Cold Encounter with a Madman - Chapter 15

The winter was bitter, and with the New Year approaching, there were few pedestrians on the road, only the occasional carriage passing by.

Yuan Fusheng quietly lifted a corner of the carriage curtain, catching a glimpse of the stark and desolate landscape outside. Beside her, she heard Xun Qi’s well-behaved voice: “How can a junior discuss an elder so freely? Is Mother trying to push me into a state of unfilial conduct?”

Interesting. Yuan Fusheng lowered the curtain and glanced at the Left Chancellor, seeing, as expected, a cold sneer on her face and an air of heartlessness.

Yan Zhi’an appeared gentle, yet she was cold-blooded to the bone. She seemed to open her heart to everyone, yet no one could ever truly walk inside.

Yan Zhi’an was like a goddess punished by the heavens to undergo tribulations in the mortal world, pure, detached, and indifferent to everything. If she were not the Head of the Yan family, she likely would not have spared a single thought for its future. Such a person inspired awe, yet one dared not be close to her.

Yan Zhi’an was exasperated. She raised her hand and patted Xun Qi’s forehead. As her snow-white fingers brushed past Xun Qi’s eyes, Xun Qi decisively reached out to grasp her hand, leaning in close. This intimacy caught Yuan Fusheng by surprise.

It seems Yan Zhi’an truly intends to discipline this Crown Prince!

The carriage rattled forward, and silence fell within. Xun Qi leaned against her mother and dozed off. Yuan Fusheng looked at her delicate, fair face and asked with surprise, “You are truly sincere toward her.”

“What else could I be?” Yan Zhi’an sighed helplessly. The more time they spent together, the more she realized that Xun Qi treated her with the devotion of a true mother, growing increasingly dependent on her.

How could a lonely, abandoned person not become dependent when they suddenly encounter their “birth mother”?

Yan Zhi’an closed her eyes, her red lips parting slightly: “When I was taken away from my mother back then, I was terrified too.”

That year, as her talent for finding mines emerged, the Yan family had taken her away without hesitation. Her mother had been unable to refuse, daring not even to resist. Later, her mother was returned to her, but by then, she had long since passed the age where she needed one. Xun Qi was still young; she could understand her desire for a mother.

Upon hearing this, a touch of heartache appeared in Yuan Fusheng’s eyes. But soon, Yan Zhi’an gave a cold laugh: “Headmaster Yuan, what is your intention in following me? The Yuan family has a family precept: its descendants shall not enter government service. To violate this vow is to face a death with no burial ground. Have you forgotten?”

The heartache lasted no more than two seconds before being met with sarcasm. Yuan Fusheng adjusted her lapels and replied indifferently, “I was already looking for you. Who says I intend to enter government service? I merely wished to see you for a while longer.”

Yan Zhi’an panicked, reaching out to cover Xun Qi’s ears, and scolded, “Stop spouting nonsense in front of my daughter.”

Her nervousness made Yuan Fusheng smile triumphantly. She looked at her as if to say: Is she really your daughter?

Yan Zhi’an was so angry she nearly fell over. “Get out of the carriage!”

“I will say no more!” Yuan Fusheng surrendered quickly, sitting upright and remembering to adjust the jade hairpin in her hair. She said calmly, “Fine, just pretend I do not exist.”

Yan Zhi’an snorted, loosened her grip on Xun Qi’s ears, and looked down nervously. Seeing that she was still sleeping soundly, she finally relaxed. She watched Xun Qi while Yuan Fusheng watched her. She had never expected that someone as heartless as Yan Zhi’an would care so much for someone. Even if she truly was not her daughter, it was still mind-boggling. Yuan Fusheng’s eyes filled with affection, forcing her to turn away to divert her attention.

In the evening, the party stayed at a post house. Xun Qi was young and went to sleep early. Yan Zhi’an looked at a map, and Yuan Fusheng followed her gaze. “Where are you going?”

“Southeast of Nanyu Prefecture.” Yan Zhi’an pointed to a mountain. “Here.”

“That is so far…” Yuan Fusheng sighed in wonder. She had not left Jinling City for many years.

Yan Zhi’an glanced at her. “One hundred miles is hardly far. It will take no more than half a month for a round trip.”

Yuan Fusheng rarely went out, so two hundred miles was indeed quite a distance for her. Still, she chose to follow and see. “Are you certain there is something there?”

“Not certain. But I have brought gunpowder. I can try,” Yan Zhi’an said confidently. “I went there a few years ago and found nothing. I will try again this time.”

Yuan Fusheng was startled. “Where did you get gunpowder?” This item was strictly forbidden by the imperial court. If discovered, it would be a capital crime.

Yan Zhi’an curled her lips in a knowing, confident smile. “I have my own sources.”

“Very well, you are the Left Chancellor. You are the imperial court,” Yuan Fusheng sighed helplessly. Her gaze lingered on Yan Zhi’an’s features, reluctant to move away. She said, “You acknowledged Xun Qi. What will happen in the future?”

“Naturally, I will assist her,” Yan Zhi’an replied calmly.

Yuan Fusheng sighed: “I am obviously asking about your own life’s affairs.”

“I have never thought about marrying,” Yan Zhi’an glanced at her. “You do not marry either; yet you dare to advise me? Be careful of being struck by lightning.”

Advising others to marry is grounds for being struck by lightning! Yuan Fusheng was helpless. “When did I advise you to marry? I am merely saying that you have ruined your reputation for Xun Qi. Is it worth it?”

