Zhao Huanxi did not stop to help Zhao Huanxu. Seeing that his life was not in danger, he turned his horse around and continued on his way to Canglan Academy.

Canglan Academy was built on Mount Duliang, surrounded by pine and cypress trees that interwove with the buildings, creating a serene and tranquil environment.

Today was a ten-day break, so the academy was very quiet. Zhao Huanxi and the others were taking an exam in a classroom that had been temporarily cleared on the mountainside. As he had just written on half a sheet of paper, Zhao Huanxu arrived with his head wrapped in cloth and his body covered in dirt and blood, drawing the attention of everyone around.

Normally, anyone who missed the exam time would not be allowed to enter and take it. However, after Zhao Huanxu explained the reason for his lateness to the proctor, the teacher, seeing his determination despite his condition, made an exception and allowed him to sit for the exam.

After finishing the exam, Zhao Huanxi rushed back to Jing Guogong Residence on an empty stomach to eat the longevity noodles prepared by Yin Furen. During the meal, he recounted what had happened on the road to Yin Furen and the others.

寿面 - Noodles eaten on one's birthday as a symbol of longevity.

Yin Furen was furious upon hearing this and scolded, “Has the Fifth Branch gone mad? People have fallen off carts and horses and ended up dead or crippled! Just to stop you from taking the Canglan Academy exam, they resorted to such vile tactics. Why didn’t that Zhao Huanxu fall to his death instead? You should have grabbed that man pushing the cart and sent him to the authorities. A few strokes of the board would have made him confess everything!”

Zhao Huanxi replied, “If I did that, I would have missed the Canglan Academy exam.”

Yin Luochen frowned and said, “Could there be some misunderstanding? With Huanxi’s level, going to take the exam at Canglan Academy is just to make up the numbers. Would the Fifth Branch really go to such extremes just to stop him?”

Zhao Huanxi: “….…”

Xu Nian’an asked Zhao Huanxi, “What was on the cart?”

Zhao Huanxi replied, “Vegetables.”

Xu Nian’an then said to Yin Furen, “It was definitely a deliberate setup. Farmers outside the city who come to sell vegetables usually rush to enter the city as soon as the gates open at dawn. Sanlang left home at the end of Chen hour (around 5-7 a.m.) and would have arrived outside the west gate around Si hiur (between 7-9 a.m.). How could there still be farmers with unsold vegetables so late in the day?”

Yin Furen said, “It must be the Fifth Branch, no doubt about it! Serves them right that my son wasn’t the one who fell, but Zhao Huanxu did instead. This is truly divine retribution!”

Zhao Jiazhen turned to Zhao Huanxi and said, “Given the Fifth Branch’s usual behaviour, once Zhao Huanxu returns, he’ll definitely tell Zufu that you saw him fall and bleed but didn’t help. What will you say then?”

Zhao Huanxi replied, “I’ll just say I was running ahead and didn’t see him. If Zhao Huanxu has the guts, he can bring the man who pushed the cart to confront me. Would he dare?”

“Aiyo, my little brother has truly grown up. Not afraid of Zufu and not afraid of trouble anymore,” Zhao Jiazhen said with a smile as she glanced at Yin Furen. As her gaze swept past, she noticed Fu Yunjin silently watching her. When their eyes met, Fu Yunjin quickly lowered his gaze.

Lifting his chin with a proud expression, Zhao Huanxi declared, “Of course, I’m a married man now!”

This one sentence had everyone laughing.

After the meal, Yin Furen had some matters to attend to, so Zhao Huanxi, Yin Luochen, and Fu Yunjin went to the garden. Meanwhile, Xu Nian’an and Zhao Jiazhen strolled through the small flower garden to aid digestion.

“San Jie, what do you think about what Sanlang encountered on the road?” Xu Nian’an asked as they walked side by side.

Zhao Jiazhen held a barely budding peach blossom in her hand and replied, “I can’t make sense of it. Although I’m Huanxi’s sister, to be honest, I don’t believe he has a chance of being admitted to Canglan Academy. Zhao Huanxu, who passed the county examination at sixteen, couldn’t get in. How long has Huanxi even been studying? Unless the Fifth Branch wanted to kill him, there really was no need for such a ploy. But if something truly bad had happened to Huanxi, does the Fifth Branch have such confidence that the man pushing the cart wouldn’t expose them as the masterminds?”

“If the mastermind isn’t the Fifth Branch, then it all makes sense,” Xu Nian’an said, gazing at the pond filled with withered lotus leaves.

Zhao Jiazhen suddenly turned her head. “You mean to say…”

Xu Nian’an shook his head. “I have no evidence, just a suspicion. San Jie, I’d like to ask for your help. That man Hu Gang under Mother’s command seems quite capable. Could you ask him to keep an eye on a few people without letting Mother know?”

