As the New Year approached, every family became busy. The Gao Manor was no exception. Servants swept the courtyard, hung red lanterns, and pasted couplets all over.
Qi Lin also went to paste a few couplets. It was not that he liked it, but only then could he leave the study openly.
Great Uncle was good at everything, but he always forced him to study.
“Aiya, I’m so tired!” Qi Lin was afraid that his great uncle would sweat profusely if he couldn’t see him, so he specially sat opposite his great uncle.
Gao Yuan was playing a chess game.
Qi Lin was used to it. This was an endgame left behind by a previous dynasty’s prime minister. It had been passed down for hundreds of years and no one had cracked it yet. Ever since he remembered it, he could always see his great uncle thinking about this chess game.
Great Uncle was the most knowledgeable person in the Great Li Dynasty. His Majesty was still counting on him to solve this endgame in his lifetime.
“Great Uncle, Great Uncle!” Qi Lin waved his hand in front of Gao Yuan’s eyes and snorted. “Don’t keep staring at the chessboard. It’ll hurt your brain. You’ve been sitting here for six hours.”
These words were a little exaggerated. He only sat down in the afternoon and it was not even evening yet.
However, Gao Yuan’s consciousness returned to his body. He sighed softly.
Qi Lin vaguely felt that his great uncle’s sigh was not because he could not solve this chess game. His eyes rolled around as he leaned on the table and looked at Gao Yuan. “Great Uncle, what are you thinking about? Is it about Yan Jiuchao?”
Ever since his great uncle inexplicably told him not to provoke this person, he had started to ask around for information about him.
Unexpectedly, the background of this Young Master of Yan City was quite complicated. His father was once Prince Yan, and the current Emperor was his uncle. The richest city in the Great Li Dynasty, Yan City, was his family’s fief. Prince Yan passed away when Yan Jiuchao was seven years old. After that, Yan Jiuchao neither conferred the title of crown prince nor inherited the title of Prince Yan. It was not that the Emperor did not allow it, but he himself was unwilling. Qi Lin did not know what was going on in this fellow’s mind, but this did not concern Qi Lin.
Less than a year after the death of Prince Yan, the Princess Consort Yan remarried to the current Grand Marshal of the dynasty, Xiao Zhenting.
It was said that this Lord Xiao doted on Princess Consort Yan very much and treated Yan Jiuchao as his own. Unfortunately, Yan Jiuchao was not used to the climate in the Capital, so he still stayed in Yan City.
Qi Lin scratched his head and said, “How old is Yan Jiuchao this year? Twenty-two? Twenty-five?”
“Twenty-three,” Gao Yuan said.
Qi Lin smiled evilly. “Great Uncle is really thinking about him. By the way, I have news about him. Do you want to hear it, Great Uncle?”
“What news?” Gao Yuan asked.
“The children that the Yan family’s daughter gave birth to are missing!” Qi Lin had asked about so many things about Yan Jiuchao, so he naturally didn’t let go of the most merry and exciting thing. It was rumored that he had erectile dysfunction, but he had three children in one go. It was really a slap to many men’s faces.
“Great Uncle, why aren’t you surprised at all? Last time, you said that someone would disappear two days later. Are you talking about Yan Jiuchao’s children? The timing just happens to match. Great Uncle, could it be that you sent someone to steal his children?”
Gao Yuan really wanted to kill this kid.
Qi Lin pursed his lips. Alright, he was just spouting nonsense. Great Uncle was not such a person.
A pageboy who was hanging a lantern under the porch said, “Young Master Qi, the news you mentioned is from before. Young Master Yan’s children have been found!”
Not to mention Qi Lin, even Gao Yuan was shocked.
…
In Lotus Flower Town, majestic guards surrounded the White Jade Restaurant. A graceful young lady wearing a translucent veil and a pink cloak alighted from the carriage with the help of a maidservant. She entered the White Jade Restaurant with eager but elegant steps.
The restaurant had already been cleared, and the huge hall was filled with guards from the Yan Manor.
“Miss, the children are in the room in the backyard,” a guard said respectfully.
“Reward him,” Yan Ruyu instructed indifferently. The maidservant accompanying her took out the reward money for the guard.
The guard was overjoyed.
Yan Ruyu and her servant went to Bai Tang’s room in the backyard.
Bai Tang and Yu Wan were already waiting.
Bai Tang had sent someone to deliver the news. As she lived next door to the Bai Manor, it was easy to find her. It didn’t take long for her to inform her.
Yan Ruyu rushed over without stopping, but she was not in a sorry state at all. No matter when or where, she seemed to be able to maintain the reservedness and elegance of a noble lady.
This was the first time Yu Wan had seen the true face of the daughter of a general. As expected of a woman who had successfully charmed the Young Master Yan who was impotent. She was indeed quite beautiful.
When Yu Wan was sizing up Yan Ruyu, Yan Ruyu also looked at her.
This was also Yan Ruyu’s first time seeing Yu Wan for the first time. She recognized at a glance that this was not the daughter of a merchant from the Bai Manor. It was not her shabby clothes, but her calm and indifferent temperament when she was not moving. It made people think of the phrase: one requires tranquility to reach one’s far-reaching goal.
Such a person would not be a businesswoman.
Such a village girl was as beautiful as a painting even when she was farming.
The middle-aged servant had bought the Yu family’s braised meat before, so she quickly recognized Yu Wan. She smiled warmly and said, “Miss, it’s you? Do you still remember me?”
“Aunt Lin, you know her?” Yan Ruyu was surprised.
Aunt Lin smiled and said, “Miss, the marinade you praised as not inferior to Madam Du’s cooking was bought from her stall!”
“It’s that… village girl who was almost arrested and taken away?” Yan Ruyu muttered. She looked at Yu Wan and revealed a gentle smile through the thin veil. “We’re really fated.”
Yu Wan did not reply. She did not even look at her. She only silently stayed by the bed and looked at the three sleeping children.
The atmosphere became awkward.
Aunt Lin smiled awkwardly and tried to smooth things over. “Last time, Miss helped Miss Yu out. This time, Miss Yu saved Miss’s children. This is karma!”
Bai Tang did not like these words. It was as if it was because she was the one who had done good deeds that her children were saved and had nothing to do with others. Why doesn’t she think further? Even without her, Yu Wan might not have really been arrested. However, if Yu Wan had not been here, her children would not have been able to return!
Do you know what kind of people they are? Robbers at the end of their rope! Cold-hearted killers! Which one of them is easy to deal with? Yu Wan almost lost her life!
“You can’t say that, Aunt Lin,” Yan Ruyu said gently. “No matter what, I really have to thank Miss Yu for this.”
Mrs. Lin smiled and nodded. “Miss is right. I was too…”
“After talking for so long, aren’t you going to come and see how the children are?” Yu Wan suddenly asked.
Yan Ruyu and Aunt Lin’s expressions froze at the same time.
