Chapter 3: The Left Prime Minister Has Mines.

The Female Emperor’s worry was something Yan Zhi’an had never considered. She had given up her own bedroom to Xunqi and moved to the side room next door.

The side room had originally been a small study, furnished with a painting table and bookshelves, with only a daybed for temporary rest.

It was fine for a short nap, but sleeping there all night meant waking up the next morning with aches and pains all over.

It had snowed heavily yesterday, so the Female Emperor had cancelled court today. There was no need to get up early to rush to the court; she only needed to go to the government office. After getting up, Yan Zhi’an couldn’t help but curse the Female Emperor up and down in her mind. As she was leaving, Xunqi from next door had woken up and was standing at the door.

“It’s cold outside. Go back inside.” Yan Zhi’an held her hand warmer, instructing Xunqi like an elder would a junior.

Xunqi had changed into thick clothes today, with a leather jacket over them. It had been brought over this morning and was a bit too big for her.

These were a maidservant’s clothes, just to make do for a couple of days until the new ones were made.

Xunqi glanced at the woman standing in the snow and ice. She was wearing an official robe. Standing in the snow, she almost blended in with it. Only her jet-black hair gleamed with luster.

She snapped back to reality, the light in her eyes growing brighter. But Yan Zhi’an said, “Don’t you know how to perform a salute?”

“?” Xunqi didn’t understand what she meant.

Yan Zhi’an turned, gazing at the snow, her tone turning cold. “When a junior meets an elder, they must perform the junior’s salute. You just stare at me like that, as if I owe you something.”

Xunqi’s expression changed. She remembered the madwoman’s words.

The madwoman had said: “This world has too many rules, a hierarchy that suffocates people. But there’s no choice. You have to blend in, because we are too weak. When you can’t change your environment, you can only try to adapt to it.”

Xunqi looked at her, her limbs stiffening. “No one taught me how to salute.”

Her voice wasn’t soft; it sounded a bit hoarse, probably because her throat was also injured.

Yan Zhi’an said, “When I come back, I’ll teach you. For now, go back to your room and lie down. A physician will come to treat your throat.”

With that, she stepped into the snow and strode away.

In the freezing world, her official robe and resilient back merged into the wind and snow, standing alone like a plum blossom in the cold.

Xunqi watched, mesmerized. A maidservant came to pull her back inside. “Young Heir, Young Heir, it’s too cold outside. Please go back inside. The Head of the Family will be displeased.”

Head of the Family? Young Heir?

Xunqi listened to the unfamiliar titles and turned to go back inside. It was cold after the snow, and the outside was freezing.

She went back and lay down for a moment. An old physician arrived, braving the cold, carrying a medical chest.

Xunqi lay down. The old physician approached. His long beard made him look very skilled. She blinked at him slowly.

He didn’t mind her staring. He took her pulse, wrote a prescription, and left with his medical chest.

Xunqi sat up. Just as she was about to speak, voices sounded from outside. “The Madam is here! The Madam is here!”

She quickly lay back down and closed her eyes.

The maidservant led Chen Qingrong in. She took off her cloak, held a hand warmer to warm herself, and only entered the inner room after the chill had left her body.

Once inside, she saw the girl with her eyes closed. Her features were delicate, her complexion pale. She looked like a fragile porcelain doll.

Chen Qingrong’s old habit of loving beauty acted up. She nodded, unable to suppress the joy in her eyes. She sat down and said, “Stop pretending. Your mother is gone. I’ve come to see you.”

Xunqi opened her eyes. Chen Qingrong said impatiently, “I just don’t understand why she’d do something so foolish.”

So foolish as to pick her up. When those old foxes in the Yan family found out, they’d criticize endlessly.

