"Ah Zhi...?"
The young man's call sounded hesitant and uncertain.
Before Zhan Xinjia could react, Yan Huishi, standing to the side, was struck dumb as if by lightning.
His face turned pale, and as if struck by a sudden, serious illness, he squatted down and frantically dug a hole in the mud with both hands before plunging straight in, face down, pretending to be a corpse.
Zhan Xinjia was stunned.
"Not a buddy!..."
She stood there, her mind racing. She hadn't figured out why this kid was hiding when she wasn't even trying to avoid him, when Fu Shouan, who was clearly not happy, and Shen Suqing, who looked serious, walked in.
"Didn't you say you were at home feeding the cat? What are you doing now?"
Master Shen glanced around and became increasingly alarmed.
He stared at the little girl with a questioning look, his eyes filled with anguish, as if he were witnessing the despair of his own usually well-behaved child who was actually a habitual liar who was kicking the good leg of a cripple outside.
Zhan Xinjia dared not meet his gaze.
She gave an awkward "haha" twice, nervously scratching the back of her head with one hand, and looked down at the tip of her shoe, which was spinning in the mud, as if nothing had happened, her voice barely audible.
"I... I was bored at home, so... I deliberately went out to bully beggars..."
Those who understood are already eating beef noodles.
In order to prevent those idiots from revealing their identities, she had no choice but to confess with tears in her eyes.
Upon receiving this terrifying answer, the young man in blue robes lost all his composure, his face turning ashen.
Shen Suqing took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and felt a sense of shattering, as if he was about to faint from anger.
In the awkward atmosphere, Yan Xiyue, hiding behind Zhan Xinjia, froze, not knowing what was going on.
She quietly retreated behind Zhan Xinjia and secretly stepped on her brother's foot, speaking in a low voice.
"Hey bro, don't you think that young master looks familiar?"
Unfortunately, no medical miracle occurred, and Yan Huishi was still dutifully playing the role of his deceased father.
As soon as Yan Xiyue moved, Fu Shouan, who was watching the show, noticed that besides the old, weak, sick and disabled beggars in the courtyard, there was also a pretty little girl dressed in mourning clothes behind the girl. She was very cute with her red lips and white teeth.
"These beggars are one thing, but where did this girl come from? Did you... rob her?"
Fu Shouan bared his teeth, looking quite frightened.
He was genuinely afraid that Zhan Xinjia would nod in agreement.
Zhan Xinjia looked troubled, racked his brains, hesitated for a moment, and then pretended to be calm and confident as he dusted off the dust on his sleeves and opened his mouth.
"Huh? She used to sell her father's corpse on the street. When I heard it was only ninety-eight copper coins, which seemed pretty cheap, I bought her father and temporarily placed him in this courtyard. I come over to play with him in my spare time..."
Fu Shouan: "..."
Shen Suqing: "..."
Fu Shouan looked like he had eaten shit.
Unable to bear the sight, he turned away, covered his forehead, sighed deeply, and patted Shen Suqing's shoulder.
"Brother Shen, don't just spoil them. Pay more attention to their mental health... We can talk about the ancestral home renovation another day. I forgot to bring my brain with me. I'm going back now."
Watching Fu Shouan's figure disappear into the distance, Zhan Xinjia looked anxiously at the young man in blue, her eyes pleading, her fingers pointing at each other, looking pitiful and aggrieved.
Normally, if she showed this solemn and aloof expression, one would offer a few words of comfort as a loving elder.
But looking at the corpse carelessly thrown in the yard behind her, at the wise-looking girl beside her with her thumb biting and her left eye on guard duty and her right eye on watch, and at the group of beggars behind her still crying out "ouch, ouch," Shen Suqing was so angry that the words stuck in her throat and she couldn't organize her thoughts for a long time.
He took deep breaths, and in the end, he simply flicked his sleeve and left with a rebuke.
"You know in your heart what you should do. Reflect on whether your actions were upright before you come back to see me!"
Oh no, Master Shen is really angry this time.
Who would have thought that this dilapidated house was actually Lord Fu's ancestral home!
After Lord Shen left, Zhan Xinjia, feeling unlucky, took out fifty copper coins from her pocket and gave them to the beggars. She then politely apologized and turned around to kick Yan Huishi hard in the buttocks.
"Get up!"
Only after confirming that Shen Suqing had truly left did Yan Huishi stiffly prop himself up on his elbows and get to his feet. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead, and he tremblingly wiped his face, trying to appear calm.
The three walked to a secluded spot outside the courtyard and looked at each other in bewilderment.
"So, that's the approachable young man you were talking about who took you in?"
"What, you know him?"
Is there any possibility?
Yan Hui's lips trembled as she returned, as if she had just encountered some raging flood or ferocious beast. Her usual pretentious and arrogant demeanor had also subsided, and even her eyes had become much clearer, making her look quite honest.
Is it possible that he is my teacher?
Zhan Xinjia: "???"
Yan Xiyue: "I'll cook it!"
Sigh and clear.
The current Crown Prince's Grand Tutor, a first-rank official, is the teacher of the heir apparent.
Well, even someone as carefree as Zhan Xinjia had heard of the extraordinary deeds of this Crown Prince's tutor.
Rumor has it that the current Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince is a poor scholar who rose through the ranks from humble beginnings through the provincial and imperial examinations. He has no powerful connections or relatives, and is utterly alone and penniless. Yet, the current emperor happens to favor such unsophisticated scholars who have achieved high honors through humble means, and thus he vigorously supports them.
It is said that this person was born proud and arrogant, and remained neutral in the court, neither befriending nor making enemies. Apart from the king and the crown prince, very few people had even seen his true face.
It is also said that this person was born with a handsome appearance, even better than the third-ranked scholar of that year.
Yan Xiyue rarely went to the East Palace, and had never properly met the Crown Prince's tutor, who seemed to have the makings of a male protagonist and a genius. This was why neither of them recognized the other.
Zhan Xinjia was deeply moved after hearing the letter.
But what she cared about was, "How did I, such a fine young master like Master Shen, manage to raise such a classical-style scholar like you!"
"No, you should have told me earlier that you had such a handsome and virtuous young man by your side! I should have packed my things and gone to be your study companion back then. Don't you want to be brothers with me?"
Zhan Xinjia felt as heartbroken as if he had lost five coins.
Upon hearing this, Yan Hui turned away and snorted coldly, "I told you before, it's your own fault for not paying attention."
“Yeah, sis! Even I remember.” Yan Xiyue raised her hand high. “But you were so dismissive back then and even called Lord Shen ‘Little Fake Brother’ in private…”
Zhan Xinjia: "..."
Zhan Xinjia: "Well, on the other hand, Master Shen does have the right to show off."
Upon hearing this, Yan Huishi was so enraged that she suddenly lost her composure for some reason.
"Ha, I knew you were just as fickle as your mother. Since you're living such a carefree life outside the palace, A-Yue and I will no longer interfere with you!"
"???"
Zhan Xinjia looked on, completely bewildered, as Yan Huishi led the bewildered Yan Xiyue further and further away.
Why did they suddenly get angry while they were chatting?
I sighed upon receiving this letter.
On her way home, she kicked the stones by the roadside in frustration, pondering in her heart which cool sliding kneeling posture she should use to beg Lord Shen not to kick her out when she got back. Just as she reached Xichun Tower, she saw a simple and elegant carriage parked at the entrance of the alley ahead.
Two lanterns hung in front of the carriage, which were the family crests of Prince Yan's mansion.
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