Chapter 61

The following morning, after breakfast, Yan Shi took Hua Ling out of the area and headed for the next place.

The carriage rattled for a little over half a day before finally arriving at the next place just after midday.

When Hua Ling lifted the curtain to look out, he saw a field in his eyes, a few frozen streams in the near distance, and lofty mountains in the distance.

"Brother, the view here is so beautiful." Hua Ling gave up a space, "Come and have a look too, you'll be in a better mood after seeing it."

Yan Shi followed the curtain he had raised and looked outside, there were only a few people walking slowly on the road, looking very relaxed and comfortable.

Yan Shi's mood was also inexplicably relaxed, and he asked Zhao Chunhai, who was driving the carriage, in a loud voice, "How far is it to Tong Hua Village?"

Zhao Chunhai replied, "That village is just ahead."

Yan Shi looked forward again and saw that the village was close at hand, and it would not take him a moment to reach it. "There is a Jieyuan called Feng Yan in Tong Hua village, who has just become a young scholar."

As they spoke, the carriage arrived at Tong Hua village. Zhao Chunhai inquired about the Feng family's residence and drove there.

The whole village was large, but rarely did outsiders come, especially such outsiders on horses in carriages. Some of the families were curious and stood by the roadside to watch them, and Hua Ling looked back at them. When he saw a small child looking over with curious eyes, he picked up a few pieces of snacks from the cart, quickly wrapped them in a handkerchief and threw them at the child "Here you go."

Yan Shi sighed in his heart, what a kind-hearted princess.

Qu Liujing sighed in his heart, how good he was at putting on a show.

After a short while, the carriage finally came to a halt. Zhao Chunhai jumped off the carriage and bowed, "Your Highness, we can't get through, there seems to be a disturbance ahead."

Yan Shi discussed with Hua Ling, "Why don't we walk over and let Zhao Chunhai watch the carriage here?"

Hua Ling nodded "Yes, brother, it's just that my legs are getting uncomfortable from riding in the carriage."

The whole road was filled with people, so dark that they could not see the road ahead. The noise of the argument was coming from the farmhouse in front, but all that could be heard was the hysterical howling of a woman, as if she were arguing with herself.

The man pointed in the direction where the sound was coming from, "That's Feng Yan's house."

Yan Shi frowned slightly "What's wrong with his house?"

The man sighed, "What else could it be? His father and his mother have come to make trouble again."

It turned out that Feng Yan had been sold by his biological parents to a couple who had been married for many years but had no children in Tong Hua Village shortly after he was born. The couple loved Feng Yan as if he were their own son. Feng Yan was also a good student and a good worker.

Originally, Feng Daba and his parents, Feng Yan's biological parents, sold him to Feng Lao Han and his wife and never came back to see him again, but last year they learned that Feng Yan had won the imperial examination and came to claim his family. The Feng family was not too far from Tong Hua Village, just half an hour's walk away, so he brought his family with him, and when he saw them, they knelt all over the courtyard.

They agreed that Feng Yan would accept them, but Feng Yan had to stay in Tong Hua Village and could not go back with them. In fact, even if Feng Yan was allowed to follow his real parents, he would not go. After all, the old man had been kind to him in raising him.

Feng Daba and his wife agreed, and from then on the two families gradually became closer, like relatives.

In the beginning, Feng Dachang and his wife would still be warm and fuzzy to Feng Yan, but it wasn't long before the couple's true colours came out and they began to cry poverty and demand favours from Feng Yan.

Because Feng Yan was a scholar, the court exempted the Feng family from taxes and gave them some rice every month. Feng Daba then set his eyes on this rice and every time he would say that there were not enough for their family to eat, so he wanted to take a portion of the rice.

When he saw that Feng Dachang's family was really large, he would give him some rice every month and give him something else.

But man's greed is never enough, and after taking all the benefits from Feng Lao Han's family. After taking all the benefits from Feng Dachang's family, Feng Dachang set his sights on Feng Yan, who had a bamboo horse in Tong Hua village called Li Wenyi. The two of them grew up together, doing farm work together during busy times and studying together during their free time.

But Feng Daba and his wife thought that Feng Yan could not marry a man, for marrying a man would be the end of the family line, and that Li Wenyi's family was also a farmer.

He found the daughter of the local sheriff, who was a concubine, and the sheriff agreed to the marriage after much consideration. Although his daughter was now married off, Feng Yan's future prospects were unlimited, not to mention that she was only a concubine's daughter.

However, the couple agreed and the Sheriff agreed, but Feng Yan did not. When Feng Yan learnt of this, he was so angry that he went to the Sheriff and withdrew the marriage, but the Sheriff did not take it seriously.

In order to have a long dream, Feng Daba set the marriage on the 26th of this month, six days before the wedding, but Feng Yan still refused to agree.

Feng Daba tried all sorts of soft and hard measures, but to no avail.

Because of this, the old man and Feng Dachang have torn their faces apart. The old man regretted that he had asked them to recognize Feng Yan and believed that he had raised him and that he had the say in his marriage, not Feng Daiba. However, Feng Dachang and his wife believe that Feng Yan was born to them, and that since he has their blood in his veins, they should be the ones to decide on his marriage.

When things came to this point, Feng Dachang completely tore off his pretense and brought his family to Feng Laohan's house several times, saying that Feng Yan's marriage had to be fulfilled, but he had to be tied to it.

Today, he came again to make trouble and was caught by Yan Shi.