Chapter 89: There is Room For the Poor Daughter

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  Chapter 89: Reunited    

In June, the earth was scorched under the blazing sun, the air heavy and stifling. Even the plants by the roadside looked droopy, and people were irritable from the heat.

In the back hall of the state yamen, even with more than a dozen ice basins placed around, the people inside still felt restless in the sweltering heat.

Many people were seated in the hall, with Yan Zhigao anxiously sitting in the main seat. His eyes kept darting towards the two well-dressed young gentlemen seated on his left, while he frequently glanced toward the door.

At this moment, his heart was far from calm. He had just learned that the person his eldest daughter had saved was actually the legitimate son of Prince Ping.

Although he had suspected for a while that the man might be of royal blood, having it confirmed in person took him by surprise, leaving him unsure of how to approach the situation.

For the Yan family, this man’s status was far too high.

It was so high that he had to tread carefully, afraid that any slip-up could offend the other party and bring disaster to the Yan family.

He was not afraid of offending officials in the bureaucracy; at worst, he could resign. But offending the royal family was a different matter entirely—he could not afford such a mistake. Not only could he not offend them, but he also had to treat them with the utmost respect.

Yan Zhigao wiped the sweat that continued to bead on his forehead and again cast a glance toward the door.

Sigh... He shouldn’t have agreed to let his mother and Daohua go to the estate yesterday.

The distinguished guest had specifically requested to see the old lady, but it turned out to be a wasted trip.

He also wondered if Wen Tao had made it to the estate.

In the hall, Zhou Chengye, the eldest grandson of the Zhou family, was also feeling restless, much like Yan Zhigao.

The Zhou family had been operating in Xingzhou for generations, with connections everywhere. To put it bluntly, no matter what happened in Xingzhou, the Zhou family could almost always find out about it.

So, when the young prince and the son of the Prefect Magistrate entered Xingzhou, the Zhou family had received word immediately.

His grandfather urged him to visit right away and try to invite the guest to the Zhou residence.

Zhou Chengye cast a discreet glance at the young royal seated before him. This young royal, deeply favored by both the Empress and the Emperor, yet highly controversial in the capital, intrigued him.

How favored was the legitimate son of Prince Rong in the palace?

There were many princes in the capital, and many heirs, but the only one bold enough to claim the title of "Young Prince" was this one.

It was known that in the royal family, the rules were strict. A prince’s son could only inherit the title after the prince abdicated, and only then could he call himself a prince. Before that, even if he added a "little" before the title, it would be considered a transgression.

This young prince, rumored to be only a few years old, was already referred to as "Young Prince" by the people in the palace. The Emperor and the Empress even indulged him, which spoke volumes about how favored he was.

Zhou Chengye glanced again at Prefect Magistrate Yan, who appeared nervous and reserved. He was deeply puzzled. To have the "Young Prince" personally visit, there must be some strong connection, yet from what he had observed, Yan Zhigao and the young prince barely exchanged a word. They seemed unfamiliar with each other, which struck him as odd.

The Zhou family had also tried to investigate the influential figure behind the Yan family, but the trail had gone cold when it reached the Prefect Magistrate’s office. They never expected the Yan family to have connections with the royal family.

The hall grew quiet. After waiting for more than an hour, Xiao Yeyang, who had been in a bad mood to begin with, grew increasingly impatient.

He was never one to hide his temper, and there were few people in the world who could make him rein in his anger. When he was upset, he showed it openly.

Because of this, people in the capital often said that his temper was even fiercer than that of the princes, that he was unruly.

He had never paid attention to such rumors and continued to act as he pleased.

Why should a small prince like him be forced to endure people of lower status? It was laughable.

Seeing Xiao Yeyang’s face tighten and his impatience show, Dong Yuanxuan, the son of the Prefect Magistrate, could not help but feel anxious.

He had brought the young prince here for a casual visit, not to make him more upset.

And this Yan family... they truly didn’t understand how to entertain a distinguished guest. How could they keep him waiting for so long? Dong Yuanxuan was truly impressed.

