Chapter 258 Minglan's Idea
Zhao Xing said that there have been many smart people since ancient times, but few people can really stay sober and calm. Most smart people are too smart for their own good.
Minglan is smart, but she knows her limits and has a clear understanding of her identity and status. She will not think about things that go beyond her identity and status because of her intelligence.
Zhang Guifen carefully recalled the performance of several people and the impression she had after contacting them during this period.
I found that the personalities and temperaments of these women were very consistent with what Zhao Xing described.
She didn't have much contact with Minglan, and they only played a few games of polo together. She felt that Minglan was very much to her liking.
Apart from this, when she thought about it carefully, she had almost no impression of Minglan.
Minglan's presence is so low that it is easy to ignore her.
Originally, Zhang Guifen didn't think much about it, but after Zhao Xing's words, she reacted.
It is certain that Zhao Xing dotes on Minglan, and Minglan can feel it as long as she is not stupid.
Logically speaking, Ming Lan was just a dowry, and she should have relied on Zhao Xing's favor and tried her best to please him and gain a status for herself.
But Minglan did not do that. Instead, she tried her best to make herself inconspicuous.
Zhang Guifen asked herself, if the two of them switched identities, would she be able to do this?
Zhang Guifen couldn't think of a good solution, and suddenly thought of Minglan, so she decided to ask her to take a look.
…………
Shuanglan Court
Minglan and Rulan were playing chess, while Yu Yanran was making clothes beside them.
Yu Yanran is a simple person and likes embroidery. She usually stays in her yard and embroiders things to pass the time.
After Rulan and Minglan entered the palace, she often came to Rulan's courtyard. When she was tired of doing needlework, she could also talk to them.
Since she entered the palace, all of Zhao Xing's inner and outer clothes, except for the crown, were made by Yu Yanran.
Before autumn, Yu Yanran made more than a dozen sets of clothes for Zhao Xing.
Then they started preparing winter clothes for Zhao Xing.
Rulan and Minglan were not playing Go, but Gobang.
This thing was made by Zhao Xing and given to them to play with to kill time.
Before, Zhang Guifen often asked Rulan to play mahjong with her. But during this period, Zhang Guifen had to go to the palace every day to receive the queen's instruction, so naturally she had no time to play mahjong.
But Sheng Shulan was pregnant and couldn't sit for long, so they were short of one person and could only play Gobang.
Although Gobang is simple, it also requires a certain amount of calculation.
Even if Minglan lets go, Ruolan is still no match for her.
Yu Yanran listened to the occasional quarrels between the two with a smile on her face, which did not affect her work at all.
Just then, Hua's mother came in.
"Miss, the Crown Princess sent someone to ask the Sixth Miss to go to Chunhe Palace."
"Hmm?" Rulan was stunned when she heard that, and asked curiously, "What does the Crown Princess want to see Sixth Sister for?"
Even though Zhang Guifen drank Minglan's tea in advance, she still has no status.
Before, when the Crown Princess asked people to play mahjong, she asked her, Shulan and Yu Yanran, and never asked Minglan to play together.
He never looked for Minglan alone.
"The visitor didn't say anything." Mother Hua shook her head.
"The Crown Princess must be looking for Minglan about something, Minglan, you should go over quickly." Yu Yanran said.
"Yes." Minglan nodded, looked at Rulan and smiled, "Fifth sister, don't move the chessboard. Wait until I come back to continue playing."
"You should leave quickly. It's already this late and you're still thinking about playing chess." Rulan said speechlessly.
Minglan smiled and walked out.
"Rulan, don't worry. The Crown Princess is a nice person. My sister Shulan and I entered the palace before you. Over the years, the Crown Princess has never made things difficult for us." Yu Yanran saw that Rulan was a little worried and comforted her.
"Who's worried about her?" Rulan pouted and said, "I just feel bad for this game. I was almost winning, but she was called away. I don't know when she will come back. I'm afraid I can't play this game."
After being in the Eastern Palace for so long, Rulan finally realized what it meant to be trapped in a palace that was as deep as an ocean.
Although the East Palace is large, you can only stay in the courtyard every day, and at most you can take a walk in the garden.
Zhao Xing usually comes to Shuanglan Pavilion only once every three to five days, and he usually comes at night. He can't even be seen during the day.
Rulan was very glad that Minglan could accompany her to the Eastern Palace.
If Minglan hadn't been there to talk to her and keep her company, she would have gone crazy on such a day.
During this period of time, the sisterhood has become better and better. When she heard that the Crown Princess was looking for Minglan, she was indeed worried, but she was unwilling to admit it.
