Chapter 678: Chapter 609: Everything with me_1 Chapter 678: Chapter 609: Everything with me_1 Xiao Yeyang was very dissatisfied with Daohua’s assertion that they were merely friends, and sat on the bed with a sullen expression, silently fiddling with the identity medallion in his hand.

Daohua glanced at him, removed the last silver needle from Yan Wentao, packed up the medicine box, and then stood up to take the medallion from his hand to look at it. Seeing that it was the same as before, she wondered, “Didn’t you say you got promoted? Why is it still an Investigator’s medallion?”

Xiao Yeyang looked at Daohua, “My imperial uncle did intend to promote me, but I declined.”

Daohua grew even more curious, “Why decline? You and the others took such great risks on your trip to the Northern Frontier delivering weapons and even captured the Grand Prince of the Tartars. Isn’t it right for the emperor to reward you?”

Xiao Yeyang smiled faintly and shook his head, “What do I need such a high position for? Aside from increased responsibilities, it brings no real benefits. Besides, I’m still so young. Rising to a high position at a young age isn’t good for everyone. Anyway, I don’t crave it. A fourth-rank Investigator is sufficient for me to do my job without too much pressure.”

Daohua laughed, “It’s because you have the emperor as a big backer that you can afford to be so carefree. If it were anyone else, they wouldn’t even have the chance to climb so high.”

Xiao Yeyang smiled, “Didn’t you say rebirth is also a kind of strength? I have this strength, so I don’t need to compete with others.” After saying that, he paused, hesitated as he looked at Daohua, then spoke after a long while.

“I told my imperial uncle that I want to exchange my reward for a favor. I have already reported to him that I want to decide my own marriage matters.”

Upon hearing this, Daohua was taken aback and turned around to murmur ‘Oh’ softly.

Seeing Daohua’s muted reaction, Xiao Yeyang was not very satisfied, and raised his voice a bit, “What I mean is that I will choose my own wife in the future, so… you should stop making wild guesses and worrying unnecessarily.”

Daohua was momentarily stunned upon hearing this, staring at Xiao Yeyang, thinking that he had always understood her worries and unease.

Having spoken his mind, Xiao Yeyang felt the embarrassment in his heart dissipate. Seeing Daohua standing still, he leaned in closer, “You have always pretended to be mature since you were young. Now that I can take on some responsibilities, you should just be a proper young lady in the boudoir, and leave everything outside to me.”

Daohua snapped out of it and cast him a sidelong glance, “Look at you showing off.”

Xiao Yeyang frowned, “Don’t you believe me?”

Instead of answering, Daohua asked back, “So… has the emperor agreed?”

Xiao Yeyang displayed confidence, “I understand the survival rules of the imperial family better than you. Just put your mind at ease.”

Daohua looked at him sideways, her eyes and brows filled with a lighthearted smile.

Seeing this, Xiao Yeyang was in high spirits. Just as he was about to take Daohua’s hand to express his feelings again, Yan Wentao woke up.

“Daohua, what are you and Yeyang talking about?”

Daohua swiftly pulled away from Xiao Yeyang’s hand and walked towards Yan Wentao, who was already sitting up in bed, “Third Brother, how do you feel now?”

Xiao Yeyang glared resentfully at Yan Wentao. Why did this guy have to wake up at this particular moment? It really was his misfortune.

Yan Wentao twisted his body and looked at Daohua with a smile, “I feel much more relieved.”

Daohua, “That’s good, I will give you acupuncture every day from now on, until the bruising on your back is completely gone.”

Hearing this, Xiao Yeyang quickly said, “Remember to come to me when you are going to give him the needles, huh.”

Yan Wentao, “Why should it be here? Isn’t it more convenient at home?”

Xiao Yeyang, “… Because I also need acupuncture, it’s better for us to do it together, which will make it easier for Daohua too.”

Daohua gave him a sidelong glance and did not say a word.

After a while, Yan Wenkai also woke up. Daohua helped him rebandage his wounds and then prepared to return home.

