Chapter 18 Cousin, You’re Truly Beautiful

Chapter 18 Cousin, You Are So Handsome

Early in the morning, Xie Xiao first went to the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion.

Xie Shi was hiding in the inner courtyard. The Dowager and Lady Shen blocked Xie Xiao, who had just entered, refusing to let him pass.

The Dowager spoke firmly: "I already know about the trouble Shi'er caused. I scolded him yesterday. He hasn't fully recovered from his fall from the horse, so let it pass this time. He knows he was wrong. I will order him to reflect at home and won't let him go out to cause trouble again."

Xie Xiao signaled to his retainers: "Drag the third young master out."

"No!" Lady Shen screamed and immediately ordered her people to block them. However, Xie Xiao's retainers were all his former personal guards, and no one could stop them. In the blink of an eye, they had broken into the inner chambers.

"What are you doing!" The Dowager was furious, her face flushed with anger. "This is the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion! What do you think you're doing with your people here?!"

"I am the heir to the Duke of Zhenguo. Since Father is not home, it falls to me to discipline my siblings and maintain family discipline." Xie Xiao's attitude was resolute, showing no deference to his grandmother.

"You!" The Dowager trembled with rage, pointing at Xie Xiao but unable to form a complete sentence.

"How dare you!" Lady Shen shouted sharply. "Shi'er is your brother! How can you lay a hand on your own brother for an outsider?! Are you even human?!"

"If he weren't a member of the Xie family, I would have already taken him to the Count of Anding's residence," Xie Xiao said indifferently. "The Count of Anding has threatened to take this matter to the Emperor. If you have objections, Aunt, why not come with me to present your case before the Emperor?"

"Don't try to scare me with the Young Emperor!" Lady Shen was beside herself with anger. "The Young Emperor doesn't have so much time as to bother with such trivial matters! Stop pretending you have authority—you just want to torture my Shi'er because you can't stand him! What is the Count of Anding anyway? He's nothing! His son couldn't be taught properly and goes around making improper advances. My Shi'er is the victim here!"

Xie Xiao ignored her as she ranted like a shrew.

Xie Shi was soon dragged out, cursing and shouting, and forced to his knees before Xie Xiao.

Xie Xiao took a cane from the attendant behind him. Seeing the thumb-thick cane covered in barbs, Xie Shi finally panicked, his eyes wide with fear. He struggled desperately to escape: "You can't touch me! You can't! Mother! Grandmother! Save me!"

Lady Shen rushed forward to protect her son, but the elder maid brought by Xie Xiao unceremoniously pulled her away and held her firmly, ignoring her curses.

The Dowager trembled as she stepped forward, shielding Xie Shi, and cried out: "If you insist on punishing Shi'er, you'll have to step over my old body first..."

Xie Xiao remained unmoved: "Grandmother, I am doing this for the sake of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion. If he isn't taught a lesson today, he will cause great disaster in the future."

With a glance, he signaled two maids to "escort" the Dowager away.

The cane in Xie Xiao's hand came down, and Xie Shi howled in pain, crying out: "I didn't do anything wrong! He set me up first! After returning from Zhanyun Manor, several of us had accidents one after another—it must have been his doing! Why are you hitting me? Why?!"

Xie Xiao paid no heed, bringing the cane down again and again. Soon, the wretch's back was torn and bleeding.

The two women wept on the side. The Dowager beat her breast and cried, "Such misfortune has befallen our family!" but there was nothing she could do.

Xie Yi rushed back from his yamen upon hearing the news. Lady Shen, as if seeing a savior, cried out: "Quick, save your brother! He's going to be beaten to death!"

Xie Yi had already heard about the incident on his way back. He stepped forward and witnessed Xie Shi's miserable state but did not plead for him: "Elder Brother, let me do it."

Xie Xiao glanced at him and handed him the cane.

Lady Shen was stunned, unable to believe it. She screamed: "What are you doing?! Are you going to hit Shi'er too?!"

Xie Yi patiently explained to his mother: "The Count of Anding's residence may be unassuming, but they are not weak or easily bullied. This wretch did such a thing to the Count of Anding's heir. If the Count of Anding is determined to demand justice, the Young Emperor will naturally help them seek justice. The Young Emperor might even be looking for an excuse to deal with our Duke of Zhenguo's mansion. Mother, are you planning to hand over evidence against us yourself?"

Lady Shen cursed like a madwoman. Xie Yi raised the cane and brought it down on Xie Shi, striking just as hard as Xie Xiao.