Since ancient times, emperors have been suspicious. How will Xun Qi treat her in the future? If she treats her as a good minister, that is one thing, but what if she harbors suspicion? Is it worth it?

The moonlight crept in through the window, accumulating in the courtyard like a pool of water, clear and bright. Yan Zhi’an walked to the stove, lifted the kettle, and poured water into a teacup. The half-cold tea was warmed once more.

Yuan Fusheng followed her. The woman before her was still icy and elegant, her movements graceful. Time had settled upon her, sweeping away her innocence and leaving only a profound depth. She watched her, and she turned back to watch her. She said, “Headmaster Yuan, will you be hit by a carriage when you go out? Will you choke when you eat? Everything has risks. Even when you put on clothes, you must worry about the threads strangling you. I ask you, must you then stop living?”

“You…” Yuan Fusheng was so angry she nearly fell over. “I gave you kind advice, and you actually mock me like this.”

“I am not mocking you. I am telling the truth.” Yan Zhi’an took a sip of the lukewarm tea, her interest waning. Facing Yuan Fusheng’s concern, she still said, “I am the first female Head of the Yan family. In the future, I can push the Yan family to its peak.”

After traveling for three to five days, they finally arrived at the foot of an unnamed mountain. It was mid-winter, and the mountains were gloomy and cold. Dead leaves covered the ground, and gusts of cold wind pierced through the skin.

Xun Qi sniffled from the cold, and Yan Zhi’an handed her a hand warmer, urging, “Back to the carriage. Wait until I call you.”

With that, she took a book and walked away, followed immediately by Wushuang and the others. She walked a hundred paces, knelt down, picked up a piece of soil, crumbled it finely, and smelled it. Then, she opened the book, as if checking something. She stood up and headed into the mountain.

Xun Qi waited for half a day. In the carriage, Yuan Fusheng read a book and took the opportunity to ask, “Your poem the other day was excellent. Do you have the mood for one today?”

Xun Qi’s mind was full of poetry. Hearing this, she picked one at random, and Yuan Fusheng provided her with brush and ink. Upon seeing the brush, Xun Qi backed down. Yuan Fusheng understood and said, “I will write, you dictate.”

Xun Qi glanced at her. “What kind of poem do you want?”

“Oh, I am allowed to make requests?” Yuan Fusheng was surprised, seeing that the girl’s eyes were clear and not pretending. She said, “A snowy mountain?”

Xun Qi pondered for a long time before deciding to write it herself.

“Wind startles the bamboo beyond the window, open the door to a snowy mountain. The empty alley is quiet, the expansive courtyard is idle with snow.”

The handwriting was not good, but Yuan Fusheng’s attention was entirely on the poem. She was slightly startled when a voice came from outside: “Young Mistress!”

“I will go check.” Xun Qi ran off. “Wushuang, I am coming!”

The young girl jumped out of the carriage and sprinted toward Wushuang, light as a swallow.

“Young Mistress, blow up here.” Wushuang pointed at a corner of the map. “How many of your jars should we place?”

“Let me see.” Xun Qi glanced at the map but could not be sure; she had to see the site. “By the way, where is Mother?”

“The Head of the Household is over there.”

“Let us go.” Xun Qi took two steps, and Wushuang followed.

After walking for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, they saw the person by the stream. Yan Zhi’an wore a water-blue fox-fur cloak, the hem of her skirt trailing on the ground, making her figure appear slender. She saw the girl running over from afar and reached out. Xun Qi trotted over.

Yan Zhi’an did not think much, took her hand, walked a distance forward, and pointed to a corner: “Here.”

Xun Qi leaned over to look, observing for a while: “At least ten.”

“Good. Then ten. Wushuang, you arrange it. We shall leave first.” Yan Zhi’an nodded and left, holding Xun Qi’s hand. Xun Qi looked back: “I know how. I can stay behind.”

“We go together. You do not need to do these things. They are capable.” Yan Zhi’an refused to let go. If anything went wrong, the entire Yan family would be buried with her.

Xun Qi wanted to say more, but Yan Zhi’an glanced at her, and she could only hang her head and leave with her mother. Just as they returned to the vicinity of the carriage, a deafening explosion came from the mountain, causing Yuan Fusheng to spill ink all over herself. She hurriedly gathered the messy calligraphy Xun Qi had written, muttering, “Must not dirty it.”

Beside her, Yan Zhi’an mocked: “Her handwriting is broken and ugly; dirtying it is just correcting the brushwork—it might even look better.”

Xun Qi blushed, looking at her mother in silent protest.

Yan Zhi’an ignored her, instead letting go and heading into the mountain. “You and Headmaster Yuan go back. I will handle the rest.”

Xun Qi wanted to follow, but Yuan Fusheng held her hand: “Listen to your mother. We are going back; I will teach you how to write.”

“No… I do not need you to teach me…” Xun Qi was flustered. Why was everyone torturing her?

The two returned to the post house first. Soon, local soldiers arrived and surrounded the mountain.

Yan Zhi’an was missing for three days. On the fourth day, she returned to the post house, exhausted. Yuan Fusheng was supervising Xun Qi’s calligraphy practice. Seeing her return, Xun Qi immediately went up to meet her and complained: “Mother, she makes me practice calligraphy every day and wants me to become her student.”

Yan Zhi’an was away for three days, and her home had been stolen. She looked at Yuan Fusheng with an ominous smile: “Keep dreaming!”