed a little while in embarrassment, she is better at remembering numbers and law. Old Madame Sheng heard Wang shi's words, her eyes seem to have a flash of condemnation but she did not say anything.

Wang shi continuously said to the Old Madame with a smile "Our Ming'er is a kind and generous child. When she was living at this daughter-in-law's place, she wore whatever she was given, ate whatever she was fed with. She was never once picky and never coveted her sisters' belongings. When she stayed together with Ru'er, food and toys are displayed everywhere but Ming'er did not even touch them once! No wonder the Old Madame loves you, still have some dignity."

Old Madame Sheng lightly looked at Wang shi and said without batting an eyelid "After Girl Hua marries, Madame must spend more energy to properly educate the remaining three. It is not good for the girls' eyes to be too shallow, letting others belittle."

Wang shi immediately smiled with delight, who knows Old Madame Sheng said another sentence that seems to be unrelated "Girl Ming, just now after you left, you asked Xiaotao to bring over that bag of goldfishes gifted by your First Uncle. Why? Urgently show off to your older sisters?"

Minglan opened her eyes and answered, "It is not to show off, it is because I want to share it with older sisters."

Wang shi's expression immediately became a little ugly. Old Madame Sheng smiled in an unfathomable way "Did your older sisters want it?"

Minglan shook her head and pouted "We endured the beatings together, naturally I ought to share the goldfishes. I asked Xiaotao to also bring along the ivory small scale. But Big Sister refused no matter what, she said First Uncle gave it to me alone and they all received one when they met First Uncle."

Old Madame Sheng felt gratified "As expected Big Girl is sensible. This time Nephew has also added quite a bit of dowry to her, we need to learn to be sufficient."