Chapter 068
Chapter 68: Disgusting People Gather Together
Xia Qing Yao bit her lip and stared hard at Lu Rong Fang.
Huo Ying Zi supported Second Miss Lu as she scolded, saying: “Xia Meng Yan, your scandal in the capital is known to everyone. Second Miss Lu only repeated it. How could you hit her.”
Xia Meng Yan rubbed her reddened palm and answered coldly, saying: “Just because everyone says it does not make it true. If you have no brain, go out less.”
Huo Ying Zi’s eyes turned red as she protested, saying: “You, Xia Meng Yan, I was trying to defend you. How can you talk to me like that. I know you are still angry with me, but there is really nothing between me and Elder Brother Ye Lan.”
A cold light flashed in Xia Meng Yan’s eyes as she warned, saying: “Do you want me to tell everyone what you and he did at Northern Fortress Pass, so all can hear.”
Huo Ying Zi jolted with shock.
Xia Meng Yan added with a thin smile, saying: “If you dare keep running your mouth, I will have a storyteller spread it for you.” Then she turned to Second Miss Lu and said: “Your fight over legitimate and concubine-born status has nothing to do with me. If you dare shame me again, I will have my father ask His Majesty where the Lu Family gets the courage to act so wildly.”
[My father’s tongue can talk the dead back to life. Finding a handle on the Lu Family would be easy.]
Second Miss Lu ground her teeth, covered her cheek, and glared at Xia Meng Yan.
Xia Meng Yan ignored her and faced Lu Rong Fang, asking: “Is this your idea of sincerity.”
Lu Rong Fang smiled lightly and said: “Men should not enter the inner courtyard. I should not step into matters between women. But if Eldest Miss Xia is unhappy, I will report everything to my father when we return home and make sure you are satisfied.”
Second Miss Lu snapped with rage, saying: “Lu Rong Fang, you dare help that low woman.” She thought: Lord Lu favors Lu Rong Fang; if he stirs trouble, he will be locked in the ancestral hall. She had not expected her own family to push her into the pit.
Lu Rong Fang shook his head with a hint of mockery and said: “Second Sister, what are you saying. No matter how strong the Lu Family is, we cannot afford to offend the Xia Family. Lord Xia serves close to His Majesty. If the emperor learns what happened today, that would be a disaster. I am only reminding Father to guard against trouble early.”
Huo Ying Zi could not hold back and spoke up, saying: “Young Master Lu meeting Xia Meng Yan in private is already shameful. Now you help an outsider threaten your own sister. I have to suspect you two have been colluding for a while.”
Those words lit Second Miss Lu’s fire again. They had come to catch an improper meeting; other talk was useless. If they could nail down that Xia Meng Yan and Lu Rong Fang were seeing each other in secret, Father would surely be furious with Lu Rong Fang.
Second Miss Lu pointed around and sneered, saying: “Sister Huo is right. I almost fell for your tricks. You two behaved improperly on the pure grounds of the Buddhist Sect, then tried to act like victims. This is the back courtyard of the main hall, a place few people come. Meeting here by chance, who would believe that.”
Lu Rong Fang’s face darkened as he snapped, saying: “Shut up. Me warning Xia Meng Yan is one thing. You using that to threaten her is another. If you keep spouting nonsense, I will have Father lock you in the ancestral hall the moment we get home.”
Second Miss Lu threw her chin up and shot back, saying: “Fine, let Father judge it. You refuse a proper lady of a grand house, and you choose to tangle with a divorced woman.” She swept a sharp glance to the side, grabbed Xia Qing Yao, and yanked her forward as she mocked, saying: “Not long ago, the Lu Family was negotiating marriage with the second branch of the Xia Family, but the main branch snatched it. Xia Qing Yao, you truly are useless.”
Dragged into view, Xia Qing Yao’s already red eyes spilled tears as she asked, saying: “Elder Sister, were you really meeting him behind my back.”
Xia Meng Yan tilted her head and looked at Xia Qing Yao’s innocent face, thinking: [Can someone really be this foolish? They treat you like a pawn, and you still enjoy it.]
She asked evenly, saying: “Second Sister, what is your relationship with Young Master Lu.”
