Chapter 526: In Hongjing Courtyard, You Wretched Things!

Deep within Hongjing Courtyard, the scenery remained unchanged.

Everyone entered the main hall.

Originally, only Xie Lao's chair had been placed at the main seat.

With Xie Hong's return, another chair had been set up on the right.

Yuan Fu, the lady of the main courtyard, frowned.

That chair had always been Xie Ling's seat; in Da Qi, seniority and hierarchy were strictly observed.

Xie Ling was the elder brother; the seat should be his.

But.

Yuan Fu did not object; her face even wore a look of delight.

Xie Hong supported the old matriarch as they slowly entered the main hall of Hongjing Courtyard; the old lady smiled like a blooming flower, clutching her youngest son's hand tightly, reluctant to let go, then suddenly noticing his half-gray hair.

She paused, then spoke softly:

"Hong'er, how have you grown old too?"

Tears filled the eyes of the white-haired old lady.

Xie Hong's guilt was overwhelming—a rare state—and he knelt straight at the doorway, his words earnest:

"Your son is unfilial, unable to remain by your side and serve you daily."

In the second courtyard, Zhao Fu and Xie Renfeng, Xie Qi Yue, seeing their father kneel, immediately dropped to the ground as well.

Everyone's steps halted.

"Mingshan, get up, get up—I know your ambitions, I know your grievances. How could your mother not understand?"

"I remember when you were young, you were the most sensible. Every day, before the rooster crowed, you rose to study. Afraid I'd worry you were overworking, you'd quietly extinguish the lamp at the first crow, pretending you'd just woken."

The old lady recalled the past, her eyes reddening, voice trembling.

"When I fell ill, your brothers were away; you were always by my bedside."

"You were the last of your brothers to leave the household—not because your talent was lacking, but because you feared no one would care for the family in those years."

He remained silent.

Zhao Fu, Xie Hong's wife, had begun to weep softly.

"Yue'er, help Mingshan up—the ground is cold," the old lady urged.

Zhao Fu's name was Zhao Yue.

Zhao Yue moved to assist, but Xie Hong had already risen silently.

Yet, Xie Hong's eyes had grown dimmer.

Following behind Xie Hong was a woman wearing a white gauze hat, Lu Hua—the Daoist Celestial Master of the Great Sui.

Lu Hua watched this scene of maternal love and filial piety and yawned boredly.

The hat concealed her face, so no one noticed.

Entering the main hall, Xie Yuan and Zhuge Jian and others had already risen.

"Second Uncle!"

"Master Xie."

Xie Hong glanced at Zhuge Jian a moment longer, then nodded slightly.

Most in the main hall bowed slightly.

The ladies of the main courtyard dared not be careless.

Seeing this, Yuan Fu's eyes flickered with complex emotion. After all these years, Xie Hong's prestige within the Xie household remained undiminished.

She wondered why Xie Hong had suddenly returned now.

This gathering was for Xie Ling's return to the capital—let nothing go awry.

Xie Hong did not take the main seat opposite the head; instead, he sat at the far right end.

The second courtyard's group followed suit.

Xie Renfeng and Xie Qi Yue, though given chairs, stood behind Xie Hong.

The ladies of the main courtyard also sat on this side.

Opposite them sat the Li family, Zhao family, Zhuge Jian, and others.

When all had settled comfortably.

A striking scene unfolded in the main hall—

A woman, her face half-hidden by a wide-brimmed hat, entered calmly, holding a rope tied to a sturdy black donkey, which she fastened to the grand central pillar of the main hall. The black donkey occasionally snorted, "Hnk-hnk."

Xie Yuan, seated beside his uncle and mother, watched with curiosity and excitement—this woman was truly unconventional; leading a donkey—was she not a female martial hero from the Jianghu?

He even considered going over to introduce himself.

Wu Tong, standing behind Xie Yuan, kept her head bowed, daring not to move a muscle.

After all, this main hall gathered the Xie household's ladies, young masters, Second Elder Xie, and key figures from other great families—she was merely a maidservant; how could she dare any impropriety?

After securing the donkey, Lu Hua clapped her hands, ignoring all gazes, and walked straight toward Xie Hong.

Zhao Fu frowned slightly at this.

The old matriarch, curious, asked: "Hong'er, who is this young lady?"

Xie Hong replied: "She is the daughter of a friend, entrusted to me on his deathbed. She will stay in the Xie household for a few days."

"Her name is Hua Lu!"

Under her hat, Lu Hua snorted coldly but said nothing.

Lu Hua!

Hua Lu!

That was simply reversing the name.

At this point,

Zhao Fu's gaze softened, and her hand, which had been gripping her jade bracelet, slowly relaxed.

Xie Renfeng gazed over from afar, his expression complex.

