Chapter 8: Mother, I’m Sorry.

The room was warm, with a charcoal fire burning. As soon as she entered, a wave of warmth hit her.

The maidservants were outside, and no one stopped Xunqi as she pushed the door open. She walked straight to the bed. The brocade curtain hung low. Without thinking, she lifted it.

The moment she reached out, Yan Zhi’an woke up. She slapped the hand away. “What are you doing?”

“It’s time to go. People are outside urging us. Aren’t we paying respects to the ancestors today?” Xunqi frowned, rubbing her slapped hand. A mischievous glint flashed in her eyes. She pulled the curtain open wider, stuck her head in, and grinned at her mother.

Yan Zhi’an’s eyes were half-closed. She reached out and pushed that head back out. “Close your eyes.”

“You’re just like the madwoman.” Xunqi got slapped, so she grabbed the hand instead. It was warm to the touch, and the skin against her palm was very smooth.

She was slightly startled. Yan Zhi’an withdrew her hand, her eyes still closed, not caring about the girl’s peeking. “Tell me, what was the madwoman like?”

“She was a strange person.” Xunqi held the curtain with both hands, her head inside, her body outside, her butt sticking up.

Yan Zhi’an couldn’t see outside the curtain. Hearing her talk about her foster mother, she couldn’t help but be curious. “How was she strange?”

“She said, living under the feudal hierarchy, power is like a pyramid.” Xunqi tried hard to recall the madwoman’s words. “She also said…”

“Stop.” Yan Zhi’an reached out and covered her mouth, her expression flustered. “Don’t mention her matters again in the future.”

Xunqi nodded, but still said, “Her literary talent was very good. She even wrote books.”

Yan Zhi’an didn’t pay much attention. Could her literary talent be better than the scholars of Jinling?

“Have you had breakfast?”

“I was waiting for you to get up so we could eat together. People outside are urging us. Didn’t you say we’re paying respects to the ancestors today?” Xunqi remembered her mother saying they would make an offering to the ancestors today.

Yan Zhi’an got up lazily, her clothes half-open, revealing the fair skin of her collarbone. Xunqi frowned at the sight and reached out to straighten her clothes. Yan Zhi’an glanced at her. “What are you doing?”

“I’m straightening your clothes for you.” Xunqi blinked. Her clothes were half-open. That wasn’t good.

Yan Zhi’an raised an eyebrow and tapped her forehead. “You little prude. So what if you look? I’m your mother.”

Xunqi said, “You’ll catch a cold.”

“You have a point.” Yan Zhi’an was convinced. She yawned. “Let them in.”

Xunqi knew she meant the maidservants. She nodded and went out to call them.

Yan Zhi’an slowly got up, washed, and dressed. Xunqi was starving. She lay on the table, hugging a water jug and drinking.

When a maidservant brought over a plate of dumplings, she reached for one. The maidservant looked surprised. She quickly withdrew her hand and gave an awkward smile.

Yan Zhi’an glanced over and instructed the maidservant, “Go out. Tell the Eldest Madam she doesn’t need to come and serve.”

The maidservant was terrified. Yan Zhi’an said impatiently, “Out.”

The maidservant didn’t dare say a word. She lowered her head and ran out.

Xunqi’s hand was still behind her back. She watched Yan Zhi’an approach and couldn’t help but lower her head. “I’m sorry, Mother.”

“Why are you sorry?” Yan Zhi’an didn’t understand. “If you’re hungry, eat. Next time, have some pastries to tide you over. Have them send pastries three times a day. Eat when you’re hungry.”

At thirteen, she was at the age for growing. She’d get hungry quickly. She couldn’t be compared to ordinary people.

Xunqi nodded shyly. Yan Zhi’an handed her the chopsticks. “Eat while it’s hot. We’ll bring some food when we go out. These banquets are boring and tedious.”

“Okay.” Xunqi agreed. Yan Zhi’an placed the whole plate of dumplings in front of her.

Xunqi looked at the dumplings, then at her, blinked, then silently lowered her head and ate.

