Chapter 4: Smoke Rising from the Ancestral Graves
Yuan Jiabai stepped down from the carriage, took a piece of broken silver from his embroidered pouch, and offered it to the driver. The driver waved his hands repeatedly, resolutely refusing the tip. After bowing respectfully, he drove the carriage away. Yuan Jiabai had no choice but to tuck the silver back into his pouch. Carrying the tiered food box, he entered the Count's manor through the corner gate.
The moment he was through the door, he called out eagerly.
"Dad! Mother! Come quickly and see what I brought back-"
A middle-aged couple walked out of the main hall. The man, dressed in a cyan long robe, possessed a refined, scholarly face and a neat mustache. The woman wore an apricot-colored brocade gown, her hair adorned with gorgeous crimson hairpins. Both looked at him with beaming smiles.
These two were none other than Count Yuan and Madam Yun.
"What fun thing did you bring back this time? A newly crafted kite, or a little clay monkey wielding a sword?" Madam Yun asked with a smile. As Yuan Jiabai drew closer, she spotted the tiered food box in his hand. "Ah, it seems it's not something to play with today, but something to eat?"
Yuan Jiabai walked to the bottom of the steps, tilting his head up with a smug expression. "Mother, you really are the smartest and most beautiful woman in the world! Now, guess where I got this from."
Count Yuan, also wanting a compliment from his son, immediately blurted out the name of the top restaurant in the capital. He asked eagerly, "Was Father right?"
Yuan Jiabai regretfully spread his hands. "Wrong!"
Count Yuan wasn't discouraged and wanted to guess again, but Madam Yun suggested they go inside first. Yuan Jiabai pushed his parents apart to make room, bent his knees slightly, gathered his strength, and leaped clear over three steps to enter alongside them.
Only after the food box was placed on the table could Count Yuan and Madam Yun take a closer look.
And what they saw was extraordinary, the wood used was premium agarwood, intricately carved with majestic landscapes. The craftsmanship was exquisite; it certainly didn't look like an item an ordinary commoner could possess.
Opening the lid, the sweet aroma of pastries wafted out. Inside sat three plates of delicacies.
Count Yuan made a few more guesses, all entirely wrong. Madam Yun was similarly stumped; her guesses were no different from her husband's. It wasn't from a restaurant, nor was it from the families of her second son's close playmates. They really couldn't fathom who could have given it to him.
"Haha," Yuan Jiabai gloated triumphantly. "I knew you couldn't guess it. Even if Big Brother were here, he absolutely wouldn't be able to guess it either."
So confident? He even claims that Heng-er couldn't guess it. The couple, who had initially just been playing along to humor their son, were now genuinely intrigued.
Yuan Jiabai leaned forward over the table, signaling his parents to come closer. He whispered mysteriously, "It was given to me by His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince."
The couple's eyes widened in shock. "The Crown Prince?!" they cried out in unison.
Count Yuan hurriedly asked, "Son, you're not joking with your old man, are you? The Crown Prince? You're saying the Crown Prince gave this to you? Why would His Highness give you anything? You!"
Yuan Jiabai instantly looked displeased. "Dad, what’s with that tone? So what if he gave it to me? Am I not worthy?"
This old man actually emphasized the word 'you'! How infuriating!
Madam Yun slapped her husband's arm in mock anger. How could you speak to our child like that?
Count Yuan quickly coaxed, "Don't be mad, son. Dad is just too excited! Even I have never received pastries from the Crown Prince. I was just overwhelmed by your capabilities."
Madam Yun chimed in, "Your dad is being a fool. Don't take it to heart."
In ordinary households, the father as the head of the family was invariably stern, majestic, and his word was absolute law. Yet in the Yuan family, it was the father profusely apologizing to the son. Though peculiar, it painted an exceptionally warm and loving picture.
Yuan Jiabai was easy to appease and was back to his cheerful self after just a few words. Count Yuan then returned to his previous question.
"When I went out to play today, I was intercepted by a eunuch from the Eastern Palace. He took me to the Crown Prince's secondary estate, where I met His Highness. The Crown Prince told me to work for him from now on, though I honestly don't know what he sees in me." Yuan Jiabai suddenly tapped the table lightly and added, "Oh, right. I'll be moving into the Eastern Palace in three days. The Crown Prince ordered it."
