Chapter 71 Not Sold to a Prodigal Son

Xie Mingyi could only comfort him, "Father, don't worry, things will always turn out alright."

The night is deep; some people have had a good night's sleep, while others are suffering from insomnia in prison.

The next day, Xie Huaijin finished his shift and rode his tall horse to the front of the study, looking for the vendor who sold mechanical toys that Xie Mingyi had mentioned.

Finally, under the shade of a tree not far away, I saw the man. He was wearing a slightly worn blue long gown. There were no customers in front of his stall. He was holding a book in his hand and silently reading it, nodding his head.

He Chuan held the book in one hand and, taking advantage of the fact that no one was around, began to recite it earnestly. He planned to take the provincial examination this autumn.

That year, he happily returned home after finishing the provincial examination, wanting to tell his grandfather that he would definitely pass the county-level examination and become a scholar.

When they returned home, they found their grandfather lying in a pool of blood. It turned out that the old man had difficulty walking and had accidentally fallen, but no one knew, and he had died.

He Chuan, a half-grown child, buried his only relative in loneliness, his grandfather who had raised him with great difficulty and passed on all his skills to him, but with whom he had no blood relation.

That day, the officials congratulated him with gongs and drums, saying he had passed the imperial examination and was even ranked first.

He Chuan gazed at his grandfather's memorial tablet, but there was no one in the world who would truly celebrate for him anymore.

He remained silent for a long time. His grandfather hoped that he could study hard and become an official in the future, instead of becoming a poor craftsman like him.

However, He Chuan found studying mechanical arithmetic very interesting, and becoming someone like his grandfather was also a great thing.

As He Chuan was lost in thought, he suddenly saw someone approaching his stall. He quickly put down his book, intending to properly entertain the guest.

He looked up and saw a young master leading a horse. He felt that the young master looked familiar, as if he had seen him somewhere before.

The young master turned his head and patted his horse.

In a flash, He Chuan remembered that profile; it belonged to the person who was acquainted with Miss Xie.

He Chuan couldn't help but sized up the man, who did indeed look dignified, and he felt somewhat disheartened.

He Chuan did notice that the person's face resembled Xie Mingyi's. He could only sigh and think that good-looking people even have similar features, while ugly people are all different.

What do the guests need?

Xie Huaijin looked at the dazzling array of trinkets on the table, raising his eyebrows in surprise. "Your things are all very nice. By the way, do you sell bamboo whirling devices? I'll take them all."

Xie Mianmian loved playing with this thing, and the black wolf and the giant python loved watching it too, so the child would release it dozens of times a day.

Xie Huaijin also flew up to the roof to pick it up more than ten times.

Then prepare more, so you don't have to play with just one bamboo strip.

He Chuan nodded, "Yes." This young master wants so much, who does he want to play with? Is it little girl Mianmian, or Miss Xie?

He Chuan sourly filled the bamboo strips.

Just then, a young woman walked over and said, "Sir, what a coincidence!"

Xie Huaijin turned his head and saw that it was Bai Yun.

Bai Yun bowed and said, "I haven't seen you since that day. Is it because the food at Yueya Garden doesn't suit your taste, or was I impolite that day?"

Xie Huaijin gave a perfunctory bow and said loudly, "I was rude to Miss Bai that day, and I hope you will forgive me."

"You flatter me, sir. Bai Yun is fine."

Bai Yun curtsied and said, "I hope you are well, my lord. I will not disturb you any longer. Farewell."

Xie Huaijin nodded to Bai Yun.

He Chuan watched as this playboy chatted fluently with other girls. Yueya Garden? Was this abrupt?

He's a two-faced womanizer, not a good man.

Xie Huaijin crossed his arms, waiting for the young man in front of him to pack up the bamboo strips for him, but the young man said, "Go away, I'm not selling them to you."

He would never sell himself to a playboy to seduce other young girls.

Xie Huaijin raised an eyebrow in surprise, gripping his sword tighter. "What did you say?"

I won't sell it to you!

Seeing the boy's self-righteous attitude, Xie Huaijin laughed in anger and slammed the sword, still in its sheath, onto the table.

The fragile little table nearly warped at all four corners and shook violently a few times.

"Give me a reason, or else, hmph." Xie Huaijin sneered.

He Chuan was not afraid and looked Xie Huaijin straight in the eye. "I won't sell it to you so you can go and make the little girl happy."

"Huh?" Xie Huaijin was indeed good at using it to make the little girl happy, and Xie Mianmian was also a little girl, but this kid was talking nonsense without distinguishing right from wrong. It seems that he needs to be taught a lesson.

With a whoosh, the sword was drawn, its cold, silvery light illuminating the space between the two.

Xie Huaijin placed the sword against He Chuan's neck and sneered, "Don't move, or you'll lose your head."

As he spoke, he raised the sword and patted He Chuan on the head, saying, "A scholar's head is the most valuable thing, isn't it?"

Despite the danger, He Chuan remained calm and allowed the sharp sword to traverse his vital points. "I am a scholar. To kill a scholar in the street, I wonder if you, sir, are strong enough to withstand the punishment of the Ministry of Justice and the opinions of all the scholars in the world."

The two remained locked in a stalemate, staring at each other, neither able to persuade the other, neither willing to be the first to give in.

"What are you doing?" a pretty voice rang out.

Upon hearing this, the cold, tense, life-or-death atmosphere between them was instantly broken.

Xie Huaijin immediately moved the sword away, turned around, and with his back to Xie Mingyi, hurriedly put the sword back into its sheath, but he failed to aim it at the scabbard opening several times.

He Chuan also hurriedly bent down to tidy up the items on the table, stuffing the books back into his bag, and clearing his throat as if trying to cover up his misunderstanding.

Xie Mingyi walked over with the child in her hand. She had seen the bright silvery reflection on the sword from so far away.

Based on her understanding of the two, Xie Mingyi slapped Xie Huaijin on the back without saying a word, saying, "You're bullying me again!"

After reprimanding Xie Huaijin, she turned around, looked at the reserved young man in front of her, and said apologetically, "My younger brother is naughty, please don't be offended, Young Master He. I will definitely teach him a good lesson when I get back. He's such a grown man, yet he still bullies a child."

Xie Mianmian said softly, "Don't be angry, Third Brother didn't mean it, even though he always bullies me."

He Chuan was both pleased and worried upon hearing Xie Mingyi's words. He was pleased because this young master was actually the younger brother of Miss Xie, and there was no other relationship between them.

He Chuan chuckled and scratched his head, but the smile on his face froze the next moment.

This young master is actually her younger brother! Oh no, oh no, didn't I just offend that young master with my words?

And then, Miss Xie called him "child, child!" He Chuan suddenly felt like he couldn't breathe, as if the sword hadn't just struck his head, but had instead pierced his heart.

Xie Huaijin clutched his back, feeling wronged. "Master Qingtang, this kid provoked me first, okay? He said..."

"It was my fault!" He Chuan bowed deeply to Xie Huaijin and said, "I was rude. I hope you will forgive me, Third Young Master Xie."

Xie Huaijin crossed his arms, sneered, and looked at the young scholar. This kid has two faces.