Xunqi’s eyes were bright, full of defiance. Chen Qingrong said, “Yan Zhi’an comes from the Fourth Branch of the Jinling Yan Clan. Her grandfather once held the first-rank official position, her father was a jinshi in both examinations. She knew her letters at five, composed poetry at six. Those are nothing. She prospected for mines herself, finding several for the Yan family. If not for that, the position of Head of the Family wouldn’t have fallen to her.”

“I just don’t understand…” She suddenly trailed off, her eyes filled with either sarcasm or sadness. She looked down at Xunqi. “Never mind. You’re her daughter. I won’t interfere. But I’m telling you, she’s staking half her reputation to acknowledge you. Don’t you dare betray her.”

Xunqi understood. She was here to plead for Yan Zhi’an.

“I am Yan Zhi’an’s mother, Chen Qingrong. You could consider me your grandmother. From now on, just call me Madam.” Chen Qingrong was worried sick.

But there wasn’t a ripple in Xunqi’s eyes. Chen Qingrong felt her dignity was hurt. This girl was exactly like her daughter when she was young—cold and icy. Their looks didn’t match, but their temperaments were identical.

Damn it. She didn’t want another cold child in the house.

She tried to ask, “Where did you live before?”

“In the mountains,” Xunqi said.

Chen Qingrong was displeased. “Speak properly. Say more.”

Xunqi glanced at her. Chen Qingrong immediately pinched her cheek. “If you don’t speak properly, I’ll have your mother deal with you.”

Xunqi slapped her hand away and stared blankly at this unreasonable Madam. She thought for a moment and said, “I grew up in the mountains with a madwoman. I rarely came down. A while ago, the madwoman got sick. I came down to get medicine, met a quack, and he treated her to death. So I hit him. But he was too frail, and two punches killed him. I was arrested and somehow ended up here.”

“Madwoman?” Chen Qingrong was puzzled. “What was her name?”

Xunqi said, “She said her name was Madwoman.”

She wasn’t lying. The madwoman said she was the only sane madwoman in the world. Since Xunqi could remember, she had lived in the mountains. The madwoman loved drinking and writing poetry. But she often talked nonsense, saying strange, incomprehensible things.

The madwoman didn’t know her own age. When she drank too much, she would curse the heavens and ask when she could go home.

“Weirdo.” Chen Qingrong was puzzled, but the dead were to be respected. She said, “Has her body been taken care of? If not, I’ll buy her a coffin and give her a proper burial. I’ll set up a memorial tablet in a temple and hold a ceremony for her.”

Hearing this, Xunqi’s gaze softened. She couldn’t help but sit up and stare at Chen Qingrong.

Chen Qingrong reached out and touched her cheek. “Live well here. Just one thing—don’t betray her.”

Xunqi took a deep breath. The tears in her eyes couldn’t be held back. They poured out as she cried freely, like a lost orphaned cub.

She was only thirteen.

Chen Qingrong’s resentment towards her vanished in that moment. If her daughter’s child had ended up like this, she would never have let the man responsible get away.

She reached out and hugged the thin child. “All the bad things in the past are over. From now on, you’re a child of the Yan family. Don’t worry, she’ll protect you. She’s very protective of her own.”

Yan Zhi’an either didn’t acknowledge someone, or once she did, she didn’t want anyone else interfering in Xunqi’s affairs.

Including the Female Emperor, Sima Shenrong.

The Female Emperor summoned her, preparing fine tea. Unexpectedly, the nine-year-old Crown Prince came to pay his respects.

Yan Zhi’an met the Crown Prince in the corridor. The Crown Prince looked up at her. “Left Prime Minister, the wind and snow are heavy. Mother said court is cancelled today. Why have you come?”

Five years ago, the four-year-old Crown Prince had survived and was to begin his studies. The Imperial Clan wanted Yan Zhi’an to be the Crown Prince’s tutor, after all, she had the Jinling Yan Clan behind her, and she was very capable herself.

But Yan Zhi’an had refused.

The Crown Prince was older now and knew of her abilities. He wanted to recruit her, but she wasn’t enthusiastic towards him.