“I…” Xia Qing Yao bit her lip and looked troubled. She and Lu Rong Fang had already cleared things up, and he had apologized. With so many people watching, how could she admit she regretted it.
Xia Meng Yan saw her struggle and did not blame her. Lu Rong Fang had his birth mother’s gentle looks and carried himself like a refined scholar. It was normal that Xia Qing Yao would waver.
She pressed calmly, saying: “The Lu Family and our second branch already agreed that future marriages would not be tied together. It has only been a few days, and you regret it already.”
Xia Qing Yao flushed with shame and argued, saying: “Elder Sister, how can you say that. I only wanted to clear your name.” She did not dare look at Lu Rong Fang.
Xia Meng Yan’s mouth curved with a cold sneer. With Madam Wan’s training, how could this sister of hers be truly naive.
Second Miss Lu could not stand Xia Meng Yan’s poise and snapped, saying: “What is that attitude. You refuse to explain because you have a guilty heart. You do not know shame, and you will ruin your own sister.”
Ridiculous. Xia Meng Yan knew that meeting a man in private was not proper, but it was not some great crime. People had blown it up on purpose because a crowd makes noise.
She looked at Second Miss Lu and asked, saying: “Have you never met a male acquaintance on the street, or should I believe you have never seen a man since you were born.”
Second Miss Lu flared, saying: “What nonsense are you spouting.”
Xia Meng Yan lifted her voice just enough and asked, saying: “Since you have seen men, does that make you shameless for speaking to them in private.” She was skilled at waving the big banner. If the other girl dared lie, Xia Meng Yan would spread her words across the city tomorrow.
Second Miss Lu wanted to be a dog and bite her to death.
Huo Ying Zi saw all three of them pressed down by Xia Meng Yan and cursed her in her heart, but she had prepared another move. She softened her voice and said: “Sister Meng Yan, we did not want to push you. It is only that your situation is special.” Her eyes fell to Xia Meng Yan’s belly as she added, saying: “If Elder Brother Ye Lan learns that you met another man while carrying his child, he will be furious.”
Xia Meng Yan frowned, saying: “My business does not need Miss Huo to worry about.”
A cold voice cut in from behind as a man approached, saying: “What about me.”
Everyone turned. Lin Ye Lan stood there wrapped in chill.
He walked up and looked from her to Lu Rong Fang, asking: “Do I have the right to manage you. You refused to remarry me because of him.” He reached to pull her and ordered, saying: “Come into the palace with me and ask His Majesty to bestow the marriage again.”
“Lin Ye Lan, you are crazy,” Xia Meng Yan flung his hand off and said coldly, saying: “There is nothing between us. Please remember that, Marquis.”
She turned to leave, but Xia Qing Yao blocked her and pleaded, saying: “Elder Sister, the Marquis Ping An is the child’s father. You cannot ruin the child because of yourself. With everyone here, you should agree to the Marquis. That will stop the rumors.”
Lin Ye Lan found his footing again and tightened his grip, saying: “Do you hear that. Everyone advises you, yet you alone are stubborn. Even your sister understands. I do not believe you do not. You are only angry I have been close to Ying Zi. We will keep our distance. Stop making trouble.”
Xia Meng Yan’s wrist felt like it was in a pair of iron tongs. The anger she had held back burst out as she hissed, saying: “I was trying to leave you some face. Since you throw it away, I will not cover for you. What do you call being a little close. Talking by candlelight and leaving me aside is only being a little close. Letting Huo Ying Zi’s people bully me, and even now you shield her, is only being a little close. I happened to run into Young Master Lu and said a few words, and you call me improper. Then what are you and Huo Ying Zi, a shameless pair.”
“Sister Meng Yan, you really misunderstood…” Huo Ying Zi started to explain.
“Save it,” Xia Meng Yan cut her off and demanded, saying: “Which thing I just said wrongly accused you.” The scenes from her past life crashed into her, and a flood of hatred surged up.
The onlookers felt that Xia Meng Yan had changed and seemed ready to swallow the whole courtyard.
She stared at Lin Ye Lan and warned, saying: “Let go. If you keep pestering me, I will not mind ending this pregnancy.”
Lin Ye Lan froze and searched her eyes to weigh the truth, then threatened, saying: “If you dare take the child, the Marquis Manor and the Xia Family will fight you to the end.”