Chapter 123 Got a G.o.dmother as Your Backer?
In the General’s Mansion, Qiu Yelan was asking Dr. Qi when Xue Fangmi planned to use Fang Nongyan on Qiu Yelan. “No more methods?” asked Qiu Yelan urgently.
“No, Your Grace.” replied Dr. Qi. He even did not give a prescription this time. “He is in the late period. He is close to pa.s.sing away last time… In honest, for him, it’s not easy. Plus, he must be miserable lying in bed now. It may be a relief for him to pa.s.s away now.”
“Thank you, doctor.” said Qiu Yelan, being severe and speaking it after a while.
“You are welcome.” said Dr. Qi. He was close to the Jiang Family. He vaguely knew that Jiang Yashuang liked her. Hence, he did not dare to say something serious. So, he responded only figuratively. After keeping silent for a while and asked finally, “As you have been here. You must stay here for more days.”
His words indeed claimed that General Ruan would pa.s.s away in several days.
Seeing Dr. Qi off, Qiu Yelan shuffled into the inner chamber.
Behind the curtain, Ruan Qingyan was wearing a black gown and sitting beside the bed silently. His hand, long and slim, was holding the thin hand hiding in the quilt. The summer sunshine permeated through the south window reflecting on the floor, grandly illuminating the room. The men behind the curtain were just like a weathered painting. This moment was so silent that Qiu Yelan didn’t dare come forward.
Hesitating for a second at the place she was standing, Qiu Yelan noticed that Ruan Qingyan did not intend to greet her. She backed herself off the room.
After walking out of the room, she saw Dongran and Qiuran waiting for her with red eyes. Qiu Yelan gestured for them to go farther away. But when she stopped, she even didn’t know what to say.
Seeing n.o.body was talking, Dongran broke the ice and said, “As Dr. Qi said so, no offense, Your Grace, I just want to ask what we will do after?”
“Go and get somebody purchasing everything we need.” said Qiu Yelan. She knew little about the funeral, but she noticed that an elaborate funeral prevailed recently in the capital. The Ruan Family, although not wealthy, it was much better than ordinary families. In particular, Ruan Qingyan was an adopted child. He hadn’t even served General Ruan for a few days before he had to run his funeral.
As Dongran had talked the most important part, it was reasonable for them to discuss what’s next. “His clothes and coffin had been made many years ago. But the funeral feasts… There had been no feasts over the past decades and the Ming Hall was ramshackle. Now, we have no enough time to repair it now. How about guests and s.p.a.ce….”
“Tear down some houses that are not used.” said Qiu Yelan, musing for a while. “Build a shelter on the empty s.p.a.ce.”
A servant walked forward as they were talking. “Young Earl Ling is here, but young master is busy now….”
“Leave my cousin alone.” said Qiu Yelan, shaking her head. “You send him to the hall and serve him a cup of tea. I will go there and talk with him.”
Unusually, Ling Zui did not take some beautiful maids with him this time. Qiu Yelan saw he was holding a horsewhip when she entered the hall. Obviously, he hastened to come here when he got a message. Seeing Qiu Yelan, he asked in a hurry, “What happened to General Ruan?”
“Dr. Qi advised me not to go back to the Prince’s Mansion recently.” said Qiu Yelan, nodding sadly. Ling Zui sighed as well. The news was not an unexpected one. After all, everybody knew that it was just a matter of time.
“How about Chunjun?” asked Ling Zui after calming himself down. Chunjun was a new name for Ruan Qingyan after he got Jinshi. According to the rules, a man could have a new name over 20. As Ruan Qingyan got the Jinshi in advance, people thought that he should get one now for convenience.
Qiu Yelan smiled bitterly, “He is staying with my grandpa. We dare not to disturb him.”
Walking back and forth in the hall, Ling Zui was anxious, “I understand what he’s feeling now. But the General’s Mansion is relying on him in the future. He must take care of himself.”
“I can’t agree with you more. But as we always say, it’s easier to say than to do. You know, he is always a good boy.” said Qiu Yelan sadly.
They were intimate. They just have been with each other for a few days but now they had to part each other forever. He couldn’t get out of the sadness now.
