As evening fell, Lin Hairu personally came to check on her. Luo Yixiu, upon hearing the news, arrived from the main house with a box of pastries. She smiled warmly, saying, “Our Yining has grown up.”
Yining sat on the couch, supporting her waist as she sipped some hot soup. Though she felt much better now, the situation was still rather embarrassing. The servants in the room seemed to be watching her with amused glances, quietly discussing how to nourish her or whether to prepare some brown sugar eggs.
Usually, girls don’t experience pain during their first menstruation. Yining’s discomfort was due to her weak constitution from childhood illnesses. Despite this, there was a light and even joyful atmosphere in the room.
Lin Hairu instructed the maids to pay close attention to Yining’s daily diet. She held Yining’s hand, examining it carefully. Lin Hairu felt a sense of pride at her daughter’s coming of age. She was determined to pamper Yining and raise her to be truly precious. Though she couldn’t compare to the daughters of nobles and royalty, Yining would certainly command respect. Any future suitor would have to carefully consider if he was worthy of her.
Yining, however, recalled her previous life. Back then, she had been clueless, with no one to explain what was happening. She had been panic-stricken until her senior maid, blushing, had quietly informed her. When her stepmother found out, she merely instructed the servants, “Explain it clearly to the young miss, and remind her to be mindful of her diet from now on.”
After all, Yining wasn’t her biological child. Providing food and clothing was already considered an act of kindness. Someone like Lin Hairu was truly rare.
Lost in thought, Yining asked Nanny Xu to escort Lin Hairu back, not wanting her to overexert herself.
News of Luo Yining’s situation quickly reached Concubine Qiao.
She was making shoes for young master Xuan when she remarked coolly, “She’s almost thirteen now.” Lifting her head, she asked, “Where’s Lian’er?”
A maid replied, “The sixth young miss is writing in the study and doesn’t want to be disturbed.”
Just then, an elderly servant woman entered and called from behind the curtain, “Concubine, Liu An’s wife says she needs to see you.”
Liu An’s wife was Concubine Qiao’s household manager. Hearing this, she frowned, remembering how Liu An’s wife had pleaded for Xu Si. The thought of these people irritated her. “I won’t see her. Tell her to go away!”
After a moment of hushed voices outside, someone spoke again, “Concubine, Liu An’s wife insists on seeing you! She says it’s urgent… You must see her!”
Concubine Qiao put down her shoemaking awl on the small table, her expression darkening. “Fine, let her in!” She was determined to discipline these impudent servants.
Liu An’s wife entered with a fawning smile, kneeling on the ground. Her copper bracelets jingled as she said, “Concubine, your servant pays her respects.”
Concubine Qiao remained coldly silent.
Feeling awkward, Liu An’s wife continued, “Concubine, about Xu Si… I didn’t let them beat him too badly. When we arrived, his bedridden wife threw herself in front of us, begging us not to beat him. She cried pitifully. I told her, ‘This is the Concubine’s order, we must carry it out.’ The poor woman was so weak she could barely speak. To save Xu Si, she knelt and begged…”
Concubine Qiao, growing impatient, interrupted, “Liu An’s wife, are you finding your job too comfortable?”
Startled by Concubine Qiao’s tone, Liu An’s wife didn’t dare to beat around the bush any longer. She straightened up, hurried to Concubine Qiao’s side, and spoke in a low voice, “Concubine, you don’t know the half of it. Let me explain in detail. That woman used to serve the Second Madam, didn’t she? Though not a personal maid, she was still of the second rank… She told me a secret from the past that you’d never guess! She said she’d reveal this secret to you if you spared Xu Si’s life… It’s related to our former Second Madam!”
Concubine Qiao leaned back on her cushion, picking up the awl again. She looked at Liu An’s wife coldly, “You believed her just because she claimed to have a secret?”
