Chapter 32: Incident

Leaving the water-pavilion with Yan Fangfei, Ran Yan kept feeling that Yin Miao-miao’s behaviour today was strange.

In Ran Yan’s memory, Yin Miao-miao was a girl who was gentle, graceful and behaved with decorum, this was also the Yin clan’s teaching model for their daughters, but not meeting for two years, the Yin Miao-miao of today seemed a lot more lively, she even dared to open her mouth to suggest ‘Hide and Seek’ this type of meaningless game…

Ran Yan was wondering about it, and did not see that Ran Meiyu and her mother were walking towards her.

Yan Fangfei raised her hand to tug at Ran Yan’s sleeves, then gave a bow, “Well wishes, Madam Gao.”

This was the first time Ran Yan was meeting this fabled step-mother, Madam Gao. Madam Gao was in her thirties, her appearance was exceedingly gorgeous, like a bright red peony, with beautiful eyes containing laughter she looked at Yan Fangfei, without any shadow of an evil stepmother, “Yan family’s eldest Miss is too polite.”

After a short pause, she shifted her gaze to look warmly at Ran Yan.

Her current expression, made it so that Ran Yan couldn’t well ignore her, thus she gave a bow, and called, “Second Mother, well wishes.”

Madam Gao’s expression did not change, as if she did not hear those words “Second Mother”, with a face filled with tenderness she held Ran Yan’s hand, saying, “Pitiful child, you’ve suffered. However, recovering from a major illness is sure to good fortune afterwards, your days from now will definitely be smooth sailing. Today your younger sister and I went to the estate together to pick you up, but we heard that you’ve already been picked up by Fourth Master Qin, seeing you well before me, Mother is relieved.”

Ran Yan could not help admiring her, and could not blame Ran Wen from being coaxed to submission, she really was not a simple person.

Ran Meiyu charming face was cold, filled with dislike towards Ran Yan, but because Madam Gao was present, she did not dare to make a fuss.

“Eighteenth Miss, Ah’Yan and I are going to walk around the garden, do you want to go together?” Yan Fangfei asked in a composed manner with an elegant smile.

Eighteenth Miss and Ah’Yan, these two ways of address, one could see who was close or distant. Ran Meiyu naturally also could tell, with a cold snort she was just about to speak, but was interrupted by Madam Gao, “Meiyu and I are an hour late, we still need to seek forgiveness from the other madams, you two go and play, the Eldest Miss’ intentions, my family’s Meiyu appreciates it.”

Ran Meiyu ruthlessly glared at Ran Yan, flung her sleeves and left, Madam Gao looked at Ran Meiyu with doting eyes, helplessly sighed, turned her head to say to Yan Fangfei, “It’s all because I’ve spoilt her excessively! My daughter is ignorant, I’ve let Eldest Miss seen something shameful.”

“Not at all, Madam is too modest.” Yan Fangfei said with an indifferent smile.

After that, she exhorted Ran Yan, “Seventeenth Miss go and play together with Eldest Miss, I will go over first. You’ve just recovered from illness, take care of these things.”

“Many thanks for Second Mother’s concern.” Ran Yan said.

Looking at Madam Gao’s back as she left, Ran Yan’s heart felt a wave of apprehension, if she did not have the original owner’s memory, she would have definitely misunderstood that Wan Lu and Miss Xing just had some prejudice against Madam Gao.

A person who could act to this extent, it really made one exclaim in surprise.

“If Eighteenth Miss Ran could have Madam Gao’s appearance, I’m afraid that Sixth Miss Qi would not be Suzhou’s number one beauty.” Yan Fangfei evaluated.

It was true, Ran Meiyu’s appearance could not compare to even a third of her mother’s.

Ran Wen luck with women was not bad, his original partner Madam Zheng was also a beauty that was not below Madam Gao, but women from a noble and rich family were a little stiff, unlike Madam Gao who knew how to coax others to happiness, thus her relationship with Ran Wen was just mutual respect between husband and wife.

“Ai, someone’s here!” Yan Fangfei pulled at Ran Yan’s sleeve, said in a low voice.

Just as Ran Yan and Yan Fangfei stealthily pulled apart the Banks’ roses to sneak a look, the thicket beside them also emitted tinkling laughter that was intentionally suppressed, from the sound it seemed like Qi Yuxiu.

Qi Yuxiu’s laughter immediately attracted the attention of a young man in the garden.

In the lush growth of Chinese peonies, the young man swiftly spun around, his face fair and delicate, if it were not for the wide-sleeved big robe that he was wearing, people would probably have mistaken him for a girl. His faintly knitted brows indicated his displeasure.

The young man followed the pathway and slowly walked towards them, Yan Fangfei said in a low voice, “What do we do?”

Although the noise came from Qi Yuxiu, but she was hiding in the thicket, if the young man walked closer, the first person he would see would definitely be Yang Fangfei and Ran Yan.

