Upon hearing this, Xin Yunzhou's expression changed before Xin Jiuwei's.
"Who do you think you are, that I care? If you look down on me, then get lost!"
The young man with slanted eyes shouted, "Such vulgarity only proves that Brother Qi is absolutely right!"
Xin Jiuwei pulled her brother, who was about to step forward with his sleeves rolled up, and took two steps forward.
She first glanced at the slanted eyes, then slowly looked around at the group of people, and gave a subtle smile.
"Since you gentlemen trust Qi Huaiyu so much, then Jiuwei will not insist. However, he will no longer be in the Xin residence and will not be able to make decisions for our Xin family, so please go back."
After the argument, several of the scholars, feeling they had lost face, said nothing and quickly left with their companions.
As Xin Jiuwei watched their departing figures, she was reminded of something.
It's not a pity that these scholars left, but my brother really needs to find some study companions to take the exams together. It's also to keep an eye on my brother, who has never liked studying. This matter needs to be arranged properly.
Xin Yunzhou, who was standing to the side, had no idea about this. He was inexplicably looked down upon again, and naturally he was furious.
"Why did you let them go? They look down on people and deserve to be beaten up by me."
Xin Jiuwei took his arm and led him inside, advising, "They are just common scholars, and it hasn't been easy for them to come all this way to take the exams. Let's leave them a way out today so we can meet again in the future."
Seeing that Xin Yunzhou remained silent, she continued, "Brother, you should change your temper. You always fall for people's tricks so easily. What if something really happens?"
"What could possibly happen to me?" Xin Yunzhou said nonchalantly. "Why are you being so long-winded today?"
Xin Jiuwei sighed, stopped talking about the topic, and pulled Xin Yunzhou away in one direction.
Upon seeing that the direction was towards the study, Xin Yunzhou immediately became alarmed, asking, "What are you doing?"
Xin Jiuwei pulled him to the front of the study, smiling as she pointed inside, "Brother, take a look, do you like it?"
Qi Huaiyu's belongings had all been cleared out of the study. Xin Jiuwei had new writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones prepared, along with the books Xin Yunzhou had been reading and the calligraphy practice books he wanted to write. She also laid out a plush carpet according to Xin Yunzhou's preferences.
Xin Yunzhou glanced at it briefly, showing little interest. "I'm not out of my mind. What's so great about the study?"
Xin Jiuwei said, "Qi Huaiyu will not come again. From now on, this place will belong to my brother."
"What's the point of having these? I'm not cut out for studying." Xin Yunzhou felt that his sister was wasting her time.
Xin Jiuwei asked, "Today, those scholars looked down on you, brother, but praised Qi Huaiyu highly. Do you feel convinced?"
Xin Yunzhou felt that Xin Jiuwei was the one who had taken the wrong medicine. "So what? Anyway, you all think that the guy surnamed Qi is better than me, so why are you forcing me to study?"
In the past, putting aside others, the person who admired Qi Huaiyu the most was clearly his younger sister. Sometimes when their father brought back some good books from outside, Xin Jiuwei would say that Qi Huaiyu could use them and snatch them away first.
Although he didn't like reading either, why should the Xin family's things be given to an outsider?
Xin Yunzhou got angry again as he thought about it, and felt that his sister was even more unreasonable.
Xin Jiuwei knew she had done wrong before, so she quickly apologized to Xin Yunzhou.
"I was fooled by his act. So what if he's better than you now? You're my brother. Is there anything in this world you can't do? It's just a matter of reading a few books."
Seeing Xin Yunzhou's suspicious expression, she quickly pressed her advantage, "Qi Huaiyu used to occupy this study and read whatever he wanted, which is why he has become more literary. Does Brother really admit that he is inferior to him?"
In truth, she knew that Qi Huaiyu was indeed talented, but her brother was no less so. It was just that before he had truly put in the effort, he was outshone by Qi Huaiyu. Constantly being compared to him made him dislike studying even more, thus entering a vicious cycle.
Provoked by her words, Xin Yunzhou fell for it as expected, "Who said that? It's just studying!"
“Yes, it’s just studying.” Xin Jiuwei laughed. Compared to the later destruction of her family, what was the hardship of studying? “Brother, I believe in you, and you must believe in yourself too.”
Stared at by his younger sister's bright eyes, Xin Yunzhou acted impulsively and patted his chest to make a promise.
"Of course! Don't worry, little sister, I will definitely..."
"It's like the sun has risen in the west! You're actually in the study."
A clear, cold female voice interrupted Xin Yunzhou's words. Xin Xiyao walked in, lifting her skirt, and the three of them were together for the first time.
Xin Yunzhou glanced at her sister and said, "I want to study, why can't I?"
Xin Xiyao took it as a whim and didn't take it to heart.
"Sister, are you looking for a book?" Xin Jiuwei stepped forward. "What are you looking for? I'll help you."
After the incident at Lingyin Temple, the relationship between the two sisters has improved a lot, but Xin Xiyao is still a little unaccustomed to Xin Jiuwei's enthusiasm.
"No need, I'm just looking around."
"Do we even have any books in our house that you would even consider?" Xin Yunzhou said casually. "Isn't the talented Xin the one who only reads rare and unique books?"
Xin Xiyao also knew about Qi Huaiyu's things being thrown out, and said upon hearing this, "I didn't come in the past because I didn't want to see bad luck, but now it's my own study, so what's wrong with me coming and taking a stroll around?"
Xin Yunzhou nodded, "That's true, I think the smells here are much better now."
“That’s the new incense your sister just got,” Xin Xiyao said casually as she walked to the bookshelf.
As Xin Jiuwei listened to their bickering, she unconsciously felt a lump in her throat and almost burst into tears.
The time I spent with my older siblings when I was a teenager seems as distant and blurry as a dream.
The horrific events that had actually occurred were now replaced by heartwarming scenes, making Xin Jiuwei feel incredibly fortunate.
Just then, Xin Yunzhou said, "It would be good for me to study here for a few days. That way, it will be more convenient to go to the treasure appraisal event in a few days, so that Dad won't find out and say that I'm always thinking about playing."
Xin Jiuwei was taken aback and subconsciously said, "No!"
The treasure appraisal event that Xin Yunzhou mentioned caused him a lot of trouble in his previous life!
This treasure appraisal event was a pastime organized by the young masters of Yingzhou City. After several sessions, it gained some fame and became quite lively. Every year, the winner would put on a grand show.
In his previous life, Xin Yunzhou was constantly being compared and suppressed, and because of the brothel incident, he was confirmed to be a playboy, which made him quite depressed for a period of time.
Qi Huaiyu took advantage of Xin Yunzhou's eagerness to make a name for himself, tricking him into spending a large sum of money to buy a valuable jade artifact from a previous dynasty, which made him the center of attention at the treasure appraisal event.
The problem is that the jade artifact was a favorite of the princes of the previous dynasty. In the early days of this dynasty, the remnants of the previous dynasty, unwilling to give up, supported the princes who had managed to escape into the common people in their attempt to restore the former royal family, which caused a rebellion that no one dared to mention.
If Xin Yunzhou had taken out other items from the previous dynasty, it would have been fine, but it happened to be a prince's treasure. Even if there was nothing wrong on the surface, if it reached the ears of the emperor in the capital, the Xin family would still be reprimanded!
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