Yan Zhi’an picked at the dishes. She frowned at the dumplings, frowned at the lotus seed soup. In contrast, Xunqi ate heartily. She then took the lotus seed soup and slowly took a spoonful.

Xunqi ate with her head down, not saying a word. In the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, she had cleared the table.

She was full. She put down her chopsticks. A maidservant immediately handed her a wet napkin. She looked at the napkin in confusion, then at her mother. Yan Zhi’an took the napkin and wiped her mouth, then took a cup of tea, not to drink, but to rinse her mouth.

Xunqi imitated her.

Putting down the teacup, an urging voice came from outside. “Head of the Family, the Old Master is urging you.”

Yan Zhi’an raised an eyebrow. “If they want to go, they can go. Why wait for me? If they want to go with me, they’ll wait.”

The person who had urged her got a scolding and left silently. Xunqi craned her neck and burst out laughing. A voice came from behind her. “Yan Xunqi, you must remember: before you become strong, you are at others’ mercy. After you become strong, you can control others. Understand?”

Her thin body trembled. She turned to look. The cold, beautiful woman stood behind the desk, her gaze deep and calm like water. “Before you become strong, you must endure. I can be reckless, but you cannot. Of course, you can be reckless among your juniors. This is the power I give you.”

Xunqi nodded deeply. “I’ll remember.”

“Time to go.” Yan Zhi’an suddenly switched to a lazy expression, her demeanor relaxed.

The dozen or so people who had left earlier were waiting by the carriages in the cold wind. Even the Old Master was sitting in his carriage waiting.

First Young Master Yan’s feet were frozen. He stomped them and cursed his pretentious Ninth Sister in his heart. “Still hasn’t changed that attitude.”

As his words fell, someone retorted, “Ninth Sister didn’t ask you to wait.”

Seventeenth Miss shot him a glare. He felt embarrassed and opened his mouth to scold her, but a servant said, “The Head of the Family is out.”

First Young Master Yan had to swallow his words.

Everyone boarded their carriages. The Head of the Family boarded the Old Master’s carriage. Xunqi was pulled onto Seventeenth Miss’s carriage. Fifth Miss Yan tried to join them, but Seventeenth Miss said, “Fifth Sister, your ex-husband is attending today. Are you still going?”

Fifth Miss Yan had divorced her husband, finding him lacking. After the divorce, she had her eye on another match, but the man was already married. So she had been dragging her feet until today.

Originally, there was the unmarried Ninth Miss in the family, who was also getting older. Now, even she had a daughter, making Fifth Miss seem out of place.

Fifth Miss Yan snorted, swayed her hips, and headed for the Head of the Family’s carriage.

Xunqi was about to board, but Seventeenth Miss pulled her back. “Wait.”

“What’s wrong?” Xunqi looked in the direction of Fifth Aunt.

Fifth Miss Yan boarded the carriage. Two breaths later, she came back down. Seventeenth Miss quickly pulled Xunqi. “Get on, get on. Lock the door.”

Fifth Miss Yan had been rejected. She came back to find the two younger girls, but the door was locked. She wanted to curse but didn’t dare. She had to go find another carriage.

“She did it to herself.” Seventeenth explained to Xunqi. “She’s been competing with Ninth Sister since childhood. Later, Ninth Sister found mines and entered the court, so she married. But she was too ambitious, felt her husband’s family wasn’t good enough, and divorced. After coming back, she’s refused to leave.”

Xunqi wasn’t interested in these stories, but she wanted to see what the talent recruitment banquet was like.

The Yan family had built a tall tower in Jinling, named ‘Quxian Tower’. Only the talented could enter. The Yan family gave out a yearly allowance. This rule had originally been for men.

After Yan Zhi’an took over the family, both men and women could receive the Yan family’s support. She even opened a separate floor for women to live in.

Today, Quxian Tower was especially lively. Men and women sat in the main hall. If you had talent, regardless of your status, you could have a seat.

Xunqi got off the carriage and looked at Quxian Tower. She understood why the Yan family had risen to the top of Jinling.

