Changsheng: Peak at the Beginning

Although Hualan was pregnant, the two unengaged girls of the Sheng family were still very popular. Of course, Rulan and Minglan were actually confirmed to be married, but because it was not announced to the public, some invitations from noble families were sent to Hualan.

Hualan was of course a little vain, so she found an opportunity to go back to her parents' home and send the invitation.

Rulan approached Wang Ruofu and saw that it was the polo invitation from Madam Wu of the Liang family of Yongchang Marquis's Mansion. She couldn't help but ask Hualan, "Big sister, does the Yongchang Marquis's Mansion have any dealings with the Zhongqin Earl's Mansion? Why did they send an invitation to our family?"

The first thing Wang Ruofu thought of was whether Old Madam Sheng’s family had some connection with the Yongchang Marquis’ Mansion, so for the sake of Old Madam Sheng’s face, she sent a letter to the Sheng family.

Hualan couldn't help laughing when she saw Rulan's pretty face. "Why didn't you think about the fact that you and your sixth sister are the only ones who haven't got a husband yet?"

Wang Ruofu felt a little sorry, but her nephew was a good man, so that Rulan could live a good life after marriage. So she said to Hualan, "Alas, Ru'er is engaged to your uncle's cousin, but they haven't started the ceremony yet, so naturally they haven't said anything to the public. As for Minglan, the old lady of the He family in Baishitan recently brought her grandson He Hongwen, who she raised, to the capital. I don't know if she is here to see Minglan."

Hualan had already been mentally prepared for Rulan's marriage. She also felt that it would be good for Rulan to marry her uncle's family. But it was different for Minglan. She really didn't expect that the family that Mrs. Sheng would choose for Minglan would be such a family.

Hua Lan was a little bit unbelievable: "It seems that there are not many people from the He family serving as officials in the court?"

Wang Ruofu had never thought about Guan Minglan's marriage, and said casually: "The He family is not bad. They have been practicing medicine for generations. They have good assets and connections. Moreover, there are many members of the He family. Although no one is an official in the capital, there are many members of the family who are officials in the local areas. Moreover, the He family's brother is not bad at studying. Not only did he pass the examination to become a scholar early, but he also has a good personality."

Hualan only felt that she had gotten to know the He family all over again. However, since it was Old Lady Sheng who intended to introduce Minglan to a young man from the He family, she, as an already married sister, really had nothing to say. She just went to Shou'an Hall and asked Minglan if she wanted to play polo.

Minglan didn't want to go out. Although she had now gotten over the sadness that she had no chance of being with Qi Heng anymore, she really didn't want to go out.

Old Madam Sheng was worried that she would get bored at home, so she gently advised her, "Go ahead, just go out and have some fun. A girl can only relax when she is at her parents' home."

Hualan smiled a little restrainedly, but she also followed Mrs. Sheng's words and advised Minglan, "Sixth sister, don't stay at home all day. Miss Yanran from Old Master Yu's family is also going there. Just think of it as meeting your sisters."

Thinking of Yu Yanran, Minglan was happy to go out.

When Hualan went to Shou'an Hall, Rulan immediately went to find Molan.

Rulan tried her best to persuade Molan to go out and play polo. "Fourth sister, my mother said that my family will come to propose marriage next month. It will be difficult for you to go out by then, so you must seize this rare opportunity."

Molan raised her head from the pile of account books, and through the window, she fixed her eyes on the two sweet-scented osmanthus trees at the gate of the yard, whose fragrance could already be faintly smelled. She relaxed her eyes, reacted a little, and immediately said firmly: "Well, I'll go!"

Rulan clapped her hands and laughed: "That's great!"

As she spoke, Rulan stood up and turned around to say, "Yunzai, Luzhong, quickly take out Fourth Sister's new riding clothes and jewelry. We need to match Fourth Sister's outfit well and make sure she shocks everyone and let those gossipers see how unsurpassable Fourth Sister's appearance is!"

Then there was nothing for Molan, the person involved. Rulan even alarmed Lin Qinshuang in the next yard. Lin Qinshuang's aesthetic taste was a little higher than Rulan's. In particular, the two of them had highly consistent ideas on how to dress up Molan, so they finally came to the conclusion: start all over again. Anyway, they had money in hand, so they could just make new riding clothes and jewelry.

Unlike the women's riding clothes of the previous dynasty, which were more like men's clothing, the riding clothes of this dynasty were truly women's style, with knee-length boots matched with a skirt that just touched the boots, and the tight sleeves and cross collar on the upper body, which looked very ordinary.

Molan listened to Lin Qinshuang and Rulan discussing with Xi Que, Yun Zai, Lu Zhong and Zhou Xue Niang for a long time without any result, so she could only suggest while adding tea and snacks: "Why not make the skirt into a pleated skirt style, and use a slightly stiffer material as the lining, so that the skirt can appear wider and can better show the waist."

Rulan immediately praised: "Oh my god, just thinking about it makes me feel how outstanding the skirt that Fourth Sister is talking about is!"

Lin Qinshuang immediately ordered the embroiderers in her family to make a riding suit with pleated skirt and lining for Molan and Rulan respectively. However, this time Rulan did not choose a color similar to Molan's, because Lin Qinshuang intended to make a suit of the same color for Shi Ying so that he and Molan would match better.

The news from the embroidery room was secretly passed on to Old Lady Sheng by Fang Mama's subordinates. Although Old Lady Sheng was a little depressed, she usually only gave good things to Minglan. Besides, this time it was just to make an extra set of riding clothes for Molan and Rulan. She would not confront Wang Ruofu and Lin Qinshuang for a set of clothes.

However, she was a little curious. "Molan's marriage has already been decided, and I heard that she is about to pay the engagement. Why is she going out with her two unengaged sisters?"

Madam Fang would not make random guesses about the girls of the Sheng family for no reason. "The eldest lady is going out too, so I guess the son-in-law of the Shi family is going out too."

When she heard that Shi Ying was also going, Mrs. Sheng thought of He Hongwen, whom she had arranged for Minglan, and she suddenly felt uncomfortable.

After all, whether it is Shi Ying or the nephew from Wang Ruofu's mother's family whom she found for Ruolan, they both look better than He Hongwen. But unfortunately, she can only find such a family for Minglan now, which is really unfair to Minglan.

Thinking so, Mrs. Sheng privately planned a large dowry for Minglan. If possible, she really didn't want Minglan to suffer any grievances.

The girls in the inner house were still thinking about going out to play polo, but the situation in the court was not optimistic.

So far, there are only princesses but no princes who have grown up in the official family. The closest relatives within the five generations of kin are Prince Yong and Prince Yan, as well as Zhao Zongquan, the commander of the Yuzhou militia who has been adopted twice.

The royal family and half of the ministers in the court urged the emperor to adopt one of the Prince of Yong and the Prince of Yan as the crown prince as soon as possible. No one mentioned Zhao Zongquan at all, but even a minor official of the fifth rank like Sheng Hong was forced to take sides intentionally or unintentionally by others, not to mention Shi Ying, the lecturer of the Hanlin Academy who was almost inseparable from the emperor.

But Shi Ying was unwilling to give up any opportunity to get close to Molan. What's more, the polo match was organized by Madam Wu of Yongchang Marquis' Mansion. The purpose was to meet a madam for her most beloved youngest son Liang Han, so the guests were all from low-ranking families who would not easily be involved in the fight for the throne.