Chapter 170: A Family Of Four. Son Called Dad.
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Just like that, Yu Shaoqing was released by the Emperor. However, he could not leave Lotus Flower Town without permission because he was a suspect. Yan Congming, who was also a suspect, could not leave the Capital without permission.
Among the two of them, there will be one who is the true hero who saved the people. The people did not have any objections to the Emperor’s actions. They only hoped that they could find evidence as soon as possible and let everything come to light.
The Emperor handed this matter over to the second prince, who would work with the Dali Temple to investigate the truth.
After the court session ended, Yan Congming did not go anywhere and immediately returned to the Yan Manor. He rushed into the backyard and caught a maidservant who was cleaning. “Where’s Miss?”
The maidservant was shocked by the master who appeared out of nowhere. She stammered, “In… in the pavilion.”
Yan Ruyu was solving a chess game in the pavilion. This was a game that had been passed down for hundreds of years. It was said that no one could solve it. She did not believe it.
Lychee’s leg was broken by the Princess of Xiongnu’s horse. Now, the one serving her is a newly promoted second-class maidservant named Cai Qin.
Cai Qin was not as smart as Lychee, but she was not as noisy as Lychee. She stood at the side in a daze. It was nice to have quiet.
“Sister!” Yan Xie walked over and sized up Cai Qin.
Yan Ruyu said slowly, “Don’t you dare have any ideas about my maidservant.”
Yan Xie pursed his lips. He was the young master of the manor, so what if he had designs on a maidservant? This maidservant was also silly. She was not like Lychee who could seduce people. Yan Xie immediately lost interest. He turned his head and stared in anticipation at Yan Ruyu. “Sister, you’re playing chess? What’s the point of playing alone? I’ll accompany you!”
With that, Yan Xie flicked the chess piece on the chessboard. Yan Ruyu’s hard work from the entire morning was gone.
Yan Ruyu’s face immediately turned cold. “If you have nothing to do, go study! Practice your swordsmanship! Don’t provoke me!”
Yan Xie was so angry that he glared at her. “How can you talk to your big brother like that? Do you know what it means to have respect for seniority? I think ever since you have a relationship with the Young Master Manor, you’ve been looking down on me! Do you really think you’re so great?”
Yan Ruyu said coldly, “What’s so great about me? Then how did you walk out of prison? How did the Yan Family get rid of their crimes? How did Dad become the Marquis? How did Big Brother survive after causing so much trouble?”
“You… you…” Yan Xie was choked speechless. This girl was right. It was all thanks to this sister that the Yan Family could make a comeback. If it weren’t for her, their family might still be in jail. Not to mention being promoted to a marquis, his father probably wouldn’t even have a full meal.
However, even though he understood, Yan Xie still felt angry after being treated like this by Yan Ruyu. He stared fiercely at Yan Ruyu and snorted. “Don’t think I don’t know your secret.”
Yan Ruyu’s eyes turned sharp. “What secret?”
Yan Xie’s playful gaze landed on her flat stomach.
Yan Ruyu clenched her fists under her wide sleeves.
“Yu’er!” Yan Congming broke the tension between the siblings. He carried his hem and walked up while panting. He said to Cai Qin, “Go… go pour me a pot of tea!”
“Yes!” Caiqin replied and left.
The siblings returned to their normal expressions.
“Why are you here?” Yan Congming asked his son.
Yan Xie said, “I’m playing chess with my sister.”
Yan Congming glared at his son. “Aren’t you afraid of dirtying your sister’s eyes with your lousy chess skills? Hurry up and study! You’re already so old, do you still expect me to give you an official title?”
The entire family doted on his sister, and he was losing his status in the family. Yan Xie snorted unhappily and left the pavilion.
When there was no one around, Yan Congming sat down with lingering fear. “Yu’er, something big happened! Yu Shaoqing has been released from prison!”
Yan Ruyu’s hand that was tidying up the chessboard paused. “They found a witness? Then how are you fine?”
