“Master, Eldest Young Master An has come!” The housekeeper came into the study and reported to Lan Jian Jun.

Lan Jian Jun currently was in the study with Lan Mo Xian discussing military affairs.  When he heard the housekeeper’s words, he couldn’t help scowling, “What is he doing here?”  Lan Jian Jun has not forgotten what An family wanted to do to his daughter and son thing that day.  Now, he has completely shed all pretenses of cordiality with that family.

The housekeeper said helplessly, “It’s for second young miss’s marriage!”  The housekeeper felt that the Master was too negligent.  No matter what, in name, that was his daughter.  Now that his daughter’s innocence has been defiled, the bridegroom came to discuss the marriage, him this father actually forgot about the matter.

“Second young miss?” Lan Jian Jun recalled that day’s affairs.  It seems An manor was prepared to marry in Lan Zhi to counteract that day’s scandal.  Later, Lan Mo Xian told his father what happened that day, so towards this daughter who has lost her innocence, Lan Jian Jun did not have any sympathy.

“What is there to discuss?  Just carry her over to An manor!” Lan Jian Jun currently couldn’t wait to drive Lan Zhi out of Lan manor to save himself from being vexed from seeing this daughter.

“Father, no matter what, it’s still a daughter that came out of Lan manor.  Go and take a look, or who knows what evil ideas An manor will come up with!” Lan Mo Xian interjected.  Although he presented himself as laid-back, he wasn’t a kindhearted person.  Moreover, these people wanted to hurt his little sister.  In the past, about the matter of fighting for the throne, although Lan Mo Xian was one of Ming wang’s people, he never participated outright.  But now he already decided to stand on Ming wang’s side to help fourth wangye vie for that position.  After all, fourth wangye and himself were on good terms, his character wasn’t bad, and can take on such a big responsibility.  Moreover, if second wangyeascended that high post, then not only will he be unable to protect little sister, he won’t be able to safeguard Lan manor.  Since it’s necessary to jump into this black hole, then he can only stand on Ming wang’s ship.

“En, fine, then go check it out!” Lan Jian Jun after finishing went to the lobby with Lan Mo Xian.

“Greetings to General Lan!” Eldest young master An, An Ping, stood up from his set and showed etiquette.  Today, An Ping wore a royal blue long robe; his complexion was dark and haggard.  How could he not be haggard?  Ever since An Ping knew that he caught the flower disease, he was continually looking for Wu Qing Medical Hall’s young master Gui Yi.  However, despite the many times he sent people to find him, young master Gui Yi was not present at the medical hall.  No matter what ideas he came up with, he hasn’t been able to find that young master Gui Yi.

Currently, although there didn’t seem to be anything wrong with An Ping on the surface, underneath, things have already gone wrong.  On the surface, things still looked good because An Ping spent a high price for a kind of ointment from Wu Qing Medical Hall.  That ointment can cure the blisters on his mottled skin, but while it can heal the surface, it can’t cure the roots of the problem.  Recently, An Ping hasn’t gone to any of the concubines’ rooms to sleep.  Every night, his body was painfully itchy.  Just thinking of his suffering, An Ping wanted to kill Lan Zhi.  Now, An Ping came to Lan Manor to bring Lan Zhi to An Manor so he can torture Lan Zhi to his heart’s desire to cool his anger.

“Hn, what are you here at Lan Manor for?” Lan Jian Jun came straight to the point.  Just seeing An manor’s people, he gets irate.

“Nephew and Lan Zhi cousin-sister are greatly attached to each other, so ask General Lan to agree to let Lan Zhi cousin-sister marry nephew as a concubine!” An Ping smiled sinisterly. Initially, he wanted to marry Lan Zhi cousin-sister in as a side-wife, but now he even had the desire to kill Lan Zhi, so will only give Lan Zhi the status of a concubine.  He wasn’t afraid General Lan won’t agree.  After all, Lan Zhi and his affairs were well-known.  If Lan Zhi doesn’t marry him, who else can she marry?

“Hn, good!  When will you carry Lan Zhi through the door?” Lan Jian Jun didn’t care whether Lan Zhi was a wife or a concubine.

“If General Lan is willing, nephew hopes that he will be able to bring Lan Zhi cousin-sister through the door tomorrow,” An Ping was pleased.  Sure enough, Lan Jian Jun didn’t oppose him about making Lan Zhi a concubine.  Concubines do not need to be married; on the day, a sedan carries the woman from the side into the manor, such was the sorrow of being a concubine.

