NOVPUB64: Chapter 42 Suspect_2
64 -42 Suspect_2
“Wan Lu,” Ran Yan took the medicine bowl and sat in front of the couch to personally feed her the medicine, “after taking the medicine, it won’t hurt as much in three to five days.”
Wan Lu’s eyes flickered slightly, and her gaze shifted to Ran Yan.
Her pale and chapped lips trembled slightly, but she could not speak.
Tears suddenly slid down from her phoenix eyes.
A weight finally lifted from Ran Yan’s heart.
It seemed that Wan Lu’s intelligence had not been too greatly affected, and her memory seemed largely intact as well — that was enough.
Privately, Ran Yan hoped that Wan Lu would forget that cruel scene.
She had experienced death herself and knew that such fear could become a nightmare for life.
Although she often dealt with corpses and was more composed towards life and death than most, she still woke up in a cold sweat from her nightmares.
“Don’t cry, don’t cry.
You haven’t been able to eat these past few days.
What will you do if you cry yourself out of strength?” Ran Yan spoke the truth—Wan Lu hadn’t eaten in a day and a night, and she had drunk very little water.
If she continued to cry like that, she would soon go into shock.
Madam Xing also chimed in, “Exactly, wait till you’re better.
Then you can cry however you want, and I promise not to laugh at you.”
Upon hearing this, a faint smile appeared on Wan Lu’s pale face.
Ran Yan had added many calming ingredients to the medicine, and soon after taking it, Wan Lu fell asleep.
“Wife, how is Wan Lu?” Madam Xing asked as she came out.
Ran Yan replied, “She’s fine.
It’s just that her throat is so sore she can’t swallow anything.
Go and see if there are any supplements among the things Mrs.
Gao sent over, and stew them into a broth to feed her.”
“This old servant thanks the wife on behalf of Wan Lu!” Madam Xing bowed in gratitude.
Ran Yan paused, her expression unreadable, and spoke evenly, “Madam Xing, don’t say such things in the future.
It hurts to hear them.”
“Wife?” Madam Xing looked puzzled at Ran Yan—it was just a common courtesy, and she couldn’t understand what she had done wrong.
Ran Yan’s tone softened, “You have shared hardships with me, and our relationship is more than just that of master and servant.
If I have food, you will not be deprived.
It’s only right.
In this world, I only have you all to rely on, to trust.
To me, you and Wan Lu are like my mother and sisters.
To make such clear distinctions between us, doesn’t it hurt me?”
Madam Xing’s eyes reddened, and tears started falling uncontrollably again.
She quickly pulled out a handkerchief to wipe them.
Stabilizing her emotions, she sighed, “The wife truly is kind-hearted and righteous.
You will surely find a good destination in life, and the lady will surely bless you.”
Ran Yan smiled faintly but did not respond.
Madam Xing always brought up the topic of ‘destiny,’ and Ran Yan had grown calloused from hearing it so much.
If she indulged even a sentence or two, it would undoubtedly lead to endless nagging.
“Lady Ran.”
Just as Ran Yan was about to take off her wooden clogs to go onto the porch, she heard someone calling her.
Turning her head, she saw it was Team Leader Yang Yong, sent by Inspector Liu.
Yang Yong said, “The inspector requests Lady Ran to come over for questioning.”
Madam Xing frowned, “It’s already late; can’t it wait till tomorrow?”
Madam Xing was very displeased with Inspector Liu, who had repeatedly summoned her mistress for questioning late at night.
If word got out, who knew what people would think!
As an inspector of the state, he was supposed to be full of propriety; how could he be so lacking in manners?
Yang Yong stated bluntly, “Solving cases requires swiftness; that’s the rule.”
As twilight deepened and borrowed the dim light, Ran Yan looked at Yang Yong carefully for the first time — his square, resolute face, his nose sharp as a hanging gallbladder, and his eyebrows like two swords poised above the arches — his visage exuded integrity, and one could tell at a glance that he harbored no sinister intentions.
“Since it is the rule, I shall go.” Ran Yan was worried that the government soldiers might relax their vigilance, having assumed they had already caught the perpetrator, she paused, then added, “Team Leader Yang, leave more people to guard the witness.
If there is another person responsible, and their first attempt to kill was unsuccessful, they will likely strike again.”
Yang Yong glanced at Ran Yan and replied, “Okay.”
Xing Niang fetched a satin dress for Ran Yan to wear, and after giving her several instructions, she only felt somewhat relieved when she insisted that Shao Ming accompany her and finally saw her off on the government office carriage.
Ever since Ran Yan had generously rewarded him with half a qian of money, Shao Ming was visibly more pleasant and agreeable toward her.
As their interactions increased, he also found her to be a fair master.
Moreover, knowing that Ran Yan was to be fetched back to the residence, he became even more eager to ingratiate himself, given that guarding this manor offered him no future prospects.
“Shao Ming,” Ran Yan calculated that there was still some time before reaching the city, and she decided to use this opportunity to tend to some business.
Sitting next to the coachman, Shao Ming promptly responded to Ran Yan’s voice, asking, “Do you need something, Wife?”
“Come in,” said Ran Yan.
Shao Ming, perplexed, still opened the curtain and entered the carriage, not daring to come closer, only awkwardly kneeling near the carriage door.
“Would you be willing to follow me?” Ran Yan went straight to the point, but she soon added a clarifying remark to avoid misunderstanding, “To work for me.”
Ran Yan had investigated Shao Ming’s background; his family lived in Shao Village, five miles south of Zhou Family’s forest, and consisted of only his elderly mother and a younger sister.
Like other servants, he might flaunt high or tread low, yet he took good care of his mother and sister and had a kind heart.
After deliberately interacting more over these days, she found him decent in all respects and took the opportunity to win him over.
Ran Yan understood her current advantages, and as soon as she spoke, he was likely to agree.
Shao Ming was overjoyed, having harbored such intentions already, and he quickly agreed without hesitation, “I am willing, certainly willing.”
“You must think it over carefully,” Ran Yan looked at him solemnly, emphasizing each word, “If you follow me, there are two things you must achieve: loyalty and thorough dedication!”
Shao Ming felt a chill under Ran Yan’s intense gaze, but he knew this was not the moment to back down and assured firmly, “Shao Ming swears to be loyal to Lady Ran Shiqi for life, to work with dedication and never to regret it!”
Ran Yan nodded in satisfaction; Shao Ming was clever, understanding he had to be loyal to her, not the Ran Family, “Remember today’s words well and adhere to them.
I will surely not treat you unfairly.
However, if you ever betray me one day, I will find ways to make you neither able to live nor die.”
Shao Ming shuddered, repeatedly affirming his agreement.
Ran Yan placed him on a “probation period”; a few days of interaction and knowing his clear family background couldn’t prove much, it still required verification over time, and she set the period for six months.
The coachman outside was one specially appointed by the government office.
Naturally, he was aware of such maneuvers to win people over within the household, and having heard a bit about Ran Yan’s affairs, he thought as Shao Ming emerged from the carriage, “Lady Ran Shiqi does seem to have a good eye for people.”
The city enforced a curfew, but the government office’s work was clearly exempt from this restriction.
Accompanied by government soldiers showing their token, they quickly gained entry into the city. 𝚗o𝚟pub.𝚌𝚘𝚖
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