Miss Truth
Chapter 199 - 127: Mysterious Outing

Chapter 199: Chapter 127: Mysterious Outing

Sang Chen and Xiao Man were busy boarding up the rear window with planks. After blocking it with seven or eight layers, Sang Chen still felt uneasy. She checked every corner of the entire house again and eventually even boarded up the windows at the front.

Finally, when only the main door was left, Sang Chen breathed a sigh of relief, "Tonight, let Ge Lan and Wan Lu sleep on the floor in this room. Wife must not be wilful. It was fine in the past not to like being attended to by others, but now it’s too dangerous here, we must be cautious."

Ran Yan looked up at her and smiled, saying, "Alright."

’I wonder when we can return to the main residence. Being thrown out here in the wilderness, what are we to do!’ Wan Lu grumbled.

Sang Chen glared at her, signaling her not to bring up matters that might upset the Wife.

Ge Lan brought over the ginger soup she had prepared and placed it on the table in front because it was too hot.

Ran Yan put down her Medical Books and suddenly asked, "Xiao Song is breaking off the engagement. With Sang Chen suddenly returning to Chang’an, what do you think about this?"

Ge Lan paused for a moment, then took the brush and ink from the table and wrote: ’The Inspector is a cunning man. Mr. Sang’s disappearance is very likely his doing.’

After reading it, Ran Yan nodded and said, "I understand, but I can’t figure out why he would intentionally entangle me with Sang Chen by breaking off the engagement?"

With pursed lips and a smile, Ge Lan wrote: ’Wife, you are too involved to see clearly. By doing so, the Assistant Minister ensures that your husband can’t just marry you off to someone else without offending the Cui Clan.’

By doing this, Xiao Song first ensures that the Ran Clan will not treat Ran Yan poorly. Secondly, even though the engagement hasn’t been set, Sang Chen had personally proposed before. Just because he left due to some circumstances doesn’t mean the discussions were called off. If Ran Yan were given away to another family in secret, and Sang Chen returns later, wouldn’t that offend the Cui Clan? Thirdly, the elders of the Ran Clan would certainly not let go of this marriage proposal lightly. Whether there’s a fourth or fifth reason, only Xiao Song knows for sure.

"That is indeed a good strategy, but what is his motive?" Ran Yan was puzzled by this, feeling that Xiao Song wouldn’t help her without reason.

Ge Lan faintly guessed that Xiao Song might be fond of Ran Yan, but couldn’t understand why he didn’t directly propose. If both families had proposed together, Xiao Song would have had a good chance.

"Wife, today Mrs. Liu came to see you. Since you weren’t here, I asked her to go back," Sang Chen, having finished dealing with the doors and windows, sat down on the felt in front of Ran Yan, "She heard that it was not peaceful here and was concerned about your safety, so she came to check on you."

Mrs. Liu? She is Zhou Sanlang’s mother. It took a moment for Ran Yan to recall, "She is indeed thoughtful."

"Isn’t she," Sang Chen laughed, "Her husband has been deceased for many years, and although remarrying wouldn’t be difficult, she has had such a hard time raising her child alone and never went against her husband’s dying wish. She truly is devoted and faithful."

"By the way, what is Zhou Sanlang doing these days?" Ran Yan remembered he was a boy with a stubborn look in his eyes.

"I heard he is preparing for the county examination," Sang Chen said with a sigh, "The seats for the examination are limited, mostly occupied by families with substantial wealth. It’s hard for Zhou Sanlang to make his mark in the county examination!"

There are only three ways to participate in the imperial examination: one, students from schools called ’students’; two, those selected through local examinations in provinces and counties called ’county scholars’; three, candidates personally selected by the emperor called ’imperial scholars’. In reality, the main sources of candidates are only from ’students’ and ’county scholars’.

However, the ’county scholar’ examination in the province and county takes place once a year with a certain quota. Under normal circumstances, these positions are mostly taken by those who use connections, and unless one is exceptionally talented, most are buried in obscurity. Such is the harsh reality.

