Chapter 94
“It’s all over, Ge Lan. Ran Yan is no longer the former Ran Yan. I believe that if the master and servants work hard together, we will be able to live well.” Although Ran Yan’s words were seemingly ambiguous, she was finally able to pacify her.
“Lady, the bathwater is ready.” Xiao Man came over and said.
Ge Lan had drunk a bowl of sugar water, so it shouldn’t be a problem for it to support her for a while. She ordered Wan Lu to accompany her to bathe and took a set of clothes from Ran Yan’s for her to temporarily wear.
“Tenth Brother.” Ran Yan looked at Ran Yunsheng, who has been looking at her with a faint smile on his face. A warm current flowed from the bottom of her heart, “Thank you for the effort you’ve shown today. I will personally cook and reward the hero.”
“Okay.” Ran Yunsheng said with great interest, “I heard the genius doctor Wu say that Ah Ran’s dishes were unique in Suzhou. I’ll have a good meal today.”
Ran Yan slightly smiled, but in her heart, she was severely cursing Wu Xiu He. He couldn’t stop his mouth even after eating. He was so unreliable! However, he still has his conscience. He knew what to say and what not to say. He also knew who and who not to say it to.
Because she couldn’t cook fish and meat at the temple, Ran Yan remembered a Buddhist vegetarian restaurant. She knew how to cook some of its dishes. So, Xiao Man came over to start the fire, and Xing Niang started cooking a vegetarian meal.
The three of them were busy. Ran Yan was putting tofu in the oil. When she looked up, she saw Ran Yunsheng leaning against the door frame, smiling but looking a bit surprised.
Xing Niang also saw Ran Yunsheng and immediately urged him to leave, “Shi Lang, a gentleman should be far from the kitchen. Go back to the house and rest quickly.”
“I’m standing by the door, not inside.” Ran Yunsheng frowned slightly, and his voice became weaker. “It’s boring to stay alone in the house. Xing Niang, you can just stand by me for a while.”
The sunlight projected from the opposite window shone on his white, jade-like face, as it reflected the dazzling light. Black eyes and red lips were filled with a slight grievance and pleading look. It shocked the much older Xing Niang. He immediately sighed, “It’s up to you.”
Without Xing Niang noticing, Ran Yunsheng secretly winked at Ran Yan mischievously. His smile was lively and gorgeous.
Ran Yan shook her head helplessly as she looked down at the tofu in the pot.
Because it had been prepared in advance, it was done very quickly. There were six dishes and one soup, and each dish has a lot of component in it. Xing Niang borrowed some bowls from the courtyard and divided them into two, basically eating the dishes together.
When the dishes were delivered at noon, Xing Niang ordered more rice enough for a few people.
Back in the main room, Ran Yunsheng cleaned his hands and stared at the delicious servings in front of him in disbelief. He sighed, “If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I would not believe that these dishes were made by Ah Ran!”
“These are all vegetarian dishes. We can’t cook meat dishes in the nunnery. Tenth Brother will be wronged.” Ran Yan said.
Ran Yan felt she should restrain a portion of her strength, so as not to be doubted by everyone. However, Ran Yunsheng loved his “sister” so much, Ran Yan did not want to refuse him.
After taking a bite, Ran Yunsheng didn’t bother to answer and moved his chopsticks unceasingly. The vegetables were well done, and since he hadn’t eaten all morning, the food tasted even more delicious.
As they were eating, the sky gradually darkened outside, and dark clouds gathered. In a short while, it became even darker, as if it were about to rain. After dinner, Ran Yunsheng hurried away after having a cup of tea. Ran Yan never found an opportunity to ask him with regards to his marriage.
Xing Niang lit up the lamp in the room. The master and servants have gathered in the hall to talk. The atmosphere was warm and quite harmonious.
Ran Yan simply asked Ge Lan about something and learned that the person who imprisoned her was Yin Wenshu’s concubine, Yin Xianda. Yin Xianda’s status in the family was not high, and her mother and son have been living in the main house together with the family head. They have also developed Yin Xianda’s cowardly temperament. For fear that killing someone would cause a disaster, she secretly imprisoned Ge Lan. After rendering her mute, she felt reassured. At the same time, she felt that since she possessed the evidence of Yin Wenshu’s transgression, she no longer had to be ordered around by others anymore. Therefore, the defensive measure of the clan was quite rigorous.
