Chapter 25 The Knight
"You know what to bring, that's fine, but what you're wearing is too plain. You're a young lady from the Xiao family, yet you're dressed like an ordinary person."
After he finished speaking, he immediately paused, wondering why his mouth couldn't express what he wanted to say.
Seeing his younger sister, who was half a head shorter than him, lower her eyelashes and look somewhat disappointed, Xiao Jin panicked. On the first day of school, he had said the wrong thing and made his sister cry.
"I did not mean that……"
In the past, he would never have offered a single explanation, but things are different now. His feelings towards Xiao Yuxuan have changed, and he naturally feels somewhat guilty.
The mother and daughter who were still whispering to each other looked over. Xiao Yuyao, in Madam Xiao's arms, looked at Xiao Jin, who was at a loss in front of Xiao Yuxuan, and a vicious glint flashed in her eyes.
It must have been on that day that Xiao Yuxuan plotted to let Xiao Jin hear those words.
A few days ago, she took the initiative to talk to him when she went to school, and occasionally brought him soup and water pouches. He always seemed preoccupied and was not as patient and doting on her as before.
"Pfft... Third Brother, I thought you were well-informed because you often went to the palace, but I didn't expect you couldn't even see this."
Xiao Yuxuan raised her head, but there were no tears of disappointment on her face. A perfectly timed teasing smile played on her lips, and a hint of girlish cunning and liveliness shone in her phoenix eyes, which were somewhat similar to Xiao Jin's.
"What?"
Xiao Jin froze, his gaze falling once more on her pearl hairpin and the fabric of her clothes, only then realizing—
Although this outfit looks simple, it is quite expensive to make. It has a dozen or so thumb-sized beads and a bolt of silk brocade weighing several ounces. It is definitely not something that ordinary people can afford to wear.
Madam Xiao immediately understood what they had just been talking about. She walked over, pulled Xiao Yuxuan into her arms, and said to Xiao Jin in a rather irritating tone:
"What do you know, you brat? It's not like wearing gold and jade is what makes you a celebrity. Alright, alright, you two hurry up and go to school, didn't we just say we were going to be late?"
Xiao Jin was a little embarrassed, and he scratched his head:
"I'm just worried that my fifth sister will be looked down upon since it's her first time showing herself..."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yuyao touched the gold hairpin on her head and the heavy pure gold longevity lock on her chest, and bit her lower lip.
Xiao Yuxuan, she definitely did it on purpose!
Finally, they set off. Xiao Yuxuan sat in the carriage with her eyes closed, trying to rest. Hongzhu sat below her, nervously checking this and that, afraid that something might not be prepared.
"Alright, you should get some rest too. You didn't sleep well last night, did you?"
She patted the hand of the little girl who had been busy.
Hongzhu felt somewhat uneasy:
"This is the first day of school for you, Miss. You only brought me with you, not even Sister Bihui. I'm afraid I won't do a good job..."
Xiao Yuxuan exclaimed in surprise:
"Who was it that rushed up to me this morning, pledging their loyalty and promising to protect me? Why are they already scared before we even get to the academy?"
Hongzhu looked away and didn't say anything.
Xiao Yuxuan stopped teasing her:
“You are only ten years old, still at the age of learning and understanding. If you come to school with me, you can learn something and become a talented woman in the future. That would make me proud.”
"Can I...?"
Hongzhu raised her head. She prided herself on being precocious and having clear likes and dislikes. Before, she only wanted to live well and find an opportunity to discover her origins. Now, having received Xiao Yuxuan's kindness and lived a peaceful life for a while, she had even begun to imagine what her future would be like.
“You are a pearl that has been covered in dust. You have your own strengths that you are unaware of. Sometimes I envy you.”
Xiao Yuxuan spoke these words with utmost seriousness.
She had only lived a second life. No matter how much she experienced, deep down she was still the same Xiao Yuxuan who was occasionally insecure and sensitive. Only when she saw Hongzhu and thought of the decisive and resolute Princess Minying in the future did she remind herself again and again that she absolutely could not make the same mistake again.
After exchanging a few words, Hongzhu calmed down, and the two young women rested together for a while.
The name of the girls' school uses the characters "Yuxiu" from the phrase "Zhongling Yuxiu". It should have been called Yuxiu Academy. This was the ideal of the founders when the girls' school was established. They hoped that there would be more than one girls' school and that it could nurture generations of outstanding talents.
However, due to various reasons, this was the only girls' school successfully established in this dynasty, and its name gradually became less and less known. When people mentioned Yuxiu Academy, it was simply referred to as the two-word "girls' school".
Xiao Yuxuan slightly raised her head to look at the academy gate. The plaque above the gate was engraved with four powerful characters: Yuxiu Academy. With her sharp eyes, she could see that the characters were originally painted with gold paint, but it had all fallen off under the wind and sun, leaving only a few traces of gold powder on the plaque.
Yuxiu Academy, which once enjoyed great glory, has now changed its nature, becoming the first choice for noble ladies who want to stand out in the talent show—those who graduate with excellence can be given priority by the emperor and empress to marry into the imperial family.
"Fourth sister, fifth sister, I'll see you off here. You two mustn't quarrel anymore."
Xiao Jin thought for a moment and still gave this reminder.
Xiao Yuxuan was about to speak when Xiao Yuyao interrupted her:
"Third brother, I already said that what happened that day was a misunderstanding. We are very close, and I will definitely take good care of fifth sister."
Xiao Yuyao leaned closer, trying to hug Xiao Yuxuan's arm, but Xiao Yuxuan shrank back half a step, avoiding her hand.
The next second, meeting Xiao Jin's astonished gaze, Xiao Yuxuan hastily forced a smile and nodded:
"Yes, Third Brother, don't worry, we'll be fine."
Xiao Jin rode away, his mind preoccupied, still recalling Xiao Yuxuan's somewhat forced smile from earlier.
What exactly happened between his two younger sisters? How many things are they still hiding from him?
Xiao Jin's figure disappeared at the end of the road. Xiao Yuyao's face had turned completely cold. She whispered:
"Xiao Yuxuan, I really underestimated you."
The girl in the sky-blue dress frowned slightly, her lips pursed in grievance, but her voice was not quiet at all, and everyone passing by could hear it:
"This is at the entrance of the academy; it's not good if someone sees us. If you're angry, you can scold or hit me when we get back..."
In an instant, everyone passing by looked over.
The girls' school is held every three years, with four classes: A, B, C, and D. At this moment, a classmate from Xiao Yuyao's class A happened to pass by. She was a girl dressed in a flamboyant red riding outfit.
"Xiao Yuyao? What bad luck to run into you so early in the morning... Hey, you—"
Zheng Yanling's eyes darted around, and remembering that she had met the Crown Prince that day, she decided not to reveal anything.
"You, you look familiar, haha, what's your sister's name?"
Xiao Yuxuan recognized Zheng Yanling the moment she saw her. This was the kind-hearted chivalrous woman who had helped her catch the thief at the temple fair that day, and she felt a sense of goodwill towards her.
That wasn't enough. Since they didn't intend to bring up that day's events in front of Xiao Yuyao, she readily agreed:
"I am Xiao Yuxuan from the Xiao Minister's residence. May I ask how you should address me, elder sister?"
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