Cold Encounter with a Madman - Chapter 19

Yan Zhi’an endured the excruciating pain as she climbed onto her horse, pulling the reins tight. “Return to the residence first.”

Back at the mansion, several letters arrived from the capital, all mentioning the daughter of the Bright Emperor.

Yan Zhi’an’s heart turned cold. Gathering her resolve, she read the letters over and over again—no fewer than five times—before finally confirming one thing: The Empress had welcomed her biological daughter back.

That was the only thing that was certain!

Suppressing the urge to tear the letters to shreds, Yan Zhi’an placed them back on the table. Her body trembled, yet she could do nothing about it.

“Mother.” Outside, Xun Qi poked her head in, revealing a clean, pale face. She peered at her mother. “The doctor is here.”

Yan Zhi’an had locked herself in her room, and the maids did not dare enter, so they could only ask the Young Master to come and inquire.

That small face, so close at hand, made Yan Zhi’an feel deeply unsettled. Had the Empress found the wrong person? Now, had things been set right?

She could not help but panic.

Yan Zhi’an sat up straight, remaining calm, and ignored Xun Qi’s words. On the contrary, the more she looked at Xun Qi, the more anxious she became.

“Mother…” Xun Qi summoned the courage to call out again.

Yan Zhi’an began to feel a sense of disgust. The pain in her ankle still could not suppress her anxiety. She had spent months arranging for Xun Qi to gradually become famous. Now, the Empress had recognized her daughter anew.

She had no qualification to question the Empress’s decision, nor the ability to declare the Empress wrong. She could only swallow this bitter pill.

She was now trapped, unable to save herself. Could she go and tell the Yan family that Xun Qi was not her child?

If she were to waffle back and forth, how many people in the world would believe her?

With no solution in sight, Yan Zhi’an gave a desolate laugh. She had destroyed the Yan family, and she had destroyed herself.

“Mother, does your foot still hurt?” Xun Qi stepped inside softly, her voice trembling. She looked over to see her mother’s pale face, which appeared to be in great pain.

Xun Qi gathered her courage and leaned in, but as soon as she approached, Yan Zhi’an sat upright, staring at her coldly, her gaze piercing.

For a moment, Xun Qi felt terrified, freezing in place, her throat feeling as though it were blocked.

Looking at her mother’s pale complexion, her previous sense of bewilderment vanished. “I will massage it for you, and let the doctor leave first.”

“Xun Qi.” Yan Zhi’an’s tone was icy. Xun Qi looked up in shock. “Then, then should I let the doctor in?”

An innocent child. The phrase surfaced in Yan Zhi’an’s mind. Her predicament was not caused by Xun Qi, nor had Xun Qi forced her to acknowledge her as a daughter.

Without Xun Qi, there would have been someone else.

Yan Zhi’an clutched her forehead helplessly, and the injury to her foot suddenly flared with sharp pain, causing her to frown. “You go down first. I want to be quiet for a while.”

“Oh, then I will not speak. I will just look at the injury and leave,” Xun Qi said with a cheeky smile. She did not understand the troubles weighing on her mother; all she could do was try to make her feel more comfortable.

Yan Zhi’an did not respond, nor did she refuse. Xun Qi took her silence for consent, running off quickly to take the hot water from the maid and grabbing the medicinal oil for bruises from the doctor.

Watching her run back and forth, Yan Zhi’an opened her eyes and watched her. “Xun Qi, the assassination attempt today was aimed at me. There will be more in the future. Are you afraid?”

“Afraid of what?” Xun Qi asked with disdain. “The Madman said that if a person stands in this world and has ability, they should go against the heavens. If they have no ability, they should quietly listen to the heavens’ arrangements. You are a person of ability, so naturally, you go against the heavens. If I am not even afraid of the heavens, why should I be afraid of people?”

As she spoke, she removed Yan Zhi’an’s shoe and sock, looking earnestly at the red, swollen ankle. Like a pedantic scholar, she sighed, “You really can endure. The year the Madman sprained her ankle in a fight, she screamed so loudly that people at the foot of the mountain could hear her.”

Yan Zhi’an listened in silence, her frantic heart gradually settling. She found she could not bring herself to hate Xun Qi.

