Chapter 36: There is Room For the Poor Daughter
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Chapter 36: Showing Strength
Yan Zhigao went to the magistrate’s office as usual, while Teacher Qin was invited to the main courtyard by Madam Li's maid. By now, everyone in the household understood the situation.
Shuangxin Courtyard
“Mother, didn’t you say Father would punish Big Sister?” Yan Yishuang asked, disappointed. The thought that Daohua wouldn’t be punished made her lose her appetite for breakfast.
Concubine Lin also frowned.
At this moment, she felt uneasy. From what she knew about Yan Zhigao, he would surely punish the eldest daughter. But now the outcome was different from what she expected, leaving her with a sense that things were getting out of control.
“What did Old Madam say to the Master?” she wondered aloud. “He left the house in a fury, but after going to Old Madam’s room, his attitude changed completely.”
Yan Wenbin saw Concubine Lin and Yan Yishuang looking worried and shook his head. “Mother, Third Sister, what are you two so worried about? In my opinion, there’s no need to keep focusing on Big Sister.”
“Before, we were concerned that Big Sister would take away Father’s affection for us, but since she’s been here, Father’s affection for us hasn’t decreased. Since that’s the case, why bother upsetting Grandmother?”
At these words, Concubine Lin and Yan Yishuang both turned to look at Yan Wenbin.
Concubine Lin’s eyes lit up, and she smiled at her son.
Ever since Daohua arrived, Concubine Lin had felt a sense of crisis. She feared that Yishuang would be overshadowed by the eldest daughter’s excellence, and that Yan Zhigao might transfer his affection to the main courtyard and Madam Li.
But now that she thought about it, although Yan Zhigao did love Daohua, it still couldn’t compare to his affection for his own children.
And frankly speaking, with Daohua’s attitude of openly defying elders, Yan Zhigao might not like her for long. In the beginning, he had been lenient, thinking she had grown up in the countryside, but over time, Daohua’s defiance would probably make her less favored by Yan Zhigao.
She had been foolish to stir up trouble with Old Madam and hadn’t realized it until her son pointed it out.
Concubine Lin gently patted Yan Wenbin’s head, smiling. “I misunderstood. Wenbin is right.”
Yan Wenbin moved away, not allowing Concubine Lin to touch his head. “Mother, stop. You’ll mess up my hair.”
Concubine Lin immediately withdrew her hand with a smile. “Alright, alright. I won’t touch it anymore.” She then turned to Yan Yishuang. “From now on, keep your distance from Big Sister. Of course, if she bullies you, don’t be afraid. Come to your father, and he’ll make it right. But don’t jump into every situation, or you’ll make Grandmother unhappy.”
Yan Wenbin chimed in, “Exactly. Third Sister, listen to me. Knowledge is the most important thing. As long as you’re better than Big Sister, Father will surely love you more.”
Yan Yishuang glanced at Concubine Lin and then at Yan Wenbin, nodding reluctantly.
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This novel is translated by the Eternal Novel Hits translators. Please read it at https://eternalnovelhits.blogspot.com
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Second Courtyard
Sun Shi was puzzled. “What’s going on in the back courtyard? Is the situation about to change?”
In the past, when Madam Li and Concubine Lin had conflicts, Concubine Lin always came out on top. Sun Shi had been waiting for Daohua to be punished, knowing that Yan Zhigao had learned about the classroom incident from Concubine Lin, but the outcome had taken an unexpected turn.
Yan Zhiyuan’s expression shifted, and he spoke thoughtfully. “Don’t underestimate our eldest niece. She’s quite clever. I’ve heard that people from our old home speak highly of her, even a few of the clan elders dote on her.”
Sun Shi scoffed. “She’s just a country bumpkin. What does she know?”
Yan Zhiyuan gave her a sideways glance. “You’re really short-sighted. What’s wrong with being a country bumpkin? She’s still a member of the Yan clan. As long as we’re still part of the Yan family, we have to deal with them.”
“Isn’t it important to have a good reputation in the clan?”
“Over the years, following my elder brother, I’ve come to understand that the wealthier families care more about their reputation.”
“Daohua has a great reputation in the clan. In the future, whether it’s about marriage or handling matters, her name will carry weight.”
