"Greetings, Your Majesty the Empress!"
Yuwen Hao wore a moon-white, wide-sleeved robe and wooden clogs, exuding the elegance of a Wei-Jin dynasty scholar.
When he bowed, every movement and every word he uttered was so graceful and elegant.
With his outstanding looks, he truly lived up to his reputation as a "handsome young man".
"Senior Brother Yuwen, there's no need for such formalities!"
Xie Yuan remained calm. Although he felt that Yuwen Hao had come uninvited, he thought that since Yuwen Hao was Xie Yuan's capable disciple, it was only natural that he would come to pay his respects on the anniversary of Xie Yuan's death.
After all, it was a legitimate master-disciple relationship, and they could be considered "one of us".
Therefore, the fact that someone did not send a formal invitation or give prior notice is a sign of "closeness," not a sign of impoliteness.
As the host, Xie Yuan not only shouldn't hold it against them, but should also be grateful.
Yuwen Hao was no nobody; he was a renowned scholar and, now, a "signature figure" in the imperial examinations.
In a sense, his ability to come and pay homage to Xie Yuan also brings honor to the Xie family.
Xie Yuan, on the other hand, had to accept a favor from them.
"This is the Xie family home, not the imperial court or the palace. We only need to perform the family etiquette!"
Xie Yuan suppressed some unpleasant feelings in his heart and generously showed his closeness.
Yuwen Hao's smile grew even brighter. "Since Your Majesty says so, may I presume to call you A Yuan again?"
This is a response to Xie Yuan's comment, "Senior Brother Yuwen!"
Well, they really are just going along with it!
However, since Xie Yuan himself said it first, it was not appropriate to hold Yuwen Hao's overstepping his bounds against him.
Xie Yuan smiled and nodded without saying anything, which was taken as tacit agreement.
"Ah Yuan! This year should be the sixth anniversary of Mr. [the teacher's] death."
After exchanging pleasantries with Xie Yuan, Yuwen Hao did not press his advantage by trying to establish a closer relationship.
He approached the memorial tablets of Mr. and Mrs. Xie, lifted his robe, and knelt down.
They bowed respectfully, and Xie Yuan and Xie Zhen, as the hosts, returned the bows politely.
After exchanging pleasantries, Yuwen Hao sighed with a touch of melancholy, "Time flies. Seven years ago, I bid farewell to you, sir, and left Jiankang."
"My original intention was to emulate the master and travel the world following in his footsteps, but I never expected that not long after I left, he would—"
"The bad news came in winter. I was in the northern border region at the time, and it was snowing heavily. I couldn't even rush back for the funeral!"
Therefore, it's not that he disrespected his mentor, but rather that he was unwilling to attend his teacher's funeral.
He was truly powerless to help someone so far away, thousands of miles away!
"I thought the Xie family was a thousand-year-old family with its own set of rules, and that even for the sake of your reputation, they would never dare to bully you and Azhen."
Therefore, it wasn't that he wasn't worried about the orphans left behind by his master, but rather that he simply assumed the Xie family wouldn't mistreat them.
He underestimated the greed and ugliness of human nature, which is why he couldn't come back to help Xie Yuan and her brother when they were in the most difficult time!
Xie Yuan remained calm and said indifferently, "Senior brother, there's no need to say more. Ah Zhen and I both understand!"
I was just a disciple to begin with. It was a favor if people helped me, and it was my right not to.
Furthermore, even blood relatives have their own interests and choices.
Xie Yuan never resorts to moral blackmail.
She had no complaints about Yuwen Hao, let alone any "hatred".
Of course, it's also possible that she wasn't the original owner of the body, that she had no feelings for Yuwen Hao, and that she didn't care about him, so how could she feel disappointed or resentful?
Yuwen Hao seemed oblivious to Xie Yuan's aloofness, still immersed in his own world.
He gazed at the memorial tablets of his teacher and his wife, and began to reminisce about the past—
"Back then, when I became a student of yours, you treated me like your own child."
"My teacher's wife was also the kindest and most virtuous elder, and she took great care of me."
Xie Yuan: ...
She really didn't want to hear any of this.
It's all in the past, and the people involved are no longer here. What's the point of talking about it now?
What's past is past!
Regardless of whether the original owner and Yuwen Hao had any childhood sweetheart feelings, these feelings disappeared with the departure of Xie Yuan's family of four and the death of the original owner.
The Xie Yuan of today is someone who traveled from a thousand years in the future, not the "junior sister" in Yuwen Hao's memories.
What senior brothers and junior sisters?
It's not a martial arts novel.
Besides, even if they were fellow disciples, she was already married, and Yuwen Hao wasn't the kind of person who would be obsessed with love.
Xie Yuan did not believe that she would have any further involvement with Yuwen Hao.
Xie Yuan treated Yuwen Hao like a stranger, but Yuwen Hao did not see it that way.
He recounted a long story of the past, then abruptly changed the subject, turning to Xie Yuan and saying, "Ah Yuan, I'm sorry!"
"No matter how many reasons I had back then, they cannot be an excuse for not helping you!"
"I was too arrogant and too eager to become a renowned scholar, and as a result, I neglected you!"
Xie Yuan's heart suddenly raced.
Don't misunderstand, Xie Yuan was not moved by Yuwen Hao's "sincere repentance".
Instead, she had a bad feeling.
This person isn't trying to say something they shouldn't, is they?
Please, this isn't a romance novel. There aren't so many melodramatic plots like "I love you," "I'm sorry," and "I want to make it up to you."
Besides, even if a love story were to unfold, the main characters should be her and Helian Jue.
Yuwen Hao?
At best, he's just a supporting male character.
Xie Yuan, on the other hand, is neither a Mary Sue nor a sea queen; she would never have any contact with any man other than her husband.
Her charm doesn't need to be proven by how many men admire her.
The second or third male lead is completely unnecessary in her novel!
"Senior Brother Yuwen, it's all over now!"
"After my father and the others left, Ah Zhen and I did suffer some hardships, but as a result, we met the greatest benefactor of our lives!"
Before Yuwen Hao could say anything that might put her in a difficult position, Xie Yuan preemptively declared, "Being able to marry a sage is absolutely my blessing!"
"The sage is wise; he is not only a good emperor, but also a good husband and a good elder brother."
"He is extremely good to me and to Ah Zhen!"
Xie Yuan repeatedly said "excellent" three times, which was his way of telling Yuwen Hao: Honey, I have already met the best man destined for me, so please stop flirting with me!
Yuwen Hao was very clever and naturally understood Xie Yuan's implied meaning.
A hint of embarrassment flashed in his eyes, but he quickly regained his refined and handsome appearance.
He stared intently at Xie Yuan, then suddenly said, "A Yuan, do you really think he's extremely good to you?"
Xie Yuan didn't hesitate at all, "Of course!"
Xie Yuan couldn't guarantee that Helian Jue would always be like this, but based on their four years of marriage, Xie Yuan believed that Helian Jue was definitely the best man for her.
"So good that I'll make you pay with your life!"
Yuwen Hao appeared gentle and refined, yet he uttered words laced with malice.
Xie Yuan was stunned for a moment. Buried alive?
What kind of burial goods?
The doubt in her eyes flashed by.
Yuwen Hao, however, caught it precisely. He smiled and said, "It seems you don't know yet, but your holy and virtuous husband has ordered the construction of a double coffin!"
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