The Yan family transformed their tangible wealth into intangible talent. Money was dead, but these people were alive.

Seventeenth Miss said, “Half of the court’s important ministers come from Jinling, and half of those have received the Yan family’s support.”

Xunqi gazed at the tall tower. It was hard to imagine that Yan Zhi’an had mastered the Yan family at such a young age. Such an amazing woman was her mother. Xunqi felt her chest grow warm, a surge of pride rising within her.

Entering the tower, she was even more awed by the magnificent scene. Everyone had a seat, each family had their place. The Yan family was at the head, with several other families beside them.

Seventeenth Miss pointed to the left of the Yan family. “That’s the Jinling Xie family.” She pointed to the right. “That’s the Jinling Wang family. The Wang and Xie families have deeper roots than the Yan family. But in the past two years, as Ninth Sister became Left Prime Minister, they’ve gradually fallen below the Yan family.”

“Actually, it’s because the Yan family dug up a few mines. Those are the most valuable. How can the Wang and Xie families compare? The Yan family may be crude, but we turn wealth into talent. They want to imitate us, but do they have the money to throw around?”

Seventeenth Miss’s words were full of pride. After introducing the Wang and Xie families, she sighed. “You know? Before you came back, the family was discussing choosing two girls from among the young ladies to be adopted by Ninth Sister.”

“Why adopt?” Xunqi didn’t understand. Couldn’t the family survive?

“Because she wouldn’t marry. Who would she pass her skills to? If adopted, they’d be her children, so of course she’d teach them.” Seventeenth Miss sighed. “Why wasn’t I chosen by the ancestors? Let me tell you, if you put a mountain in front of me, I’d just think about what’s good in the mountain. But Ninth Sister can deduce what’s under the mountain, whether there’s a mine. You know, comparing people can drive you crazy.”

Xunqi burst out laughing.

Meanwhile, Yan Zhi’an had taken her seat. She beckoned Xunqi over. Xunqi said goodbye to Seventeenth Aunt and walked towards her mother.

After Yan Zhi’an sat down, countless flatterers surrounded her, all wanting a glimpse. As Xunqi sat down, the faces of the world-famous scholars turned ashen.

“Where did this child come from?”

“Why is she sitting beside the Left Prime Minister?”

“Could she be a disciple she’s taken on?”

Everyone chattered, making Xunqi lower her head. Then, Yan Zhi’an reached out and lifted her chin. “Have you done something shameful?”

“No. I feel like sitting here is embarrassing you.” Xunqi felt the strength of that hand, as smooth as ever.

“If these people had real talent, they’d go to the capital. What use is literary talent without real power?” Yan Zhi’an sneered, then pinched her cheek. “Today is about learning the ways of the world. Understand?”

Xunqi nodded. Just then, the gong sounded. The poetry competition had begun.

She perked up, ready to watch. Unexpectedly, someone approached. “Are you the Left Prime Minister’s student?”

She hesitated. Yan Zhi’an looked at the other person with amusement. “A talented young lady of the Wang family. What can I do for you?”

“Left Prime Minister.” The young lady saluted Yan Zhi’an. “I would like to have a friendly competition with your student before the poetry competition begins.”

Yan Zhi’an smiled, an ambiguous smile. “If you want to become famous, that’s your business. Why use my daughter as a stepping stone?”

“Your daughter?” The young lady was shocked, as if she had swallowed an egg.

“The Left Prime Minister is married?”

“Did she adopt a niece from her elder brother’s family?”

Yan Zhi’an looked at the Madam who had spoken and smiled. “Not adopted. She is my biological daughter, the Young Heir of the Yan Clan.”

After her shock, the young lady from the Wang family bowed from a distance, her posture elegant. “Since she is the Left Prime Minister’s biological daughter, her literary talent must be excellent. I would still like to test her skills.”

Yan Zhi’an sneered. “You say ‘test’, and I should let you have your way? The Wang family is wealthy in their corner, but if you don’t have a jade mirror, get a basin of water and look at your own reflection. Do you think you’re worthy?”