30 Return to the Manor
November 2, 2018
secretdreamwishes
The carriage stopped, breaking the oppressive atmosphere in the carriage and Lan Jian Jun’s pale complexion.
Lan You Nian, slim and graceful, stood in front of the gates of Lan Manor. In front of the broad and wide Lan Manor’s gates, was erected a majestic stone lion that seemed to be guarding the manor. Above the door hung several lanterns, giving off a faint light in the darkness. Standing in front of the gates were many of Lan Manor’s servants and maidservants and some of Lan Jian Jun’s trusted subordinates he brought back, in all totaling a few hundred.
“Master!” The several hundred people knelt on the ground. Towards this Lan Manor’s real master’s return was clearly respectful but also fearful.
“Get up!” That face of Lan Jian Jun’s was particularly frosty, looking at these servants, thinking about his daughter had suffered so many grievances during which he was totally unaware, Lan Jian Jun itched to drag all these people out to be killed.
“Nian’er, we’ve come home!” Lan Jian Jun didn’t look at An yiniang and the others once but dotingly looked at Lan You Nian.
Because of Lan Jian Jun’s words, everyone looked at the girl who stood there with a veil. Even if she was young but had her own certain kind of elegance. When the housekeeper saw Lan You Nian, it was like seeing a ghost. How could this be? Isn’t third young miss dead? Is she a person or a ghost?
“Master, this is third young miss? In this world, there are many people who want to rise up higher. Master, you must reconsider ah!” The housekeeper’s first reaction was that this person was fake. It certainly is not that third young miss who died falling down the cliff, so he wanted to expose this person’s fake ident.i.ty.
“Would I not even recognize my own daughter? This is my Lan Manor’s third young miss, I, Lan Jian Jun’s, legitimate daughter!” Lan Jian Jun ignored the housekeeper’s instigation. Instead, under such circ.u.mstances, announced Lan You Nian’s ident.i.ty, even more, representative of Lan You Nian’s return. The servants of the manor could faintly feel that this Lan Manor’s sky was going to change.
The manor’s servants have not acted yet while those subordinates who followed Lan Jian Jun back squarely knelt down, “Greetings to the young miss!”. Their master is Lan Jian Jun, now Lan Jian Jun was expressing his own att.i.tude, even more, was saying this daughter’s importance to him. So, the loyal subordinates from this moment also regarded this general’s daughter as a small master.
Everything that Lan Jian Jun did was perhaps showing off his might for her, but she, Lan You Nian, didn’t have any trace of being emotionally moved. Lan You Nian lifted those pair of eyes that were comparable to the stars to look at the manor’s servants. Clearly, there was nothing in those pair of eyes, but those servants standing there felt their own necks were pressed that they were breathless and suffocating. One knelt down, then one after another knelt down until those servants with the housekeeper all knelt down.
Lan Jian Jun looked at his daughter with shock. The imposing manner on his daughter’s body from moments before were even more extreme than his own, a general’s. For so many years, where did daughter go? And had to undergo what?
“Alright, go in!” Lan Jian Jun took Lan Mo Xian and Lan You Nian into the manor, followed by An yiniang and others, and then the family servants and others all entered the manor.
Lan Jian Jun sat in the hall’s most top maroon red chair. Sitting on the left side was warm like the sun Lan Mo Xian. Sitting on the right was the cold like snow Lan You Nian, secondly followed by An yiniang‘s group of four. Even if she was vomiting blood in her heart, but she also knew that she right now was only a concubine. So many years, Lan Jian Jun isn’t in the manor, He Xiao Ran died in the early years, Lan You Nian’s disappearance has made An yiniang already regard herself as the lady of the house. However, her dreams had only gone halfway before being beaten back by reality.
“Uncle* Lan, in the future you are Lan Manor’s head housekeeper, managing all the ch.o.r.es within Lan Manor!” Lan Jian Jun looked at the original housekeeper deeply, his eyes flashed with killing intent! Not only pulled the wool over his eyes about Nian’er disappearance, but also dared to lie, and every month’s letter that said Nian’er was well, wasn’t it this good housekeeper?