Yu Yanran saw that Rulan was saying one thing and thinking another, so she just smiled and said nothing.
Just then, a palace maid came to report that the Crown Prince had arrived.
Upon hearing this, the two of them quickly adjusted their hair and clothes and went to greet them.
Several eunuchs were holding lanterns and leading the way, and Zhao Xing walked into Shuanglan Pavilion with a large crowd of people following him.
"Greetings, Your Highness!" Rulan and Yu Yanran bowed.
Zhao Xing saw Yu Yanran there, but didn't see Minglan, and asked in surprise, "Where's Minglan?"
"Your Highness, the Crown Princess has just sent someone to call Minglan to Chunhe Palace." Rulan said.
Zhao Xing was stunned when he heard this. Although he didn't know what Zhang Guifen wanted Minglan to do, he was not too worried.
Holding one in each hand, they walked into the hall.
Seeing the unfinished chess game on the low table and the needlework and fabrics beside it, he blamed her, "Didn't I tell you not to do it after dark?"
"I came here to talk to Sister Rulan. I didn't do much." Yu Yanran said.
"You." Zhao Xing said with a straight face, "I told you not to do it at night, so you are not allowed to do it. If you let me see you again next time, you won't have to make clothes for me anymore."
"Yes, I've made note of it."
Although Zhao Xing was blaming her, his real intention was to care about her.
"It's getting late. I'll take my leave now." Yu Yanran bowed.
Zhao Xing came here at this time, obviously he would be settled in Shuanglan Pavilion tonight.
"You are hypocritical in spite of my words. I will punish you. Please stay." Zhao Xing said.
Yu Yanran's face turned red when she heard that.
Although I had served with Rulan and the others once before, that time was in Mutang Pavilion.
But Yu Yanran was gentle and could not say no.
Yu Yanran hesitated for a long time, and said in a whisper, "Your Highness, I will go back to take a bath and change clothes first."
"No need to go through so much trouble. Let the servants bring you some clothes so you can take a bath here. Take the cheongsam." Zhao Xing said with a smile.
"Yeah." Yu Yanran responded shyly.
…………
"This servant pays homage to the Crown Princess!"
Minglan walked into Chunhe Hall and bowed.
Zhang Guifen sent all the palace maids serving in the hall away, leaving only Mama Qian, and asked Minglan to sit down.
"There's no one else here, sit down and talk."
"Thank you, Princess!"
Minglan thanked him and sat down.
"I have come to you because I want to ask you for advice on something." Zhang Guifen said, and then she told the story again and asked, "I have thought about it, but I can't think of any good solution. Do you think you have any ideas?"
"Even the Crown Princess can't think of a solution, and I'm stupid, so I can't think of one either," Minglan said hurriedly.
"One person's plan is short, two people's plan is long. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince often praises you for your intelligence. You don't need to worry so much. Just say whatever you want to say." Zhang Guifen said.
Minglan hesitated for a moment and said, "This matter is simple. If Madam Cao can get pregnant, all problems can be solved."
Zhang Guifen said with disappointment: "I have thought about it, but with the status of the Cao family, it is not difficult to hire an imperial physician."
"The imperial physician is good at curing illnesses and saving lives, so it's normal that he has no solution for this kind of thing."
Minglan hesitated for a moment and said, "To be honest, Crown Princess, my elder sister's situation is somewhat similar to Madam Cao's. She also gave birth to a girl as her first child, but later she couldn't get pregnant. Later, my grandmother asked the old lady of the He family in Baishitan to take my elder sister's pulse. After taking some medicine and recuperating for a while, she got pregnant. I once heard from my grandmother that the old lady of the He family is best at treating women's illnesses."
Zhang Guifen was stunned when she heard this. When she went home a few days ago, her mother also said that she wanted to ask the old lady of the He family in Baishitan to take a look at her.
The reason why she didn't think of asking Old Madam He to see Cao Siyu was because in her mind, Old Madam He's medical skills might not be better than the imperial doctors in the palace.
So I didn’t think about it that way.
Now, I heard from Minglan that Old Madam He is best at treating women, so it seems like we can give it a try.
After a moment's silence, Zhang Guifen asked, "What if Old Madam He can't do anything about it?"
"I feel that Madam Cao is not someone who is confused. The reason she stops taking a concubine is that she is still young and thinks she can wait. If the imperial physicians and Old Madam He are helpless after diagnosis, Madam Cao will give up and will naturally not stop her." Minglan said.
Zhang Guifen thought about it carefully and said with a smile: "I originally thought this matter was very troublesome, but now that you said this, it seems like the fog has been cleared up."
(End of this chapter)