29 Grand Preceptor's True Meaning

Hearing An Jinyan's words, née Qin was both surprised and happy. "If Your Highness is willing to help promote Shangguan Yong, that would be for the best. Ah Jin, you're blessed with such great fortune."

The Crown Prince's influence within the army had always been weak. Could it be that An Jinyan was trying to win over the forces within the army for the Crown Prince? When she thought about it again, An Jinyan felt that Shangguan Yong was only a Grade 5 Martial Officer and had no value in winning him over, so she was afraid that her older sister was just casually saying those words out of kindness.

"Big sister, I'm having a good life now," An Jinxiu said to An Jinyan. "Thank you, big sister."

An Jinge said from the side, "Second Sis, you should think about what the matriarch said. Remember to be a woman."

An Jinxiu pursed her lips and smiled, but didn't say anything. The words of the matriarch sounded unpleasant, but it was for her own good. She didn't want her to do something that would let Shangguan Yong down, so she didn't need to hold a grudge and return to being her power in the Residence of An grandma.

"It's getting late." An Jinyan suddenly felt bored. She stood up and said, "Matriarch, Mother, I'm going back."

Matriarch, Madam Qin, and An Jinge all stood up to send her off.

"Rest well, Grandmother. Jinge will go back to her room to learn the etiquette from the tutor mama I brought today. Mother can just send me off," An Jinyan said.

Since the Crown Princess had spoken, of course, everyone in the room would do as she said.

After they left, only the matriarch and Ah Jin were the only ones left in the room, the matriarch said to her, "You must remember my words. You must accept your fate!"

An Jin replied, "Grandmother, the Ah Jin lives peacefully with the general"

"You didn't rush to send off the crown prince's consort, meaning that you're already somewhat familiar with etiquette. Go take a look at your concubine mother. If there's nothing else in the future, you don't have to come back to the estate."

An Jin didn't say another word. She walked out of the matriarch's room and headed straight for the courtyard where her mother lived.

On the way out, An Jinyan whispered to née Qin, "Mother is right. Ah Jin is different from before."

"If it wasn't for this little b * tch's bad deeds, the An Jinge's marriage would have been set in stone."

An Jinyan turned around and glanced at the servants. The servants behind An Jinyan and née Qin hurriedly retreated, leaving some distance between them to allow the mother and daughter to speak in private.

"Mother didn't tell her daughter about the young master of the Prime Minister's estate," An Jinyan said to Madam Qin, "Does father also think highly of this marriage?"

née Qin said, "Isn't it better to be married to the prime minister?"

"Zhou Xiao Zhong is the Crown Prince's man. It's not that much of a loss to the Crown Prince whether or not this marriage is over."

née Qin hastily said: "This, this mother never expected this. Your father said that forming a family with Zhou Xiang's family was not bad. Mother arranged it like this."

An Jinyan laughed, "My father dotes on her two little daughters. I know that."

"Crown Princess," née Qin was a little flustered. From An Jinyan's words, was it that they had treated her daughter badly? Was the An clan not loyal enough to the crown prince?

An Jinyan looked at the beautiful scenery of summer in the Residence of An, but her heart was ice-cold. The Crown Princess listened with respect, who could know the bitterness she was experiencing? "I want to meet my father," An Jinyan decided when they were almost to the gates of the estate.

"Is that okay?" Grand Preceptor's daughter is part of the imperial family, so it was impossible for them to meet without an order. If news of their meeting at home were to spread, it would be a small matter to create gossip, so what would happen if there were to be any more disturbances?

"Today is the day that I am going to return home. It is only natural for me to accompany my sister to see my father," An Jinyan had already come up with an excuse, "Is father in the study?"

When née Qin saw that An Jinyan had already left for Grand Preceptor An's study, she couldn't persuade her otherwise. She could only speak up to An Jinyan, "Crown Princess, are you still worried about your second sister? "Even if she doesn't know how to talk, the Grand Preceptor won't say anything serious about her either."

The court ladies who came with An Jinyan did not raise their heads, but lowered their heads and followed her.

Grand Preceptor An was currently reading official documents in his study. When he heard the servant outside call out 'esteemed imperial concubine,' he was taken aback. Then he heard An Jinyan's voice, asking if his father was in the room. Grand Preceptor An hastily rose from behind his desk and left his study to welcome his eldest daughter.

After the father and daughter duo greeted each other, they sat down in the study. Grand Preceptor An then asked An Jinyan, "Did the imperial concubine bring the imperial concubine's decree?"

An Jinyan smiled and said, "Jinxiu return home today. I'll accompany her to visit Father."

Grand Preceptor An didn't even know that An Jinxiu had returned today. When he heard her words, he only made an 'oh' before lowering his voice and saying, "What's the matter, esteemed crown princess?"

An Jinyan opened her mouth and asked directly: "Father, why did you marry Shangguan Yong for Ah Jin?"

"Shangguan Yong saved this subject's life," Grand Preceptor An said. "Let's consider the rich and beautiful marriage a form of repaying gratitude."

"Repayment of gratitude?" An Jinyan said, "It's that simple? The Crown Prince has also mentioned this to his daughter. Father, even the Crown Prince does not understand why you have accepted a son-in-law like Shangguan Yong. "

"Did His Highness ask you to come here to ask?" Grand Preceptor An asked.

An Jinyan did not say yes or no. She just replied, "Father, just treat it as your daughter asking you."

