Chapter 114 - Birthday Banquet

Today, Lan Manor was already busy much earlier.  All the servants were busy coming and going in preparation.

“Father!” Lan You Nian came much earlier to Lan Jian Jun’s courtyard to give his morning greets, “Wish father a good birthday!” Lan Mo Xian knelt on the ground and kowtowed.

When he was a young, he knew Lan Jian Jun.  That time, Lan Jian Jun was father’s good friend, always bring his wife into his home to visit father, mother, and him.  However he didn’t expect father to die on the battlefield when he was five, mother died of sickness, leaving only him in the home.  At that time, he was afraid, didn’t know what to do.  It was then father and mother welcomed him into Lan manor and he became Lan manor’s legitimate son, letting him have a home.

Mother was warm and beautiful, always taking good care of him, will make clothes for him and make him food, and when he did well, she will rub his head and praise him.  although father was not good with words, a little serious, but he taught him to ride a horse, shoot with a bow and arrow, taught him martial arts, gradually he integrated into Lan manor, accepting this pair of parents.  The family of three were very happy even though there was An yiniang and her several children in the manor.  Father was never concerned about them and mother was never bothered by them.

Later, mother was pregnant, he saw father and mother overjoyed in expectation of the child in mother’s belly, at that time mother always warmly held him as she said, “Mo Xian, you will now have a little sister, do you like?”

There was only Lan Mo Xian this one child in Lan manor, so the little Lan Mo Xian was very eager for a soft and cute little sister.  To the mother filled with motherly love under the sunlight, he said, “Mother, son will protect little sister, will help her beat the bad guys!”

At that time, father would chuckle, then pick him up, “My son is capable!  I will watch you protect your little sister!”

“En!” Little Lan Mo Xian clenched his fists, nodding, answering very seriously, making mother and father very happy.

Later, Mother gave birth prematurely, the manor was in panic, he was with father standing outside the door listening to mother’s screams anxiously.

None of them expected mother who was usually so fragile will fight for the child in her belly and give birth to little sister.  When the child wailed, mother was just hanging by a thread.

Father and he stood by mother’s bedside, mother’s face was deathly pale as she said to father,”Our daughter is called You Nian, You Nian…”

The mama brought the just born Lan You Nian to mother’s side, mother held the small infant, caressed the infant’s face, “Mother’s You Nian…”

“Xiao Ran…” Lan Jian Jun was shaking as he held He Xiao Ran, He Xiao Ran’s lips smiled and died in Lan Jian Jun’s arms, and that still crying infant.

That was the first time Lan Mo Xian saw the firm and unyielding father shed tears, grief-stricken wanting to go with mother.  At that time, he continued to stay beside father seeing father’s increasingly gloomy face.

Mother’s death was a hug blow to father so to the just born Lan You Nian, father never asked about her, only gave little sister a courtyard and one of the best mama and guards, but he never went to see her.  In the past he tried to let father care about little sister but all he received was father’s silence.  He thought father really din’t care about little sister, otherwise how can he treat Nian’er meimei like this?

Afterwards, on a thunderous night, he was afraid the still just several years old Nian’er meimei would be afraid, he anxiously dressed and headed towards You Nian PAvilion.  He saw father standing in Nian’er meimei’s window looking at the deeply asleep Nian’er meimei, the expression on his face was pain.  That moment, he knew it wasn’t that father didn’t like Nian’er meimei.  One on hand, he liked Nian’er meimei, on the other hand, he felt Nian’er meimei killed Mother.  Both were his loved one, he didn’t how to face it.

“Mo Xian?” Lan Jian Jun raised Lan Mo Xian, asked in confusion, “What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing, only remembered father’s care and teaching to son when I was young!” Lan Mo Xian got up and sat beside Lan Jian Jun.

Lan Jian Jun seemed to remember the matters of the past and couldn’t help feeling, “You are my Lan Jian Jun’s son, don’t care for you, don’t teach you, who would I teach?”  He slapped Lan Jian Jun’s shoulder.

“Master, Miss Lan Qu from young miss’s courtyard asks for an audience!” Uncle Lan walked into the room.

“Let her in!” Lan Jian Jun said.  Today for his birthday he only wanted to eat a meal with his son and daughter but sitting in this position, how can he escape these entertainments?  Today, he’ll probably have to accompany these officials and nobles all day.

Lan Wu walked into the room and greeted Lan Jian Jun and Lan Mo Xian, then placed the box in her hands on the table.

“General Lan, young miss isn’t feeling comfortable today so won’t attend General Lan’s banquet so let this ervant bring the gift over, wish General Lan a good birthday!” Lan Qu said and opened the box.

Inside the box was a rare jade ruyi, the color was crisp and clear, with one glance it was telling that it was a good jade, such a good thing was incredibly rare to see on the entire continent, but Lan Jian Jun just took one glance at it without any joy.

Lan Qu today was without her usual gentleness but revealed a dissatisfaction and resentment, seeing Lan Jian Jun didn’t speak, Lan Qu curtsied, “IF General Lan has nothing else, this servant will leave first!”

“You can go!” Lan Jian Jun waved his hand allowing Lan Qu to leave.

Lan Jian Jun looked at the rare and incredibly valuable jade ruyi, and said to Lan Mo Xian, “Father thought Nian’er already started to accept father, it seems she still resents me!”

“Father..”Lan Mo Xian didn’t understand why Nian’er meimei won’t even show up to father’s birthday banquet, there was no benefit to her and will only lead to gossip.

