Chapter 28: Pit Dad

  Lan let the way, but the horse carriage slowed down and finally stopped beside the three people. The coachman who held the reins was actually a three-foot dwarf, with an extremely ugly appearance, but he didn't even glance at the three of them, raised his chin towards the sky, and looked arrogant.

  "What's wrong?"

  The cart driver did not respond, and there were still no three people in his eyes.

  The carriage stopped inexplicably, the coachman was proudly inexplicable, Lan Sheng was quite calm and didn't say a word, her gaze gradually moved to the green silk curtain on the window. The autumn sun was high in the sky, the cicadas' chirping had disappeared unknowingly, and a dark round spot appeared on the green silk, initially motionless. She stared at it, and suddenly the darkness quickly spread out, not like an ink stain stopping there, but like a cloud, not only making the surroundings completely dark, but also spreading to the sky to block out the sun. The warmth of the sunlight stored in her body finally rose up, her palms couldn't help but sweat slightly, but her rational mind told her that it was just the shadow of someone inside the carriage.

  These past few days she has been having some exaggerated visual and sensory experiences. She shakes her head, laughing at herself, when suddenly the curtains rustle and a face appears in front of the window.

  Purple wood crown, and田 hairpin, tightly gathered the whole head of white hair. Thought it was an old man, but his face didn't look old at all, with a jade-like complexion, delicate features, and a pair of narrow phoenix eyes that matched his thick eyebrows. Only upon closer inspection could one discover the fine wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, as well as the aura of authority that commanded respect without needing to be angry, giving off an air of being around forty years old.

  What made Lan's eyes widen in surprise was not only the white hair that didn't match his age, but also his right eye. The outer ring of his iris had a layer of bright silver, and towards the inside it sank like lacquer night, while the pupil was azure blue.

  The middle-aged man's eyes with a strange glint moved from the three people and finally fell on Lan Sheng's face, hesitating, "Nan Yue Lan Sheng?"

  Lan Sheng re-examined the man, raising an eyebrow as if he already knew the answer, "Who are you?"

  The middle-aged man seemed to see through her provocation and was not angry. "You were only seven years old when you left home, I can tell that you are not too bad."

  "I heard that the great master can see through the starry sky and explore the country's destiny, but now it's just a matter of three choices. Can't even recognize my own daughter, do I need to praise her for having good eyesight?" Lan Sheng was usually tolerant of his wife's nagging, but this time he retorted with all his might. What does it mean that she can barely recognize her own daughter? Is this something a father should say? After more than ten years of not hearing or asking about anything, now that he's putting on the airs of a loving father, she won't be treated like a obedient daughter.

  Middle-aged man is Lan Sheng's father, Da Rong Guo Shi Nan Yue Ya.

  He heard his unfamiliar daughter's words were all sarcastic, her gaze was straight at him, and he felt a strange feeling. The seven-year-old Lan was introverted and timid by nature, and she was quite afraid of him back then. Moreover, her eight characters were shallow and useless, and her facial features were those of a cruel mother. He couldn't face her directly, even though she was his first child. She and her mother were driven to live in Yao Town by his legitimate wife, but he only thought of her mother. People say that love extends to the crow's nest, but towards his eldest daughter, he could only manage to be silently tolerant.

  However, thirteen years later, the reunion found that the girl in his memory was completely different from the woman in front of him. For a moment, he didn't know how to judge whether this change was good or bad, but then he remembered the reason for stopping the car.

  "I heard that a few days ago, you coincidentally met the three princes who were hunting and several young masters. Did you say something to the Third Prince?" Although it was said by the Third Prince himself, Nan Yue still held onto her suspicion that he had mistaken someone else.

  That wasn't a pleasant encounter with an acquaintance while strolling. What kind of parents did she have? Her mother seemed indifferent, but her father appeared to want to lecture her. She was said to be somewhat unattractive, so her father thought she was worse than those "wolf-like young masters"?

