[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-i-am-the-xu-family-s-son":3,"chapter-i-am-the-xu-family-s-son-i-am-the-xu-family-s-son-chapter-32":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","I Am the Xu Family's Son",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2307810,4510,"Chapter 32: The Imperial Gift Arrives and the Black Foal","i-am-the-xu-family-s-son-chapter-32",32,"\u003Cp>Bai Shi and Chang Mama sat in the carriage returning to the mansion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The street was bustling with noise—vendors calling out, hosts soliciting guests, chatter—all filtering into the carriage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Miss, after this incident, the Marquis must now understand what kind of people the Qin family truly are.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“For the sake of these dowry goods, the Qin family actually went so far as to harm their own nephew.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Miss, you’re still young, and your Master has always protected you well.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Yangzhou, I once heard of families whose daughters and sons-in-law had died, leaving their granddaughter to return home with the family fortune, expecting a bright future.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who knew.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Shi looked surprised: “I’ve never heard of such a thing—what happened next?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The maternal family used up every last bit of the orphan girl’s inheritance to build their mansion; later, the girl fell ill and died without cure.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How could relatives act so cruelly?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Though your Lady Mother passed early, your Master has acted as both father and mother, never once depriving you of anything—hence your refined nature and pure heart, free from malice.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I have indeed seen too little of the world’s storms and too little of human wickedness.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“With our Bai family’s wealth, had we not come to Dongjing Bianliang, where wouldn’t we be among the top households?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I once envied the noble families of Dongjing, but now I see—even if not all are wolves and tigers, none are vegetarians.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then how shall we deal with the Dongchang Marquis family from now on?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“From what I observe, the Marquis won’t act immediately—he’ll simply switch Yu Ge’s medicine, wait until he uncovers who truly has a black heart, then settle the matter himself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Ningyuan Marquis’s carriage returned to the mansion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Time passed slowly; two months slipped away in an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On a street, a carriage bearing the banner of the Zhongqin Marquis’s mansion headed toward Quyuanjie.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind the carriage followed a small foal adorned with silk red flowers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arriving at Quyuanjie,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>a middle-aged man from the Yuan family stepped down from the carriage,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>and the Yuan family’s servant hurried forward to knock on the gate and state their purpose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, the wide central gate of the Xu family slowly opened, and Sun Shi, accompanied by the household stewards and children, greeted the visitor at the entrance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The visitor was Marquis Yuan Bing, of the Zhongqin Marquis’s mansion,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan Bing was Deputy Director of the Bianjing Herd Supervision,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>and as a marquis making a formal visit, the Xu family opened their central gate to receive him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, Yuan Bing brought the imperial gift Xu Zaijing had won at the Emperor’s birthday banquet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, the central gate of the Xu mansion swung wide open, and Yuan Bing, Deputy Director of the Herd Supervision, led a small foal through the main entrance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Marquis Yuan, thank you for your trouble,” Sun Shi bowed in gratitude.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Marquis Yuan Bing hurried to reply:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lady, you’re too formal—this gift was bestowed by His Majesty; please have your Third Son come see if it suits his taste.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Marquis, if you’ve brought it, the boy won’t have a word to say.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lady, don’t be so polite—this foal was the Emperor’s own decree to give to Third Son; I dare not be careless.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then, Marquis, please wait a moment.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, Xu Zaijing was brought from his desk to the front courtyard, and his eyes immediately fell upon the jet-black foal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The foal was entirely black, with long limbs; though still young, its withers already reached below Yuan Bing’s waist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Xu Zaijing saw no one else—his horse trainer had long taught him much about judging horses through words and example.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To Xu Zaijing, this horse was nothing short of a peerless beauty among steeds—unmatured, yet already bewitching those who understood horses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hehehe, so beautiful.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A flash of delight passed through Yuan Bing’s eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Deputy Director of the Herd Supervision, he naturally knew horses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could have simply delivered the foal to the Xu family and been done.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he insisted on coming himself, because this foal was delivered by his own hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its mother was a legendary mare of unmatched grace,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>and the filly had been born so lovely he’d adored her from the start.