Chapter 69: There is Room For the Poor Daughter
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Chapter 69: Going Home
Zhongzhou Prefect, Post Station.
Li Xingchang and Li Xingnian were bidding farewell to Yan Zhigao and his party.
Li Xingchang looked a bit regretful. "The time was too tight this trip, we didn’t even have the chance to visit home." He turned to Daohua. "You haven’t met your cousins yet, and this time it’s unfortunate. Your aunt and uncles went to attend a birthday celebration at the family’s ancestral home."
Daohua, confused, asked, "The family’s ancestral home? Which one?"
Yan Wenxiu, aware of the family situation, quickly pulled Daohua aside, signaling her not to ask further.
Li Xingchang noticed Yan Wenxiu’s subtle gestures and smiled. "Ask your mother when you get home." He then resumed talking to Yan Zhigao.
Daohua immediately tugged on Yan Wenxiu’s sleeve. "Big brother, who did Uncle refer to?"
Yan Wenxiu didn’t seem to want to answer, but Yan Wenkai chimed in. "It’s our maternal grandmother, but a distant one."
Daohua widened her eyes in shock. "Grandmother is still alive? Why has mother never mentioned her?"
Yan Wenkai responded, "She’s a distant one. Big sister, let me tell you, that old woman is terrible. She even wanted to marry mother off to an old man in his seventies or eighties!"
"Fourth brother!" Yan Wenxiu glared at Yan Wenkai. "How can you speak like that? She is an elder."
Yan Wenkai curled his lips. "Elder? Mother has never acknowledged her, and I don’t either."
Yan Wenxiu sighed helplessly. "There are some things you should know, but it’s better not to speak of them. There’s no need to spread unnecessary rumors."
Yan Wenkai retorted confidently, "But big sister asked, so of course, I had to tell her."
Yan Wenxiu moved his lips, about to say that such things weren't suitable to share with a young lady, but when he saw Daohua eagerly listening, he sighed and said, "Mother is a daughter-in-law from another family and doesn’t have much connection with them anymore. Our maternal family only consists of Uncle and Second Uncle, and we don’t need to worry about the others."
Daohua nodded and then looked at Yan Wenkai with bright eyes.
Ignoring Yan Wenxiu’s warning, Yan Wenkai leaned in and began to whisper to her.
"Uncle and Second Uncle gave up the family inheritance to prevent that old woman from marrying mother off to a senile man. They then took mother away from her home and started a new life. Now, both of them have built up their own businesses from scratch."
"Later, when they saw that Uncle and Second Uncle had succeeded, the others must have used some tricks to re-establish contact."
Daohua listened quietly, then asked, "How did mother marry father?"
Yan Wenkai shrugged. "I don’t know the full details, but it seems mother was first noticed by grandmother."
Just then, Li Xingchang, Li Xingnian, and Yan Zhigao had finished their conversation.
Yan Zhigao said, "brothers, we’re leaving now. I’ll write to you once I settle down in Xingzhou. When you have time, you must come visit."
Li Xingchang smiled and nodded. "Of course, of course."
"Goodbye, Big Uncle, Second Uncle!"
Daohua and the others bid farewell to the Li brothers, and then they all climbed into the carriage, heading quickly toward Linyi County.
After watching the carriage leave, Li Xingchang and Li Xingnian turned to walk back.
Li Xingchang’s expression was full of concern. "As Zhigao’s official position grows, the gap between us widens. In the future, there won’t be much we can do to help little sister. As for the concubine in the Yan family’s inner courtyard..."
Li Xingnian smiled lightly. "Big brother, don’t worry. Little sister has some remarkable children. Wenxiu is steady and mature, Wenkai is lively and straightforward, and Daohua is smart and clever. Big sister will never be bullied in the Yan family."
Li Xingchang’s concern didn’t fade. "You know the nature of men. If Zhigao’s heart turns cold, how will little sister live?"
Li Xingnian didn’t seem worried at all and smiled faintly. "Our brother-in-law isn’t a fool. He must know that his promotion is partly because of Daohua."
Before Li Xingchang could reply, Li Xingnian was interrupted. "You haven’t said this to Daohua, have you?"
Li Xingnian, irritated, responded, "Big brother, do you think I’m an idiot?"
Li Xingchang sighed in relief. "Zhigao’s promotion is partly thanks to Daohua, but more importantly, it’s because he works hard for the people. Men are proud, and you can’t express those thoughts. Otherwise, it could ruin Daohua and Zhigao’s father-daughter relationship."
Li Xingnian disagreed. "Is it really that serious? If I had a daughter like Daohua, I’d wake up smiling every day."
Li Xingchang responded, "That’s easy to say, but who doesn’t want their success to be a result of their own hard work?"
Li Xingnian shrugged. "Alright, stop worrying about it. Little sister isn’t foolish. Daohua is clever; if she was really being bullied by a concubine, it would be her fault."
Inside the carriage, Yan Zhigao was sipping tea prepared by Daohua, reflecting on the experience of his recent trip to the capital for his official duties.
Advisor Xiao poured him another cup of tea and smiled. "This tea is even better than the last time. I heard the eldest young lady got up early to make it. Her filial piety is admirable."
Yan Zhigao returned to the present. "That girl does have some talent in cooking."
Advisor Xiao nodded. "I’ve heard that the old lady taught her. There’s an old saying: ‘An elder at home is like a treasure.’ Without the old lady’s teachings, we wouldn’t have this fine tea, and the journey wouldn’t have been so smooth."
Yan Zhigao’s expression flickered as he thought. If it weren’t for his mother’s insistence on bringing Daohua to the capital, he might not have had the opportunity for this promotion. Although he didn’t want to admit it, he knew that his rise in status was directly linked to the young man Daohua had saved.
"Master Xiao is right, having elders at home is like having a steady anchor."
As they spoke, they heard laughter from the back of the carriage, and both their faces softened.
"Wherever the eldest young lady is, there’s always laughter."
"She loves to laugh."
"No wonder the old lady treasures her so much. The carefree, radiant smiles of children always lift one’s spirits."
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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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Yan Zhigao was eager to return to Linyi County to handle the transition and then move on to Xingzhou. Therefore, the journey back was much faster than the journey to the capital.
Inside the bumpy carriage, Daohua looked at her pale-faced big brother and said, "Big brother, you really should work on strengthening your health on this trip home." She handed him a bottle filled with rice soup.
Yan Wenxiu didn’t respond, not because he didn’t want to, but because the carriage was so bumpy that he felt unwell. Fortunately, his younger sister had prepared some glutinous rice soup in advance, and after drinking it, he felt somewhat better.
Yan Wenkai and Yan Wentao, without waiting for Daohua to offer, snatched the bottle and started drinking it immediately.
Daohua quickly stopped them. "You two should drink less and leave more for big brother."
Yan Wenkai wiped his mouth. "Big sister, why didn’t you make more rice soup? I didn’t have enough!" No matter how simple Daohua’s food was, it always seemed to taste amazing.
After drinking the soup, he felt full of energy again, even after the exhausting ride.
Daohua ignored the gluttonous Yan Wenkai and lifted the curtain to look outside. "We should be almost there, right?"
The driver’s voice came from outside the carriage. "Young lady, we’ll reach Linyi County in half a day."
Daohua nodded and turned to Yan Wenxiu. "Big brother, hang in there. We’ll be home soon."
(End of this Chapter)
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