Chapter 31: Flirting with Men Everywhere

Nan Yan did not say much; she hurried to see the old Duke. Mother Su and Biezhi guided her, briefly explaining what had happened the previous night as they walked.

After she was abducted, the two of them had fainted on the spot when faced with the black-clad men’s gleaming, blood-stained blades. Mother Su had truly fainted, while Biezhi had feigned unconsciousness. They were fortunate enough to escape with their lives, though the poor carriage driver had died a tragic, innocent death.

Once Biezhi woke Mother Su, they scrambled back to the Duke’s estate. Li Zhong immediately dispatched the guards to search, but they had spent the entire night out and had yet to return. They had not expected Nan Yan to return on her own.

"Those black-clad men intended to kill us, but luckily, some experts passed by and drove them away! Otherwise, Mother Su and I would never have seen you again, my lady!" Biezhi still felt a lingering fear at the thought.

Nan Yan paused in her steps at these words, then continued walking as she asked, "Experts? Did you see who they were?"

Biezhi shook her head hastily. "I was faking unconsciousness at the time, so how could I dare to look? There seemed to be two of them. One of them called out 'Young Master,' and the voice sounded somewhat familiar." She thought for a moment and added, "I only saw their backs; they were both wearing white."

Nan Yan fell silent for a moment. She instructed them to give the carriage driver a proper burial and provided a generous pension to his family.

As she reached the doorway, she heard a violent coughing fit, and Nan Yan’s heart tightened. It was the voice of the old Duke, her grandfather, Nan Chuan.

"Grandfather—"

She rushed into the inner chamber. The septuagenarian on the bed had white hair and a white beard, and his complexion was equally pale. As he coughed, the servant attending to him, Uncle Fu, held a medicine bowl and a handkerchief. When the coughing subsided, a spot of bright, piercing red stained the handkerchief.

Nan Yan threw herself by the bedside, tears falling. "Grandfather... how did you become this ill?!"

Uncle Fu’s eyes were also red. "Young mistress, you have finally returned. The old Duke has been so worried about the two generals that he has not attended court for a long time. He even forced himself to put on his armor to see the Emperor, but he collapsed as soon as he returned!"

"Last night, when he saw your dowry being returned and heard that you were being bullied by the Meng family, he was so angry he vomited blood on the spot!"

"Then he heard that your carriage had encountered assassins and he fainted again. He only just woke up and hasn't even taken his medicine yet..."

The old Duke recovered his breath and waved a hand. Though his voice was hoarse, he looked at Nan Yan with great tenderness. "Grandfather is fine..." He gently patted the back of Nan Yan’s hand. "But you—you were bullied at the Meng family, weren't you? Tell grandfather, what exactly happened?"

"If the Meng family truly bullied you, I will certainly demand justice for you—" He grew agitated and began to cough again. Nan Yan’s eyes turned red as she patted his back to help him breathe.

Since her dowry had already been moved back, the news would spread quickly and could not be hidden. Nan Yan told him everything. With the additions from Mother Su and Biezhi, the old Duke was so furious that his beard seemed to bristle, and he coughed violently.

Nan Yan stopped them, sat by the bed, and kept patting the old Duke's back. She took the medicine bowl from Uncle Fu and coaxed him. "Grandfather, if you remain this angry and disregard your health, I won't say another word!"

Seeing her stern expression, the old Duke tried his best to calm down, and his breathing eased. "It is all my fault. I should never have agreed to let you marry into that family... The Meng family has gone too far—"

Afraid that he would get upset again, Nan Yan quickly interrupted. "Grandfather, rest assured. Yan’er is no longer the little girl she was three years ago." Her eyes surged with sharpness. "I will handle the Meng family. I will never let them bully me again, nor will I allow them to take even the slightest advantage of us!"

The old Duke felt a rare sense of comfort and nodded with a faint smile. "Grandfather believes in you!" Seeing that she had managed to move back every bit of her dowry, he knew his granddaughter had grown up and would not be bullied.

Nan Yan blew on the medicine to cool it and brought it to his lips. "As for Father and Brother, Yan’er will never let them be wrongly accused!"

At the mention of them, the old Duke’s eyes reddened instantly. Nan Yan comforted him while feeding him the medicine. "Grandfather, rest easy. The business with the Meng family is nothing. But our Nan family has been a military household for generations, loyal and devoted; we must never suffer such slander!"

The old Duke was moved to tears, nodding fervently as he gripped her hand. After finishing the medicine, his spirits improved significantly, and Nan Yan carefully asked about his visit to the Emperor.

Fortunately, the Emperor still harbored some doubts and had not issued any orders for immediate execution. According to the reports, Nan Yang and his son had resisted and fled, and the Emperor had only ordered them to be brought back for careful interrogation. No one knew what had actually happened in the interim.

A great victory had been won on the northwestern frontier, and the army was on its way back to the capital. General Lian Yi was even riding posthaste to return, and would arrive within days.

Nan Yan reassured the old Duke, "Once General Lian Yi returns, the truth will come to light, and we will surely clear Father and Brother’s names! Grandfather, you must not give up. Now, Yan’er has only you left..."

The old Duke nodded repeatedly, his eyes shimmering with tears. Nan Yan did not dare tell him about her dream; he only knew that his son and grandson were missing. Perhaps that was the reality, and her dream... was merely a reflection of her deepest thoughts. Until this moment, she refused to believe that her dream could come true.

After the old Duke finished his medicine, Nan Yan helped him settle in to sleep. She had been exhausted from the night's events and had cried several times, leaving faint shadows under her eyes.

Before she could even rest, Li Zhong came to report in a hurry. Having just stepped out of the old Duke’s room, she gestured for Li Zhong to wait, fearing they would disturb her grandfather. Li Zhong understood and held his tongue.

Once she confirmed with Uncle Fu that the old Duke was indeed asleep, she closed the door and walked quickly out of the courtyard before allowing Li Zhong to speak.

Li Zhong was panting with anxiety. "My lady, it’s bad! Last night, when I took people out to look for you, the entire capital was buzzing with rumors by the time we returned..." He suddenly stopped, as if finding it difficult to speak.

Nan Yan guessed the gist of it. "Is it about the Meng family divorcing me?"

Li Zhong nodded. Nan Yan laughed. "What is so bad about that? Now the whole world knows I have no connection to the Meng family."

"But..." Li Zhong had more to say. "When I returned just now, I saw the Meng family... they were searching everywhere for Young Master Jiang, and they looked very aggressive..." As he spoke, Li Zhong’s expression wavered, hesitant to continue.

Nan Yan frowned deeply, puzzled. "Jiang Li? Why would the Meng family be looking for him?"

"I asked around, and I heard... I heard..." Li Zhong hesitated. "The Meng family wants to settle scores with him..."

Nan Yan was even more confused, sensing something strange about the matter, as if it were linked to her. "Settle what scores? What grievances do the Meng family have with Jiang Li? Does it have something to do with me?"

Li Zhong nodded slightly. "The Meng family is claiming... that you, my lady, have been barren for three years, and that you have been... flirting with men everywhere. This Young Master Jiang is one of them!"

"They say that Young Master Jiang intentionally approached Meng Boji and stayed at the Meng estate temporarily, all because you and he had arranged it."

"They claim it was all to facilitate your trysts and for you to carry on an affair—"