You've Got Mail: Cautionary Tale (YGMCT)

Chapter 103 - Visiting A Prisoner In Jail

Using one Huaixiu to exchange for the Emperor’s care as well as a path to the southern barbarians, Yan Wenxin could not be said to have lost in this game.

Once Huaixiu was executed and the matter was blown over, Yan Wenxin would be able to completely eradicate Guan Shanjin from the southern borders and replace him with his own people. Although he had not managed to injure the backbone of the Lord Protector’s estate, he had still managed to deal them a severe blow.

Thinking about this, Yan Wenxin was now able to put away the tenseness he had been feeling over the past few days. He was finally willing to see this daughter of his who had been crying herself into a dumpling.

“Father!” Yan Caijun was finally able to see her father. Her eyes, already swollen like walnuts, started tearing up again. With how much she was crying, she did not look as cheerful and bright as usual.

“Why did you cry yourself into such a state?” Yan Wenxin was after all a father, and with a gentle voice, he consoled his daughter.

“Father, please visit Huaixiu-dage, alright? The weather is getting colder, and I wanted to send him some warm clothing, but the prison guards stopped me!” Yan Caijun’s voice was hoarse from crying and she seemed even more pitiful. Perhaps, from her crying, she was suffering from both a headache and blurry vision, and her words were incoherent. Speaking over and over again, she implored her father to visit Huaixiu.

“Don’t make trouble! Huaixiu is a traitor to the country! If not for the benevolence of the Emperor, our entire family would have been in dire straits. Why are you still thinking about this traitorous, ungrateful person? Your father is still under house arrest, and if someone were to find out that I went to visit Huaixiu, do you know how much danger our Yan family will be facing?” It was rare that Yan Wenxin was so stern towards his daughter. He slapped the table forcefully with his hand, scaring Yan Caijun into trembling. Her mouth opened, but she could not speak.

“Child, I know that you’ve been close to Huaixiu ever since you were young. At first, I had wanted to betroth you to Huaixiu once you were of age, so as to bring your relationship to fruition. Now, however, Huaixiu has brought such great danger to the family. Ignoring how your father’s reputation has been destroyed by him, if we were to take a wrong step now, the ones being executed next year would be our entire family!” Half reproachful and half in consolation, Yan Wenxin held his daughter’s hand and patted it. “You’re the daughter of the Yan family, so think things through.”

Yan Caijun looked at her father dazedly. Inexplicably, chills ran down her spine. Still, her tears dried up, and scared out of her wits, she gave a few confused nods. She understood that there was no way she would be able to save Huaixiu.

Days passed. Yan Wenxin’s house arrest was over and he returned to court. Just like the past, he still enjoyed the Emperor’s trust, and if not for his spies telling him that the Lord Protector had taken a trip to the jail, he would have long forgotten about Huaixiu.

Why did the Lord Protector go to the jail? Yan Wenxin felt a slight trace of unease. After a second of contemplation, he called his daughter over.

“The recent weather has been very cold and I’ve been worried about Huaixiu too. Prepare two jackets and I’ll… just go visit Huaixiu.”

Hearing that, Yan Caijun brightened. She knew that her father’s power in the court had not been affected by Huaixiu’s traitorous act at all. The Emperor even became more benevolent, and she had even been considering if she should again plead with her father to visit Huaixiu. Now, things were happening as she wished they would. Yan Caijun hurriedly packed up the two jackets she had prepared, along with a box of food three-tiers high, handing them all to her father.