Xie Qi Yue, leaning her head to the side behind her father, wore a face full of curiosity.

The old matriarch smiled with a knowing look. "Daughter of a friend?"

"Or is this merely a cover—for a lost bloodline of the Xie family?"

Zhao Fu tapped her fingers lightly on the table; a perceptive servant immediately brought a chair from behind.

Lu Hua did not refuse, sitting down calmly beside Zhao Fu.

Only then!

The main hall fell silent; the black donkey before the pillar lay down.

Behind the old matriarch's seat in the main hall of Hongjing Courtyard hung a grand, majestic landscape painting.

The servants on either side quietly closed the main hall's doors, bowing low as they withdrew.

A soft sound: "Bang—"

The vermilion-painted doors shut, sealing out the noise of the outside world.

Only a few remained inside the main hall.

The main courtyard had Yuan Fu, Zhuge Fu, Shang Fu, and two young masters: Xie Yu and Xie Yuan.

The second courtyard had only Zhao Fu, Xie Renfeng, and Xie Qi Yue.

The Zhao and Li families, along with Zhuge Jian and five others.

Only a few personal maidservants served, respectfully waiting—among them, Zhao Fu's senior maid, Gan Zhi, was present.

At each corner, large firepots burned fiercely, dispelling the chill; small windows in the hall opened slightly, quietly venting the smoke from the burning wood.

The old matriarch gently blew away the steam rising from her tea, took a small sip, then slowly set down the teacup.

A crisp sound!

All eyes turned to the white-haired old matriarch.

Waiting for her to speak.

At this moment!

A servant hurried in from outside, reporting:

"General Sima Ting and the Fourth Miss request an audience."

The old matriarch did not hesitate—Sima Ting, as a Military Governor, could not be ignored.

She nodded slightly.

The servant bowed and withdrew respectfully.

The old matriarch smiled at Xie Hong: "General Sima Ting of the Sima family and our Fourth Lady have fallen in love at first sight; their engagement is already settled this year."

"Had we a son, we'd have asked you to help deliberate."

Yuan Fu smiled as well, for she had personally arranged this match.

This was a crucial alliance among the Nine Great Surnames; for the Xie family, marrying a collateral daughter to the Sima family was undoubtedly a shrewd "deal."

Sima Ting held a firm position within the Sima family and was among the most influential figures of his generation in the imperial court.

In truth, when choosing a marriage partner, Sima Ting did not consider only the Xie family—he courted others among the Nine Great Surnames as well.

Yet in the end, he chose Xie Ying of the main courtyard; though Xie Qi Yue of the second courtyard had also been in contact with Sima Ting.

As mistress of the main courtyard, Yuan Fu naturally took pride in this.

Since then, Xie Ying's standing within the Xie household had improved considerably.

After hearing this, Xie Hong said calmly:

"He was highly regarded by all the masters during his time at the academy, and his character is sound."

Lady Zhao also spoke up:

"Mingshan is still at Qingliang Temple; I've written to him about finding a match for Qiyue."

Xie Hong gave a slight nod.

A hint of regret appeared on Lady Zhao's face.

After all, the Sima family's momentum has been rising sharply; Jian Nan Dao, as the current top priority of Da Qi, grants its Military Governor immense power and prestige.

Sima Ting almost has a chance to vie for the next head of the family.

After hearing this, Lady Yuan's complexion grew even rosier—she was clearly very pleased with this match.

The others of the Xie family reacted indifferently; only Xie Qiyue seemed unaware of the matter, her face showing surprise upon hearing it.

Xie Yuan, seated across from them, glanced at Xie Qiyue and thought to himself:

"What a foolish girl!"

The other family members present, upon hearing Xie Hong's evaluation of Sima Ting, wore uncertain expressions.

After all, Sima Ting was of the same generation as several of them, yet now he had far outpaced them—or been overtaken by them—and they could not help but feel a mix of admiration and envy.

Today, they had come to the Xie household because their families had already largely settled on supporting Xie Ling's return to the capital; they simply did not know which other families Xie had invited.

Attending the banquet was a way for the major families to inform one another and mentally prepare.

None of the senior figures in their households had appeared today.

Zhuge Jian's gaze, however, held a thoughtful expression.

Not long after!

The main gate slowly opened.

A man and a woman entered, holding hands.

The woman's cheeks were slightly flushed.

The man was tall and muscular, nearing thirty, dressed in black casual attire, his features rugged and noble, his brow steady and resolute.

The woman wore a water-green embroidered skirt, over which she draped a moon-white Yingluo-patterned Zhaojun jacket, and atop that, a bright red crane-cloak.

Her long hair cascaded like a waterfall, her face pale and elegant, her eyes soft as flowing water.