Actually the matter was quite simple, they just needed to tell him that the servant he was seeking was not here, would it be settled then?

Ran Yan was about to speak, but heard from a distance a cold yet magnetic voice say, “Jingze.”

The voice was as cold as ice, the eyes of all the young ladies within the canopy[1] of Banks’ roses widened, they stared closely at the figure that emerged from the cluster of Chinese peonies, an ordinary jade coloured wide-sleeved broad robe, his body’s disposition tall and straight, unfortunately the place where he stood had leaves and branches dropping down, it just covered his face, and only showed his round collared Hu clothing[2] and section of his neck that had a distinct Adam’s apple.

Ran Yan startled a little, this voice, it feels like she heard it somewhere before…

“Older brother.” The young man turned his, from his voice it could be heard that he revered the person that arrived very much.

“I will return first.” The cold voice said.

That’s right! Ran Yan suddenly remembered, it’s the purple bamboo umbrella! He was the Pharmacist Su that lent her an umbrella that day.

“Older brother, you’re not going home? Mother…” The young man voice was anxious, but remembering that there could be people nearby, he swallowed the other half of his sentence.

Pharmacist Su did not reply, he only halted for two breaths, before turning to leave. The wind caused the drooping branches to sway gently, faintly revealing half of his side view, a tall and straight nose, lips that were not thin or thick, every line of his face was like it was carved with a knife, there was no trace of blemishes.

Su Jingze’s feelings seemed to worsen, abandoning his search for the servants, he chased after the direction that Pharmacist Su left in, “Older brother, listen to me…”

Yan Fangfei breathed out a sigh, said with lingering fear, “That young man’s older brother is too scary, just from his voice it causes your whole body to tremble from cold.”

Qi Yuxiu stuck out her head from the thicket, “Su Jingze is the youngest son of the Great Pharmacist Su family! The person he was calling his older brother, should probably be that Second Master Su whose looks are rumoured to surpass the immortals!”

Qi Yuxiu finished speaking excitedly, before noticing Ran Yan standing beside Yan Fangfei, rolled her eyes, and retreated back with a huff.

“Second Master Su? Su Fu?” Yan Fangfei’s expression was not without regret, “It’s unfortunate, the distance was so near, yet we did not get to see his face.”

Su Fu… Ran Yan looked at the place he was standing at just now, she have never met a person that could be so thoroughly cold, like the underworld that never sees the sun, even not seeing his face, she could still feel the coldness emitting from his body.

“Second Master Su’s mother is a Hu concubine, according to rumours her skin is paler than snow, she has bright eyes and white teeth, especially those eyes, it can seduce one’s soul.” Yan Fangfei stared at the direction that the Su brothers left in, regretfully said, “Second Master Su rarely goes out in public, ai, such a rare opportunity, we actually missed it.”

As she was saying that, Qi Yuxiu and two other noble ladies jumped out from the bushes they were hiding in.

Qi Yuxiu said in a low voice, “Don’t make noise! Don’t make noise! Another one comes from there.” Her gaze swept towards Wan Lu, she ordered, “You, go and attract that person here.”

They all left their servants at the water-pavilion, Yan Fangfei also followed and said, “Right, Ah’Yan, let us borrow your servant to use.”

Wan Lu also looked eagerly at Ran Yan, Ran Yan could only say, “You go then, just lead him here, don’t randomly run around.”

“This servant understands!” Wan Lu received permission, lifted her skirts to jog out of the Banks’ rose canopy.

Because Ran Yan was willing to lend her servant, Qi Yuxiu’s attitude towards her improved a little, a typical child’s personality, thus Ran Yan’s impression of Qi Yuxiu also slightly improved.

No matter how composed Yan Fangfei was, she was still only sixteen or seventeen years old, in addition to Qi Yuxiu’s instigation, quickly pulled apart the cluster of flowers, together with Qi Yuxiu, her shining gaze stared at a dark green robe in the distance.

Ran Yan looked through the small gap, the corner of her lips could not help curving up, it seemed like this time round they are going to be disappointed, that youth in the forest green robe, when she entered the residence before, Ran Yan had seen him once, the one who was close to Qin Musheng, called Zhang Fei.

Although it was just a brief glimpse, but she could clearly tell, his looks were very ordinary, when he was not speaking or smiling he still had some refined aura, but once he smiled he would appear very creepy.

Wan Lu flashed past near the youth briefly, that person dimly saw the silhouette dressed in servant garbs, and became gleeful, thought that he had won the lottery, immediately stepped towards this direction and gave chase.

There was a small disturbance within the canopy of Banks’ roses, at this moment, a disturbance also arose from the water-pavilion behind, Madam Ling’s anxious and stern voice could be heard dimly, “Quickly go and look!”