“Yes, if there’s nothing then return home.  Remember to come tomorrow to carry Lan Zhi to the manor,” Lan Jian Jun already started to drive people out.  He was a military officer by nature so hated to socialize with the Prime Minister An’s family of concealed intentions.

“Thank you General for granting my wish, nephew withdraws!” An Ping already got what he wanted, so he very happily left Lan manor.  All the way, he was thinking about how he will deal with Lan Zhi after he brought her into the manor, how to ruin Lan Zhi.

Lan Zhi was lying in bed at the moment.  Since she knew she had the flower disease, Lan Zhi took to bed and never left the bed.  However, An yiniang had her own means.  She took out most of her dowry to Wu Qing Medical Hall to beg for medicine.  What An yiniang doesn’t know is that when she went to ask for medicine, Lan You Nian already received the news.

Lan You Nian allowed the medical hall’s manager to give An yiniang the cure.  In reality, neither Lan Zhi or An Ping caught the flower disease, it was only a poison Lan You Nian got from Gui San.  The symptoms when the poison activates is very similar to flower disease.  Regular doctors can’t diagnose it at all.  Since An yiniang gave so much money, Lan You Nian was kind enough to provide the cure.  Though Lan Zhi gradually recovered, the scars on her body cannot be removed.

Lan Wu asking her family’s young miss uncomprehending, “Young miss, why give Lan Zhi the cure? After all, isn’t it good torturing Lan Zhi this way?”

Lan You Nian didn’t answer yet when Lan Qu answered Lan Wu’s question for Lan You Nian, “Doing it this way young miss must feel it isn’t fun.  Helping Lan Zhi cure the poison makes Lan Zhi think there is still hope in life.  When she marries into An manor in good condition, then that way, that eldest young master An’s torture would be more painful is it not?”

Lan You Nian nodded, it can be considered recognizing Lan Qu’s explanation.  Allowing Lan Zhi to be poisoned was only a punishment.  Not only can she get An yiniang’s money, but it’ll also enable Lan Zhi to enter An manor.  If the poison was not cured, then Lan Zhi’s life will be hopeless, then in the future, no matter what An Ping tortures Lan Zhi with, Lan Zhi won’t feel anything, but now it is different.

“Madame, eldest young master An just came to the manor to propose marriage,” Qiu’er reported the news that she acquired to An yiniang and Lan Ya who were accompanying Lan Zhi.  Lan Zhi’s body now has recovered but still needed to rest more, so An yiniang and Lan Ya, when they’re free, will come to chat with Lan Zhi.

“Really?  Cousin-brother already asked father?” Lan Zhi suddenly sat up, excitedly asked.  Only heavens knew how worried she was that cousin-brother won’t marry her, then in the future who can she marry?  Although before she always wanted to marry a wangye, but now things have already become like this, moreover after mother and sister’s persuasion, she already knew marrying cousin-brother was the best way to go.  In the future, when she gives birth to a son, then in Prime Minister An Manor, isn’t she still glorious?

“Reply to second young miss, indeed, eldest young master An offered the marriage proposal, and I heard master has agreed to it!” Qiu’er said.

“Zhi’er, you see mother didn’t lie to you!  Ping’er will definitely marry you.  Although it is only as a side-wife, as long as you have the means, it won’t be long before you can become the official wife,” An yiniang also put down her heart.  A few days before she sent people to pass a message back to her maiden home to tell father to have nephew marry Zhi’er.  She knew the official wife nephew would marry will be a prestigious family’s young miss that would be the most beneficial for An manor.  It’s fine for Zhi’er to be a side-wife, after all, as long as Zhi’er gives birth to a son, she can definitely be raised to the status of a wife.

“En, Zhi’er will definitely remember mother’s words!” Lan Zhi said shyly.  Thinking that she will marry her cousin-brother, Lan Zhi was feeling a bit shy.

“Madame, Uncle Lan is here!” Qiu’er came to An yiniang.  They all laughed, Uncle Lan definitely came to tell them An Ping came to offer marriage and wanted to discuss the matters of marriage.

“Quick let him in!” An yiniang smiled.  Meanwhile, Lan Zhi shyly grabbed Lan Ya’s hand as she lowered her head, giggling into her sleeve.

Uncle Lan walked into the outer room, stood in the outer chamber and bowed to An yiniang and others, saying, “An yiniang, master instructed to have second young miss pack up and prepare for marriage.”

