Chapter 40: Enduring Humiliation

  Something has happened to Hua.

  As soon as Lan entered the main hall, she saw her lying motionless on the ground, with two fierce old women holding staffs crossed over her body. Wu Guo's eyes were about to split open, his bitter face suddenly transformed into a malevolent spirit, and he rushed forward, ready to punch the two old women.

  Lan Sheng had never seen Wu Guo's skill in beating people, and she was eager to "evaluate" his true ability. However, since Hua Pianzi had already been beaten into a meat pie, if Lan Sheng lost again, she wouldn't be able to go out anymore, so she restrained herself.

  The two crones were so frightened by his ferocious face that they dropped their sticks and scrambled to the side, trembling with fear.

  The old lady hummed coldly on the main seat and said with a straight face, "Your little servants don't understand etiquette at all. Why didn't you teach them well in daily life?"

  Lan was born but fortunate, and immediately looked at the people in the house. Apart from Old Lady and her parents, she saw Nan Yueping sitting under a woman with an air of complacency. The woman looked to be in her early forties, with regular features and a regular posture, her sharp eyes staring at her half-concealedly. She thought it was probably Yu Furen. Opposite Yu Furen was another woman, about 34 or 35 years old, a standard beauty, with butterflies on her clothes, who should be Die Furen. Below Die Furen sat a young girl, 14 or 15 years old, with a slightly childish and shy appearance, probably Nan Yue Sha.

  Lan Sheng's gaze fell on the two women beside the old lady. The woman on the left had a bright and beautiful appearance, like a rainbow after the rain that made one's eyes light up, but her temperament was cold and distant, unlike Nan Yueping's arrogant nature. This woman seemed to be carved from ice and jade, shining brightly but untouchable. She guessed it was Tian Nu's sister, Nan Yuejinwei. The woman on the right seemed even younger than Nan Yueping, around 15 or 16 years old, with clear eyes and delicate features. Although she couldn't compare to Nan Yuejinwei's stunning beauty, she had a pure and innocent aura that made one fall into her simplicity at once. Nan Yuerui, the Saintly Gifted Benevolent Girl, gave a very fitting first impression.

  Lan Sheng took a last look at Wu Mei, and found that her mother's hair was tied up in a bun, which was obviously wet. But her mother's expression was calm, while her father's face was dark and stern, seemingly angry with everyone. Thinking about the reason for Hua being beaten, she put it in her heart. No one asked her to sit down, so she found a chair herself and sat down without speaking. Outside Li Leng An, facing a group of "wolf howls", she could be taciturn and confront them, so she was not afraid of these family members.

  Many people thought that Lan Sheng would retort or make a fuss, but unexpectedly, not a single word was uttered after a long while. The lively atmosphere of those waiting for a good show suddenly turned cold and stiff. Even the old lady who first asked the question didn't know how to continue, as Lan Sheng's silence could also be interpreted as cleverness.

  But at this time, there is always love coming out on top.

  Nan Yueping, relying on her favored status, now with her mother managing the household affairs, regarded herself as the legitimate daughter, and spoke loudly, "Lansheng sister, grandmother asked you how to teach the young servant boys, why didn't you answer?"

  "There's no need to count the flowers, she's under Donghai's tutelage, learning divination from my mother. I was frail and sickly since childhood, while she was lively and active, her eight characters benefited my health, so she usually stayed by my side. Wu Guo isn't a young servant either, he's a disciple of the Sword Sect." When encountering someone who absolutely had to make her speak, then she would say something.

  The old lady immediately looked at Wu Mei and blurted out, "Why didn't you say so earlier?"

  Wu Mei smiled wryly and stroked her wet hair with her hand. "This child indeed has something wrong, she should be punished."

  "Indeed, even if she's just a disciple of her sister, there's still a difference in status between her and Yuanyu. Daring to lay hands on Yuanyu is inexcusable no matter what. Even if Yuanyu splashed water on her sister, after all, children are just children, and the mistress has only been gone for a few days, it's inevitable that they're emotional. As elders, we can't take things too seriously with children." Madam Yun's voice was calm, seemingly objective, but like a cold arrow.

  "Sister said so." Wu Mei was facing people at this time, casually kneading and pinching, but she quickly glanced at Lan Sheng.

  No one saw, but Lan Sheng caught it. With fragmented memories of living with Wu Mei since childhood and the past four months together, she thought she could decipher the "deep meaning" behind this gaze.

  Alas, she hadn't even warmed up the chair. She stood up and walked past Nan Yueping, standing still in front of Madame Yu, staring at her without a word.

  Everyone thought Lan Sheng had something to say, but instead she lifted her sleeve with one hand and was holding a teacup in the other.

  "You——" Nan Yueping shouted loudly.

  Even Lian Qingleng's calm face changed, her eyes wide with shock as she stared at the cup of tea that had been splashed onto Madame Yu, drenching her entire head and face.

  "Ah——" Madame Jue covered her face and shouted wildly, her voice similar to Nan Yueping's scream.

  The old lady slapped the table and stood up, just about to scold in a loud voice, but Lan Sheng's voice covered everything.

  "My mother was favored and then banished back in the day, she had her own wrongdoings, but what about me?"

  Nan Yueping wiped her mother's face while resentfully asking, "Your mother was driven out by the first wife, what does it have to do with my mother?"

  "I was only a seven-year-old girl at the time, I didn't plot against my mother or offend anyone. Clearly all of us are father's children, yet I was forced to leave home for thirteen years, and when I returned home, I found that I wasn't anyone, Nan Yue Fu only has four young ladies, the servants only recognize the four misses, it seems like I'm not even a guest. I also have feelings."

  A heart full of grievances and accusations in Lan's narrative tone fails to evoke resonance from the listener, but only sparks inner fire; yet her words are reasonable, and no one can refute them.

  "To be honest, I didn't know how to complain to others, but after listening to Aunt Yun's words, I suddenly understood. Jade sister splashed my mother, but her biological mother passed away, so it can be forgiven. I splashed Aunt Yun, it was a child's grievance for many years, and Aunt Yun who could understand Jade sister would not take me seriously." Not a word was mentioned about Yu Hua being beaten to the point of exhaustion, because she didn't want people to misunderstand that she was a good girl.

  Mrs. Yu actually felt fortunate that Wu Mei was splashed, where is she so kind and understanding? Guan Lan said it makes sense or not, after wiping away the tea water, she rushed to Old Mrs. and Nan Yue and cried, "Please ask Old Mrs. and Master to take charge for me, let a junior bully me like this, what face will I have in the future?"

  Lan Sheng said, "Auntie was originally indifferent to things that didn't concern her, but when they happened to herself, it was like pouring hot oil on her. Mother, you don't blame a single word, and it really makes me admire you."

  After Lan Sheng's praise, Nan Yueya looked at Wu Mei with even more tenderness.

  "Besides, I don't think this family is very particular about rules either." Lan Sheng counterattacked loudly, "The great lady has passed away, and the concubines do not distinguish between seniority or size, sitting together as equals. My mother and the great lady were close sisters, also being the aunts of Jin Wei and Yu Xiu, ranking highest among the maternal relatives, that's what it means to be a true elder. The aunt was splashed with water by her niece, yet no one came forward to say a word, instead wanting the aunt to endure it. In Yaotown, the proper wife is in the main hall and the concubine is in the back, when the proper wife is not around, the concubine leaves the main hall, unless there's a remarriage, household matters should be handled by the eldest daughter of the legitimate line. Probably because I grew up outside, what I've seen and heard aren't exactly proper rules either."

  Either speak less yourself or make others speak less.