The siblings followed Mrs. Sun all the way to the backyard, during which Yan Zizhuo kept his head down, looking very unhappy.
Yan Hongzhao was constantly comforting him, asking what was wrong.
Yan Zizhuo remained silent.
Yan Lingzhen, with a pale face, stood by and said, "Xiaoqi was scolded by the second uncle today, that’s why he is upset."
"Why?" Yan Hongzhao asked.
"When the second uncle returned, Xiaoqi was playing Cuju and did not see him, so the ball hit his foot, and Xiaoqi got scolded for it."
Yan Lingzhen sighed and said, extending her hand to pat Yan Zizhuo’s little head, "Xiaoqi, you don’t need to be angry over insignificant people; they are not worth your internal strife."
Her words eased the expressions of those present by a few degrees.
Yan Wanqing couldn’t help but take a deep look at her youngest sister.
Such broad-mindedness at such a young age.
Yan Zizhuo felt comforted, but he was still not very comfortable inside. He dared not to act spoiled towards Mrs. Sun and Yan Wanqing and could only speak to Yan Hongzhao and Yan Lingzhen.
"Fifth sister, sixth sister, Xiaoqi dislikes the second uncle’s family, can we not have them stay in our house?"
Yan Hongzhao immediately wanted to agree, as the event of the second aunt beating her aunt hadn’t been long ago, and the second uncle came back and scolded Xiaoqi as if Township Manor were their own house.
But she dared not to say.
Yan Lingzhen naturally disliked them even more, having been aggravated by that Yan family from a young age.
Seeing Yan Hongzhao and Yan Lingzhen ignoring him, Xiaoqi felt even more wronged, his eyes wet and red, looking very pitiful.
"Don’t worry, they won’t be able to stay for long," Yan Wanqing, who was walking in front, suddenly stopped and said.
At these words, Mrs. Sun sighed, "Be cautious with your words."
Yet, Yan Wanqing continued seriously, "Xiaoliu is right, life is short, there’s no need to waste time on insignificant people. Since the second uncle’s family does not like us, we don’t need to please them. Not to mention the troubles they have caused since their arrival, just the murder committed by Yan Minsheng is severe enough to displease the Emperor with our Yan Family, and mother ought to see the consequences of this more clearly than I do."
Mrs. Sun subconsciously touched the Buddhist beads on her wrist, each bead smooth and slightly warm to the touch due to her body heat, "Wait a bit longer, it’s not yet the time."
Seeing Mrs. Sun relent, Yan Wanqing nodded, walked up to the sullen Yan Zizhuo, and squatted down in front of him. She then reached out and rubbed Yan Lingzhen’s little head again.
"This is our home; your eldest sister will not let you all be unhappy here."
This statement was a promise.
Hearing the eldest sister say so, Yan Zizhuo’s mood instantly improved. Beside him Yan Lingzhen also had slightly red eyes, but she didn’t say anything.
Upon entering the inner room, the nursemaid serving Mrs. Sun saw them and hurriedly came up cheerfully with a plate of pastries.
"These are newly experimented in the kitchen, made with eggs, for the young masters and misses to try something different."
The pastries were soft and tender, with the aroma of eggs quickly filling the air. Yan Zizhuo happily ate two large pieces.
However, Yan Wanqing, upon smelling them, felt her stomach churn and was quite uncomfortable.
She frowned slightly and sat in a more secluded spot.
Logically, she should not be feeling this way, could it be...
Yan Wanqing subconsciously looked down at her abdomen, wondering if it was this child that caused the nausea?
"Here, sister, have some candied fruit." Yan Lingzhen suddenly offered a piece of candied fruit, bright yellow and orange. "It’s apricot, made by Xiaoliu himself."
Yan Wanqing popped it into her mouth, the sour-sweet flavor suppressing the nausea she had just felt.
This girl, her thoughtfulness was far too keen.
She couldn’t help feeling moved by Yan Lingzhen in her heart.
Truly, for a twelve-year-old girl, such attentiveness was beyond her years.
