Chapter 9: Cousin No. 2

"My mother, my mother is gone." At this moment, Lin Xuerou raised her head, tears that she had been holding back streamed down her face, and she immediately felt a wave of dizziness.

Lin Xuerou was already in poor health, and after so many days of travel, she had just waited for an hour at the gate of the Xie residence. Normally, she would have collapsed by now, but today she managed to muster her strength to come and pay her respects to Xie Shuyuan

Forget it, Mother. It is already difficult to enter such prestigious families, and now that we are in this situation, it is no wonder that others regard us as impoverished relatives seeking handouts. With that, Lin Xuerou was about to shed tears.

Whether it is the precocious Fourth Young Lady in the mansion or herself, they both rely on their golden fingers. Although she cannot ascertain whether this Fourth Young Lady is transmigrated or in some other situation, the only one in this mansion who can truly be called a genius is likely the Sixth Young Master Qingzhan.

After listening to Wang Tian recount the background of that cousin, he finally remembered. However, it was truly because that aunt had married a long time ago, and due to her infrequent contact with the family, he momentarily could not recall. But now, why is there only this cousin present? What about that aunt?

The overly clever child is indeed not cute at all

Thank you, Miss Liu. "Little Douzi said shyly, holding the little monkey.

Xie Qingzhan was taken aback by her words. He blinked, his long and thick eyelashes resembling two small fans, and a hint of confusion flickered in his bright eyes. However, he casually pointed at Xie Qingxi and said unceremoniously: "Then it was also the little bean that helped you, you didn't do it yourself. So I still won, hahahaha"

The girl appeared to be of the same age as the young boy, and intriguingly, the garments they wore were made from the same style of Yun brocade. However, the boy's outfit featured a bamboo pattern for the trim, while the girl's was adorned with a hibiscus flower pattern

At this moment, the little bean who had gone to look for the fallen kite also returned, drenched in sweat, holding the already damaged butterfly kite. He ran up to Miss Xie Qingxi and, feeling a bit embarrassed, said: "Miss Six, the kite..."

Wang Tian was indeed taken aback; he cast a brief glance at the young lady beside him. Although she was dressed simply and wore nothing but a white jade hairpin atop her head, her beauty was truly striking. Having served beside the master, he was somewhat familiar with literature, and he knew that books often described stunning beauties with phrases like "eyebrows like distant mountains and eyes like autumn waters." However, as Wang Tian looked at this young lady, he found himself at a loss for words to describe her; she was simply beautiful, and exceptionally so.

At this moment, there are three people and some books in the car. One is a girl who appears to be around fifteen or sixteen years old, dressed in plain clothing without a single pattern. Next to her is an elderly woman who looks to be in her forties, wearing a clean blue cloth shirt, although the fabric has become somewhat faded from washing. The remaining girl, who is about eleven or twelve years old, is dressed in the attire of a maid.

Since the enlightenment of the Third Young Master, he swiftly defeated the Fourth Young Lady, becoming the most intelligent person in the Xie residence. As Xie Qingzhan was only three years old, it was originally Xiao Shi who brought him and Xie Qingxi into enlightenment, while the young masters of the Xie family typically began their studies at the age of six

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"Young Master Liu, please slow down, be careful not to fall," a maid dressed in a light green dress hurriedly called out as she chased after a young child.

Jiao Xing was assigned by Mother Sun to knock on the door. Soon, a young servant dressed in blue peeked out, glanced at her, and then noticed the older woman behind her, who was holding a red bundle. The bundle was made of coarse cloth, and upon observing the attire of the three individuals, it was clear they did not belong to a wealthy household.

Yet she actually lost to a little brat, yes, that little brat who is only fifteen minutes older than her in this lifetime. Just the thought of her, a promising young person, having to call a three-year-old who is still wet behind the ears "brother" fills her with a sense of absurdity in life

Thus, the lesson tells us that sometimes being handsome can also be a sin

Xie Qingxi felt both shy and annoyed, as Xie Qingzhan had been persistently asking to fly kites. The Xiao family, unable to tolerate his antics any longer, had someone make several large kites. Initially, she looked down on such childish games, but considering that she had nothing else to do, she thought it would be better to come out and fly kites.