"When is the ’county scholar’ examination?" Ran Yan wondered, figuring it should be easy to ask Inspector Liu for a spot.

Sang Chen thought for a moment and said, "The autumn examination for ’county scholars’ should be soon, probably in the next few days."

"Hmm," Ran Yan’s hand rested on the armrest of the round waist-back couch and knocked a few times. If Zhou Sanlang truly had potential and performed well in the autumn examination, Ran Yan, not being a rigid person, wouldn’t mind pulling some strings for him. Presumably, Mrs. Liu also understood this, which is why she was so wholehearted in her approach.

"How is Wei’s family doing?" Ran Yan hadn’t forgotten; Wei’s family had asked her to take care of her body, so she had Xing Niang keep an eye on this matter.

The worst punishment for Wei’s crimes was exile, and the document sent to the Ministry of Criminal Justice hadn’t been approved yet, but she presumably had a death wish, which is why she entrusted Ran Yan with the task.

To meet her own daughter and not be able to acknowledge her, to acknowledge her only when they were eternally separated, Cui Mei was also threatened and coerced because of Wei’s mother, ultimately leading her on a path of no return. Wei’s mother’s heart must have forever been heavy.

"She was sentenced to exile and is currently waiting for the Ministry of Criminal Justice’s review. Now that Assistant Minister Xiao is in Suzhou, the result will likely come out very soon," Xing Niang said.

Ran Yan nodded.

"Wife, Huan Kong has come over," Xiao Man said.

Ran Yan had a fondness for the innocent and adorable Huan Kong and felt especially compassionate towards her. Hearing that she had come over, she couldn’t help but smile slightly, "Let her in."

Soon, Xiao Man led a flustered Huan Kong into the room.

"Master has gone after the bad guys," Huan Kong ran in hastily, and as soon as she saw Ran Yan, she immediately said, "I’m scared."

Ran Yan’s heart tightened, and she took her hand, softly saying, "There are many people here, don’t be afraid, tell me what exactly happened?"

These past few days, Huan Kong had been startled by the eerie scene at her mother’s grave, leading to light sleep and being easily awoken at night. "Tonight I heard footsteps, so I pulled the covers over my head. A person stood in front of my bed for a long time. I was so scared I didn’t dare breathe. Later, he left, and I saw Master run out from the inner room and chase after that person."

"Will Master be in danger, should I report to the officials?" Huan Kong clung to Ran Yan’s hand as if grasping a lifeline.

Ran Yan frowned; the best course of action was to have Huan Kong go back and pretend she knew nothing, so as not to alarm anyone prematurely. Tomorrow she would tell Liu Pinrang and Xiao Song, but in her current state, Huan Kong couldn’t possibly keep anything hidden.

"It’s okay, your master is protected by the Buddha, the bad people can’t hurt her," Ran Yan could only console her for the moment.

Huan Kong, with tears running down her face, nodded, "Can I sleep here tonight, then?"

Ran Yan hesitated for a moment, but agreed. However, she disliked sharing a bed with others, so she let Huan Kong sleep with Wan Lu and Ge Lan.

Huan Kong usually slept alone in the outer room of Jing Yuan’s bedroom and rarely stayed with others. She found it very novel and after romping around with Wan Lu for a while, she quickly forgot her fears and fell asleep next to Wan Lu’s quilt.

Watching them, a smile appeared on Ran Yan’s face; Huan Kong and Wan Lu usually did not get along, bickering whenever they met, but subconsciously, she was very dependent on her.

Humans truly are a strange species...

Ran Yan turned over, lying flat on the bed, carefully reviewing the case in her mind.

In the town, three pairs of lovers had eloped, but all ended up near Guan Gong Temple. After that, the women were killed by the murderer and buried in the jade orchid flowerbed, while the men were discarded in the wilderness.

Ran Yan still didn’t know how those women were killed, but from the way the bodies were handled, the murderer seemed to favor males. And suddenly — Ran Yan realized that the body drained of blood had very few wounds.

Why was that? What made the murderer "treat" him so "kindly"?

(To be continued. If you like this work, please come to Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your recommendation tickets and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)