Potential Marriage to Yan Ran crumbles

1)Yan Ran’s father and grandfather argue fiercely. Grandpa does not want her to marry Gu Ting Ye but the father could care less about his reputation he would use his daughter to form a connection with the Marquis house (recall, people think Gu Ting Ye is a wastrel, gambler, womanizer, good for nothing who rapes women).

2)Big brother Chang stops by to visit Ming Lan and so plan 2 goes into action. The servant girl sent over by Big Madame tries to hit on Chang, who is extremely proper. He freaks out but Ming Lan handles it by telling the girl to apologize. Ming Lan explains the girl was sent by his mother and that she must respect his Mother and not insult the girl.

3)Yan Ran arrives to see Ming Lan in tears. She relates to her that when her mother was dying only Gu Ting Ye helped and she is still grateful to him. This does cause her to sway a little but Yan Ran is worried about his bad reputation. Yan Ran is sad because her marriage talk has created conflict with her father and grandfather, and upset that her father does not seem to love her. She feels responsible this will make her grandpa sick. Ming Lan encourages her to not give up and to have more faith her grandpa can handle this. Yan Ran is cheered up.

4)Ming Lan tells Yan Ran’s grandmother of how Gu Ting Ye once helped her. It sounds like in her own way, Ming Lan is helping Gu Ting Ye in this. Elsewhere, Gu Ting Ye finally meets with the imperial tutor and against all odds seems to succeed in distancing himself from his past. The other concern is the wolf’s den of his family. But this is easy as he plans to separate himself from his family. Things look good.

5)Miniang shows up at Yan Ran’s home and demands to be seen and serve tea. She causes a huge scene, makes grandmother ill, and otherwise humiliates the imperial tutor family. Miniang attracts the attention of neighbors and finally is granted an audience. Her insistence that Yan Ran drink her tea is calculated. If Yan Ran drinks it, she loses face and power long before the marriage. If she refuses, Miniang is the victim of someone looking down on her. Ming Lan steps in and calls her out. Miniang claims she is ignorant. Agaain Ming Lan calls her out. Again Miniang claims she is ignorant. Ming Lan then proceeds to politely ask her questions. Ming Lan then points out how odd that her parents had an honorable hard working living how did Miniang win up singing opera. Miniang answer is vague at best and so Ming Lan suggests she ask the Gu family for status how can Yan Ran grant it when they aren’t even married, Ming Lan points out re is no connection this is clearly slander. Miniang behaves dramatically saying she will just ie. Ming Lan watches this show calmly. Ming Lan says if she had married a common man she would have lived a peaceful life but she had loftier ambitions and is now a kept woman how are they basically to blame. Ming Lan accuses her of slander and attempting to ruin Yan Ran’s reputation, she can either walk out or be thrown out

. 6)Later, the wife of imperial tutor visits old Madame to express gratitude for how well Ming Lan handles the situation, it seems that Yan Ran will marry a boy in their hometown. Ming Lan admits to her grandmother she should not have involved herself as it carries risk to her own reputation when challenged but Ming Lan admits she took the risk because she was counting on Miniang not knowing she was the a Sheng family, and the fact that the imperial tutor would cover it up. Her grand,other asks her if she is worried that this far will fall on her some day and her grandmother promises her she will one day be the lady of a house not a concubine, Ming Lan sees Yan ran off who leaves to marry, she is sad because she won’t see her anytime soon, and so her servants try to cheer her up with dessert.

7) She runs into Gu Ting aye. He is most unhappy,8) he sits down and confronts her, asking her why she is basically trying to ruin his life. At first Ming Lan is cooly polite. She begins by calling into question his motive in marrying her friend. He admits it. She explains that women have few choices few options, everyone would know his motive,. Ming Lan rejects his belief that all will be rainbows for Yan Ran, instead she shifts to the consequences of Miniang behavior. And that she believes Miniang is a bad person who is not feeble or ignorant, as he insists, and clever and calculating.

8)Irritated, he accuses her of being judgmental. He the. Accuses her of manipulating the a Lord of Qi and manipulating him. He then tells her he should have tried to marry her to punish her and she angrily shouts at him that she would never marry him while he leaves, laughing.

9) Plan 2 of getting rid of Big Madame’s servants is starting to see results. Big Madame’s personal servant learns that the servants they sent are trying to seduce Chang, infuriating big Madame who is especially sensitive to these tricks because of Madame Lin. Elsewhere, Miniang learns that the next arrowhead prospect is fierce and in no way like Yan an. Miniang plays dumb. She continues to slip out but where is she going...?

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