Hahaha, a harsh and loud mocking laughter suddenly erupted from the side, and one could see Xie Qingzhan's childish voice shouting, "Xie Qingxi, your kite has fallen, it has fallen."

As she spoke, Mother Sun pushed open the car door and said to the girl who resembled a young maid, "Jiao Xing, quickly help the young lady get out of the car; the Xie residence is just ahead."

An ancient poem states: "In the third month, the fireworks descend upon Yangzhou." At this time in March, the Jiangnan region is filled with beautiful scenery everywhere. As one of the centers of Jiangnan, Suzhou is also in a splendid season of revival, with grass growing and orioles flying.

Looking again at the butterfly-patterned kite of Xie Qingxi, the swaying feeling makes it seem like it could fall from the sky at any moment. Xie Qingxi, somewhat annoyed, stared at the young boy who was flying the kite and said unhappily, "Douzi, can you fly it a bit higher? Look at how well Zhang Xiaobao is doing it."

He impatiently asked, "Who are you https://www.hetushu.com.com? Do you know what this place is? Just knocking on doors randomly."

Xie Shuyuan gently inquired, "Did your cousin come from home? How are your uncle and aunt doing these days?"

To bring the conversation back, if it weren't for the fact that Xie Qingxi had teased Xie Qingzhan too many times during their childhood, and being certain that this kid is definitely a fresh filling inside, she would really think that Xie Qingzhan is also a pretender

As for Xiaodouzi, he is the youngest in the family. His mother is Wu Mama, a concubine of the Xiao family, who later married the steward of the Xie family. Now, she can be considered a trusted confidante of the Xiao family. Although Xiaodouzi is of similar age to Zhang Xiaobao, he does not appear as composed as Zhang Xiaobao and is somewhat taciturn. The Xiao family has shown some hesitation in selecting him for the position of son.

"Xixi, hurry up, look at how your kite isn't flying as high as mine yet," shouted the little boy in a bright blue brocade robe, ignoring the maid's pursuit as he called out behind him

Wang Tiangang previously asked them what they were doing, and upon seeing Sun Mama glance at Xie Shuyuan over there, she proceeded to explain her young lady's identity and purpose.

However, Xie Shuyuan instinctively reached out to catch, only to embrace the person fully in his arms

Ah, my young lady, our madam's grandfather and this Lord Xie's father are indeed close brothers. If it weren't for the fact that the old master returned to his hometown to become the clan leader due to his old age, you might very well be a noble young lady in the capital now. Moreover, we are not like those distant poor relatives who come to beg for favors; you are indeed the legitimate cousin of Lord Xie. This woman called Mama Sun is the young lady's wet nurse, and it was her idea to seek refuge with the Xie family this time.

When the person in the carriage stepped down, not only did Mother Sun's eyes light up, but even Lin Xuerou was taken aback. The man was dressed in a lake blue dark embroidered brocade robe, with a black belt cinched at his waist, from which hung a Hetian jade pendant. The jade was warm and translucent, and the carvings on it were exceptionally intricate. However, what was even more captivating was the man himself. He stood tall and elegant, appearing to be around thirty years old, yet his looks were truly handsome and charming. Coupled with his gentle demeanor, he was indeed hard to look away from.

"Xiao Bao, the kite flying today was quite good, take this." Xie Qingzhan praised Zhang Xiao Bao and casually took a silver ingot shaped like a gourd from the pouch on his body.

Whether it is Zhang Xiaobao or Xiao Douzi, both of their mothers are concubines of the Xiao family. Otherwise, with so many young boys and maidservants in the residence, it would not fall to the two of them to fly kites for the two young masters. Although Zhang Xiaobao is only six years old, he acts with considerable maturity. Even the Xiao family holds him in high regard, considering assigning him to Xie Qingzhan as a personal attendant.

