Chapter 525: Chapter 484, Father’s Love in Every Punch_1
Busy for two days, Madam Li, accompanied by Daohua, prepared the New Year’s gifts for the Yan Clan. The next day, Yan Wenqi and others arrived at Songhe Courtyard to bid farewell to Old Madam Yan.
Yan Zhigao also deliberately stayed for a while, “In recent years, many outstanding younger members have emerged from our clan. Because of my busy official duties, I haven’t been able to return for a long time and haven’t provided much help to the clan.”
“After discussing with the old lady, we decided to donate two hundred acres of sacrificial land to support the education of the younger clan members. This time, I am letting your Third Uncle take you back and also to address the matter of the sacrificial land.”
At the same time, he planned to add some land to his own holdings and refurbish the family home. Even though he would not return to live there, he couldn’t let the old house fall into disrepair.
Yan Wenqi stood up, expressing gratitude, “On behalf of the clan, your nephew thanks Uncle Yan greatly.”
Yan Zhigao raised his hand slightly, “I have to go to the yamen, so I can’t see you off any further. Visit us at home more often in the future.”
Yan Wenqi and Yan Yunxi, along with the others, all stood up to see him off.
After Yan Zhigao left, Old Madam Yan chatted with them for a while before having Madam Li and Yan Wenxiu send them away.
Outside the Yan Residence.
Looking at several carriages loaded with gifts, Yan Wenqi felt quite embarrassed.
Yan Wenxiu patted his shoulder, “These are just some modest tokens from our family, nothing of great value. Take them back and distribute them among our clan.”
Yan Wenqi nodded, “Wenge and I will be taking part in next year’s imperial examinations. Let’s keep in touch through letters.”
Yan Wenxiu smiled, “Good. I wish you both success in advance.”
Yan Wenqi and Yan Wenge clasped their fists in return, “We appreciate your auspicious words.”
Meanwhile, Daohua helped Yan Yunxi and Yan Yunyan onto the carriage before standing beside Madam Li, watching the convoy depart into the distance.
Inside the carriage, Yan Yunxi couldn’t help but lift the curtain to take another look at the Yan Residence, feeling somewhat melancholic, “I wonder if we’ll ever have the chance to come back?”
Yan Yunyan was also feeling low, “I’m afraid not.” After the New Year, they would be fourteen and their family wouldn’t allow them to go out again.
Gazing at the gracefully standing Daohua in front of the Yan Residence, Yan Yunxi lowered the curtain slowly, mocking herself, “When I was younger, I always liked to compare myself with Yiyi, thinking I was in no way inferior. But this visit to the Yan Residence has shown me how ridiculous I was as a child.”
“Sometimes, I wonder, if Uncle Yan hadn’t become an official and had lived with us in the village instead, would the difference between us and Yiyi have been not so significant?”
A look of bewilderment flashed across Yan Yunyan’s eyes. She remembered that Yiyi as a child was merely a bit fairer than other village girls, and when they walked together, she didn’t feel dwarfed by her as she did now.
Grandfather was right, identity and status truly nurture people.
“Maybe.”
Yan Yunxi sighed, fell silent for a moment, and then smiled again, “Your brother and mine will soon be taking part in the imperial examinations. As long as they pass and become officials, we might not match up to Yiyi, but we’d still be officials’ daughters.”
Hope sparked in Yan Yunyan’s eyes, and she clasped her hands in prayer, muttering a few words, “I pray to the Yan ancestors to bless Big Brother and Brother Wenqi with success on the list.”
After experiencing the opulence of Yiyi’s household, the idea of returning to their old rural home felt like a massive step down.
…
Meanwhile, in Beijing, in the Imperial Palace.
In the main hall, Eunuch An and others kept their heads down, and the Hidden Guard who delivered the message didn’t dare to make a sound. Ever since the emperor read the letter from the Little Prince, he had been sitting with a stern face for a long time.
After one more pot of tea, just when Eunuch An thought the emperor was about to fly into a rage, the emperor suddenly burst out laughing, though mid-laugh his countenance fell again.
“The previous emperor… really favored him so much, so much that he didn’t even care for the ancestral lands.”
These words were said through gritted teeth, and from a distance, Eunuch An could feel the pent-up frustration and anger in the emperor’s heart. But the subsequent laughter from the emperor was genuinely joyful and relieved.
