In the 21st year of Jian Yuan, the star Mars was in the heart of the constellation Scorpio. The Emperor sought immortality, neglecting state affairs, while eunuchs held power in the court, and spies were everywhere. Outside the court, the barbarians invaded several times, but were all blocked by the Zhenbei Army, who even showed signs of counterattack. However, General Dingwei, Yan Yi, suddenly died on the battlefield, his body never recovered. The Zhenbei Army, losing its backbone, and with supplies delayed, ran out of arrows and resources, ultimately unable to resist and retreated step by step. The world was in turmoil.
…
In the 22nd year of Jian Yuan, at the end of summer, in the Xie Family residence in the Capital City, at the third quarter of the hour of Wei (around 2:45 PM).
The pavilions and towers were arranged in an orderly manner, with strange rocks standing tall, the scenery was deep and serene, streams flowed gently, and orioles and butterflies fluttered about, resembling a paradise on earth.
Behind a rockery, a young man in deep purple brocade was holding his breath, trying to catch the indistinct sounds of a conversation on the other side. He was exceptionally handsome, with delicate eyebrows and eyes, cheeks that were white with a hint of pink, lips red and eyes bright. The intricate gold thread embroidery on his clothes did not appear vulgar, but rather made him look even more noble and imposing. A pearl-red and white jade belt accentuated his slender waist, with a series of clinking ornaments hanging from it, including a gold and jade gourd and South Sea red beads, exuding luxury.
This was Xie Jinning, the most favored young master of the Xie family, known for their control over the canal transport. It was supposed to be his nap time, but feeling restless and unable to sleep, he decided to take a walk.
His fair earlobes twitched slightly, catching a keyword, and Xie Jinning couldn’t help but furrow his delicate brows. He gestured for his book boy to be silent and moved a bit closer.
This time, the voices became clearer. It turned out to be a few idle maids gossiping. One said, “What do you think, who exactly is this Young Master Xie Zhu? I’ve been in the house for so many years and never heard of the master having such a relative.”
Another chimed in, “Exactly, the things sent to the Bamboo Pavilion are all top-notch. I think they’re no worse than those in the young master’s courtyard.”
Someone else lowered their voice, “I heard that when he arrived, he was dressed in rags, covered in dust, and the guards almost mistook him for a beggar. Luckily, Young Master Xie Zhu was magnanimous and didn’t hold it against them.”
The group chattered on, all centered around “Xie Zhu”—this person who suddenly appeared in the Xie family, whom Xie Jinning regarded as a poor relative coming to take advantage.
He let out a low hum, feeling a surge of displeasure. It wasn’t about being stingy with money. The Xie family’s ancestors were founding heroes, and when the country stabilized, they wisely requested to return military power and retire to the fields. The emperor, remembering old ties, and as they were the first to voluntarily relinquish power, entrusted the canal transport business to the Xie family’s ancestors. The ancestors did not disappoint, expanding the fleet and gradually controlling nearly ninety percent of Dayan’s waterways. Not to mention one Xie Zhu, even hundreds or thousands, the Xie family could afford to support.
But…
Ever since Xie Zhu entered the house, Xie Jinning felt something strange everywhere. He couldn’t pinpoint it, but his dissatisfaction with Xie Zhu grew day by day, now reaching the point of aversion.
Seeing that he couldn’t hear what he wanted, Xie Jinning lost interest and was about to leave when a sentence made him freeze in place.
“Do you… think that Young Master Xie Zhu looks a lot like the master when he was young, just a bit darker?”
This statement was like cold water splashing into a pot of oil, instantly causing a burst of sparks.
“You think so too?”
“Hiss, now that you mention it, there is a bit of resemblance.”
“The other day, I met Young Master Xie Zhu under the corridor, and from the side, he looked like he was carved from the same mold as the master, it gave me a fright.”
“Actually, if you ask me, the young master doesn’t even…”
“Stop, stop! You can’t say that!”
Xie Jinning couldn’t hear another word. What young master? That poor relative Xie Zhu, what kind of young master is he? And looking alike, could he look more like the master than his own son?!
The book boy, A He, seeing his master was not right, immediately shouted, “Bold!”
The maids hurriedly emerged from the corner, and upon seeing Xie Jinning, they were shocked and quickly knelt to beg for mercy.
On a normal day, the kind-hearted young master might have laughed off a group of idlers, but today, he pressed his lips tightly, his cheeks taut, and anyone could see he was angry. Yet, with his baby fat still lingering on his cheeks, he looked not intimidating but rather adorably petulant, like he was throwing a tantrum to be coaxed.
“What were you trying to say about me just now?” he asked.
Gossiping about the master behind their back was a major taboo for servants, and they dared not tell the truth, especially those from the Jinyuan, who, after exchanging glances, all kowtowed and begged for mercy, tears streaming down their faces.
“Young master, please forgive us, we won’t dare again!”
“Please have mercy, don’t drive us out of the house…”
“We have elderly mothers and young brothers at home waiting to be fed…”
In the capital, every broker knew that the Xie family treated their servants the best, with generous monthly wages and constant rewards, and the Jinyuan was the most lucrative place. The young master was kind-hearted, often rewarding people with delicacies, and gold and silver melon seeds were thrown around casually, even the wolves raised by the guards loved to run there. Thinking they might be driven out of such a good place, the group cried even more miserably.