Yan Zhi’an performed a salute and stood before him. “Her Majesty summoned me. Why has Your Highness come?”

“I came to pay respects to Mother.” The Crown Prince smiled bitterly.

For some reason, his mother didn’t like him. She never smiled much when she saw him.

Yan Zhi’an said, “Your Highness, please go first.”

The Crown Prince entered the hall. Yan Zhi’an waited outside.

After a moment, the Crown Prince came out, his small face tense. It was clear he hadn’t received a warm welcome from the Female Emperor.

“Left Prime Minister, I’m going back.” He lowered his head, his back also bowed.

Yan Zhi’an nodded and watched him leave. After the heavy snow, cold was everywhere. He had braved the ice and snow to come, yet still couldn’t get his mother’s affection.

The Imperial Household was utterly heartless.

She couldn’t help but think of Xunqi. If Xunqi couldn’t live up to the role of Heir Apparent, would the Female Emperor hate her just as much?

Perhaps not. The Female Emperor loved Emperor Ming. How could she hate Xunqi?

The Female Emperor didn’t like the Crown Prince because his father was Emperor Hui.

Yan Zhi’an pushed these messy thoughts aside and turned to enter the hall.

“My beloved is here.” The Female Emperor came down from the dragon throne and warmly took Yan Zhi’an’s hand. “Have you seen her? What does she look like?”

“Your Majesty hasn’t gone?” Yan Zhi’an was shocked. “If you haven’t gone, how did you recognize her identity?”

Could they have made a mistake?

The two sat facing each other. Yan Zhi’an sat down comfortably. The Female Emperor stared at her intently. “There’s no mistake. She has a red mole behind her ear, and she carries a jade pendant. It’s a mother-and-child jade, matching the one I have here.”

Yan Zhi’an said, “In that case, I have acknowledged her as my daughter. From now on, pretend you don’t know her. Don’t go out of your way to inquire about her.”

“My beloved jests.” The Female Emperor’s smile faded. “I need to know what she’s doing at all times. Before, I couldn’t. Now that she’s right in front of me, of course I want to see her. Also, find a time to bring her in. I want to meet her.”

Yan Zhi’an lowered her head, playing with the jade pendant at her waist. She glanced at the Female Emperor and said, “You remind me. Give me that jade pendant. Otherwise, I can’t maintain this lie.”

The Female Emperor: “…”

“No. If I give it to you, how will I recognize her in the future?” The Female Emperor immediately refused.

Hearing this, Yan Zhi’an changed to a more relaxed sitting position and joked, “Then when she asks me in the future, I won’t be able to hide it.”

“Enough. You may leave.” The Female Emperor dismissed her.

Yan Zhi’an still reported Xunqi’s current situation. Xunqi was not a coward. On the contrary, she had her own ideas, most likely due to the madwoman’s teachings.

“I still need to observe her for a while longer before reporting back to Your Majesty.”

She left, not returning to the government office, but going straight home.

In the bedroom, Xunqi was sitting cross-legged on the bed, wrapped in a blanket, listening to Chen Qingrong talk about her ‘mother’s’ achievements over the years.

The Yan family was the number one family in Jinling, thanks to their ancestor’s skill in prospecting for mines. As generations passed, fewer descendants inherited this ability. In decades, only Yan Zhi’an had the talent. None of the other sons and daughters of the Yan family could match Yan Zhi’an’s genius.

Therefore, Yan Zhi’an had been exceptionally appointed as the Young Heir.

Xunqi listened, tilting her head back, admiration in her eyes. This person was even more impressive than the madwoman.

She used to think the madwoman was the most impressive, full of poetry and learning. She never imagined there were people beyond the mountains.

Yan Zhi’an walked in slowly, looking at the old and the young. The old one glanced at her sideways. The young one looked at her with wet, glistening eyes, a change from her rebellious attitude of the previous two times.

Eh? Why had she suddenly changed?