After laughing for a while, the emperor said to Eunuch An, “An Yuan, fetch the map of the Great Daxia for me.”
Eunuch An immediately nodded, “Yes, this servant will fetch it right away.”
Soon, Eunuch An carefully brought over a brocaded box more than a meter long, “Your Majesty, shall I open it?”
The Emperor pointed with his finger at the desk, “Open it.”
Eunuch An immediately took out the map from the brocade box, extremely carefully spreading and flattening the map bit by bit.
Once the map was laid out, the Emperor bent down to have a closer look. He soon found Fenxi, and then he found Sishan Village.
The iron mine of Sishan Village was mentioned to him before he ascended to the throne. Unfortunately, he had never located its exact position. He hadn’t expected the previous Emperor to leave it to the Eighth Brother.
Did the late Emperor not realize leaving such a vast iron mine to the Eighth Brother would pose such a great threat and damage to Daxia?
He knew, yet the deep love of a father still led him to give the iron mine to the Eighth Brother.
“The deep love of a father…”
The Emperor chewed on the phrase with a face full of irony. The late Emperor had good intentions, knowing the Jiang Family and he himself couldn’t accommodate the Eighth Brother, so he left him such a way out. But did he not realize this fatherly love would only hasten the Eighth Brother’s demise?
After a good while, the Emperor managed to calm his fluctuating emotions and turned his gaze back to the map.
How many safety nets had the late Emperor left for the Eighth Brother after all?
The Emperor’s eyes slowly swept across the map, finally settling on the location of the Imperial Mausoleum.
No rush, he would find out all the safeties in the Eighth Brother’s hands bit by bit.
“Put it away!”
Sensing that the oppressive and suffocating aura had dissipated, Eunuch An quickly rolled up the map and securely placed it back in the brocade box before locking it in the secret chamber.
When he came back again, there was no trace of the previous oppression and gloom on the Emperor’s face seated upon the Dragon Throne, which was now full of joyful smiles.
“Yangyang has become more impressive by the day. Hmm… your uncle’s little apprentice is also a blessing.”
First the gold mine, now the iron mine, striking at the Eighth Brother, supporting him—these two youngsters were doing quite well!
Eunuch An immediately laughed, “Your Majesty truly has the gift of discernment.”
The Emperor nodded with a smile. Even if Uncle had left the palace, he was still helping him, previously by himself, and now through his little apprentice. He wasn’t truly alone.
“Yangyang is still too young after all. Let Wu Jingyi keep a closer eye on matters there, opportuning that old fox once again.”
Eunuch An laughed without a word, but his mind began to ponder.
Although he didn’t know the specifics of what had happened, for the Emperor to say so, it must be a good thing, and moreover, a good opportunity for Governor Wu to make a meritorious deed.
The Emperor thought for a moment: “Prepare the ink. I will send an imperial decree to Wu Jingyi.”
…
At the Yan Residence.
After seeing Yan Yunxi and the others off, Daohua found herself suddenly idle. Now, only Yan Siyu and her son, along with Old Second Master Han, Master Han, and Feng Hao, a few guests, remained in the residence.
She wasn’t needed to entertain the male guests; all she had to do was spend a little time each day with her aunt and cousin.
Idleness tends to lead to a wandering mind.
In the Daohua Pavilion, Bi Shi looked perplexed at Daohua, who sat beside her and was lost in thought. She tugged at Wang Manman’s sleeve, “Sister Manman, will Miss still train Yiyi and the others?”
Wang Manman, also at a loss, replied as she had seen the young lady often daydreaming these few days, “I’ll go ask.”
Distracted by thoughts of what Xiao Yeyang was doing, Daohua’s attention was only drawn back when she saw Wang Manman waving a hand in front of her face, “What are you doing?”
Wang Manman pointed at the seven puppies lying on the ground, “Miss, will you continue the training?”
Only then did Daohua remember the task at hand, “Train, of course we must train,” she said as she stood up. “Go, fetch the Fragrant Pills I blended before, let Yiyi and the others have a good sniff.”
With the seven puppies, she couldn’t be bothered to name them each, so she simply started calling them Yiyi, Xiao’er, Xiaosan, and so on.