How many people envied her back then! Her husband only had two concubines by his side, and after four years without bearing a child, he didn't take any more women into the household. But her dreams were shattered; her husband was bringing home a woman about to give birth—none other than the woman she hated most, Li Shi!
"Respect me?" Third Sister scoffed, coldly saying, "If he cared about me, would he have done such a disgraceful thing?"
An Ran sighed softly.
"Third sister, I'm going to say something you won't like to hear. If you think like this, you're just getting stuck in a rut." An Ran said in a low voice, "I know you feel wronged, but if you want to solve the current problem, you have to swallow it all."
Third Sister was taken aback at first, then her eyes reddened.
“You need to take the initiative. No matter how much you hate that Li woman, you have to make people think that you welcomed her in.” Before San Niang could refute, An Ran preemptively said, “As for whether it was your own choice or not, that’s not important. The most important thing is to make outsiders think that way.”
“If your brother-in-law or the Princess Consort brings her in, things will be completely different. Not only will she be no longer under your control, but your brother-in-law and the Princess Consort will also think that you are not generous or reasonable enough.”
Third Sister couldn't help but sneer, "Am I supposed to accept her tea and wait for her to kowtow and call me sister?"
“It’s necessary for her to serve you tea, but you don’t need to kowtow.” An Ran heard the self-deprecating tone in Third Sister’s voice, but in fact, it had to be done. She said seriously, “Li Shi is heavily pregnant. If something goes wrong while she’s kowtowing, people inside and outside will say that you are jealous and harming your offspring.”
Third Sister was so angry she was speechless, unable to say anything.
"Enough, enough." After a long while, Third Sister sneered in despair, "Should I beg for mercy from Yun Shen the moment he returns?"
An Ran shook her head.
“Of course not, you should get angry.” An Ran blinked and said, “It was your brother-in-law’s fault to begin with, he would be surprised if you didn’t get angry! Besides, you’re in the right this time, your brother-in-law should apologize to you!”
Third Sister was immediately confused.
Did An Ran advise her to endure it, or did she advise her to simply vent her frustrations?
“Your brother-in-law did something foolish, so you should be angry. Even a clay figure has a temper!” Anran explained to her third sister-in-law in detail: “But you can’t stay angry for too long or make a scene. It’s enough to let people know your attitude. Once your brother-in-law softens up and apologizes, no matter how angry you are inside, you can’t show it at all.”
It's so hard to be a woman.
If you have no temper, others will think you are easy to bully; if you have a bad temper, others will say you are not virtuous.
"Sister, you think it's unfair?" Seeing that Third Sister didn't speak, An Ran smiled slightly, but a hint of inexplicable loneliness flashed in her eyes. She curled her lips and said, "Between men and women, between women, where is there any fairness?"
Third Sister remained silent.
"I understand." She finally nodded, but her eyes were filled with an indescribable sadness.
******
Yinping and Huaping remained anxiously waiting outside the door.
The faint sounds of the two sisters arguing could be heard, followed by the crisp sound of porcelain shattering. Several times, the two women resisted the urge to go in and mediate, pacing anxiously outside the door.
Can the seemingly frail Ninth Sister persuade her spoiled and arrogant daughter?
The voices inside gradually subsided, and they could no longer hear anything.
Just as the two were lost in their own thoughts, the bedroom door was suddenly pushed open from the inside, startling Yinping and Huaping.
"Find two people to come in and clean up the broken pieces. Third Sister accidentally dropped a porcelain bottle." An Ran said calmly, "Also prepare some hot water to help Third Sister wash and change."
The silver screen and the painted screen were taken aback.
Through the half-open door, the two saw that Third Sister was sitting quietly on the daybed. Although she looked a little unwell, she had completely lost her hysteria and madness from before.
Ninth Sister is truly amazing!
"Yes, young lady."
As they thought about it, the two of them quickly got to work. They had Qingyue and Qinglan come in to clean up the mess of broken pieces on the floor, while Yinping had a maid bring water and then personally took it to help Third Sister wash up.
An Ran helped San Niang loosen her hair. Seeing Yin Ping come over, she smiled and said, "I won't cause any more trouble here. Sister Yin Ping, send someone with me to the small kitchen; I want to make a dessert."
Yinping was somewhat confused by Anran.
What kind of dessert should she make now? Everything here is in complete chaos…
"Yinping, have Cuizhi take Jiu Niang there." San Niang, who had been silent until now, said, "Whatever Jiu Niang requests, we will grant it."
Having received Third Sister's approval, Yinping had no choice but to proceed despite her many doubts.
An Ran followed Cui Zhi away. San Niang sat in front of the mirror, lost in thought as she recalled An Ran's earlier words.
“I can’t keep my visit to the Prince’s residence a secret, so let me just show my face here openly and say that you invited me to be your guest, sister.” Anran said, “If you know that you have received the news, I think your brother-in-law will be back soon. You should make preparations immediately and deal with the immediate situation first.”
An Ran was still confident in the foundation of the couple's relationship. After all, Yun Shen hadn't taken any concubines all these years, and judging from San Niang's attitude, if it were just San Niang's wishful thinking, this would have happened long ago.
Sending Li away was partly due to consideration for San Niang's feelings.
“Of all the years you’ve been married to your brother-in-law, you’re the one who understands him best,” An Ran complimented. She continued, “You should know better than anyone how to maintain a proper balance.”
A man's infatuation can be broken; a woman's infatuation cannot.
Being too attached to something can blind you to your emotions, causing you to dive headfirst into it without considering anything else, and you won't be able to see anything else.
“Third sister, you not only have brother-in-law, but also mother, Jue-ge’er, the Marquis of Nan’an’s mansion…” An Ran thought for a moment and said, “For their sake, and for your own sake, you should take good care of yourself.”
Third Sister didn't say anything.
Just as An Ran was about to go out to call for help, she suddenly asked, "Ninth Sister, how do you know so much?"
Third Sister had doubts in her heart.
An Ran's words were all reasonable, her thinking was thorough, and her calm and composed demeanor was completely unlike that of a thirteen-year-old girl. If we follow Zhao's words, how could Jiu Niang, who grew up in the countryside, possess such insight?