Chapter 6 The Mischievous Kid Appears

"Sister-in-law is back!" The three of them bowed in unison, expressing their delight.

"Sister-in-law, Mianmian missed you so much!" Xie Mianmian rushed up and hugged the woman's leg.

"Good girl, Mianmian." Sister-in-law Wen Shuwan gently stroked the child's head.

"I want a kiss from my sister-in-law." Xie Mianmian raised her cute, fair face.

"My little sister has been so clingy lately, always wanting people to kiss her cheeks. She's so happy," Xie Huaijin joked.

"Our child is meant to be pampered." Wen Shuwan picked up Xie Mianmian and kissed her chubby face twice.

"Is your uncle's illness better?" Xie Mingyi asked with concern.

Wen Shuwan's father is ill, and she has gone back to take care of him these past two days.

"After taking the doctor's medicine, there's nothing seriously wrong."

That's good, Xie Mingyi is relieved. Although her sister-in-law has only been married into the family for a year, she is gentle and kind, and manages the household affairs and interpersonal relationships very well.

With her older brother and sister-in-law at home, Xie Mingyi felt reassured and at ease.

Moreover, in the eyes of the siblings, the eldest brother and sister-in-law are an enviable couple, a handsome man and a beautiful woman, respectful to each other, and never quarrel.

This gave Xie Mingyi a small hope; she wished that her married life would be as happy as theirs.

Xie Mianmian nestled in Wen Shuwan's arms, inhaling the delicate fragrance of plum blossoms and listening to the adults' conversation.

A swallow had somehow landed on a branch, chirping away: "Mianmian, your eldest brother is up all night looking at your sister-in-law's portrait, and he's been looking at it for a long time!"

Xie Mianmian gasped in surprise.

"Big brother misses you so much," Xie Mianmian whispered in Wen Shuwan's ear.

"Shame on you." The child buried his head in the woman's arms.

Upon hearing this, Wen Shuwan's eyes darkened. They had been married for a year, but her husband was still cold and indifferent, treating her the same as everyone else.

If he hadn't been rescued from the water by chance back then, they probably would never have crossed paths in their lives. Xie Linyuan is a good person, but unfortunately, out of a sense of responsibility, he was forced to marry a woman he didn't like.

Wen Shuwan blinked, concealing the loneliness in her eyes, and said in a deliberately light tone, "Mianmian, you must be a good girl when you go to the palace. The pear blossoms at home are in bloom. Your sister-in-law will make you apricot and pear blossom cake. You can eat it when you come back."

Xie Mianmian's eyes lit up at the sight of it, and then she reluctantly let go of her sister-in-law's hand and left with her older brother and sister.

In front of the Xie family mansion gate, beside the carriage.

Xie Mingyi tidied the child's clothes. "Bring Mianmian back safe and sound, understand?" Xie Mingyi thought that Xie Huaijin was usually carefree, but he was reliable when it mattered.

"Don't worry." The boy jumped onto the carriage and reached out to pull Xie Mianmian into his arms.

The coachman cracked his whip and lashed the horse's rump. The carriage moved slowly forward, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Xie Mingyi pressed the handkerchief to her forehead, a vague sense of foreboding creeping in.

————

Upon disembarking from the carriage, they were led to the Six Offices Corridor of the Outer Court. The children were taken inside by palace servants, while the parents waited there.

Xie Huaijin handed her father-in-law a brocade pouch and said, "My younger sister is unruly, so I'll trouble you to take care of her."

Without making a sound, Eunuch Li took the brocade pouch, squeezed it, and casually stuffed it into his sleeve.

"Not at all, Miss is so well-behaved and adorable, how could anyone in the palace bear to bully her? Please rest assured, Young Master Xie."

Xie Mianmian wore a pale yellow, high-waisted ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), and still had her hair styled in two high-pillared buns. On the right side was an exquisite enamel dragonfly hairpin, the dragonfly so lifelike that it seemed to be fluttering its wings.

Despite being the youngest child on the field, he was very quiet and well-behaved, his big, bright eyes darting around curiously, without making a fuss.

Lin Yueran, a child standing nearby, noticed Xie Mianmian. She pouted, pointed at the dragonfly hairpin in Xie Mianmian's hair, and shouted, "That hairpin is so pretty! Brother, I want it! I want it! Tell her to give it to me!"

The boy being pestered, dressed in a blue robe, looked helpless. "Nonsense! How can you ask for other people's things for no reason? I'll buy them for you when we get back."

