Shen Shaoyuan immediately stood up and nodded, but after nodding, she shook her head again, obediently saying, “I still won’t go.”
Shen Jue raised an eyebrow, tossed the whip in his hand into Ah Bing’s arms, and strode into the study. “Last time, you begged me to take you. Why not go now?”
He often visited her study, and many of the decorative items inside were things he had collected from various places, all to make his younger sister happier.
Shen Shaoyuan tugged at the book on the table somewhat sheepishly. “The homework Sister Ye assigned me isn’t finished yet. She’ll be back tomorrow.”
This Sister Ye, named Ye Shujun, was the daughter of a military strategist under Prince Zhennan. Skilled in both literary and martial arts, she was highly regarded by Shen Jianqing. She herself was a talented woman proficient in lute, chess, calligraphy, and painting, renowned for her literary talents in Guangzhou Fu.
Shen Jianqing had bestowed a residence upon her father, the strategist Ye Minyan, which was located close to the Prince’s mansion. It was later learned that he had lost his wife early in life and had raised his two children on his own.
Shen Jianqing was famously kind and benevolent toward his subordinates. After learning of their situation, he would invite their family to the mansion for celebrations during festivals.
Ye Shujun was around the same age as Shen Shaoyuan, and they got along well. As Shen Shaoyuan was just beginning her education, Li Shi decided to have Ye Shujun accompany her in her studies at the mansion, giving her a companion.
Ye Shujun was sixteen this year, older and exceptionally intelligent. She could grasp what the teacher taught in a single session, while Shen Shaoyuan was the opposite, learning slowly and with difficulty.
Ye Shujun often helped Shen Shaoyuan review and organize her studies. Their relationship was both that of teacher and friend. Aside from Li Shi and Shen Jue, Shen Shaoyuan was closest to Ye Shujun.
Last month, the female tutor who had been teaching them writing and reading returned to her hometown with her family. Li Shi was still looking for a new tutor, but none suitable had been found yet. Recently, Ye Shujun had been guiding Shen Shaoyuan in her studies and writing.
These past few days, Ye Shujun had gone with her father to visit relatives. Before leaving, she had assigned homework to Shen Shaoyuan. Calculating the days, she was due back tomorrow, but Shen Shaoyuan hadn’t even finished her calligraphy practice. Thus, she had to resist the temptation of horseback riding.
Shen Jue displeasedly rubbed the tip of his nose and casually picked up a brush from the table. “Studying all day long—does the Shen family lack a top scholar like you? She even assigns homework before leaving—what a hassle. How much is left? I’ll write it for you.”
“Brother, Sister Ye will recognize the handwriting…” Shen Shaoyuan wanted to go play but also felt guilty toward Ye Shujun, leaving her in a dilemma.
Shen Jue had always been mischievous. Whenever he caused trouble, Shen Jianqing would punish him by making him copy books.
Copying books so often failed to calm his mind but instead honed his excellent calligraphy skills.
Moreover, he was naturally gifted with a photographic memory from a young age. The more he read, the bolder he became, and the more he read, the more he developed a knack for specious arguments. Not only did he repeatedly drive away tutors, but even Shen Jianqing couldn’t out-argue him, which contributed to his current unruly temperament.
“If you want to learn something, I can teach you. What does Ye Shujun know that I don’t?”
Shen Shaoyuan looked at her older brother very seriously. “Brother, Father said you didn’t even pass the provincial examination, and your essays could infuriate the examiners…”
Shen Jue: …
It wasn’t that he couldn’t pass—he simply didn’t want to take it seriously. If he were willing, what chance would others have at the top scholar title?
Then Shen Shaoyuan continued, chattering like beans spilling from a bag: “Sister Ye can write poetry and essays. She always comes first in poetry gatherings. Even Father says her calligraphy is rare among women, and her literary talent is truly exceptional.”
