Chapter 93 – Angry Midnight Visit
Upon hearing Old Woman Li’s words, Old Master Yan was furious.
He used to be the county lord of Xize. Everyone in Shaoyao Village respected him. He sent Old Woman Li to the broken grass temple to summon someone, yet Yan Xiaosi dared not to come and even asked him to go personally.
This was outrageous. This little brat didn’t have any respect for him, his grandfather.
At this moment, Old Master Yan was angry that Yan Xiaosi didn’t respect him as his grandfather, but he never remembered how a decade ago, when Yan Bowen died, he ruthlessly drove his grandson, who had just turned one year old, out of the Yan family.
Seeing Old Master Yan so enraged, his face red and his white beard trembling, Ms. Li and Yan Shujing were secretly pleased.
Even if Yan Xiaosi ended up curing the old lady’s illness, Ms. Zhong wouldn’t have a chance to return to the Yan family mansion to dispute the inheritance with them.
Yan Shujing was happy inside, but her face didn’t show it at all.
She went to Old Master Yan’s side, supporting his arm and said softly, “Grandfather, Xiaosi is still young, he’s not even of age yet. He may not know the proper etiquettes. You shouldn’t be angry with him, he’s just a child.”
Ms. Li continued, “Yes, father, don’t be angry. Yan Xiaosi is uneducated because his father died early.”
“His father died early, but doesn’t he have Ms. Zhong? Look at what kind of person Ms. Zhong has raised him into.”
Ms. Li’s words successfully redirected Old Master Yan’s anger onto Ms. Zhong.
Old Master Yan continued angrily, “Ms. Zhong is a jinx. Back then, if my third son had listened to me and not married that woman, he wouldn’t have…”
Every time he mentioned his third son, Yan Bowen, Old Master Yan was filled with regret.
That was his most promising son, who passed the imperial examination at the age of twelve. If he were still alive, even if he couldn’t become a prefect, he could at least be a county magistrate. Then, the Yan family wouldn’t have fallen to this state.
All of this was caused by that jinx, Ms. Zhong.
“Old Woman Li, lead the way with the lantern. Since that little brat wants me to go there, I will go. I want to see how that little brat is going to turn the sky upside down.”
Because Madam Jiang was in such a dire state, there was no time to invite a doctor from the town or Xize county. Old Master Yan had no choice but to make a trip to the broken grass temple.
Upon hearing this, Old Woman Li was secretly delighted.
If Old Master Yan personally went to the broken grass temple, Yan Xiaosi would definitely be scolded badly.
She was delighted and walked ahead with the lantern, reminding him, “Old master, it’s dark and the road is not easy to walk, please be careful.”
Ms. Li and Yan Shujing were afraid he would fall as they watched Old Master Yan walking unsteadily.
If the old lady was already bedridden and the old master fell, when their second brother returned, he would definitely blame her for not taking good care of them and use this as an excuse to take a bigger share when dividing the inheritance.
Thinking of this, Ms. Li sped up to catch up with Old Master Yan and Old Woman Li.
“Jing’er, you stay at home and take good care of your grandmother.
A mother knows her daughter best, but in Yan Shujing’s case, the daughter knows her mother best. Knowing what Ms. Li was thinking, she quickly responded, “Mother, take good care of grandfather. I will take care of my grandmother at home.”
Old Master Yan, whose steps weren’t very steady, was supported by Ms. Li. His displeasure towards Ms. Li from earlier instantly turned into satisfaction.
In a short while, Old Woman Li and Ms. Li helped Old Master Yan to the end of the village.
Inside the broken grass temple, the light from the oil lamp was still shining out through the broken wooden window.
Inside, Ms. Zhong’s face was tense, her heart fluttering. Yan Shuqin, Yan Shuxue, and Yan Shuyun all mirrored Ms. Zhong’s expression. Only Yan Xiaosi was sitting on the bed with her legs crossed, looking unafraid as if the sky weren’t falling. After thinking for a while, Ms. Zhong said to Yan Xiaosi, “Xiaosi, you offended Old Woman Li just now. She’s not someone to be trifled with. With her personality, she will definitely exaggerate the story in front of your grandfather. Your grandfather will surely come here to settle the score with you. Before your grandfather comes, you should quickly hide at Dazhuang’s house.”
Yan Xiaosi sat motionless on the bed, lazily lifted her eyelids to look at Ms. Zhong.
She replied in a lazy tone, “Mom, if I go to Dazhuang’s house and the old man Yan can’t find me, won’t he vent all his anger on you and my sisters?”
“Xiaosi, we are not afraid. You should quickly go to Dazhuang’s house to hide.”
“Yes, yes, yes. Your grandfather will never guess that you went to Dazhuang’s house.”
“Wait until your grandfather leaves, then you can come back.”
Yan Shuqin, Yan Shuxue, and Yan Shuyun were all encouraging Yan Xiaosi to hide like a scaredy-cat.
But when they mentioned Old Master Yan, the three sisters all looked nervous and scared.
Yan Xiaosi saw this and felt a pang in her heart.
Her mother and three sisters were clearly afraid of Old Master Yan, yet they were still willing to protect her.
“How can I, as a man, leave you women at home to face old man Yan’s scolding?”
Yan Shuqin glared at her, “You’re a pretend man. Hurry up and go, or it’ll be too late…”
“Yan Xiaosi, you little brat, how did you speak to Old Woman Li? Come out here right now. I told you to go to the Yan family to treat your grandmother’s illness, and you dare refuse. At your young age, do you think you can fly?”
The sudden roar cut off Yan Shuqin’s words.
Yan Xiaosi shrugged her shoulders and said, “Oh well, it’s too late now. When soldiers come, a general will resist; when water comes, soil will cover. Am I, a young man, going to be scared of an old man who has one foot in the grave?”
While speaking, Yan Xiaosi uncrossed her legs and stood up from the bed.
“Ms. Zhong, how did you raise your son? You bunch of rascals, get out here right now!”
Old Master Yan’s roar came again. He seemed to forget that he himself was also a rascal. Years ago, he had expelled his daughter-in-law and grandchildren from the Yan family’s door without any consideration, even when his third son’s body was not yet cold.
The angry roar scared Ms. Zhong, Yan Shuqin, Yan Shuxue, and Yan Shuyun, causing them all to shudder and change their expressions.
Yan Shuqin looked out the window and spoke in a trembling voice, “Mo,, grandfather is here.”
Ms. Zhong swallowed nervously, saying, “I…I’ll go open the door. Shuqin, Shuxue, Shuyun, Xiaosi, don’t be scared. Your mom is here.”
She had a feeling that if she didn’t open the door, Old Master Yan would surely break down the rotten wooden door and storm in.
She was searching for her shoes under the bed, intending to open the door. Before her hand could touch her ragged cloth shoes, she saw Yan Xiaosi striding towards the kitchen.
“Xiaosi, don’t go. Let your mom go.”
Ms. Zhong, frightened, jumped down from the bed without bothering to put on her shoes. Her bare feet landed on the cold mud floor. The chilly weather of late autumn seeped into her heart. Yan Xiaosi turned around, saw Ms. Zhong’s bare feet on the muddy ground, and frowned, “Mom, I’ll go open the door first. You put on your shoes before you come out. As a man, am I afraid of a decrepit old man? Moreover, it’s the Yan family who needs my help now. They wouldn’t dare do anything to me.”
