Chapter 13, a side room in Biyu Pavilion, with large windows...

In the side room of Biyuxuan, the window was wide open. The crabapple tree in the courtyard was lush with leaves, and a branch full of flower buds reached out to the window, being touched by a pair of hands.

"Young Master."

Si Xi's voice came from outside. The boy paused in his hand, which was fiddling with the crabapple blossoms, and took a few steps back to sit back down at the table.

Si Xi, who had walked around the screen, saw Xie Baoqiong sitting obediently at the table and secretly breathed a sigh of relief. She stepped forward and placed the book she was holding on a corner of the table, but when the book was still a foot away from the table, she froze.

Xie Baoqiong glanced at Sixi, then looked at the table with a puzzled expression. He was unusually well-behaved today.

His gaze froze slightly when it landed on the table.

The calligraphy brush that Xie Zhuo had sent a few days ago rolled onto the Xuan paper that had only a few words written on it, and a large blot of ink smeared on the white paper under the wolf-hair brush.

The few scattered words on the paper weren't much better, stained by a few drops of ink splashed around them, and even the two yellowed straw crickets on the edge of the Xuan paper were covered in ink stains.

He looked away as if nothing had happened and calmly asked, "Sixi, what are you holding in your hand?"

Si Xi carefully placed the calligraphy copybook, avoiding the ink stain, within Si Xi's reach, and replied, "The young master heard that the young master has been practicing calligraphy these past few days, so he sent someone to deliver several sets of calligraphy copybooks."

Xie Baoqiong, however, seemed to regard the pile of books as something invisible. She glanced at them briefly, but before she could even see the names on the covers, she hurriedly looked away.

This wasn't the first time Xie Rongjing had sent someone to deliver calligraphy practice books. Last time, he sent a tracing book, which Xie Zhuo found quite good after looking at it, so he told him to practice it when he had some free time.

Thinking of Xie Zhuo, and glancing again at the ink-stained Xuan paper, Xie Baoqiong felt a headache coming on.

Lord Xie's actions and the efficiency of the people in his household are both very high. The day Xie Zhuo mentioned that he should learn to read, a study was set up in Biyuxuan the next day.

After that, Xie Zhuo would personally give him lessons in Biyuxuan every day after court.

Aside from the first day, when Xie Zhuo asked him what books he had read before and he received titles like "The Fox's Tale" and "Begonia, Do Not Waste the Spring Breeze," which sounded like stories, his hand holding the book tightened slightly. He then paced silently in the study for a long time, and finally looked out the window as if he had spent some time considering digging up that begonia tree.

In the days that followed, Xie Zhuo indeed did not force him to study, just as he had said.

The daily lessons were almost always limited to about an hour. In the morning, he was given the remaining time to practice calligraphy, and in the afternoon, he was allowed to "play" around in the mansion.

Xie Zhuo was a real mortal who had lived in the world for decades. The stories he shared during his lectures were different from the stories Su Xiaochun had heard from the storyteller and then relayed to him. They were both novel and real.

It allowed him to gain a deeper understanding of the mundane world. Xie Zhuo's lectures were not as rigid and boring as those of the old scholars in storybooks, so he listened very attentively.

But practicing calligraphy is different; even the most talented person needs to hone their skills over many years.

Even though Xie Zhuo didn't have high expectations of him, as long as he could write neatly, he still had to sit in his room all day long.

He had lived for far too long as he was a stone before he could take human form, and now that he had, he naturally did not want to be constrained.

Xie Zhuo's always smiling face flashed into her mind. Xie Baoqiong solemnly forgot the paper on the table and lightly jumped off the chair.

He came down the mountain to investigate a case, not to practice calligraphy.

He then grabbed the straw cricket from the table and said to Sixi, who was still tidying up the table, "Sixi, I'm going to go and thank my brother for the calligraphy copybook he sent."

As Xie Baoqiong ran out of the courtyard gate, she could still faintly hear Sixi calling out behind her: "Hey! Young Master, the Marquis has instructed you to practice calligraphy..."

Xie Baoqiong did indeed go to see Xie Rongjing first, just as he said, but not about the calligraphy copybook. He was worried that if he brought it up, Xie Rongjing might find some more copybooks to give him.

Rather, it was so that Xie Rongjing would take him out of the Marquis's residence.

As soon as he stepped into the courtyard, a servant came up to him and said, "Young Master, the young master is not here."

"Not here? Where did my brother go?" Xie Baoqiong stopped walking into the house and looked at the servant upon hearing the voice.

"The young master left the manor early this morning."

As soon as she finished speaking, Xie Baoqiong's face fell.

The servant hurriedly said, "Young master, is there something you need from the young master? I will inform him when he returns."

"It's nothing. My brother isn't here, so I'll be leaving now."

Leaving Xie Rongjing's courtyard, Xie Baoqiong glanced at Sanqi, who was following him at a distance of not too far, now trailing him by three steps.

He quickened his pace, and Sanqi behind him followed suit, taking longer strides, but still maintaining a perfect three-step distance.

He stopped and turned around, staring intently at Sanqi not far away. His thoughts drifted. Although Su Xiaochun was a fox demon and proficient in illusion, as a friend, perhaps because his true form was a stone, he was utterly clueless in this area, only capable of some bluffing tricks and unable to keep his flaws hidden for long.

The intense gaze made Sanqi feel somewhat uncomfortable. A calm voice rang out, interrupting Xie Baoqiong's thoughts: "Young Master, is there anything you need to instruct me?"

"You, um... go to the courtyard and get my outer robe." He stammered a little, but Xie Baoqiong's expression was natural, as if he wasn't wearing a sky-blue outer robe at all.

