Miss Truth-Chapter 486 - 319: Beauty in the Empty Valley

Ran Yan gauged at a glance, the height and build of this woman were very similar to those of Lady Dongyang. She thought to herself, it couldn’t be such a coincidence that the first person she met was the main character in this drama.

The woman’s eyes shimmered slightly as she surveyed Ran Yan, then slowly said, "My niece-in-law is indeed beautiful."

Her voice, like her demeanor, carried a muted undertone. Although it was a compliment, it lacked any feel of joy.

"Please forgive my poor eyesight, but you are..." Ran Yan bowed slightly, inquiring.

The maid beside the woman answered for her, "My lady is the eldest daughter-in-law, Lady Dongyang."

Ran Yan sighed inwardly, indeed, life’s encounters were made up of various coincidences. She bowed again and said, "I’ve seen my grandaunt."

"No need for much courtesy," Lady Dongyang said blandly, then continued, "I have been here waiting for you for a while."

Ran Yan was slightly startled, "What brings grandaunt to wait here?"

"Nothing in particular; I just heard that Jiulang has gotten married again. I was delighted and wanted to meet you." However, Lady Dongyang’s tone hardly contained any delight, which instead gave Ran Yan a feeling of being challenged.

A murderer who had killed two of Xiao Song’s wives, upon hearing he had married a third, was curiously waiting in an inevitable path to watch, surely with the intention to strike again. Such a statement could only send chills down the spine.

Ran Yan was furious inside, but recalling that Xiao Song wished to avoid startling the snake for now, she still said politely, "Grandaunt’s concern for my husband is truly his good fortune. It just so happens that his grandmother passed away today, and my husband is devastated. Another day, we will both personally come and thank grandaunt."

Lady Dongyang’s expression remained neutral as she said, "No need to be overly courteous. You are going to change into mourning clothes, please proceed." After saying that, she slightly nodded her head and passed by Ran Yan.

Ran Yan walked forward along the winding corridor. As she was about to turn the corner, she could see Lady Dongyang walking across to the opposite gallery, passing through the arch.

Clad in plain garments, she looked gracefully curvaceous from behind. Her plain dress and black hair fluttering gave off an ethereal aura. Although this woman was of middle age and not stunning, the quality of her presence still evoked the image of "a peerless beauty dwelling in a secluded valley."

Ran Yan hadn’t asked Xiao Song for evidence; she simply trusted him. Even though she knew this woman was a murderer, upon seeing her, she couldn’t help but doubt whether there was a mistake and whether the real perpetrator might be someone else.

"This Lady Dongyang is truly beautiful," Wan Lu said reluctantly as she watched her figure disappear through the arch.

"Beautiful, is she..." Ran Yan muttered. Some people, whose features are not particularly meticulous and are just above average when put together, yet give one the feel of beauty, mostly rely on their aura. And without a doubt, Lady Dongyang was that kind of woman.

"Yes." Wan Lu looked around, noting that everyone was far away, then whispered, "It is said that Empress Xiao of the Sui Dynasty was so beautiful that people would forget the mundane at her sight. Compared to Lady Dongyang, she excelled in appearance."

Ran Yan glanced at her sideways as they walked and said, "Other girls look at handsome gentlemen, why do you always talk about beauties? Shall I find you a Persian concubine for a wife?"

Wan Lu waved her hands in fright, "Wife, do not tease your maid; I used to like looking at handsome gentlemen too..."

Ran Yan slightly raised her eyebrows, gesturing for her to continue.

"But Ge Lan said, given my appearance and status, it’s clear that I’m neither high nor low, and I shouldn’t look at so many handsome men. Looking at too many can raise my standards too high, making it hard to marry, and even if I marry, I won’t be happy. I should look at more beauties instead, so I know what kind of husband I deserve." Wan Lu had deeply agreed with this, so since then, she started observing beauties instead; but if a handsome man appeared before her eyes, she wouldn’t miss the chance to look.

Wan Lu was extremely beautiful, arguably a beauty herself, but with her status, if she set her standards too high, she would end up only as someone else’s concubine. With Wan Lu’s straightforward and temperamental nature, she might even fall into irretrievable disaster over a moment of favor. Ge Lan’s influence evidently had great benefits for Wan Lu’s life.

"Ge Lan is truly a clever person," Ran Yan commented.

The two walked out of the winding corridor and naturally fell silent; this was not a place for careless talk. Just like their earlier conversation, if overheard, it could easily be twisted and used against them.

Although the East Pavilion was prefixed with ’small,’ it was actually quite large, consisting of many rooms, casually accommodating over two hundred people with no problem.

As soon as Ran Yan entered the courtyard, a maid came forward, knelt down to greet her, and said, "Wife Jiu, your plain dress is ready, please follow this slave."

"Thank you," said Ran Yan.

The maid quickly replied, "Wife Jiu, you’re too kind, this is just this slave’s duty."

This maid was from the old residence. Initially, when Ran Yan had said "thank you" to a maid with her stern face, she had frightened the poor girl into tears, thinking she had done something improper and offended her. No matter what Ran Yan said, the maid kept kowtowing and begging for forgiveness, until Xiao Song intervened and settled the matter.

Respecting others was Ran Yan’s custom, one that she could not change overnight. Fortunately, after that incident, word had spread among the servants, so such incidents did not occur again.

Overall, Ran Yan’s current image in the eyes of the servants of the Xiao Residence was strange. To say she was modest, yet she could maintain her composure even if Mount Tai were to collapse in front of her. To say she was born with nobility, yet often engaged in modest activities, and it was said that she always cooked one meal a day herself at her residence.

As they could not figure her out, everyone served her cautiously, daring not to slight her.

"Wife Jiu, I must trouble you to change your clothes in this room for now," the maid said as she bowed and moved to one side of the door, inviting her in.

The moment Ran Yan entered the courtyard, she had drawn attention from all around. When people heard the maid calling her Wife Jiu, they understood she was Xiao Jiu’s new bride. Although extremely curious, these noble ladies did not stretch their necks to stare, only glancing at her casually during their conversations.

Wan Lu helped Ran Yan change out of her lavish dress in the room. When she came out, many were stunned by her appearance.

As the saying goes, a woman should look striking in simple mourning attire. Ran Yan, in her plain clothes that complemented her clear and white skin, looked like a lotus flower emerging from the water, adding a tranquility to her beauty that her lavish dress had lacked.

"I am the wife of Xiao Zhong, the eldest son of the sixth room, greeting Auntie Jiu," a woman about seventeen or eighteen years old in front of Ran Yan bowed gracefully.

Ran Yan felt a bit awkward; she was only sixteen or seventeen herself, yet here she was addressed as ’auntie’ by an older girl. If someone unaware of the truth heard this, they might think she had married an old man, but fortunately, her mental age was high enough to accept the title ’auntie’ and maintain an elder’s dignity, she said steadily, "My niece, no need for such formality, please rise." (To be continued. If you like this work, please come to Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your recommendation ticket and monthly ticket. Your support is my greatest motivation.)

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