In recent days, because of the Yin House case, everyone in the Yin clan was overwhelmed, only then did Ge Lan find her chance.
The woeful things have passed. Wan Lu was very happy today. She grinned from ear to ear and told some interesting anecdotes from the city for their amusement. “Let me talk about the most popular rumor in the market recently. Yes, some princes and ladies have eloped. I heard that both sides of their families were opposed to their union. Three couples ran off in these past two days, and one of them was a lady from a distinguished family! This lady didn’t think things through. She was a concubine, so she couldn’t hold her head up all her life, and she was ashamed of her family.”
Xing Niang frowned, “These are all the bad habits brought from Chang’an, and that Qi Liu Niang1Sixth Miss Qi, acted high and mighty and looked like an icy jade. I did not expect her to be so slutty as to speak those kinds of words.”
“What are you talking about?” Wan Lu went to send a letter to Provincial Governor Liu early in the morning and had neither heard nor seen it from Twentieth Niang2Ran Yun.
“Ershi Niang came this morning, saying that Qi Liu Niang3Sixth Miss Qi once let Shi Lang4Ran Yunsheng be her lover in private.” Xing Niang said contemptuously.
Wan Lu slapped the floor, eyes wide, and roared, “What does she think she is?! Fairy Moon Palace? Although Shi Lang is in business, he is still the son of the third concubine of our Ran family! Even the princess, also has to weigh her words. What qualifications does Qi Liu Niang have to say this?! She usually looks innocent, but I didn’t expect her to be rotten to the bones!”
Xing Niang and Xiao Man were the closest to her and couldn’t help but block their ears. Xing Niang glared at her and said, “Can’t you lower your voice?! It’s all in the past. What are you talking about?!”
Wan Lu said flatly, “It didn’t work in the past. Shi Lang treats our lady the best, and I can’t bear even the slightest grievance.”
“Shi Lang’s grievance has just begun! I heard that the Qi family intends to marry, and they all visited this morning. Ershi Niang heard it personally.” Xiao Man continued.
The anger that Wan Lu had just extinguished came up immediately. But this time, she didn’t yell instead she hummed and said, “You know, the family that can give birth to Qi Liu Niang is not a good one.”
Everyone laughed, and Xing Niang’s face lit up, laughing and cursing, “When you were a child, you were chasing ladies, and you didn’t learn everything well. You just learned these things from those little servants. I think it’s only right for Miss to ask you to copy those medical books!”
At the mention of those medical books, Wan Lu deflated immediately. Glancing eagerly at the lively Ran Yan and Ge Lan, she said, “Lady, you see that Ge Lan is back. She knows a lot of characters, writes well, and can write poems. Let her copy the medical books, okay?”
Ran Yan stroked the mouth of the teacup with her fingertips and faintly glanced at her, “That’s fine too.”
Before Wan Lu had time to rejoice, Ran Yan promptly said, “Then you can copy the Buddhist Scriptures. You don’t need to write well. Just write two or three copies from those.”
Wan Lu’s opened mouth could be stuffed with an egg. The medical book was still a bit interesting, I can look at those pictures and guess the characters. The Buddhist scriptures…
Wan Lu’s head hurt just thinking about it: I accidentally flipped it a few days ago. All the words there are inside the “口”, and the characters written in a row looked almost the same. It made people feel dizzy.
After a pause, Wan Lu weakly said, “I’m still copying the medical books. How can I copy the Buddhist Scriptures? It is disrespectful to the Buddha. Ge Lan is good. Let her copy.”
Everyone laughed again. A smile was plastered on Ge Lan’s face, who was quietly listening.
It was getting darker outside. Light rain has started to fall. Ran Yan listened to the laughter, picked up the bamboo branch, and gently stoked the fire. She suddenly remembered a sentence: Why should I cut the candles at the west window together, but talk about the rain in Bashan?
When will we be together again, talk about Bingzhuye under the west window, and talk about the night rain on Mount Naba? In response to this sentence, Ran Yan was feeling delighted and fulfilled now. She raised her eyes and glanced at Ge Lan, then smiled at her. A smile also appeared on Ge Lan’s face.
Their souls never knew each other, but they felt very close to one another.