Xie Qingzhan noticed that she spoke to Xiaodouzi with more courtesy than she did to her own brother. Unhappily, he let out a cold snort and shouted at her: "Xixi, are you still going to fly the kite or not?"

Xie Qingzhan is simply her nemesis. Perhaps it was when she was just born, relying on her innate advantages to constantly bully this boy. Therefore, ever since he became aware of his surroundings, he has gradually started to crawl on top of her like a serf turning over in the fields.

This wait lasted for more than an hour, with Mother Sun supporting Lin Xuerou as they stood in the corner, while Jiao Xing hung her head to the side, nearly wanting to burrow into the ground.

When Xie Qingxi was young, she often heard the maids chatter about how her father, Xie Shuyuan, was exceptionally talented. They spoke of how he began his education at the age of three and composed poetry by five. Later, he excelled in both the provincial and national examinations, achieving second place in both. If it weren't for his striking good looks during the palace examination, which led the emperor to designate him as the third place, he might have become the youngest top scholar in the history of the Great Qi Dynasty.

After the three of them paid for the carriage, they headed towards the Xie residence. Upon reaching the entrance, they found the main gate of the Xie residence closed, and even the side door was shut. Lin Xuerou glanced at her nurse, feeling both anxious and flustered. Although she was a proper young lady, she now appeared like a poor relative coming to beg for favors, which was truly embarrassing

Xie Minglan is only a little over half a year older than them, but due to her exceptional intelligence, she is already attending school with her two older sisters at just three and a half years old. Moreover, her performance surpasses that of her seven-year-old eldest sister, Xie Mingzhen, and her six-year-old second sister, Xie Mingfang. As a result, the teacher often praises the fourth daughter in front of Xie Shuyuan, and whenever Xie Shuyuan assesses his daughters' studies, it is often Xie Minglan who receives rewards.

Wang Tian hurried back to report to Xie Shuyuan, but upon hearing this, Xie Shuyuan was confused, wondering where this cousin had come from

After much contemplation, he ultimately allowed the Xiao family to take care of the two children, Qimeng. Before her marriage, Xiao was well-known and affluent in the capital, and their marriage had once been celebrated as a tale of a talented scholar and a beautiful woman. Therefore, he felt at ease entrusting Qimeng and Xie Qingzhan to her. However, every few days, Xie Shuyuan would still personally provide guidance to Xie Qingzhan.

As Xie Shuyuan dismounted from the carriage, he saw three women standing at the entrance of his home. He furrowed his brow but still instructed his personal attendant, Wang Tian, to go over and inquire.

In the distance, a carriage covered in dust came to a stop, having traveled quite a distance. The driver, whose hair was somewhat grizzled, knocked on the carriage door and said to the person inside: "Miss, just ahead is the Xie residence. However, it is not permitted for our carriages to approach the doors of these officials' homes, so I kindly ask you to disembark here."

It is truly humiliating for someone who has lived two lifetimes to be defeated by a three-year-old child, which is a disgrace to their transcendent realm. Of course, the benefit is that the precocious Fourth Miss appears to be nothing more than a mere trifle in front of the genius Sixth Young Master.

"My kite is broken, please let me fly yours," said Xie Qingxi

He clapped his hands joyfully while speaking, and then said to Zhang Xiaobao beside him: "Xiaobao, fly the kite well, and I will reward you handsomely once you do it right"

As everyone saw her about to fall, Mother Sun and Jiao Xing both exclaimed "Miss!" However, Lin Xuerou fell straight forward, directly colliding with Xie Shuyuan

The young boy, appearing to be around two or three years old, had rosy lips and white teeth, resembling a fairy child who had stepped out of a painting. When a little girl of the same age chased after him, one might wonder, especially if they were unfamiliar, whether two fairy children had emerged from the painting

Xie Qingxi looked at him, drenched in sweat, and recalled how she had just lost her temper at him, feeling somewhat embarrassed. It was merely because she lost the game, yet she had actually scolded a child; it was truly a shame. Therefore, she took out a monkey-shaped silver coin from her purse and said with a smile, "Little Douzi, actually, you flew the kite quite well; it was just that the kite you chose was not suitable. You can keep this monkey-shaped silver coin to play with. I heard from your mother that you were born in the Year of the Monkey, right?"