“Do you need son to go see her?” Lan Mo Xian asked.  Perhaps if he went, he can persuade Nian’er meimei to appear at the birthday banquet, this way father’s birthday banquet will be much happier.

Lan Jian Jun put the jade ruyi in his room, no matter what daughter was thinking, this was daughter’s good will, it was a pity he couldn’t eat a meal with daughter.

“No need, if she isn’t willing then let her be, father can only do this!” Lan Jian Jun left the room.  He still needed to take care of many affairs and see many people, how can he reveal his sadness.

Lan Mo Xian looked at the father who seemed to have aged and sighed, he didn’t know what to do, father’s past treatment of Nian’er meimei chilled people’s heart, not that Nian’er meimei had a fire in her heart, it was deserved.  He hoped one day father and Nian’er meimei’s relationship will get better.

Because the banquet was in the afternoon, so the officials who were relatively close to Lan Jian Jun already brought their family members to Lan manor.

Lan Jian Jun stood at the front doors of Lan manor and was polite to every attendee of the banquet.  Lan Mo Xian who was standing beside him greeted every guest who entered the manor.  Lan Jian Jun couldn’t help feeling if his daughter was with him, his birthday banquet was worth it, pity…

“This old official greets fourth wangye, Ming wang!” Lan Jian Jun greeted the people who entered the doorway, then to Jing Wu An, he chuckled, “Heir Jing and junzhu are here!”

“General Lan!” Jing Wu An and Hua Mu Qing gave proper greetings, and following behind them was Yu Liu Li who also showed courtesy, “General Lan!”

“This is?” Lan Jian Jun saw the extraordinary bearing Yu Liu Li and asked.

“Father, he is world’s number one villa master Yu Liu Li, he is son’s friend!” Lan Mo xian explained.

“Oh, it is Master Yu, please enter!” Lan Jian Jun welcomed them into the manor.

Lan Mo Xian led them into Lan manor to take a look around, Hua Mu Qing couldn’t help asking, “How come I don’t see Nian’er meimei?”  She tugged Lan Mo Xian’s elbow.  Everyone knew their relationship now, it was no longer strange.

“You know father and Nian’er’s relationship, I’m afraid she probably doesn’t want to come out, just let her have time by herself!”  Lan Mo Xian’s tone was helpless.

Feng Yi xuan’s footstep instantly prepared to go to You Nian Pavilion to take a look but then he thought about the words Nian Nian told him yesterday.  Last night he entered You Nian Pavilion and was chased out and Nian Nian even said, don’t go to You Nian Pavilion these next few days.

Feng Yi Xuan could not listen to anyone but he couldn’t not heed Lan You Nian’s words so he resisted the desire to see Nian Nian and followed Lan Mo Xian through Lan manor.

“You guys are no fun, not even calling me together?” He Chu Yang chased after the group, muttered in disatisfaction.

Lan Mo Xian was shocked, after all grandfather’s personality he knew very well, there was no interaction for many years, “Why are you here?  Grandfather will definitely punish you!”

“Ai, It was grandfather who told me to come!” He Chu Yang smiled, “After all Nian’er meimei is in Lan manor, no matter how angry grandfather is at gufu, he won’t make things difficult for Nian’er meimei.  Oh right, how come I don’t see Nian’er meimei?”

“She isn’t willing to attend, don’t go bother her!” Lan Mo Xian said, afraid today’s banquet will make Nian’er meimei unhappy.

It was almost noon, many guests have already arrived, Lan Jian Jun’s contacts in the court was very vast, many people came, even the Emperor personally gifted down some things into Lan manor, this was a great honor.

Several princesses and wangye also arrived, while from An manor came Prime Minister An’s son An Gong Jing.

Although An yiniang was a concubine, but there was no mistress of this Lan manor, so on such an occassion, she was like Lan manor’s hostess chatting with everyone in the hall, showing that she was being favored.

“Mother, Lan You Nian didn’t come!” Lan Ya said to An yiniang.  Today they prepared many ways to deal with Lan You Nian, but what if she didn’t come?

An yiniang scanned the banquet and didn’t see Lan You Nian, even didn’t see her at Lan Mo Xian’s table, she thought about it and understood.  Master neglected that little slut so many years, how could she not resent in her heart?

An yiniang smiled at the noble matron beside her and lightly patted Lan Ya’s hand, lowered her voice and said, “Don’t panic, the legitimate daughter doesn’t show up to the father’s birthday, what do you think her reputation will be?”

Lan Ya’s eyes brightened, yeah, the current Emperor placed great importance on filial piety, if Lan You Nian didn’t appear on the banquet, then it was unfilial, such an unfilial woman how is she worthy of being the legitimate daughter?  Who would dare to marry a disfigured and unfilial woman?

Old madame sitting on master seating, hearing everyone’s flattery, she was very happy, nor did she see Lan You Nian so sighed in relief.  Although she was already this age but she was more and more afraid of this Lan You Nian who hasn’t yet come of age.  Every night her mouth hurt making her even more old.

Originally Feng Xia Qi and Feng Yi Xuan must sit in the master seeting but the two didn’t like the limelight so sit at the same table as Lan Mo Xian and the others.  This let everyone see clearly the two largest factions at court.  One faction was the one with second wangye Feng Shao Chu, the other faction was Feng Yi Xuan.

Meanwhile, You Nian Pavilion was silent.  Outside stood five men.  The five when they stood in a crowd seemed like elegant young men were standing anxiously outside the pavilion.

gufu-father’s younger sister’s husband