Ling Zui said with a frown, “Should I go and see him?” Seeing Qiu Yelan hesitating, he continued, “No need to worry. I just go there and see him at the door. If he didn’t want to talk with me, I would leave him alone.”
“Okay, you come with me.” said Qiu Yelan after thinking about it for a second. Although Ling Zui was a well-known playboy in the capital, he did not regard Ruan Qingyan as a fair-weather friend. He truly worried about him. Or he would not have been here as soon as he got a message about General Ruan.
Ushered into the room, Ling Zui saw Ruan Qingyan holding General Ruan’s hand and crying beside the bed. He sighed for him and decided to leave him alone. So, he stood in the corridor.
Looking at Ruan Qingyan, Qiu Yelan stood still for a moment. She always thought that her cousin was a canny boy with a hard-stone heart. What he did in the past demonstrated that he was sophisticated. He did not seem like a young man but a canny politician instead. But at this moment, looking at her brother who had always played as a protector and a teacher in front of her, she suddenly realized that her cousin, in fact, was only eighteen years old.
At the time, some eighteen-year-old boys were still under the wings of their parents or enjoying their reading only. However, Ruan Qingyan, at his eighteen, must a.s.sume responsibility to take care of his elders as well as his sister.
Just thinking about it would make anyone feel sympathetic toward him due to heavy-duty and suffering.
“Your Grace, I’m leaving now. You can stay here if you want.” whispered Ling Zui. Qiu Yelan was out of mind thinking of her cousin and while her sleeve was tugged. “I’ll go and see if there is something I can help with… To entertain guests is not a work which is suitable for a little girl.”
Ling Zui, in effect, had no close relationship with General Ruan. He worried about his friend Ruan Qingyan. As the way Ruan Qingyan was now, he must be unable to deal with anything now. So, it was natural for Ling Zui to realize that Ruan Qingyan must be sad and unable to do anything if General Ruan pa.s.sed away suddenly in the following two days.
And Qiu Yelan, though she could go out and entertain guests, was only thirteen years old. Ruan Qingyan held the funeral ceremony of Princess Ruan. So, at this critical time, Ling Zui realized that if he did not do her a favor, things would be messed up. Although knowing little about the rites, he, as the son of Princess and Earl, could deal with it in confidence.
Qiu Yelan did agree to him when he recommended himself. She sniffed and said in a low voice, “Thank you so much.”
“Don’t say that.” said Ling Zui. Looking at her red eyes and pitiful appearance, Ling Zui subconsciously wanted to make a joke, but the words came to his lips and he felt inappropriate, so he coughed and hurriedly adjusted his mood. “You stay here with Chunjun and leave all things to me. I will go back and send some smart servants to come, providing help. You guys just take care of your grandpa.”
When he left, another guest came soon. It was Qiu Nie.
This was the second time Qiu Yelan met Qiu Nie. Qiu Nie was the boy who got the Jinshi with Ruan Qingyan after pa.s.sing the same exam. He looked exhausted when he got out of the examination compound. But now, he was in a high spirit. He was surprised to see Qiu Yelan coming out to greet him. “How about Ruan Qingyan now?” asked he.
“He is staying with my grandpa now. Please forgive him that he can’t greet you here. Sorry.” said Qiu Yelan haggardly. Suddenly, she thought of an important thing. “So, please help my cousin to tell his boss he can’t go to work recently.”
The position Qiu Nie got in the exam was lower than Ruan Qingyan’s. As they were young, they were appointed to work in the Hanlin Academy. So, they were both cla.s.smates and colleagues.
Hearing Qiu Yelan’s words, Qiu Nie nodded slightly, demonstrating his agreement. “Your Grace, don’t worry. I think that everybody has known the news. Mr. Ding must have known too.”
Qiu Nie and Ruan Qingyan were not close friends. Qiu Nie was not a boy like Ling Zui who always wanted to talk with girls, in particular, pretty girls. Qiu Nie had some empty talk with Qiu Yelan and then left.
Not long after he left, Ling Zui brought servants with him for help. Thanks for his help, the next visitor would not be Qiu Yelan’s business anymore.