Xie Jinning had never seen such a scene, and seeing them cry so pitifully, his furrowed brows gradually relaxed. He turned his face away, clearly still angry, but waved his hand, “Get up, this time… I’ll pretend I didn’t see you.”
A He immediately put his hands on his hips and said, “What are you still standing there for! You’re blocking the young master’s view! Get out of here! If you’re caught gossiping again, you’ll be in big trouble!”
The group, as if granted amnesty, thanked him repeatedly and hurriedly dispersed, leaving the noisy corner quiet once more.
After they left, A He looked at his back, hesitated, and couldn’t help but complain, “Young master, you don’t know, that one who said her family was sick, I clearly saw her mother was very healthy last time! I think they just see you as easy to talk to, if it were up to me, they should all be kicked out.”
Xie Jinning shot him a glance, “What if she really is sick?”
“If she were really sick, she wouldn’t be busy working, where would she find the time to gossip about you, young master?”
Xie Jinning was taken aback, then widened his eyes, “Why didn’t you say so earlier?”
“Hehe, I just remembered.”
A He scratched his face awkwardly.
“Alright, you stinky A He, I’m going to dock your monthly pay!”
A He’s face fell, “No, young master—”
Their banter finally eased some of the unpleasantness, but even so, on the way back, Xie Jinning was still curious about what the unfinished sentence about him was.
…
Mentioning Xie Zhu, Xie Jinning was filled with anger.
Half a month ago, he returned from an outing to find a strange young man in the house. Dressed in coarse cloth, with yellow skin and a thin frame, he looked like he had crawled out of some rural corner, but his demeanor was neither humble nor arrogant, generous and polite.
The Xie family had few relatives within the clan, and initially, Xie Jinning had a good impression of this peer-aged distant relative. Although the Xie family was a wealthy canal transport family, they were not populous, with the main line now only having Xie Father, Xie Qing, and his wife Lin Jinhua, who had two sons. The eldest son, Xie Zhaoming, was steady and reliable, while Xie Jinning was raised with care.
Xie Jinning had been weak since childhood, several times on the brink of death, and only after years of careful nurturing did he recover, which also led to him developing a spoiled temperament. He knew that the family business would be inherited by his brother, and his parents had no other expectations, only hoping for his health, so he was happy to be carefree, gradually becoming a famous playboy in the capital.
After Xie Zhu moved in, he didn’t think much of it and even took the initiative to make friends, only to be rejected several times. Despite being of similar age, Xie Zhu was frighteningly mature, with a particularly calm and quiet personality, and his deep black eyes always carried a hint of aloofness and indifference, as if Xie Jinning had offended him before.
“Thank you.”
“No need.”
“I have things to do, forgive me for not accompanying you.”
Xie Jinning, who was always surrounded by admirers outside, had never been treated so coldly. After a few encounters, he was annoyed, and when he saw Xie Zhu, he would turn his face away with a cold snort, sometimes even deliberately bumping into his shoulder.
Xie Zhu was half a head taller than him, seemingly thin, with a side profile as thin as paper. Xie Jinning, putting all his strength into the bump, found the other unmoved, while his own shoulder turned red for several days.
Naturally, this was another grievance added to Xie Zhu’s account.
Soon, everyone in the house knew that the new Young Master Xie Zhu had offended the young master, but before Xie Jinning could wait for the other to soften and make peace, he noticed something strange in the house.
The number of servants going to and from the Bamboo Pavilion increased day by day, and the things sent there were getting better and better. What displeased him even more was that several times when he went to find his brother Xie Zhaoming, he saw Xie Zhu there.
The two sat and talked, seemingly enjoying each other’s company, with a bit of brotherly camaraderie.
Seeing his place being taken, Xie Jinning felt sour inside, but he maintained his composure and didn’t act out, only silently turning back to his courtyard, venting his frustration on the newly inserted flower branches in the vase, tearing off a thick box of petals.
His father, Xie Qing, had been busy with affairs outside recently, leaving early and returning late. When Xie Jinning went to find him at night, he saw Xie Zhu entering the study with Xie Zhaoming.
The three of them talked by candlelight, discussing something unknown, and when he pushed the door open, they stopped in unison. No matter how he acted cute and coquettish in private, they wouldn’t reveal a single detail.
All of this made Xie Jinning feel increasingly excluded.
Fortunately, his mother, Lin Jinhua, treated him as usual. Xie Jinning thought: Forget it, after all, no matter how favored Xie Zhu is, he’s just a distant relative, how can he be more important than me?
But there seemed to be a shadow in his heart, silently burrowing into the soil, invading the roots of the growing seedlings.
Xie Jinning rubbed his stuffy chest, let out a light hum, and kicked a stone on the road far away, as if treating it as Xie Zhu.
“Off you go!”
Back in the courtyard, A He suddenly slapped his forehead, “Young master! Didn’t Young Master Cheng invite you to listen to a story today?”
