Do you know: I am Qi Heng

Although the Sheng family mansion occupies a large area, there are only so many places that Qi Heng, an outsider, can be taken to.

Sheng Changbai led Qi Heng out of the main hall, separated him from his younger siblings, and took him to the courtyard where the school was located.

"Yuanruo, I really don't know what to say to you about doing this!"

Outsiders only thought that Minglan was good at polo and won the favor of Empress Cao, which led to this arranged marriage.

However, Sheng Changbai knew more about the inside story and it wasn't hard to guess that Qi Heng was behind this.

He was both annoyed by Qi Heng's audacity and happy for Minglan.

"Due to the constraints of etiquette and law, this is the only way!"

Qi Heng cupped his hands and said, "Brother Zecheng, I'm sorry!"

Let's not talk about this anymore.

Sheng Changbai waved his hand, saying that the final result was good, and with the official decree of marriage, there was no point in saying more about it.

"Zhonghuai wrote to me yesterday, saying that he will return to the capital after autumn and asked me to find him a house in a remote part of Bianjing."

Sheng Changbai said worriedly, "It's understandable that he left Bianjing under the pretext of studying."

If he returns to the capital but doesn't go home, it will likely attract criticism.

The Analects says: "While your parents are alive, do not travel far; if you must travel, have a fixed destination."

It means that as long as the parents are alive, the son will not travel far away.

If you must travel far away, you need to make sure your parents are settled and inform them of your destination.

This is not blind filial piety, but rather a manifestation of filial piety and responsibility.

Because those who can travel far away on their own must have parents who are not young.

Given the limited transportation in ancient times, if something happened to the parents, it would be difficult for the son to receive the news in time and return home.

This only applies to situations where one travels far from home. There are also legal provisions that prohibit separation of family members while both parents are alive.

Gu Tingye's return to the capital without going home constitutes living separately, which is considered extremely unfilial when his parents are still alive.

Once it's exposed, he won't be able to participate in the imperial examinations, let alone hold an official position for the rest of his life.

"Is this really true?" Qi Heng asked, feigning surprise.

He knew that Gu Tingye was looking for a house to house Manniang and her son.

But Gu Tingye kept this a secret, and he couldn't bring himself to tell him directly.

"Why would I lie to you!"

Sheng Changbai said seriously, "If he returns to the capital and doesn't go home, it could easily lead to serious problems. I've already arranged for him to stay, and once he returns to the capital, you should give him a good talking-to!"

"That's natural!"

Qi Heng thought for a moment and said, "In my opinion, we should rent a house for him. You know his relationship with his family. That way, when he's in a bad mood, he'll have a place to hide away in peace and quiet."

"Yuan Ruo is right!"

Sheng Changbai nodded. As long as Gu Tingye didn't keep it a secret from his family and went home once after returning to the capital, even if he often stayed out all night afterward, it wouldn't be a big deal.

Anyway, Gu Tingye's reputation wasn't good before, so it's not unusual for a playboy like him to stay out all night.

"Brother Zecheng, I have a favor to ask of you!"

Qi Heng took out a letter from his pocket and said, "Please give this to Sixth Miss for me!"

Sheng Changbai said, somewhat amused and exasperated, "You want me to deliver a letter to your sixth sister?"

Even if the two have been betrothed by the emperor, they cannot meet privately or correspond privately before the marriage.

If this gets out, there will be all sorts of rumors and discussions.

"Brother Zecheng, this is the last time, I'm sorry to trouble you!"

Qi Heng smiled and said, "I have an early landscape painting by Yan Liben; I'll bring it to you later!"

"make a deal!"

Upon hearing this, Sheng Changbai immediately accepted the letter. He had already planned to help anyway; the painting was secondary.

Yan Liben was good at painting figures, but his other paintings were not of high value, let alone his early landscape paintings.

But since it was a work of calligraphy and painting by a famous person, Sheng Changbai was still somewhat interested and did not refuse.

.........

Mo Lan stormed off from the main hall and returned to Linxi Pavilion in a huff.

"What's wrong?"

Lin Xiaoniang comforted him, "Didn't I already say that the imperial decree of marriage can't be changed? Do you want me to give up?"

She only cared about interests. If it weren't for the official marriage, she would never have advised her daughter to give up Qi Heng's family background, given the chance they had.

But even knowing that there was absolutely no chance, she still showed unusual decisiveness.

Tell Mo Lan to stop focusing on Qi Heng and find another target.

But Mo Lan refused, and they argued for a long time last night.

"Why would the Emperor bestow a marriage between Minglan, a concubine's daughter, and Brother Yuanruo?" Molan roared.

Her affection for Qi Heng was actually more due to his family background and his outstanding qualities in various aspects.

She might not be that fond of him, but she's been used to competing since childhood, and it's hard for her to accept that Minglan, a concubine's daughter whom she previously disregarded, is marrying Qi Heng.

"Aren't you also a concubine's daughter?"

Lin Xiaoniang earnestly said, "Although I don't know the reason behind this, since the Emperor has decreed the marriage, there's no room for change. What's the point of continuing to worry about it?"

"It's all because you make me learn poetry every day. If you had made me learn polo, I might be the one adopted as the Empress's goddaughter this time!"

Mo Lan's eyes revealed a hint of resentment. All those methods she had used before were taught to her by Lin Xiaoniang, and in her opinion, Lin Xiaoniang had taught her wrong things.

Lin Xiaoniang trembled as she looked at the resentment in her daughter's eyes. She had been wholeheartedly planning for Mo Lan, but Mo Lan had blamed her for this incident and even harbored hatred towards her.

"Mother, I'm not reconciled!"

Mo Lan pulled Lin Xiao Niang aside and said, "Just thinking about how arrogant she'll be after she marries Brother Yuan Ruo is unbearable!"

Lin Xiaoniang came to her senses and realized that she must have been mistaken before; Mo Lan's resentment was directed at Ming Lan.

"Mo'er, there's no other way now! As long as you marry into a family whose social standing isn't much lower than the Qi family's, you won't have to put up with her attitude!"

"No, there's a way!"

Mo Lan whispered, "Mother, if she dies, I will still have a chance!"

"What nonsense are you spouting!"

Lin Xiaoniang's expression changed, and she said, "She has been adopted as a goddaughter by the Empress. If anything is found out, our entire Sheng family will be finished!"

She dared to kill Wei Xiaoniang back then, and even blocked the door to prevent the doctor Minglan invited from entering. Did she really think she would never be discovered?

This is clearly impossible. Even without any evidence, her actions at the time are enough to conclude that she was intentionally letting things happen.

A concubine—that alone was enough to kill her.

The reason she dared to do that was because she was certain that Sheng Hong wouldn't investigate further, so all she needed to do was prevent Madam Wang from finding any fault with her.

Even if there were some flaws, Sheng Hong would clean them up in order to cover up the family scandal.

As she had expected, Sheng Hong was angry, but with his promotion imminent, he dared not investigate further.

Madam Wang wanted to use this incident to deal with her, but Lin Xiaoniang knew that she couldn't control the old women in Madam Wang's courtyard, so she specially sent someone to invite them.

Those old women naturally wouldn't listen to her; it had nothing to do with whether or not to save someone.

Knowing Wang's temperament, she knew that those old women were at Lin Xiaoniang's beck and call, so how could she let them off the hook?

But after Lin Xiaoniang brought this up, Wang Da Niangzi was put in a somewhat passive position.

In the end, Sheng Hong punished some of the servants and covered up the matter.

But killing Minglan is a different story, since Minglan was adopted as an adopted daughter by Empress Cao.