The couple was hit by wave after wave of shock, only able to dazedly repeat: "You met the Crown Prince... The Crown Prince wants you to work for him... He even wants you to move into the Eastern Palace..."
Yuan Jiabai nodded. He pinched a delicious pastry that he had already tried earlier and fed it to Madam Yun. Madam Yun subconsciously parted her lips and took a bite. It was indeed delicious, but she had no mind to appreciate pastries right now.
On the other side, Count Yuan suddenly burst into uproarious laughter. "Wonderful! Wonderful! My son has truly made a name for himself to catch the Crown Prince's eye! It seems smoke is rising from the Yuan family's ancestral graves! I’m going to burn incense in the ancestral hall right this instant!"
With the sweet scent of pastries tickling his nose, Count Yuan's imagination ran wild. He was already visualizing his second son being deeply valued by the Crown Prince, experiencing a meteoric rise, getting promoted step by step, and ultimately, leading their whole family to ascend to heaven like the chickens and dogs of an immortal!
For a dignified Count to compare himself to ascending dogs and chickens... it was truly unheard of.
As if already envisioning his family returning to the epicenter of the imperial court, Count Yuan couldn't help but let out a creepy, villainous cackle: "Kekekeke..."
Resting his chin on his hands, Yuan Jiabai was completely unfazed by this. "Mother, Dad is daydreaming again."
Madam Yun felt utterly helpless.
Her husband was great in every way, except for his overly rich imagination. Perhaps because their ancestors had once been incredibly illustrious, Count Yuan possessed a deep-seated obsession with reviving the family's former glory.
He knew he couldn't achieve it himself, but their eldest son, Yuan Heng, was brimming with literary talent and outstanding ability.
As long as he passed the upcoming imperial examinations, he would officially enter officialdom.
Madam Yun's slender finger, painted with bright red polish, poked Count Yuan hard on the forehead. The sting jolted him back to reality, and he quickly put on a fawning, apologetic smile for his wife.
Madam Yun knitted her delicate brows. "Jia-er, didn't you lack ambition in this area? Were you simply too afraid to refuse the Crown Prince?"
Though he longed for the family's revival, Count Yuan was not the kind of cruel father who would disregard his children's wishes for power. He immediately put on a serious face. "If you truly do not want to go, just tell the Crown Prince directly. The Eastern Palace is full of talents; they won't force you to stay. It will be fine."
Feeling a warm glow in his heart, Yuan Jiabai shook his head. "I'm not unwilling. Mother, Dad, I want to do it."
"Have you truly thought this through?" Fearing her son was overthinking things, Madam Yun added, "Ignore your father. Only consider your own feelings."
Yuan Jiabai grinned playfully. "Really, really."
The couple exchanged a glance, then stared closely at Yuan Jiabai for a moment. Seeing absolutely no sign of reluctance on his face, they finally relaxed, their expressions giving way to joy and relief.
That's the Crown Prince! Our son is truly destined for greatness!
Seeing the sheer pride on his parents' faces, Yuan Jiabai was horrified and hastily intervened. "Mother, Dad! Please don't have too high expectations for me. Otherwise, when I get fired from the Eastern Palace, I'm afraid you won't be able to handle the shock!"
He wasn't being alarmist; he knew exactly how much he weighed. In his previous life, he had only ever gone to school, never having held a real job.
In this life, he only wanted to be a hedonistic young master who ate, drank, and played all day. He hardly had a drop of ink in his belly when it came to real knowledge.
He wouldn't mind sweeping the courtyards in the Eastern Palace, but they definitely had more professional sweepers than him.
The Crown Prince must have suffered a temporary lapse in judgment to hire him, and who knew when he would suddenly be let go?
Hearing this, Count Yuan and Madam Yun did indeed manage to temper their excitement.
Still, it was ultimately a joyous occasion worthy of celebration. Madam Yun immediately ordered the servants to prepare a magnificent feast and sent someone to fetch their eldest son and youngest daughter.
Comments Box