That look of shared glory on her face would make anyone who didn’t know better think she was the one being praised. After finishing her praise, she even looked at Shen Jue with great sympathy.
What kind of thing was Ye Shujun? He could beat ten of him with one hand without breaking a sweat!
If anyone else had said those words today, they would definitely be lying flat on the ground by now.
But who made this his precious little sister? Not to mention laying a hand on her, he couldn’t even bear to scold her a single word.
Shen Jue had lost all interest by now. He casually tossed the brush in his hand aside, crossed his legs, and leaned back in his chair. “Young ladies shouldn’t listen to such idle gossip.”
Shen Shaoyuan couldn’t quite grasp what “idle gossip” meant, but she knew whatever her brother said was right, so she obediently nodded.
Outside, Ah Bing poked his head in. “Shiziye, Third Young Master Qin is urging you.”
Shen Jue lazily replied that he knew, but he wasn’t in a hurry to leave. He exchanged a few more words with Shen Shaoyuan before getting up.
Shen Shaoyuan obediently followed behind him. Seeing the bandage peeking out as he moved, she remembered he had been injured earlier.
“Didn’t Brother promise Grandmother you wouldn’t go out recently?”
Shen Jue laughed heartily, turned around, and tapped her forehead. “When has your brother ever kept his word?”
As he reached the door, as if remembering something, he instructed Shen Shaoyuan, “Eat less snacks. I’ll bring you some osmanthus cakes from Tangji when I come back later.”
Shen Shaoyuan’s eyes lit up. She had been struggling with whether to tattle to Grandmother, but now her mind was filled only with osmanthus cakes.
However, her little brain still remembered the cousin she had just met in the morning, and she couldn’t help but add, “Then bring more, Brother. Cousin Jin also loves osmanthus cakes. I want to share them with her.”
Shen Jue nodded without really hearing clearly, then realized what she said.
“What Cousin Jin?”
“The cousin from the Wen family. She’s especially beautiful and very gentle. She even took a whip for you once. Have you forgotten, Brother?”
Shen Jue: ??
Wasn’t this matter supposed to be hushed up? Why did Shen Shaoyuan also know about such an embarrassing incident of his?
What to do when your own sister misbehaves and you can’t bring yourself to hit her?!
Preoccupied with these thoughts, Shen Jue was somewhat absent-minded even while riding. Qin Lang had galloped far ahead before realizing Shen Jue hadn’t kept up and turned back to find him.
“What’s wrong, Brother Jue? Could it be your back injury is really that bad? You’re riding like a woman now?”
The other young masters riding alongside burst into laughter at these words. They all found it strange too—had the usually arrogant Shiziye really been beaten into submission?
Qin Lang was the youngest son of General Qin, the Guangzhou Commander-in-Chief. With two capable older brothers above him, his family only wished for his safety and didn’t expect him to bring glory to their ancestors. He was also a pampered ershi zu who had been spoiled since childhood.
He never listened to anyone—until he met Shen Jue. After being beaten into submission by him, he clung on desperately, refusing to leave no matter what, insisting on becoming Shen Jue’s follower.
Since childhood, whenever Shen Jue got into trouble, Qin Lang was inevitably by his side. They were the two most notorious troublemakers in Guangzhou Fu that gave everyone headaches.
Shen Jue lazily half-closed his eyes, completely indifferent to what they were saying, and continued riding slowly forward.
He was thinking about Wen Jinxin. He already found this suddenly appearing cousin suspicious, and now that Li Shi was on good terms with her, he felt even more that this delicate cousin was not simple.
He had intended to give her the cold shoulder to see what her true motives were. Unexpectedly, his foolish younger sister had already walked right into the lion’s den.
At this thought, Shen Jue’s gaze turned icy. Regardless of Wen Jinxin’s reasons for approaching him, if she dared lay a finger on Shen Shaoyuan, he would make her regret ever stepping foot into the Shen household.
