10. Gifting and fangirling

A month passed and suddenly a huge bomb of news could be heard. Young servant on Wen Guifei's side, Lan Lian was to be engaged to the scary commander Xi Haoming and will be sent after her age ceremony to the north.

Not even day after that another bomb went off. Lan family was proven innocent and was given back all their property, their titles and even much more.

"Lan family served many emperor's wholeheartedly and were wrongly accused. As for their losses in the time of the punishment, the Emperor is ashamed and will look for answers and punish accordingly all those that did wrong. The Lan family is giving rise in the nobility and many things will be given with it. By the Emperor."

''Long live the Emperor !" Lan Elder calmly took the Edict and bowed to the floor while holding the Edict over his head.

As the official went away Lan Elder sighed as he looked at his sons. "It seems we passed this hurdle, but that child..."

"Father, she will be back home in a few days for the age ceremony. I heard even Wen Guifei offered to be her matron for the ceremony. With such backing, no one would dare to slight her." His oldest grandson was already released and only two more people were missing, Lan Lian's father and Lan Lian herself.

"Wen Guifei has no real power. That is good. If someone higher was, they might have taken it as giving pressure. So she just has us and her as a backup. I heard he has no women around him."

"No women at all. Grandfather, he is not one of 'those' people?" He was worried about his young cousin.

"Wouldn't that be even better? She would live freely and have a life without worry. No one would pressure her to have children with him as he is the sixth son of the second branch. None of the Elders would bother her." They all knew that his family was more than happy when engagement Edict came.

"Let's hope she can live a calm and comfortable life. After living simply, I fear her heart changed." They had no idea what happened in Wang Ye's fu. And wouldn't dare to inquire. She was safe and sound, wasn't she?

At this moment actually she was standing in front of Wen Guifei and looked at her open mouth.

"This..." The whole mountain of things was given to her as gift for her age ceremony. Then another bunch of things for her engagement and now she got the whole list of things she will get when she gets married. "I'm just little official daughter. Isn't this too much?"

But looking at snickering of the few servants by Wen Guifei's side it seems this was normal. Or not?

"You. Do you take me as a stranger|? Soon the Emperor will rise you to a Noble Lady. Like that no matter what happens in future, no one will slight you. And as Noble Lady to have just a few boxes of dowry, for you want me as your master to lose face. These girls already have even more than you do. Tell her..."

They started explaining their ownerships and she was this time even note astonished. She wouldn't have thought that these girls would gather do many things in time they were working to Wen Guifei.

"I didn't know royals are this open-handed." Her face was truly flabbergasted.

"Just Wen Guifei. That is the reason everyone wants to work for her." But actually not many were truly honest. Many worked for other people at the same time, giving away the information about her and her surroundings. Wen Guifei knew that. She just waited for a day where she would finally get out of this place.

Lan Lian accepted all the gifts and many books, cloth, silk, brocade, boxes filled with all kind of rare things and herbs. Looking at the mountain of things she was a bit happy. At least in future, she didn't have to worry about food.

Food... Her face became dark as she thought about that.

"What is it now? You don't like it?" Wen Guifei felt a little bit hurt. She prepared so many things and now...

Lan Lian smiled and shook her head. "No, actually I feared to accept it so far because of my Lan family. But now that I'm leaving to go away, I will accept it all. In the case of hunger, I will have enough money to buy food."

"Hunger? Who would dare to slight you? Young commander Xi is maybe not my choice for you, but he is not that bad to slight you on food." If she knew that he belonged to a great Xi family would she still worry?

''I never said I worry about my own food. I am sure Commander Xi has enough money to feed me. I heard that people on the north have problem with food shortage. This year is extremely problematic as well as I heard. The rain season was too long and most of their food rotted away. This winter might be one of the worst years for them. If I could exchange all the stuff I got for food, my soul will feel happier than having all these trinkets. It's not that I hate pretty things, I do not. I am a woman as well. But thinking that I am adorned while people outside die with hunger... I prefer not to have any...'' She started coughing as she was talking too long. One of the servant girls rushed to give her water.

All servants were in awe. Actually they were fangirling her. The simple young woman that rarely spoke and even less smiled. But having such deep thoughts and such heart, they are used to. Just her words were so heartwarming, that they looked at her with sparkly eyes.

Wen Guifeng suddenly had an idea and smiled brightly. ''Good! Let's do it that way!''

Lan Lian blinked at her as she said that. She had no idea what she was talking about but looking at her smile getting bigger she had a strange premonition...