Preparing for the 94th anniversary of my wife's birthday

  Yang Lan returned to her seat, and Zhou Ying asked strangely: "Where did you go? We were just talking about drinking together as a couple! I looked for you for half a day but couldn't find you."

  Yang Lan's lips curled up and a smile spread across her face, with a dimple appearing on her cheek. "Just now, my earrings fell off at the Rain Flower Pavilion, I reckon it was when I was playing with Ming Yu sister that they dropped off. I ran to pick them up, and just now I overheard the maids talking, and heard some news that's got me a bit worried."

  Zhou Ying raised an eyebrow and asked: "What's up? You tell me and I'll listen."

  Yang Lan looked at the several girls who came over with interest, and said slowly with a serious face: "Just now I accidentally heard the maids say that Dingzhou is in trouble, and many refugees have poured into the capital. Speaking of the disaster ten years ago, many people died, and many people were sold as slaves, I listened to it and felt very uncomfortable." After finishing, she also sighed.

  The young lady of the Zuo family, Tao Yunfang, was intelligent and elegant, with a dignified and generous demeanor. She immediately said: "Do you have something on your mind? If you do, just say it straight out, don't be hesitant! It's annoying!" As she spoke, she glared at her with a hint of reproach.

  Yang Lan looked at the group of curious ladies and said, "I have an idea, I'd like to discuss it with my sisters. We've always been raised in luxury, but my father and brother are still fighting on the front lines and haven't returned yet. Besides donating money for incense and oil, what's better than accumulating virtues and doing good deeds? I want to go and distribute porridge and medicine to help those refugees in need, it's also a way for me to accumulate virtues for my father and brother, hoping they'll return home soon." She looked at the group of noble ladies with clear and sincere eyes.

  Tao Yunfang thought for a moment, then immediately realized it was a good thing, not only could she pray for blessings for her family, but also accumulate good reputation for herself, which would be beneficial to both others and herself. She nodded readily, "Since my sister wants to do it, I'll join in too! I still have some personal savings. I'm willing to work with you, just command me how to do it, I'll listen to you."

  Zhou Ying also smiled and nodded vigorously, "It's rare for a younger sister to have this kind of heart, my little uncle is also on the battlefield! I'll count as one too!"

  Ming Yu raised her head and smiled: "How could I be left out of something like this?"

  These people all have some good reputation in the noble circle, with a certain degree of cohesion. Since this is a good thing, those who are bold enough immediately expressed their willingness to contribute and pray for their families.

  Wan Rou also ran over and laughed: "You can't leave me behind, I'm going with you guys."

  Yang Lan's heart secretly rejoiced, and she immediately ordered: "Go, bring a pen, let's talk about the specific things that need to be arranged."

  The girl quickly ran to fetch pen, ink, paper and inkstone. Biyun held the pen, and everyone contributed their ideas one by one, with Yang Lan adding a few timely suggestions.

  Chu Le Yi and Le An returned after going somewhere for a while. Seeing everyone so lively, she smiled and asked: "What are you guys talking about? Why is it so lively?! Tell us too, let's have some fun together!"

  "We were talking about Dingzhou's disaster, Jing'an started it and we plan to go together to offer porridge. Do you want to come along?" asked Wen Rou Shun.

  Chu Le Yi's face slightly darkened. The officials of Dingzhou were her father's people, and this time the disaster in Dingzhou was also because the grain in the granary was sold away, which was also for the purpose of sending tribute to her father. She didn't expect to suddenly suffer a disaster, now they are making such a big fuss, isn't it slapping her father's face?!

  There was some discontent in his heart, but he still forced a smile and said: "It's not good to be so high-profile like this! If the emperor finds out, he'll think we're slapping him in the face! Besides, the court will definitely take action. Why do we need to worry about it?" As he spoke, he found it quite amusing, with a look on his face that said "you're worrying for nothing".

  Some girls can't help but hesitate, if doing good deeds can't get a good result, is it still necessary? They became hesitant.

