The victory report from Suzhou Prefecture completely ruined the mood, the banquet’s atmosphere plummeted from fiery enthusiasm to an icy chill in an instant. Even the sultry, provocative dances by the beautiful courtesans couldn’t heat things up again, the banquet remained cold and lifeless.
“Wenlong, go to the Office of Transmission later and make several copies of the Suzhou victory report text, bring one to the residence, and send people to distribute a few copies to everyone else. Once you all have the copies, study them carefully, we’ll meet at the residence tomorrow morning.”
Yan Shifan, visibly irritated, tossed his wine cup onto the table, stood up, and gave instructions to Luo Longwen and the others.
Luo Longwen was a Secretary of the Central Drafting Office, a mere seventh-rank official. Though the court had twenty such secretaries, they were responsible for drafting imperial edicts, proclamations, silver plaques, and iron vouchers, their rank was low, but their access to information was vast, making them key informants for the Yan faction in the court.
Backed by the Yan faction and supported by Yan Song and his son, Luo Longwen held an exceptional status among the secretaries, towering over the rest.
He had close ties with the Office of Transmission and other relevant departments, no memorial submitted from the provinces could escape his notice.
So, Yan Shifan tasked Luo Longwen with copying the Suzhou victory report memorial.
After giving instructions to Luo Longwen and the others, Yan Shifan stood and left, utterly fed up and in no mood to stay any longer.
He even abandoned the young lady he’d just taken under his wing at the banquet, it was the Yan residence’s steward who arranged for someone to escort her back to the mansion.
Once Yan Shifan left, the others naturally dispersed as well.
“I’ve said all along that raising a tiger invites trouble, raising a tiger invites trouble, but the old man wouldn’t listen. When it was time to strike, he held back, letting that brat grow step by step. If he’s really achieved a feat like wiping out 40,000 pirates, that brat might just rise to prominence! Dealing with him later won’t be so easy, it’ll take much more effort and time.”
Yan Shifan was in a foul mood, as soon as he returned to the residence, he headed straight for his father Yan Song’s study to discuss the Suzhou victory report. His frustration was so intense that he grumbled about Yan Song the whole way there.
In this world, aside from Emperor Jiajing, Yan Shifan was the only one bold enough to openly criticise Yan Song like this.
*Crash, bang*
Before he even reached the study, he heard a commotion of things being smashed inside.
“What’s going on?! Who’s causing a ruckus in the old man’s study?! Are they tired of living?” Hearing the noise, Yan Shifan frowned and cursed, quickening his pace toward the study.
“Young Master, it’s the young miss,” the steward and servants behind him hurriedly explained.
“Alan? Who upset her?” Yan Shifan asked, turning back.
“Young Master, Lord Ouyang came by, the master settled the marriage between the young miss and Young Master Ouyang with him. They picked an auspicious date before the year’s end, Lord Ouyang sent a matchmaker to the door, and when the young miss heard the news, she stormed off to confront the master in a rage.”
The steward explained.
“Alan’s so immature, Lord Ouyang is Mother’s brother, our uncle, a second-rank Provincial Administrator with a wealthy family. Ouyang Zishi grew up with Alan, practically childhood sweethearts, they know each other inside out. Marrying Zishi is like adding kinship to kinship, with Mother backing her, Alan won’t be bullied at her in-laws’ home, and with me watching, Zishi wouldn’t dare mistreat her either, how perfect is that! I even helped arrange this match, why can’t Alan see the painstaking effort Father and I put into this?”
After hearing the steward’s explanation, Yan Shifan shook his head, speaking with evident impatience.
The steward and others played deaf and mute, not daring to comment. They had no right to weigh in on the family’s affairs.
“I need to teach her a lesson, she’s getting more disobedient as she grows up,” Yan Shifan muttered, striding forward quickly.
“Oh no, Miss, Miss, stop smashing, stop smashing…”
As he reached the study door, Yan Shifan heard the maid’s anxious voice trying to calm Yan Lan.
“Let her smash, let her smash,” Yan Song said angrily, slamming the table.
“I’ll smash, I’ll smash, you clearly beat me before and promised I could choose my own husband, you’re going back on your word!”
Yan Lan’s voice rang out from inside.
Then—
A vase flew out of the study.
Yan Shifan saw it, but his bulky frame couldn’t keep up with his eyes, he’d only half-dodged when the vase was already in front of him.
Luckily, it grazed past his cheek and shattered with a loud crash, otherwise Yan Shifan would’ve been disfigured.
“Alan! What are you messing around for?!”
A cold sweat broke out on Yan Shifan’s forehead, shaken and furious, he stormed into the study, shouting at Yan Lan.
“I’m not messing around! It’s Father who’s messing around!” Yan Lan’s temper flared even hotter than her brother’s, she shot back defiantly.
“Nonsense! Nonsense!”
Inside the study, Yan Song sat in his chair, slamming the table with his aged hand, his white beard trembling with rage.
“Are you asking for a beating? Don’t think just because you’re grown, I won’t discipline you,” Yan Shifan, already in a bad mood, saw Yan Lan acting up and lost his temper, raising his bear-paw-like hand as if to strike.
“Go ahead, beat me to death then! You both promised me before that my marriage was my choice, now you’re breaking your word and still want to hit me, fine, just beat me to death! I don’t want to live anyway!”
Hearing Yan Shifan’s threat, tears streamed down Yan Lan’s face, but instead of backing off, she stepped forward, pressing her pretty face toward his hand, sobbing and daring him through her tears.
“You!”
Yan Shifan took a step back.
“Go on, beat me to death!” Yan Lan pressed closer, tears flowing as she wailed dramatically.
Yan Shifan was forced back three steps by her advance, finally losing patience, he poked her forehead with his finger and scolded, “You’re being ridiculous! Do you still think you’re a three-year-old?! What a disgrace!”
“Fine, you hit me, I’m telling Mother, I’ll say you tried to beat me to death! Just you wait!” Yan Lan, having been poked, acted as if she’d gained evidence, clutched her forehead, and ran out of the study crying to tattle to her mother.
“Miss, slow down, wait for me.”
Two maids hurriedly lifted their skirts and chased after her.
“She’s getting worse with age, it’s all your fault for spoiling her!” Yan Shifan watched Yan Lan run off to complain, turning to Yan Song to vent.
“If we’re talking about spoiling, you’ve had your share in it too,” Yan Song said, glancing at Yan Shifan with drooping eyelids.
“What’s that got to do with me? I even smacked her a few times when we were kids, didn’t you and Mother punish me double for it?”
Yan Shifan grumbled.
“What’s it got to do with you?! You’ve been a bad influence on her!” Yan Song shot him an irritated look.
Yan Shifan—
Today was truly rotten.
