"Invite him in," Ran Yan said.
"Wife!" Xing's maid hastily interjected, "Meeting a man in private is truly improper!"
The customs of the early Tang Dynasty had gradually become more open, and private encounters between unwed men and women were already the norm. The maid, being a servant from the Zheng family of Xingyang and coupled with the fact that Southern customs were not as liberal as those in the North, naturally had higher expectations.
Ran Yan straightened her clothes and said indifferently, "It seems that Father intends to use me for a marriage alliance, so I naturally need not worry about marriage matters."
With a soft sigh, Xing's maid ceased her persuasion. Chastity was no longer the only standard by which a woman was judged. If, as the wife had said, her lord intended to use her for a marriage alliance, it might indeed be better to do as one pleased and pursue what one desired; otherwise, there may no longer be an opportunity to act on one's own will in the future.
"I apologize for the abrupt visit," a voice as gentle as a spring breeze drifted slowly into the courtyard with the evening air.
Ran Yan, who had just slipped off her wooden clogs, turned around in the corridor upon hearing the voice. Her gaze quietly rested on the awkward man. It was only for a moment, but as she looked away, she caught a glimpse of his face turning red, his handsome features flushed with shyness.
Ran Yan's fingers twitched slightly, then clenched into a fist. She was surprised to find herself once again feeling the impulse to dissect someone.
"Mr. Sang, please come in," Xing's maid said.
Sang Chen handed the cloth-wrapped bundle in his hand to the Xing's maid, "This is a small token of my appreciation."
"Mr. Sang is too kind," Xing's maid replied with a faint and distant smile as she accepted the bundle and turned to lead him inside.
Ran Yan was already seated in the host's seat when Sang Chen entered. She nodded slightly to him, "Mr. Sang, please take a seat."
Sang Chen greeted her nervously, "Thank you, Wife."
After he took his seat, Ran Yan raised her eyebrows slightly and observed his fidgety demeanor for a long while before speaking, "Mr. Sang, what brings you to me?"
Sang Chen felt that what he was about to request was quite a demand and was unsure how to begin. Just then, he heard Ran Yan directly asking him, and after a brief hesitation, he said, "To be honest, I have only met the wife four times and exchanged but a few words. To come here seeking your help is truly presumptuous..."
"Wait," Ran Yan interrupted, "You said four times?"
Besides the flower-viewing and inquiring about the inkstone, Ran Yan couldn't recall where else she had met him.
With shy embarrassment, Sang Chen replied, "The time the Wife saved Zhou Sanlang, I spoke a few words with the Wife."
Ran Yan's delicate brows furrowed slightly as she suddenly recalled the scene from that day: She was grabbing onto a youth on a bridge, who urgently said, "Wife, please don't pull on me, saving him is urgent!"
While she was burying the man to save him, a foolish youth inquired, "Wasn't it said that Sanlang still had a chance? Why then is he being buried on the spot?"
"You didn't go into the city," Ran Yan said flatly, stating a fact rather than asking a question.
Sang Chen awkwardly explained, "That day, when I reached the stables, I remembered I couldn't ride a horse, so I just..."
"Let's focus on the matter at hand," Ran Yan said, massaging her throbbing temples. Sang Chen was truly off-topic; she had merely interjected and he was already galloping off with someone else's subject. Ran Yan wondered if she veered off further whether he might even forget his own purpose for coming here.
Sang Chen quickly gathered his thoughts, recalling what he wanted to say before speaking, "Someone requested that I write a petition, and as it happens, the deceased was a former schoolmate of mine in the State academy. I couldn't well refuse, but I struggled because there is no evidence. Writing a petition without proof, the Government would likely pay no attention. So, I'm here... I wonder, Wife... do you conduct postmortem examinations?"
Performing an autopsy, Ran Yan's fingers twitched slightly—this was a task she was more than familiar with. The feeling of searching for the lethal cause on a body suddenly surged into her heart, and she felt as if a place within her that had been dead suddenly revived completely.
Even though her emotions fluctuated wildly inside, Ran Yan's face remained calm and cold. It was only because Sang Chen saw her not speaking for a long time that he thought she was refusing and quickly said, "I am also aware that this task is imposing on someone against their will. After all, performing an autopsy is an insult to a wife's status. It's just that the government's forensic doctors won't casually help outsiders..."
