Legend of Concubine's Daughter Minglan 知否知否 应是绿肥红瘦

C121. A Tryst Caught in the Act (2)

Rulan parted the plants and strode over the bush, then she saw Minglan squatting among the fragrant plantain lily flowers. Minglan looked embarrassed as her skirt was caught by the branches. Rulan raised her eyebrows in anger and put her hands on her hips. "What are you doing here?!"

Minglan was dumbfounded by her question. 'You have been caught by me on the spot when you had a secret meeting with your lover. How could you behave as if I was the wrongdoer?' she thought to herself.

"I, I...I've overeaten this evening, so I come to the garden for a walk." As the words fell from her lips, Minglan almost wanted to slap herself. There was no need for her to elucidate because this time she had justice on her side. So she looked steadily at Rulan and raised her voice, "Sister Rulan, what are you doing here?"

Rulan blushed and replied, "It's none of your business."

"Okay. I want to go on walking. Goodbye." Minglan was about to walk on but Rulan caught her arm and stopped her from leaving. Rulan was much stronger than Minglan, so she easily dragged Minglan away.

"It's late and we should go back. Otherwise, we will catch a cold." Rulan manhandled Minglan along the path as if she was dragging a dead dog.

"Let go of me. I can walk by myself." Minglan hissed with pain because Rulan pinched her arms hard. She didn't want to make a scene, so she had to give in to Rulan.

Minglan wanted to go to the Hall of Peaceful Ages and report to Old Madam Sheng about this matter, but Rulan wanted to bring Minglan to the House of Carefree. Finally, the stronger person won the battle. Rulan succeeded in taking Minglan to her house.

When the two sisters reached House of Carefree, all the maids were asleep, except for Xique who waited in the room with a light beside her. She breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of Rulan walking in; but when she saw Minglan, she turned pale with fear, close to tears. Minglan felt pity for Xique. If what had happened between Rulan and that man was discovered by others, Rulan might be fine but Xique would be punished severely. Minglan comforted the poor maid, "Don't panic. I really saw nothing."

On hearing this Xique burst into tears. Rulan was agitated and impatiently scolded, "Stop crying! I'm not dead yet! I won't let you get punished." Then she bundled Xique out of the room, took Minglan by the wrist and went straight into the inner room.

After entering the inner room, Rulan put her hands on Minglan's shoulders and sat her down on the bed before she looked down at Minglan with an aggressive look. However, the guilty look in Rulan's eyes betrayed her. After thinking for a long while, she warned in a low voice, "Don't tell anyone what happened in the garden."

Minglan gave a short laugh and replied, "I didn't see anything in the garden."

A dull red flush suffused Rulan's face. She swallowed hard and glared at Minglan who also looked at her with a smile. The two sisters both refused to budge. After a long while, Rulan broke the silence, "Nothing happened! Even if you tell others, I won't admit that."

Minglan was surprised by her shamelessness and said in a teasing tone, "Yes, nothing happened. Anyway, Madam is looking for a good man to be your future husband recently. Sister, there is no need for you to meet your lover in secret. If this thing got out, it would ruin your reputation."

Since Molan had slipped out of Sheng Mansion to seduce Liang Han, Hai shi had tightened security. That man must be living in Sheng Mansion because outsiders could not possibly slip into the garden without being spotted. Minglan thought for a moment and sorted herself out. Hai shi didn't take precautionary measures to prevent the students who lived in the row of bungalows on the edge of the back garden from approaching the garden. The Autumn Imperial Examination would last three days and the examinees could go back every day after the exam. But in the Autumn Imperial Examination, the examinees would be locked in the examination hall until all the exams were over.