The Story of Ming Lan Episode 1 Recap
> The Story of Ming Lan Recap
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- 16
- 17
- 18
- 19
- 20
- 21
- 22
- 23
- 24
- 25
- 26
- 27
- 28
- 29
- 30
- 31
- 32
- 33
- 34
- 35
- 36
- 37
- 38
- 39
- 40
- 41
- 42
- 43
- 44
- 45
- 46
- 47
- 48
- 49
- 50
- 51
- 52
- 53
- 54
- 55
- 56
- 57
- 58
- 59
- 60
- 61
- 62
- 63
- 64
- 65
- 66
- 67
- 68
- 69
- 70
- 71
- 72
- 73
- 74
- 75
- 76
- 77
- 78
During the Northern Song Dynasty, in the official Sheng family, Madam Wei became pregnant. Xiaotao, Sheng Minglan's maid, went to the kitchen to collect the charcoal they were entitled to but was driven out. Upon learning the reason, the head maid Xiaodie went to the kitchen with a bamboo basket to reason with Madam Guan. Madam Guan, however, was a snob who looked down on people; she not only refused to give charcoal but also had Xiaodie driven out.
Madam Zhou, who passed by, saw and said a few words but had no intention of helping Xiaodie. Seeing no hope, Xiaodie had no choice but to go to Madam Wang Ruofu to reason. Madam Guan, afraid of the matter escalating and being scolded, had to go to the stove and get twenty to thirty catties of charcoal. Xiaodie, however, only took the portion she was entitled to.
Madam Guan, meanwhile, was still gossiping behind their backs, saying that Madam Wei, from their courtyard, was arrogant and unreasonable because of her pregnancy. The Sheng family's matriarch, Wang Ruofu, was currently having a tantrum with Sheng Hong over their daughter Sheng Hualan's marriage. Sheng Hong had found Yuan Wenshao, the second son of the Yuan family from the Marquis of Tokyo's manor, for Sheng Hualan. It was originally a very good marriage.
Who knew that the Yuan family would be untrustworthy and only sent Yuan Wenchun, the eldest son of the Yuan family, to deliver the betrothal gifts. Sheng Hong could only try to persuade her with kind words, saying that the boat had already docked and the betrothal gifts had all been unloaded. If Wang Ruofu made the Yuan family turn back, both sides would surely lose face.
Only when Wang Ruofu began to dress did Sheng Hong quietly instruct his servants to inform the Yuan family that they could unload the betrothal gifts. The charcoal Xiaodie brought back produced a lot of smoke, making it hard to open one's eyes. Xiaodie, indignant, wanted to go reason with Madam Guan again. Madam Wei, always cautious in everything, stopped her, not allowing her to go.
She took out her last remaining dowry, telling Xiaodie to pawn it again, just so her daughter Sheng Minglan could at least be warmer. Sheng Minglan was intelligent and beautiful, but ultimately young. She protected the bracelet and refused to let it be pawned, saying that if she talked to Sheng Hong, the kitchen would definitely give them the charcoal. Madam Wei already suffered cold stares. If it escalated, she would surely be gossiped about.
So she didn't allow Sheng Minglan to speak up, and also told Sheng Minglan to go serve at Old Madam Sheng's room the next day. Xiaodie was about to go out with the bracelet. Sheng Minglan told her to first exchange the charcoal she had for some ash-flower charcoal, which could at least last for a while.
Afterwards, Sheng Minglan went back to her room, changed into clean and splendid clothes, and prepared to welcome her elder sister Sheng Hualan's betrothal boat. Yuan Wenchun, majestic on horseback, rode towards the Sheng family with many betrothal gifts. All the Sheng family young ladies craned their necks in anticipation. Everyone said Sheng Hualan had married into a good family, calling them a perfect match.
Meanwhile, Sheng Minglan, accompanied by Xiaotao, wandered through the banquet, secretly eating pastries from time to time. While Wang Ruofu was socializing, she was informed that Sheng Changfeng, the third son of the Sheng family born to Concubine Lin Qinshuang, was playing touhu (pitch-pot) with someone and was about to lose all of Sheng Hualan's betrothal geese. Sheng Hualan, who was with Old Madam Sheng receiving instruction, also heard about this and became very anxious.
She turned to look at Old Madam Sheng. Old Madam Sheng told Sheng Hualan to make her own decisions, saying that although she was still the Sheng family's legitimate eldest daughter today, tomorrow she would be the Yuan family's second mistress. There would be many more such matters in the future, so she must learn to make decisions. Sheng Hualan looked troubled. Sheng Changfeng was competing in touhu with Bai Ye, who Yuan Wenchun had brought.