An yiniang asked, not comprehending, “Has master already picked a good day?” Usually, when a woman marries, as long as it was a side-wife or official wife, there was a need to pick an auspicious day to grandly marry over.  They also needed to hold a wedding banquet, so An yiniang wondered oddly at how a day was already chosen.

“Yes, tomorrow eldest young master An will carry second young miss into An manor, request second young miss to be prepared, don’t miss the hour,” Uncle Lan finished as he stood in the same place while the mother and daughter three in the room were utterly stunned.

“Mother, how can this marriage be so rushed?” Lan Ya sensed the difference in the matter and asked with a frown.

“Mother, what’s going on?  Tomorrow?  How can cousin-brother and my marriage be so sloppy?  Even to hold a wedding banquet, there won’t be enough time!” Lan Zhi tugged An yiniang’s sleeve, asked with panic.

An yiniang walked out of the inner room, “Uncle Lan, this marriage is so rushed.  There probably won’t be enough time to hold the wedding banquet.  What is going on?”

Uncle Lan’s weathered face revealed a meaningful smile, “An yiniangoverthink.  How could a simple concubine need a wedding banquet?  Tomorrow An manor’s people will come to carry second young miss to An manor!” Uncle Lan finished and left.

“Concubine?” Lan Zhi shouted.  How is it a concubine?  Didn’t mother say that even if she can’t be the official wife, she can still be a side-wife?  Now how could she become the lowest concubine?

An yiniang was also puzzled.  After all, father agreed to let Ping’er marry Zhi’er as a side-wife, but in a blink of an eye, her daughter became a concubine.  What she, An yiniang, hated the most was a concubine because she herself was a concubine.  In the past, because of loving Lan Jian Jun too deeply, she didn’t care about anything else and just wanted to become Lan Jian Jun’s woman, even if it meant becoming a concubine, she was willing.  Yet after so many years have passed, she was still a concubine. Also though the official wife’s position has been empty for so many years, her status has not yet been raised to that of a wife.

“Mother, you promised daughter will become a side-wife, how can daughter become a concubine?” Lan Zhi cried and pled.  As a concubine, what face did she have?  “Mother, daughter doesn’t want to marry.  Can you please beg grandfather?  Let older brother marry me as a side-wife, please?  Zhi’er doesn’t beg for official wife, only a side-wife is enough, mother!”

“Enough!” Lan Ya screamed at her sister, slapping Lan Zhi across the face.

“Sister?” Lan Zhi could not believe that her sister actually yelled at her at this time, “You hit me?  If it wasn’t for your half-done plan, how could I lose my innocence that day?  Why isn’t it you who lose your innocence?  Why wasn’t it you who caught the disease?  You now hit me?”

“Whether you’re willing or not, you will marry!” Lan Ya didn’t look at her sister’s crying face, the tone in her voice was still harsh.  Her sister already lost her innocence.  If she did not marry cousin-brother, then it will definitely alarm everyone in the capital.  Then at that time, even her reputation will be affected.  If in the future she still wanted to marry fourth wangye then it will be difficult.  She will not allow her own little sister to stand in her own way, not even biological sister was allowed!

“You…” Lan Zhi stared at such an unfamiliar sister.  She shook, not knowing what to say to refute her words.

“Enough!” An yiniang sighed, then to Lan Ya,” Lan Ya, you go back, I’ll stay to say something to Zhi’er.”

When Lan Ya left, Lan Zhi cried with tears trailing down her face, “Mother, now big sister has abandoned Zhi’er, won’t you help daughter?”

“Oh Zhi’er,” An yiniang embraced Lan Zhi, her voice loving, ”Do you know you already gave your virgin body to Ping’er?  If you don’t marry Ping’er who else can you marry?  Who will dare marry you?  Mother knows you feel wronged, but whether it is concubine or side-wife, you must marry.  Otherwise in the future, what will happen to you?”

“Mother, I…” Lan Zhi was still unwilling, ready to refute.

“Zhi’er, mother told you before, as long as you have the ability, even if it’s a concubine, you still can climb to the position of official wife.  Mother will help you.  Moreover, in An manor, isn’t there still your grandfather and uncle?  If you don’t want to marry now, in the future, even if you want to enter An manor, it will be difficult!”  An yiniang advised.  Now, although she doesn’t know what caused An manor to abandon her daughter, if she opposes her maiden family now, then her future will be even more difficult to walk.  Although Zhi’er can only be like this, she still had Ya’er.  In the future, if Ya’er can marry a wangye, then she…

Lan Zhi didn’t talk for a long time.  Then she looked up at her mother, “Mother, daughter understands.  Daughter will marry!”