Cold Encounter with a Madman - Chapter 7

Another person stood up in opposition.

Yan Zhi’an lifted the white jade wine cup in front of her, a playful glint in her eyes. The man leaned in closer. “Even if she is your daughter, what ability does she have to sit in the position of the young master? The Yan family has always favored those with ability. Regardless of age or virtue, what is her capability?”

Beside her, Xun Qi was so nervous that her face turned deathly pale. The opposition outnumbered them, and she felt the crushing pressure.

However, Yan Zhi’an did not take this insult to heart at all. Her hand, holding the white jade cup, tightened slightly, causing veins to bulge on her fair skin. She began to laugh. “The reason is simply that her mother is me, Yan Zhi’an.”

The man became impatient. “I told you, even if you are her mother, it is not allowed.”

“If she is not allowed, then who is?” Yan Zhi’an put down her wine cup and raised her head to meet his gaze, her eyes unfathomably deep. “What kind of thing do you think you are?”

“I am your elder, your third uncle. Yan Zhi’an, what kind of attitude is this?” Third Master Yan flew into a rage and slammed his palm against the table. “Yan Zhi’an, you brought a bastard back and want her to inherit the family business? What kind of behavior is this?”

The bamboo-branch lanterns standing on the floor lit the room brightly. The family was traditionally extravagant and did not skimp on such small expenses as lamp oil.

With a cold, indifferent expression and lowered lashes, Yan Zhi’an raised her hand and tossed her wine cup in front of Third Master Yan. “Third Uncle, what contribution have you made to the Yan family? Besides being born into the direct line, in what way are you better than others? You go out to do business, and every shop you open loses ten thousand taels. Do you have the nerve to call others incompetent? For all these years, you have lived like a lush and a parasite.”

Third Master Yan’s face turned crimson with rage as he gritted his teeth. “Yan Zhi’an, I am your third uncle!”

“Grandfather, I suggest moving the third branch out of the Yan family. We should not keep such degenerate people.” Yan Zhi’an stood up and faced her grandfather. “I am the head of the house. Do I have this authority?”

“Third Master,” the Third Madam said, hurriedly pulling her husband to sit down. “Why are you trying to provoke Ninth Madam?”

Third Master Yan had lost all his dignity. The Third Madam was so ashamed she wished she could find a hole to crawl into, but she still had to apologize to Yan Zhi’s. “Ninth Madam, your third uncle has had too much to drink and is talking nonsense. Please, do not pay him any mind.”

Aside from the Third Madam’s apology, no one else dared to make a sound. The grandchildren, in particular, did not even dare to lift their heads. Who could overshadow the brilliance of Yan Zhi’an?

The Old Master in the room had also remained silent, so the Old Madam stepped in to smooth things over. “Third brother, drink less. Ninth Madam, you make the call on this matter.”

The others remained silent. The Old Master’s gaze lingered on the young girl, his eyes profound.

Soon, the matter was brushed aside, and everyone began asking about Yan Zhi’an’s plans for the next few days.

“I will return tomorrow after the Lantern Festival concludes,” Yan Zhi’an replied.

After chatting and laughing, once the scene dispersed, the Old Master kept Yan Zhi’an behind. Yan Zhi’an reached out to adjust Xun Qi’s collar and instructed her, “There are sisters of appropriate age outside. Go get to know them; it will be good for you to have companions for outings later. You go back first.”

Xun Qi looked worried, lifting her head to look at her mother. “Will Great-grandfather give you a hard time?”

“It does not matter. I do not care,” Yan Zhi’an said, fixing her daughter’s collar. Her tone changed from its usual gentleness to something stern. “The Yan family is currently under my control, and in the future, it will be at your disposal.”

She did not say “in the future, you will be the head of the house.” Xun Qi would only stop at the position of young master; in the future, a new choice for young master would have to be made. But Yan Zhi’an no longer cared. She could only manage her own generation.

She paved the way for the Yan family, ensuring that for at least the next thirty years, they would remain at the top of the aristocratic families.

In doing so, she would not be letting the Yan family down.

After Xun Qi left, Yan Zhi’an supported her grandfather as they walked toward the study. The old man walked slowly, so she matched his pace.

The old man said, “I do not mind her being the young master of the Yan family, but regarding the position of head of the house in the future, I hope you will be cautious.” He could not see what the future held, so he could not block her path. He also blamed himself for the fact that the sons he raised were useless. The fourth child had passed away early, yet her daughter was exceptionally gifted.

“I understand Grandfather’s meaning. I will teach her well and will not let her tarnish the Yan family’s reputation,” Yan Zhi’an said, softening her tone. “Grandfather, I do this for the future of the Yan family as well.”

“I am old. Your father is gone, and your uncles have limited ability. I had originally intended for you to take a husband into the family, but I did not expect you to have added a daughter of your own.” The Old Master’s tone was filled with helplessness. “You say you are doing this for the sake of the Yan family, so I will accept it. Teach her slowly. If it does not work out, well, we shall talk about it later.”

The Yan family needed not only talent but also descendants capable of surveying mountains and seeking mines.

For so many years, only Yan Zhi’an had managed to do both. Back then, he had simply stepped down.

Each generation has its own talents. He was old and should enjoy his remaining years in peace.

After separating from her mother, Xun Qi carried a lantern, intending to return to Yunbo Pavilion. As she walked out the door, three or five girls, mostly teenagers, stood there, and at the back stood a young girl of five or six.

The girl walked up to Xun Qi, tugged on her sleeve, and said, “My nurse said you are Ninth Sister’s daughter and that I am your little aunt.”

Xun Qi glanced at her. “Are you the Twentieth?”