  Yang Lan's face sank, her expression serious and sincere as she retorted: "I didn't know that doing some good deeds would also be slapping the emperor's uncle in the face. I only knew that my father and brother were still fighting on the battlefield and had not returned, so I just wanted to do some good deeds to pray for their blessings. How the imperial court is run has nothing to do with us girls, that's a matter for you men to worry about, I don't know anything about it! All I want is for my father and brother to return safely, and I will thank the Buddha for his protection. This matter is settled, if you are not comfortable with it, I won't force it, at most I'll just do it myself, I have the ability to do so much, I'll just do what I can!" Thinking of her father and brother, she couldn't help but tear up.

  Not only were there relatives of her family on the battlefield, but also many children of military generals whose circumstances were similar to those of Yang Lan, so they strongly supported this matter.

  Cai Wenyu, the eldest daughter of the Wu Guohou family, immediately retorted: "We're just giving up porridge, it's not like we're doing something that angers heaven and men! Why can't you do it? I'll do it if you don't. My father is still away on the battlefield, my mother prays for blessings in the Buddhist hall every day. Do you understand the anxiety in the hearts of our Wu general's family?" As she spoke, she couldn't help but shed tears.

  In the end, the family members of the military generals ran to the temple more quickly than those of the civil officials. This scene won the support of many kind-hearted girls, who expressed their willingness to contribute money and effort to follow suit.

  Yang Lan wiped the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief and continued to discuss with them how to make better arrangements, how many porridge sheds to set up, how many medicinal soup points to set up, and where to set them up. Everyone came up with their own ideas and actively offered suggestions, making the scene lively and leaving Chu Leiyin out in the cold.

  Le An also wanted to follow along, but she was a princess and her mother didn't have much money. She couldn't afford it, nor did she necessarily have the time to spare. Moreover, in the capital city, she had no relatives to help her out, so she felt somewhat disheartened and not very pleased.

  After discussion, Yang Lan wrote a list of specific items and let the girls copy them down. According to the designated location, they would start delivering porridge from tomorrow, sending someone to report back on the situation every day, and then see if any changes were needed.

  Grains are taken from the granary of each family, and they must not be old rice. The requirements include that chopsticks can stand upright without falling over, etc., and it is best to have a doctor present when taking medicine, etc. All these things were carefully entrusted one by one.

  After the banquet, everyone went back to prepare, and the original plan to go to the Xijiao Horse Ranch was also cancelled. This made Chu Le Yi so angry that she stomped her feet in frustration. The well-planned event had inexplicably fallen through, and as she left, she gave Yang Lan a resentful look.

  Back to the mansion. Yang Lan immediately ordered: "Go and inform personally, let Third Sister, Fourth Sister and Fifth Sister go directly to Songhe Hall. Go to Old Lady's place, go and tell Third Aunt that I have something to ask for. Also, call Yang General Manager over, see how much grain can be allocated from the estate, give me a message."

  "Yes, I'll go and make arrangements right away." Lin's nanny immediately went off to make arrangements.

  Yang Lan changed into a home-made pink embroidered soft yellow chrysanthemum velvet jacket, a crimson thread-embroidered horse-face skirt, and arrived at Song He Tang. San Shu had already arrived, sitting beside her were three young ladies.

  She saw her coming, and San Shu asked proactively: "Liu Ya Tou, you said you had something to find us?"

  Yang Lan smiled and nodded, "Yes! Today I got some good news that I want to discuss with Grandma and Aunties. As soon as I came back, I was eager to tell you all."

  He then greeted the old lady and asked for her well-being, but she hurriedly waved her hand to stop him, and curiously stretched her neck to ask: "What's the matter, tell me."

  Yang Lan told everything about discussing the abandoned porridge with a group of girls at the Gentle County Master's place, omitting only the encounter with Sixth Prince Chu Yu, but hiding nothing else.