The young lad named Douzi was somewhat anxious, remaining silent and merely pursing his lips, desperately pulling on the kite string, hoping to fly the kite higher and farther. However, the more anxious he became, the more the kite in his hand began to descend. Just as Xie Qingzhan's eagle was about to become an invisible dot, Xie Qingxi's kite swayed gently and ultimately snapped with a "pop".

When Dai Xiqing ran to Xie Qingzhan's side, pouting and looking up at the sky, she saw two kites flying in the clear blue sky. The one with the butterfly pattern belonged to Dai Xiqing, while the one with the eagle pattern belonged to Xie Qingzhan. However, at that moment, the eagle-patterned kite was flying higher and higher, and what had originally been a kite larger than them now appeared as a small black dot.

Xie Qingzhan shouted unhappily: "Why is that?"

Later, in order not to be compared unfavorably, Xie Qingxi gradually caught up with her studies. However, standing next to a genius, even with her exceptional abilities, she was still starkly contrasted as an ordinary talent.

The young girl looked at the old woman with some panic, feeling a bit frightened in her heart, and said: "Aunt Sun, do you think cousin and cousin-in-law will take us in?"

"Xie Qingxi, you are so shy, yet you still boast to your mother. Haha, you can't fly a kite as well as I can." Xie Qingzhan had no concept of knowing when to stop; while directing Zhang Xiaobao to fly the kite, he did not forget to mock Xie Qingxi.

Jiao Xing was also timid, but after glancing back at Mother Sun, she managed to say: "We are from Pingyuan County, here to visit the master and madam of the residence. Our young lady is the cousin of the master of the house"

The Xie Residence Garden is also a scene of vibrant floral abundance. In one corner of the garden, the peach trees are in full bloom, appearing from a distance like a pink cloud. Meanwhile, the pond nearby, fed by fresh water, is exceptionally clear, allowing the various koi fish to be seen distinctly in the water.

The two of them studied the Three Character Classic together. She was afraid that her golden touch would be too overwhelming and scare others, so she always pretended to be naive and unaware. Little did she know that this person only needed three days of enlightenment to genuinely intimidate both the Xiao family and her, because he truly had an extraordinary memory.

The entrance of the Xie residence has always been quiet, and even the gatekeeper appears somewhat drowsy from the spring fatigue; however, due to the rules of the household, he does not dare to doze off.

"Xue Rou, I have met my cousin." She slightly crouched down; although her robe was not made of luxurious brocade, there was a certain grace in her gesture that resembled the beauty of flowing clouds and flowing water.

Just now, Mama Sun truly scolded her for quite a while, saying how useless she was, that she had sent a message and still had not received any news, wasting several copper coins for nothing

Just as the three were becoming somewhat desperate, Mama Sun was preparing to go knock on the door herself when she saw a carriage approaching directly to the entrance. As soon as the carriage came to a stop, a young servant jumped down from the front.

However, after Xie Qingzhan demonstrated extraordinary intelligence, even Xie Shuyuan began to worry about his younger son's schooling. Naturally, he hoped his son would achieve great success, but he was also concerned that Xie Qingzhan was too young, and that pushing him too hard might lead to a tragic outcome similar to that of Shen Zhongyong.

After speaking, she handed over the few copper coins that Mother Sun had just given her. The young servant already thought they were trying to take advantage of the situation, and upon hearing that she was the master's cousin, he let out a sneer: "Oh, so you are our master's cousin. Just wait, I will report this right away."

However, since it has been made clear that they are relatives, Xie Shuyuan naturally would not allow them to stand at the gate of the residence waiting idly. He instructed Wang Tian to bring them before him.

Xie Qingxi raised her small face, displeased, and replied to him: "It was Zhang Xiaobao who flew the kite well, not you. What are you so proud of?"

"Because I am the younger sister," Xie Qingxi said with confidence.