Yan Zhi’an had been gifted since childhood. Her parents loved romance and pleasure, and Old Master Yan, fearing this granddaughter would be led astray, had taken her away from Jinling, away from those two irresponsible troublemakers. Thus, she had been separated from her mother since childhood and only began living with her three years ago.
By then, she was already twenty-four, long past the age of needing a mother’s protection and love.
Therefore, the word ‘mother’ was very distant to her.
The moment she held Xunqi, she felt the girl’s warmth, like a furnace. She couldn’t help but think that raising a child was truly difficult.
It wasn’t just about providing food and clothing; one also had to consider their emotional well-being.
Yan Zhi’an felt a hint of helplessness, but the Xunqi in her arms was too sleepy to keep her eyes open. She had found a good spot and closed her eyes comfortably.
The ‘mother and daughter’ each had their own thoughts. Yan Zhi’an felt the helplessness of motherhood, while Xunqi felt the joy of being a daughter.
Just then, the carriage suddenly stopped. Yan Zhi’an’s arms tightened around the girl. Thinking of something, she covered her ears with her hands.
In an instant, the sound of clashing blades rang out from outside. Xunqi felt surprised, but her mother’s arms were too warm, and she drifted off to sleep.
After a quarter of an hour, the carriage door opened. The guard Wushuang poked her head in, about to speak. Yan Zhi’an put a finger to her lips, signaling her to stay quiet.
She mouthed, “Go!”
Wushuang understood. She quietly closed the carriage door and withdrew.
The world was filled with killing intent. Several assassin corpses lay on the cold, hard winter earth, blood trailing to the carriage wheels.
Wushuang mounted her horse and raised a hand. “Continue.”
The group continued on, traveling by day and staying at post stations by night.
When they arrived at their destination, Xunqi jumped down from the carriage, sniffed, and looked down at the wheels. “Why is there blood?”
Yan Zhi’an slowly descended, her skirt trailing. She took Wushuang’s hand and stepped down, glancing at the wheels. “Human blood.”
“Human blood?” Xunqi’s eyelids twitched. She couldn’t understand how she could say ‘human blood’ so casually.
“People wanted to kill me, so I fought back. Should I have just let them?” Yan Zhi’an smiled lightly, her eyes playful. “Scared?”
She was surprised, but not scared. Xunqi touched her nose and shook her head. “Not scared.”
She had also killed someone before. In a fit of rage, she had beaten a man to death with her fists. So, she wasn’t afraid of death.
The madwoman had once said: here, life is as cheap as grass.
Yan Zhi’an’s eyes deepened. She had to look at her again. In that moment, she found no fear on this young face, only confusion.
Who exactly was that ‘madwoman’?
Yan Zhi’an had sent people to investigate, but they had found nothing, because they didn’t know her name.
She was like a hermit, living deep in the mountains, unknown to the world.
Xunqi followed Yan Zhi’an into the post station. The post station had been cleared out. Everyone around was her own people, and the Yan family had already cleaned it, throwing out the post station’s belongings and replacing them with Yan family items.
At a glance, the furnishings were familiar and luxurious. Her lips curled up. Her mother was truly extravagant.
With mines in the family, no one could compare.
Xunqi lay comfortably on the bed and rolled around. Yan Zhi’an frowned and pulled her off. “Change your clothes.”
“I’m clean,” Xunqi explained.
Yan Zhi’an looked at her. “Change!”
Xunqi wanted to meet her gaze, but her fear was too deep. She had to take off her outer clothes. Maidservants swarmed forward to help her into soft house clothes.
Xunqi frowned, looking at all these maidservants. Her hands would really become useless. Couldn’t she dress herself? She felt indignant and it showed on her face. A chill rose in Yan Zhi’an’s eyes. “Don’t show your emotions on your face.”
“Isn’t that suffocating?” Xunqi answered without thinking, finding it absurd. “Aren’t emotions meant to be vented? If you bottle them up, you’ll get sick.”
Yan Zhi’an sat down on the daybed, listening to the girl’s rebuttal. She smiled faintly. “So, you need to develop the habit of not showing your emotions. Letting your emotions show could cost you your life. Enough. I’ll explain slowly in the future. Come here. Stand up straight.”
Xunqi had to obey. She stepped forward and stood before her.
The girl was tall, already reaching Yan Zhi’an’s shoulder. She was at the age for growing. In another two years, she’d be even taller.
Yan Zhi’an looked at the girl before her. Over the past few days, her skin had become much fairer, her cheeks rosy, as bright as the white moonlight.
In terms of appearance, Yan Zhi’an was very satisfied. She took after her mother, having the bad habit of judging people by their looks.
She said, “Kneel for me.”
Xunqi’s eyelids flickered. Kneel? Yan Zhi’an explained, “The Yan family has many annoying rules. They’re always making people kneel or salute. You should learn first; you’ll need it later.”
Then she began to explain the etiquette. Xunqi blinked her big eyes and listened, then knelt seriously to show her.
Yan Zhi’an walked over and took her hand. “Put it here. Different salutes for different people. The salute for elders is different from the one for peers.”
The girl’s hand was small and soft, her nails neatly trimmed. There were some calluses on her palm, from doing rough work in the past.
Yan Zhi’an was focused. Xunqi’s gaze was drawn to her hands.
Those hands were slender, long, and fair.
Xunqi looked at them twice. Suddenly, those hands tapped her forehead. “Where are you looking? Have you learned it?”
