Chapter 109 - 68: Rumors

Chapter 109: Chapter 68: RumorsMidnight ******************************* The light brightened, and all the water before her vanished. This always happened, leaving Ran Yan feeling deflated. Suddenly someone patted her shoulder. Ran Yan turned around to see Yin Miaomiao standing gracefully, her brows faintly furrowed with worry, "Ah Yan, tomorrow is Qixi, accompany me to sail on the lake." "Accompany me to sail on the lake..." "Accompany me to sail on the lake..." The phrase still echoed in her ears when Ran Yan was suddenly pulled by an inexplicable force and slowly opened her eyes. It was already bright outside. Ran Yan sat up in bed, wrapped in her covers. She meticulously recalled every detail of her dream, striving to remember exactly what had happened and how Yin Wanwan had died. Yin Miaomiao had asked her to accompany her on the lake, and Yin Wanwan had been found drowned. Was this event orchestrated by Yin Miaomiao herself? That would explain her conversation with Qin Silang the night before, wouldn’t it? Since it involved Qin Silang, was it possible that both sisters fancied Qin Silang, but Yin Miaomiao, less lively and talkative than her sister, could not win his favor? Had she killed her sister out of jealousy? These speculations were just wild guesses based on Yin Miaomiao’s demeanor and speech from the night before; there was no hard evidence. Furthermore, the Pingjiang River was wide, and during the annual flood season, the currents were swift. Even if a woman’s body had truly been submerged with a large stone tied to her feet, after two years, it would have been swept away without a trace. Ran Yan rubbed her forehead and got out of bed. Hearing movement, Mama Xing quickly opened the curtains and came in, "Wife, did you sleep well tonight?" "Not too bad," Ran Yan replied as she sat down in front of the dressing mirror. Mama Xing commanded Xiao Man to fetch water for Ran Yan to wash up. "Seeing you sleep so peacefully, I did not awake you. Shilang had risen early and ordered two large chests to be moved in, and he also brought breakfast from Tian Xiang Lou, which I am keeping warm on the stove," said Mama Xing, her eyes sparkling with joy. Having a brother take care of her at home made life in the main residence less difficult. While talking, they heard a persistent knocking at the door. "Ah Yan!" Ran Yunsheng’s voice was full of urgency as he knocked. "Ah Yan! Are you up? I need to come in, it’s an emergency!" Mama Xing had never seen the usually genteel Ran Yunsheng in such a rush. She quickly grabbed a gauze garment for Ran Yan to drape over herself, then tied her long hair back. Despite Ran Yunsheng’s claim of entering, he didn’t actually barge in until Ran Yan gave her consent. Then, swift as the wind, he rushed over, "Ah Yan, you must tell me, did you perform autopsies at the Government Office few days ago?" Ran Yan was taken aback for a moment before nodding. Ran Yunsheng’s expression went blank. After a long pause, he said slowly, "The moment I entered the city this morning, I was met with rumors everywhere. The patrons at Tian Xiang Lou are spreading some unseemly gossip." Mama Xing was also shocked. She knew that Ran Yan had suddenly acquired medical skills, but she had not expected her to engage in such activities. "Ah Yan, are you performing autopsies to earn money?" Ran Yunsheng stared intently at Ran Yan, his eyes rimmed red, holding back tears. At first, I performed autopsies just so that Sang Chen could help me make syringes. Mainly, it was to earn the money from Cai Xiu Hall. Thinking it over, I suppose it was all to make money," Ran Yan nodded slightly, "Performing autopsies isn’t something to be ashamed of. I haven’t stolen or robbed anyone. Let them say whatever they want... Shilang, would you think I’m unclean?" Ran Yunsheng sat down on his knees in front of her and stretched out his hand to draw her into his embrace, speaking softly, "How could I think you’re unclean? My Ah Yan, you’re always pure and pristine. In the future, with Shilang here, I’ll never let anyone make you feel wronged." Xing Mama suddenly burst into tears, sobbing, "It’s all this old servant’s fault for letting my lady endure this hardship." Ran Yan was speechless. How could she explain that she enjoyed conducting autopsies? The mood in the room grew somber for a while before Ran Yunsheng let go of Ran Yan, seeing the faint smile on her face, he couldn’t help but stretch out his hand to knock on her head, "Still smiling! With this incident, even your marriage prospects are in question!" The Yan Family’s status