Sun Shi still wasn’t convinced. “Even so, what’s the use? Doesn’t the elder brother still prefer Yishuang?”
Yan Zhiyuan shook his head. “The elder brother does love Yishuang, but what difference does that make? She’s a concubine’s daughter. No matter how much he loves her, she’ll always fall short of Daohua in status.”
“Watch, if the elder brother doesn’t get promoted, the difference won’t be too obvious. But if he rises, the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children will make Concubine Lin desperate.”
Sun Shi’s eyes brightened. “Has there been any news of the elder brother’s promotion?”
Yan Zhiyuan sighed. “It’s hard to say. Because of the disaster relief efforts, the court has sent a prince down here. I heard from the elder brother that this might be his opportunity. Although his past achievements were decent, no one above him ever spoke up, so his efforts were buried.”
“This time, with the prince here, if he performs well, there’s a chance he’ll be noticed. These days, I’ve even been pressed into service, running around to help the refugees. I’m not sure how it’ll turn out.”
Sun Shi sighed. “It’s so hard for the elder brother to get promoted.”
Yan Zhiyuan also sighed. “What can we do? Our family doesn’t have any support. Our foundation is too thin.”
Sun Shi sneered. “Your family has support, but unfortunately, they’re not willing to help.”
Upon hearing this, Yan Zhiyuan’s face darkened. “Shut up. You’d better say less about that. Mother isn’t very pleased with you as it is. If she finds out you’ve been speaking ill of Fourth Sister, she’ll dislike you even more.”
Sun Shi’s marriage to Yan Zhiyuan wasn’t something Old Madam Yan had approved of. She had reluctantly agreed when Yan Zhiyuan married her.
Sun Shi was now upset. “I just don’t understand. Our family is one of the top households in Chi Hui Town. Why doesn’t Old Madam like me? Isn’t my status better than that of a merchant’s daughter-in-law?”
Yan Zhiyuan rolled his eyes. “Enough. The eldest sister may have come from a merchant family, but she’s rich. Your family, at best, is a small landlord in Chi Hui Town. Who’s really the more distinguished one?”
“You...”
Sun Shi was somewhat agitated. When Yan Zhiyuan had pursued her, Yan Zhigao was still just a poor scholar. She hadn't minded his poverty back then, but now, he seemed to be starting to look down on her.
Seeing the anger on Sun Shi's face, Yan Zhiyuan had to say a few soft words: "Alright, don't be angry. Mother doesn't like you, but it's not because of you; it's because your family has caused trouble with the tenants."
Sun Shi looked aggrieved. "Family matters are always decided by my father and a few brothers. What does it have to do with me?"
Yan Zhiyuan said, "Mother knows this, that's why she hasn't caused you much trouble over the years. Anyway, your family doesn't often visit, so as long as you don't do anything foolish, she won't bother with you."
Sun Shi was left speechless, but she didn’t dare to continue arguing.
Now the Yan family had an official status, while the Sun family was just a small landlord with some assets. With her family not well-off, she wasn’t strong within the Yan household.
Yan Zhiyuan gave one more reminder: "I know you get along well with Lin Shi, and Yihuan and Yile are also friendly with Yishuang, but don’t neglect Daohua, understood?"
Sun Shi rolled her eyes. "Do you really need to tell me that?"
Yan Zhiyuan felt reassured and then went to the front yard to help.
Third Room:
Yan Wentao asked, "Is Uncle not going to punish Daohua?"
Wu Shi wasn’t sure. "I don’t think so."
Yan Wentao breathed a sigh of relief. "That’s good. Uncle is so strict. If he punishes Daohua, she’ll start crying again."
Yan Zhiqiang glanced at Yan Wentao. "Wentao, when you see Daohua, tell her to hold her temper. Your uncle has a bad temper, and lately, he’s been worn out from settling the refugees. He's easily irritated, so don’t let her clash with him."
Yan Wentao scratched his head. "Back when we lived in Yan Family Village, Daohua was always smiling, and she got along with everyone. But why is she always angry now that we’re here?"
Yan Zhiqiang sighed. "The people back home are simple and straightforward, but here, no one is easy to get along with."
From the eldest brother to the youngest niece Yile, everyone had their own agendas.