“Why are you making such a fuss, you scared me.”
Xie Jinning lazily propped his chin, his wide sleeves sliding down to reveal a snow-white wrist like carved jade, “I’ve been to all the teahouses and theaters in the capital, haven’t I? It’s always the same stories, boring.”
“They say there’s a new play today, very exciting.” A He said with excitement, “Are you going, young master?”
“Of course not…” Xie Jinning dragged out his words, watching A He’s pouting mouth, then slowly said, “How could I not go?”
“I knew you were the best, young master!”
Cheng Yi, the third son of the Minister of Rites, was a fellow playboy with Xie Jinning. By the time Xie Jinning arrived, he had been waiting in the private room for a while.
The two were close friends, needing no words of greeting. As soon as Xie Jinning sat down, he ate a few pieces of snacks Cheng Yi handed over, and downstairs, the storyteller’s wooden clapper sounded, signaling the start of the show.
It was indeed exciting.
Xie Jinning didn’t expect it to be a story about an “illegitimate child’s revenge.”
In the story, the person came for revenge, with a meticulous mind and ruthless methods. After gaining the family’s trust, he poisoned the legitimate mother, framed the legitimate son, and finally killed the father to seize the family business. The bloody scenes made him shiver throughout, even forgetting to eat his favorite snacks.
The storyteller’s tone was sometimes gentle, sometimes passionate, narrating the ups and downs, skillfully stirring the emotions of everyone present. When he finally said the illegitimate child was “slain by a righteous hero,” the whole room cheered, but Xie Jinning was stunned, his mind shaken.
He inexplicably envisioned a scene of the Xie family covered in blood, his brother wronged, his parents dead… and the black-robed killer standing in the pool of blood slowly turned around…
It had Xie Zhu’s face!
Those cold eyes stared at him, raising a knife to strike—
The silver-white light flashed before his eyes, and Xie Jinning was startled, leaning back sharply, his back hitting the chair with a dull thud.
“Xiao Ning!” Cheng Yi was startled by him, quickly retracting the fan he was waving in front of him, “Are you alright?”
Xie Jinning seemed not to hear, pushing his friend away, not even having time to call the entranced A He, leaving behind a “I’m leaving first” as he rushed out the door.
It wasn’t until he burst out the door, nearly colliding with two workers carrying a half-human-tall bronze mirror at the alley corner, that he was forced to stop.
His face was flushed, eyes misty, lips parted as he panted lightly, ears filled with the workers’ fearful apologies upon recognizing his identity, but his gaze was fixed on the bronze mirror on the ground.
The yellowed mirror reflected his face, not very clear, but enough for self-appreciation.
Xie Jinning carefully examined himself, his body slightly tired from the exertion, heart pounding like a drum, but his mind was clearer than ever.
He seemed to know what the maid hadn’t finished saying.
“Young master! Wait for me!” A He hurriedly caught up, supporting Xie Jinning’s arm, “Are you alright?”
Then he turned to scold the workers, “How are you carrying things? If you hurt my young master, can you afford it?!”
The workers had no choice but to apologize repeatedly.
“It’s not their fault.” Xie Jinning pressed his pounding heart, stepping aside to make way, “You can go.”
After the workers left, he said seriously, “A He, I have a question, and you must answer me truthfully.”
A He was helping untangle the accessories on his waist, “What is it, young master?”
“Between me and Xie Zhu, who looks more like father?”
A He’s hand shook, forcing a smile, “Of course it’s you, you’re the apple of the master and madam’s eye, what is that Xie Zhu, how can he compare to you?”
“Tell the truth, or I’ll really dock your half-month’s pay.”
“Ah…”
A He’s shoulders slumped, stammering, “That Xie Zhu… does look a little like the master.”
He quickly added, “But still not as much as you…”
“Just a little?”
“He looks more like the master than you do!” A He gave up, pulling a face, “Young master, why are you asking this out of the blue?”
Xie Jinning didn’t answer. He grabbed the gold and jade gourd that had been untangled from his waist, a gift from his father during a business trip to Xuzhou.
Since childhood, every time his father Xie Qing went out, he would bring back treasures from various places, filling several storerooms in the Jinyuan. But this time, after being away for several days, his father brought him nothing, and the more Xie Jinning thought about it, the more sour and uncomfortable he felt.
Even A He, who had been by his side, thought they looked alike, and there were probably many in the house who thought the same.
Xie Zhu looked more like his father than he did.
Illegitimate child, entering the house…
A sudden flash of insight, the chilling scenes from the story and Xie Zhu’s image overlapped!
The recent anomalies were explained, it seemed Xie Zhu’s true identity was not some distant relative, but his father’s illegitimate child raised outside!
His clear almond eyes filled with fire, Xie Jinning clenched his fists, gritting his teeth, “A He, quickly, let’s return to the house!”
Mother must still be in the dark, he had to tell her quickly, before father officially acknowledged Xie Zhu, to drive him out!
A He looked at the sky, “It’s still early, young master, don’t you want to stroll a bit more?”
“Stroll what stroll!” Xie Jinning glared at him, “If I stroll any longer, your young master will have an extra brother.”
“Oh oh… huh??”