Chapter 121: Brother-in-law

The arrival of Old Nine finally allowed the tension Wu Tong had been holding in for months to dissipate. Upon hearing the news, he hurried to the seaside. Seeing Old Nine and his entourage still lingering by the shore, he urged, "Master Nine, we should return to the manor to rest."

Reminded by Wu Tong, Yan Yan recalled that Old Nine must have traveled a great distance to reach this place. She hurriedly picked up Hongzhang, who was in front of her, and placed him into a small stroller nearby. Old Nine looked at the four-wheeled carriage with curiosity, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Catching that smile as she turned back, Yan Yan gave a sheepish laugh. "At first, none of the three could walk, so this carriage made things much easier." Hearing her explanation, Old Nine reached out and took her hand, saying with a touch of self-mockery, "The first thing you say to me is an explanation about this carriage?"

Yan Yan paused, then burst into a giggle and gave him a light tap. Old Nine laughed heartily, a sound so rare that Wang Quan and the soldiers standing in the distance couldn't help but sigh; indeed, nothing compared to the smiles of the Side Consort. They hadn't seen their master laugh like this in ages.

Seeing that Wu Tong was about to speak, Wang Quan quickly pushed the children's stroller and pulled Wu Tong toward the front. "Can't you show some sense? You’ve been away for months and lost all your tact!" Wu Tong suddenly realized his mistake and moved to lead the way with Wang Quan.

Yan Yan had wanted to push the stroller, but with Old Nine holding her hand, she had no choice but to walk at the back of the group. Old Nine kept his grip firm. "Do you have nothing else to say to me?"

Yan Yan looked up at him, pursed her lips, and thought for a long while before shaking her head. There was so much she wanted to say, but she didn't know where to begin. She wanted to ask why he had sought her out, why he had traveled so far to find her, if he truly understood why she had left, or why she had been so hurt and angry. But she couldn't bring herself to voice these things. She knew that Old Nine was a man of the Great Qing through and through, a prince of the empire—he could never truly comprehend her way of thinking.

Watching her, Old Nine sighed softly. "I know you have suffered grievances, and I know you were frightened. But why run to such a place? Why not come to Shandong to find me? Do you think I would ever harm my own children?"

Yan Yan bit her lip. As she suspected, Old Nine only understood that one aspect of her fear. "I was afraid it was your intention," she whispered. Old Nine stopped in his tracks, gently lifted her chin, and said firmly, "Yan Yan, remember my words. No matter what happens, I will never let you and the children be separated from me."

Yan Yan looked at him with glistening eyes. She knew this was the most beautiful vow he could offer. Her eyes welled up; she realized she had become quite prone to crying lately.

Old Nine tapped her forehead helplessly, dotingly remarking, "You seem so clever at other times, yet you become so foolish at the critical moment." Yan Yan laughed along with him. *Yes,* she thought, *staying by his side like this is not so bad.* If she could use her own abilities to help him change his fate, then so be it. And if she couldn't, perhaps accompanying him through the darkest days of his life was its own form of romance, wasn't it?

As Yan Yan looked up, about to speak, she heard a simple, honest voice from ahead: "Brother Wu, back with the children?" Yan Yan looked over in surprise to see Qian Si, who often helped them chop firewood, returning with a large bundle of logs on his back.

Old Nine noticed him too. As his soldiers moved closer to shield him, he raised a hand to stop them. Yan Yan whispered, "He’s been a great help these past few months, chopping firewood for us. Otherwise, this seaside house would have remained damp." Old Nine glanced at her and gave a noncommittal grunt.

Qian Si seemed to notice Old Nine beside Yan Yan, and for some reason, a look of desolation crossed his face. He looked awkwardly at Wu Tong. "Your family has guests?" Wu Tong smiled. "Yes, he is..." He glanced at Old Nine, then said with some embarrassment, "He is my cousin-in-law."

Wu Tong spoke with caution, glancing at Old Nine. Yan Yan couldn't help but chuckle—she felt the term "cousin-in-law" sounded utterly ill-suited for Old Nine. Qian Si’s expression grew even more forlorn. "So, Miss Yan is already married," he murmured.

Old Nine narrowed his eyes at this, his grip on Yan Yan’s hand tightening. He looked down at her, taking in her simple Han-style dress and her hair braided into a plain plait. His expression soured. Regardless of the public setting, he leaned down and whispered into her ear, "You dare not to wear the head ornaments of a married woman? Are you trying to defy me?"

Yan Yan blushed, pushing at his chest. "I didn't mean to. Please, stand up straight." Old Nine was even more annoyed by this. Childishly, he draped his arm over her shoulder and pulled her close to his side.

Yan Yan laughed helplessly; Old Nine always insisted on doing things his own way. She pulled his arm down, then took the initiative to link her arm through his, looking up at him with a smile. "Is this better?" Old Nine finally looked satisfied, affectionately bumping his forehead against hers. Wang Quan and the soldiers had to look away.

They couldn't believe this sentimental man was the same Master Nine who used to be a master of romance, leaving no trace of his attachments behind. It was too embarrassing. Yet, Old Nine didn't find it shameful at all; he even waved generously at Qian Si, causing the soldiers to cover their faces and retreat a few paces. Even more childishly, despite the small courtyard being located on the outskirts of the village, Old Nine insisted on walking through the entire village with his arm around Yan Yan, claiming he wanted to see the village where she had lived.

After the "exhibition," every villager knew that Wu Tong’s brother-in-law had arrived, and that he was a very wealthy man. His clothes, and the clothes of his attendants, were unlike anything the fishing village had ever seen. And this wealthy man was surprisingly approachable—he handed out "lucky money" to the children, two full taels of silver each, even though it wasn't a holiday.

Yan Yan could only laugh and sigh at his silly behavior.

After a long detour, the "brother-in-law" finally returned to the small courtyard under the watchful eyes of the entire village. The place was modest—a simple two-section layout with no extra wings or gatehouses. Even so, it was the best house in the area.

Old Nine felt a pang of heartache. Looking at Yan Yan and the children, who should have been pampered in the lap of luxury, he was filled with profound remorse. "We depart for the capital tomorrow," he said softly.

He expected Yan Yan to jump for joy, but she looked at him for a long time before silently shaking her head. Old Nine’s gaze turned icy, and the air around them seemed to freeze.