Liu An’s wife’s brow twitched slightly. She dismissed the watching maids and sat down next to Concubine Qiao, attempting to massage her legs. Concubine Qiao slapped her hand away, but Liu An’s wife smiled, undeterred. “You won’t believe it, but I think there might be some truth to it! Guess what secret she revealed…” Liu An’s wife paused for effect, then said, “She claims that our Seventh Young Miss… isn’t the Master’s biological daughter!”
Concubine Qiao, still holding young master Xuan’s shoe, finally sat up straight. “What did she say? Luo Yining isn’t the Master’s child?”
Liu An’s wife continued, “Think about it, Concubine. Such things are often unclear in this world. Has the Seventh Young Miss ever resembled the Master in all these years? And wasn’t the Second Madam’s death suspicious? Others say it was because of you, but I don’t think so. And why did none of her maids and servants dare to stay in the Luo family…”
Concubine Qiao pondered for a moment, then asked, “What proof does she have?”
Liu An’s wife replied, “She wouldn’t say more. She insists that you spare Xu Si first. That’s why I came to ask for your decision!”
The more Concubine Qiao thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. She had harbored suspicions about these matters for years. She sat up straight and said, “Quickly, find a doctor for her family. I’ll cover all the medical expenses. Treat them well with good food and drink. As for Xu Si, we’ll let the matter drop. If what she says is true, I won’t be able to reward her enough!”
Concubine Qiao’s mind raced. Since Luo Yining’s return to the second branch of the family, she has been suppressing Concubine Qiao, and even caused her to lose young master Xuan. If this were true… Concubine Qiao felt a surge of excitement. What right would Luo Yining have to call herself the legitimate daughter of the Luo family? She might even be the product of Gu Minglan’s affair with a servant, nothing more than a low-born bastard, not worth fearing at all. With a serious expression, she instructed Liu An’s wife, “Bring her to see me personally tomorrow! You understand?”
Liu An’s wife nodded eagerly. She thought about how pitiful that woman had looked, speaking between bouts of illness: “The Madam was good to me, yet I couldn’t give her peace even in death. I deserve to have my tongue rot and go to hell… But he truly did it for my sake, I can’t let him suffer because of me…”
She had cried until she nearly fainted.
Liu An’s wife sighed for a while before leaving. Concubine Qiao thought for a moment, then had a maid wrap some silver to send to Liu An’s wife.
In the early hours of the morning, Earl Wei Ling arrived in Baoding. The Provincial Governor came to welcome him, as Wei Ling’s entourage was quite grand. Surrounded by large carriages and followed by five hundred elite soldiers, their imposing presence was intimidating. The sight of the cold, gleaming weapons in the night made the Governor’s legs weak, and he immediately invited Wei Ling to the Governor’s mansion.
The Governor’s attitude towards Wei Ling was extremely respectful. The sudden arrival of the Earl with his elite troops from the Shenji Camp, without any official business from the court, left the Governor wondering about the purpose of this formidable guest’s visit. Not daring to inquire further, he focused on providing the best hospitality possible.
Although Wei Ling was eager to meet his biological daughter, he knew that showing up unannounced would be inappropriate and potentially damage her and her mother’s reputation. After settling in the Governor’s mansion, he sipped some tea and sent people to gather information about Baoding. He planned to choose the most suitable moment to pay a visit.
This was one of the benefits of his status as an Earl and commander of the Shenji Camp. Luo Chengzhang was merely a local official in Baoding. Once Wei Ling explained the situation, offered some benefits, and applied a little pressure, Luo Chengzhang wouldn’t dare refuse to release the girl. His daughter certainly couldn’t remain in such a place.
Wei Ling gazed at the candlelight and sighed softly. It had been over ten years since he last saw Gu Minglan.
He admitted that the incident back then was his fault. At that time, he was still the heir to the Earl’s estate and a deputy commander in the Five Cities Military Command. While suppressing bandits, he was severely wounded. His guard helped him hide, and they finally settled in the mountains behind a nunnery. Fearing that the bandits might still be searching nearby, the two didn’t dare show themselves. But Wei Ling’s condition was critical. The guard went to find someone to care for him while he returned to the capital to report.
