Chapter 21: Zheng Clan of Xingyang

Ran Wen relaxed his expression a little and pulled Ran Yan into the house.

Entering the inner hall, Ran Wen looked around and saw that the things in the hall were of fine make, and nothing was old or worn either.

Ran Yan waited for Ran Wen to sit at the main seat before she sat down. Meeting this Tang Dynasty father, Ran Yan feelings were complicated. Ran Yan’s father from her previous life was a famous chemist who thought that he was humorous and especially liked telling Ran Yan jokes that no normal person would understand, even though Ran Yan maintained a poker face, father Ran would be entertained without tiring.

However the father in the hall was gentle and prudent, clearly separating relationship between the older and younger generation, between him and her father whose life was not in tune[1], they were two extremes. Without knowing why, Ran Yan especially missed her parents at this moment.

“Ah Yan.” Ran Wen seeing Ran Yan’s beautiful face, a trace of amazement flashed across his face, only to become serene again in an instant, “Father sees that you’ve almost recovered completely from your illness, after a few days I will send people to escort you home.”

Ran Yan frowned unconsciously, in her current situation, her life after returning would definitely be even harder. If she did not misread Ran Wen’s expression, it seemed that he was scheming more than being worried!

“It’s quite good here, I would like to continue self-cultivating for a period of time, moreover, I have not been back to the official residence for two years, I fear I would also have to trouble madam in preparing for my return, if it’s so sudden, I’m afraid that madam would be exhausted.”

Ran Wen raised the tea that Wan Lu served and said with some displeasure: “That is your mother! Why do you call her madam?”

Ran Yan kept quiet, if she had to call the biological mother of the original body’s owner “mother”, she still could accept it, since she was using another person’s body, but that stepmother, was someone that the original Ran Yan was unwilling to acknowledge as her mother, this matter, Ran Yan would not go against her wishes.

Seeing Ran Yan obstinate perseverance, Ran Wen was a little angry, but looking at Ran Yan’s delicate and stunning face, he supressed his anger, gently said: “Never mind, since you have this filial intention, just stay at the estate for another half month, and also think things through.”

After two years she still had not managed to think things through, does he think that after half a year she would be able to? Ran Yan could not help but suspect, that the trace of coldness in Ran Wen’s eyes that she had noticed in the courtyard was not a misperception.

“Yes.” Ran Yan replied.

Half a month, it was enough for her to settle the Caixiu House issue.

Ran Wen nodded, “That’s good.” He got up and walked towards the door, when he reached the doorway he briefly stopped his steps, turned and said: “The matter regarding the monthly embezzlement case, father will investigate clearly.”

Ran Yan followed etiquette, got up to wear her clogs below the veranda, and personally escorted Ran Wen out.

After returning to the courtyard, Miss Xing with reddened eyes, pulled at Ran Yan saying: “Miss, you must never call the second wife “mother”. From a poor family, without morals, she doesn’t deserve to be Miss’s mother!”

Hearing Miss Xing’s saying so, Ran Yan tried to recall, but no matter how she could not remember her biological mother’s identity[2],

“Miss Xing, was my mother a noble lady?” Ran Yan asked.

Miss Xing’s expression changed slightly, but in the end she gritted her teeth and said: “Master forbid us servants to speak of this matter to you, but, seeing Master’s attitude today, I fear that he will not be making decisions for Miss anymore[3]… Madam’s surname is Zheng, she was born to the Zheng clan in Xingyang[4].

“Xingyang’s Zheng clan!” Some general information floated up in Ran Yan’s mind, Boling’s Cui clan, Zhaojun’s Lee clan, Qinghe’s Cui clan, Fanyang’s Lu clan, Xingyang’s Zheng clan, Longxi’s Lee clan, Taiyuan’s Wang clan were known as the Five Surnames, Seven Families. Adding in Jingzhao’s Wei clan, Hedong’s Pei clan, Hedong’s Liu clan, Hedong’s Xue clan, Lanling’s Xiao clan, Jingzhao’s Du clan, they were all large clans passed down through history, in modern times they were still rich and powerful families.

(T/N: Boling, Zhaojun, Qinghe, etc are names of places. Cui, Lee, Lu, etc are surnames)

Ran Yan was stunned, in her ears suddenly were the triumphant words of her archaeologist mother in her previous life when she gave her the Dengni ink stone: I bought this ink stone at a stall at Wangfujing[5], with this old mother’s vast experience with antiques, with one look I identified that this definitely was a good item, decisively bought it. Afterwards I took it to be appraised by the antique experts, this ink stone originated from Xingyang’s Zheng clan’s tomb, it is an antique from the period between the early to mid-Tang Dynasty… Its value is at the very least above two hundred thousand, this old mother just spent 5 dollars, am I not talented?

“Miss!” Miss Xing shook the stunned Ran Yan with alarm.

Ran Yan snapped out of her thoughts and said: “It’s nothing, I was just thinking, since mother was from Xingyang’s Zheng clan, why did Wan Lu say mother’s family was in a slump?”

In the early Tang Dynasty, Xingyang’s Zheng clan was not active on the stage of history, but because of its high family status, “Xingyang’s Zheng clan”, just these four words represented a golden sign capable of crushing someone to death, how was it in a slump?

