Chapter 198: Nipped in the Bud

 Chapter 198: Nipped in the Bud 

On the day of the Chongyang Festival, the Prefectural office had a break, and Yan Zhigao, invited by the head of the Zhou family, went to Wuhua Mountain to enjoy the autumn scenery and chrysanthemums. It was the perfect opportunity to bring along Daohua and Zhou Jingwan.

Early in the morning, Madam Li got up to prepare.

She knew that when scholars went out to appreciate the scenery, they liked to drink wine and compose poems, so the chrysanthemum wine brewed by her daughter would be perfect for the day. It tasted good, wasn't too strong, and suited the season.

Once she had everything ready, she returned to the main room, only to find Yan Wenbin and Yan Yishuang standing with their heads lowered, while the master had a troubled expression on his face.

Seeing this, Madam Li’s eyes flashed, and she walked in with a smile.

“Pay respects to Mother!”

When Madam Li entered, Yan Wenbin quickly pulled Yan Yishuang and both of them bowed.

Madam Li smiled and said, “Get up. You’ve come to pay respects so early; you must be hungry. Have you had breakfast? If not, you can have some in the courtyard.”

Yan Zhigao waved his hand. “It’s better if you go back to Shuangxin Courtyard for breakfast. Your mother is pregnant, and it’s a time when she tends to have more thoughts. You all have the day off today, so you should spend it with her.”

At this, Yan Wenbin and Yan Yishuang both showed disappointment. “Yes, we will take our leave, Father.”

After they left, Madam Li took the face towel from the maid and handed it to Yan Zhigao, smiling as she asked, “Do they want to go out and have fun with you?”

Yan Zhigao took the towel and nodded. “Wenbin said that staying in the house reading all the time isn’t good for broadening one’s knowledge, so he wants to go out with me to see the world.”

Madam Li shook her head. “Still just children, thinking only about playing outside. They don’t realize that today, you’re going out to appreciate the scenery because others have invited you. What’s the point of bringing a child along?”

“Even if Lord Zhou and the others don’t mind, a child can’t really have a proper conversation with adults. Even if they go, they’ll just feel awkward.”

Yan Zhigao’s expression softened a little. “You’re right, as always.”

Madam Li smiled, her lips pressed together.

It wasn’t that men couldn’t take their children out to socialize, but it should be a legitimate child of the main wife, not a son of a concubine. Bringing a concubine’s child would give the wrong impression—people might think the man was trying to promote the concubine’s child.

"Wenbin wants to go out with you to broaden his horizons, and that’s understandable. But what’s the deal with Yi Shuang?"

Yan Zhigao paused for a moment, then glanced at Madam Li. "It’s because Daohua wants to go to the racetrack. The girl wants to go too."

Sighing, Madam Li shook her head. "Ai!"

Seeing her reaction, Yan Zhigao immediately asked, "What’s wrong, Madam?"

Madam Li looked at him, hesitated, and then spoke, "There’s something I need to say, but it might upset you."

Yan Zhigao replied, “Madam, please speak freely.”

Madam Li finally said, "Don’t you think Yi Shuang is overly competitive with Daohua?"

Yan Zhigao was stunned for a moment. "It’s because Daohua is exceptional. She wants to learn from Daohua."

Madam Li couldn’t help but sneer inwardly.

Eyeing her daughter’s every move—it wasn’t learning from her; it was envy. And yet Yan Zhigao had the nerve to say it out loud.

"Master, since ancient times, there’s always been a distinction between the legitimate and the illegitimate. I’ve treated Lin Shi and her children as kindly as possible, without being harsh."

Yan Zhigao quickly interrupted, "Madam, you’ve always been virtuous, and I know you’ve treated them well."

Madam Li continued, "Yi Shuang has always been raised by Lin Shi. Naturally, her upbringing is something I cannot interfere with."

Yan Zhigao interrupted again, "You are the legitimate mother, it’s your duty to teach the children. Why wouldn’t you intervene?"

Madam Li gave Yan Zhigao a playful side glance and said pointedly, "Isn’t it because you’re afraid of being too strict with her? Once she cries, you’ll feel sorry for her, right?"

Yan Zhigao’s expression immediately became a bit awkward. Before he could respond, Madam Li continued, "As for Yi Shuang, you don’t have to worry. I won’t treat her unfairly. For all the banquets held by the various families, whenever I can bring her, I will definitely take her along."

Yan Zhigao immediately nodded. "I know, I know. Last time at Lord Wang’s banquet, you also brought Yi Shuang, and when she returned, she told me she won first place with a poem she composed."

His wife, though born into a merchant family, was kind at heart. Unlike other first wives, she didn’t suppress the children of concubines, preventing them from having any opportunities to stand out.

Madam Li shifted her tone. "But as for Daohua, her social circles are not ones Yi Shuang can easily join. You might not understand, being a man, but women generally don’t mix well. The legitimate daughters of the main wife usually don’t want to associate with concubine-born daughters."

Yan Zhigao nodded.

Of course, he understood. It wasn’t just for girls; even boys were the same.

"It’s Yi Shuang who doesn’t know her place. I’ll have a word with her later."

Seeing this, Madam Li smiled and continued, "It’s not that I want to make a distinction between the legitimate and the illegitimate, but this is how things are everywhere. Even if Daohua brings Yi Shuang along, if no one talks to her, she will still feel uncomfortable."

"Also, there are still two more girls at home. If Yi Shuang goes, shouldn’t the others be taken along as well? Otherwise, it will seem like favoritism."

At the door, Daohua, who had been listening to Madam Li’s quiet words, couldn’t help but silently give her mother a thumbs-up in her heart.

She had been worried that her father would suddenly lose his mind and insist on making her bring along her younger half-sisters whenever she went out. Although she could refuse, constantly opposing her father would harm her reputation, and her grandmother would be upset too.

Now that her mother had spoken to her father, her worries were eased.

When there was no more sound from inside, Daohua entered the room. "Mother, I’m here to eat."

"You lazy girl, why are you only here now? Don’t you know to wake up earlier when going out?"

"Huh? Why are you dressed like a boy?"

"I thought we might be riding horses, so I figured male clothes would be more convenient!"

"You’re a girl; you shouldn’t be riding horses so casually. What if you get hurt?"

"Don’t worry, I’ll be careful."

"Fine, it’s useless to talk to you. Just remember to bring Xiaoliu along when you go out. He knows how to ride, doesn’t he? If you really want to try, let him lead you around for a lap."

"Got it, got it."

Before long, the Zhou family's carriage arrived. After everyone gathered, they set off toward the pier.

As the boat entered the Huayang Prefecture harbor, Yan Zhigao saw his eldest son and the eldest son of the Zhou family waiting there.

Seeing the two of them whispering and laughing together, Yan Zhigao felt a sense of satisfaction and relief. He then turned to look at the deck, where his eldest daughter and Zhou family’s daughter were holding hands, chattering away excitedly.

The two young girls looked extremely happy as they spoke, and when they got particularly excited, they gestured with their hands, their actions very close and friendly.

Yan Zhigao was pleased to see this.

The Zhou family held considerable power in Zhongzhou, with good intelligence networks. Ever since Lord Zhou had begun interacting with him in private, Yan Zhigao had become more informed about the affairs of Xingzhou and had handled his Prefectural duties more smoothly.

The relationship between the two families had grown stronger, which was good for him and for Wenxiu.

Although he hadn’t reached the level of someone like Zhou Er, a high-ranking court official, if anything happened, he could still turn to the Zhou family for help. At the very least, they could lend their support, which was far better than the isolation he had once faced in official circles.

(End of Chapter)