Chapter Ten: Returning Home

The news of the Ninth Prince's Residence catching fire spread across the city by the next day, and the Yan family was no exception. Coincidentally, today was the day Yan Heru was to return home. Many buildings in the Ninth Prince's Residence had been destroyed and would take a long time to rebuild. Although the arsonist had been caught, there had been no interrogation yet, as Yan Heru needed to visit her family.

After preparing themselves, Shen Hezhi and Yan Heru set out together for the Yan family estate. As the carriage rumbled through the streets, Yan Heru sat inside, her brow creased with worry. She wondered if anyone in her absence had bullied Yan Hecheng.

Shen Hezhi, misreading her anxiety as nerves about visiting her family after marriage, gently took her hand and offered her a reassuring look. Yan Heru glanced at his hand, puzzled, but kept her thoughts to herself.

Soon, their carriage arrived at the Yan family gates. Wishing to keep a low profile, they had not used the Ninth Prince’s exclusive carriage, and so no one recognized them along the way.

Before Yan Heru even alighted, she overheard two gatekeepers gossiping outside the estate.

"Do you think the Sixth Miss can truly be happy, married to a man who can't have children?" one said.

"Why not? He's the Ninth Prince, after all. I’m sure he has his ways," the other snickered, his laughter coarse.

Incensed by their words, Yan Heru flung open the curtain and leapt from the carriage, striding up to the two men and slapping each across the face.

The gatekeepers were stunned, but soon recovered, emboldened when they noticed her carriage was not the Prince’s and Shen Hezhi was not at her side.

One straightened his neck and sneered, "Sixth Miss! You really do have quite the temper now that you’re married to the Ninth Prince, daring to strike us for no reason."

The other chimed in, "That's right—everyone, take a look! This is the Sixth Miss of the Yan family!"

Yan Heru narrowed her eyes, seized the first gatekeeper by the throat, and said coldly, "Do you think I’m easy to bully? You insulted my husband and I punished you—am I wrong? My husband is the Ninth Prince. If he learns what you said, do you think you’ll live to see another day?"

The man hadn’t expected her to lay hands on him, nor for her strength to be so formidable. When she finally released him, he collapsed, limp, to the ground. The passersby, who had gathered to witness the commotion, quickly dispersed after seeing Yan Heru’s decisive action.

They had all overheard her words. While gossip could be entertaining, it depended on who was involved. The Ninth Prince, though not favored and with little power, was still royalty—far above ordinary commoners like themselves. If he wished them gone, it would be a simple matter.

"You... Sixth Miss has quite the temper!" the other gatekeeper tried to bluster, but a hand gripped his arm before he could move.

Yan Heru looked up to see Shen Hezhi stepping out from the carriage. He seized the man’s arm and threw him aside forcefully. "This is my Princess Consort. How dare a servant lay hands on her?"

The gatekeeper was terrified. He had never expected the Ninth Prince himself to be inside the carriage. "Please spare me, Your Highness! I didn’t recognize you..." he pleaded, kowtowing desperately.

Shen Hezhi pulled Yan Heru close, his sudden gesture making her glance up in surprise. "You didn’t recognize me? So, without me present, you don’t acknowledge my wife either?"

"That’s not what I meant..." the gatekeeper stammered, begging for mercy, but Shen Hezhi had no intention of letting him off so easily.

"Then what did you mean?" Shen Hezhi’s gaze was icy.

Panic-stricken, the man fumbled for words, but could not come up with a plausible excuse.

At that moment, Master Yan emerged from the courtyard, saving the hapless servant from further embarrassment. "Your Highness, you honor us with your presence. Please, come inside."

Master Yan smiled broadly at the Ninth Prince, but did not spare Yan Heru a single glance. "Why remain at the gate, Your Highness? Surely you don’t find our home too humble?"

He greeted the Prince with utmost respect. Shen Hezhi, understanding the etiquette of not quarreling with a smiling host, offered a polite but distant smile. "Not at all. It’s just that your servant here was disrespectful to his mistress, and I was about to discipline him on your behalf, lest your reputation suffer."

Master Yan glanced at the kneeling gatekeepers and hastened to smooth things over. "Thank you, Your Highness, but I can handle such trivial matters myself. Please, come inside."

Shen Hezhi nodded. To press the matter further would only make them look foolish. Since Master Yan had given him an out, he accepted it gracefully.

To show his support for Yan Heru, Shen Hezhi entered the courtyard hand in hand with her. Master Yan narrowed his eyes at this but said nothing, leading them into the main hall.

Madam Lin, upon seeing Yan Heru return, cleared her throat and deliberately adopted the air of a matron, preparing to scold Yan Hecheng. However, the maid at her side tugged her sleeve, dissuading her.

"Your Highness, please take the seat of honor," said Master Yan, who, unlike Madam Lin, was well-versed in etiquette.

"There's no need for that, Father-in-law. Please, you take the seat of honor," Shen Hezhi replied with a smile, settling on a side chair with Yan Heru by his side.

"Oh, Sister’s come home?" A bright, lively voice chimed from the doorway before its owner appeared, drawing everyone's attention.

Madam Lin’s smile grew warmer. "Qier, you’re here."

Yan Heqi, Madam Lin’s daughter, was a year younger than Yan Heru and talented in all the arts, a favorite of Master Yan.

"Sister, is this Brother-in-law? He really is just as the rumors say," Yan Hemiao burst in from behind Yan Heqi, beaming at Shen Hezhi.

Yan Hemiao was the daughter of a concubine, Lady Cheng, whose beauty had also won her favor in the Yan household.

"Miao’er, mind your manners! You should address him as Your Highness, not Brother-in-law," Yan Heqi immediately rebuked.

Yan Hemiao shot Yan Heqi a displeased look, clearly unrepentant.

Watching this family, Shen Hezhi suddenly smiled.

What an entertaining household indeed.

Yan Heqi, seeing Shen Hezhi’s smile, thought it was directed at her and glanced shyly at him.