Instantly with the thudding sound of footsteps, a group of women rushed out from the water-pavilion. Qi Yuxiu, Yan Fangfei and the rest also turned their heads and looked in surprise at the pale faced Madam Ling at the lead.

Qi Yuxiu’s maidservant walked hurriedly to her side, in between she even cast a glance at Ran Yan, and said in a low voice, “Miss, there’s been a death, I heard that Fourth Master Qin had lecherous thoughts[3], and wanted to dishonour Third Miss Yin’s maidservant, that maidservant refused, thus she rammed her own head against the wall and died!”

Qi Yuxiu’s mouth opened wide in surprise, and also glanced at Ran Yan, and hurriedly followed after them.

Yan Fangfei pulled at Ran Yan, thinking that she was stupefied by terror, anxiously said, “What are you standing around blankly for, your future husband has caused another death, you’re still not quickly going see?!”

Saying this, she did not ask about Ran Yan’s wishes, pulled at her and ran with the crowd.

Ran Yan turned her head to look inside the garden, she could only see the silhouette of that Zhang Fei, but could not see Wan Lu, she must have went to hide.

Zhang Fei saw the group of women hurrying, deliberated for awhile, and also followed behind.

The place that the servant had died in was the Magnolia house, according to Yan Fangfei, that place had always been empty, no one from the Yin residence stayed there, normally it was only used to receive guests.

Was Qin Musheng really so starved? Ran Yan doubted in her heart, towards Sixth Miss Qi this type of beauty he still had never used any vile tricks, why would he want to force himself on a maidservant? Or maybe, he was afraid of the Qi family’s power, so he did not dare to act?

Many doubts surfaced in her heart, what Ran Yan was the most unsatisfied about was, it was fine if she was engaged to a rich playboy, but it was actually one that constantly caused trouble!

The line of people quickly arrived at the Magnolia House, Ran Yan noticed that there were already many people at the courtyard, in her heart she was aware that it was probably the Yin residence that intentionally leaked the news, and attracted so many people to be witnesses, after all Qin Musheng was Qin Sangzuo’s son, and could not be accused of crime so easily.

Many of the young men, once they saw so many beauties, don’t mention how delighted they were, they only hated that they did not have enough eyes, they were only here to observe Qin Musheng’s incident, and absolutely did not take it seriously.

The focus of those gazes, were Ran Yan and Sixth Miss Qi, especially towards Ran Yan this unfamiliar beauty, they were even more interested in her, many people could guess her identity, recently there were rumours from the city that Seventeenth Miss Ran might be comparable to Suzhou’s number one beauty, now looking at her, she was not inferior in any aspect!

“Seventeenth Miss!” Qin Musheng’s complexion was a little pale, his mood was already bad, adding to it so many lecherous gazes were staring at Ran Yan, his mood became even worse, he immediately went over, and blocked Ran Yan from view.

Even though the crowd had already had their suspicions, but once it was confirmed, their hearts could not help sighing in sorrow, it really was a good flower being trampled on by a pig!

Ran Yan ignored him, and still craned her neck to look at the body. That servant’s clothes were in disorder, she lay across the steps under the corridor, the bloodstain on her forehead was fresh, the pillar beside her was also dyed with fresh bloodstains. It would appear that she really took her own lift by running into a pillar in order to avoid being assaulted.

The people around discussed spiritedly, Qin Musheng’s expression became more and more unpleasant, the veins on his forehead were bulging, looking as if he were about to explode, Ran Yan was afraid that he would cause an incident again, held his wrist and said, “Calm down first, if you really did not do it, once the coroner investigates he would know it.”

Qin Musheng, like grasping a lifeline, fiercely held Ran Yan’s hand, “Seventeenth Miss, the person really wasn’t killed by me, just now I was searching according to the poem, and saw a servant’s shadow ran into the Magnolia House, so I followed her in, when I came in, she was already lying dead on the floor, it has nothing to with me! Believe me.”

Few from the crowd listened properly to his words, their gazes were all staring at Qin Musheng’s hand that was holding Ran Yan’s, the eyes of those wolves[4] turned green, on what basis? At this time he was still able to take advantage[5]!

T/N: Hi guys! I’ve been striving to post regularly once a week, hopefully I will be able to keep it up >.<
Thank you so much for all your lovely comments, although I haven’t been replying any recently but please know that I read every single one of them, and even a simple ‘thank you’ makes my day! I hope that you’ll continue to enjoy Ran Yan’s adventures in ancient China despite this lacking translator..

[1] 棚: can mean canopy or shed. refers to the canopy formed by the Banks’ roses. see picture below

[2] 胡服: Hu refers to non-Han people, especially from central Asia.

[3] 见色起意: conceived an unscrupulous scheme due to lust

[4] Lustful men are often described as wolves

[5] 占到便宜: when men have physical contact with a woman, it can be said that he is ‘taking advantage’ of her, or that he got lucky.