Chapter 69 - Father and daughter (1/2)
Zi Yuan had washed her face, but the tears on her face were still very obvious. She told him with a straight face that An Jin was in the garden waiting for him, and told him to follow her.
There was a large garden inside the main hall. Because Matriarch loved bamboo, Grand Preceptor An had ordered people to plant nearly three acres of bamboo forest in the garden 20 years ago. When Grand Preceptor An followed Zi Yuan into the bamboo forest, a cool breeze blew gently. No one could tell that it was already early summer outside the forest.
After leading Grand Preceptor An through the forest for a while, Zi Yuan pointed to a corner of a nearby stone pavilion and said, ”Grand Preceptor, the young miss is waiting for you there.”
Grand Preceptor An walked alone to the front of the stone pavilion. When he saw the figure seated within, he grew a bit nervous. As a father, he didn't know how to face his daughter at this moment.
When An Jinxiu heard the sound of footsteps, she turned around and saw that it was Grand Preceptor An. She stood up and smiled at him. ”Father came?”
The smile on her face was as plain as ever, causing Grand Preceptor An to stand there in a daze. How could An Jinxiu still smile at this time?
”Father, why are you looking at me like that?”
”Ah Jin,” Grand Preceptor An said, ”Are you alright?”
An Jinxiu stood in the stone pavilion without moving. This was the highest point of this bamboo forest, and she could see the entire bamboo forest from here. Eunuch Xie wanted someone to eavesdrop on the father and daughter, but he didn't have the chance.
When Grand Preceptor An saw that An Jinxiu wasn't answering his question, he could only take a few steps into the stone pavilion and ask, ”Did His Majesty tell you something?”
”I heard the eunuch say that he found you in the justice courts.”
Grand Preceptor An said, ”That's right, your father has matters to attend to in the justice courts.”
”There's a funeral at home, what's father going to the justice courts for? Could it be that the justice courts are still in charge of the official's funeral? ”
The mockery in An Jinxiu's words was so strong that Grand Preceptor An couldn't help but ask, ”What are you trying to say to your father?”
”Is it for the crown prince's consort?” ”Did she ask Father to go to the justice courts to find the murderer of my entire family?” asked An Jinxiu.
”Ah Jin?” Grand Preceptor An took a step back. How could she know about this?
An Jinxiu turned around, and the smile on her face had disappeared. Her beautiful face was frosty as she said, ”But even if our mother are different, I am still your daughter! An Jinyan wants to be Empress to the world, and she wants to be rich and powerful. Have I asked you for these before? ”
”I am An Jin. Who else can I be?” An Jinxiu suddenly smiled again. ”However, the Grand Preceptor's second daughter has already died, just like that.”
”Ah Jini sn't like you,” Grand Preceptor An shook his head. ”She wouldn't say something like that to me.”
”Father,” An Jinxiu sneered, ”You are not a woman, why would you put on such an attitude? Have you found the justice court's official and discussed who you want to convict as the culprit who annihilated my Shangguan Family? ”
Grand Preceptor An was suddenly embarrassed and annoyed. He had wronged An Jin, but he couldn't tolerate her speaking to him in such a condescending manner. It was as if she was the daughter of a sovereign while he was the father of a vassal. I am your father! ” ”Who do you think you're talking to?” Grand Preceptor An asked.
”Father?” An Jinxiu smirked, ”I, An Jinxiu, also have a father? Now that you have accepted me as your daughter, what will the one from the East Palace do? ”
”You!”
”An Jinyan wants me to die, but what about you, Father? Do you also think I deserve to die? ” An Jinxiu asked.
Grand Preceptor An didn't know what he should answer. Deep in his heart, he truly felt that An Jin shouldn't be living anymore. If this daughter of his, lived any longer, it would be a humiliation to his Xunyang An clan.
An Jin sat on a stone bench in the pavilion. She looked at Grand Preceptor An with a smile and said, ”An Jinyan …”
”Crown Princess?” An Jinxiu smiled and said, ”She's just a sŀut.”
”You little girl!” Grand Preceptor An rose to his feet and raised a hand to slap her across the face.
However, An Jinxiu said, ”Now that I'm His Majesty's woman, it'd be best to think about the consequences first if father were to hit me.”
”His Majesty's woman?” Grand Preceptor An was anxious. ”What about Shangguan Yong?” ”Who is the one Shangguan Yong was married to you, and who was the one you gave birth to?”
”Where is Ping An now?” An Jinxiu retorted, ”Why don't you just say that I don't follow the path of a woman? Wouldn't it be better to be shameless?” ”Why are you still talking about Shangguan Yong?”
Grand Preceptor An was once again at a loss for words.
”An Jinyan wanted me to die, but since I lived past yesterday, I will continue to live.” An Jinxiu said, ”If you don't let me live, then we will all die together.”
”Ah Jin!” Grand Preceptor An suddenly grew flustered. ”What are you planning to do?”
”I know that you and Matriarch don't like Yuanzhi and I. But, father, who do you think is more able to make the An clan prosper after generations compared to a daughter as a beloved imperial concubine of the emperor?”
”Help me do something,” An Jinxiu said. ”After it's done, I'll temporarily forget about An Jinyan.”