Chapter 94
“It’s all over, Ge Lan. Ran Yan is no longer the former Ran Yan. I believe that if the master and servants work hard together, we will be able to live well.” Although Ran Yan’s words were seemingly ambiguous, she was finally able to pacify her.
“Lady, the bathwater is ready.” Xiao Man came over and said.
Ge Lan had drunk a bowl of sugar water, so it shouldn’t be a problem for it to support her for a while. She ordered Wan Lu to accompany her to bathe and took a set of clothes from Ran Yan’s for her to temporarily wear.
“Tenth Brother.” Ran Yan looked at Ran Yunsheng, who has been looking at her with a faint smile on his face. A warm current flowed from the bottom of her heart, “Thank you for the effort you’ve shown today. I will personally cook and reward the hero.”
“Okay.” Ran Yunsheng said with great interest, “I heard the genius doctor Wu say that Ah Ran’s dishes were unique in Suzhou. I’ll have a good meal today.”
Ran Yan slightly smiled, but in her heart, she was severely cursing Wu Xiu He. He couldn’t stop his mouth even after eating. He was so unreliable! However, he still has his conscience. He knew what to say and what not to say. He also knew who and who not to say it to.
Because she couldn’t cook fish and meat at the temple, Ran Yan remembered a Buddhist vegetarian restaurant. She knew how to cook some of its dishes. So, Xiao Man came over to start the fire, and Xing Niang started cooking a vegetarian meal.
The three of them were busy. Ran Yan was putting tofu in the oil. When she looked up, she saw Ran Yunsheng leaning against the door frame, smiling but looking a bit surprised.
Xing Niang also saw Ran Yunsheng and immediately urged him to leave, “Shi Lang, a gentleman should be far from the kitchen. Go back to the house and rest quickly.”
“I’m standing by the door, not inside.” Ran Yunsheng frowned slightly, and his voice became weaker. “It’s boring to stay alone in the house. Xing Niang, you can just stand by me for a while.”
The sunlight projected from the opposite window shone on his white, jade-like face, as it reflected the dazzling light. Black eyes and red lips were filled with a slight grievance and pleading look. It shocked the much older Xing Niang. He immediately sighed, “It’s up to you.”
Without Xing Niang noticing, Ran Yunsheng secretly winked at Ran Yan mischievously. His smile was lively and gorgeous.
Ran Yan shook her head helplessly as she looked down at the tofu in the pot.
Because it had been prepared in advance, it was done very quickly. There were six dishes and one soup, and each dish has a lot of component in it. Xing Niang borrowed some bowls from the courtyard and divided them into two, basically eating the dishes together.
When the dishes were delivered at noon, Xing Niang ordered more rice enough for a few people.
Back in the main room, Ran Yunsheng cleaned his hands and stared at the delicious servings in front of him in disbelief. He sighed, “If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I would not believe that these dishes were made by Ah Ran!”
“These are all vegetarian dishes. We can’t cook meat dishes in the nunnery. Tenth Brother will be wronged.” Ran Yan said.
Ran Yan felt she should restrain a portion of her strength, so as not to be doubted by everyone. However, Ran Yunsheng loved his “sister” so much, Ran Yan did not want to refuse him.
After taking a bite, Ran Yunsheng didn’t bother to answer and moved his chopsticks unceasingly. The vegetables were well done, and since he hadn’t eaten all morning, the food tasted even more delicious.
As they were eating, the sky gradually darkened outside, and dark clouds gathered. In a short while, it became even darker, as if it were about to rain. After dinner, Ran Yunsheng hurried away after having a cup of tea. Ran Yan never found an opportunity to ask him with regards to his marriage.
Xing Niang lit up the lamp in the room. The master and servants have gathered in the hall to talk. The atmosphere was warm and quite harmonious.
Ran Yan simply asked Ge Lan about something and learned that the person who imprisoned her was Yin Wenshu’s concubine, Yin Xianda. Yin Xianda’s status in the family was not high, and her mother and son have been living in the main house together with the family head. They have also developed Yin Xianda’s cowardly temperament. For fear that killing someone would cause a disaster, she secretly imprisoned Ge Lan. After rendering her mute, she felt reassured. At the same time, she felt that since she possessed the evidence of Yin Wenshu’s transgression, she no longer had to be ordered around by others anymore. Therefore, the defensive measure of the clan was quite rigorous.