"Yes." Despite saying that, Sanqi didn't move her feet at all, and her expression seemed to suggest that she wanted to say something but hesitated. "Which outer garment does the young master want?"

"Peach pink," Xie Baoqiong answered without hesitation. He was certain he had never seen him wear a peach pink outer garment, which would give him more time to slip out of the Marquis's residence.

Xie Baoqiong waited quietly in place, waiting for Sanqi to turn around, but saw Sanqi beckoning to the servant sweeping the roadside.

The servant put away the broom and stepped forward respectfully: "Young Master." He then bowed his head and awaited instructions.

"Go to the young master's courtyard and find Sixi to bring him the peach-pink outer robe," Sanqi said.

"Yes," the servant replied.

Xie Baoqiong watched the scene unfold before her until the servant's figure disappeared around the corner, then she came to her senses and said, "I told you to go and get it."

"The Marquis instructed me to stay by the young master's side," Sanqi replied respectfully, still three steps away.

Xie Baoqiong was speechless and walked towards the outer courtyard with a stern face.

—

"Young master, you cannot go in. The Marquis is entertaining guests."

Xie Baoqiong, who was used to having free access to the Marquis's residence, was stopped for the first time. He did not intend to make things difficult for the people guarding the gate, but just looked around curiously and asked, "Who has come to the residence?"

Before the guard could answer, another female voice caught Xie Baoqiong's attention. He looked over and saw a woman with jewels and jade ornaments on her head by the door. When she saw him looking over, she smiled gently at him.

"My lord also wishes to meet Young Master Xie. Young Master, please come in with me."

Upon hearing this, the guards made way for him, and he took a few steps up the steps, following the maid who was leading the way into the house.

"The matter of Ah Jin..."

The two people inside the house heard the noise, stopped talking, and looked at him.

When he looked up and saw the person opposite Xie Zhuo, his expression faltered slightly. The guest the guard had mentioned was dressed in a dark green Shu brocade robe, with white hair mixed in with his black hair, which was styled into a bun. A gold hairpin inlaid with jewels was inserted in his hair. His face was calm, and his black eyes were quietly watching him.

He had initially thought that the "Your Highness" the maid was referring to was the Crown Prince, but it was clear that the person in front of him was not the right age.

"Qiong'er, this is the Princess, come and pay your respects quickly." Xie Zhuo's words reminded Xie Baoqiong, who was standing there in a daze.

He stepped forward a few paces and, mimicking what he had seen and heard in the past few days, cupped his hands in an awkward gesture of greeting: "Greetings, Princess."

As he bent over halfway, his clasped hands were pulled back. He looked up in surprise, and Lin Yu's face immediately came into view: "Princess?"

"Good boy, let me take a good look at you." Lin Yu pulled him to sit down beside her, but he was still in a daze and looked to Xie Zhuo, who was sitting alone on the other side, for help.

But Xie Zhuo looked calm and composed. When he received Xie Zhuo's reassuring look, Xie Zhuo gave him a look that said there was no need to worry, and then slowly picked up his teacup and began to sip his tea.

The sound beside his ear forced him to turn his attention back to Lin Yu.

The moment his gaze returned, he saw Lin Yu's dark eyes silently staring into his, a faint glimmer of light flashing within them, but disappearing the instant their eyes met.

A hand stained with nail polish was held out in front of her eyes, bringing with it the fragrance of begonia blossoms. Xie Baoqiong steadied herself and controlled her body so as not to shrink back.

A warm hand touched the skin beneath his eyes, and a soft murmur, almost like his imagination, escaped his lips: "So alike."

But as the fingers of that hand lightly brushed against his eyes, the voice became dreamlike and waking: "These eyes are just like your mother's. Qiong'er, come here, tell me what your name is?"

Xie Baoqiong suppressed the presumptuous look in her eyes, finding this princess increasingly strange, calling him by name and then asking him questions.

His gaze passed over Lin Yu and then glanced at Xie Zhuo, seeing that he still remained calm and didn't say a word. He composed himself and said:

"Your Highness, my name is Baoqiong, Xie Baoqiong."

He paused for a moment, then added a thank you.

The moment he finished speaking, he clearly saw the princess in front of him glance at Xie Zhuo with an ambiguous look in her eyes, her eyes seemingly filled with disdain.

He cautiously began, "Your Highness, is there anything wrong with my name?"

"How could that be? I think both words are quite wonderful. However, Qiong'er shouldn't call me Princess. I am your mother's mother. You should call me Grandmother."

Xie Baoqiong obediently changed her address to "Grandmother." She heard the person in front of her skip a beat, and then the heartbeat quickened.

This should be a sign of happiness?

"Hey, good boy." Lin Yu stroked his eyes and then ruffled his hair. "Has Qiong'er received his courtesy name yet?"

What is the word? Just as the question arose in her mind, before she could answer, she heard Xie Zhuo, who had been standing aside the whole time, suddenly speak up and calmly cut off Lin Yu's words.

“Princess, Qiong’er is still young, there’s no rush. We can wait until she’s older to have a courtesy name.”

She then subtly changed the subject: "Qiong'er had another name before..."

"The surname Lin is not bad," Lin Yu commented casually, then changed the subject: "Qiong'er, would you like to go to your maternal grandmother's princess residence?"

Xie Baoqiong, who had been lost in thought while listening to Xie Zhuo and Lin Yu's conversation, never expected to be mentioned again. When she was suddenly called out, she was stunned.

At that very moment, everyone in the room was focused on him, including Xie Zhuo, who abandoned his indifferent expression and stared intently at him.

Fortunately, he was a rock, shameless and not nervous. Facing everyone's gaze, he slowly opened his mouth.

...