Chapter 231: A Family Tribunal

 Chapter 231: A Family Tribunal

Upon receiving Daohua's letter, Yan Wenxiu and his two brothers returned to the Yan family home on the day of the Dragon Boat Festival.

At the Songhe Courtyard, all members of the Yan family were present. Old Madam Yan sat on the dais, Yan Zhigao occupied the chief seat on the left, while Madam Li sat on the right. The others were seated along the sides.

Yan Wenxiu, Yan Wentao, and Yan Wenkai stood in the center with their heads bowed.

Sitting next to the old madam, Daohua observed the scene. The atmosphere resembled a tribunal, and her expression turned serious.

Yan Zhigao spoke first, "Wenxiu, you are the eldest brother. Explain what happened during your trip to Fenxi."

Yan Wenxiu felt a pang of nervousness. Although he had anticipated being scolded when deciding to follow the young prince to Fenxi, he hadn’t expected his family to organize such a formal inquisition.

"Father, here's what happened," he began.

"In March, the Prefect Magistrate wrote to the young prince, suggesting that he gain practical experience. As the Prefect Magistrate put it, no matter how much one learns in an academy, real-life experience is irreplaceable."

"The bandit problems in Fenxi had largely been controlled, and the remaining factions were being dismantled. It wasn’t particularly dangerous, making it an ideal opportunity for us to learn."

"At the time, the three of us, along with Brother Dong, Hongxin, and Chengye, were all present. None of us had ever experienced such a real-life scenario, so we were eager to join."

"After discussing it, we decided to follow the young prince. After all, he had guards with him, ensuring our safety."

Yan Wenkai chimed in, "That's right, Father, Mother, Grandmother. Third Brother and I study martial arts. Eventually, we will face such situations, so it’s better to prepare early."

"This was a rare opportunity to learn, and we didn’t want to miss it."

Seeing her fourth brother’s self-assured expression, Daohua had an urge to cover her face.

Was today’s discussion about whether their decision was right or wrong?

The issue was their failure to inform the family beforehand!

Sure enough, her mother and grandmother both looked displeased.

At this point, Yan Wentao spoke, "Grandmother, Uncle, Aunt, we were wrong. We should have informed the family immediately. That was our mistake."

Yan Wenkai took over, "We were mainly worried that the family would object—"

"We didn’t want to worry you!" Yan Wenxiu quickly interrupted his younger brother, fearing that his grandmother and mother, who seemed to be softening, would become upset again.

"Grandmother, Mother, staying with the young prince was genuinely safe. The Prefect Magistrate wouldn’t let his own nephew be in danger. And we truly gained a lot from this experience."

Yan Zhigao asked, "What exactly did you gain?"

Yan Wenxiu paused to gather his thoughts.

"In the past, when we heard about bandits, we instinctively condemned them, assuming they were all ruthless criminals."

"But during our time in Fenxi, we found that many of these so-called bandits were unarmed commoners. They rebelled not out of malice but because they were starving. Give them food, and they would disperse immediately. Their demands were so simple."

"When the grain seeds were stolen, I was indignant. But seeing those people living in such misery, I felt a sense of understanding. How could they care about national interests when they couldn’t even fill their stomachs?"

"To govern a region effectively isn’t difficult—ensure the people are fed and clothed, and they will be grateful. But if they lose their means of survival, even the most honest individuals will rise up in rebellion."

Yan Zhigao nodded, "You’re right, but ensuring that everyone is fed and clothed is no easy task."

He felt gratified that his eldest son was concerned about the well-being of the people. Only by caring for the people could one truly serve them as an official.

Then, Yan Zhigao turned his attention to Yan Wenkai.

Over the years, with an outstanding eldest son in front and a favored youngest son behind, he hadn’t paid much attention to his second legitimate son, who had seemed playful and unruly.

But today, he was startled to realize that this overlooked son had grown. Standing beside his elder brother, Yan Wenkai was taller, his robust physique exuding an imposing presence.

"What about you? What did you gain?"

Yan Wenkai was surprised by his father’s question.

He had always been the invisible one in the family. His parents focused on his elder brother and had few expectations for him. They didn’t deny him anything but rarely paid him much attention.

Only after Daohua’s return and his time at Wangyue Academy with the young prince did he start to gain more of the family’s attention.

Maintaining his usual blunt manner, Yan Wenkai replied, "Strength is the ultimate rule. To deal with rebels, we need absolute force to suppress them, leaving them no chance to rise again."

Yan Zhigao frowned, "Blind reliance on force is not a wise strategy."

Yan Wenkai retorted, "First, suppress them. Once subdued, we can negotiate. Then, whatever I say goes. If they resist, they’ll just get beaten again!"

Yan Zhigao was speechless. "What if you’re the one who loses?"

Yan Wenkai replied immediately, "That’s why I plan to train even harder when I return to the academy. No matter what, I must win all future fights. Only then will I have the right to speak."

Before Yan Zhigao could respond, Madam Li stood up abruptly.

She walked over to Yan Wenkai, pointed her finger at his forehead, and said, "Fight, fight, fight—is fighting all you care about?"

Yan Wenkai quickly hid behind Yan Wenxiu and pleaded, "Mother, I was just answering Father’s question. I don’t fight all the time!"

At this point, Yan Zhigao turned to Yan Wentao, his expression and tone much gentler when addressing his nephew. "Wentao, Uncle knows you are a steady and dependable child, not one to act impulsively. Your fourth brother can be a bit reckless, so you must keep an eye on him."

Yan Wentao immediately replied, "Don’t worry, Uncle. I will. Actually, Fourth Brother isn’t as reckless as he seems. He just likes to play around sometimes. Besides, the young prince appreciates Fourth Brother’s personality, and so do Brother Dong and Brother Zhou."

Yan Zhigao chuckled. "He’s straightforward and lacks guile. His thoughts are written all over his face, so he doesn’t have to bother scheming. Naturally, people find him likable."

Scratching the back of his head, Yan Wentao was puzzled. Why did everyone say his fourth brother was simple-minded?

His fourth brother was quite smart. Otherwise, during their trip to Fenxi, he wouldn’t have been the first to spot the hidden sentries of the bandits.

Leaning on the old madam’s shoulder, Daohua chuckled as well. To her, her fourth brother was in no way inferior to her eldest brother. Though straightforward and seemingly careless, anyone who underestimated him would surely regret it.

Old Madam Yan made the final decision. "No matter what, the fact remains that you went to Fenxi without informing the family. That was a serious mistake. No matter how reasonable your explanations are, you must be punished."

Madam Li immediately agreed. "Indeed."

Old Madam Yan looked at Madam Li. "Why don’t we punish them by—"

Madam Li quickly interjected, "Docking their monthly allowance for three months?"

"No, Grandmother, Mother! Without our allowance, we’ll have to live off the northwest wind. You can’t do this to us!" Yan Wenkai wailed dramatically, looking as pitiful as possible.

Seeing this, the old madam smiled in satisfaction. "Fine, three months of allowance it is. Let this be a lesson for you."

Hearing this, Yan Wenxiu and Yan Wentao both breathed a sigh of relief.

Thankfully, it was just three months of allowance. They could endure it and move on.

(End of Chapter)