Wei Ling narrowed his eyes, remembering how he had been unconscious at the time. When he awoke, he found that his guard had brought back Gu Minglan.
He was shocked, having expected the guard to bring an old woman or a farmer to care for him. Instead, this woman was elegantly dressed. Though she looked somewhat haggard, her demeanor and appearance were pleasing. It was clear she hadn’t come willingly to help him.
Fighting through the pain of his wounds, Wei Ling managed to apologize for his guard’s actions: “Miss… I’m truly sorry. Please, you should return home. It’s fine if you leave me here…”
To his surprise, Gu Minglan looked at him gently and said, “You were injured while fighting bandits. I don’t mind taking care of you.”
Her tone was calm, without a trace of fear. Instead, she seemed very understanding of the situation.
At the time, Gu Minglan was also frustrated with Luo Chengzhang. She didn’t want to return and see his face, nor did she want to go to the nunnery and face the servants’ pitying looks. She felt so weary that she didn’t care about being abducted. He had been injured while serving the people, and abandoning him in the wilderness would mean leaving him to die.
Gu Minglan decided to stay and care for him. The guard had left plenty of supplies for this purpose before departing.
Five days later, Wei Ling had improved enough to move around a bit. He felt immensely grateful towards Gu Minglan, and perhaps something more. With supplies running low, he didn’t want to burden her further. Despite his weakened state, he went hunting and managed to catch a deer in a trap he had dug. Drinking deer blood would help him recover faster, but he had forgotten how potent and heating it could be. When he regained his senses, he realized he had made a grave mistake. He knelt before Gu Minglan, holding her hand, and said, “I am Wei Ling, heir to the Earl of Ying. I wish to marry you and take you back with me. Once I return to the capital—”
Gu Minglan gently shook her head. In truth, Wei Ling couldn’t read her thoughts. She sat on the bed, looking at him not with disgust, but with a hint of tenderness.
“Don’t come looking for me,” Gu Minglan said. “I’m already married. Couldn’t you tell?”
Wei Ling was stunned, feeling awkward at having his assumptions exposed. Of course… he could have guessed. But why was such an excellent woman already married?
Wei Ling’s lips quivered as he said softly, “I know, but I still want to marry you. I’ve done this, so I must take responsibility. I can see you’re unhappy every day, which tells me the man who married you doesn’t treat you well. Come with me.”
Gu Minglan’s smile grew more bitter. She looked at him calmly, with an indescribable sadness in her eyes. Then she told him, “If I had any sense of shame, I should hang myself right now. But I don’t… You should forget about this incident too. Let it go.”
Wei Ling didn’t understand her intentions, but he didn’t want to let it end like this. However, one morning, he woke to find Gu Minglan gone.
He searched the entire area but couldn’t find any household with someone matching her description. When his guard returned and searched the nunnery, they discovered it had been completely abandoned. Wei Ling only knew her name was Minglan, but a woman’s given name was rarely known to others. In the end, he couldn’t find her and didn’t dare ask around too much for fear of arousing suspicion. So he returned to the capital.
For all these years, Wei Ling had been thinking about Gu Minglan. If she was truly living well, he could let it go and pretend they had never met. But what if she wasn’t? They had spent only one night together, but what if Minglan had borne his child? Would she have kept the child? His thoughts became increasingly chaotic and fanciful.
Now, more than a decade later, he knew that Minglan had indeed kept a child for him.
A girl, nearly thirteen years old now.
Gazing at the candlelight, Wei Ling couldn’t help but wonder what his daughter was like. What kind of personality did she have? Was she tall? Did she enjoy reading poetry? The more he thought about these things, the more anticipation grew in his heart. How would she react upon meeting her birth father? Would she be happy to know she was supposed to be a young lady of the Earl’s household?
He didn’t know if she would be willing to acknowledge him, and if not, what he should do…
Despite his status and power as the Earl of Ying, Wei Ling suddenly felt a bit insecure.