“No…” Xunqi quickly adjusted her mindset and perked up. “Say it again.”
Yan Zhi’an was impatient, but she calmly repeated it.
Xunqi learned it and asked, “Is the salute for parents the same?”
“No, it’s different.” Yan Zhi’an shook her head and repeated the parental salute.
Xunqi watched once, then turned to face Yan Zhi’an and kowtowed respectfully.
This startled Yan Zhi’an, who quickly stepped aside. She wasn’t qualified to receive such a salute from her.
“Get up.” Yan Zhi’an broke out in a cold sweat and quickly helped her up. “Let’s eat.”
Xunqi stood up happily, holding her hand, a brilliant smile on her lips. For a moment, Yan Zhi’an felt a trance.
This child still needed to be taught slowly.
But when the lie was revealed, would she hate her?
The main branch of the Jinling Yan Clan had six branches. Yan Zhi’an was from the Fourth Branch, ranking ninth in the family.
After disembarking, the Yan family was already waiting at the dock. The one who came to receive them was First Young Master Yan from the Eldest Branch, who was nearly forty.
“Ninth Miss.” First Young Master Yan saw Yan Zhi’an and strode forward with a smile on his face. His gaze then fell on the young face behind her, and his smile vanished. “Ninth Miss, don’t be reckless!”
“What’s the matter?” Yan Zhi’an’s tone was indifferent, her expression unreadable. “You shouldn’t call me Ninth Miss. You should address me as Head of the Family or Left Prime Minister.”
In an instant, she had drawn a clear line between herself and First Young Master Yan. His face turned ugly. Xunqi, behind Yan Zhi’an, looked at his alternating pale and flushed, embarrassed face and smiled timidly.
The next moment, a fair hand grabbed her ear. She yelped. Yan Zhi’an scolded her, “Why haven’t you greeted your Eldest Maternal Uncle?”
Xunqi stepped forward and performed the elder’s salute. “Greetings, Eldest Maternal Uncle.”
First Young Master Yan choked on his anger, swallowed it, and turned away stiffly.
Xunqi was stunned for a moment. He hated her.
Why?
They had just met. Why such hatred? She looked up at her mother. Yan Zhi’an understood and said, “He thinks you’re here to fight for the family fortune.”
Fight for money? Xunqi understood. She smiled faintly. “He’s right to hate me.”
“Get in the carriage. We’re going to the Yan residence.” Yan Zhi’an sneered, took Xunqi’s hand, and walked towards the Yan family carriage.
The others unloaded the boxes from the ship and loaded them onto the carriages.
First Young Master Yan rode a horse. Yan Zhi’an and Xunqi rode in the carriage. The others were busy unloading the boxes.
Upon arriving at the Yan residence, they first paid respects to Old Master Yan. In the room were only Yan Zhi’an’s Eldest Uncle and his son, First Young Master Yan.
Old Master Yan was over sixty, his temples streaked with grey. He stared at Xunqi for a long time without speaking. Yan Zhi’an said casually, “Grandfather, Xunqi is the Young Heir I have appointed.”
The moment the words fell, Old Master Yan hurled his teacup. “Yan Zhi’an, don’t be absurd! Who is her father? How will the genealogy be recorded? You want to disgrace the Yan family!”
Xunqi lifted her eyelids, imitating Yan Zhi’an’s casual manner, and gave a cold glance. She picked up her teacup and took a sip.
“Grandfather, you can refuse.” Yan Zhi’an raised her eyes, her gaze sharp, but a smile on her face. “I can expel myself from the Jinling Yan Clan, return to the capital, and start a new genealogy. I’ll take all my industries and mines with me.”
The room fell silent. The three of them looked at each other. The Eldest Master of the Yan family quickly interjected, “Ninth Miss, we’re all family. If you’re appointing a Young Heir, you should at least inform us. Your sudden return has caught us off guard.”
“I found my own daughter. Do I need to inform you? Eldest Uncle, when you took a concubine, you didn’t tell me.” Yan Zhi’an raised an eyebrow, looking at him coldly. “She will be the Young Heir of the Yan Clan. Whether it’s the Jinling Yan Clan or the Capital Yan Clan is up to you. Right now, you depend on me, not I on you.”
With that, she stood up, glanced at Xunqi, and said, “The tea is so bad. Why are you still drinking it?”
“Oh, oh.” Xunqi put down her teacup, quickly stood up, and hurried after her mother.
First Young Master Yan was furious. He pointed at her back. “Grandfather, aren’t you going to control her? She just brings back some random person and claims she’s the Young Heir of our Jinling Yan Clan. What nonsense! Our family’s centuries-old reputation for refinement is being ruined by her!”
His father was very calm. “Go find a mine, and we’ll make you Head of the Family and drive her out.”
First Young Master Yan immediately fell silent and retreated.
As she left, Xunqi couldn’t help but look back at the room. She sidled up to her mother and said, “You’re truly amazing.”
Yan Zhi’an paused, stopped, and then reached out and grabbed her ear.
“I told you to drink, so you drink. What if they poisoned you? Then who would bury me in the future?”
“Ouch, that hurts!” Xunqi frowned and immediately admitted her mistake. “Wrong, wrong. I won’t drink next time.”
Yan Zhi’an stopped, gave her a cold look, and said displeased, “Go back and reflect on your mistakes.”
Xunqi: “…” Why?