The girl nodded and then immediately added, “How rude! Is ‘Twentieth’ what you call me?”

Xun Qi laughed. She reached out and patted the Twentieth’s head as the other girls gathered around.

“I am the Seventeenth,” the boldest one spoke first. She was two years older than Xun Qi, but in terms of seniority, she was already a generation ahead.

Seventeenth was a girl from the sixth branch, born of a concubine, but the Sixth Master favored her dearly. There was a heroic spirit between her brows and no trace of the heavy makeup of other ladies.

She took Xun Qi’s hand, holding her younger sister in her other arm. “Come, let us walk together.”

Xun Qi sensed a carefree aura about her. The girl’s heart was without distraction as she smiled at her. “You are new here. I will take you out to play. Tomorrow there is a poetry competition.”

“A poetry competition?” Xun Qi was surprised. Seventeenth joked, “It is just a contest to write poetry. I am not very good at these things, but as you know, since it is held by the Yan family, we must go. Let me tell you, it is boring at home to be doing this all day long. If someone has true talent, they might even be recommended for a government position. That is why so many people will come tomorrow. You have come at a very inconvenient time.”

Seventeenth assumed that Xun Qi, like her, hated such literary pursuits.

Xun Qi looked at the Twentieth in her arms and reached out to touch her cheek. To her surprise, the Twentieth slapped her hand away. “Little Xun Qi, I am your aunt. Do not be so rude.”

She puffed out her cheeks, looking very cute, which made Xun Qi laugh. The members of the Yan family were all very different.

The old were cunning, the adults were unpredictable, and the young were quite adorable. The same rice can feed a hundred different kinds of people.

“Are you going tomorrow?” Seventeenth asked. “Your mother will certainly go.”

Xun Qi nodded. “Yes, if my mother goes, I will go.”

“Mother? Why do you address her so formally? Are you not on good terms?” Seventeenth sensed something, perhaps because they had just reunited, the mother-daughter relationship was strained. She said, “We call her ‘A-Niang’ here.”

“A-Niang?” Xun Qi savored the address. It was soft and sounded very intimate.

She gave a bright smile. “I understand. If my A-Niang goes tomorrow, I will go too.”

The two reached the intersection. Seventeenth walked away with her sister, and Xun Qi watched them leave. Inside the Yan residence, the lights were ablaze, and the firelight reflected on the lake, creating misty shadows that revealed the depth of the family’s heritage.

In this world, the wealthy live in decadent luxury, while the poor struggle to survive.

Going from poverty to wealth felt to her like a dream, incredibly surreal.

Xun Qi carried the lantern back to Yunbo Pavilion. The late-night lake was shrouded in mist; looking at it now, the water was hazy, making the place feel even more like a fairyland.

She pushed open the window and looked out at the lake. Then, a pair of hands pressed against the window frame. “Do you not want to sleep?”

Yan Zhi’an’s voice carried a hint of softness; listening closely, it sounded quite harmonious with the word “A-Niang.”

Xun Qi withdrew her hand. Yan Zhi’an, closing the window, could not help but smile. “Did you walk back with Seventeenth?”

“She invited me to a poetry competition,” Xun Qi replied honestly, remembering Seventeenth’s heroic face and her adorable demeanor.

“A poetry competition?” Yan Zhi’an’s beautiful brows furrowed. “Since when has Jinling had a poetry competition? I only remember tomorrow being an Excellence Banquet.”

Jinling was originally the southern capital, a place of refined clothing and literature. Of the ten thousand talents in the world, Jinling claimed eight thousand. Therefore, the Yan clan held an Excellence Banquet every year to recruit scholars. If someone truly possessed top-tier talent, they would be recommended to the imperial court and, from then on, would belong to the Jinling Yan clan.

Xun Qi was puzzled, her small face scrunching up. “Are they going to compete in poetry?”

“Seventeenth told you it was a poetry competition?” Yan Zhi’an could not help but laugh. She reached out and pinched her chubby cheeks. “I will take you tomorrow to see for yourself.”

Xun Qi did not dodge; she let her pinch, took a serious look at her, and then lowered her head, lost in thought.

Yan Zhi’an said, “Go rest. You do not need to wake up early tomorrow. I do not like waking up early. I have no choice when attending court, but there is no need here.”

Yan Zhi’an was not a diligent person; she was accustomed to luxury and preferred freedom.

Xun Qi went back, looking back with every step, gazing at the jade-like woman under the lamp. Her voice was as clear as jade, and she saw beauty in those watery, swirling eyes.

Taking the final step, Xun Qi disappeared into the night. The gentleness on Yan Zhi’an’s face vanished completely, and she sat down on the daybed.

Wushuang took the opportunity to step in and handed a stack of intelligence to the Left Prime Minister. “This is the list of people attending the banquet tomorrow. Please take a look.”

“You have already looked at it? And?” Yan Zhi’an took it and flipped through it casually. “These people have been famous for a long time; why come to join in the fun?”

“It is because the Old Master sent word out that you have returned and will be attending the Excellence Banquet,” Wushuang explained.

Yan Zhi’an wanted Xun Qi to stand out at the poetry gathering. She would prepare a few poems for her to pass off as her own, and achieving fame at a young age would be the first step.

But with so many scholars participating tomorrow, it would be a miracle if Xun Qi could stand out.

Yan Zhi’an was so frustrated she clutched her forehead in thought.

She could not sleep when she was angry, and she did not fall asleep until the early hours of the morning. She slept poorly, but Xun Qi had slept very well. She came over early, and the maid did not dare stop her, so she quietly entered the room.

She was not awake yet. Xun Qi took a look, fumbled over, and, without thinking, lifted the silk bed curtain.