  It wasn't a coincidence. My daughter was staying at the Liang Leng An, and in the middle of the night, several princes set up camp nearby. To make it more fun, they had a group of rough guards bring me over. The Third Prince kept his word and let me go, so I thanked him with a blessing. In fact, this once again proved that although her father is a great national teacher, he is still a minister in the imperial family. Now, he has already started to interrogate his daughter.

  Nan Yue Ya couldn't help but understand the true meaning behind Lan Sheng's words, it was just that in Xuan City and even the entire imperial court, extravagance and debauchery had become the fashion among the nobility. What's more, those princes and young masters were the future's most noble and honorable ones, whether they went hunting or indulged in pleasure, he couldn't control them.

  He said, "As long as you say she's my daughter, they won't give you too much trouble." Seeing that she didn't seem to have lost out in the slightest, he couldn't help but worry, "How did you come up with this lucky talk?"

  "Ride more horses and sit less in cars." It seems she still has to thank him for their father-daughter relationship.

  Upon hearing the same words for the second time, Nan Yueya confirmed that it was indeed the eldest daughter who had spoken those six words, and her eyes narrowed in displeasure. "In all these years you've spent in Yao Town, have you even studied the I Ching?"

  She has been in this world for just over four months and hasn't had any thoughts of reading such profound books, so she shook her head.

  "Or have you transcended the five senses and revealed your innate abilities?" Nan Yueyan's eyes gleamed sharply, no longer like a benevolent father, but somewhat like a judge.

  "The daughter of ordinary people." She was often asked about her talent, Lan Sheng thought it was normal.

  "You were completely unaware of the supernatural forces until you were seven years old, and your learning ability was also mediocre. Now that you're older, in my opinion, except for being a bit too clever with words, which is unpleasant, there's not much change. Being incompetent, how can you make predictions about others' fortunes and misfortunes? If I, Nan Yue, were to make prophecies, no one would dare take them lightly. This kind of reverence wasn't established overnight, but your careless remarks could destroy the entire family's hundred-year reputation."

  Lan said with a look of distress, "I saw that the third prince's face was round and plump, but his fingers were as slender as bamboo shoots. I thought he was blessed with good fortune, so I used those words to advise him to exercise more and be less lazy. How could it be a prophecy of good or bad luck?"

  "You... isn't this nonsense?" Hearing her explanation, Nan Yueyan indeed furrowed his brow and sank his face.

  "Isn't it nonsense? When Father is forced to accompany others for fun, it will naturally become clear. At that time, the daughter only wanted to preserve her innocence and not lose the face of the Nan Yue family." Damn! When this girl was in trouble, no one from her family came to rescue her, now she's retreated with honor but has become a sinner.

  "...Nan Yue hesitated for a moment, somewhat at a loss for words, but couldn't help maintaining a serious tone. "Alright, from now on, remember to be cautious. If the Third Prince or anyone else asks about this matter, just say that Jin Wei told you." There are fake Taoist priests everywhere in Da Rong, and Nan Yue's family can't have one."

  Lan Sheng didn't care, but was a bit curious. "The speaker doesn't mean it, but the listener takes it to heart. However, since you've said that much, it's still ambiguous, why bother making a big deal out of it?" She didn't say much after that, so did she have to pretend to be mute from then on?

  Nan Yue Yan gazed at her, quietly, wanting to smile but not smiling.

  Lan felt the gloomy atmosphere brought by Nan Yueya's words pressing down on her head, but she remained silent, her eyes fixed unblinkingly on her father. She was an orphan, with nothing else to rely on, but she had plenty of backbone.

  The curtain fell, and Nan Yueya's voice came out, "Yesterday, the third prince took his concubine on an outing to enjoy the autumn scenery. The new horse carriage collapsed, and the concubine was crushed to death, breaking her leg. A newly appointed beauty also died, causing a huge commotion."

  The dwarf didn't seem to have looked at Nan Yueya, but he seemed to understand his master's intentions. The whip cracked twice in the air, and the four horses started running.