Chapter 82: Chapter 69, Going Home 1

Zhongzhou Provincial Capital, the post station.

Li Xingchang and Li Xingnian were saying goodbye to Yan Zhigao and his party.

Li Xingchang looked somewhat regretful, “This visit was too rushed, and I didn t even have the chance to drop by the house.” Glancing at Daohua, he said, “You haven’t yet met your several male and female cousins. It’s also an unfortunate coincidence that the elders from our hometown are celebrating a birthday, and your two aunts took them there to give their well-wishes.”

Daohua was puzzled, “The elder from our home? Which one?”

Yan Wenxiu knew about the affairs of his maternal family and immediately tugged at Daohua, signaling her not to ask any further.

Seeing Yan Wenxiu making eye signals to Daohua, Li Xingchang smiled, “Go back and ask your mother.” After saying that, he went to talk to Yan Zhigao. Daohua immediately turned to Yan Wenxiu and asked, “Big brother, who was great uncle talking about?”

Yan Wenxiu seemed reluctant to say, but Yan Wenkai chimed in, “It’s our maternal grandmother, but she’s from a later time.”

Daohua’s eyes widened, “The maternal grandmother is still alive? Why has mom never mentioned her?”

Yan Wenkai replied, “I already said she’s from a later time. Big sister, I’ll tell you, that old lady is really terrible. She even wanted to marry our mom to some decrepit old man…”

“Fourth brother!” Yan Wenxiu glared at Yan Wenkai, “How can you speak like that? After all, she is our elder.”

Yan Wenkai pouted, “What elder? Mom has never acknowledged her, and I certainly don’t recognize her either.”

Yan Wenxiu seemed somewhat helpless, “Some things are better kept to yourself. Why say them out loud and give people something to talk about unnecessarily?”

Yan Wenkai replied assertively, “But big sister is asking, so of course I have to tell her.”

Yan Wenxiu moved his lips, wanting to say such matters were not suitable for conversation with a young lady, but seeing Daohua looking at them eagerly, he sighed and said, “Mom is a daughter married-off into another family; we have httle to do with that side now. Our relatives on the maternal side are only great uncle and second uncle, we need not bother with the others.”

Daohua nodded, then looked expectantly at Yan Wenkai.

Yan Wenkai didn’t care about Yan Wenxiu’s reaction and began to whisper to Daohua.

“To prevent that old lady from marrying our mom to that decrepit man, great uncle and second uncle voluntarily gave up the family estate left by our grandfather, and then took Mom away from home to strike out on their own. Now, both great uncle’s and second uncle’s fortunes are the results of their own efforts.”

Later, once that side saw great uncle and second uncle become successful, they somehow reestablished contact through some means.”

Daohua listened silently and after some thought, asked, “Then how did Mom end up marrying Dad?”

Yan Wenkai replied, “I don’t know the specifics, but it seems like it was Grandmother who first took a liking to her.”

By this time, Li Xingchang, Li Xingnian, and Yan Zhigao had also nearly finished their conversation.

Yan Zhigao said, “Great uncle, second uncle, we’re leaving now. Once I settle down in Xingzhou, I will write to you. If you have time, you must come and visit.”

Li Xingchang nodded with a smile, “Certainly.”

“Great uncle, second uncle, farewell!”

After Daohua and the younger ones bid farewell to the Li brothers, the party then boarded the horse carriage, speeding off towards Linyi County.

Watching the carriage disappear into the distance, Li Xingchang and Li Xingnian finally turned and walked back.

Li Xingchang’s expression was tinged with worry, “Zhigao’s position keeps rising, and the gap between us grows ever wider. There won’t be much we can help our younger sister with in the future, and in the Yan family’s back courtyard, that concubine…”

Li Xingnian laughed lightly, “Big brother, just relax and don’t worry. Our younger sister has given birth to some extraordinary children. Wenxiu is solemn and mature beyond his years, Wenkai is lively and frank, and that girl Daohua is smart as a whip. They won’t let our big sister suffer in the Yan household.”