“Yes, master!” an elder about 50 years old slightly bowed his body. This is the elder who was just driving the carriage, more-so, was Lan Manor’s elder. When Lan Jian Jun went to the borderlines, because Lan Mo Xian was still small, so brought Uncle Lan to take care of him. This elder has been by Lan Jian Jun’s side for a long time. Lan Jian Jun, towards this Uncle Lan who tirelessly exerted himself for Lan Manor and himself, was very respectful and trusting.
An yiniang trembled, master is suspicious and has put his suspicions on the housekeeper. Since the housekeeper was her own people, if deprived of his housekeeper authority, in the future, if she wanted to do things in Lan Manor, certainly her hands and feet will be bound.
Lan You Nian glanced at the elder who was called Uncle Lan. Dressed in plain simplicity, but two eyes were shrewd and magnanimous. He looked like a benevolent elder but was not a soft-hearted person.
“Housekeeper” Lan Jian Jun suddenly called out the currently panicking housekeeper. That voice contained coldness.
The housekeeper tried to make himself look normal, “Don’t know what’s the matter master has?”
“What’s the matter? What a good question!” Lan Jian Jun vigorously slapped the table next to him. That table was actually cracked open by Lan Jian Jun’s strike. Towards the sudden fiery temper of Lan Jian Jun, everyone in the manor, except Lan Jian Jun’s subordinates, all fearfully knelt down.
“Third young miss disappeared without any trace five years ago, why did no one relay this news? And you, my good housekeeper, every month’s letters actually say third young miss in the outside manor is well. I have to ask and see, how is third young miss well?” Lan Jian Jun glared at the housekeeper, grit out the words one by one.
“Master, I’m innocent ah!” The housekeeper slammed down as he knelt at Lan Jian Jun’s feet, tears streaming as if he really was blamed wrongfully.
“Innocent? Then you tell me how you are defamed?” Lan Jian Jun kicked away the housekeeper with disgust.
“Master, it’s all this concubine’s fault!” Before the housekeeper could say anything, An yiniang also knelt down in the hall, before words are even spoken the tears are already flowing as she looked at Lan Jian Jun.
Lan Jian Jun looked at An yiniang without any feeling in his eyes. Lan You Nian could even see the disgust inside. This play seemed to become more and more interesting, hm? Lan You Nian lips had an inexplicable smile.
“Master, that year when master when to the border, this concubine, one person, supported the ma.s.sive Lan Manor. Cautious and conscientious didn’t dare to neglect. But this concubine didn’t expect third young miss to be mischievous, go out, and then accidentally disappeared. When this concubine learned of third young miss’s disappearance, knew that even if I died a million deaths, it will not make up for it. So, I went to the palace and asked Empress sister to send people to find third young miss” An yiniang explained while she cried, those feelings were so real that it was really convincing. “But sending so many people to search for so long, there still isn’t even a little news from third young miss. This concubine, at that time, thought that third young miss already…(crying)…. this concubine is merely a woman fl.u.s.tered and helpless. I wanted to tell master, but master, at that time, was at the border in combat. How could this concubine let these inner compound matters shackle master ah!”
“All these years, this concubine has never given up looking for third young miss, and even troubled Empress sister many times, but there was no result. So, this concubine believed third young miss was really killed, but this concubine knew after master came back will definitely be upset. This concubine was afraid master will blame yourself because you only cared about fighting in the war, and thus harmed third young miss, so this concubine deliberately said third young miss encountered robbers on the road and died. This concubine is willing to bear all the resentment, just does not want master to be sad ah!” An yiniang‘s every word were all in consideration of this Lan Manor, for Lan Jian Jun, really portrayed the image of a married woman too well.
Moreover, behind An yiniang was still the Empress’s backing, even more, has Prime Minister An, this father, ‘s support, matched with today’s words, who can still punish her?