Wen Kai pointed to the wound on his face and said, “With the way I look, I won’t go back. I don’t want to worry the family. Big sister, today is father’s birthday, please kowtow to him for me.”

Wen Tao added, “And me!” If Wen Kai didn’t return, he couldn’t go back either, otherwise he would have to find an excuse.

Daohua nodded her head, looking sternly at Wen Kai, “Fourth brother, you mustn’t act impulsively again. If there’s a next time, I will write to Sister Su and have her take care of you.”

Wen Kai hurriedly said, “Don’t, don’t let Shiyu worry. She’s so delicate; what if she were frightened into harm?”

Daohua snorted, “You’re afraid Sister Su would be scared, but not afraid of scaring me? Hmph, it’s said that girls are extroverted, but when it comes to boys, they’re none the less.”

Wen Kai sheepishly touched his nose and said nothing more.

Daohua glanced at the three men, “Alright, I’m going back now.”

Seeing Wang Manman about to fetch the medicine box, Xiao Yeyang quickly said, “Since you’re coming back tomorrow to do acupuncture for me and Wen Tao anyway, just leave the medicine box here with me.”

Daohua, not noticing the trap in Xiao Yeyang’s words, pondered for a moment and then agreed. It wasn’t until she left the residence that she remembered she hadn’t actually said she would come tomorrow.

…

Yan Residence.

When Daohua returned, it was already late afternoon. She went straight to the old lady’s courtyard. Seeing that Madam Li and the Old Madam Yan only glanced at her indifferently and asked nothing, she couldn’t help but give her eldest brother a silent thumbs up.

She didn’t know how he explained her departure to them, for the two women had no reaction at all.

After dinner, Daohua followed Madam Li in seeing off the guests, then went back to her courtyard to rest.

Madam Zhu Si and Madam Zhu stayed over at the Yan Residence again.

Compared to the joy of Madam Zhu Si and Zhu Qiyun, the mood of Madam Zhu and her daughter was somewhat complicated, especially passing by Shuangxin Courtyard on their way to the guest quarters. Seeing Lin Niangniang, who was forcefully confined to the courtyard and no longer as radiant as before, Madam Zhu felt extremely heavy-hearted.

Back in the day, Lin Niangniang held such glory in the Yan Family, even overshadowing the legitimate wife, Madam Li. Otherwise, Madam Zhu wouldn’t have lowered her status to form an alliance with her.

Yet now Lin Niangniang ended up confined in a small courtyard, heard to be for a full three years before being released.

“Indeed, being a concubine rarely ends well.”

Madam Zhu Si, hearing Madam Zhu’s sighs, glanced at Shuangxin Courtyard. She had inquired about the affairs of the Yan Family and naturally knew about Lin Niangniang. In a calm voice, she said, “If you become someone else’s concubine, you must keep your place. If you always covet things that aren’t yours, naturally there will be no good ending. Madam Li has already been merciful enough.”

In other households, a concubine like Lin Niangniang, confined like this, would have likely been put to death with an excuse by the mistress long ago.

Madam Zhu nodded her head. She was in charge herself and knew very well how easy it was for a mistress to kill an unpopular concubine.

This time, Madam Zhu Si and her party stayed at the Yan Residence two days longer, mainly because the Sun Family had taken the birth charts of Zhu Qiyun and Yan Wenjie to the temple to be matched, fearing any accidents along the way. Madam Zhu Si decided to stay at the Yan Residence awaiting the result.

“The abbot said the children’s charts are a perfect match.”

As soon as Sun returned from the temple, she excitedly went to the Old Madam’s courtyard to inform Old Madam Yan and Madam Li about the match.

Madam Zhu Si, knowing her daughter and the second son of the Yan Family’s charts matched nicely, put her palms together and repeatedly murmured ‘Amitabha’.

Probably due to the matching charts, Sun’s attitude towards Zhu Qiyun improved significantly.

After the Zhu Si party had settled the matters of proposing and betrothal with the Yan Family, they left.