If Yu Shaoqing was innocent, Yan Congming would definitely be guilty. It would be unreasonable if he could appear at home unscathed.
Yan Congming told his daughter everything that had happened in the royal court.
Yan Ruyu vaguely felt that things were not simple. Although her father had made a great contribution, he was still a newbie in the court. Why were there suddenly so many ministers defending him? If this was a coincidence, then it was too much of a coincidence. If it was not a coincidence, she could not figure out who did it.
Second Prince? Or Young Master Yan? Wasn’t it too eye-catching for him to go through so much trouble for a woman? Once he was exposed, he would receive endless suspicion from the Emperor.
“Forget it, I won’t think about it anymore.” Yan Ruyu pressed her aching head.
“What’s wrong, Yu’er?” Yan Congming asked worriedly.
“It’s nothing.” Yan Ruyu picked up a white piece and said to Yan Congming, “A tall tree will be destroyed by the wind. It seems that His Majesty is afraid of you.”
“Uh…” Yan Congming was stunned.
Yan Ruyu smiled faintly and said, “His Majesty doesn’t want to raise a second Xiao Zhenting. At the same time, he wants you to see who is the true ruler of your fate. It’s not the commoners or the court officials, but him, the supreme ruler.”
Yan Congming carefully digested his daughter’s words.
Yan Ruyu continued, “Daddy, you must keep a low profile from now on. You can’t meet anyone who comes to make friends.”
Yan Congming was stunned. “Ah! This… Is this not good? If word gets out, I’ll have a reputation for being arrogant.”
Yan Ruyu said indifferently, “It doesn’t matter if your reputation is good or not. The most important thing is that no one can afford to offend you. Daddy, look at Young Master Yan. You’ll understand what kind of person His Majesty likes.”
So what if he was isolated by the entire world? As long as he had His Majesty supporting him, he would have endless wealth and glory, and an endless path to heaven!
“But…” Yan Congming understood everything, but there was something that really worried him. “There’s a person called Zhou Huai beside General Xiao. He knows that I’ve never met General Xiao before. Wu San went to look for him. If they really find him, we won’t be able to hold on.”
Yan Ruyu lowered her eyes and pinched a black piece in her hand. “If they could find him first.”
Yu Shaoqing was temporarily released, and the Yu family heaved a sigh of relief. Back then, when Wu San came to visit and said that Yu Shaoqing had been arrested, Uncle and Aunt almost fainted from anxiety. Fortunately, he returned safely.
He had long heard that the prison was tough. There were very few people who did not suffer from hunger. His third brother must have suffered.
When he heard the sound of horse hooves outside the door, Uncle walked over with his walking stick. “Third Brother, look, you’ve become thinner… round…”
Was it an illusion? Why did his third brother’s face become round after going to jail?
Yu Shaoqing still had to train his soldiers and kill the enemies in the military camp, but in prison, he slept, ate, slept, ate, and ate again. The food arranged by Uncle Wan was even better than the New Year’s banquet. Yu Shaoqing couldn’t bear to waste it, so he ate it all. Of course, he would become rounder after that.
However, this weight gain was only relative to Yu Shaoqing’s previous thinness. Crossing the snow mountain had caused everyone to lose a layer of skin, and they wouldn’t be able to recover from it for more than half a month. Uncle Wan still had a way.
The Yu Shaoqing in front of them was the real burly and handsome man. Madam Jiang’s eyes darted around his body.
“Slurp ~” Madam Jiang gulped.
Uncle’s culinary skills were good, but Yu Shaoqing’s favorite was the pan-seared green pepper and fried egg with chives that Aunt had cooked. It had the taste of a mother.
After the family ate dinner happily, Uncle asked Yu Song to bring the two little fellows to the hunter’s house to find stones.
“Why is it me again?” Yu Song said bitterly. Don’t think that he didn’t know that they wanted to lock themselves in the room to talk about serious matters. He was also an adult, even older than Ah Wan! Why was he the one who was the king of children every time?