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sending her felt like matchmaking a daughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Xu Zaijing so captivated, he knew the boy understood horses and would cherish her—his heart finally settled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Young Master, I entrust this little black filly to you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since ancient times, a pure black stallion has been called Li.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Zaijing snapped out of the foal’s enchantment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you, Marquis.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Young Master, don’t be so formal—seeing you understand horses so well, I have no more worries. Then, I’ll take my leave.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Marquis, won’t you stay for a meal?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Herd Supervision has many duties—thank you, Lady.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Jingge, come with me to see the Marquis off.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, Mother.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The little Li foal, sensing Yuan Marquis was leaving, filled her bright eyes with panic,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>neighing shrilly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Yuan Marquis’s eyes held unmistakable reluctance, a faint moisture glistening at their edges.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet he still forced himself to turn and walk away,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>trusting that Xu Zaijing would care for the Li foal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The group emerged from the Xu mansion’s main gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Zaijing saw a boy about three or four years older than him standing beside the Yuan carriage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan Bing walked to the carriage and bowed:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lady, Young Master, please stop here. Oh, this is my Second Son, Yuan Wenshao.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The boy by the carriage bowed deeply:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Greetings, Lady, Young Master.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Shi: “At your age, Second Son is already accompanying the Marquis on official duties—remarkable!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Zaijing: “Greetings, Elder Brother.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Zaijing bowed his body, but his mind thought:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Isn’t this Hua Lan’s future husband? I heard his mother has always favored his elder brother, Yuan Wenchun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I wonder if Sheng Hong has visited them yet.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Please, don’t see us off—farewell.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Shi looked at her Third Son: “Jing, why are you staring at the Yuan Second Son?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I admire this Yuan Second Brother—he’s young, yet already involved in household affairs.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Jing, you’re not bad either—you brought honor to the Xu family before His Majesty. Come, let’s go see the imperial gift, the little Li foal.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s go, let’s go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The little Li foal, removed from her familiar surroundings and the people she trusted, grew restless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She could only neigh shrilly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The one assigned to receive the Li foal was naturally Xu Zaijing’s horse trainer,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>whose single eye had not left the foal since he first saw her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His gaze toward Xu Zaijing’s own foal was full of disdain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the Xu family returned to the riding field after seeing off their guest, Xu Zaijing saw the Li foal nuzzling his master’s chest, blowing air from her nostrils.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was how horses showed affection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Zaijing’s own foal, by contrast, grew uneasy, pawing the ground incessantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But tied by a rope, it could do nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the one who had always cherished it now turned away, it grew angry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Zaijing grabbed a handful of grass and walked to his foal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re such a fool—she’s your future bride, and I got her for you. I even feel you’re not worthy of her.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After feeding her, Xu Zaijing patted his foal’s head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He then moved closer to his master, stroking the Li foal’s smooth coat, his eyes brimming with affection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The arrival of the Li foal instantly stole all the attention from the little foal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether Sun Shi or the Xu siblings, all gathered around the Li foal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mother, little brother’s horse is so beautiful.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Jingge, I think your little horse doesn’t suit her anymore.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother, I feel the same.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You children—you’re saying she’s worthless just because she’s not pretty, when she brought the Xu family great honor?” Sun Shi said, displeased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mother is right.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Right? Right what? Go write your characters and practice embroidery.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The five children walked off laughing, and Sun Shi approached Li Ju.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What a fine horse—look at that coat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The groom rasped, “In three years, the Hou Fu will have a steed nearly as good as the Hai family’s Yellow Wind Steed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I beg you, Master, to spare no effort.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lady, you flatter me too much.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1378,"2026-06-20T10:32:38.675Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","7c768c5d41f6fb42337094d32a7f1cf8c2b0ab4420afd848d820d6eb105c0b87","i-am-the-xu-family-s-son-chapter-33","i-am-the-xu-family-s-son-chapter-31",790,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fi-am-the-xu-family-s-son-cover.jpg"]