An Chaoli still couldn't refuse his daughter.
He took out a clean handkerchief, gently wiped away An Yuan'er's tears, and coaxed her softly, "If you cry again, Daddy won't like you anymore. If you're naughty, Daddy will give you to Master Wang next door."
An Yuan'er sniffed and said in a voice like a kitten, "Father, please agree to Yuan'er's request."
An Chaoli remained silent for a long time, so long that An Yuan'er thought there was no hope left.
He finally relented: "Alright, Father will grant your request. However, you are still young and do not understand the complexities of the royal family. Before you go, you must make a three-point agreement with Father: do not cause trouble, do not provoke trouble, and do not cause trouble. Can you do that?"
An Yuan'er nodded solemnly.
After taking his daughter back to her room and putting her to sleep, An Chaoli was still worried, wondering if his daughter had understood what he was saying.
The royal family is like a game of chess; today's prosperity only represents today, and tomorrow's situation is still unknown. The An family has stood firm for many years by maintaining neutrality and not taking sides, which is why they have gained some of the emperor's trust. It is unknown how long this situation can be maintained in the future.
A terrible thought flashed through An Chaoli's mind: his daughter wanted to go to the royal academy, could it be that she had taken a fancy to one of the princes?
The thought startled An Chaoli so much that he broke out in a cold sweat. He then shook his head violently, convincing himself that his daughter was only a few years old and wouldn't understand such things.
He clenched his fist in anger. In his eyes, even royalty was unworthy of his precious daughter if they didn't treat her sincerely.
Raising a daughter truly means worrying about her for a lifetime, starting from the moment she's born.
An Chaoli found it sweet and delicious.
*
An Yuan'er didn't know how her father had persuaded her grandfather, and the next day she received the news that she could go to the Royal Academy.
Her cousin, An Piao'er, from her uncle's family also went with her.
An Yuan'er didn't stay in bed; she got up early to prepare.
She was wearing a simple pink and white short jacket, a small hat that gave her a scholarly air, and a satchel slung across her shoulder. From a distance, she really did look like a scholar.
An Chaoli was worried about his daughter, so he personally saw her off at the door. The carriage was already waiting at the door; An Piao'er had arrived early.
An Piao'er's mother, Madam Lihua, always liked to stir up trouble. She was seen chatting at the door: "Don't think that just because you survived a disaster and got the reputation of being a lucky baby, you're something special. Do you think Buddha will bless you with a wealth of knowledge and erudition? At such a young age, you insist on going to the Royal Academy to join the fun. I hope you don't embarrass our An family."
The old lady also scolded An Chaoli: "The second son spoils the child too much. This kind of thing can't be done recklessly."
“Our Piao’er could recite the Three Character Classic at the age of three, and could recite the Analects backwards at the age of five. Now, she’s even starting to recite the Li Sao. You know, there are many rare characters in the Li Sao. I’m afraid the Fourth Miss doesn’t even know them.” Madam Lihua was very proud.
"Fourth Miss usually only loves to play and has hardly ever looked at a book. If she goes to school today, she will inevitably be ridiculed! Second Brother, don't blame me for being nosy. I'm just trying to remind you. It's not too late to back out now. After all, not everyone is like our Piao'er, who has a book in her hand since childhood."
If she had only been boasting about her daughter, An Chaoli might not have bothered with her. But since she had brought up Yuan'er's faults...
An Chaoli's face was cold and he refused stiffly, saying, "As a father, I should naturally keep my word. Since I have promised Yuan'er, there is absolutely no possibility of me going back on my word."
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