“Second Brother, stop fooling around. I’ll give you candy.” Yu Wan stuffed a box of crispy candy she bought from Capital into Yu Song’s arms. Her doting gaze was like she was looking at a little puppy.
Yu Song… Yu Song was so angry that he ate the entire box of candy without leaving a single piece for his siblings!
After the children left, Uncle started talking about serious matters. “Third Brother, what exactly happened?”
Uncle had watched Yu Shaoqing grow up. Uncle would never believe that he would do something so greedy.
Yu Shaoqing didn’t know where to start.
Aunt said earnestly, “That’s right, Third Brother. You’ve frightened us badly in the past few days. What exactly happened? What did the magistrate prefecture say?”
Aunt did not know anything about the Dali Temple. She only felt that all the places where prisoners were imprisoned were called the magistrate prefecture.
Yu Shaoqing hesitated for a moment before telling them the whole story. However, he avoided the injustice he suffered in the army and the painful and cruel experience on the snow mountain.
Yu Feng frowned. “In that case, it was that General Gui De who snatched Third Uncle’s military achievements. He was conferred the title of Marquis, but Third Uncle was unjustly imprisoned.”
“Gui De? Why does this name sound so familiar?” Yu Wan paused and exchanged a look with Yu Feng. Their hearts skipped a beat.
“Dad, what’s the background of General Gui De?” Yu Wan asked.
Yu Shaoqing said, “He’s the son of Old General North Garrison Manor.”
The North Garrison General Manor… Wasn’t that Yan Ruyu’s father? As a daughter, she was shameless. As a father, he was even more shameless. He could even do something like snatching military merits. He was really worse than a beast!
However, she might not have heard that Marquis Yan was Yan Ruyu’s father, but it was impossible for Yan Jiuchao to not know about it. However, he stood on her side without hesitation. Did that mean that between Marquis Yan and her father, he chose to trust her father?
This realization made Yu Wan suddenly happy.
Yu Wan’s eyes sparkled as she looked at her father and said, “Uncle Wu went to look for Zhou Huai. I believe he will definitely be able to find him. When he finds Zhou Huai, he will be able to expose Marquis Yan’s scheme and clear your name!”
It was getting late. The family of three returned to their room. Yu Song sent Little Bruiser back.
Yu Wan went to the kitchen to boil a large pot of hot water. When she came out to get some firewood, she saw Little Bruiser sitting on the threshold of the central room. His small figure was lonely and he looked a little pitiful.
Yu Wan walked over with the firewood and sat down beside him. “Why are you in a daze?”
Little Bruiser tucked his right hand behind his back. He was trying to reveal what he intended to hide!
Yu Wan looked at him in anger and amusement. “Stop hiding. Isn’t it just a small stone? I don’t want yours.”
Little Bruiser said crisply, “It’s not an ordinary stone!”
Yu Wan raised her eyebrows. “Oh, what stone is that?”
Little Bruiser remained silent.
Yu Wan playfully grabbed the stone he was hiding in her hand.
“Aiya!” Little Bruiser was so angry that he reached out to snatch it.
Yu Wan avoided his little claw and shone it at the moonlight. “Did you grind it yourself?”
The rough surface of the stone was scratched. It could not be said to be a pattern, nor did it look good. However, the child squatted on the ground and ground it out bit by bit. It was obvious that he had put in some effort.
“Give it back!” Little Bruiser snatched the stone back.
Yu Wan asked him, “It’s so beautiful. Who are you planning to give it to?”
Little Bruiser turned his face away and said, “Anyway, it’s not for you.”
Yu Wan was just asking casually. She really planned to give it to someone. A hint of mischief flashed across Yu Wan’s eyes. “For Dad?”
“No… no!” Little Bruiser denied with reddened ears.
“Sure, it isn’t.”
“It just isn’t!”
