Family Structure

The eldest sister she spoke of was named Xue Qing Xue, the eldest daughter of Concubine Luo, and also the daughter their father loved most.

"Not only Eldest Young Lady, Concubine Luo, Second Young Lady, and Concubine Feng have also come to pay their respects to Madam early this morning."

In the corner of the room stood a red lacquered washstand, on which rested a brightly polished bronze basin. Xiao Tao brought in water, poured the pre-mixed water into the bronze basin, and invited Xue Qing Ning to wash her face. Hearing her question, she smiled and replied.

Xue Qing Ning nodded.

Her father in this life, Xue Bo Ming, although he had a few chambermaid concubines by his side, in these years, only Concubine Luo and Concubine Feng had been elevated to di nian. Among them, Concubine Luo and Xue Bo Ming were maternal cousins, their affections having grown together since childhood, far from ordinary. Although forced to marry Madam Xu as his main wife, he found it difficult to sever ties with Concubine Luo. Even in the first month after marrying Madam Xu, he had caused a fuss before his parents several times over this matter, completely disregarding the dignity and feelings of his new bride, Madam Xu.

Conversely, after Madam Xu learned of the situation, she personally stepped forward and persuaded her parents-in-law to allow Xue Bo Ming to take Concubine Luo as a concubine, thereby earning a reputation for virtue and magnanimity before her parents-in-law, and leaving Xue Bo Ming unable to find any fault with her.

After Concubine Luo became pregnant, Madam Xu then married off one of her most beautiful dowry maidservants to Xue Bo Ming, who was also elevated to di nian; that was Concubine Feng.

Unexpectedly, Concubine Luo was ill-fated. Her first pregnancy, at six months, suddenly resulted in a hemorrhage, giving birth to a fully formed male infant. After that, she did not become pregnant again for many years. During these years, Madam Xu successively gave birth to Xue Yuan Shao and Xue Yuan Qing, further solidifying her position as Lady Yongchang Bo.

Although Concubine Luo later became pregnant again, she only gave birth to a daughter. After that, she did not give birth again for several decades, only fulfilling her wish to have a son last year. But with two grown legitimate sons, Xue Yuan Shao and Xue Yuan Qing, already present, even if she were to give birth to a few more sons, it would be useless.

In these years, Concubine Feng only gave birth to one daughter, named Xue Qing Yun, who ranked second in the manor.

Furthermore, although Xue Qing Quan followed their father to an official post far away, her age was greater than Xue Qing Ning's, so everyone in the manor now called Xue Qing Ning the Fourth Young Lady.

As for the Third Branch, her third uncle, Xue Bo Ping, was ten years younger than Xue Bo Ming and married nearly ten years later, so the rank of his children was even further behind theirs.

The relationships within a large aristocratic family were truly intricate and complicated.

Xue Qing Ning, while wiping her face with a snow-white cloth, thought to herself. But there was no other way; in this life, she was in such a situation, and she couldn't rely on her own strength to change anything.

Moreover, even if she truly wanted to change something, she feared that in the eyes of others, they would think she was possessed by evil spirits, and she might even be imprisoned, burned, or drowned to put an end to the matter.

Xue Qing Ning admitted that she was timid, so before her, there seemed to be only the path of abiding by her lot and adapting to the customs of this household.