Climbing on the Sparrow Branch – CH 035

Chapter 35: Situation

Pei Yu hesitated, frowned and thought for a long time, but still couldn’t make out the reason.

To prevent Pei Yu from getting into trouble in the future, An Zhi had to point out this mistake in advance. “Your mistake lies in being too arrogant. You trust your own judgment completely and regard the advice of your parents and those around you as biased opinions. As for the two points you just mentioned, they are superficial reasons. You didn’t look for the problem within yourself. Why are you frowning? Are you dissatisfied?”

Seeing Pei Yu opening his mouth to retort, An Zhi smiled and said, “Alright, I don’t have the energy to lecture you. For the next ten years, you will be my servant. Without my permission, you cannot take up an official position or engage in business. You must remember that your life is no longer in your hands. I just received a piece of Shu brocade and I’m short of an accountant. You can go there first.”

Pei Yu frowned in confusion, “You asked me to be the accountant, aren’t you humiliating me?”

“Pei Yu, you underestimate me too much.” An Zhi snorted. “Ever since I was born, I’ve never been a stingy or narrow-minded person. Don’t think that accounting is an easy job. If you don’t do it well, it’s more humiliating than asking you to empty the chamber pot.”

After saying that, An Zhi asked Fusheng to take Pei Yu away.

She didn’t want to talk to him anymore.

An Zhi had just started her business and didn’t have anyone she could use. Accounting was a crucial position, and An Zhi couldn’t trust just any newcomer. Pei Yu had just arrived. A conceited and arrogant person like Pei Yu disdained underhanded tactics and betrayal, so he was a good fit for An Zhi.

After Pei Yu left, Binglu was helping An Zhi grind ink when she said worriedly, “Miss, Mengzhou sent a letter saying that An Rong is also on her way to the capital.”

“Now that Mistress Xu is dead, she has no one to offer her advice when she comes to the capital. The only person she can turn to is Father.” An Zhi paused, a faint smile forming on her lips. “Do you think Madam will let An Rong into the house and disrupt her finally stable life?”

Binglu shook her head and said no, “Then I’ll be relieved. Or we can prevent An Rong from ever reaching the capital.”

“Whether she can make it or not is up to her own fate.” An Zhi knew that killing An Rong halfway could eliminate the trouble forever, but in her heart she wanted An Rong to come to the capital more. It would be more interesting to kick a drowning dog.

Ten years. An Zhi sighed in her heart.

In her previous life, she was neglected, imprisoned and abused for ten years. In the end, her family was broken up and she died a horrible death.

God had eyes and allowed her to go through it again. Simply letting Pei Yu and An Rong die would never relieve the hatred in her heart.

After finishing the letter, An Zhi sealed the envelope with beeswax and said, “This is a letter of peace to my brother. Please have someone deliver it.”

An Zhi’s brother, An Xu, had accompanied their uncle to the border two years prior. Now, having been promoted to Qian Hu, it was a prime time for him to achieve great things. But An Zhi was concerned about his brother’s safety. On the battlefield, swords were merciless and life could be lost at any moment. According to An Zhi’s memory, her brother would return this autumn with meritorious service, and the Emperor would then grant him a prestigious official title.

In her life, she would never let her brother be wrongfully imprisoned again, and she would definitely protect everyone around her.

Binglu came back after delivering the letter and was about to arrange lunch for An Zhi when An Chengye suddenly sent someone to ask An Zhi to go to the reception room.

If An Zhi remembered correctly, this should be the time when the factions in the court began to form the most intense factions.

When An Zhi arrived at the reception room, Meng Jie and his two concubines were there.

“Hello, Father and Madam.” An Zhi bowed before sitting down.

“Everyone, please leave.” An Chengye’s face was gloomy. He waited until the maids had left before he spoke. “At the court this morning, the emperor conferred the titles of prince on Prince Mu and Prince Shu. Do you know what this means?”

Meng Jie spoke first, “Does the emperor want these two princes to go to the foreign land?”

“No.” An Chengye shook his head. “It’s the Crown Prince who is seriously ill. You all have to remember what I’m going to say next. If anyone violates me, don’t blame me for being ruthless. The Crown Prince’s condition is uncertain, and the Emperor has newly appointed two princes. There is a high possibility of a fight for the throne. My An family, although not rich and powerful, is not bad. I don’t want to take advantage of this opportunity to rise to the throne, nor do I want property to be confiscated and lives exterminated for standing on the wrong side. So in the next few days, no matter where you go, remember this: don’t get involved in the fight for the throne. You only have one head, and if it falls off, it’s gone, understand?”

For the last time, An Chengye raised his voice.

In her previous life, An Zhi had already married into the Pei family and hadn’t heard An Chengye’s words. Now it sounded like her usually mediocre father was quite self-aware and knew how to protect himself at this time.

“What if the wife of a high-ranking official takes the initiative to make friends with us?” Meng Jie seemed a little unwilling.

“Decline politely!” An Chengye glared at Meng Jie. What he said just now was mainly for Meng Jie and An Zhi to hear. He was not worried about the two concubines at all. He was just worried that Meng Jie would be impatient and An Zhi would act impulsively. “What I said just now was not just talk. Don’t take it lightly. Otherwise, if I kick you out of the house one day, crying and begging will be useless.”

An Zhi nodded and said, “Don’t worry, father. I will definitely obey you.”

The two concubines also said they understood.

Only then did Meng Jie nod and agree.

“I’m glad you understand.” An Chengye sighed. “One more thing, Zhi’er. You and your brother are not young anymore. I’ve asked my wife to help you find a partner. Your brother just got promoted to Qian Hu, so there’s no rush. Do you have any thoughts on your own marriage?”

“Marriage is a major matter, and naturally, your daughter will listen to my father and his wife. However…” An Zhi paused deliberately, “Just now, I heard from my father that the political situation is still undecided, so it’s better not to rush into arranging a marriage for your daughter. Among the nine clans, in-laws also count. If we don’t find out the details now and marry a bad in-law, it will be bad for us to be implicated in the future.”

“What you said makes sense. Madam, please look around a bit first. If there is a suitable one, then you can check it out.” An Chengye really wanted to marry An Zhi. After all, she was already sixteen years old. Other people’s daughters were either married or engaged at the age of sixteen, but his daughter was the only one who was good in every way, but she was still unmarried.

“Then thank you for your help, Madam.” An Zhi and Meng Jie smiled.

Meng Jie also smiled with An Zhi.

“We’ve finished talking, let’s go.” An Chengye stood up, walked to Aunt Zhang and asked her about the baby in her belly.

An Zhi was in no hurry to leave. She still had something to say to Meng Jie, “Madam, let me take you home.”

“Then I’ll trouble you.” When Meng Jie stood up, she glanced at the receding backs of An Chengye and Aunt Zhang. Thinking that An Zhi was still beside her, she quickly looked away.

But An Zhi had already noticed it, “Madam, it’s been a month since you came to the An family, right?”

“Well, it’s been almost a month and a half.” Meng Jie stepped over the threshold and sighed, “Time flies.”

“Yes, the days go by one by one, and when I look back, I feel that time flies by like an arrow.” An Zhi followed Meng Jie into the corridor, lagging behind her a little. “Today, I have something to ask Madam.”