Chapter 21 The Zheng Family of Xingyang

Ran Wen slightly relaxed his expression and led Ran Yan toward the inside of the house.

Once inside the inner hall, Ran Wen looked around, observing the furnishings. The items were exquisite and not at all outdated.

Ran Yan sat down only after seeing Ran Wen taking his seat at the host position. Encountering this Tang Dynasty father, Ran Yan felt a complexity of emotions. Her father in her past life was a chemist who prided himself on his sense of humor and especially liked to tell Ran Yan jokes that most people couldn't understand. Even though Ran Yan always wore a poker face, her father never tired of this.

However, the father in front of her was gentle and prudent, with a clear distinction between the senior and the junior members of the family. He was the polar opposite of her whimsical father in her previous life, and inexplicably at this moment, Ran Yan found herself particularly missing her parents.

"Ah Yan," Ran Wen, seeing the beautiful face of Ran Yan, had a flash of amazement cross his face but immediately returned to calmness, "seeing that your illness is almost healed, in a few days, I will send someone to take you home."

Ran Yan frowned subconsciously. Under the current circumstances, life would unquestionably become more difficult upon her return. She had not missed the expression on Ran Wen's face; perhaps, his scheming far surpassed his concern.

"This place is very nice, and I would like to recuperate a bit longer. Besides, I haven't returned home in two years, I'm afraid it would trouble the Lady to make preparations. If it's rushed, I fear the Lady would be overtaxed." Regardless, Ran Yan had to try her best to extend her stay for a while longer, for the lives of Yianniang and the others were still in her hands.

Ran Wen, with a hint of displeasure, took a sip of the tea offered by Wan Lu, "That is your mother! Why do you call her 'the Lady'?"

Ran Yan remained silent. If it were about calling her biological mother 'Mom', she could accept it as she was using someone else's body. However, she was unwilling to acknowledge that stepmother – the original Ran Yan had refused to accept her as a mother, and in this regard, Ran Yan would not betray her wishes.

Seeing Ran Yan's stubborn insistence, Ran Wen became somewhat angry but, looking at Ran Yan's exquisitely beautiful face, he suppressed his anger and said in a gentle tone, "Let it be. Since you have this filial piety, you may stay on the estate for another half month to think things over."

She hadn't figured things out in two years; how could she possibly do so in half a month? Ran Yan couldn't help but doubt if the fleeting pity she had seen in Ran Wen's eyes earlier was an illusion.

"Yes," Ran Yan responded.

Half a month was enough for her to settle the affairs of the embroidery workshop.

Ran Wen nodded, "That's good." He stood and walked toward the door; pausing at the threshold, he turned and said, "The matter of skimming from your monthly allowance, I will see to it that it is thoroughly investigated."

Following proper etiquette, Ran Yan got up, stepped into the corridor, put on her wooden clogs, and personally saw Ran Wen off.

Upon returning to the yard, Xing Niang's eyes were red as she clutched at Ran Yan, "Wife, you absolutely must not call the stepmother 'Mother'. She comes from a humble background and lacks virtue; she doesn't deserve to be your mother!"

Hearing Xing Niang say this, Ran Yan couldn't help but recall and yet, she could not remember anything about her biological mother's background, only that Wan Lu had mentioned her mother's family wasn't prosperous, despite being from a prestigious clan.

"Xing Niang, was my mother a Noble Lady?" Ran Yan asked.

Xing Niang's face changed slightly, but eventually, she clenched her teeth and said, "The master forbade the slaves from discussing this with you, but seeing the master's attitude today, I'm afraid he will not make decisions for the Wife... The Lady's family name is Zheng, born into the Zheng Clan of Xingyang."

"The Zheng Clan of Xingyang!" Ran Yan thought, recalling some common knowledge. The Cui Clan of Boling, the Li Clan of Zhaojun, the Cui Clan of Qinghe, the Lu Clan of Fanyang, the Zheng Clan of Xingyang, the Li Clan of Longxi, and the Wang Clan of Taiyuan were collectively referred to as the "Seven Great Clans and Five Surnames." Alongside the Wei Clan of Jingzhao, the Pei Clan of Hedong, the Liu Clan of Hedong, the Xue Clan of Hedong, the Xiao Clan of Lanling, and the Du Clan of Jingzhao, they were all long-standing and prominent noble clans, still considered powerful families.