Li Xingchang, still troubled, said, “You know what men are like. If Zhigao’s heart wavers, can our little sister really expect a peaceful life?”

Hearing this, Li Xingnian dismissed it even more, smiling lightly, “Our brother-in-law, as long as he isn’t a fool, ought to know his promotion this time is by whose favor…”

Before he could finish, Li Xingchang interrupted him, “You haven’t said this to Daohua, have you?”

Li Xingnian replied, annoyed, “Big brother, do you think I’m stupid?”

Li Xingchang breathed a sigh of relief, “Zhigao’s promotion is partly due to Daohua, but more importantly, it’s because he can do practical work for the people. Men are all proud. You can’t let that kind of thinking show again; otherwise, it could ruin the father-daughter relationship between Daohua and Zhigao.”

Li Xingnian somewhat disagreed, “Isn’t that a bit too serious? If I had a daughter like Daohua, I’d be laughing in my dreams.”

Li Xingchang said, “That’s true, but who doesn’t want their advancement to be due to their own efforts?”

Li Xingnian said, “Alright, stop worrying needlessly here. My little sister isn’t dumb, and I’ve noticed that girl Daohua isn’t the type to suffer in silence. If they could still be bullied by a concubine, then they’d have brought it on themselves.”

In the carriage, Yan Zhigao sipped the tea prepared by Daohua while reflecting on his recent experience reporting to Shangfu City.

Teacher Xiao poured himself another cup of tea and smiled, “The tea this time is even better than the last. I heard the eldest girl got up early to make it. Her filial piety is commendable indeed.”

Yan Zhigao pulled his thoughts back, “That girl does indeed have some talent in the culinary arts.”

Teacher Xiao nodded, “I heard the eldest girl’s cooking was taught by the old lady. As the saying goes, having an elder in the house is like having a treasure. Without the old lady’s teachings, we would not be able to enjoy such fine tea, and the journey would not have been this comfortable.”

Hearing this, Yan Zhigao’s expression shifted as he thought if it weren’t for his mother’s insistence, he may not have brought Daohua to Shangfu City; without Daohua’s presence, his own promotion…

Reluctantly admitting it to himself, he knew his promotion had a direct connection with the young master whom Daohua had saved.

“Teacher Xiao is right, having an elder in the family is like having a steadying needle in the sea.”

As they spoke, laughter came from the carriage behind, bringing smiles to their faces.

Wherever the eldest girl is, there never seems to be a shortage of laughter.”

“That girl loves to laugh!”

“No wonder the old lady treasures her so much. The carefree and bright smiles of children always lift the spirits.”

H 11

Yan Zhigao was eager to return to Linyi County to hand over his duties and to head to Xingzhou for his new post, so the return journey was much faster than the trip there.

In the bumpy carriage, Daohua looked at her elder brother, whose face was pale, and said, “Big brother, once we’re home, you really need to take care of your health.” After speaking, she handed him a gourd filled with rice soup.

Yan Wenxiu was silent, not from lack of desire to speak but from the discomfort of the carriage’s jolting. Fortunately, his little sister had prepared the sticky rice soup in advance. After drinking it, he felt somewhat better.

Yan Wenkai and Yan Wentao, beside him, didn’t wait for Daohua to pass it; once Yan Wenxiu had drunk, they immediately grabbed the gourd and began gulping down the soup.

Daohua quickly intervened, “Drink less, leave more for big brother.”

Yan Wenkai wiped his mouth, “Eldest sister, why didn’t you cook more rice soup? I haven’t had my fill.” The food made by the eldest sister, no matter how simple, always tasted exceptionally good.

Even this rice soup, after drinking, seemed to fill him with energy, dispelling the lethargy from sitting in the carriage.

Ignoring the ravenous brother, Daohua lifted the carriage curtain to look outside at the scenery, “We should be arriving soon, right?”

The coachman’s voice came from outside the carriage, “Eldest girl, we’ll be in Linyi County in half a day’s time.”

Daohua nodded and turned to Yan Wenxiu, “Big brother, just hold on a bit longer, we’ll be home soon.”