"Are you a lawyer?" Ran Yan was quite surprised. Lawyers defended plaintiffs or defendants, wrote legal statements, and needed to be decisive, clear-headed, articulate, and quick-thinking to argue for the validity of their viewpoints. How could someone like Sang Chen, who liked to follow others' leads in conversation and spoke without focus, become a lawyer?
"What do you mean by 'lawyer'?" Sang Chen asked in confusion.
Ran Yan suddenly remembered that the Tang Dynasty likely didn't have this profession, so she didn't continue the topic and quietly pondered the matter.
It had to be said, Sang Chen was quite good at finding people. Ran Yan, a senior expert in the forensic field, would leave no secrets hidden on any corpse that came into her possession. The key was whether or not she needed to do this favor.
Sang Chen, watching Ran Yan frown and contemplate, couldn't help but hold a sliver of hope. He was truly out of options; remembering Ran Yan's ability to bring the dead back to life, she must have superb medical skills, so determining the cause of death should be no problem, right? And if she could actually revive the dead, that would be even better...
Even if Ran Yan were to be reborn ten more times, she absolutely couldn't guess the naïve thoughts Sang Chen had at the moment.
However, she wasn't interested in these thoughts. "Do you know how to make ceramics?"
Sang Chen didn't see how that related to an autopsy but answered honestly nonetheless, "Making ceramics is a hereditary skill in my family, so naturally, I know how to do it."
Ran Yan nodded, understanding, and spoke slowly, "I can help you with the autopsy, but you must agree to three conditions. First, do not let anyone see me; second, do not reveal my identity; and third, you must help me make something."
Considering the craftsmanship and finesse of the Fangcheng inkstone, Ran Yan guessed that Sang Chen's ceramic-making skills must also be quite exquisite.
"Of course!" Sang Chen's face lit up with joy, "My classmate's family is rather wealthy. They also don't wish to publicize this matter, and they have already bribed the morgue's guards, so we can go there anytime. As for making something, it's not a problem."
Ran Yan nodded, "You're talking about your classmate from the State Academy, could it be the Cai Xiu Hall case?"
"You've heard of it too?" Sang Chen was quite surprised; he thought Ran Shiqi was a Noble Lady who didn't leave her front door and didn't step beyond the second door, and this wasn't even in the city. Who would have thought that she would know about a case that happened just yesterday?
Ran Yan ignored his question and said indifferently, "I will go with you to the city for the autopsy tomorrow. I am in urgent need of the ceramic piece I want you to make; I hope you can complete it within three days."
"I will do my best..." Sang Chen looked hesitant, as making an ordinary ceramic piece — shaping, drying, glazing, firing, cooling, and depending on the type of ceramics made — even with no delays, would take anywhere from two days to half a month. If it were more delicate, it could take a month to get a finished product.
"Not 'do your best,' you must. I help you with the autopsy, and you make ceramics for me; consider it a deal. I ensure there will be no mishaps; shouldn't you also guarantee speed and quality?" Ran Yan didn't know how many days exactly making ceramics took; she didn't want to impose on him, but Yianni and the others' lives were hanging by a thread, especially Zi Xu. Delaying could mean death. "The ceramic I want is only an odd shape, about as thick as a thumb, hollow, with an inner vessel that fits just right in the middle, no need for decoration, just able to hold water and medicine... How many days do you need to make something like this at the minimum?"
After thinking for a moment, Sang Chen said, "If the weather is clear and we use our family's drying secret method, it could be done in three days."
"Good, I will give you a detailed drawing later," Ran Yan breathed a small sigh of relief, feeling as though a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. What remained now was finding such a fine hollow needle; where could one find that?
This half month was bound to be extremely busy, but for workaholic Ran Yan, it wasn't really anything troublesome. What troubled her most was the marriage arrangement between the Ran Family and the Qin Family.
Remembering the way Ran Wen looked at her, he seemed very satisfied with her appearance. If this were any normal person, they would certainly think of marrying their daughter into a higher social status, and Ran Wen would probably be no exception. But considering how Ran Wen treated his wife, Ran Yan had no hope for this shortsighted father of hers. Perhaps the Qin Family offered a substantial benefit, coupled with his new wife whispering in his ear, he might just sell her off.
Qin Silang was promiscuous by nature, fickle and prone to rage. Ran Yan was truly afraid she would not be able to resist killing him some day to keep her own peace.