Ran Yan was momentarily stunned, suddenly remembering her mother in her past life as an archaeologist, proudly presenting her with a Chengni inkstone: "I bought this inkstone at a street stall in Wangfujing. With your mom's extensive experience in antiquities, I knew at a glance this was a treasure and promptly bought it. Later, I had it appraised by an expert, and it turned out the inkstone was excavated from a Zheng Clan tomb in Xingyang, dating from the early to mid-Tang Dynasty... worth at least two hundred thousand, and guess what, your mom only spent five hundred on it. Impressive, right?"

"Wife!" Xing Niang, with a panic-stricken face, shook the dazed Ran Yan.

Ran Yan came back to her senses and said, "It's nothing. I was just wondering, if my mother is from the Zheng Clan of Xingyang, why would Wan Lu say that my maternal family is not doing well?"

At the dawn of the Tang Dynasty, the Zheng Family of Xingyang might not have been active on the historical stage, but with their noble descent, the mere phrase "Zheng Family of Xingyang" was like a golden signboard that could crush people to death—how could there be even a slight decline?

"Wan Lu is a slave born into the Ran Family. Since the master has forbidden mentioning this matter at home, Wan Lu also knows very little about it. The Lady is the concubine-born daughter of the second branch of the Zheng Family. In recent years, there has been some difficulty with finances; otherwise, how could she have fallen to the point of marrying someone with a different surname!" Xingniang sighed.

The five noble clans strengthened their family status through intermarriage among themselves; they considered it shameful to marry into families with different surnames. If a man from a different surname wished to marry one of their daughters, he had to offer a substantial bride price and had to be of exceptional character and virtue for them to even consider it.

Thinking of this, Ran Yan also somewhat understood why Ran Wen forbade bringing up this matter at home. If in his prime, he had spent all his money, believing he could marry a Noble Lady and elevate his family's status, only to end up marrying a concubine-born daughter, anyone would feel like spitting blood!

"Father's vision was somewhat narrow," Ran Yan commented lightly.

A sigh from Shao Ming, the Prime Minister of the prosperous Tang Dynasty: "In this life, my regret is not being able to marry a woman from the five clans!" At that time, the Xue Family was already among the "Four Clans of Guanzhong" alongside the Wei, Pei, and Liu families, yet they still looked up to the "Five Clans and Seven Families," which speaks volumes about their status.

Therefore, even marrying a concubine-born daughter was considered gaining a connection with the Zheng Family of Xingyang, and others would surely see one differently. However, Ran Wen, hung up on not having married a legitimate daughter, remarried quickly after the Lady of the Zheng Family passed away, effectively giving up his connection with the Zheng Family.

After spending so much money and then giving up voluntarily, Ran Yan felt it wasn't really about having a narrow view; it was like having a brain filled with water.

"This marriage was personally sought by Lord Ran while he was alive," Xingniang did not echo Ran Yan's assessment but her words were enough to show she did not have a high opinion of Ran Wen.

It took Wan Lu quite a while to come back to her senses and she said, "So, the Lady actually comes from such a high and prestigious family! If the Wife really cannot stand living in the Ran Family anymore, could she seek refuge with the Zheng Family?"

"That's easier said than done…" Xingniang replied hesitantly.

Ran Yan understood; her mother came from a high and prestigious family, and even as a concubine-born daughter, she was still held in unattainably high regard by outsiders. Yet within the clan, a concubine-born daughter was just that, and it's unlikely that she was treated well, let alone the daughter of a concubine-born.

Moreover, with noble clans having even more numerous and stringent rules, even if it were a large tree offering ample shade, Ran Yan had no intention of relying on it.

Wan Lu was just blunt and quick with her words, and after thinking it through a bit more, she simply laughed dryly.

Concerned about her pot of taro soup, Ran Yan quickly went over to the stove.

As for this father from the Tang Dynasty, because there was no emotional attachment, Ran Yan did not feel any sadness, only pity for the original Ran Yan.

"It's been cooked too long," Ran Yan looked at a pot of taro and turning to Xingniang, said, "We won't need to cook tonight, we'll eat the taro."

"Alright," Xingniang responded with a smile, seeing that Ran Yan was in a good mood.

Ran Yan instructed Wan Lu to carry the pot, intending to go to the kitchen when suddenly the courtyard door began to bang loudly.

"Who is it?" Wan Lu called out.

A servant's voice came from outside, "It's Shao Ming. Mister Sang Chen has come to pay a visit to the Seventeenth Lady."

Sang Chen? Ran Yan raised her eyebrows slightly. Last time he sent a brush-inkstone set, which could barely be justified as thanking Ran Yan for saving Zhou Sanlang's life. What was it for this time?