Seeing that his tea cup was empty again, Xiao Yeyang had no patience left. He had come to the yamen despite the sweltering heat, hoping to see Daohua, who had brought some novelty into his life.

He was tired of the sycophants and flatterers around him. What he wanted was someone who dared to be honest, who wasn’t afraid to scold him when he made a mistake, someone like Daohua.

Usually, others would wait for him, but now, after sitting here for nearly two hours, he had endured enough for the sake of Daohua and Yan Wentao’s past kindness. If it had been anyone else, he would have stormed off long ago.

"Let’s go!"

Without greeting Yan Zhigao or even glancing at Zhou Chengye, Xiao Yeyang stood up and walked toward the gate.

At his movement, everyone stood up in unison.

Yan Zhigao wanted to stop him, but he knew that the Yan family had likely offended this noble young prince. He didn’t know how to stop him, so he could only silently follow behind.

Zhou Chengye, however, wanted to say something. Aside from the brief conversation he had with the young prince when he first arrived, he hadn’t had a chance to speak since.

But at that moment, seeing Xiao Yeyang’s stern expression, Zhou Chengye hesitated to speak.

Dong Yuanxuan was even less likely to disturb Xiao Yeyang while he was still in such a bad mood, especially over the affairs of families he had little connection with.

The group continued in silence toward the main gate.

“Xiao Yeyang!”

Just as Xiao Yeyang stepped outside the gate, a clear voice, full of unrestrained joy, called his name. He looked up and saw a small, lively figure in green springing down from a recently stopped carriage outside the gate, quickly running toward him.

The girl’s radiant smile and star-like eyes were like sunlight breaking through dark clouds, warming his somewhat gloomy heart.

Out of breath, Daohua arrived at Xiao Yeyang’s side, excitedly saying, “It really is you, Xiao Yeyang! I thought I’d never see you again in this lifetime.”

Her words, filled with happiness, brought Xiao Yeyang back to his senses. When he came to, he found himself staring at the familiar yet unfamiliar young girl, stunned.

Daohua waved her hand in front of his face. “What’s wrong? Don’t recognize me? It’s Daohua!”

“You… you... what kind of girl are you?” Xiao Yeyang remained silent for a long while before finding his voice again.

Daohua looked at him in surprise. “Xiao Yeyang, you really think I’m a boy? Even though I dressed as a boy before, my name is Daohua! It’s clearly a girl’s name. Have you ever heard of a boy with the word ‘flower’ in their name?”

Xiao Yeyang replied immediately, “I have, actually.” Many performers had names with “flower” in them, but he realized this was not something he should say, especially to a young lady from an official family. People might mistakenly think he was comparing her to an actor.

Daohua didn’t dwell on this, smiling as she looked at Xiao Yeyang. “I’m so happy to see you again!”

Her straightforward words made Xiao Yeyang feel a little uncomfortable, but he didn’t dislike it. In fact, he felt a bit light-hearted, because he could tell that Daohua was genuinely happy.

Afterward, Daohua greeted Yan Zhigao and the others, glanced up at the scorching sun, and said, “It’s too hot out here. Let’s go inside to talk.” With that, she stepped inside first.

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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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Seeing this, Xiao Yeyang didn’t hesitate and followed her in.

The group, who had just left Yan’s residence, exchanged silent glances, smiled at each other, and entered the Yan family home again.

During this, both Dong Yuanxuan and Zhou Chengye couldn’t help but glance at Daohua with curiosity.

Meanwhile, the servants of various families who had been waiting outside Yan’s residence to gather information immediately rushed back to report once they learned the identity of the guest.

From the Wang Family. 

When Master Wang heard that Xiao Yeyang had visited Yan’s house, his expression immediately changed. He paced back and forth in his study for a while, then quickly wrote a letter to Counselor Du, offering to help request funds for the construction of the river embankment.

From the Qian Family.

Upon hearing the news, Qian Tongzhi was full of amazement. He never expected the Yan family to have ties with the royal family. Fortunately, at the yamen, he hadn’t pushed matters too far.

“Madam, doesn’t Bilan like the Yan family’s eldest daughter? Perhaps they should visit more often in the future.”

(End of Chapter)   

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