Chapter One, In the Spring Light

In our family, spanning four generations under one roof, there is the elder, three gentlemen, eight young masters, and also the younger generation, such as Young Master Chang'an. It would not be difficult to select someone to adopt in place of the departed Fourth Master. Why would the elder have to raise a child of a different surname?

Upon arriving at the back entrance without any hindrance, he saw several children around his age playing jianzi and skipping ropes on the narrow back street

With this sound, the few peeping servants at the second door saw a girl of about sixteen or seventeen years old appear behind Yue Qianqiu

Whether he was handed over to Old Master Yue by Yan Er, or whether Old Master Yue was determined to adopt him and give him a name, he once numbed himself into believing that this was a dream. Until the duration of this dream became excessively long, lasting for seven years, to the point where he could no longer regard it as merely a nightmare

In the end, Jin Guan let out a light snort: "The mansion once regarded him as the illegitimate son of the Fourth Master, and the old master could not bear to see the family bloodline lost outside, so he personally brought him back. If it weren't for the old master accidentally letting it slip a few days ago that he saw a woman on the verge of death on the road, with a child lying beside her, and out of a moment of compassion, had someone bury the woman and brought the child back, who would have known about this? Not to mention anything else, even his title is the most special, the Ninth Young Master... If it weren't for the old master accidentally letting it slip a few days ago that he saw a woman on the verge of death on the road, with a child lying beside her, and out of a moment of compassion, had someone bury the woman and brought the child back, who would have known about this? Not to mention anything else, even his title is the most special, the Ninth Young Master... What kind of young master is he?"

The autumn and winter desolation has been swept away by the arrival of spring, and all the flowers, grasses, and trees are bursting forth with tender new leaves, adorned with vibrant colors that are truly pleasing to the eye

The double bun hairstyle adorned with willow green silk ribbons, the upper body clad in a ginger-yellow blouse embroidered with primroses along the edges, a duck-egg blue Xiang skirt, and over it a light green jacket, complemented by a pair of embroidered shoes featuring vividly lifelike butterflies. Such fresh and delicate colors, combined with her bright eyes and white teeth, and her picturesque brows and eyes, captivated their attention completely

Yue Qianqiu yawned and then lazily said: "I am feeling quite idle, I will take a stroll around."

Therefore, after staying in the room quietly for a while, Yue Qianqiu seized the opportunity when the sunset had left, and immediately took out his only set of inconspicuous clothing, slipping out once again. Of course, he did not possess the ability to become invisible, and along the way, he encountered several maids and servants, but he acted as if he were alone, and those people paid him little mind.

Brother Xin

He certainly knows how popular this young girl is both inside and outside the courtyard. He has even heard the young ladies secretly chattering with envy, saying that her graceful steps are unparalleled, and even many young ladies of noble families may not possess such a figure. Unfortunately, in his current state, he is unable to do anything, and he cannot even appreciate the faint sound of the bells from her swaying skirt.

What Ninth Young Master, merely a picked-up boy

Here it comes, here it comes

While someone was murmuring, a person with a good memory had already answered the question: "It is the Ninth Young Master"

They are all servants, facing someone who comes from a background similar to theirs but has soared to great heights, becoming a phoenix. The few young attendants chattered among themselves, naturally not a single good word was spoken.

The other three attendants were unaware of why Jin Guan had spoken harshly. One of them chuckled and said, "Jin Guan, the Ninth Young Master was picked up by the Old Master, while you were picked up by the Third Master; that makes all the difference in fate"

She is a renowned beauty among the maids in the inner courtyard, originally named Luo Qiu. Three years ago, she was personally chosen by the old master to be given to Yue Qianqiu, but her name was forcibly changed, and she is now called Luo Xia. Everyone knows this is because her original name conflicted with the taboo of the Ninth Young Master. There are quite a few who secretly lament and criticize the old master for lacking knowledge and following the customs.

Knowing that he, as an adopted son, was not well-liked, he simply stepped over the threshold and exited through the back door, immediately looking around with the curiosity of a child.

He never believed that he had any extraordinary background that could astonish the heavens and weep for the spirits, but he deeply cared about the woman who desperately saved him, even though he did not know whether she was his mother or someone else. Regardless, she was his savior.

Yue Qianqiu, who walked ahead of her, did not look back

He had just stepped through the door and taken a few steps when a deep voice, heavily suppressed, came from behind him

The one who spoke these words, with a tall stature and handsome features, was Jin Guan. At this moment, his jealous gaze pierced through the air like a needle, directed towards Yue Qianqiu.

The second master of the Yue family was granted a nominal position at the Tai Chang Temple. The third master of the Yue family, having graduated from the Imperial Academy, did not wish to endure the rigors of the selection process, and instead relied on his wife's family business, which surprisingly flourished.

Yue Da Laoye is serving as the governor in the outer regions. His eldest son, Yue Tingzhong, became a successful candidate in the imperial examination last year at the age of twenty-six, although he ranked at the bottom of the third class. Fortunately, with the support of Yue Laotaiye, he still obtained the esteemed position of a doctor in the Imperial Academy.

When they saw her draping a cloak over Yue Qianqiu, several people couldn't help but wish they were the one being served, like Yue Qianqiu.

