Miss Truth
Chapter 392 - 249: Great Clan’s Wedding Dispute

Chapter 392: Chapter 249: Great Clan’s Wedding Dispute

At this time, the skull no longer bore the appearance of a skeleton, therefore Ge Lan and Wan Lu were both attending inside the house, witnessing a lifelike person becoming increasingly distinct in Ran Yan’s hands, and they were filled with admiration.

There were sculptures at that time too, but they were generally artistically processed, with certain aspects exaggerated for emphasis, so most of them were distortive. They had never before seen such a realistic sculpting technique.

Hair was simple to create, but she encountered a problem; Ran Yan gauged the size of the half-flipped bun, realizing that if she used solid mud to shape it, the weight at the back might eventually topple the skull over, making it impossible to place stably.

With no other choice, Ran Yan could only lean it against the corner of the wall, supported by the two walls. Shaping the hair was much faster than the face, and in just a half hour, she already had the basic shape completed. While she refined the details, she listened to Wan Lu talk about how women who usually wore this hairstyle liked to adorn it.

With measuring points in place, filling in the skin and flesh was quick; it was almost finished.

But it was getting late, and unable to continue, Ran Yan had no choice but to lead Ge Lan and Wan Lu back to their estate. Xiao Song had not yet returned, and it was unclear what had happened.

Compared to Dou Chengfeng, Ran Yan was more concerned that the Princess of Wenxi had actually ventured out in disguise. Recently, Ran Yan had taken the time to gather quite a lot of information about the Princess of Wenxi, and based on those facts, she pieced together a picture of the princess in her mind.

Princess Wenxi was named Woniang. "Wo" in ancient language refers to a puppet or doll-like humanoid figurine, but it was unclear what the real significance of this name was. Raised in the palace as a commoner, the person who took care of her held a low status, merely a fallen beauty. The princess developed a heightened sensitivity to persecution over a decade of commoner living, combined with her father carrying the stigma of treason, in such a life-or-death palace environment.

The women of the Tang Dynasty often retained remnants of the Northern Dynasty’s spirit.

The Wei, Jin, and Northern and Southern Dynasties were the most politically chaotic and socially painful periods in China, yet they were also the freest, most liberating times spiritually, and the most intellectually enriched and passionately intense eras. Therefore, the women living in these times were independent-minded, resilient and confident, possessing a spirited boldness. The women of the Tang Dynasty were mostly like this as well.

However, Li Wanshu’s character was the complete opposite. Her timidity could no longer be described merely as caution. She was reticent, never communicating with others, without any friends.

Yet, Rong Qian had once mentioned that Li Wanshu was a very talented woman. She had a photographic memory, was well-versed in classics and histories, and was deeply learned. This had been spoken of after she married Liu Yingdao, though those who knew of it only discussed it privately, not daring to speak openly or verify the truth of the matter.

Overall, for a woman like her, venturing out disguised while the case was still unsolved didn’t quite align with her usually cautious style.

Was it because of an unavoidable need to go out, or was there a real split in personality? If it was a split personality, what kind of character did this other personality have?

Ran Yan guessed based on her living environment and some of the events she experienced: if it indeed was a split personality, the other personality would likely be playing a protective role, which often tended to be extreme and volatile, significantly increasing the likelihood of committing murder.

It was also possible for a weaker personality to emerge; the original personality, under prolonged danger and pressure, might have created an even weaker persona to live strong and use every means to protect herself.

But Ran Yan had dismissed this possibility from the beginning because the one who dared to go out under such circumstances certainly would not be weaker.

At first, Ran Yan only hypothesized it, but later, a Secret Guard Xiao Song had sent indeed saw her brutally stomping a rat to death, which undoubtedly deepened the possibility.

Whether she had always concealed her true personality or it was a case of actual personality splitting still required further verification.

And the best way to verify would be to personally meet the individual in question.

Ran Yan decided she would discuss the matter with Xiao Song tomorrow. Xiao Song’s way of conducting himself in society, she didn’t particularly like in some aspects, but it was undeniable that he was worldly and experienced, which was exactly what she lacked.

Upon returning to the Ran residence, Ran Pingyu had already arrived at He Ya Inn.

"How is Assistant Minister Xiao’s injury?" Ran Pingyu asked.

Ran Yan looked down and replied, "He said it’s just a superficial wound." But observing his complexion today, that superficial wound must also be quite serious; it’s just that he didn’t want to say, and she didn’t point it out either.

Ran Pingyu nodded, yet said, "I inquired a little, and they said it was a cut half a foot deep into the chest, but it didn’t reach any vital organs; however, he did lose a lot of blood... It seems the person who relayed the news was exaggerating the danger."

Ran Yan lifted her head in surprise. She had guessed that the injury was serious but did not expect it to be much more severe than she thought. An ordinary person struck by such a blow would surely be bedridden, yet he could still review official documents and converse with her in a relaxed manner as if nothing had happened?

For some reason, she suddenly thought of the time in Jushui County, when he had drank with her and later, while smiling, asked about his capacity for alcohol, saying, "I am already drunk, do you believe it?"

It wasn’t that alcohol couldn’t intoxicate, but that he truly was drunk; it was just that his mind remained clear, accustomed to pretense.

Sometimes, the habit of pretense becomes an instinct.

At this moment, Ran Yan felt that her experiences from two lifetimes combined did not compare to his. The ancients matured early, and someone of Xiao Song’s age might have just finished graduate school in later generations, perhaps still unable to fully comprehend the harshness and difficulty of society, but he had already been navigating the complexities of the officialdom for many years.

In this environment of deceit and manipulation, where others spoke kindly but had malice hidden within, holding an innocent heart—if you were mediocre and inconsequential, perhaps it was fine, but if you were talented and ambitious, you would likely be the first to fall.

You might believe that genuine talent and relentless effort could secure you the highest positions, but in the end, you would be covered in wounds...

Initially, Ran Yan was put off by Xiao Song’s insincerity, which was her main reason for disliking him. She wasn’t a naïve girl, but knowing something was one thing and accepting it was another. Yet somehow, at this moment, she found herself more able to accept it.

Ran Pingyu was discussing affairs, but noticing that Ran Yan was distracted, he stopped and called out, "Ah Yan?"

Ran Yan came back to her senses and said sheepishly, "Could you repeat that? I didn’t hear you."

"You child." Ran Pingyu wasn’t angry and said, "You should know about this. I just received the news that both the Cui family and the Xiao family have sent people to propose marriage."

Wan Lu and Ge Lan were utterly shocked. Ran Yan was also surprised and asked, "Someone? Who?"

"The Cui family sent a very respectable steward from the main family, along with a gentleman from the main family, whereas the Xiao family sent a female steward carrying a personal letter from Lady Xiao." This matter also placed Ran Pingyu in a difficult position.

Now, with Ran Yan and Xiao Song just waiting to issue the marriage document, it was best to finalize the marriage quickly while the Cui family was unaware. Later, when the Cui family inquired, they could say: given Ran Yan’s age was not young, the Cui family had only given verbal consent and had not sent a proposal, and since the Xiao family had provided generously, it would have been improper to refuse. This way, the Ran family wouldn’t be involved much; if there was a squabble, let the big families fight it out. The Cui family had the first verbal agreement anyway, so both morally and logically, agreeing to the Xiao family’s proposal was unjustifiable. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for it at Qidian (qidian.com) with a recommendation ticket or a monthly ticket. Your support is my greatest motivation.)