CHAPTER 619: CHAPTER 403: SUMMONING THE THREE DEPARTMENTS_2

However, most girls have a better talent for language than boys do, which is not necessarily related to intelligence.

Ran Yan stretched out her hand to take Ruoruo, untied her garment to nurse her, and turned to instruct Wan Lu, "Go prepare the midday meal quickly."

"Yes." Wan Lu, who had been anxious all morning, finally relaxed, her crisp voice reflecting relief as she ran out.

Before two breaths passed, however, she darted back in, "Lady, it’s not good. The servant just heard news that Ge Lan and Mr. Li have started a fight at the gatehouse, with a knife held to his throat."

Ran Yan frowned slightly, "Mr. Li is here again?"

Ran Yan wondered whether she should start preparing a marriage for Ge Lan. She had met the man Ge Lan mentioned before; he was quite burly, looked clean and tidy, but was completely illiterate. However, he seemed to have common sense.

"Don’t worry, Ge Lan knows her limits. Have someone watch over them, keep them apart, don’t let anything serious happen," Ran Yan said.

Wan Lu also thought so; Ge Lan had never done anything foolish, and she agreed before leaving.

"What about the other two?" Ran Yan asked.

Xiao Song cleared his throat and said, "I gave them a beating, they cried a bit, and then were taken off to nurse."

"Shu’er cried too?" Ran Yan was startled.

Xiao Song said with a smile, "This little one is tough. He didn’t cry when I spanked him twice, but when he heard Jier cry, he started wailing too."

Ran Yan knew that Xiao Song held these three children very dear in his heart. Had they not done something to anger him, he would have probably been reluctant to lay a hand on them, and even those two spanks must have been gentle.

Ruoruo, while nursing, had fallen asleep. Ran Yan held her for a while, then placed her in the cradle.

"I’ll go see what’s going on with Ge Lan, you should eat earlier..." Ran Yan was halfway through her sentence when she saw Xiao Song glancing at her chest from time to time. She looked down and realized that her garment had come undone.

Xiao Song stepped forward to help her fasten it.

Ran Yan continued, "Looking at the Emperor’s expression, I always feel he might resolve to act decisively, perhaps even ordering the Government Office to investigate thoroughly."

Xiao Song replied with a "Hmm," hugged her, and kissed her forehead, "Then I will go ahead."

"Mhm," Ran Yan said.

The couple walked shoulder to shoulder out of the bedroom. Ran Yan had Xing Nanny care for Ruoruo, and then she headed towards the front courtyard.

Upon exiting the Inner Gate, after walking several dozen meters along the corridor with her hands clasped behind her back, she could clearly hear the commotion near the gatehouse.

"I dare not splatter your blood right here, but I can take my own life. Li Dejian, if you don’t clarify things, I will protect my honor with my death!" Ge Lan’s voice was cold.

In the Tang Dynasty, most women did not hold their chastity to be more important than life, but Ge Lan’s situation was different. The man she married was of much lower status than she, and neither in appearance nor substance was he a great match for her. If there were any rumors about Ge Lan, he would certainly be looked down upon by others.

"Who is so good that they deserve your life!" Li Dejian was both sad and furious, "I have already broken off the engagement, you can’t abandon me."

Ran Yan paused in her steps. She hadn’t heard about Li Dejian breaking off his engagement—unless it had happened today, otherwise, she would have heard some whispers about it.

She hadn’t expected Li Dejian to go to such lengths, which showed that he must have true feelings for Ge Lan. If Li Dejian could indeed marry Ge Lan as his main wife, it wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing, as with Ge Lan’s abilities, she should be able to establish a foothold in the Li mansion.

Thinking this, Ran Yan decided to not intervene for now. She stood in the corridor, hidden by the dense shrubs, invisible to the people on the other side.

"Don’t push me, we are not of the same path," Ge Lan’s tone softened a bit.

Footsteps sounded, and Ran Yan saw Ge Lan walking over with an apron on and a kitchen knife in hand, followed by a persistent Li Dejian.

Upon seeing Ran Yan, Ge Lan paused for a moment, then slightly bowed and offered a respectful greeting, "Lady."

"You go inside first," Ran Yan said softly.

"Sister-in-law," Li Dejian managed to maintain some decorum and didn’t do anything disrespectful in front of Ran Yan.

Ran Yan looked him over; he had lost a considerable amount of weight—it must have been difficult for him to break off the engagement.

"Ge Lan never fantasized about marrying into a high-status family. Your sudden appearance contradicts her understanding, so she likely needs some time to come to terms with it," Ran Yan said.

Li Dejian anxiously asked, "Isn’t she about to marry someone else right now?"

"With all this commotion you’ve caused, do you think she can still get married? Ge Lan has a seven-orifice exquisite heart; if you are sincere, she will feel it," Ran Yan advised him, then added, "You should go back. I suppose you haven’t finished dealing with the broken engagement yet?"

As Ran Yan had surmised, Li Dejian had annulled the engagement on his own, and at this moment, both the Du and Li families must be in an uproar.

"Thank you, Sister-in-law," Li Dejian said, bowing before hastily turning and leaving.

Ran Yan was about to return to the Inner Courtyard when a Servant from the gatehouse came running, saying, "Lady, messengers from the Government Office have informed the Master that he is to appear at Ganlu Hall at the third quarter of the ninth hour to meet the Emperor."

Indeed, just as expected! Ran Yan hummed in acknowledgment, "Understood."

Xiao Song always finished his meals extremely quickly. When Ran Yan returned to the side hall, he had just set down his chopsticks. Upon seeing her, he inquired, "How did it go?"

"Li Dejian said he has broken off the engagement, presumably he has been declaring his love for Ge Lan outside, which is why he angered her," Ran Yan deduced from the fragments she had overheard.

Xiao Song rinsed his mouth, then took the handkerchief to wipe his lips and tossed the handkerchief back onto the tray, laughing, "He is really using all kinds of extreme methods, even such lowly tactics."

"Is climbing over the wall more sophisticated?" Ran Yan said indifferently.

Xiao Song laughed heartily, "Old stories from the past."

Ran Yan also smiled, "Stop laughing. The Government Office just sent a message, you are to go to Ganlu Hall at the third quarter of the ninth hour to meet the Emperor." (To be continued. If you like this work, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your recommendation ticket and monthly ticket. Your support is my greatest motivation.)