Chapter 9 Sisters

  Nan Yue Lan walked in. There were four people in the hall, three of whom she had met before: Nan Yue Ping, An Qu, and that Kai Shu. The woman sitting in the main seat, whom she called Mother, had been favored by 35 years of time, with a gentle and elegant appearance, skin as white as ice, teeth as black as night, eyes like morning stars, looking like 25 or 26 years old. Not only was her beauty unchanged, but her proud and arrogant personality had also been refined and purified after more than ten years of exile, making her temperament appear elegant and refined.

  At this time, the cup shattered at her mother's feet, and her beautiful face was filled with sorrow. Tears as big as beans fell down, and it could still be described as "pear blossoms in the rain".

  Is this real or fake tears? After being a daughter for three months, Nan Yue Lan still can't tell.

  Hua ran over, full of concern, "What's wrong, madam?"

  Wu Mei grasped You Hua's hand, choking with sobs and unable to speak.

  "This must be Lan Sheng's sister. It's been over a decade since we last met, I wonder if my sister still remembers me?" Nan Yueping was not one to be considerate of others, and she remained unmoved by Wu Mei's tears, calling out to Hua in a tone that was neither warm nor friendly, but rather somewhat disdainful.

  This made Lan Sheng stop in his tracks, unsure whether to laugh or not. Was Nan Yueping being deliberate? Just by looking at their attire, one could tell the master-servant relationship, yet they dared to claim sisterhood. As soon as their eyes met, however, they found themselves staring directly at An Hui.

  Compared to before, Nan Yue Lan found that he was indeed a big handsome guy, with perfect facial features and physique, and a cool demeanor, cold eyes, easily triggering the desire of many beauties to conquer him. However, she had never been a beauty, nor did she have any interest in handsome men. Men, being honest is good.

  She was about to shift her gaze when the handsome guy bowed to her and said to Nan Yueping, "Pingmei, you're mistaken, this is Lan Sheng, your sister." He spoke to Nan Yueping but kept looking at Nan Yue Lan Sheng.

  Nan Yueping immediately looked over, furrowed her brow as if she didn't quite believe it, then reluctantly curtsied and said, "Ah, I see. Mother often said that Lan Sheng's eyes were beautiful like a phoenix. Sorry, I was young at the time and completely forgot what you looked like, and thought I wouldn't be able to see you in this lifetime."

  Lan walked over and sat down across from Wu Mei, pushing a dish of food towards her. "Although I couldn't hear what Ping's sister said, we were all young at the time, who would remember who? It's not a big deal if you can't remember someone's face, but it's not good if you can't even remember your own siblings. You think that this lifetime won't require us to meet again, but I think that close relatives will definitely reunite." This younger sister was very enthusiastic about meddling in other people's business, and seemed to be born with a natural animosity towards her.

  Nan Yueping heard the lesson in it and pouted her mouth, wanting to talk back.

  "Master Ke bowed deeply and said, 'Miss Lanzheng is right. Third Miss is young and speaks impulsively, I'll apologize on her behalf.'"

  "Third Miss?" Wu Mei wiped her eyes with Lan Sheng's handkerchief, looking sorrowful and puzzled. "Isn't Ping'er the fourth in line? Why is she called Third Miss?"

  Kai Shu's body stiffened, and he knelt down on the ground, "Your humble servant has misspoken, it was Fourth Miss." Madame Mei had not been in the mansion for over a decade, but her ruthless tactics when competing with Eldest Madam for favor still lingered in his memory, she was a woman with a strong vengeful heart.

  "Uncle Kai, it's fine to just clarify the misunderstanding, why kneel? Speaking of which, I have some similarities with Ping'er. When we first entered the Nan Yue Fu, those few years were spent in pampered and arrogant indulgence, young and vigorous without knowing the depths. Now that we've grown older, naturally we understand more. Get up." Wu Mei said straightforwardly.

