Chapter 268 She is a great benefactor to us, mother and daughter.
As Yan Fengju watched Jiang Yu's departing figure, her hands clenched into fists, and she felt a surge of power coursing through her body.
She was so glad she had taken that step, leaving the Grand Tutor's mansion and standing before the Duke of Chu. It was probably the best decision she had ever made.
What did the Duke of Chu say to you?
A voice rang out, and Yan Fengju turned around to see Yan Fenghua standing not far behind her, her face showing curiosity.
"She didn't say much, just gave me some encouragement," Yan Fengju said casually, then walked out. Yan Fenghua glanced in the direction Jiang Yu had left, then looked deeply at Yan Fengju's back, before quickening her pace to walk alongside Yan Fengju.
He was somewhat unaccustomed to this arrangement. In the past, not only Yan Fengju, but even Yan Fengxi would walk a step behind him. But he also understood that things were different now. Yan Fengju now had the right to be his equal.
Yan Fengju didn't even consider whether the two should walk side by side or she should be a step behind Yan Fenghua. At this moment, she was thinking about how to deal with her grandfather and father when she got home.
Unlike the Duke of Chu, who had entered the court with the approval of the old Duke of Chu, she was now unsure of her grandfather and father's true feelings towards her. Were they acting out of pressure, or did they genuinely approve of her?
After so many years of forbearance, she didn't really care whether her grandfather and father approved of her, but their approval determined her future path and how she would walk it.
The brother and sister arrived in silence at the gate of the Central Secretariat, where they saw a man in his forties bending over and smiling as he stuffed silver into the hand of the gatekeeper. "Sir, please be lenient and let me in. I wish to request an audience with the Duke of Chu."
Yan Fengju looked at the man with a puzzled expression. Yan Fenghua then whispered to her, "This man is the owner of Baoyuan Money Shop."
Yan Fengju nodded knowingly, then said, "Thank you, elder brother."
Her thanks eased the tension between the two. Yan Fenghua smiled, gestured for Yan Fengju to get into the carriage, and then got in herself.
"The owner of Baoyuan Money Shop is related to Prince Yong by marriage," Yan Fenghua added. "I heard that he wanted to profit from the restructuring of Jufeng Money Shop. However, the Duke of Chu used him as a pilot project, and now Baoyuan Money Shop is probably going to be finished."
"He tried to steal a chicken but lost the rice instead." Yan Fengju had heard about this, but she didn't know the details.
Yan Fenghua nodded after hearing her words, then looked at Yan Fengju and asked, "Third sister, why do you think the Duke of Chu did this?"
Yan Fengju thought for a moment and said, "They probably want to make an example of someone."
Yan Fenghua looked at her approvingly, "Yes."
He felt that this half-sister was much smarter than his biological sister. His biological sister had been carefully educated for many years and was indeed clever, but it was all superficial cleverness, nothing substantial. This half-sister, however, truly possessed some wisdom.
He didn't see Yan Fengju as an enemy; no matter how clever she was, she was still a woman. The idea that men inherited the family business was deeply ingrained. The reason the Duke of Chu was able to inherit the title was because the Chu family had no successor.
He didn't think he was particularly outstanding, but he wasn't a spoiled brat like Jiang Chengye or Jiang Jiarong. His grandfather and father had no reason to abandon him and let Yan Fengju be his successor.
Yan Fengju did not intend to surpass Yan Fenghua and inherit the Grand Tutor's mansion. She only wanted to rely on the Grand Tutor's mansion to forge her own path and take control of her own life.
The brother and sister returned to the Grand Tutor's residence with different thoughts in their minds, and first went to Grand Tutor Yan's study together. Upon seeing Yan Fengju, Grand Tutor Yan first asked her with a smile how her exam went.
Yan Fengju replied respectfully, "After the exam, the Duke of Chu told his granddaughter that she had done well and would be able to start working at the Heavenly Crafts Bureau in a few days."
"Good, hahaha, good." Grand Tutor Yan praised Yan Fengju with pride, then gave a detailed account of the investigation into Yuechan's death and its results. He added, "Although the trail has gone cold, I will have people continue the investigation and give you an explanation."
After hearing Grand Tutor Yan's words, Yan Fengju remained silent for a moment before saying, "Fengju will listen to Grandfather."
Grand Tutor Yan gazed intently at her, observing her calm expression and respectful demeanor, yet he could not discern her true feelings. Grand Tutor Yan lowered his deep gaze, thinking to himself, "She is indeed no simple woman."
“Good child, I’m sorry you had to suffer before. From now on, you will be treated the same as your older brother in everything you do.” His tone was very sincere. “From now on, whether it’s matters of officialdom or family, you can talk to me directly. No matter what, we are family.”
"Yes, Fengju understands." Yan Fengju bowed to Grand Tutor Yan again, very respectfully.
Grand Tutor Yan nodded. Whether her obsequiousness was genuine or not, he was satisfied. Anyone with a modicum of intelligence would know the immense difference between having family support and not having it.
Clearly, this granddaughter is intelligent.
After chatting about other things for a while, Grand Tutor Yan dismissed Yan Fengju. When she arrived at the gate of her courtyard, she saw Aunt Pan and Yuegui standing there, clearly waiting for her.
She hurried over and saw tears in Aunt Pan's eyes. She immediately took out a handkerchief to wipe her tears, saying, "Aunt, I succeeded."
The words "I succeeded" brought Aunt Pan's tears to an even greater climax. These four simple words represented years of forbearance, hard work, and meticulous planning by the mother and daughter.
"Aunt, let's go inside and talk." Tears welled up in Yan Fengju's eyes as the mother and daughter entered the hall hand in hand. Yan Fengju recounted her experiences after leaving the manor, and when she spoke of Yuechan's death, she could no longer hold back her tears.
Aunt Pan wiped away her tears and said, "I sent one hundred taels of silver to Yuechan's family. I think Yan Fengxi did it. Even if the First Madam wanted to do something to you, she wouldn't do it at this time. Although Yan Fengxi has been carefully trained for many years, a person's innate nature cannot be changed."
Yan Fengju nodded; she also assumed it was Yan Fengxi. However, she earnestly told Aunt Pan, "Let's investigate this privately; let's not mention it again in the manor."
Aunt Pan was also clever and naturally understood what she meant. She quickly nodded and said, "I know. We've endured so many years, and it's not easy for you to get better. We can't let a moment of pleasure affect your future."
At this point, she wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes and said, "From today onwards, I will chant sutras every day to pray for the Duke of Chu. She is a great benefactor to my mother and me."
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