But the position of Yan family Young Master could no longer be hers.

In the brief moments that followed, Yan Zhi’an replayed the events again. She now had a better plan in mind. She needed to return to the capital and ask the Empress. If it were truly a case of mistaken identity, she would have Xun Qi stay in the capital and not enter the Yan family.

Enough of that, let it be so.

“Ssss…” Yan Zhi’an felt the ankle pain become unbearable. “Xun Qi, what are you doing?”

“Massaging it…”

“Stop massaging it. It hurts.”

Xun Qi ignored her and continued to apply the oil. “If you scream again, they will all hear you.”

Yan Zhi’an felt the world turn black from the pain, yet she had no way to deal with the girl, forced to swallow her pride.

“Xun Qi, do you know? When you return to the capital, you must practice calligraphy every day. No slackening allowed.”

“Xun Qi, I will find you a good master to watch over you every day.”

“Xun Qi, you will suffer retribution.”

Xun Qi looked at her in confusion. “What retribution will I suffer?”

Her tone was entirely innocent. Yan Zhi’an’s lips relaxed slightly, finding her own thoughts in the middle of her annoying distractions. She gave the girl a lazy, sidelong glance. “Practice every day, and one mistake gets you a slap with the board.”

Xun Qi looked at her mother’s proud posture and could not help but laugh; she was truly interesting.

A moment later, Yan Zhi’an ordered her, “We leave tomorrow. Go arrange the itinerary.”

“Alright.” Xun Qi quickly grew happy again, smiling as she leaned toward Yan Zhi’an. “Actually, you are quite an interesting person.”

“Hmm?” Yan Zhi’an was displeased that this little creature was teasing her. Just as she was about to say something, the little creature ran off again. “I am going to find Seventeenth.”

Yan Zhi’an laughed.

She could not help but smile. In an instant, she felt like watching her grow; if it was a mistake, so be it. Xun Qi was alone and helpless, so she would keep her, raise her by her side, and teach her well, treating it as taking on a student.

She watched the direction Xun Qi disappeared in, lifting her fair face. A brilliant light gradually emerged from the depths of her eyes, almost suppressing the shadows within the room.

Xun Qi was not reconciled and went to find Yan Seventeenth for money. Yan Seventeenth refused to return it, saying, “Your mother gave it to me.”

Xun Qi was unhappy. “That is what I earned. She has no right to distribute it.”

“Then, then let us split it all.” Seventeenth sighed. “I only got two hundred taels. Do you want it?”

Xun Qi stomped her feet in anger, glared at her, and said helplessly, “I am leaving tomorrow. You, you, you are infuriating me to death.”

“Leaving tomorrow? Are you not going to the Principal’s place?” Seventeenth was extremely surprised. “How can you just leave like that?”

“I do not make the decisions; my mother said we are leaving. Never mind, I will go back and arrange the itinerary.” Xun Qi knew the money could not be reclaimed, and she could not take all two hundred taels from her Seventeenth Aunt, even if she did, it would not be enough.

Yan Seventeenth laughed cheekily. “I will go see you off then.”

“As you like.” Xun Qi was in an exceptionally bad mood, having wasted a whole day and not earned a single coin.

She went back to find Yan Zhi’an. “Why did you distribute my money?”

Yan Zhi’an could not bear to look at her. “Shall I return ten thousand taels to you?”

“I do not want that; I want my five hundred taels.” Xun Qi was dissatisfied. “Do you not respect me?”

Yan Zhi’an let out a burst of laughter. “Go practice calligraphy. If you practice poorly, I will slap your palm.”

“You are being unreasonable.” Xun Qi was stunned. “You cannot argue with me, so you start bullying me.”

“Bullying you? I spend my energy bullying you; that is your blessing. There are so many people in the world; why would I bully only you? That is your blessing.” Yan Zhi’an was in a decent mood, and watching the girl’s frustrated expression made her feel much better.

Xun Qi looked at her with glistening eyes, gritting her teeth. “Do not distribute my money next time.”

“Understood.” Yan Zhi’an found it amusing; she was truly a money protecting brat.

Only then did Xun Qi go to practice calligraphy.

Perhaps because the constraints were lifted, Yan Zhi’an was a bit stricter with her. Watching the handwriting that refused to improve, she gleefully gave her two slaps on the palm and asked merrily, “You will remember for next time.”

