Simulation becomes reality, have I ever looked down upon the eternity?

Chapter 269 The son is not as good as the father, the fourth lady of the second courtyard!

[After many twists and turns, you finally stepped into the deep backyard. ]

[Along the way, the maids frequently cast curious glances at you, simply because you were alone, without servants, and wearing ordinary clothes.]

[Your appearance and demeanor are outstanding, even compared to the young masters in the courtyard, you are not inferior. ]

[When he reached the backyard gate, he was stopped by a steward. A look of surprise flashed across his eyes.]

[“I’m Xie Guan from the compound, and I’ve come specially to see my mother.” You calmly gave your name.]

[The steward heard this and hurriedly compared the list of young ladies and gentlemen who were attending the banquet given by his wife, but he did not find the name "Xie Guan".]

[He was secretly wondering, when did this young master named Xie Guan appear in the compound? Moreover, he didn't even bring a servant with him. Just as he was full of doubts, someone whispered something in his ear.]

[The steward's expression gradually changed from a little respectful to a cold one. It turned out that it was the unfavored young master who had offended Madam Yuan.]

[Today's matter is of great importance. If I rashly let you in, I'm afraid it would cause him a lot of unnecessary trouble. Since you are just a bastard, I'm not afraid of offending you.]

[Just as he was about to open his mouth to refuse, a clear and pleasant voice sounded:]

[“I didn’t expect that Master Guan is here!”]

[The steward was a bit fat and had big ears. He looked back and saw two women walking slowly along the winding path of the pavilion behind them, followed closely by four or five servants.]

[The steward bowed quickly and called out respectfully, "Miss Yue!"]

[You look in the direction of the voice and find that one of them is an acquaintance, Xie Yuan's fourth cousin, Zhang Yuzhi.]

[She was in her twenties, with a graceful figure. She wore a pair of red sheepskin boots with gold-embroidered clouds, a red feather veil with a white fox lining, and a green-gold double-ring four-way Ruyi belt around her waist.]

[Unlike in the past, she was holding a brass heater in her hand today.]

[You greeted her with a smile: "Miss Zhang!"]

【Zhang Yuzhi smiled when she heard this.】

[These few days, she and Xie Guan returned from the courtyard, thinking about the bet between Xie Yuan and Xie Guan regarding the demons of Jiannan Dao.]

【The more Xie Guan thought about the situation, the more he felt it was reasonable. Therefore, he spent the past few days burying himself in the scroll, meticulously drawing a topographical map of the West.】

[This method is not just talk, it is definitely not groundless. ]

[Although there is no news from the court at the moment, she is convinced that the final result will be as expected.]

[Yesterday, she was touched, so she wrote a letter to her busy father in Jiannan Road with Xie Guan's analysis.]

[She had originally wanted to take advantage of these few days to ask the studious young man in the courtyard for advice on the Jiannan Dao, but unexpectedly, Xie Yuan was confined to her home.]

【As a woman of a different surname who is temporarily staying here, she knows that showing up in public is against etiquette. 】

[I never thought that I would meet Xie Guan here again! ]

[The other woman holding Zhang Yuzhi's arm, however, only raised her eyes slightly and glanced at you casually.]

[This is Xie Qiyue, Xie Hong's only daughter. She is undoubtedly the most favored among all his children.]

[When Xie Hong returns home in a year, she is the only one who can serve him in his courtyard.]

[As for the other children, Xie Hong's eldest son served in the army, his second son was a hard-working student, and his third son was Xie Renfeng.]

[She was wearing a red jacket with patterns, and her figure was a little petite, a little shorter than Zhang Yuzhi. She wore a jade bracelet with a jewel, and on her chest hung a silver longevity lock similar to Xie Yuan's.]

[She has two braids on her head, and her facial features are pretty and lovely, but at this moment her eyes reveal a little impatience. ]

[Xie Qiyue pretended to leave, holding Zhang Yuzhi's hand and said, "Sister Zhi, father finally came back, we have to hurry."]

【Zhang Yuzhi gently held her hand and said with a smile: "Don't worry, Qiyue. Go now, Madam Zhao is here too. You know your aunt's temperament. Your father will definitely love you, but if you neglect your third brother, wouldn't you be offending her in vain?"】

[“It would be better to wait outside the Grand View Garden. This would show filial piety and also save face for the mother and son.”]

[Zhang Yuzhi continued to persuade, "Besides, you heard what the manager said. There was also a woman who came with him!"]

【Xie Qiyue tilted her head and thought about it, then nodded in agreement.】

[She and Zhang Yuzhi are also cousins. Xie Yuan's biological mother is from the Zhuge family.]

[Xie Qiyue's mother is also from the Zhuge family, but she is a branch of the Zhuge family.]

[Mrs. Zhao was the mistress of the Second Courtyard. She treated me very well on the surface, but every time she came back from serving in my father's room, Mrs. Zhao's eyes were like knives.]

