Chapter 282 - 178: Sang the Rabbit and Liu Paopian
Ran Yunsheng saw Ran Yan’s questioning gaze, sat cross-legged before the table, and smiled, "The Su Family from Jushui County and the Medicine King Su Family descend from the same lineage. Back then, Su Chengbai was serving as the Chief Imperial Doctor at the Imperial Medical Bureau, but in his third year, he needed to take over the Su Family affairs and thus resigned to return to his hometown. When leaving, Consort Yang gifted him a pair of Huji sisters. It’s said that these two Huji women were so stunningly beautiful that any man who saw them would be completely bewitched."
A vision of Su Fu floated into Ran Yan’s mind, from which she could infer that his mother’s physical beauty was certainly extraordinary.
"Not long after, Su Chengbai gave one of the women to his cousin, Su Ling, who is also the father of Lady Su," Ran Yunsheng sighed, a hint of pity flashing in his lustrous eyes, "Su Ling was deeply in love with that Huji woman. Since she entered his household, he never took another concubine. He even sent away the concubines that he previously had. Su Ling died young; his official wife never bore children, so after Su Ling, there was only Lady Su in that line."
"What was Lady Su’s maiden name?" Ran Yan asked.
Ran Yunsheng thought for a moment, then said uncertainly, "It seems her name was Su Luan, with the nickname Ziqi."
Ran Yan suddenly understood—Lady Su’s nickname was Ziqi, and Su Fu’s style name was Ziqi. Perhaps the sisters, longing for their homeland, had chosen the names ’Ziqi’ with the intent to signify ’the time to return home’."
With this thought, Ran Yan lost interest in learning more. Just from the two characters "returning time," she could tell that it wasn’t a joyful experience. Aside from case matters, Ran Yan seldom found interest in the tragedies of the human world.
Seeing her expression listless, Ran Yunsheng said, "Ah Yan, rest well. I have some matters to attend to, and I’ll come to see you in the evening."
"Brother Shi, go ahead with your work, I’ll take good care of myself." A faint smile surfaced on Ran Yan’s pale and delicate face as she watched Ran Yunsheng leave.
Although Ran Yan felt somewhat dizzy, she refrained from letting herself fall asleep. If she slept too much during the day, she would end up bored at night.