First, his mother was dismissed unexpectedly, then his father was demoted and started drinking heavily every day. Upon returning home, he either went straight to sleep or got into fierce arguments with Yan Qing's mother.
Yan Qing overheard many of their arguments while hiding in her room; most were about how Yan Zhongshan captured the young master of the Ning Family, which ruined his future. As a result, he became a nominal warden for a lifetime in a small prison. Even as retirement approached, his actions led to his daughter being expelled, and his wife was dismissed. The mother criticized Yan Zhongshan for his stubborn personality and unwillingness to adapt, accusing him of caring only for himself all these years and never compromising for his family, labeling him as completely selfish!
