Chapter 80.1 – Ge Lan, I’ll help her remember you

Glossary:
Nubi = self-reference used by servants.

Aye = father.

The red blood smeared her skirt, and some coagulated blood with an indistinct shape flowed out.

Judging by this blood clot, Yin Wanwan must be less than three months pregnant. Ran Yan saw her deathly pale face and softly sighed, but it didn’t delay her rescuing in the slightest.

Yin Wanwan saw the blood on the ground and screamed, squeezing Ran Yan’s hand, “Ah Yan, I’m afraid, I’m really afraid.”

Ran Yan embraced her head on her chest, softly consoling her. Her calm and composed voice couldn’t be said to be gentle, but it carried a type of reassuring force, “Ah Wan, don’t be afraid, I’m here for you, I’ll wait whatever time it needs for you to get better, and then we can go back to how it was before, trust me.”

When it came to the girls from the Yin family, how can they possibly go back to how they were after losing their chastity!

When Ran Yan said those words, she didn’t dare look her in the eyes, afraid that the expression in her own eyes wouldn’t be sincere enough.

Silence fell upon the room, and when Ran Yan lowered her head again, Yin Wanwan had already fainted.

Ran Yan watched the scene in front of her dissipate itself like smoke, and she suddenly found herself nearby the Pingjiang river.

The moonlight was clear and bright. A beautiful girl wearing a blue skirt and a yaji [1] styled hair grabbed Ran Yan’s hands, respectfully saying: “Miss, hide in here and do not move, be sure to not make any sounds, promise nubi.” Ran Yan guessed that she must be Ge Lan, of whom Miss Xing had spoken; she then nodded her head.

Ge Lan saw her hesitation and quietly urged her once again: “Miss, you must not make any sounds.”

This time Ran Yan promised with resolution.

Ge Lan deeply sighed. The hands firmly clasping her own hands seemed to be faintly trembling. Ran Yan could tell that she was exceedingly nervous, but even so, she turned her head with a reassuring smile, “Don’t worry, Miss. Nothing will happen.”

The faint sound of some lively activity was heard at a distant place on the Pingjiang river. Ran Yan looked at the stars in the sky; the Altair (Cowherd) and the Vega (Weaving girl) stars were close to each other, without a doubt this is during Qixi. This is the day when Yin Miaomiao was mistaken for Yin Wanwan and forced to drown in the Pingjiang river. This is also the day when Ge Lan went missing.

Ran Yan had just regained the will over her thoughts when Ge Lan scurried away.

She didn’t have time to call her to stop as a male voice roared not very loudly: “Quickly, run towards that side, catch her.”

Another voice replied with some hesitation: “But Master, I’m afraid that Miss is the di daughter of the Ran family.”

The man immediately cut him short: “Being the Ran family’s di daughter is even more reason to silence her. Otherwise, when she goes back, she will eventually report it to the authorities, or maybe tell Ran Wen. Our Yin clan will then be doomed, and me, heartlessly killing Wanwan will have been for naught.”

Ran Yan could guess that this voice belonged to Yin Wenshu. She had briefly met him at the Yin Fu; gentle, poised and courteous, sporting a white beard on his face, and with a somewhat solemn expression, he possessed the appearance of a gentleman, but at this moment, his voice was brimming with malice and tinged with murderous intent.

“Alright.” The other person turned around and ran, seemingly not very willing.

Ran Yan stretched her head from within the bushes and saw Yin Wenshu wearing a wide-sleeved huafu [2], standing by the riverside with a hand behind his back. She then saw two strong middle-aged men dragging a girl who had her face covered in cloth into the Pingjing river.

The girl showed no attempt to fight it when it all began, but after coming into contact with the water, she regained consciousness. However, only muffled sounds could be heard since her face has been tightly covered.

Soon, a small wupeng boat [3] came from within the reeds in the lake. The two men dragged her into the boat and sailed towards the middle of the river.

Ran Yan pursed her lips tightly and gazed at Yin Wenshu. Her heart had a wave of deep anger. Even a tiger wouldn’t kill their cubs. He was a scholar well-read in the classics, yet he wasn’t any different than a beast. He looked on apathetically as his daughter died in front of him. Does he even have feelings?

Piercing cries came halfway across the river. Previously, Yin Miaomiao couldn’t understand the situation she was in; she clearly had gone to bed sleep, but why is her face covered and why is she being dragged into the water? Now that she knew this wasn’t a dream, it was already too late to struggle and cry.

Yin Miaomiao screams were loud, but the place where the noise came from was too far. There was simply no person hearing her despair, only Ran Yan…

“BANG”

The flow of the water in the river rushed in all directions, and the wailing sound ceased abruptly.

Ran Yan wanted to stand up, but her body felt as if it was glued to that place, she was unable of making any movements. Only after struggling for some time did she remember that this was a dream, a memory of the previous Ran Yan; and every outcome inside a memory is already decided.

“Wanwan, don’t hate aye, aye have no choice but to sacrifice you for the Yin clan… No choice…” Yin Wenshu choked with sobs and soon turned around to leave.

Along with the ever more distant sounds of Yin Wenshu’s footsteps, a sharp scream for help came from the reed’s south part, but it abruptly halted, as if it was forcefully cut off by someone.

Ran Yan could tell that the voice was from Ge Lan.

“Ge Lan.” Ran Yan heard her mouth fearfully call out her name.

Her field of vision was instantly torn to pieces, as if her scream had ripped it apart.