Wasn't he supposed to be beaten to death? Why did this powerful cousin love him so much?

Xie Yihua wore a moon-white brocade dress, spotless, which made her figure appear as delicate as a willow swaying in the breeze.

Her skin was fair and delicate, like the finest mutton-fat jade, radiant even without makeup. Her willow-leaf eyebrows were slender and graceful, and her almond-shaped eyes were clear and bright, carrying a pitiful, innocent, and pure quality in their every glance.

Jiang Sese looked at this face, which could be described as a textbook example of a "pure and innocent" beauty, and felt genuinely envious.

Her mind was racing: Ahhhhh, this is the face she wanted!

Xie Yihua walked to the bedside, his gaze falling on Jiang Sese's face, which, despite its haggard appearance, still radiant. A faint chill flashed in the depths of his eyes, but his expression was one of concern: "Cousin Sese, are you feeling any better? Falling into the water yesterday really scared us."

"Thank you for your concern, cousin." Jiang Sese said, quickly lowering her head, her voice barely audible, trembling with lingering fear. "I'm much better now."

"That's good." Xie Yihua nodded slightly, her tone still gentle. "However, sister, you should be more careful in the future. The lotus pond is deep; what if something really happens? Besides..."

Xie Yihua paused, then took Jiang Sese's hand, her tone troubled: "The Crown Prince Chu is of noble status and values ​​rules above all else. What you did yesterday was ultimately inappropriate."

Hongshao, standing nearby, immediately understood and chimed in, teasingly saying, "That's right, Miss. What kind of status does Prince Chu have? He's the one who's going to marry a princess! If you do this... what if you displease the Prince? It will affect our Xie family as well..."

Hong Shao didn't finish her sentence; she just pursed her lips.

Xie Yihua immediately frowned, performing a classic scene of deep affection between master and servant, yet the master had to reprimand the servant.

Xie Yihua glanced at Hongshao indifferently and said coldly, "Hongshao, stop talking nonsense. How dare you, a mere maid, comment on the affairs of your masters? Hurry up and apologize to Miss Biao."

Xie Yihua's reprimand was ineffective.

Hong Shao understood this in her heart.

But Hongshao immediately curtsied and obediently apologized to Jiang Sese, saying, "It was my fault for speaking out of turn. Please forgive me, Miss Jiang."

Jiang Sese's inner voice was already rolling its eyes wildly.

What a brilliant charade! You deserve an Oscar!

But on the surface, Jiang Sese instantly became a drama queen.

Jiang Sese suddenly raised her head, her eyes slightly red, looking extremely humble and terrified: "No, no, no, Sister Yihua, please don't blame Sister Hongshao, Sister Hongshao... Sister Hongshao is telling the truth!"

Jiang Sese's voice trembled slightly, as if a sore spot had been touched. "It was my own fault... it was my own fault for not recognizing my place and for indulging in wishful thinking, which led to the ridiculous situation I caused yesterday... Sister Hongshao was only trying to help me, to prevent me from making the same mistake again. I'm so grateful!"

As Jiang Sese spoke, she dabbed the corner of her eye with a handkerchief.

Although there were no tears.

Seeing Jiang Sese's fearful and humble manner of admitting her mistake, Xie Yihua felt a slight dissipation of her anger, and a barely perceptible smile appeared on her lips.

They're quite sensible.

Xie Yihua continued to criticize Jiang Sese, saying, "Hongshao is just a girl, does she really deserve for you to call her 'sister'?"

Hong Shao, who was standing to the side, quickly lowered her head as well.

Xie Yihua looked down on Jiang Sese. After all, she came from a humble background and had a petty attitude. She didn't even know the difference between superiors and inferiors.

But Jiang Sese suddenly changed the subject, saying, "I can't agree with what you're saying, cousin."

Xie Yihua and Hong Shao were both taken aback.

Jiang Sese blinked her large, watery peach blossom eyes and said earnestly, "The Analects says, 'When three people walk together, one of them must be my teacher.' Sister Hongshao has been in the manor for many years, and she is experienced and knowledgeable. Her words just now were truly wise and enlightening. In Sese's opinion, anyone who can teach her principles, regardless of their status, deserves to be addressed as 'sister.' The sage also said that education should be for all, regardless of social status. Does the word 'teaching' discriminate between the noble and the lowly?"

Jiang Sese spoke slowly and softly, but she quoted extensively from classical texts, her logic was clear, and her expression was sincere and earnest.

Knowledge swept across Jiang Sese's cerebral cortex, leaving a faint trace.

Xie Yihua: "..."

Hong Shao looked at Jiang Sese with a look of surprise on her face.

I thought this young lady was only good at freeloading and climbing the social ladder, but I never expected her to say something like this.

But Xie Yihua quickly realized what was going on and smiled, saying, "Cousin Se Se certainly knows how to quote classical texts. The sage's teaching of education without discrimination is certainly a profound truth, meaning that all learners, regardless of social status, can be educated. However... the order of rank and the distinction between master and servant are also fundamental to the sage's teachings, etiquette, and rules."

"It is only natural for us to respect knowledge and teachers. But if we confuse this with the fundamental principles of morality and social order, wouldn't that be putting the cart before the horse and disrupting the rules? As a servant, it is Hongshao's duty to advise her mistress, how can she be considered a teacher? Your high praise makes her feel uneasy. Sister, don't you agree?"

Xie Yihua's words were subtle yet incisive. They not only pointed out Hongshao's proper role and characterized Jiang Sese's theory of respecting teachers as a violation of the rules, but also labeled her as a servant who was terrified. In an instant, they suppressed Jiang Sese's twisted and heretical arguments.

Jiang Sese knew when to stop, and immediately put on an expression of sudden realization and enlightenment, nodding readily and saying, "Yes, yes, cousin is right, thank you for your guidance."

Jiang Sese's attitude was sincere, and she quickly admitted her mistake, leaving Xie Yihua with no room for further discussion.

After giving Jiang Sese a pep talk, Xie Yihua stood up and said, "It's good that you understand, little sister. You've just recovered, so you need to rest more and try not to think about unnecessary things. I'll come see you another day."

After saying that, Xie Yihua turned and left with Hongshao.

Only after the footsteps faded into the distance did Jiang Sese finally let out a long sigh of relief, slumped into a chair, and wiped away non-existent cold sweat.

Jiang Sese patted her chest and muttered to herself, "I've been training for this for a long time, but thankfully, those 3000+ hours of reading weren't wasted."

Xie Yihua, the master and servant, had just left not long ago.

Another series of hurried footsteps sounded at the door, mixed with the urgent cry of a young maidservant: "Cousin, cousin! Something terrible has happened!"

Jiang Sese was about to lie back down when she heard the sound and sat up straight with a start.

What's wrong now?