[You know, after my father came back, he stayed mostly in his own Chunqiu Courtyard, and no one was allowed to disturb him.]

[Except for the old lady, even the old lady could hardly step into the courtyard. Although Xie Qiyue felt helpless about this, she had seen the old lady crying alone at the window.]

[Father may seem ruthless in some ways, but under his influence since childhood, Xie Qiyue admired him so much that she could not feel any resentment in her heart.]

[Her brothers were even more in awe of their father. The eldest brother joined the army for fear of failing in his studies and damaging their father's reputation; the second brother studied very hard, wanting to bring honor to his father; even the always conceited third brother did not dare to say much in front of his father.]

[This may be because my father was too outstanding when he was young, just like a mountain pressing down on the children of the Second Hospital. ]

[My father was the youngest soul cultivator in Da Qi who ignited the "divine fire". When he was young, he was recommended by the second master to enter the academy and reached the sixth floor within one day.]

[If he had not been born handsome and was chosen by His Majesty as the third place, he would have been the first place. When he rode through Bianjing on horseback, his demeanor simply stunned all the women in the city.]

[When he was sent on a diplomatic mission to the Sui Dynasty, he was seen off by a crane and a princess.]

[The great scholar's words, "The great Qi's Bianjing cannot accommodate even one-third of Xie Hong's talent," spread far and wide and became famous all over the world.]

[Prime Minister Su visited Xie's residence many times, invited Xie Hong to serve as an official three times, and became close friends with Mr. Xie, regardless of age difference. Their friendship was profound.]

[His prominent status makes it difficult for many of his children to reach his level, and they can only sigh in admiration.]

[From childhood to adulthood, whether it was the old lady of my father's generation or my familiar playmates from the big family, my father's name was always in my mind and I lived under his shadow.]

[It is better for a son not to be like his father, and a son does not necessarily have to be better than his father. 】

[However, my father's indifference over the years has made the Second Hospital feel very depressed. ]

[Xie Qiyue secretly hoped that her father could stay at home for a longer period of time this time.]

[She doesn't have so many worries. She is a woman, and all she needs to do is follow the rules and not bring shame to her father's reputation.]

[No matter how well educated and capable a girl is, she will still get married and become a wife, and her father will also dote on her especially. ]

[At this time, the two women stood at the door of the backyard, and all the servants lowered their heads, appearing much more cautious.]

【Zhang Yuzhi then turned around and asked, "Master Guan, do you want to enter the Grand View Garden?"】

【Xie Qiyue also turned her gaze towards this young master from the compound whom she had never met before.】

[Xie Guan?] [Her eyes suddenly lit up, and she blurted out: "Could it be that you are the illegitimate son of Uncle Xiyuan? When Sixth Brother plays chess with you, he always loses miserably!"]

[“Sixth brother keeps talking about you being touched on the top of your head by an immortal. I think it was he who was pinched on the head by an immortal.”]

[When Zhang Yuzhi heard the word "illegitimate child", she frowned and pulled Xie Qiyue's sleeve.]

[He had had several encounters with Xie Guan. This young master had his own ambitions and was not someone who could be easily humiliated.]

【Xie Qiyue felt that she had said something wrong, but she didn't care at all.】

[Zhang Yuzhi saw that you looked unmoved, and couldn't help but remember that it had always been like this since she met you.]

[Zhang Yuzhi's face was cold, and she said sternly, "Qiyue, Master Guan is your brother and my friend, you must not be rude."]

【Xie Qiyue was stunned, with a look of dissatisfaction in her eyes, but seeing Sister Zhi's unprecedented fierce expression, she did not refute, but just pursed her lips.】

[You bowed slightly and said, "I do want to enter the Grand View Garden, but Xie Guan is a low-ranking official and my influence is not strong enough to influence others. I would like to ask Miss Zhang for help."]

[Your words were frank, which made Zhang Yuzhi slightly stunned. She saw that you looked calm, without any resentment or begging for help.]

[Hearing this, Xie Qiyue raised the corners of her mouth slightly, revealing a bit of teasing on her face: "Xie Guan, you are really shameless!"]

[“Xie Qiyue!” Zhang Yuzhi scolded softly, with a hint of anger in her tone.]

【Xie Qiyue shrank her neck when she saw Zhang Yuzhi getting angry.】

[“Xie Qiyue, if you continue to do this, I will not only ignore you, but also make Xie Yuan stop associating with me. Master Guan and Xie Yuan are also good friends.”]

[“From now on, you will never be able to taste the peach blossom wine from Shufangzhai or the crispy pastry from Shixiangju again.”]

[These two are the most famous dim sum restaurants in Bianjing, and they are also owned by the Zhang family. ]

【Hearing this, Xie Qiyue clasped her hands together and nodded repeatedly, like pounding garlic: "Sister Zhi, I was wrong, really wrong."】

[She hurriedly grabbed her cousin’s hand and said coquettishly, “Sister Zhi, I was wrong. Please be magnanimous and forgive me.”]

