Chapter 22: The Child’s Belonging

“Anyway, we’ve seen it all along the way that your Yan family and the Jiang family are honest people. Once this matter is over, we’ll remove the shackles from both your families.”

Having said that, he glanced at Jiang Duo’er’s ankle with a smile that wasn’t quite a smile, and continued, “The Yan family is weak, they can’t run even without shackles. As for you Jiang people, wearing these shackles is no different from not wearing them. Consider it repaying you for your kindness.”

Upon hearing this, both of them were overjoyed.

Although it made little difference whether Jiang Duo’er wore shackles or not, who liked being tripped by something on their leg for no reason? Even taking a big step would pull at it. Sometimes, she even suspected that if she continued wearing them, she would end up walking with small, mincing steps.

And Yan Huan was even worse off. When she first wore them, her ankles bled. Even with thick cotton padding, that area had already developed a layer of calluses, making her life miserable.

Moreover, Zhao Song said he would remove the shackles from all the Jiang and Yan family members. It didn’t matter to them young ones, but for the old and the young in their families, it was truly great news.
The two of them thanked him repeatedly. Zhao Song told them to go back and prepare, as they would be setting off soon.

The Yan family members were naturally overjoyed to hear that Zhao Song had agreed to remove their shackles. However, knowing that Yan Huan was going into the mountains at this time, most of them were still very worried. After all, such a thing had happened in the morning, and Yan Huan was as weak as a chicken. Going into the mountains now, they were afraid she would encounter danger.

However, Yan Huan also knew that danger and opportunity coexisted. Perhaps it was for this reason that Zhao Song had called her along. If there wasn’t this opportunity, where would the Yan family get a chance to remove their shackles? Speaking of which, she still needed to find a chance to repay Zhao Song’s kindness.

The brothers of the first branch and Yan Jiang and Yan Hai all expressed their desire to go into the mountains with Yan Huan.

Considering the fighting power of those brothers, Yan Huan only took Yan Jiang and Yan Hai with her.

Although Duo’er and the officials would also be there, if something really happened, having more people would naturally be advantageous.

Moreover, these two brothers were honest and straightforward, without any hidden agendas, which Yan Huan quite liked.

The Yan family members all looked worried, only Jin Shi stood aside, pursing her lips and rolling her eyes, wanting to interrupt and say something. However, Yan Qinglin, who was standing next to her, spoke up.

Yan Qinglin had been standing beside her, clearly seeing the expressions on her face. At this moment, he said in a sinister tone, “If you don’t want to die, don’t say anything.”

The word “die” startled Jin Shi into a cold sweat.

In the past, Yan Qinglin had always listened to her every word, and she had almost forgotten that she was just a servant in the old lady’s room. Her indenture was still in the old lady’s hands, and her life and death were controlled by the Yan family.

Ever since the embarrassing incident involving Yan Qinglin that day, she had felt that Yan Qinglin was different towards her. The way he looked at her seemed like he wanted to devour her.

Jin Shi quickly composed her expression, and tears welled up in her eyes.

“Fourth Master, is there some misunderstanding about this servant? I’m just feeling indignant for Fourth Master. Song Yan said that last night, Sixth Miss sent meat to the second and third branches, but our fourth branch got nothing. This is clearly not putting you, her uncle, in her eyes.”

“Eldest Brother was at least a Grand Tutor before. How could he not even teach his own daughter properly, being so disrespectful to her elders?”

Yan Qinglin slapped her across the face with his backhand. “How dare you criticize Eldest Brother? I think you’re tired of living.” This slap seemed to vent all the resentment Yan Qinglin had accumulated these past few days, and several finger marks instantly appeared on Jin Shi’s face.

Earlier, the two of them had been speaking softly, and everyone’s attention was on Yan Huan, so they hadn’t noticed the abnormality between them. But now that the commotion was louder, everyone looked at them.

It was the old lady who spoke first, “Jin Chan, after coming this far, haven’t you seen the situation clearly? I remember that you used to be from my room and served me for over a decade. I always treated you like a daughter. But the situation is different now. If you continue to act recklessly, I won’t be able to protect you.”

The old lady’s words were not pretentious. In her lifetime, she had given birth to four sons but no daughters. Jin Shi had been by her side since she was very young, and she truly had treated her somewhat like a daughter.

Later, she gave her to her most beloved youngest son as a concubine. Although she was a concubine, she was under her watchful eyes and had never been made to suffer any grievances.

It was precisely because of this that Jin Shi had developed a spoiled and arrogant nature.

Hearing this, Jin Shi didn’t dare to act presumptuously anymore. She lowered her head and eyes, not knowing how much she had taken in.

Seeing that Jin Shi had quieted down, the old lady said to Yan Qinglin again, “Liu Shi is gone. Qingling, what do you plan to do?”

Yan Qinglin had been almost driven crazy by that pile of excrement these past few days. Where would he have the mood to care about Yan Qingling’s affairs? He said carelessly, “Please trouble Mother to handle it.”

The old lady seemed to have expected this answer and shook her head helplessly.

There wasn’t a single reliable person in the fourth branch. It seemed they could only place the child with the first, second, or third branch. The child was only a year old, had been breastfeeding before, and couldn’t eat vegetable cakes. It would be difficult to raise.

If the eldest was willing, raising the child in the first branch would be the best.

“Eldest, Qingling is also your niece. What do you think? Can you take care of her? We’ll talk about it again when we get to Ganzhou. Your family still has servants, so taking care of a child won’t be too much trouble.”

Before Yan Qingyi could reply, Tan Shi, who was beside him, became anxious and quickly stepped forward, saying, “Mother, Qingling is our fourth branch’s child. Liu Shi is dead, and I am her mother now. Let me take care of her.”

Tan Shi came from a good family, and she had a sweet time with Yan Qinglin in the early days of their marriage.

But Yan Qinglin was the youngest son, a typical mama’s boy. As long as his own life was good, he left all other matters to his mother.

After a few years, because she hadn’t had any children, the old lady made trouble for her every day, citing the three unfilial acts, the greatest being the lack of descendants. The Tan family also felt guilty and was afraid that the old lady would force someone into her room. If that person had a child and overshadowed her, they married their cousin to him, who became the second concubine, Little Tan Shi.

Little Tan Shi and she had been close since childhood, didn’t compete, and was capable. She gave birth to three children for the Yan family in one go. She thought her future days would be better.

But later, Yan Qinglin hooked up with Jin Shi from the old lady’s room and brought her home as the third concubine, which made her see the true nature of this man.

By the time he married Liu Shi, she no longer felt anything.

Once she was disappointed in a man, she wouldn’t be sad anymore.

Her heart had already died. She thought she would live the rest of her life numbly, but then she met Yan Qingling.

Liu Shi’s courtyard was next to hers.

Usually, Liu Shi didn’t know what she was busy with and always left the child alone in the courtyard, without even leaving a maid by her side.

The little girl often cried alone in the courtyard, crying for most of the day.