In the end, the Dowager fainted from distress, and Xie Shi was completely covered in blood, gasping for breath. The spectacle finally came to an end.

Xie Xiao did not stay long at the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion. After the Dowager woke up, she refused to see him. Not wanting to linger where he wasn't wanted, he instructed Xie Yi to handle the household affairs and left with his men.

Xie Yi saw him out and comforted him: "Grandmother is just angry for now. I'll try to reason with her later. It'll be fine."

Xie Xiao nodded, unconcerned.

Xie Yi escorted him to his carriage and watched as the Marquis of Dingbei's retinue disappeared into the distance. A moment later, he lowered his eyes, all emotion fading from his face, and turned to go back inside with an expressionless face.

*

At the Count of Anding's residence, Yan Weichu was reading memorials in his study.

Outside, palace attendants hurried in and out, carrying things, all of them busy without a moment to spare.

Bian Shen and Ji Lanshu entered and were filled with mixed emotions the scene evoked.

The Young Emperor seemed to be treating it like a game. He had stayed overnight at the residence and now seemed intent on moving in and putting down roots here.

While it might be a fortune to have the Young Emperor as a son, serving the little ancestor... was no easy task!

The two entered and stepped forward to pay their respects, but Yan Weichu cut them off without looking up: "No need for such formalities at home."

Bian Shen tentatively reminded him: "Your Majesty, if word gets out that you've moved here..."

"It won't," Yan Weichu said calmly. "If word gets out, the Jinyiwei can be replaced. I've claimed to be ill and won't be receiving anyone these days. No one will know I'm here."

After all, he lived in the Western Garden, not the palace. As long as the Jinyiwei and the Dongchang kept watch outside, his disappearance for a few days wouldn't cause any major issues. At the very least, he needed to let the injury on his foot heal.

"You've come at the right time," Yan Weichu looked up and asked Bian Shen, "Father, when you were guarding Suzhou, what was the situation with the military pay and provisions for the border troops? Tell me about it."

Bian Shen winced at the address but had no choice but to speak. What he said was similar to what Liu Zhu and Xie Xiao had mentioned earlier, but more detailed: "Self-sufficiency through the tuntian system was feasible in the early days of the dynasty, but over the past hundred years, many fertile fields have been seized by influential nobles and local gentry. Coupled with delayed or unpaid military wages from the court, many low-ranking military households couldn't feed themselves and fled as refugees."

Yan Weichu asked: "Which influential nobles and local gentry are you referring to specifically?"

Bian Shen knew that both his and Ji Lanshu's lives were in the Young Emperor's hands, so he spoke bluntly: "Many. Imperial relatives, imperial princes, merit-based nobles and officers, civil officials and scholars, powerful eunuchs, and even local gentry and tyrants—all of them have a share."

Yan Weichu understood: "So, as far as I can see, there isn't a single good person inside or outside the court? Does that include you, Father?"

Bian Shen seemed to have grown numb to the word "father" and replied calmly: "I wouldn't dare do such things. All these years, I haven't dared to make the slightest mistake, for fear of giving others leverage that would endanger the lives of those around me."

That sounded like the truth. The only reason Bian Shen didn't dare to act was for Ji Lanshu's sake. If he had puffed out his chest and claimed to be pure and innocent, Yan Weichu would have thought his "father" was too slippery to be of use.

Yan Weichu changed the subject: "What about the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion? The Xie family has been commanding the three northern defense commands for so many years. How are they doing?"

Bian Shen thought for a moment and replied: "From what I know, when the Senior Duke was alive, military discipline in his ranks was strictest in this regard. Although there were always those who paid lip service, the lives of the military households under him were indeed better than those in other places."

Yan Weichu nodded. Noticing that Ji Lanshu seemed to have something to say, he prompted him: "Imperial Uncle, speak your mind."

Ji Lanshu said awkwardly: "Your Majesty, please don’t call me that..."

"Alright, Dad," Yan Weichu changed his address. "Say what you want to say."

Ji Lanshu was speechless for a moment but moved past the topic: "When I was at the border, I witnessed the pitiful conditions of many military households. It wasn’t just man-made disasters. After a hundred years of natural disasters and war, even if the fields allocated to military households in the early days of the dynasty weren’t seized, a large portion could no longer be farmed.

"Previously, southern merchants transported grain to the border towns in exchange for salt vouchers, which helped supplement military supplies to some extent. But this system was abolished during the reign of the previous Emperor, making things even worse."

Yan Weichu felt that his little father seemed quite insightful and was satisfied.

He sighed softly: "You’re right. I have neither money nor people now. It’s quite dire."