It looked like he was about to lose Sheng Hualan's betrothal geese. Sheng Molan anxiously complained to her birth mother, Lin Qinshuang. Wang Ruofu was even more anxious, thinking that Sheng Hong was still lost in Lin Qinshuang's tender embrace at that moment. So she walked towards Lin Qinshuang's courtyard. Unexpectedly, Sheng Hong was also anxious.
He hoped Yuan Wenchun would step forward to stop it, but Yuan Wenchun said that the geese belonged to the Sheng family, and he couldn't stop it. Wang Ruofu stormed into Lin Qinshuang's courtyard, and without a word, slapped Lin Qinshuang. Lin Qinshuang put on a pitiful act, begging Wang Ruofu to save Sheng Changfeng. However, seeing that Sheng Hong was not there, Wang Ruofu left.
After seeing Wang Ruofu off, Lin Qinshuang changed her expression, telling her maid to instruct Sheng Changfeng to quickly admit his mistake to Sheng Hong, without holding back any face. She also told him to inquire with Dongrong, Sheng Hong's attendant, as Sheng Changfeng would certainly not escape a beating with the rod. Sheng Hualan thought for a while and said, "If these betrothal geese are lost, then they are lost.
The two families cannot cause a scene in Yangzhou city, or both will lose face." Sheng Hong and Wang Ruofu watched the touhu game anxiously. Sheng Hong stepped forward to encourage Sheng Changfeng, but whispered a threatening remark in his ear. Sheng Changfeng was timid and actually just dropped the arrow in his hand. The crowd was about to disperse, but an arrow flew out and landed inside the pot.
The one who threw this arrow was none other than the Sheng family's sixth daughter, Sheng Minglan. The two sides were evenly matched, until Sheng Minglan threw four tokens. Sheng Hong was very surprised. Bai Ye, unwilling to show weakness, threw a double-ear shot. Sheng Hong thought there was no hope left. To his surprise, Sheng Minglan threw ten tokens, saving Sheng Hualan's betrothal gifts.
Sheng Changbo, the legitimate son of Sheng Hong and Wang Ruofu, and also the eldest brother of the Sheng family, accidentally dropped a painting when he left. Bai Ye liked it very much and wanted to borrow it to look at. But Sheng Changbo was angry with him for messing up the Sheng family's event. The young man quickly swore by his deceased mother's name that he would never gamble with touhu again.
Only then did Sheng Changbo lend him the painting. Madam Wei educated Sheng Minglan that she shouldn't show off. Sheng Hualan and Sheng Molan were both different from Sheng Minglan. Their mother was the Sheng family's matriarch, with influential family backing, and the other was the most favored Lin Qinshuang. Madam Wei, however, was just someone her family used to exchange for medicine money.
Sheng Minglan had only done it today to save the betrothal gifts of her elder sister, who had always been good to her. But she didn't expect to get scolded by Madam Wei. Although she didn't understand, she still complied. As soon as night fell, Wang Ruofu, with Sheng Rulan, furiously went to Lin Qinshuang's courtyard. Lin Qinshuang was severely beating and scolding Sheng Changfeng right in front of Sheng Hong.
As soon as Sheng Rulan entered the room, she questioned Sheng Changfeng why he had acted impulsively and disgraced Sheng Hualan. Lin Qinshuang had no choice but to beg for thirty strokes of the rod for Sheng Changfeng, which finally appeased Wang Ruofu. Wang Ruofu, however, was puzzled in her heart. Lin Qinshuang had always been cunning, but this time she was willing to hit her beloved son.
She wanted to seize the opportunity to get back the household keys and tallies, but had no chance to speak. Early the next morning, Sheng Molan went to Old Madam Sheng's place to recite poetry. Old Madam Sheng felt sorry for her not having eaten breakfast and dismissed her first. Sheng Molan, however, threw quite a tantrum.
She was unwilling to go in the first place, because Old Madam Sheng was not Sheng Hong's birth mother, and had always disliked Lin Qinshuang. But Lin Qinshuang knew that Old Madam Sheng was ultimately Sheng Hong's legitimate mother and the most respected elder in the Sheng family. Sheng Hong was serving Old Madam Sheng. He originally wanted the Old Madam to choose a child to serve by her side, but Old Madam Sheng refused, citing her preference for quiet.
Old Madam Sheng also told Sheng Hong to visit Madam Wei more often, as Sheng Minglan had, after all, stepped forward for the Sheng family. Sheng Minglan had been waiting outside. When she saw Sheng Hong come out, she happily went to meet him, begging him to go see Madam Wei. Sheng Hong promised her he would go later.
Sheng Minglan also gave Sheng Hong the small shortbread given by Old Madam Sheng, and ran back to her courtyard, looking back every few steps. Madam Wei heard Sheng Hong was coming, and instructed Sheng Minglan not to mention the shortage of charcoal and food in their household. Sheng Minglan glumly agreed.
