The daily struggles of divorced women in ancient times

The next morning, Xia Mianwan had just woken up when Rumeng came to report that Madam Qin and Qin Qinqing wanted to see her.

Xia Mianwan glanced at the hourglass, shook her head, and called Hongling to come up and comb her hair.

After packing up, Xia Mianwan got up and went to the front hall.

"Aunt, cousin." Xia Mianwan walked into the hall with a smile. The maid had already prepared breakfast.

Mrs. Qin didn't expect Xia Mianwan to get up so late, and said awkwardly: "Mianwan, I'm sorry, I didn't expect you haven't had breakfast yet."

"It's okay, I got up late. Aunt, cousin, please sit wherever you want. Do you mind if I eat something?" Although it was a question, Xia Mianwan didn't really mean to ask them. He sat down and picked up a spoon to scoop a spoonful of porridge.

"Where is my cousin?" Qin Qinqing asked.

Xia Mianwan glanced at Qin Qinqing and continued to drink her porridge.

Mrs. Qin pulled Qin Qinqing's sleeve hard. Qin Qinqing glanced at her mother and remained silent unwillingly.

"Mianwan, don't blame your cousin, she didn't mean it." Mrs. Qin said flatteringly.

Xia Mianwan smiled, picked up the chopsticks and picked up a piece of pickled cucumber for herself.

Seeing that Xia Mianwan didn't say anything, Mrs. Qin pulled Qin Qinqing to sit aside.

Xia Mianwan had a good appetite today and ate a bowl of porridge and two steamed buns. "This steamed bun tastes good. Has it been delivered to the young master and the young lady?"

"Reporting to the young lady, the young master and the young lady have them." Xuan Xue said.

Xia Mianwan nodded, rolled up her sleeves and stood up, "Aunt, cousin, why are you here to see me?"

Madam Qin smiled and said, "There are indeed some things. Your cousin is also of marriageable age, so we can't delay it any longer. Your cousin and I were reckless before. I brought Ah Qing here to apologize to you."

After saying this, Mrs. Qin pushed Qin Qinqing and signaled Qin Qinqing to apologize to Xia Mianwan.

Qin Qinqing rolled her eyes in her heart, and reluctantly walked forward to bow to Xia Mianwan, "Cousin, I was wrong about what happened before, Aqing apologizes to you."

Xia Mianwan pursed her lips, a slight smile appeared on the corner of her mouth, "That's not true, cousin, but don't be so willful in the future. It's okay at home, but it's not good if you're still like this after you get married."

Qin Qinqing was furious, but the situation was stronger than she was, so she had to nod in agreement.

Seeing that Qin Qinqing had surrendered, Xia Mianwan didn't say much and looked at Mrs. Qin.

Madam Qin waited for Qin Qinqing to sit down before she said, "Mianwan, Aqing is already seventeen years old this year, and marriage can't be delayed any longer. Now Yan Xu is married, so Aqing's marriage can't be delayed any longer."

"Since my mother-in-law has entrusted all the affairs of the Pei Mansion to me, I will naturally take care of them. But my aunt and cousin are members of the Qin family, so they don't know... So I am just lending a hand, and everything else depends on my aunt's opinion."

Mrs. Qin finally understood why her sister wanted to hand over the entire Pei Mansion to Xia Mianwan to manage. This was a powerful person.

"Naturally."

Xia Mianwan thought for a moment and asked, "I wonder what my aunt wants from her son-in-law?"

Madam Qin said hurriedly: "Yes, yes."

Madam Qin thought about it all night last night, and now she blurted out her conditions, "We have never thought about marrying into a wealthy family, but Aqing's father is at least a fourth-rank meritorious official, so a merchant family is absolutely not an option. It would be best if she is a scholar, or a military general, as long as the family has simple personnel."

Xia Mianwan didn't expect that Mrs. Qin, who had been so unreasonable before, now seemed to be clear-headed and kind to her daughter.

Qin Qinqing frowned slightly after hearing what Mrs. Qin said.

Xia Mianwan discovered it, "Does my cousin agree?"

Qin Qinqing was stunned and didn't say anything. Mrs. Qin saw this and pushed Qin Qinqing anxiously.

"What are you doing? Tell me now."

Qin Qinqing was stunned for a moment, then looked at Xia Mianwan and said, "Cousin, I don't agree."

Xia Mianwan raised an eyebrow, "Oh? So what do you mean?"

"I want to marry a superior man, and it doesn't matter if I'm...a concubine!" Qin Qinqing said, gritting her teeth.

Xia Mianwan looked at Qin Qinqing in surprise. This person had always been very tactful and cowardly, and would only instigate secretly without saying anything. Now she actually said it so directly... It was surprising.

"No problem, but if you become a concubine, you cannot marry out of the Pei Mansion. The Pei Mansion can't afford to lose this person, nor does it have the face to do so." Xia Mianwan said indifferently.

"Are you going to drive me away?" Qin Qinqing asked loudly.

"No, the Pei Mansion is a small temple and cannot accommodate people with big ambitions." Xia Mianwan's voice was not loud, but it was much colder.

Mrs. Qin was extremely disappointed. She looked at her daughter and didn't understand why she had become like this.

Qin Qinqing gritted her teeth and knelt down with a plop. "Cousin, I really don't want to marry into those poor little official families."

"I don't disagree. I said, I will help anyone you want to marry, but you can't marry from the Pei Mansion." Xia Mianwan said lightly.

Madam Qin pushed Qin Qinqing hard and said to Xia Mianwan, "Mianwan, don't worry about her. Her marriage was decided by her parents. She can't control it herself."

Xia Mianwan said: "Aunt, that's true, but I can't ignore her feelings. If...she marries a family she's not satisfied with, how can I complain to her? Otherwise, let's do this. Aunt, you can choose any family you want, as long as you move out of the Pei family and don't rely on the Pei family's influence."

Madam Qin glared at Qin Qinqing angrily, then sighed and said, "In that case, I'll take her out."

Qin Qinqing saw that her mother really agreed to Xia Mianwan's move out, and now she was anxious. She hugged Mrs. Qin's legs and said, "Mother, I won't go out, please don't do this."

"Don't you want to be my concubine? Then I will go outside to embarrass you. Why are you crying? Haven't I satisfied you?" Mrs. Qin was unmoved.

Madam Qin had never treated Qin Qinqing like this since she was a child. Qin Qinqing never thought that Madam Pei would be so tough. Forcing her was useless. She could only cry and said, "Mother, please don't be like this. I don't want to be a concubine anymore."

Xia Mianwan didn't believe her so easily. "Aunt, my cousin cried so sadly, I'm still afraid. If I take her out to see her, she will cry in front of others. It will not be good for my husband and the Pei family."

"Cousin, I won't. I promise, I will never do that! Whoever you decide to marry, I will marry!" Qin Qinqing said.

"No, this is not allowed here. People who don't know would think I'm forcing you to be my concubine!"

Mrs. Qin squatted down, took out a handkerchief, and wiped her daughter's face carefully. "Ah Qing, mother and aunt love you so much, have you really given up?"