Chapter 432: Chapter 279: In My Heart, You Surpass the Nobility of a Princess
Chapter 279
Ran Yan recalled soone saying that n are like children; they should not be spoiled too much. If you easily forgive them the first ti they make a mistake, they will think that you do not mind such mistakes too much, and then they will increasingly cross the line. By the ti you explode after accumulating too much frustration, they might even think you are being unreasonable and not as understanding as before. Therefore, from the beginning, you must make it clear that you are greatly displeased by such behavior, so they will be more cautious in the future.
Ran Yan found this very reasonable, and although she had already stopped being angry, she still kept a straight face and ignored him.
Along the way, Xiao Song coaxed Ran Yan with soft and gentle words. He explained the plan thoroughly and promised that once he returned, he would write a “record of offenses” and reform himself. Only then did Ran Yan forgive him.
Ran Yan’s acting was not good, and how could Xiao Song not see that she was deliberately keeping a straight face? However, Xiao Song also understood Ran Yan very well. She was not a woman who would beco arrogant with indulgence. By maintaining her posture, she clearly told him that she did not want such things to happen again in the future.
How abased and subdued his high spirits and beauty were. If the Duke of Song knew that despite using family discipline, he could not make his son righteous and upright, and yet Ran Yan could easily change him with a slight displeasure, he would probably be furious enough to spit blood.
However, aside from his usual way of handling things, Xiao Song actually had his difficulties this ti. If he were still a lone man without family concerns, even if he displeased the Emperor or the Imperial Family, what could it matter? His family would support him from behind, and at most, he would be demoted a few ranks.
The current Emperor was not a person without generosity. As long as Xiao Song remained talented, once the brief anger passed, there would be many opportunities for promotion in the future. Ups and downs are common in the officialdom. However, because he now had a fiancée and Prince Wu seed to have a deep hatred for Ran Yan. Since Ran Yan’s status was not high and she might not be the direct daughter-in-law the family hoped for, relying on his family’s power alone was not enough to protect her, so he could not afford to lose any power to protect her.
Ran Yan snuggled into his warm embrace and could vaguely understand this layer of consideration, but she did not know whether Xiao Song coveted power more or did it more for her. Until she could be sure of the answer, she would not be too complacent. However, the fact that Xiao Song considered her, even just a little, was already enough for her.
Having just witnessed the deep yet pallid love between Autumn and Dou Chengfeng, Ran Yan felt so fortunate in comparison. She involuntarily nestled closer to Xiao Song and had already decided in her heart—this man, she would take.
“Xiao Yuezhi.” Ran Yan called him.
“Hmm?” Xiao Song lowered his head, his breath warming the shell of her ear through the gap in the fur wrap, “What is it?”
“If soone tries to place all sorts of people by your side, as long as your heart does not change, I won’t mind becoming a murderer for you,” Ran Yan’s voice was low, muffled by the fur wrap, “If our affection for each other weakens, then parting ways will be just fine, but if you change your heart lightly, I won’t mind becoming a murderer either.”
Xiao Song paused in astonishnt, understanding that the first murder Ran Yan ntioned ant killing those concubines, and the second ant killing him.
After a mont, he burst into a hearty laugh, filled with delight, “Ah Yan, are you making an appeal to ?”
It was not her original intention to make an appeal, so she decisively shook her head, but then she thought again that expressing possessiveness could also indirectly display a kind of affection, and nodded, “You could say that.”
“Although it’s a bit too indirect, your husband has always been smart,” Xiao Song whispered in her ear.
Ran Yan’s cheeks heated slightly, and she stopped responding to him.
Xiao Song tightened his arms around her, matter-of-factly said, “Don’t worry, both of my brothers have only one official wife, and I have never thought of filling the yard with a flock of won; they would take advantage both of my intimacy and of my money.”
“Narcissistic, stingy” ran through Ran Yan’s mind, which, aside from professional jargon, was rather barren in other aspects. For the mont, she couldn’t think of any other words to describe him.
Xiao Song defiantly said, “Lady Ran, if you have the ti, why not see for yourself? Your future husband has both looks and physique, how could he possibly be tainted by diocrity?”
Ran Yan chuckled.
“Your two sisters-in-law, one a Princess and the other a County Mistress, having only one Lady is naturally within reason.” Ran Yan knew that many Princesses of the Tang Dynasty were very domineering, even more extre, not allowing their husbands to take concubines while they themselves engaged in affairs. Though the Princesses of the Zhenguan period were sowhat more virtuous, the pride engraved in their bones was unmistakable.
Xiao Song extended his chilly hand under the heavy cloak and grasped Ran Yan’s hand, “Holding grudges, are you still rembering what I initially said about your status?” He paused for a mont and earnestly said, “Ah Yan, it’s different. For those I regard as inconsequential, I may appear harsh and proud, but… now, in my heart, you are worth more than a Princess’s nobility.”
Ran Yan’s heart skipped a beat.
At that mont, Ran Yan suddenly felt very grateful for Liu Qingsong, knowing with her analytical ability with people and understanding of psychology, naturally understood what effect Liu Qingsong had on Xiao Song’s growth, accompanying him through most of his adolescence and young adulthood, a ti when one is particularly susceptible to influence by those around them. Otherwise, being a native of the Tang, even with a liberal culture, he might not have spoken such words easily.
It could be said that without Liu Qingsong, Xiao Song would not be the Xiao Song of today. Ran Yan felt deeply that the wheel of fate turns with its own rules.
Their journey was silent, but the warmth they shared kept rising as they nestled together; he held her as if he held the entire world.
…
The snow continued to fall as Xiao Song drove the horse with Ran Yan lagging at the back of the procession.
Ran Yan could clearly see the back of the County Mistress Wenxi, no, Li Wanping. She always held her back straight, her hair and skirt fluttering in the wind and snow, appearing like a lone pine on a cliff, fragile yet tenacious.
Undeniably, this personality split from the County Mistress Wenxi was extrely charismatic, such a shrewd and unfettered woman was rare in this world. At least, Ran Yan felt she was inferior to her in temperant.
“She is covering for soone, isn’t she?” Ran Yan murmured.
Now, the suspects were only Princess Baling and Chai Xuanyi. If it was indeed a cover-up, it was naturally unlikely to be for Princess Baling.
Ran Yan spoke in a very low voice, yet Xiao Song heard her, her thoughts matching his exactly. Everything appeared too sudden, too fitting to his imagination, which made him feel sowhat out of place. Thus, he couldn’t help but ask, “Why do you think so?”
“County Mistress Wenxi has another beastly personality. When she faces different threats, these corresponding personalities seem to erge uncontrollably…” Ran Yan recalled the last ti she threatened the beastly personality with a needle, and how Li Wanping would erge to deal with her. So why didn’t the beastly personality appear when faced with physical threats? Ran Yan pondered for a mont and said, “I can’t be certain, it’s just a suspicion, I’m not very knowledgeable about split personalities.”
Even psychological experts might not fully grasp the rules behind the transitions between different split personalities.
“However, I can affirm that the Li Wanping personality has overridden the original personality of County Mistress Wenxi, she retains the mories of the other two personalities, and likely can control when the other two appear,” Ran Yan sighed.
While the two were discussing the personality issues of County Mistress Wenxi, a sudden exclamation from the Division General ca from ahead, “County Mistress Wenxi!” (
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