Refusing to be in the same carriage

"Is that so?"

The former An Qing Ran didn't know anything about the happening between adults. Lian Jin Rong looked so sincere.

"Of course! There is no other truth than this one. When your Niang got pregnant with you, it was this one that always took care of…"

"En, Yiniang was probably so worried about my mother that she married into the mansion to take good care of us. Isn’t it so?"

An Qing Ran interrupted with a sneer.

Lian Jian Rong could hear the dripping sarcasm in An Qing Ran words, still, she smiled to the girl.

"This child, this one does not understand what is the meaning of your words…"

On the following day. Two carriages were parked in front of the general’s mansion. The front of the first one was imposing and covered with thick red satin silk. The rest of the vehicle was adorned in the same colour pallet and southern brocade.

The second carriage was smaller and decorated with blue cotton; it looked a bit shabby.

An Qing Ran stepped out of the house and noticed the two carriages. She pulled the soft sable fur cloak around her. Her warm cloak and thick leather boot kept her safe and dry from the cold snow she was stepping on.

The coachman put a stool on the ground allowing her to step into the red carriage. She was about to step up when she heard hurried footstep behind her.

"Jie! Wait"’

Turning around she noticed An Yan Ran running towards her. The girl was wearing a thin yellow skirt and a peacock feather cloak. A phoenix hairpin was swaying on her head while she moved. The shining sun brightening her face. She looked peerless.

An Qing Ran heart froze, she was really a beauty. No wonder Kang Wang was bewitched by her!

Nevertheless, Yan Ran charms were her business! She could use them as a weapon but she mustn’t plan on scheming against her!

"Jie Jie you are so beautiful today!" An Yan Ran complimented her skillfully.

An Qing Ran nodded.

"You are always the same. What are you doing?"

After saying these words, she turned around to get into the carriage, but An Yan Ran pulled at her sleeves.

"Jie Jie, Yan er wants to ride the carriage with you. Is that ok?"

In her past life when Yan Ran asked her the same thing, she agreed to her request without thinking further. But that life was over.

"Why do you want to ride with me?".

She asked her back still at the girl. An Yan Ran smiled charmingly.

"Jie Jie’s carriage is big and warm and unlike Mei Mei' s carriage it looks pretty! Also, Yan er likes to be with Jie Jie!".

An Qing Ran turned resolutely to the girl.

"This is not good!"

An Yan Ran never thought that she would be rejected. Her face turned a bit stiff.

"Why not? We use to do this all the time…"

"Mei Mei, didn't you hear about this? Recently the Emperor sent a decree to confirm that noble’s household in the capital upholds the law! We can't sit in the same carriage… If words spread that the general's estate doesn’t follow the rules and treat their young miss on the same footing regardless of the Di or Shu status wouldn't it be an embarrassment to father?

An Qing Ran kept her voice as gentle as possible, she didn't want the ridicule hidden in it to be perceived.

An Yan Ran's face changed a few time when she spoke, in the end, she didn’t retort. An Qing Ran continued.

"I know that meimei is most sensible and would not care about these small matters, right?"

AnYan Ran nodded.

"Jie Jie is really careful!"

She then turned and walked to the small carriage behind.