【Zhang Yuzhi sighed softly. She was helpless about this little sister's temperament. She was actually not a bad person at heart. She was quite similar to Xie Yuan.】

[She turned to the steward at the door and said gently, "Master Guan is only coming to the Grand View Garden to pay his respects to Madam Yuan. I hope you can give him some convenience."]

[The steward looked embarrassed: "Miss Zhang Si, today's banquet in the mansion is grand. As you know, the number of seats for the young ladies and young masters in the courtyard is fixed."]

【Xie Qiyue was slightly impatient: "My fourth cousin came to the Xie family, and the old lady personally came to greet her. How dare you not give face to my cousin? Besides, today's distinguished guest, Mr. Jingyue, is my fourth cousin's uncle. What's wrong with bringing a guest? Aren't we considered members of the Xie family?"】

[The steward was even more embarrassed after hearing this and did not dare to let him go easily.]

[“But, Madam Yuan specifically instructed…” he whispered, his expression full of worry.]

[Zhang Yuzhi knew that Madam Yuan was extremely powerful in the mansion, and Master Xie Ling and Master Xie Hong were not at home. After all, this was the Dingyuan Marquis's mansion, and the successor was Madam Yuan's eldest son.]

[These managers naturally did not dare to offend Madam Yuan easily, for fear of being punished by her in the future.]

【Xie Qiyue said coldly: "Okay, you are so bold. When my father returns today, I will report to him that the servants in my family dared to insult the bloodline of the Xie family."】

[After hearing these words, the steward turned pale and dared not refute any more. He immediately knelt down and kowtowed, his tone anxious and almost crying.]

[“Auntie, please don’t make me feel bad. I can’t bear it.”]

[The servants looked at each other in fear and trepidation, and all knelt on the ground. ]

[Under the Confucian school of the Great Qi Dynasty, filial piety is the most important virtue, and the elders in the family have absolute parental authority over their descendants. ]

[If an official is unfilial, he will be dismissed and sent back home; if a Confucian scholar is unfilial, he will be expelled from the academy.]

[If you disobey your parents, you will lose your integrity in Da Qi and will have no place to stand.]

[If a servant in the Xie Mansion has a reputation for bullying his master, then there is only one way out, death.]

[Beating and killing a servant to correct the family tradition will only be passed down as a good story. 】

[If Xie Qiyue mentions this to the Second Master today, no matter what the truth is, the Second Master doesn't need to react.]

[Mrs. Yuan will skin him alive! ]

【Xie Qiyue snorted coldly. 】

【Xie Guan stepped forward and helped the steward up, saying: "This was all done by Xie Guan who sneaked in alone. If the mistresses blame me, I will take the responsibility alone."】

[“I’m just looking for someone, I won’t cause any trouble!”]

【Zhang Yuzhi also said: "Master Guan is a man who understands etiquette and will not cause trouble. Just rest assured that he will take care of things."】

[The steward did not dare to stop him and made way for Xie Guan to enter. He also sent a servant to lead the way. Hongjingyuan was in front and needed to cross the Mother Lake and take a boat.]

[When Xie Guan said goodbye and left, he said to Xie Qiyue:]

[“Thank you Miss Zhang, Sister Qiyue for this time!”]

【Xie Qiyue looked at Xie Guan's back, speechless.】

【She realized belatedly and said: "Who... is his sister? Explain clearly."】

[For some reason, she felt that Xie Guan was very different from the unfavored bastard in the Xie Mansion that she had seen. His tone just now was quite elder-like.]

【Xie Yuan had never called her that before.】

【Zhang Yuzhi looked at Xie Guan's departing back, feeling worried.】

[A bastard who is not even cared about by the Xie family, with no one to rely on, now that everyone in the Grand View Garden is powerful and wealthy, can he handle it with ease? ]

[Although she didn't understand why Xie Guan entered the Grand View Garden, she knew that he was definitely not someone who sought to curry favor with the rich and powerful. However, it was already so difficult for him to enter the garden, so one could imagine how difficult it would be once he entered.]

[After entering, you will inevitably get a lot of cold stares! ]

[She thought of what Xie Guan wrote, "Young men have the power to write with lofty aspirations, and do not care about the wealth of the world." She felt even more sad.]

【Xie Qiyue looked at her cousin, and faced Xie Guan's back, and was in a daze for a long time.】

[She tilted her head and said: "Sister Zhi, could it be that Xie Guan has some evidence against you?"]

[“Sister Zhi, just tell me that my words are still effective in Xie’s residence. If I ask him for it, he won’t dare to refuse.”]

[Zhang Yuzhi knocked on her head and said in a deep voice: "You, Brother Guan Jiu, are now an unloved young master, trapped in a small courtyard."]

[“He is definitely not a coward who can be bullied at will.”]

[“Don’t bully the poor young man!”]

(End of this chapter)