Xun Qi looked at her reddened palm. “Give me back my money.”

“If I give you five thousand taels, will you take it?” Yan Zhi’an held the ruler, raising an eyebrow. “Little coward, do you dare to take it?”

“I just want my five hundred.” Xun Qi was so angry she flipped over.

Yan Zhi’an shook her head. “There is no five hundred, only five thousand.”

Xun Qi was so angry she turned and left.

The next day, Yan Zhi’an led her daughter back to the capital. After bidding farewell to the grandfather, the group embarked on the return journey.

Seventeenth saw them off to the city gates, parting with them reluctantly.

And outside the Ten Mile Pavilion, Yuan Fusheng prepared wine to see them off.

In the second month, the cold was biting. The trees were beginning to bud with greenery, but the chilling wind made it hard for people to keep their eyes open. Yuan Fusheng, in a wide sleeved long gown, stood outside the pavilion, possessing both the ethereal grace of a high scholar of the mountains and the beauty of a goddess. Standing there, who could not help but love her?

Xun Qi waved excitedly at her. Yuan Fusheng smiled from afar and stepped forward to bow. “Left Prime Minister, Young Master Yan.”

“Principal, you can just call me Xun Qi. How did you know we were leaving today?” Xun Qi leaned on the carriage window, chatting eagerly with Yuan Fusheng.

Yan Zhi’an reached out and pulled her back. “Why are you so excited?”

“Looking at a beauty, of course.” Xun Qi laughed cheekily, turning to speak to Yuan Fusheng again. “Principal, do come to the capital to play when you have time.”

“Alright, have a safe trip.” Yuan Fusheng waved her hand. Someone brought over two cups of wine; through the carriage window, she handed one to the Left Prime Minister.

Yan Zhi’an looked at the white wine before her, her heart in turmoil. She said, “If I am wrong, what should I do?”

“Is that so? If you are wrong, I will come to the capital to find you. I have the Yuan family, and you have the Yan family; the sky will not collapse.” Yuan Fusheng smiled in comfort. “I heard the news and guessed you would leave today. Left Prime Minister, I will repeat myself: leave her behind.”

The Yuan family wanting her had nothing to do with being an heir to the throne; I simply love her profound literary talent.

Yan Zhi’an took the farewell wine and downed it in one gulp. Yuan Fusheng did the same, tipping her head back and drinking it dry. The two looked at each other and smiled.

They returned to the capital at the beginning of the third month. The leaves were vibrant green, and all things were filled with the vitality of spring.

The Prime Minister’s carriage came to a stop. Yan Zhi’an lifted the curtain and looked at the person standing beneath the pavilion, her heart suddenly feeling blocked.

Instead, Xun Qi leaned in to look, seeing a person in a purple gown with ornate jewelry in her hair. She asked curiously, “Who is that person?”

Yan Zhi’an was unhappy. The corners of her mouth curled up slightly as she performed a bit of mischief, asking Xun Qi, “Tell me, if she likes Principal Yuan, what do you think?”

Xun Qi had once said that for a beautiful woman like Yuan Fusheng, her partner must be equally beautiful.

“Not a match.” Xun Qi said it immediately.

Yan Zhi’an laughed heartily. Xun Qi was puzzled. “Who is she? Why are you so happy?”

“You will know soon. Get out of the carriage.” Yan Zhi’an stroked her head with affection. “Xun Qi, I will reward you with five hundred taels when we get back.”

After lingering in the carriage for a moment, Yan Zhi’an led her daughter out. The woman returned to the pavilion, and the two followed her in.

The pavilion was shielded by veils, preventing outsiders from observing the goings on inside. The Empress sat down, looking nervously at the young girl behind Yan Zhi’an.

However, Yan Zhi’an said, “Your Majesty, after acknowledging your daughter, are you happy? Within the month after receiving the news, your subject could not sleep at night.”

Upon hearing this, Xun Qi frowned, that is a lie. You slept soundly last night, as soon as your head hit the pillow.

She lowered her head, not daring to look directly at the Imperial countenance, while the Empress had been staring fixedly at her ever since she approached.

“Xun Qi, look up.”