Chapter 245 You can just go back in peace.
The night was as dark as ink, enveloping the pavilions and towers of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion in a serene stillness.
Meng Shilan and He Ran walked towards their courtyard while talking; the lights were still on inside the house.
Before even entering, I could hear bursts of clear, cheerful laughter.
There was also a small, indistinct "ya ya" sound chasing after the laughter.
Meng Shilan pushed open the door, and a warm feeling rushed towards her.
Fu'er was sitting on the couch reading a book when Little Fatty, with his short legs, wobbled around her, reaching out his chubby little hands to grab the tassels on the curtain behind his sister.
"Sister, sister, hug me!"
Fu'er put down her book, pulled her younger brother into her arms, and kissed his chubby cheek.
"Little Fatty, aren't you sleepy yet, it's so late?"
Little Fatty hugged his sister's neck and finally managed to grab the tassel, pulling hard with his chubby hand.
"Not sleepy!"
He jumped and tugged at it, almost tearing the curtains down.
Dan Niang, standing to the side, seemed to have something on her mind.
She heard a creaking sound and hurriedly picked up the little chubby boy.
"Ouch, goodness, if you pull any harder it'll fall down."
As soon as Meng Shilan entered, Danniang greeted her with Pangxi in her arms, saying, "My dear, look who's back."
Upon seeing his mother, Little Fatty immediately broke free from Dan Niang's embrace and rushed over with open arms.
"Mother, Mother!"
Meng Shilan picked him up and bounced him around. The worries she had about the Duke of Ying's mansion instantly dissipated.
Little Fatty has been raised by Dan Niang ever since he could walk.
Besides her and Fu'er, the child is most attached to Dan Niang.
But Danniang seems a little off today.
She looked at Xiao Pangxi with love, reluctance, and a hidden pain in her eyes.
Meng Shilan's mind was preoccupied with another matter, so she assumed that Meng Shilan was just tired and did not investigate further.
At this moment, He Ran walked in from the outer room, his face still showing signs of anger.
"Shi Lan, I think we can't just sit here and wait to die."
Meng Shilan didn't respond to her. She handed Xiao Pangxi to Dan Niang first and said to her gently, "It's getting late, take them to bed."
"Yes, Miss."
Dan Niang responded, picked up Xiao Pang Xi, and led Fu'er into the inner room, turning back every few steps.
Watching the children disappear behind the door, He Ran lowered his voice and spoke indignantly.
"My dear aunt, how dare she!"
"How could she get involved with a vicious woman like Song Jiyun? What does she want from that?"
Meng Shilan poured herself a cup of cold tea and drank it all in one gulp. The icy sensation slid down her throat, clearing her chaotic thoughts somewhat.
"What I'm worried about isn't their involvement, but the people behind them."
He Ran was taken aback. "The person behind it?"
"Ever since the incident at the Chen family's house, I've had people keeping an eye on them, but we haven't found anything. Their house is as clean as a blank sheet of paper."
He Ran paced restlessly around the room.
"The cleaner something is, the more likely it is to be haunted."
Meng Shilan tapped her fingers lightly on the table, making a soft tapping sound.
“The Chen family is the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial, and they can’t cause any trouble on their own. Song Jiyun is an unsuspecting informant. Now these two are getting mixed up together.”
Meng Shilan raised her eyes, her gaze sharp as a knife.
"The Chen family is very strange. If they are not careful, why would they want to harm you? The pressure on the border is not enough with one Northwest Army, why do they need to add another Southwest Army?"
"They are more like... allies."
"To act as an informant for those who are hiding behind the scenes, and to be unaware of the informants who pass on messages and arrange things."
He Ran suddenly stopped in her tracks, remembering the day she heard about Prince Cheng.
"Could it be Prince Cheng, Xiao Shu? He's training troops in Yuzhou, and he's not up to any good."
Meng Shilan shook her head. "It's hard to say. It could also be someone we haven't discovered yet."
He Ran's fists clenched so tightly they cracked. "Who cares about these demons and monsters!"
"At worst, I'll just go and brave the Chen family's den of dragons and tigers again tonight!"
"no."
Meng Shilan stopped her in a low voice.
"If we stir up trouble now, it will only make them hide even deeper."
He Ran deflated, and his face immediately fell.
Meng Shilan said slowly, "This matter cannot be rushed."
"It's getting late. You should go back and rest first. We'll discuss this further later."
He Ran knew he was just being overly concerned, so he nodded, gave a few more instructions, and then turned to leave.
The room fell completely silent.
Meng Shilan leaned back in her chair wearily and closed her eyes.
The capital city is not as peaceful as it appears on the surface.
One wave subsides only for another to rise.
She didn't know how long she had been sitting there; her mind was a jumble of thoughts, like a tangled mess.
The more you try to sort it out, the more complicated it becomes.
She opened her eyes and looked at the flickering candlelight on the wall.
At this moment, Danniang, who had just put the child to sleep, also quietly came out.
Dan Niang paused for a moment, then turned her head away to cover herself.
"You...you're still awake?"
Her voice carried a barely perceptible hoarseness and choked sob.
Meng Shilan then looked at her carefully.
Under the lamplight, Dan Niang's face was as pale as paper, and her eyes were red-rimmed, as if she had been crying secretly.
Those eyes, which always held a gentle smile, were now filled with an unyielding sorrow.
She stepped forward and took her hand.
"Dan Niang, what's wrong?"
He asked gently, "What's wrong? Did someone in the manor upset you?"
"No."
Dan Niang shook her head, but her eyes suddenly reddened, and her voice couldn't help but tremble with sobs.
“A message came from my hometown saying that my mother is sick.”
Meng Shilan held her arm, her heart aching.
"When did this happen? Why didn't you speak up sooner about something this big?"
"I received the letter this afternoon."
Dan Niang raised her head, her face already streaked with tears.
“Miss, you saved me from dire straits back then, and I swore an oath to raise the young master to the age of three.”
"But right now... the young master is not even two years old..."
She choked up and couldn't continue.
"If I leave, what will happen to the young master? He recognizes people at night, and if he starts crying..."
Meng Shilan listened quietly, her heart filled with mixed emotions.
She reached out and gently wiped away the tears on Dan Niang's face with a handkerchief.
"Of all virtues, filial piety is the most important. Your mother is seriously ill. As her daughter, how can you not go back to take care of her?"
“If I stop you, then I will be an inhuman person.”
Dan Niang stared blankly at her, her tears falling even more fiercely.
"But young master..."
Meng Shilan smiled gently.
"Look at our Pangxi, he's as strong as a calf now, he can eat and sleep well, and he's very easy to take care of."
"Besides, he's grown up now, and with so many servants in the manor, they can surely take good care of him."
"Chunxing has helped you so many times, and you even praised her for being incredibly meticulous. With her around, you can rest assured."
"Just go back home with peace of mind."
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