Receiving no response, Qin Lang’s mischievous side took over. With a wicked grin, he quietly raised his whip and approached Shen Jue’s horse. Just as the whip was about to strike the horse’s hindquarters—
Shen Jue, who had seemed completely unaware, suddenly spurred his horse forward. The fiery young man shot off like an arrow.
Qin Lang couldn’t stop his momentum in time and, failing to tighten his reins, tumbled straight off his horse. Fortunately, the horse was moving slowly, so he only ended up covered in mud—though his image as a refined young master was thoroughly ruined.
This provoked even louder laughter from the others. “Third Master Qin, you’re too polite! Offering such a grand salute, but none of us have red envelopes for you!”
Qin Lang stomped his foot in frustration, quickly brushing off the mud and sand. He was about to curse these disloyal friends when he realized how ridiculous the situation was and couldn’t help but laugh along.
As for the culprit, Shen Jue, that bastard had long since vanished without a trace. What kind of nonsense was this?
By the time Qin Lang and the others caught up, they saw a fiery red figure galloping across the lush green pasture.
There was a heroic, almost defiant air about him, as if challenging the heavens, making everyone want to chase after him.
And so they did. Waving their whips, they raced toward him in unison, stirring up dust and grass in their wake, leaving behind the vibrant sounds of youthful energy on the pasture.
After a lap, Shen Jue slowed his pace, allowing Qin Lang and the others to finally catch up.
“Brother Jue, wait for us! You’re too fast—we couldn’t keep up at all.”
Shen Jue lazily raised an eyebrow and glanced at Qin Lang with a mocking smile. “Acting like a woman, needing someone to wait for you during a ride.”
Qin Lang: …
Brother, no need to hold a grudge like that.
“Brother Jue, how about heading to Drunken Immortal Pavilion for a drink later? I heard there’s a new girl there who sings with a unique charm.”
Shen Jue disliked being called Shizi, so his circle of friends addressed him as Brother Jue or Master Jue. Drunken Immortal Pavilion was their usual haunt.
At the mention of listening to songs, everyone exchanged knowing smiles.
But Shen Jue casually tossed his whip into Qin Lang’s arms. “Not going.”
Before Qin Lang could react, Shen Jue had already dismounted and started walking away. “Huh? Brother Jue, if you’re not going, what’s the point of us going?”
“Put the drinks on my tab.”
Ignoring the howls of protest behind him, Shen Jue strode off without looking back. He had to buy sweet cakes for his sister—no time to waste on them.
Shen Jue bought osmanthus cakes and returned to the mansion, only to learn that Shen Shaoyuan was in Li Shi’s courtyard. Naturally, he wouldn’t go there. Staring at the extra box of osmanthus cakes he had bought, he narrowed his eyes.
Ah Bing, thinking Shen Jue was upset upon hearing about Li Shi, shrank back, afraid to provoke his temper. Just then, he saw Shen Jue kick the footstool aside and rise from the recliner.
“Let’s go for a stroll.”
“Master, we just got back—are we heading out again?”
Laotaifei had already sent someone to check on him earlier, saying she wanted Shen Jue to join her for the Evening Meal. If they left now, he’d miss the meal.
“Who said anything about going out?”
Ah Bing broke into a cold sweat. If they weren’t going out, did this little ancestor plan to storm into Li Shi’s main courtyard? That was exactly the kind of thing he would do.
Back when Shen Jue was just five years old, he threw a tantrum upon learning that his younger sister was to be raised by Li Shi, and it was only after being coaxed by Laotaifei that he finally calmed down.
From that incident onward, Shen Jue and Li Shi essentially tore off all pretense of cordiality, forming two distinct factions within the Prince’s mansion.
Just as Ah Bing was pondering how to seek outside help, Shen Jue had already stepped out.
“I’m going to see my dear cousin.”
Ah Bing had just breathed a sigh of relief when his eyes instantly widened in shock—see his cousin??