Chapter 61: There is Room For the Poor Daughter
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Chapter 61: The Inn
Ancient carriages were not built for comfort, and if someone’s health wasn’t good, sitting in a carriage for several days could easily leave them feeling weak and exhausted.
After leaving Linyi County for just a couple of days, Yan Wenxiu's complexion began to show signs of strain, and he appeared somewhat uncomfortable as he sat in the carriage.
Seeing her eldest brother so fragile, Daohua shook her head. "Big Brother, your health is too weak! When you're studying, you should make sure to balance work and rest."
Yan Wenkai, who was sitting next to her, nodded vigorously. "Yes, every time I ask Big Brother to exercise with me, he ignores me."
Yan Wenxiu glanced at his fourth brother and grumbled, "You call that exercising? You’re just playing around."
Yan Wenkai defended himself proudly, "It's a win-win! You get to play and work out at the same time!" He then looked at Daohua and Yan Wentao. "Little sister, I noticed both you and Third Brother look in good spirits!"
Compared to him, a playful and rowdy person, they seemed to have more energy.
Yan Wentao laughed and replied, "Of course! In Yanjia Village, Daohua is well known as a lucky child. She’s almost never been sick, and she runs faster than adults. I follow her around, and my health has improved too."
Hearing this, both Yan Wenxiu and Yan Wenkai smiled.
Yan Wenxiu looked at Daohua and said, "Good health is the foundation of everything, especially for women. Having a strong body is a great blessing. That said, while proper exercise is good, a woman should still prioritize grace and poise."
Seeing that her elder brother was still trying to lecture her, Daohua sighed and teasingly said, "Big Brother, I know you mean well, but I’m dressed as a man right now and traveling away from home. Please, can you not keep talking about rules and etiquette for a while? Let me enjoy a little freedom."
She understood all too well how difficult it was to conform to the image of a gentle, quiet lady—always smiling without showing teeth, never speaking too much, always trying to follow a list of rules. For someone used to being free, it was quite a struggle.
Yan Wenxiu looked at her and, seeing her in good spirits, continued, "The world places many demands on women. Everything from their words to actions needs to be cultivated from a young age. Etiquette and decorum should be ingrained so that wherever you go, no one can criticize your behavior."
He was the eldest brother, and it was only natural for him to worry about her. Many men in the world preferred gentle, graceful women, and a strong-willed woman might give the impression of being uncontrollable, which could make others distance themselves.
Daohua knew that it would be difficult to change his views with words.
The best way to handle this was simply to let it go in one ear and out the other.
As for the traditional customs, she would adapt to survive in this era, but she didn’t want to be completely assimilated.
That evening, they stayed at an inn.
When they got out of the carriage, Daohua saw that both Yan Zhigao and Advisor Xiao, were swaying slightly. She shook her head again, thinking to herself that these people were too weak.
"Just a little longer, we’ll be in the capital in two more days."
Linyi County was far away, and the route to the capital passed through a rugged mountain road. Even by carriage, it took at least five days to get there.
Seeing that the younger ones were still in good spirits, Yan Zhigao finally breathed a sigh of relief. His biggest concern had been that the children might fall ill on the way. Now that they were all fine, he felt much more at ease.
After resting for the night, everyone felt a little better and set off again early the next morning.
"Father!"
As soon as they got into the carriage, Yan Zhigao heard the voice of his fourth son. He opened the curtain. "What is it?"
Yan Wenkai smiled and handed him a water pouch. "Father, this is the tea that Little Sister made. It's supposed to help with fatigue. If you and Advisor Xiao feel tired, drink some of it to refresh yourselves."
Yan Zhigao took the pouch, opened it, and sniffed. "What tea is this? It smells quite fragrant."
Advisor Xiao, who was beside him, smiled and said, "The eldest young lady has a kind heart."
On the road, Yan Zhigao tried the tea and found that it did help him feel more alert. He immediately poured a cup for Advisor Xiao. "Advisor Xiao, try some too. It tastes pretty good."
Advisor Xiao took a sip, and his eyes brightened. "It’s fragrant and refreshing. Good tea," he said as he took another small sip. "Do you know what kind of tea this is, Sir?"
Yan Zhigao took another sip. "It seems like ordinary jasmine tea."
Advisor Xiao shook his head. "Ordinary jasmine tea doesn’t taste so pure and rich. The eldest young lady used some high-quality tea leaves."
Yan Zhigao nodded in agreement. "I wonder where that girl found such good tea leaves? Our house doesn’t have tea this good!"
Advisor Xiao smiled but didn’t respond.
After drinking the tea, Yan Zhigao, Advisor Xiao, and Yan Wenxiu felt much better, and the group successfully reached the capital’s inn on the fifth day.
At that time, many officials were in the capital for business, and the inn was nearly full. Fortunately, they got a small courtyard for themselves.
"Finally, we can get some rest!" After five days of traveling, even Daohua and Yan Wentao, who were in good health, were ready to sleep.
The courtyard wasn’t large, but it was enough for their group. The main room was given to Yan Zhigao and Advisor Xiao, while the two side rooms were assigned to Daohua and the others.
After settling in, Daohua instructed the inn’s servants to bring hot water as she wanted to bathe.
However, before the water arrived, the innkeeper came with a group of people to their courtyard.
"This courtyard was obviously assigned to us first. Why should we change rooms?" Yan Wenkai complained loudly.
The innkeeper awkwardly smiled at Yan Zhigao. "Please forgive me, County Magistrate. It was an oversight. This courtyard was originally meant for the Prefect of Fanzhou. Now that he has arrived, we need to give it to him."
His tone was polite, but there was no room for negotiation.
In the county, the county magistrate was the highest-ranking official, but once in the capital, he was just one of the lower-ranking officers.
Daohua stood at the door and, seeing her father suppressing his anger, helplessly waved her hand, signaling everyone to pack up and change rooms.
Sighing, she turned and found that it was Advisor Xiao. He gave her a bitter smile and turned to his room to pack his things.
The reality of officialdom was harsh—those in higher positions stomped on the lower ranks.
What had been "prepared" was just a lie; the innkeeper was simply taking advantage of Yan Zhigao’s low status and lack of powerful connections, treating him like an easy target to push around.
Soon, everyone finished packing.
As they left the courtyard, they encountered the Prefect of Fanzhou, who was arrogantly standing before Yan Zhigao. Despite the unfair treatment, Yan Zhigao still had to flatter the man.
Seeing this scene, Daohua felt mixed emotions. Despite her previous grievances with her father, at that moment, all her resentment faded away.
No matter what, her father had always been carrying the responsibility of supporting the Yan family with his unremarkable shoulders.
(End of Chapter)
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