“Wan Lu is a maidservant born to the Ran family, she knows little because Master banned anyone from mentioning this matter at home. Madam was the daughter of a concubine from the second branch of the Zheng clan, for the past few years, they had some monetary problems, otherwise how would Madam be reduced to marrying out of the Five Surnames!” Miss Xing lamented.

The Five Surnames were connected by marriage to strengthen their family status, and they scorned marriage connections to outsiders. If external men[6] wanted to marry their daughters, they needed to prepare a large sum of betrothal money, and also have outstanding conduct and morals, before they would even be considered.

Thinking about this, Ran Yan roughly understood why Ran Wen would ban anyone from bringing up this matter, if he had with high spirits, exhausted all wealth, wholeheartedly thinking that he could marry a noble lady from a rich and powerful family to raise his own family’s status, but in the end only managing to marry a concubine’s daughter, anyone would want to vomit blood[7]!

“A’ye’s a little narrow-minded.” Ran Yan evaluated apathetically.

The prime minister of the glorious age of the Tang Dynasty, Xue Yuanchao’s lament: This life’s regret, unable to marry a lady from Five Surnames! At that time the Xue family was already part of “Guanzhong’s Four Surnames” formed by Wei, Pei, Liu and Xue[8], but they still looked up to “Five Surnames, Seven Families” so, thus their status could clearly be seen.

Therefore, even if it was a concubine’s daughter, it could be counted as being related to Xingyang’s Zhang clan, others would definitely view them in a new light, but Ran Wen took it to heart that he did not manage to marry a legitimate daughter, after Madam Zheng[9] passed away, he immediately married a woman from another family, this action meant that he voluntarily gave up on the relationship with the Zheng family.

After spending so much money, in the end he gave it up voluntarily, Ran Yan’s heart felt that it was actually not narrow-mindedness, water must have entered his brain[10].

“This marriage was personally requested by Lord Ran when he was still alive.” Miss Xing did not go along with Ran Yan’s evaluation, this matter she mentioned was enough to show that she did not think highly of Ran Wen.

Wan Lu stared blankly for a long time before returning to herself, said: “So Madam was actually from such a prestigious and influential large clan! If Miss really cannot live with the Ran family anymore, can she seek shelter with the Zheng clan?”

“You can say that…” said Miss Xing hesitantly.

Ran Yan understood clearly, her mother was from a large and influential clan, even if she was only a concubine’s daughter, in the eyes of outsiders she was a respectable person they could not approach, but within the clan, a concubine’s daughter was a concubine’s daughter, chances were they would not be well treated, let alone the daughter of a concubine’s daughter.

Moreover, large clans that were rich and powerful, their rules were even more complicated and strict, even if it was a cool and shady big tree, Ran Yan had no plans to lean on it[11].

Wan Lu was just quick to speak her mind, after thinking about it a little, she understood the reason, proceeded to smile sheepishly.

Ran Yan, keeping in mind her pot of taro soup, quickly walked to the fireside.

Towards this Tang Dynasty father, because she harboured no sentiments, so Ran Yan did not have the slightest bit of sadness, she just felt that the original Ran Yan was pitiful.

“It’s boiled into mush already.” Ran Yan looked at a pot of taro, turned her head to say to Miss Xing: “There’s no need to cook rice today, we’ll eat taro.”

“Alright.” Miss Xing seeing that Ran Yan’s mood was not bad, agreed with a smile.

Ran Yan instructed Wan Lu to lift the pot, just as they were about to enter the kitchen, banging sounds rang out from the courtyard entrance.

“Who is it?” Wan Lu raised her voice to ask.

A manservant’s voice travelled from outside, “I[12] am Shao Ming. Mr Sang is here to pay a visit to Seventeenth Miss.”

Sang Chen? Ran Yan raised her eyebrows slightly. When he sent the ink stone last time, it still could be said that it was to repay Ran Yan’s act of saving Zhou San Lang. Why is he here this time?

T/N: This was a little hurriedly translated because I wanted to give you guys an extra chapter quickly after the long wait. I hope it all made sense, especially the part about the families. Do let me know if there’s any errors or confusing parts and I’ll do my best to change it.

[1] 在生活上不着调: something like a person who doesn’t live a well-adjusted life maybe?

[2] 身世: past history

[3] Meaning he would not be making decisions on behalf of Ran Yan for her own benefit/while taking her into consideration

[4] 荥阳: Xingyang city and county in Henan

[5] 王府井: Wangfujing neighborhood of central Beijing, famous for shopping

[6] men who were not part of the any of the Five Surnames clans

[7] 吐血: literally vomiting blood, signifies extreme agitation/anger

[8] 韦、裴、柳、薛: these are all surnames

[9] 郑夫人: Madam Zheng refers to Ran Yan’s mother. I’m not sure why she used her mother’s maiden name instead of her married surname. While Chinese women don’t change their surname after getting married, it’s typical to address them using their husband’s surname when calling them Madam/Mrs X.

[10]是脑进水了: implies that he is crazy (like how electronics malfunctions when water enters, so did his brain)

[11] Metaphor for relying on the protection/care of a more powerful/influential entity

[12] 小的: Means ‘little one’. Used to refer to one’s self when talking to a superior