in Suzhou City was not inferior to the Ran Family’s. The more prestigious the family, the more they valued face. It went without saying that the Yan Family would mind Ran Yan having done the lowly and dirty work of a forensic doctor. Their family’s Yan Silang was a talented young man and not the eldest son. There was no urgency for offspring, so even if delaying another year or two, marrying a woman of an even higher status was not out of the question. Therefore, with even the slightest flaw, the marriage proposal would not be approved by the Yan Family. "I will go and see Master Sui Yuan right away!" Ran Yunsheng said. "At this time, if Shilang goes to visit him, wouldn’t that be humiliating ourselves? If Yan Silang doesn’t go through with the marriage, will Sui Yuan marry me?" Ran Yan knew that even if Sang Chen disagreed with the marriage, he wouldn’t have been harsh with his words, but Ran Yunsheng didn’t know, and his actions moved Ran Yan profoundly. Although psychologically, Ran Yan was much older than Ran Yunsheng, he indeed gave her the feeling of an older brother, doting on her and protecting her as if under his wings. With a brother like this, Ran Yan felt very content. "How can we know without trying? Besides, Master Sui Yuan is unpredictable; he might not even care," Ran Yunsheng said, not very confident, after all, Sang Chen was a direct descendant of the prestigious Cui clan from Boling. Sёarch* The ηovёlFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In the original "Clan Chronicles," the Boling Cui family ranked first among the noble clans. However, after the Tang Dynasty, Taizong revised the "Clan Chronicles," placing the Li Clan first and the Empress’s family, the Changsun clan, second, and so the Boling Cui family fell to third place. Coming from such an esteemed family and being an attractive man, combined with Sang Suiyuan’s reputation, what kind of woman couldn’t he marry? Listening to Ran Yunsheng talk, Ran Yan truly wanted to laugh. Was Sang Chen’s unpredictability just pretending to be dumb? Originally, Ran Yan had risen abruptly, nearly outshining Qi Liuniang, and become the woman many noble families in Suzhou City wanted as a daughter-in-law. Yet, overnight she had become someone whom people despised as difficult to marry off. It was indeed a roller coaster ride. However, Ran Yan didn’t take any of these to heart. Even if she couldn’t get married in three or five years, she would only be twenty-six; right now, what she really wanted to know was, who had spread the rumors? Not many people knew she performed autopsies, and it made no sense for Inspector Liu to do this to her. "Let it be, Shilang, doesn’t Buddhism say that ’everything is fated’? " Ran Yan temporarily set aside her thoughts and pulled Ran Yunsheng to sit down. Ran Yunsheng knelt at the window, watching Xing Mama comb her hair, and it took him a good while before he gradually calmed down. But no matter how he thought about it, this affair was extremely troublesome. Perhaps with time, people would forget, but how long would that take? One year, two years, or perhaps three? By then, it would be hard to find a better marriage match! Ran Yunsheng stared at Ran Yan’s exquisite and beautiful profile, her skin shining with a luminous sheen like white jade, and he felt a wave of irritation. Surely his exceptional sister couldn’t be resigned to a mediocre husband? After pondering for a long time, only when Ran Yan finished getting ready did he finally speak up, "Ah Yan, after the new year, why don’t you come with me to Chang’an? Considering what has happened, I reckon uncle won’t object." Xing Mama was in the midst of inserting the jade hairpin, and Ran Yan could only glance sideways at him, "To Chang’an?" Ran Yunsheng hummed in affirmation, "However, right now we need to think about how to handle the clan’s fury." With this incident, it was the Ran Clan that faced the greatest disgrace. Even if the Yan Family ended the marriage discussions, the Ran household probably couldn’t say anything and would likely wish they could find a hole to burrow into. "Fury? So what if they get angry, it’s not like they can drown me in a pond," Ran Yan unconcernedly said. No sooner had these words left her mouth did Ran Yan’s heart skip a beat. The image of Yin Wanwan sinking into the pond flashed in her mind: her face wrapped in plain cloth, a bamboo cage tied to her feet, and stones placed inside the cage—wasn’t this strikingly similar to the ancient tales of pond drowning or the "Drowning Pig Cage"? (To be continued. 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