Ji Lanshu comforted him: "Money can be figured out later. As for people, isn't Your Majesty trying to secure the allegiance of the Marquis of Dingbei? If the Marquis of Dingbei can truly be used by Your Majesty, given his status, he can suppress many restless individuals both in the capital and at the border. In the future, it will be much smoother for Your Majesty to handle many matters."

Yan Weichu leaned forward over the desk, propping his head up with one hand, with a troubled expression. "It's not that easy. My cousin is quite disobedient."

He looked quite youthful like this. Ji Lanshu held back a laugh and said, "Your Majesty, just put in more effort. Cater to his interests—it doesn't seem that hard to me."

He nudged Bian Shen beside him. Bian Shen cleared his throat lightly and added, "Your Majesty, where there’s a will, there’s a way. With perseverance, the Marquis of Dingbei will eventually come around."

Besides, if catering to his interests doesn’t work, there’s always making a physical advance, isn’t there?

Just as they were talking about Xie Xiao, Xie Xiao arrived.

Yan Weichu quickly had Shun Xi take him back to his room, while Bian Shen went ahead to receive Xie Xiao.

A quarter of an hour later, Xie Xiao came over. Yan Weichu was leaning back in a wooden wheelchair under the eaves outside the door, eyes closed, soaking up the sun.

His injured leg was bare, resting on the footrest, pale and practically gleaming under the sunlight. The ankle appeared much better, not as swollen and red as it had been the day before.

Noticing the shadow falling over him, Yan Weichu cracked one eye open and glanced at Xie Xiao. "Cousin, you said yesterday you’d come when you had time? I thought you weren’t coming today."

"Here to update your father," Xie Xiao said, his gaze lingering on Yan Weichu’s lazy expression. "I’ve already dealt with the person. I told you yesterday I’d get revenge for you."

Yan Weichu said blankly, "Oh, so Cousin didn’t come specifically to see me."

He tilted his head back slightly, his eyes full of reproach.

Light and shadow played across his face. Xie Xiao watched him for a moment, then suddenly reached out and gently wiped the corner of Yan Weichu’s eye.

Yan Weichu looked puzzled. "What are you doing?"

Xie Xiao casually withdrew his hand. "After returning from Zhan Yun Manor last time, those who gave you trouble have been running into misfortunes one after another. Did you know?"

Yan Weichu asked, "What happened to them?"

His eyes widened, showing only genuine curiosity and surprise.

Xie Xiao stared at him for a moment, then looked away. "Forget it."

Yan Weichu smiled. "Let me give you a tour of the estate, Cousin. There’s a garden in the back—would you like to see it?"

Xie Xiao said indifferently, "Hmm."

Yan Weichu said he would guide him, but in reality, he had Xie Xiao push the wheelchair. They didn’t call any servants to follow, just wandered wherever they pleased.

Passing through a bamboo grove in the garden, Yan Weichu was enthusiastically making up stories about how many years the bamboo had been growing there when Xie Xiao suddenly bent down close to him and lowered his voice. "Be quiet. Your father and the others are ahead."

Yan Weichu looked over and saw his father and his younger father by the stream up ahead. Bian Shen had his arm around Ji Lanshu’s waist, whispering intimately.

The bamboo grove was quiet, with not even a breeze stirring.

Any movement forward or backward would cause the wheelchair to crunch on the gravel, inevitably drawing attention and creating an awkward situation, so they had no choice but to stop where they were.

Just as Xie Xiao was about to straighten up, he caught a faint, subtle scent from Yan Weichu’s neck and froze.

That night in Fumeng Cottage, in his hazy state of mind, he seemed to have smelled this scent—perhaps the fragrance of soap pods, or maybe the incense from his clothes.

Bian Shen and the others had already left, but Xie Xiao remained motionless, spaced out.

Yan Weichu turned his head, his gaze sliding over Xie Xiao’s deep, dark eyes and pausing on his still, unmoving eyelashes. Seized by a mischievous impulse, he leaned in and blew gently on them.

Xie Xiao snapped back to reality, his eyelashes fluttering. "What are you doing?"

Yan Weichu blurted out, "Cousin, you’re really good-looking."

Xie Xiao looked at him, paused for a breath, then tilted his head even closer.

Yan Weichu froze, almost thinking Xie Xiao was about to lean in and kiss him.

Xie Xiao’s voice fell beside his ear. "A Li, I’m not interested in men."

Yan Weichu was slow to react. "Oh."

…He didn't believe it.

Author's Note:

Young Emperor: Don’t believe it, don’t believe it, don’t believe it.