Miss Truth
Chapter 226 - 143: Dispute

Chapter 226: Chapter 143: Dispute

Chapter 143

Wan Lu took out the two cloud hairpins, and Ran Yan handed them to Ran Yunsheng, "Brother Ten, do you recognize these hairpins?"

Ran Yunsheng received them with a puzzled look and carefully examined them against the lamplight, exclaiming in admiration, "What excellent mutton fat jade hairpins! Such quality is truly rare!"

Seeing Ran Yunsheng describe them in such a manner, Ran Yan knew that these cloud hairpins were not gifts from him, and of course, they would not be from that stingy Ran Yun either.

"Such craftsmanship must come from Yongshou Square in Chang’an," Ran Yunsheng returned the cloud hairpins to Ran Yan and explained, "Yongshou Square only does business with the nobility. Apart from the major clans listed in the family registers, they refuse all others."

Chang’an, major clans; beyond Xiao Song, Ran Yan couldn’t think of anyone else who might send her cloud hairpins.

"I understand, thank you, Brother Ten." Ran Yan handed the hairpins back to Wan Lu and went into the hall with Ran Yunsheng.

"I just came to see how you were doing. Was there any trouble when you went to pay respects to the uncles in the clan just now?" Ran Yunsheng asked.

"No trouble." Ran Yan had merely gone to pay her respects. Beyond that, there was hardly any interaction, as those clan uncles were all wrapped up in topics brought up by Xiao Song, paying her no mind.

"Since there’s no trouble, I should get back to the banquet. I slipped away under the pretense of using the privy!" Ran Yunsheng winked and rose to leave.

Ran Yan smiled as she watched him go.

The indifference of the Ran household was somewhat diminished by Ran Yunsheng’s caring. Though desiring familial warmth, Ran Yan could still live well on her own.

One should always long for all that is beautiful yet not feel that reality is cruel for not obtaining it. Between reality and ideals, one must maintain a balance in their heart, or else feel forever aggrieved.

The moon was high, and the banquet at the Ran household gradually came to an end, leaving only maids busy tending to the leftovers in the banquet hall.

A restless night passed.

Early the next day, the Water Pavilion was filled with visitors. A group of aunts and sisters whom Ran Yan had never met before, along with their maids and concubines, made the spacious courtyard of the Water Pavilion seem extremely crowded.

Fortunately, these people, faced with Ran Yan’s icy demeanor, did not linger long. They simply delivered their gifts in person, exchanged a few courteous words, and left.

After the feast from the previous night, the Ran household began preparations for the Mid-Autumn family banquet. Everyone was so busy, they could hardly touch ground—even Ran Meiyu had no time to bother Ran Yan, leaving the Water Pavilion the most tranquil place. Since getting up, Ran Yan sat in the Water Pavilion observing the scenery, not for its beauty but to spot differences from the day before, to train her observational skills.

Thus, a day of idleness passed until a maid came to invite Ran Yan to join the family banquet in the front yard when the full moon rose.

The so-called family banquet was not much different from the previous day’s feast, just slightly fewer people.

The Ran family had more daughters than sons; for someone like Ran Pingyu to have a boy as the first child and also the eldest, was almost unheard of.

"This spot is mine!" A latecomer, Ran Meiyu, stood before Ran Yan, looming from above. Dressed in deep orange brocade with a skirt embroidered in twelve different hues, her bejeweled hair and exquisite features made her radiant and charming, despite her eyebrows knitted in petulant anger.

"Meiyu, there are rules of seniority and clear distinctions between legitimate and illegitimate offspring. Don’t be unreasonable," Ran Yunsheng said in a low voice.

In such family gatherings, even though Ran Yunsheng had a respectable position within the clan, being born from a concubine, he could only sit in the back row, which was behind Ran Yan.

Although Ran Yan was the seventeenth in line in the clan, she was the legitimate eldest daughter of Ran Wen, the family head, and therefore had the right to sit here. However, for the past two years, this spot had been occupied by Ran Meiyu.

"Brother Ten, you still side with her. Who can say my mother isn’t a legitimate Lady?" Ran Meiyu glared at Ran Yunsheng with reddened eyes.

Concubines are also recognized as Ladies, but it is Ran Yan’s mother who was first honored in the clan’s ancestral hall, her place already enshrined. In the presence of Zheng’s spirit tablet, Gao could only call herself "Concubine."

The argument was quiet, but with Ran Meiyu’s angry stance in front of Ran Yan, everyone could easily guess the reason. Since Xiao Song, an outsider, was present, they did not feel it proper to pay much attention, instead pricking up their ears to listen.

"This spot is yours?" Ran Yan glanced down at the seat, "There isn’t your name written here, is it? If you don’t know what ’first come, first served’ means, please go and ask Second Lady for clarification, and then come back to settle scores with me."