Yu Wan gently poked his chest with her fingertip. “It’s useless to lie. I heard everything you said in your heart.”
Little Bruiser covered his heart. “Aiya, how did you hear that?”
He had confessed. Children were so gullible. Yu Wan pretended to smile mysteriously. “I’m not telling you.”
Little Bruiser was resentful.
Yu Wan tapped his little shoulder. “Dad is in the backyard.”
“I, I, I… I don’t care where he is,” Little Bruiser muttered. He turned around and saw that his sister had already gone to the kitchen.
Little Bruiser hesitated for a while before standing up and going to the backyard.
Yu Shaoqing was making a new chicken coop. One of the original chicken coops was broken, and two pheasants were locked in the same cage. When they had nothing to do, they would fight and even peck each other’s eggs. Yu Shaoqing wanted to finish the coop before he fell asleep.
Little Bruiser stood at the back door of the central room and looked at his father, who was sweating profusely in the courtyard. His father was hardworking and capable. He also knew how to cook. He didn’t beat anyone up and didn’t put on airs. Most importantly, he was especially good-looking.
“Bruiser is here?” Yu Shaoqing looked up and saw his precious son. He could not help but smile dotingly.
Little Bruiser hurriedly lowered his head.
Yu Shaoqing patted his head. “I almost forgot.” He put down the cage in his hand and walked over to pick up Little Bruiser.
It wasn’t that Little Bruiser had never been carried by anyone before. His sister had carried him, and so would his big brother and his second brother, but they were all different from this man. Just like… just like how he was so afraid of the dark, but now he wasn’t afraid at all.
Yu Shaoqing carried his son back into the house and pointed at the two boxes on the table. “Open them and take a look.”
Little Bruiser opened the box.
In the box on the left was a set of brush, ink, paper, and inkstone. In the box on the right was a medium-sized wooden sword with exquisite workmanship.
Little Bruiser was instantly attracted. His father had promised to buy him two gifts. His father had really done it.
Yu Shaoqing bought it on the way back to the village after he was released from prison. Even though such a big thing had happened, he didn’t forget his promise with his son for a moment.
Yu Shaoqing looked at him and said, “I don’t know if you like to study or practice martial arts. If you want to practice martial arts, I can teach you personally. If you want to study, I’ll send you to school.”
Little Bruiser lowered his head.
“What’s this?” Yu Shaoqing saw the small stone that Little Bruiser had accidentally placed on the table.
“Nothing!” Little Bruiser grabbed the small stone.
Yu Shaoqing smiled. “Then I’ll get going.”
With that, he rubbed Little Bruiser’s head and walked out of the house.
Little Bruiser looked at his back and suddenly said, “Can… can you not get into trouble again in the future?”
Yu Shaoqing turned around in confusion. He had been hiding his imprisonment from the two children at home. Did this little fellow sense something was wrong?
“I… It wasn’t easy for me to have a father. If I lose you just like that…” The voice behind gradually lowered into his stomach.
However, Yu Shaoqing’s eyes lit up. “What did you call me just now?”
“Nothing,” Little Bruiser said as he turned around.
Yu Shaoqing was overjoyed. He strode over and squatted down in front of his son. He looked at his son and said excitedly, “Call me that again!”
“No,” Little Bruiser said.
“Just once,” Yu Shaoqing said.
“No!”
Yu Shaoqing pulled him into his arms and said in a pleading tone, “Be good, call me Dad again.”
“Who wants to call you?” Little Bruiser struggled out of his arm and ran away! He had already run out, but returned to take away the two boxes of gifts on the table.
In the middle of the night, everyone fell asleep. Yu Wan also breathed evenly.
Little Bruiser suddenly opened his eyes and slowly climbed over his sister. He got off the bed, put on his shoes, and went to the room opposite. He tiptoed to the bed and stuffed the hot little stone under Yu Shaoqing’s pillow.
Then, he lowered his head and called out softly to the sleeping Yu Shaoqing, “Dad.”