  Kai Shu lifted his head, eyes wide with surprise, and quickly got up again.

  Wu Mei said, "We mustn't delay, let's pack up and set off at noon."

  Nan Yueping was taken aback, "Didn't Aunt Mei see what was written on the letter? Aunt Ju told you not to worry, she will handle the funeral of the madam perfectly." Aunt Ju was her mother, but according to the imperial etiquette and law, all children born out of wedlock could only address their father's legitimate wife as their mother.

  Is the great lady who demoted her and her mother passed away? Nan Yue Lan suddenly felt that she didn't need to worry, if Ou Mei Ruo couldn't seize this opportunity, then she was an idiot. She just learned from him, with a gloomy and melancholic expression.

  She immediately stood up and said, "Daughter, go pack your luggage."

  Wu Mei nodded silently in her heart. After the girl's serious illness, although she was still stubborn and unruly, she had become much more intelligent and sensible. For example, at this moment, if she were to cry loudly, it would seem artificial. And that sentence about packing up her luggage even helped herself, leaving Nan Yueping, a maid like her, completely defenseless.

  "Kai Shu, you tell Aunt Mei!" Nan Yueping said with a smirk. This time, only Kai Shu and An Qu had come, but she had begged her mother for a long time, saying that she wanted to see the miserable state of Aunt Mei and her daughter, and also help her mother vent her anger, so her mother had finally persuaded her father.

  "Madam Mei, Madam Ju has taken into consideration your close relationship with the Eldest Madam, so as soon as she passed away, I was immediately dispatched to inform you. However, regarding this matter of returning to the manor..." Kai Shu, the Deputy Manager of Nan Yue Manor, spoke with weight, "it's still better to wait for my return and ask for Master's instructions before..."

  "Vice General Ke." Wu Mei's gaze gradually became stern.

  "Ah, yes, Mrs. Mei."

  "What is the relationship between you and Madame?" Wu Mei asked.

  "......Mrs. Mei is the elder lady's own sister." answered Uncle Kai.

  Nan Yue Lan Sheng learned another astonishing fact.

  "My own sister passed away from a serious illness, should I, as her younger sister, go to mourn?" asked Wu Mei again.

  "...the weather is scorching, and even if Madam Mei rushes over, I'm afraid the funeral will be over by then." Kai Shu continued to try his best, following Madame Jing's instructions. It wasn't that Madame Jing was being particularly kind, but rather that if Madam Mei were to return, it would likely stir up more trouble.

  "However, going to the grave to kowtow and burn incense is indispensable. After all, there are only my sister and I left in the Wu family, who else can inform our ancestors of her passing and ask them to guide her spirit? Can Xiao Mei do it? Does she understand our Wu family traditions?" Wu Meiling asked repeatedly.

  "This... Madam, since you've married into our household, you should follow the traditions of the Nan Yue family." Old Lady Jiang said with a spicy tone.

  "Am I, Wu Shi, an ordinary person? Generation after generation serving as the great shaman of Donghai, born with heavenly guidance, dying to become a divine spirit, if no one inherits the soul, the lineage will be cut off, and perhaps even the innate talents of Jin Wei and Yu Rui will disappear. Can you bear this responsibility?" Today is decided.

  "Small... small ignorance." The union between Nan Yue and Wu Shi was a significant alliance, so the old master married two sisters at once. However, over the years, seeing the deep affection between the old master and Madame, Uncle Kai gradually forgot the original purpose of the alliance.

  "It's fine if you know, and besides, Father has already written to me about Sister's serious illness, telling me to prepare to return home. If you still think it's not suitable, do you want me to show you Father's letter?" Wu Mei asked, making the person sweat profusely.

  "The little one dare not, please ask the madam to set out with us." The people in the mansion thought that the old master had long since lost contact with this side, but unexpectedly they were still in touch. However, they are not surprised, as the old master doted on the second wife and neglected the first wife, forcing the first wife to drive away her own sister.