28 Before Returning to the Manor

　　November 2, 2018

　　secretdreamwishes

　　This celebration feast ended on a happy note. Those high officials and noble lords led their family out of the royal palace that was like a cage, but there were still a lot of people who strove for that highest position and crawled into that cage.

　　Tutor He‘s wrinkled face was overflowing with benevolent smiles, on the way, he became even more fond of his own granddaughter.

　　Tutor He only had one son and one daughter. His wife passed away many years ago but Tutor He did not remarry someone to take care of the two children. Now his daughter has also died like his wife. The son was also a taibao, inheriting his legacy, teaching the princes and princesses education. Tutor He only had one grandson, now he is about seventeen years old, his temper was lively. When Tutor He saw this grandson, he would remember that pitiful granddaughter of his. But now the granddaughter is by his side, Tutor He was very affectionate indeed.

　　“Good grandchild, come home with grandfather, your uncle has been looking for you for many years, you also have a biaoge, the two can have a playmate in He manor.” Everyone has left the royal palace and got into their own carriage. Tutor He didn’t even think about it and was prepared to bring Lan You Nian go home with him.

　　Home? Lan You Nian looked at the benevolent elder in front of her, the feelings in his eyes were not false. Perhaps this is the so-called the feelings between elder and younger?

　　“Nian’er….” Lan You Nian didn’t get to answer before she heard a voice filled with complexity sound behind her.

　　Lan You Nian looked towards the person who came. It is her so-called father Lan Jian Jun, followed by An yiniang and the three son and daughters and Lan Mo Xian. Lan You Nian slightly curved her knees and gave a curtsy, the still soft and crisp voice sounded but it contained alienation and indifference “Regards to General Lan!”

　　A call of General Lan actually made Lan Jian Jun’s face become a little white. Now, not even a call of father was willing to say? Holding back the sourness in his throat, Lan Jian Jun walked to Lan You Nian’s side, looked at the thin and frail daughter, and felt even more guilty.

　　“Father-in-law, it’s better if Nian’er comes with me to Lan manor!” Right now, Lan Jian Jun only wanted to make up to this daughter. If daughter lived in father-in-law’s manor, then he was afraid even meeting with this daughter just once would be difficult.

　　“Hmph!” Tutor He glared at Lan Jian Jun. “This old man doesn’t want to let his grandchild suffer again, then disappear without a trace while life and death are unknown!”

　　Lan Jian Jun knew that everything father-in-law said was fact; he didn’t even have the ability to argue. Lan Jian Jun glanced at his own son, that glance contained the longing of a father, something Lan Mo Xian has never seen on his father.

　　“Father-in-law rest assured, I, Lan Jian Jun, swears that such things will never happen again!” Lan Jian Jun vowed.

　　“Grandfather, grandson hasn’t seen Nian’er meimei for a long time, so let Nian’er meimei come home with grandson!” Lan Mo Xian came to Tutor He‘s side and pled.

　　Tutor He was also very fond of this grandson who was not his daughter’s biological son but surpasses biological blood. When his daughter was alive, he often teased this grandson. In Tutor He‘s heart, there was no difference between Lan Mo Xian and the grandson at home.

　　Lan Mo Xian saw that grandfather was bending and was going to continue to persuade when Lan You Nian suddenly spoke.

　　“Grandfather, Nian’er better go back to Lan manor!” Lan You Nian said in a soft-spoken manner “Nian’er is originally Lan manor’s legitimate daughter, living at grandfather’s place will make grandfather suffer criticism.”

　　When Lan You Nian spoke the two words legitimate daughter out loud, An yiniang and her two daughters and one son all clenched their teeth. In the days without Lan You Nian, Lan Ya Ya always considered herself Lan manor’s legitimate daughter, but now Lan You Nian’s words made her understand that she was just an illegitimate daughter.

　　“Grandfather is already getting on in years, what criticism is there to be afraid of? How can grandfather let his good grandchild suffer grievances?” Although Tutor He was upright, but towards this lost granddaughter who was just found, still gave the sincerest doting of an elder.

　　“Grandfather, you, of course, are not afraid of criticism, but who knows how other people will say Nian’er meimei! Besides, Lan manor has grandson, grandson will not let Nian’er meimei suffer any grievances!” Lan Mo Xian supported Tutor He and said seriously. Before, he was young and weak so Nian’er meimei suffered bitterly. Now he has the ability to protect his own little sister.

　　“Well, good grandchild if you have any grievances come tell grandfather, understand?” Tutor He also knew that if Lan You Nian lived in his manor, it might not be appropriate, so can only agree.

　　“Thank you grandfather” Lan You Nian curtsied, then watched as Tutor He entrusted her for a long time before getting onto the carriage to return to He manor.

　　Lan Jian Jun looked at the daughter standing in front of him and suddenly didn’t know what to say. He actually didn’t have the experience of getting along with his children. Lan Mo Xian, he was completely hands-off with, not needing any concern, while the other children he had, he never concerned himself with, so right now General Lan who is courageous in the battlefield had some uneasiness.

　　Lan Mo Xian looked at the estranged looks between father and daughter and father’s uneasiness, so he opened a conversation “Nian’er meimei, do you still remember big brother?”

　　“Give regards to older brother!” Lan You Nian gave a greeting, then there was no more.

　　“Nian’er meimei, why do you wear a veil?” Actually, Lan Mo Xian wanted to ask from the start, but only had the opportunity to ask now. Lan Jian Jun was also puzzled why daughter wore a veil.

　　“Does older brother not know? Third little sister ruined her looks when she was little, I heard that the face is like a ghost!” Lan Ya Ya replied. Actually, at the banquet, they saw Lan You Nian always wore the veil and never took it off. Although before in the capital city spread rumors of Lan You Nian’s ruined looks, but they knew that was false.

　　So An yiniang let a palace maid go check during the banquet but was pleasantly surprised to learn that Lan You Nian’s looks were indeed ruined. That palace maid saw with her own two eyes. When An yiniang pondered on it, she believed that it was ruined from Lan You Nian’s fall from the cliff. This way, even if Lan You Nian had the position of legitimate daughter, she did not have anything to compete with her daughter.

　　How could An yiniang know that Lan You Nian deliberately made a scar on her face, and she also deliberately let the palace maid see it? The purpose was to make An yiniang complacent so the fall would be even more painful. And her own looks really were too beautiful, this was not a good thing, so it was best to cover it up.

　　“What?” Lan Jian Jun and Lan Mo Xian were shocked. They didn’t even know their daughter (younger sister) ‘s face was ruined. If she didn’t have any looks, how could she find a husband who they can entrust her life to in the future ah!

　　“Nian’er, this father will find the best doctor, Nian’er will definitely get better.” Lan Jian Jun gazed with heartache at Lan You Nian’s veil covered face.

　　“It’s nothing, General Lan does not have to bother!” Lan You Nian didn’t even look at Lan Jian Jun. Now he knew to feel heart-ache, so why when Lan You Nian was still alive didn’t he go pity? Too late!

　　biaoge-older male cousin on the mother’s side would be the son of mother’s brother

　　meimei-younger sister

　　taibao-teacher of the royal children

　　yiniang-stepmother