However, she herself had always been an oddity since childhood, and Xiaoliu was her own younger sister. It was only natural for her to have such reactions and talents.
Yan Wanqing quickly came to terms with it.
After sitting for a while in Sun’s room, Yan Wanqing felt weary and went straight back to Lotus Garden.
At this moment, the second branch of the family was heatedly discussing issues concerning Yan Minsheng.
Mrs. Liu blamed Yan Wanqing, believing that it was because of her that Sun strongly resisted using the power of Township Manor to rescue Yan Minsheng.
"Sun Qinglian doesn’t wield power anymore. She spends all her days in the temple, being devout and desireless. All the big and small affairs at home are managed by her aunt. Saying this out loud would be laughable! Moreover, that Yan Wanqing, she’s nineteen and still not betrothed. In a few more years, she will be an old maid. She spends her days at home bossing everyone around, and she’s cruel, ruthless, and cold-blooded. She doesn’t even want to help her own cousin."
The old lady had never liked Yan Wanqing and nodded in agreement. "That’s true. If not for Yan Wanqing’s interference, perhaps this morning, Sun would have already sent someone to Dali Temple."
"As long as Yan Wanqing is at home for one day, let alone saving Minsheng, we won’t have a single good day. The last time, she had the house servant block me at mother’s place for a whole day. She’s utterly disrespectful and lawless!" Mrs. Liu’s anger toward Yan Wanqing was inexhaustible, even after days and nights of complaints.
Yan An, listening on the side, stroked his chin, recalling how Yan Wanqing had publicly talked back to him that morning. His impression of his niece was extremely poor.
"What can we do about it? She is officially titled as Commandery Princess by His Majesty. Although she has her own Princess Residence, we can’t just forcefully drive her out; we simply have no grounds to say such things."
This was Yan Wanqing’s home, where she could come and go as she pleased. The second branch simply had no say.
Mrs. Liu frowned deeply, then suddenly said, "So, we must think of a way to make her move out."
"What way?" Yan An, already knowing Mrs. Liu had some ulterior motives, asked impatiently, "Just say it."
The old lady also leaned in. "Do you mean to have Yan Wanqing marry off?"
As soon as these words came out, Mrs. Liu immediately nodded, "Mother is wise indeed. Truly, once Yan Wanqing marries, she can no longer meddle in the family affairs."
"Easier said than done," Yan An scoffed. "Do you think it’s back to the times when matchmakers broke down her door before her coming-of-age ceremony? Who in the entire Capital City would want to marry her now?"
Everyone is not foolish enough to marry a barren noblewoman just for show.
Those with lower social standing were looked down upon by the Yan family, and those with higher standing were unwilling.
Otherwise, why would Yan Wanqing still be unmarried at nineteen? Her face, a perfect inheritance of Sun Qinglian’s beauty, could be described as breathtakingly beautiful.
Mrs. Liu shook her head, "We can’t be so absolute in our words. I heard something interesting a few days ago."
"Stop beating around the bush and just say it." Yan An was very impatient.
Mrs. Liu did not dare delay, "I learned from her personal maid’s mouth that our current Prince Xiaoqi has always had affection for Yan Wanqing and is even willing to marry her as his principal wife, but it’s just that she won’t agree, and they are at a standoff."
"Is that really so?!" The old lady exclaimed, "Why didn’t you say so earlier? If she can become Prince Xiaoqi’s principal wife, it wouldn’t disgrace the Township Manor’s reputation."
"Prince Xiaoqi is rising in power, having many supporters in court. It’s said he can even rival Crown Prince..." Yan An mused thoughtfully. "If I can arrange the marriage between Yan Wanqing and Prince Xiaoqi, the Prince will surely hold me in higher regard, and returning to a high position may not be impossible, especially since His Majesty’s attitude towards Crown Prince is uncertain... the future is indeed unpredictable..."
The more Yan An thought about it, the happier he became. He patted Mrs. Liu’s shoulder, "This time you have truly come up with a clever plan. As long as Yan Wanqing marries Prince Xiaoqi, he surely won’t stand by idly regarding our son’s matters."