In recent days, because of the Yin House case, everyone in the Yin clan was overwhelmed, only then did Ge Lan find her chance.
The woeful things have passed. Wan Lu was very happy today. She grinned from ear to ear and told some interesting anecdotes from the city for their amusement. “Let me talk about the most popular rumor in the market recently. Yes, some princes and ladies have eloped. I heard that both sides of their families were opposed to their union. Three couples ran off in these past two days, and one of them was a lady from a distinguished family! This lady didn’t think things through. She was a concubine, so she couldn’t hold her head up all her life, and she was ashamed of her family.”
Xing Niang frowned, “These are all the bad habits brought from Chang’an, and that Qi Liu Niang1Sixth Miss Qi, acted high and mighty and looked like an icy jade. I did not expect her to be so slutty as to speak those kinds of words.”
“What are you talking about?” Wan Lu went to send a letter to Provincial Governor Liu early in the morning and had neither heard nor seen it from Twentieth Niang2Ran Yun.
“Ershi Niang came this morning, saying that Qi Liu Niang3Sixth Miss Qi once let Shi Lang4Ran Yunsheng be her lover in private.” Xing Niang said contemptuously.
Wan Lu slapped the floor, eyes wide, and roared, “What does she think she is?! Fairy Moon Palace? Although Shi Lang is in business, he is still the son of the third concubine of our Ran family! Even the princess, also has to weigh her words. What qualifications does Qi Liu Niang have to say this?! She usually looks innocent, but I didn’t expect her to be rotten to the bones!”
Xing Niang and Xiao Man were the closest to her and couldn’t help but block their ears. Xing Niang glared at her and said, “Can’t you lower your voice?! It’s all in the past. What are you talking about?!”
Wan Lu said flatly, “It didn’t work in the past. Shi Lang treats our lady the best, and I can’t bear even the slightest grievance.”
“Shi Lang’s grievance has just begun! I heard that the Qi family intends to marry, and they all visited this morning. Ershi Niang heard it personally.” Xiao Man continued.
The anger that Wan Lu had just extinguished came up immediately. But this time, she didn’t yell instead she hummed and said, “You know, the family that can give birth to Qi Liu Niang is not a good one.”
Everyone laughed, and Xing Niang’s face lit up, laughing and cursing, “When you were a child, you were chasing ladies, and you didn’t learn everything well. You just learned these things from those little servants. I think it’s only right for Miss to ask you to copy those medical books!”
At the mention of those medical books, Wan Lu deflated immediately. Glancing eagerly at the lively Ran Yan and Ge Lan, she said, “Lady, you see that Ge Lan is back. She knows a lot of characters, writes well, and can write poems. Let her copy the medical books, okay?”
Ran Yan stroked the mouth of the teacup with her fingertips and faintly glanced at her, “That’s fine too.”
Before Wan Lu had time to rejoice, Ran Yan promptly said, “Then you can copy the Buddhist Scriptures. You don’t need to write well. Just write two or three copies from those.”
Wan Lu’s opened mouth could be stuffed with an egg. The medical book was still a bit interesting, I can look at those pictures and guess the characters. The Buddhist scriptures…
Wan Lu’s head hurt just thinking about it: I accidentally flipped it a few days ago. All the words there are inside the “口”, and the characters written in a row looked almost the same. It made people feel dizzy.
After a pause, Wan Lu weakly said, “I’m still copying the medical books. How can I copy the Buddhist Scriptures? It is disrespectful to the Buddha. Ge Lan is good. Let her copy.”
Everyone laughed again. A smile was plastered on Ge Lan’s face, who was quietly listening.
It was getting darker outside. Light rain has started to fall. Ran Yan listened to the laughter, picked up the bamboo branch, and gently stoked the fire. She suddenly remembered a sentence: Why should I cut the candles at the west window together, but talk about the rain in Bashan?
When will we be together again, talk about Bingzhuye under the west window, and talk about the night rain on Mount Naba? In response to this sentence, Ran Yan was feeling delighted and fulfilled now. She raised her eyes and glanced at Ge Lan, then smiled at her. A smile also appeared on Ge Lan’s face.
Their souls never knew each other, but they felt very close to one another.