After saying that, Lin Xuan cupped his hands in greeting to Xie Huaijin, saying, "My son is unruly and has been impolite."

Xie Huaijin waved his hand and said it was nothing, but he had a lot to say in his heart. Fortunately, he had raised his child well, otherwise he would have had to apologize to everyone.

Lin Leran was so angry that she stomped her feet. Just as she was thinking about whether to throw a tantrum, Lin Yueji, the child who came with her, secretly told her, "I'll teach her a lesson later and make her give you the things."

Lin Yuran was satisfied, but she didn't forget to glare fiercely at Xie Mianmian.

Good girl Xie Mianmian: ?

The palace servants escorted the children to the Wenhua Hall and arranged seats for them one by one.

The ten-year-old sixth princess looked at Xie Mianmian, who was shorter than the others in the crowd, and chuckled, "Such a young child as a study companion?"

Usually, it was mostly children from aristocratic families, aged eight or older, who came to the palace to serve as study companions.

The palace maid who was grinding ink replied, "Your Highness, it is Xie Mianmian, the youngest daughter of the Xie family."

The sixth princess propped her head up in thought, "The youngest daughter of the Xie family..."

"Fine, let that kid sit next to me."

Hearing this, Lin Leran in the back row glared at Xie Mianmian jealously. The Sixth Princess had ignored her just now, so why was Xie Mianmian able to win the Sixth Princess's favor?

Lin Leran came here specifically for the Sixth Princess. The Sixth Princess was the Emperor's favorite, and if she became the Princess's study companion, she could roam around like a crab.

She then remembered that before she left home, her aunt Lin Ruoxue had asked her to teach a lesson to a girl named Xie Mianmian.

Alright, it seems like enemies are destined to meet. If I don't embarrass Xie Mianmian today, she's not a Lin!

She stared resentfully at the back of Xie Mianmian's head.

Xie Mianmian sat down on the stool with her little bottom, her chin resting perfectly on the table.

Xie Mianmian: Hmm?

She looked to Eunuch Li for help, and Eunuch Li, suppressing a laugh, placed a thick cushion under the child's seat.

Once all the princes and princesses had arrived, the Grand Tutor coughed once and began his lesson.

Xie Mianmian couldn't understand the hypnotic classical Chinese phrases, so she slowly ground the ink and practiced writing characters one, two, and three on the paper.

The child didn't know how to grind ink, so the inkstone was full of ink.

After a long while, the Grand Tutor finally finished his lecture, and the children excitedly stood up, some knowing him and some not, and gathered together to chat.

Xie Mianmian is still struggling with her black, round characters.

Suddenly, someone forcefully pushed Xie Mianmian's right elbow, and the entire plate of black ink was poured directly onto the Sixth Princess beside her.

Sixth Princess: !!!

She was both shocked and angry, her big eyes wide open. Looking down, she saw that her favorite clothes were covered in black stains.

Ink dripped from her hair onto her lips, but she couldn't open her mouth to curse. Enraged, the sixth princess could only cover her face with her sleeve and rush out the door.

She'll deal with this arrogant brat in a bit. Who cares if she's the youngest daughter of the Grand Canal Governor? She shouldn't have let her sit next to her in the first place!

Xie Mianmian looked around helplessly. Everyone was chatting in a group, and she didn't see anyone suspicious.

The child was on the verge of tears. Oh no! Should he run away or cry? What if he offended the princess? His second sister didn't teach him anything!

At worst, I'll just give him a spanking. Xie Mianmian has a lot of experience with this.

There will be no riding and archery lessons today. The palace servants have prepared tea and snacks in the Imperial Garden. The children are crowding around the princes and princesses, all eager to show off their talents.

Lin Yuran was overjoyed at her success and waited to see how the Sixth Princess would teach Xie Mianmian a lesson.

Lin Yueji secretly took out a packet of croton powder, which he usually used to prank his servants.

They sprinkled croton powder on a plate of pastries as icing, intending for Xie Mianmian to eat it.

Two naughty kids were hiding in a corner, laughing.

Xie Mianmian also came to the Imperial Garden and quietly ate the pastries, earnestly following her second sister's instructions.

The pastries in the palace are so delicious! (chewing)

Xie Mianmian finished one plate and reached for the next, when a chubby little blue bird suddenly flew over and knocked the plate over.

"Chirp chirp chirp, Mianmian, don't eat it! This pastry is poisonous!"