Chapter 50
Lin Yan’an
Extra 6

Another Lantern Festival arrived, and once again, Lin Yan’an found himself abandoned by his father at the palace banquet.

In the early years, his grandmother, uncle, and Lin Qiwu would accompany him out of the palace. Now that his grandmother had ascended the throne and his uncle, Gu Chi, and Lin Qiwu also lived in the palace, his grandmother didn’t want him to leave alone. So, she decided to let him stay in the palace for the night and return the next morning.

As snowflakes fell at night, an attendant held an umbrella for him and led him to the hall where he usually stayed in the palace.

Lin Yan’an was familiar with this attendant. Years ago, when his parents got married, he had entered the palace to express gratitude on behalf of his father, and this attendant had led the way.

So many years had passed in the blink of an eye, and Lin Yan’an still remembered receiving the letter in Yangzhou about his father’s marriage. He was shocked at the time and knew that part of the reason for the marriage was to force him to return home.

When he returned to the capital, his father, angry at his long absence, didn’t let him in. He stayed at the neighboring grand princess’s residence for a few days. As the wedding approached, it wasn’t appropriate for Lin Qiwu to stay with the Li family, so his father finally allowed him to return.

However, he didn’t go back immediately, not out of stubbornness, but because he wanted to find Lin Qiwu, who was avoiding him, and ask about his mother, whom he had never met.

His grandmother and uncle didn’t know much about the fifth daughter of the Li family. Under his father’s orders, the pigeon house didn’t allow anyone to retrieve information about his future wife, not even his grandmother and uncle. So, the only person he could ask was his little aunt, Lin Qiwu.

Lin Qiwu indeed knew something but was unwilling to say, full of vigilance, and even asked why he hadn’t returned next door. It took some effort, but he finally got her to talk, learning about how Lin Qiwu met the Li family girl and how his mother caught his father’s attention by stealing a letter.

Although this made Lin Qiwu avoid and dislike him even more, Lin Yan’an always felt it was the right decision. This inquiry led him to investigate other information about the Li family. Unable to find out about his mother, he looked into other members of the Li family. Through Li Wendao’s connections with the former Minister of Rites, Wen Bingren, he discovered Grand Tutor Qi’s plot to assassinate his father in May. He concluded that if his mother hadn’t stolen that letter, the Li family might have been implicated in the assassination plot. His mother wasn’t the fool people outside thought she was. Understanding all this, he realized this. But he still couldn’t fully grasp what kind of person his mother was.

Fortunately, it didn’t matter. His parents cherished each other, and that was enough.

Later, he had a dream. Upon waking, he impulsively thanked his mother, believing that the changes in his dream and reality began with her.

Fortunately, his mother was taking care of him while he was sick at the time, so his thanks didn’t seem out of place.

He didn’t understand the origin of the dream. Initially, he was wary of Gu Yuwen, not murderous. After all, it was just a dream. Killing someone because of a dream seemed unreasonable.

But thinking about it later, it seemed better to kill him because Gu Yuwen liked Li Yunxi, who had a good relationship with Lin Qiwu. Every time he saw Lin Qiwu and Gu Yuwen together because of Li Yunxi, he remembered the dream where Lin Qiwu married Gu Yuwen while he was dealing with the Yi’an Sect, and eventually, Gu Yuwen killed her. He found Gu Yuwen particularly annoying.

“Hey! Isn’t this Heir Yan?” A nimble young girl jumped down from a low wall beside the palace path and walked up to Lin Yan’an in a few steps. “Your father isn’t taking care of you again?”

“Little Aunt,” Lin Yan’an called out, recognizing her. He took the umbrella from the attendant beside him, tilting it slightly to shield her from the falling snow, and said, “Father was worried that Mother would be lonely at home during the festival, so he went back early.”

Lin Qiwu walked with him, dissatisfied, “When will you stop calling me ‘Little’? Just call me ‘Aunt,’ won’t you?”

Lin Yan’an replied, “You’re younger than me.”

Lin Qiwu retorted, “But I’m still your elder!”

Lin Yan’an nodded, “Little Aunt is right.”

Lin Qiwu clicked her tongue and said, “I heard Gu Yuwen is going to sea with the fleet this year. Is that confirmed?”

Lin Yan’an: “…Yes.”

Lin Qiwu asked, “What’s with that expression? It’s fine if Yunxi is reluctant, but you won’t miss him too, will you?”

Lin Yan’an forced a smile, “Little Aunt, I wouldn’t miss anyone, let alone him.”

Lin Qiwu: “Really?”

Yes, absolutely. He wished Gu Yuwen would die sooner.

Lin Yan’an held the umbrella, expressionless, thinking. If he doesn’t die this time, there will be another time. If not next time, then the time after that.

Gu Yuwen must die because whether, as his uncle or brother-in-law, Lin Yan’an couldn’t accept him.

It’s better if he dies.

Lin Qiwu sensed a hint of murderous intent but wasn’t sure if she was mistaken. If not… it’s not a big problem. Yunxi and Gu Yuwen still hadn’t been together. If he dies, he dies. But she had to cover it up. If they fell out, it would be difficult for her.

Lin Qiwu continued talking to Lin Yan’an.

Lin Yan’an: “Is it confirmed?”

Lin Qiwu nodded, unable to contain her excitement and anticipation, “Yes, it’s confirmed!”

She was finally allowed to join the military.

Lin Yan’an didn’t respond immediately, only sighing. After a moment, he said, “That’s good.”

If that’s what you want, then it must be good.

The cold wind blew, and the lantern in the attendant’s hand swayed. Lin Yan’an raised the umbrella and wished Lin Qiwu, who was taking the first step towards her dream, “Then I wish you, Little Aunt, to be as majestic as Grandmother, sweeping across the four seas.”

And may you, with your horse and whip, go forth boldly, always safe and thriving.

End Of Lin Yan’an’s story