She tiptoed to General Ruan’s room door, seeing what’s going on inside. Noticing she was coming, Ruan Qingyan asked her to get in. “Dr. Qi has told you everything about grandpa. Now, I need you to do something.”
“What’s it?” said Qiu Yelan promptly.
“After my grandpa…” said Ruan Qingyan. He had adjusted his mood. It seemed as if he had never cried except his red eyes told it. He calmed down like nothing happened, saying, “I will mourn for my grandpa for a long time.”
This was the responsibility that everyone must take at that time. Rare people could escape from it. You’d better do it even you had a chance to escape from it. Or after decades later, your foe might use it as a sword attacking you.
Qiu Yelan knew well about it. “I know.” she said without surprise.
“But the ancestry of the Ruan Family was not the original people of the capital. Although Laizhou was not far from here but it took two or three days to go forth and back by horse.” said Ruan Qingyan. He continued, “My grandpa has no sons or grandsons in the world. I am the adopted one, and at the same time, I am the only one left. I must mourn for him for three years. What concerns me the most is that I have to leave you alone in the capital.”
“What’s your plan?” said Qiu Yelan, giving him an unnatural smile. She thought to herself: Do you want to take me with you to Laizhou?
“I surely want to take you with me to Laizhou. But I realized that you must be there for three years and your family name is not Ruan. It’s inappropriate.” proceeded Ruan Qingyan. He seemed tired when he said this. “I should not marry a girl from an influential family. I should have married a girl from an ordinary family instead. So, I can find a reason and take you with me.”
“In fact, I can take care of myself.” said Qiu Yelan, biting her lips.
“I was thinking of it.” continued Ruan Qingyan, ignoring her words. “I have a decision. That is, I will find a backer for you.”
“What are you talking about?” said Qiu Yelan with a shock.
“This is my plan. I want Young Earl Ling’s mother, Princess Royal Maode, to be your G.o.dmother.” said Ruan Qingyan, rubbing his temples. “Young Earl Ling had given me this suggestion before. But I thought that as we both are in the capital and we can take care of ourselves. So, I don’t want to bother his mother. But now….”
“I am still in my mourning period. Do you think I can have a G.o.dmother?” asked Qiu Yelan.
“Princess Royal Maode is kind and loves her son Young Earl Ling very much.” said Ruan Qingyan. “I will go and talk with Young Earl Ling. I don’t think it will be a problem.”
“Princess Royal Maode and Earl of Jingchuan are taking Prime Minister Xue’s side. Prime Minister Xue felt guilty about me because of the trouble caused by Miss Xue. So, if Princess Royal Maode became your G.o.dmother, I think Prime Minister Xue would protect you in all respects.”
“I don’t need their protection.” said Qiu Yelan coldly. “Miss Xue… Ooh!”
“Don’t act on impulse.” advised Ruan Qingyan. She burst into a rage when she heard about the Xue family, while Ruan Qingyan, who was humiliated on that day, was calm as if nothing had happened. “As you think that Miss Xue should feel sorry for me, I don’t think it’s inappropriate for us to accept the favors provided by Prime Minister Xue on behalf of his daughter.”
Finally, Qiu Yelan agreed with his advice. But she was still angry, “Miss Xue is like a maniac. We all knew that you are innocent but she had been targeting you all the time! I was concerned that she would bully me in the future.”
Her words worried Ruan Qingyan a lot. He mused for a second and said, “You go outside as rarely as you can. Prime Minister Xue won’t let her daughter go to the Prince’s Mansion of Xihe. If people in the Prince’s Mansion of Xihe made trouble for you, you could send someone to report it to Princess Royal Maode. I think she will help you out.”
Worrying that Qiu Yelan might hesitate to ask for help, he told her frankly, “I will give her a big sum of money or gifts on festivals or big days and I also a good friend of Ling Zui’s. She must help you with everything. So, if you were in trouble, go and tell her.”
“I should share the cost with you. I also have money now…” said Qiu Yelan.
“Your money is your dowry. Don’t expect that the Prince’s Mansion of Xihe will give you much when you get married.” said Ruan Qingyan with a denial. “The rich in the South are richer than you think. The cost is not a big deal for me. I could be rea.s.sured if you were safe. Ok, that’s it!”