Grand Preceptor An muttered to himself for a long time before saying to An Jinyan, "Shangguan Yong's kung fu skills are not bad, and he has gained the favor of many generals in the army. This subject sees that his future is definitely not just of the fifth rank."

"You mean, Shangguan Yong will become the Crown Prince's assistant in the military in the future?" An Jinyan asked.

"The person who plans the most is the person, and the matter is in the sky."

"Since father has such thoughts, then why can't she marry a general of the imperial court based on Ah Jin appearance?"

"The great general of the court," Grand Preceptor An laughed bitterly, "Our An clan was chosen as the crown prince's consort because we didn't have any military power. Otherwise, why would so many women from that year be chosen by the imperial concubine?"

Grand Preceptor An was at a loss for words for words. It wasn't as if she didn't know about this.

"Think of the Ah Jin as a pawn, that this subject will cripple this pawn," Grand Preceptor An continued, "Crown Princess, Shangguan Yong has a high chance of becoming a great general in the future. You and the crown prince should be more patient."

"Father!"

Grand Preceptor An waved a hand at her. "This subject needs to say some more disrespectful words. Back then, His Majesty immediately took the throne down, and the military might of His Majesty is even greater than the heavens. Right now, His Majesty is still in his prime, but the crown prince and the other princes have already grown up.

An Jinyan said, "What if Shangguan Yong is unable to support himself up the wall?"

Grand Preceptor An said, "As long as he's with Ah Jin, there's no mistaking this marriage official."

"Father is really good at embroidery., We are all children, this subject will not be merciful."

An Jinyan stood up and repressed the anger that had suddenly rose in her heart. She smiled at Grand Preceptor An and said, "Your daughter is back. Your father must pay attention to his health and not work too hard."

Grand Preceptor An saw An Jinyan out of the study and saw née Qin standing at the door, guarding it for them.

"Is the Crown Princess going back?" When the Madam Qin saw the father and daughter coming out, she quickly asked.

"Send esteemed imperial concubine out of the estate," Grand Preceptor An said. "It's getting late, so there's no need to drag Esteemed down with you any more trifling matters."

The Madam Qin didn't know what the father and daughter talked about. Seeing that their expressions were normal, she couldn't find any clues. She could only agree to send An Jinyan out of the manor.

"You have to teach her well," An Jinyan said to née Qin after she had left the Residence of An. "If the mama I brought here wishes to punish her, mother, don't stop her. I will arrange a good marriage for An Jinge, so you don't have to worry about her. "

Madam Qin was overjoyed. She thought that since An Jinyan was here to see the marriage, the marriage shouldn't be that bad. She thanked An Jinyan profusely, and didn't seem like a mother and daughter anymore.

Grand Preceptor An sat back in his study, unable to continue watching over the spread of documents on the table.

Today, he'd told An Jinyan about An Jin's wedding and finally told her the truth. For such a large clan like the An clan, which marriage had been arranged without a plan? Shangguan Yong wasn't a good man, but he had the conditions to accomplish something in the army. This was the only reason Grand Preceptor An had set his eyes on Shangguan Yong, and repaying him for his kindness was just an excuse.

Grand Preceptor An had thought that marrying his own daughter would make Shangguan Yong deeply grateful to him. When Shangguan Yong reached great heights in the future, he would still be in his hands.

As for Bai Chengze's request to marry An Jin as his secondary concubine, Grand Preceptor An had wanted to fulfill his wish as well. Eggs couldn't be placed in the same basket, so if the crown prince eventually couldn't become emperor, then Bai Chengze would be placed as Grand Preceptor An's second bet. But now that Grand Preceptor An thought about the current situation, he could only sigh at how the affairs of the world were unsatisfactory. He could only take things one step at a time.

"Someone, come," Grand Preceptor An shouted towards the door.

A personal attendant walked in and stood before the Grand Preceptor, bowing as he listened to his orders.

"Go to the tent and hand a hundred taels of silver to Second Miss," Grand Preceptor An ordered the attendant. "Tell Second Young Miss to set off. If there's anything wrong with her family, come back to the estate. Her family will help her." "Also, in the future, my family will still send her a monthly gift for her to use. Just treat it asfather's wish."

The attendant took his orders and went out.

It was only then that Grand Preceptor An buried his head back in the official documents. Whether it was to compensate his concubine for his daughter's sake or to win over Shangguan Yong through the Ah Jin, he could feel more at ease.

Ah Jin was very happy to receive the one hundred taels of silver from Grand Preceptor An in her room, but she felt like her hands were scalding hot with the money. She wasn't sure if she could bear her father's feelings.

"Take it," the Aunt Xiu said considerately. "You'll need silver taels for your daily life, so after Young Master leaves, your entire family will be dependent on you. Although you'll need quite a bit of silver taels, you still have to calculate the cost, after all, who knows when Young Master will come back for this battle?"

An Jinxiu nodded.

"Hurry up and go back," Aunt Xiu said as she took out a small box filled with needle and thread and gave it to An Jinxiu. "You can use this. Take it with you as well."

"Mother."

"You don't need to worry about mother's life in the mansion. Fifth Young Master is still here, so you can rest assured," the embroidery aunt kept on comforting An Jin.

An Jinxiu walked out of the courtyard. She turned her head to look at her mother who was standing at the entrance to the courtyard to send her off, but she couldn't take even a single step out of the courtyard.

Just endure for a few more years, An Jin thought to herself. She also told Aunt Xiu that their peaceful days would come. As long as she endured for a few more years, everything would be fine.