Zhao Jiazhen said, “Everyone in the household knows Mother values you. You can command Hu Gang just fine, you don’t necessarily need me for this.”

Xu Nian’an replied, “I know I can give him orders, but asking him to keep this from Mother would be much harder. You’re different. You’re Mother’s biological daughter, and he would respect your wishes. The reason I want to keep this from Mother for now is that she’s not very good at keeping things to herself. If she hears about this and overreacts, it could cause unnecessary trouble.”

Zhao Jiazhen thought for a moment, then nodded. “Who do you want him to watch?”

Xu Nian’an leaned in close and whispered something in her ear.

Zhao Jiazhen looked at her in surprise, then her expression became serious. “I’ll go find him right now.”

That night, the young couple finished washing up and lay down in bed. Zhao Huanxi lay on his side facing Xu Nian’an, looking at her as he said, “Dong Jiejie, I lied to Zufu today. When I lied to him, I wasn’t nervous at all. Do you think I’ll turn out crooked like Zhao Huanxu in the future?”

Xu Nian’an met his gaze and asked, “What lie did you tell?”

“Zufu asked me why I didn’t help Zhao Huanxu when he fell off his horse today. I told him I was running ahead and didn’t see it. Zufu said Zhao Huanxu said I saw it. I told him Zhao Huanxu had said in Dunyi Hall that if I had problems with my studies, I could ask him for help, but then outside Dunyi Hall, he mocked me for not being skilled enough and said going to Canglan Academy to take the exam was embarrassing. So, his words aren’t trustworthy. Zufu didn’t say anything after that.”

Xu Nian’an asked, “Sanlang, do you think Zufu is biased?”

Zhao Huanxi: “……”

“Are you too afraid to tell the truth in front of me?”

Zhao Huanxi quickly replied, “No, it’s just… Zufu’s been pretty good to me recently. If I say he’s biased, it would feel unfilial.”

“But he is indeed biased,” Xu Nian’an said.

Zhao Huanxi stared at her, dumbfounded.

“If I hadn’t married you, whether he was biased or not wouldn’t concern me. After all, I only see him as an elder and a benefactor, and his family matters are not for me to interfere with. But since I married you, I naturally have to speak from your perspective. In the past, you were timid and weak, but you didn’t have any moral flaws. Yet Zufu never treat you with kind words. But Zhao Huanxu, selfish, hypocritical, and morally corrupt, Zufu repeatedly forgave him and placed great expectations on him. Between you and Zhao Huanxu, Zufu is clearly biased towards him,” Xu Nian’an said.

Zhao Huanxi silently lowered his eyelids, not speaking. He wasn’t foolish, couldn’t he see that Zufu was biased towards Zhao Huanxu?

“When Zufu is clearly biased towards Zhao Huanxu, and Zhao Huanxu deliberately slanders you in front of him, you lying is just self-preservation. It’s completely different from Zhao Huanxu intentionally badmouthing you. They’re not the same thing,” Xu Nian’an said, reaching out to pinch his soft, fair face, smiling. “Don’t worry about turning out crooked. You were born a water fir, destined to grow straight, fundamentally different from Zhao Huanxu, who’s like a crooked-necked tree.”

Zhao Huanxi couldn’t help but laugh when she compared Zhao Huanxu to a crooked-necked tree. He reached out and pinched her face as well. “You pinch me, I’ll pinch you.”

“You dare pinch me? Want to rebel?” Xu Nian’an stretched out both hands and messed up his face, squeezing his cheeks towards the center, forcing his mouth to open like a little chick’s beak.

“Dong Jiejie, you always bully me,” he said, moving his mouth like a little chick.

Xu Nian’an laughed until her face turned red.

Zhao Huanxi really wanted to pounce on her, but recalling his previous experience, he didn’t dare to act recklessly. What if it happened again? He really wouldn’t be able to face anyone.

Forget it, he thought. Maybe it will be better when he’s eighteen?

✦

On the 25th day of Second Month, Yin Furen’s eldest wai granddaughter, fourteen-year-old Shen Chuyun, arrived at Jing Guogong Residence, accompanied by a Pozi, two stableman, eight bodyguards, and four maidservants.

Shen Chuyun’s nickname was Xuan Jie’er. She was the eldest daughter of Yin Furen’s firstborn, Zhao Jiayi. At the age of five, she had moved to Xuanzhou with her parents, and Yin Furen had not seen her since.

The young girl was tall with slightly tanned skin, and she had a pair of bright, lively big eyes. Her long, thick eyebrows added to her heroic appearance. She wore a rare women’s riding outfit, similar to an archerer uniform, which was uncommon in the capital. She walked briskly, like a small horse, full of energy.

She followed her maidservants as they entered Yin Furen’s courtyard. When the maidservant reported to Yin Furen, “Taitai, Xuan Jie’er has arrived,” Shen Chuyun immediately realized that the beautiful woman was her long-missed maternal grandmother. She hurried forward and knelt, saying loudly, “Xuan’er pay respect to Wai Zumu.”