Of the three Yan brothers, he was the most honest, but honesty didn’t mean stupidity. These days, he had realized that his elder brother’s concubine was subtly competing with his wife.
Daohua was young and straightforward, so she had become a target for Lin Shi.
He didn’t understand why his elder brother, who had such a virtuous wife, still insisted on marrying a troublemaker.
Yan Wentao nodded fiercely. "Exactly. These people here always speak in circles, it’s exhausting. I’ll go find Daohua and have a good talk with her so she doesn’t get taken advantage of."
At this time, Teacher Qin, with a stoic expression, was led to the main courtyard by a maid.
Upon arriving, she was invited to the guest room, but Madam Li wasn’t there.
Ping Xiao smiled and offered tea. "Please wait, Teacher. Madam is dealing with something, she will come to meet you as soon as it’s finished."
Teacher Qin nodded calmly.
But she ended up waiting for half an hour.
Now, she understood—Madam Li was deliberately giving her the cold shoulder.
To be honest, this result had not been expected.
Madam Li, the eldest lady of the Yan family, came from a merchant background, so she didn't have much authority within the family. Moreover, with Concubine Lin favored, Madam Li had introduced her to teach the young ladies. Despite any personal grievances, Madam Li had always been polite when they met.
This time, however, when her daughter had contradicted her, not only did Madam Li not apologize or bring her daughter to make amends, she was giving Teacher Qin attitude! Truly, merchants were all the same—lacking proper manners.
Her teacup was empty again, but Madam Li still hadn’t arrived.
Teacher Qin’s anger boiled inside. She wanted to leave but had to endure, remembering her situation.
She was young, widowed early, and her in-laws believed she brought bad luck to her husband, so they treated her poorly. Her own family was too poor, and now, unable to return to either side, she was left in a vulnerable position. That’s why she accepted Madam Li’s introduction to teach the girls in the Yan household. She needed the position.
Truth be told, she valued this opportunity to teach the girls in the Yan family very much.
Had it not been for her desire to repay Concubine Lin, she would never have targeted the eldest Yan girl.
She had thought that a 9-year-old girl wouldn’t understand much, and even if she was mistreated, she wouldn't dare to speak out.
But that Yan girl, unexpectedly, did not play by the rules.
Which student, when wronged by a teacher, wouldn’t quietly swallow the injustice, reflect on themselves, and look for their own fault?
To dare to directly accuse the teacher of being wrong in front of others? It was practically unheard of!
People raised in the countryside truly lacked proper manners, and they probably didn’t even understand the importance of respecting their teachers!
However, Teacher Qin had become too impatient.
She shouldn’t have been so obvious, otherwise, she wouldn’t have ended up in such a passive position.
She knew very well that while Concubine Lin was favored, it was Madam Li who was the true head of the Yan family. If she offended her severely, she would have no place in the Yan family.
When Madam Li walked into the room, she saw Teacher Qin’s expression constantly shifting. She had her own restrained expression, but a sharpness flickered in her eyes.
"Teacher Qin, I’m sorry for being late. You’ve been waiting for a while," Madam Li said.
Teacher Qin stood up and politely said, "Madam, you have so many family matters to deal with. I understand, waiting a little is no problem."
Normally, Madam Li would have had Teacher Qin sit down, but this time, she completely ignored her, sitting down herself, picking up her teacup and sipping it. Only after doing so did she act surprised to see that Teacher Qin hadn’t sat down, exclaiming, "Teacher, what are you doing? Please, sit down!"
Teacher Qin glanced at Madam Li, still smiling. But inside, she felt a slight shock. Today, Madam Li’s demeanor was different. There was an edge in her eyes that she had never seen before.
Madam Li continued, "You’ve been at the Yan family for a while now, I’ve never asked you before, but how are you settling in?"
Teacher Qin’s heart skipped a beat, but she calmly nodded. "I’ve gotten used to it, and I appreciate Madam’s care over the past two years."
Madam Li smiled. "You’re too modest. You’ve been teaching the girls so attentively, so we’ve naturally taken good care of you. It’s only right."
Teacher Qin understood the hidden meaning in Madam Li’s words. She had been well-treated because she had been diligent, but if she was not committed, would she be dismissed?
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