Chapter Four: Miss Nine's Defiant Spirit

A sneer colder than the snow drifting outside cut through the hall, and the murmur of whispers fell silent at once. Every gaze shot toward the figure radiating frost.

The servant woman, caught by that glance, froze with her hand still half-raised to lift the shroud from the old patriarch’s face. Her complexion went pale, and her legs nearly gave way beneath her. She looked again into Lan Jiuchuan’s eyes, yet saw nothing at all.

Only indifference.

How could that be? Just now, she had clearly seen a flash of gold in those eyes, the pupils seeming to narrow and rise, serpent-like, cold and intimidating.

Had she imagined it?

The servant woman opened her mouth and, in her shock, forgot all sense of rank and propriety. “I—”

Lan Jiuchuan gave a soft laugh. Her half-smiling, half-not-smiling gaze swept over the Lan family.

The Lan family’s faces darkened. That one sentence of hers had not been directed only at a servant; it had scolded the entire family together.

The older ones, though their expressions had gone black, could still force themselves to endure it. The younger ones, however, were already furious enough to spring up.

What was this supposed to mean? Was she saying the Lan family was useless, being pressed down by a mere servant?

Lan Jiuchuan took in everyone’s expressions and gave a cold snort. So what if she was scolding them? Since the day this Ninth Miss had entered the household, had any blood relation stepped forward to teach her how to show filial duty?

Not one.

If they wanted a servant to guide her, fine. Then send someone who understood the rules. If they did not understand the rules, they could not blame her for refusing to play by theirs.

Embarrassed? Furious?

They had only themselves to blame.

And what did it have to do with her?

A young man in mourning clothes, his face worn with fatigue, walked in and sharply rebuked the servant woman. “How dare you behave disrespectfully before Grandfather’s spirit? Twenty strokes of the board for insubordination. Someone, take her away.”

The servant woman truly went weak at the knees and collapsed to the floor, trembling as she pleaded for mercy. “Young Master, spare me...”

Before she could even finish, a steward stuffed a cloth into her mouth and swiftly dragged her out.

Only then did Lang Caimeng, the legitimate eldest grandson of the first branch of the Lan family, look toward Lan Jiuchuan. Frowning, he thought: Wasn’t this girl, raised at the estate in her second uncle’s house, said to be extremely obedient? Why did she look so rebellious to him?

He faced her and began, “Ninth... sister, I am your elder brother.” After a pause, he turned to a young woman in the mourning hall and said, “Wanfang, take Ninth Sister around to meet the family. Show her how things are done.”

When Madam Wu came over, Lang Caimeng added, “This is your sister-in-law. You have lived at the estate all these years without returning home, so let her introduce everyone and help you get familiar with the household.”

Though he was technically her cousin, he was still a man. There were distinctions between men and women, and certain matters were better left to his wife. Besides, the women managed the inner household; it would be more convenient for this cousin of his wife to deal with her.

Because they were keeping vigil, Madam Wu also looked haggard and drained. She forced a faint smile at this younger female relative by marriage and said, “Ninth Sister, shall you first pay respects to Grandfather’s remains?”

Lan Jiuchuan had no objection. Yet after Lang Caimeng lifted the shroud, before she could even properly see what the old patriarch looked like, her body lurched, and Madam Wu was already pulling her down by the arm to kneel.

With a crisp crack, Lan Jiuchuan heard her knees pop. Pain twisted her small face grotesquely, and tears surged into her eyes.

This body was truly far too fragile.

Yet Madam Wu, as though unaware, murmured, “Bow your head. Cry, and that will do.”

Lan Jiuchuan: “...”

Crying was impossible. As for kowtowing, Madam Wu pressed down on her head, forcing her to make three small bows.

Then, with red-rimmed eyes, Madam Wu helped her up and led her to the side where the Lan family knelt in mourning, introducing each person one by one.

The Lan family was still fairly prosperous. Those kneeling and sitting there included both men and women; among the older generation, some were leading the younger ones in receiving guests who had come to pay their respects, men and women handling their own tasks, while others among the younger generation were serving the old madam.

Since they were still in mourning, there was no idle chatter. They merely nodded faintly in greeting and exchanged names and faces. Only one young lady, strikingly beautiful and haughty, looked at Lan Jiuchuan with open hostility and gave a heavy snort. “You come back and immediately stir up trouble in Grandfather’s mourning hall. Truly unfilial. Ninth Sister, you had best reflect on yourself.”

Lan Jiuchuan looked at her, then at Madam Wu, whose brows were pinched as though with a headache. How had she introduced this one just now? A concubine-born daughter from the first branch, favored greatly by her uncle? Lan Cailing?

Seeing the other girl’s overbearing manner, Lan Jiuchuan almost laughed in anger. Even a concubine-born daughter could be this imposing? She carried herself more dominantly than she, the only bloodline left of the second branch.

Lan Jiuchuan lowered her eyes slightly and looked toward Lang Caimeng, who had just been about to sit down. Wearing an expression full of rebellious delight, as if afraid the world would not be chaotic enough, she said, “Big Brother, there’s another one here who’s behaving disrespectfully before Grandfather’s spirit. Should we have her dragged out for a beating too?”

Everyone: “?”

Big Brother? Who was she calling that?

Lang Caimeng rubbed at his temples in pain.

He had not misjudged her after all. This sister was indeed full of rebellion.