Chapter 85 - 53: Clue, Bracelet

Chapter 85: Chapter 53: Clue, BraceletMadam Xing wanted to go and inquire about the news, but Ran Yan firmly held her back, and with Maid Shu’s unwelcoming expression, she had no choice but to send two maids to lead Xiao Song to the prepared courtyard. The architecture of the Ran estate was not luxurious and its decoration was ordinary, but the scenery was uniquely pleasant, and every courtyard was surrounded by lush greenery in a well-organized layout. Madam Xing craned her neck to watch Xiao Song’s tall figure disappear into the rainy night under an umbrella and couldn’t help but exclaim, "He truly is a rare gentleman to come across in a hundred years! Wife, such men are few and far between; you must hold on tight to him." Ran Yan hummed non-committally. Seeing her dismissive attitude, Madam Xing continued, "I see that his forehead is full and his brows are free of peach blossom marks, surely he’s not the kind of man like Qin Silang. He comes from a good background... I suspect he might be a prince, otherwise why would such a young man wear purple?" "Besides, isn’t it the Li Family’s era now? If he were a prince, how could his surname be Xiao?" Ran Yan retorted lightly. She was not interested in speculating about this matter, but just to respond to Madam Xing, she said, "Since when did you learn to read faces?" "Don’t change the subject," Madam Xing persisted, unaffected by Ran Yan’s attempt to sway the conversation, and confidently said, "Maybe he doesn’t want his identity known and has given a false name? That’s how it’s always told in performances similar to storytelling in the Tang dynasty." "In that case, why would he wear purple and attract attention?" Ran Yan casually continued the conversation while walking along the porch to the inside. Madam Xing paused, her supposedly foolproof explanation refuted in a few sentences, yet this didn’t dampen her spirits. She slapped her thigh and said, "If not that, then he must be a high-ranking official of at least the Third Rank! That’s even more notable for someone young! Wife..." Indeed, what Madam Xing previously said wasn’t unreasonable. When a young man holds a high position, the first thought is that he must be of royal connection or has inherited a title from ancestors, as there are countless nobles and officials in the Tang dynasty. Once in the courtyard, Ran Yan removed her mask, took a deep breath, and let the air, mixed with a mild scent of earth and herbs, fill her lungs, refreshing her fully. Hearing Madam Xing still tirelessly chattering next to her, Ran Yan repeatedly reassured her, "I listen to you. If he really is a good match, I certainly won’t let him slip through my fingers, rest assured." At that, Madam Xing nodded in satisfaction and followed Ran Yan into Wan Lu’s room. Wan Lu had not yet fallen asleep and was slowly drinking guangpi soup and rice porridge with the aid of Mrs. Liu. Guangpi soup, which is made from peony bark, guangpi, cinnamon, processed pinellia, dried ginger, and licorice boiled in water, is primarily used for recuperation after one has been revived from strangulation. After two days of nursing, although Wan Lu was still pale and could not move independently, she was much better than before. Seeing Ran Yan, Wan Lu struggled to get up, but was stopped by Ran Yan’s intervention. She knelt by the bed, brought her fingers together, and held Wan Lu’s wrist to feel her pulse. After a while, Ran Yan slightly relaxed and asked, "Is your throat still hurting?" Wan Lu shook her head, her voice was hoarse, almost only a breath’s sound, "It doesn’t hurt anymore." Ran Yan paused for a moment, thinking that since Wan Lu’s condition was stable, it was appropriate to ask some questions, "Wan Lu, do you remember who tried to kill you that day?" Talking about the incident, fear clouded over Wan Lu’s beautiful eyes. After thinking for a while, she shook her head and said, "I didn’t see the face clearly. At first... when I moved beside that gentleman, afraid that he would notice my wife, I went around near the Muxiang Pavilion to another direction and hid behind the rockery. By chance, I overheard two women plotting to frame Qin Silang, but before I could cry out for help, someone hit me from behind..." Wan Lu’s throat hadn’t fully recovered and gradually, she could no longer make a sound, only the breath of her speech was audible. Ran Yan patted her and said, "Don’t talk anymore. Wait until you’re better, and then tell it all together." Wan Lu was impatient and currently mute, almost bursting into tears as she struggled to speak, "The bracelet—I’ve seen that bracelet!" "Don’t rush; I’ll ask a question, and you just nod or shake your head," Ran Yan knew Wan Lu could hardly read and was utterly unable to express herself in writing, so she used this method. Wan Lu nodded. Ran Yan asked, "You said you’ve seen the bracelet worn by the murderer, is that correct?" Wan Lu nodded again. She seemed to be recalling the owner of the bracelet. She vaguely remembered having seen it somewhere recently but couldn’t recall who it was, whether due to a head injury or shallow memory; after all, too many women in Suzhou City liked wearing jade bracelets. "Did you see it after I recovered from my illness?" Ran Yan guessed that if the bracelet wasn’t very expensive or extremely unique, most people wouldn’t remember a common bracelet. Besides, Wan Lu had previously always been by Ran Yan’s side, caring for her closely, so she would only have seen people from the Ran household wearing bracelets. Wan Lu nodded excitedly. Recently? Ran Yan’s mind swiftly searched through the women she had seen recently, initially casting a wide net. She had been on the street a few times recently, but Wan Lu wouldn’t have stared at others’ wrists there. Besides that, the only other women-filled place was the Yin household! But that visit was after her recovery; Wan Lu meant she had seen it before that... "Cai Xiu Hall!" Ran Yan suddenly thought of this place. Han Shan and the death of that maid were supposed to frame Qin Silang! "Yes! Yes!" Wan Lu was so excited that she ignored her throat’s pain and hoarsely echoed, only to end with a heavy sigh. Ran Yan recalled the people she had met that day at Cai Xiu Hall. Wan Lu seemed to remember something, her eyes lighting up as she breathlessly said, "Cui... Mei..." "Cui Mei?" Ran Yan voiced the name, slowly recalling the musician named Cui Mei in Cai Xiu Hall, a woman whose entire demeanor was gentle, with extremely fair and delicate features, modest and demure. Ran Yan could now only remember her overall impression but had forgotten her specific looks. A pristine jade bracelet graced Cui Mei’s fair wrist, of superior quality, as white as mutton fat. At that time, Ran Yan even thought the bracelet perfectly matched her temperament, which was probably why Wan Lu also had some impression of it. That day, Cui Mei had strenuously avoided Ran Yan’s treatment, emphasizing she was a musician, not a courtesan, yet she seemed to have contracted syphilis. "Besides hearing them plot to frame Qin Silang in the Yin household, did you hear anything else?" Ran Yan then asked. Wan Lu shook her head. Ran Yan continued to inquire, "Is the other woman’s voice familiar to you?" Perhaps because this body had once been close friends with Yin Wanwan, Ran Yan inwardly hoped it wasn’t Yin Miaomiao. If Yin Miaomiao was truly convinced that her sister had been harmed by Qin Silang, revenge was a significant possibility. After proposing a game of hide-and-seek that day, all the women dispersed, providing her ample opportunity to conspire. However, under Ran Yan’s gaze, Wan Lu slightly shook her head. (To be continued. If you like this novel, you are welcome to vote for it with recommendation tickets and monthly tickets at Qidian (qidian.com), your support is my greatest motivation.) Sёarch* The Nôvel(F)ire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.