Volume One, Chapter 10: A Cold Reception
Sigh—
The carriage came to a slow halt. Seeing that no one from the Yan family came out to greet them and the gates remained tightly shut, Sang Lin was irritated. “Young Lady, this is outrageous.”
Jiu Mu replied calmly, “Go and call them to the door.”
She was not at all surprised that the Yan family would give her the cold shoulder like this.
“Yes.” Sang Lin strode over.
He raised his hand and knocked heavily on the door several times, shouting loudly, “Is anyone there? Open the door!”
Before long, a side door creaked open and a servant poked his head out, his tone impatient. “Who are you looking for?”
“Are you blind? Our Young Lady is returning home today. Hurry up and open the door!” Sang Lin snapped angrily.
The servant glanced at the carriage and then retreated without any intention of letting them in.
“What do you mean? You want our Young Lady to enter through the side door?” Sang Lin was furious as he yanked the servant out from inside.
“The main gate is broken. No one can go through it,” the servant explained.
These people were truly unbearable, daring to bar the Young Lady from entering. If only the Young Master were here—those cowards wouldn’t dare.
Lo Yan heard everything clearly inside the carriage, his fair face flushing with anger.
“Sis, this is outrageous. Let's go back now and have our parents deal with them.”
Jiu Mu couldn’t help but poke his cheek lightly, smiling softly. “Children can always go home to complain, but as an adult, I have to think things through.”
She turned to the window and instructed, “Sang Lin, since the gate is broken and useless, gather some men and help tear it down.”
“Right away.”
Hearing this, Sang Lin’s anger instantly dissipated. He pushed the servant aside and began calling his men.
Their Young Master was truly foresighted, having told him to bring extra men before leaving.
The guards from the Hou residence quickly approached, weapons in hand. Sang Lin eagerly rubbed his hands together and took a sword from one of them.
“Here, give it to me.”
Raising the sword, he struck the Yan family’s main gate with all his might.
Bang! The blade embedded deeply into the gate. Sang Lin’s hands went numb from the shock, yet he couldn’t pull it free.
He let go and called to those around him, “Don’t just watch, help me!”
In the blink of an eye, a large hole was chopped into the gate, leaving a pile of broken wood nearby. Yan Huaicheng came out with some men just in time to see the scene.
“What are you doing? Stop at once!” Yan Huaicheng barked furiously.
“Oh, it’s like this. Our Young Lady came home, and your servant said the gate was broken and impassable, so we were just fixing it up. We’re family, no need to be polite.”
Having just vented his anger, Sang Lin felt immensely satisfied, a smug smile on his face.
“Fixing the gate? I think you’re just looking for trouble. Who gave you the nerve?” Yan Huaicheng was fuming, his eyes fixed on the wrecked gate, oblivious to the servant’s explanation.
Yan Qingling spoke softly, “Father, don’t anger yourself. That girl grew up in the countryside, she doesn’t understand the rules.”
“Exactly, so crude and unrefined,” Madame Xu chimed in, supported by a servant.
Yan Huaicheng looked through the hole in the gate toward the carriage and shouted, “Ungrateful daughter, come down and see what trouble you’ve caused!”
“What trouble? What trouble?” a youthful voice called out as Lo Yan climbed out of the carriage, hands on his hips standing on the carriage shaft.
“Second Young Master! Why are you here too?” Yan Huaicheng’s tone faltered, a forced smile spreading across his face.
He hadn’t expected the Hou residence to accompany Jiu Mu on her visit back.
“If I hadn’t come, how would I know how you bullied my sister-in-law? I will tell my parents and elder brother everything when we return,” Lo Yan declared.
In his heart, he had already accepted Yan Jiu Mu as part of the Hou family. To bully her was to cross the Hou household.
Yan Huaicheng hurried to explain, “Second Young Master, this is all a misunderstanding.”
“A misunderstanding? Then are the ‘wretched girl’ and ‘ungrateful daughter’ you mentioned her?” Lo Yan pointed at Yan Qingling.
He had heard clearly that this woman called Yan Huaicheng ‘father,’ so she must be Yan Qingling.
Yan Qingling’s face flushed red instantly, anger flashing in her eyes. “What nonsense are you spouting? Yan Jiu Mu is clearly the illegitimate daughter of a concubine.”
“You’re the real wretch,” Lo Yan snapped back, easily provoked as a child.
“If I’m a wretch, then father must be an old wretch,” Jiu Mu said with a smile as she stepped out of the carriage, composed.
She assessed Yan Qingling standing beside Yan Huaicheng—medium height, diamond-shaped face, willow-leaf eyebrows, phoenix eyes, at best plain-looking.
Yan Qingling was returning the gaze with disdain, her dislike for Jiu Mu deepening upon seeing her clearly.
“Yan Jiu Mu, how dare you insult my father!”
“Insult? Didn’t those words come from your mouth first?” Jiu Mu had now dismounted and was climbing the steps.
“That’s not what I meant!” Yan Qingling instinctively denied.
Lo Yan hurried after, “You said your father was an old wretch, so what does that make you? A lowly wretch?”
“Silence! Where did you come from, you little bastard?” Yan Qingling didn’t even notice that Yan Huaicheng had just addressed Lo Yan as Second Young Master.
“Oh, you dare call me a bastard? I’ll beat you to death,” Lo Yan’s temper flared, like a small lion provoked. As soon as the gate opened, he lunged at Yan Qingling.
The three exchanged sharp words, with old Yan Huaicheng unable to intervene. Only now did he come to his senses and grabbed Lo Yan.
He turned to Yan Qingling, scolding, “Qingling, don’t talk nonsense. This is the Hou residence’s Second Young Master. Apologize at once.”
“But he just—” Yan Qingling was reluctant, never expecting the Hou family to side with Yan Jiu Mu.
Weren’t they supposed to despise her? After all, she was just a wild girl raised in the countryside.
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