Chapter 152 – Told to Get Lost
Hearing this response, Yan Xiaosi bit her tongue in frustration, almost swearing aloud. They had been detained for an entire night already.
“Why won’t they let us leave when I’ve already treated General Zhan’s illness? He only had kidney deficiency and muscle strain in his back, and no other problems at all,” she thought out loud irritably.
She scoffed internally, thinking that if they didn’t let her family leave smoothly, she would let everyone know about his kidney deficiency.
Hearing the mention of kidney deficiency, both Long Si and Long Wu twitched their mouths.
With a stern face, Long Wu warned, “Young Master Yan, if you want to leave the county court quickly, it’s best not to mention ‘kidney deficiency’ in front of our master again. Otherwise, be prepared to stay here for several more days and nights.”
Long Si went inside the east wing to report, speaking through the closed door to Long Yu, “Master, Young Master Yan is outside asking if they can leave the county court now.”
Long Yu was getting dressed, and he paused when he heard “Young Master Yan.”
“Tell him to get lost.”
The audacity of that brat, daring to say he had kidney deficiency in front of Murong Qinjian, making him feel a slight discomfort in his waist all night.
Long Si could feel his master’s immense anger even through the door. It was rare for anyone to provoke General Zhan to such an extent, be it the conniving ministers or the ambitious princes. Young Master Yan truly had a unique talent to infuriate him this much.
“As you wish, master.”
Yan Xiaosi waited eagerly outside the eastern wing for what seemed like half a tea time, until Long Si finally returned.
She approached him excitedly, asking with a smile, “Dragon Guard, what did your master say?”
Long Si looked at her with admiration and said, “The master said, ‘Get lost.'”
Yan Xiaosi had never found the words ‘get lost’ so pleasant to hear.
She chuckled with excitement and said to Long Si, “I’ll be getting lost then. Take care, Dragon Guards.”
As she turned and ran faster than a rabbit, Long Si and Long Wu were left speechless.
Long Yu and Murong Qinjian stood in the corridor, watching her run off. Murong Qinjian teased, “Long Yu, it seems your favorite boy doesn’t like you very much. You told him to get lost, and he couldn’t wait to do just that, eager to get away from you.”
Long Yu’s face darkened involuntarily.
“Murong Qinjian, I asked you to arrange for the purchase of fluorite from all the pharmacies in Xize County. How is that going?”
Murong Qinjian waved his hand dismissively, “That’s a small matter. Are you worried I can’t handle it? Don’t worry, by noon today, the pharmacies will deliver the fluorite to the county court.”
“That’s good.”
Long Yu was satisfied, thinking about how the fluorite would help him deceive Rongdi King Chunyu Hanfeng.
Yan Xiaosi hurried back to the western wing.
“General Zhan has given permission. Mom, big sister, second sister, third sister, let’s pack up quickly. We’re going back to Daxing Town.”
As the family of five was about to leave, two maids from the county court brought breakfast.
Seeing them about to leave without taking the fabric from the table, the maids quickly intervened.
“Young Master Yan, are you leaving? The county magistrate ordered us to bring you breakfast.”
Yan Xiaosi thought that her eldest sister, Yan Shuqin, probably wouldn’t have an appetite for breakfast prepared by Yao Jin.
“Two beautiful sisters, please convey our thanks to Magistrate Yao, but we won’t be needing breakfast. We have urgent matters to attend to in Daxing Town, and besides, General Zhan has already permitted us to leave.”
Yan Xiaosi was someone Long Yu had forcefully detained in the county court, so the maids didn’t dare to offend her easily.
“Young Master Yan, we won’t stop you if you have urgent matters, but the fabric on the table was a gift from the county magistrate.”
Taking the fabric would complicate matters.
Ms. Zhong was nervous, unsure of how to refuse, when Yan Xiaosi spoke up again: “Please convey our thanks to Magistrate Yao for his kindness. We are commoners accustomed to wearing coarse clothes. We are not used to wearing fine silks and satins. We don’t want to waste such luxurious materials.”
Yan Xiaosi firmly refused. Considering her relationship with Long Yu, the two maids didn’t dare to insist and, after watching the family leave, quickly went to report to Yao Jin.
“Lord, with General Zhan’s permission, Young Master Yan and her family have already left,” they reported.
Yao Jin was eating when he heard this news and paused, looking up at the maids: “Did they take the fabric I sent last night?”
If they had taken it, he could immediately find a matchmaker to propose marriage, giving him a pretext.
The maids trembled as they answered, “The fabric was not taken.”
Hearing this, Yao Jin’s eyebrows shot up in anger. He commanded the maids, “Go down and summon Steward Yan Bozhang.”
The maids left, and shortly after, Yan Bozhang entered the dining hall.
Sensing Yao Jin’s displeasure, Yan Bozhang cautiously asked, “Sir, what matter requires my attention?”
Yao Jin slammed his hand on the table furiously, “I took a fancy to that girl. It’s her good fortune, yet she dares to refuse me.”
Understanding the reason for his anger, Yan Bozhang quickly grasped the situation.
“Sir, my youngest brother has been dead for many years. If you wish to take his daughter as a concubine, it should be an easy matter.”
Yao Jin calmed his anger slightly.
“What do you propose, Steward Yan?”
The image of Yan Shuqin’s youthful face came to Yao Jin’s mind, making him restless.
“If you can arrange this matter, Steward Yan, I will not forget your service.”
Yan Bozhang smiled, “Sir, traditionally, children’s marriages are arranged by their elders. Since my youngest brother is dead, it’s naturally up to our father to arrange Qin’er’s marriage. Tonight, I will return to Shaoyao Village and have our father discuss this with my youngest brother’s widow. She’s always been submissive and surely won’t dare to go against our father’s wishes.”
“In that case, I await your good news, Steward Yan.”
…
After leaving the county court, Yan Xiaosi, Ms. Zhong, and the Yan sisters first had breakfast at a small noodle shop, then hired a carriage to head straight to Daxing Town.
At the Xu Family Fur Store, Liu Xu waited at the entrance. Seeing Yan Shuyun alight from the carriage, he greeted her with a beaming smile.
“Miss Yan, you’ve arrived.”
Seeing Liu Xu waiting, Yan Shuyun shyly lowered her head and replied, “Mr. Liu, I’m sorry for being late.”
“It’s not late. The shop has just opened.”
Seeing Liu Xu’s gentle and courteous treatment of Yan Shuyun, Ms. Zhong and Yan Xiaosi felt more at ease.
Ms. Zhong smiled and said, “Yun’er, go on and work with Mr. Liu. Don’t worry about home; just take good care of yourself.”
“Third sister, we’re heading back now. We’ll come to see you during the market day.”
“Take care of yourself, third sister.”
After bidding farewell to Yan Shuyun, the four left the Xu Family Fur Store and boarded the hired carriage back to Shaoyao Village.