  Finally, she said: "My father and second brother are struggling at the front line, I am worried day and night and often wake up from nightmares in the middle of the night. Now that such a thing has happened, my heart is filled with unbearable thoughts. I think that giving porridge to save people is also a good deed, and I hope that the Buddha will see my sincerity and bless my father and brother to return safely. Auntie is more knowledgeable than me. So I thought of working together with my sisters and following Auntie's example to learn some skills."

  Third Aunt's family is also from a scholarly background, and she is related to Old Lady, although not very closely. With good family education and being the eldest daughter, it wouldn't have been possible for her to marry into the Duke of Jingguo's household otherwise. In the past when she was still a young lady, she had also participated in charitable activities like distributing porridge under the guidance of her family members.

  Doing good deeds and accumulating virtues is a matter of experience, but Yang Lan's first glance at her was astonishing. Unexpectedly, at such a young age, she had such unique insight, able to seize the initiative, and not forgetting to pull up her sisters, this alone is worthy of praise.

  She thought for a moment and looked at the old lady, saying: "Although I'm not talented, I also think this is a good thing. I am willing to contribute 1,000 taels of silver to help the children out, what do you think, Old Lady?"

  The old lady was quite surprised, as the most stingy person in the past would now be so generous, it's really rare, and she was very happy in her heart. She also felt that accumulating good deeds is always a good thing, so she smiled and nodded, "I think this matter is very good too, I'll contribute two thousand, let the managers bring the servants along, if we're going to do it, we must do it well, and not allow anyone to tarnish our family's reputation."

  Yang Lan saw that the two elders had finished speaking, and then smiled and said: "Lan'er doesn't dare to compare with her elders. I've already asked Manager Yang to contact the steward of the Zhuangzi estate to bring some grain over. This matter will be prepared by me and a few sisters, and we'll also learn from Auntie and see the scene."

  The fourth girl was silent for a long time, then suddenly spoke up: "I'll take out 500 taels! Although my mother is not here, she left us some silver before she left. I'm willing to take out some of it and consider it as accumulating blessings for our family. Meanwhile, let the manager of my mother's estate bring over some grain, and we can count it as a contribution from our four households. What do you think, Sixth Sister?"

  The fifth daughter looked at her elder sister with gratitude, "I don't have that much money, but I'm willing to help my sisters do some work within my ability." After finishing speaking, she lowered her head in embarrassment.

  Yang Lan clapped her hands excitedly and said, "It's settled then! Fourth brother, fifth brother, and sixth brother are all at home too! Sixth brother is now doing well in the military department and has a good vision. Let's get them to run errands for us outside, it's a rare opportunity to order our brothers around, we can't let them off easily."

  Third Aunt immediately laughed and pointed at Yang Lan, scolding: "This child, just can't see her several older brothers idle, that's all! Let your older brothers help you with some trivial matters, if you have anything you don't understand, come ask the adults, just don't get cheated!"

  "Of course! If we can make it happen, there will be many things to ask Auntie about. Auntie must not think we're bothering her!"

  "Don't worry, I'm here! I'll take care of my mother!" The third daughter patted her chest and responded loudly.

  Third Aunt glared at her, laughing and scolding: "You little monkey, just don't cause trouble. When it comes to outside matters, you must discuss them with your sisters, don't act on your own."

  The third girl turned her head to one side with great displeasure, pouting and grumbling, "I didn't know all these things, why do you always say I'm so stupid!"

  The aunt patted the armrest of her chair and said, "This kid, I say one sentence and you retort with ten!"

  "Hehehe!" The sisters covered their mouths and giggled secretly.

  P.S.: Can I say that I really like Ada Choi? I think she's so beautiful, especially as the Empress in "The Legend of Zhen Huan", her noble and elegant demeanor is great! When I was younger, I also loved watching her TV shows. The female lead in this novel was originally based on her, with a bright, elegant, and slightly English beauty. Okay, I guess I'm a fan of Ada Choi too. o(n_n)o~