Yin Furen was taken aback by Xuan Jie’er’s bold manner. After regaining her composure, she personally went forward to help her up. Seeing the resemblance in Xuan Jie’er’s features to Zhao Jiayi’s from years ago, Yin Furen was suddenly filled with sorrow. She dabbed at the corner of her eyes with a handkerchief and asked, “Are your parents well?”

Xuan Jie’er replied with poise, “Wai Zumu, there’s no need to worry. Father and Mother are both in good health. Mother became pregnant last year and couldn’t be bothered to look after me, so she sent me to stay with Wai Zumu, and I will have to trouble Wai Zumu in the future.”

Yin Furen noticed that despite coming alone only with several maidservants and a Pozi, this child showed no sign of fear. Her carefree manner, more like a boy’s, filled Yin Furen with both delight and concern. Reminding herself that it was their first meeting, she held back her feelings and introduced Zhao Jiazhen and Xu Nian’an. “Come and greet your San Yimu and Xiao Jiumu.”

姨母 (Yimu)-maternal aunt; mother’s sister
舅母 (Jiumu)-wife of maternal uncle; the wife of mother’s brother.
While San and Xiao both refer to Third and youngest (since Zhao Jiazhen is the third daughter and Zhao Huanxi is the youngest son).

Xuan Jie’er had already noticed the two great beauties standing by her Wai Zumu’s side. Upon hearing their identities, she cheerfully stepped forward to pay her respects, then looked up and said, “This family is truly a nest of beauties. Wai Zumu, San Yimu, and Xiao Jiumu are all stunning.”

Her remark made everyone laugh. Yin Furen led Xuan Jie’er into the main room, where the Pozi and maidservants accompanying her stepped forward to pay their respects to Yin Furen.

The Pozi’s surname was Geng. She had been sent by Yin Furen as a wet nurse to Zhao Jiayi after Xuan Jie’er was born, so she was an old acquaintance. The four maidservants were Xuan *Jie’er&’s personal attendants, all trustworthy individuals.

Xuan Jie’er also brought a letter from her mother for Yin Furen. After reading it, Yin Furen wiped her tears and said to Xuan Jie’er, “From now on, stay here in Wai Zumu’s courtyard and make yourself at home. If you need anything, just tell me. Your Xiao Jiu is studying at the Imperial Academy and will meet you after his classes.”

Xuan Jie’er couldn’t help but smile. Seeing her Wai Zumu looking at her, she quickly straightened her expression and respectfully replied, “Alright.”

The room had been prepared in advance. Yin Furen instructed Qianhe to take Xuan Jie’er and her maidservants and wet nurse to settle in.

After the group left, Yin Furen turned to Zhao Jiazhen and Xu Nian’an, asking, “What do you think of Xuan Jie’er?”

Zhao Jiazhen chuckled and said, “Indigo comes from blue but surpasses blue, even more charming than Da Jie back in the day.”

青出于蓝而胜于蓝 (Qīngchūyúlán érshèngyúlán) - (idiom) often used to describe how a student can surpass their teacher or how the next generation can excel beyond the previous one.

Yin Furen shot her a glare and then looked expectantly at Xu Nian’an.

Xu Nian’an smiled and said, “Mother, please don’t worry. Although Xuan Jie’er lacks a bit of the gentleness and restraint typical of girls, she has a bright and straightforward personality, is unafraid of people, and speaks thoughtfully and sensibly. Such qualities are already rare. With just a little training in etiquette, she’ll be perfectly presentable.”

Yin Furen sighed and said, “Your Da Jie is just too careless, raising a perfectly good girl to behave like a boy. I wonder if her skin can even be lightened again.”

Zhao Jiazhen couldn’t stop laughing. “I think she looks fine as she is. Why insist on lightening her skin? Afraid that you won’t be able to find your own granddaughter when it’s dark at night?”

Yin Furen couldn’t hold back her laughter and scolded her playfully. The three of them shared a hearty laugh before moving on to discuss making clothes and accessories for Xuan Jie’er.

By evening, Zhao Huanxi returned and met his Wai niece, who was only three years younger than him. Naturally, he found her quite fascinating.

After dinner, just as Zhao Huanxi said, “I’m going to Zufu’s courtyard to practise swordplay,” Xuan Jie’er immediately jumped up, her eyes sparkling. “What? Practising swordplay? Xiao Jiu, wait for me! I’m coming too!”

Before anyone could react, she dashed back to her room and, moments later, returned with a gleaming, sharpened sabre in hand, her face full of excitement. “Let’s go, Xiao Jiu!”

刀 (Dao) - a single-edged Chinese sword, aka Chinese sabre.

Everyone: “…….”