However, now that his adoption has just been exposed, who knows what kind of people are inquiring about him in the back streets

Even though the Fourth House has already become quite inconspicuous in the Yue family, just a few days ago, the old man inadvertently revealed that he is an adopted son, which was akin to poking a hornet's nest

Although the young girls do not dare to be overly flamboyant, they still find ways to put effort into their headpieces and embroidered shoes

The weather in March is precisely the season when one has moved past the abrupt warmth and lingering chill, neither too cold nor too hot

After carefully searching through each doorway with his gaze, he finally vaguely discovered that there seemed to be a shadow of a person hidden at the entrance of a small courtyard. After glancing a few times, he withdrew his gaze, as if feeling disinterested, stretched lazily, and mumbled, "So boring, I will go back," then turned around and directly entered through the back door

At the entrance of the second door, Yue Qianqiu faintly heard those discussions, but completely ignored the piercing gazes.

The old gentleman enjoys dressing him up as the great Ah Fu from Wuxi. He has long accepted his fate, yet every time he examines his short arms and legs, he sighs and thinks that growing up is truly difficult

When the excessively dense thicket could no longer conceal the upper bodies of the approaching individuals, they were all left dumbfounded.

News has just emerged from the government that a group of young women of marriageable age will be released for matchmaking. Although the best among them may not necessarily be available to them, who doesn't have a bit of hope? What if one of them happens to catch the eye of a prominent young woman?

Yue Qianqiu was lost in thought when a delicate voice suddenly came from behind: "Young Master, why have you come to this second gate again?"

Here, the Sui Dynasty did not end after two generations but instead lasted for over a hundred years. Following that, the Wei Dynasty lasted for more than two hundred years, leading to great chaos in the world. Today, the founding emperor of the Wu Dynasty has taken advantage of the situation to rise up, spending his life in military campaigns to establish his realm, with the capital set in Jinling, and now it has reached the fourth generation of emperors

As he walked, he suddenly felt as if someone was approaching from behind, causing him to involuntarily pause for a moment. Indeed, the next moment, Luo Xia leaned in close to his ear and whispered, "Young Master, I heard from my godmother that someone has been wandering around the back street these days, inquiring about you. There are many people there, and the gossip is rampant, so you should avoid going to the back door in the future"

Amidst the clamorous suppression of joy, several young servants stared wide-eyed, holding their breath as they watched a pair of exceptionally ornate embroidered shoes approach along the winding path. However, they soon realized that the legs were unusually short, and even the shortest maid in the household could not possibly have such a physique

It is better to say a few less words, after all, it was the old master himself who personally entered the family register and had it recorded in the official registry, did you not see that even the masters and young masters had to reluctantly accept it

It is a pity that this girl's foster mother is truly too greedy; in a few days, a beautiful flower will be placed on a pile of cow dung

"The backyard is so large, where can't we go? Why do we have to run to the second gate?" Luo Xia reproached, and upon seeing Yue Qianqiu turn to walk back, she hurriedly followed, her steps graceful and slow. The long trailing ribbons tied to her waist jingled softly, occasionally producing a light sound that captivated the attention of those outside.

Only he, the nominal adoptive father of the esteemed elder, the biological youngest son of the elder, the fourth master, is said to have left home due to dissatisfaction with the marriage arrangement, and for many years there has been no news at all, leaving us unaware of his life or death

Moreover, Luoxia is about to be sent out to marry this time, and there are quite a few hidden intricacies involved in this matter

However, the seemingly affluent and prosperous Yue family is not a prestigious family, nor is it a scholarly lineage. The elder Yue, who rose to the position of Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, came from a family that could hardly be considered a humble one; he was merely a miscellaneous worker. Remarkably, he ascended through the ranks without the benefit of the imperial examination, starting as a minor clerk in charge of the treasury and eventually reaching the esteemed rank of a second-grade official, which is truly a living legend

Indeed, the Third Master entrusted you to Steward Lin for upbringing, and you were selected at the age of eight to accompany the Seventh Young Master, which can be considered quite fortunate. But look at the Ninth Young Master, who was directly taken in by the Old Master to be raised as a grandson

At this moment, several idle young servants gathered behind a tree in front of the second gate, craning their necks to look inside, hoping to catch a glimpse of the graceful figure passing by.

The young masters and young ladies have changed out of their heavy winter coats, middle coats, and short coats, replacing them with newly tailored vibrant spring attire

When he first opened his eyes and found himself in a sea of flames, he briefly thought he was having a nightmare. He still remembers the three words spoken by the woman who soaked her cotton clothes with cool water from a kettle and rushed out of the fire with him—I'm sorry

The face is delicately adorned, wearing a bright red shirt decorated with butterflies, paired with green flower-patterned pants, and around the neck hangs a heavy gold-inlaid gem necklace, resembling the auspicious child of wealth depicted in traditional New Year paintings

Who is this inside?

Being young, he was unable to go out. For many years, he could only wander around the residence. He often strolled through the back door as well. At this moment, upon hearing Luoxia's words, he casually responded with an "mm," but his mind was racing with thoughts.

Upon seeing his appearance, it was unclear who shouted, but the crowd scattered like birds and beasts, with even those adults who had no significant matters to attend to hastily retreating.