Under the gaze of all, the woman seemed to wish to withdraw her hand, but the man held it tightly, refusing to let go.

They were Sima Ting and Xie Ying, now entering the hall.

"Greetings, Old Matriarch!"

"Master Xie!"

The Old Matriarch was not only the most venerable elder in the Xie household, but also the biological mother of Xie Ling and Xie Hong. In Da Qi, a mother's prestige rises with her son's achievements.

"A son is his father's glory; a father is his son's courage."

The same holds true for mothers!

Thus, in Da Qi's rituals, respect for elders was paramount—bowing and paying respects was natural.

Xie Hong had once been a master at the academy, holding the academy's disciplinary ruler.

Sima Ting merely nodded to the others; no one found it improper.

Sima Ting was still under thirty, yet already a Provincial Military Commander.

His martial cultivation had reached the Upper Three Realms.

Naturally, he had the right to such deference.

Among those present from the major families, several rose to greet him, showing him respect.

Xie Ying, meanwhile, bowed to each in turn, her manners proper, not daring to overstep.

Sima Ting's gaze swept over the guests, then suddenly froze—he was clearly startled by the presence of one particular guest.

"Brother Zhuge, long time no see!"

Zhuge Jian smiled in return.

The two had known each other for years; Zhuge Jian was a few years older and had become a disciple of the Third Master, disliking officialdom and court politics.

He once wandered mountains and rivers, then re-entered court service, becoming a Grand Secretary—no one expected him to appear at the Xie household today.

Xie Hong looked up, his eyes burning with intensity.

Sima Ting's heart skipped a beat—he was already a cultivator who had entered the Snow Mountain Realm.

Yet he felt a sudden unease, his flesh trembling.

Before him sat this middle-aged man in plain robes, his gaze lonely—he was Master Xie, whom Sima Ting had met briefly before.

He had nearly become the Fifth Disciple of the Master, the academy's Fifth Master.

But something happened afterward, and everything ended without resolution.

Xie Hong eventually left the academy.

Yet his reputation was immense—he was arguably the most outstanding among the Nine Surnames of this generation.

The Third Master once said of him: "He has the potential to become a Patriarch, founding a school of thought beyond Confucianism."

What startled Sima Ting even more was that, despite rumors that Xie Hong had grown disillusioned and retreated to Qingliang Temple, far from the mortal world, his cultivation remained unfathomably deep.

Sima Ting immediately stilled his mind, withdrawing all martial intent, shielding his spirit.

Xie Hong withdrew his gaze, his eyes returning to their forlorn state.

He merely nodded at Sima Ting.

Sima Ting felt as if released from a heavy burden—he lowered his cultivation, bowing respectfully to Xie Hong.

All of it happened in an instant.

Only Lu Hua, beneath his wide-brimmed hat, cast several extra glances at Sima Ting.

"So this is one of the young heirs of Da Qi's Nine Surnames? He does have a certain bearing."

These words reached only Xie Hong's ears.

Sima Ting led Xie Ying to their seats on the left.

After a round of polite exchanges, Xie Hong remained silent; the matter of petitioning the capital on Xie Ling's behalf had already been settled.

Lady Yuan felt deeply relieved—everything had progressed smoothly, without a single mishap.

Xie Hong's presence had, moreover, invisibly strengthened the cause. After all, the Xie family's enduring strength relied not only on the prestige of the Dingyuan Marquis, but also on this Second Elder.

The atmosphere gradually grew warm and harmonious.

In the main hall, Xie Yuan had grown bored, yet could not leave casually.

His mother had sent him here to make himself known—vital for future social ties among the great families.

At this moment, the black donkey in the hall also seemed bored, and began snoring loudly, its snores thunderous, drawing everyone's glances.

Lu Hua rose and kicked the donkey hard.

"Moo—!"

A piercing donkey bray shattered the silence; the donkey jolted awake, drool flying everywhere, leaving a mess on the floor.

Everyone in the hall was astonished; only Xie Yuan burst into laughter.

Wu Tong blinked, having never seen anything like this before.

Lu Hua warned: "If you fall asleep again, I'll turn you into donkey hotpot."

The donkey, eyes still shut, shook its head repeatedly.

It took another solid kick from Lu Hua.

At this moment!

Outside, hurried footsteps and a servant's report rang out: "Young Master Guan requests an audience!"

Young Master Guan?

The Old Matriarch frowned, her face filled with confusion.

The Xie household members were likewise stunned, wondering silently why this man had come today—they had heard nothing of it.

Only Lady Zhao's expression changed slightly; she quietly set down her teacup, a complex emotion flickering in her eyes.

Gan Zhi, standing behind Lady Zhao, lifted her gaze slightly, her eyes gleaming—as if she had already guessed something.

Wu Tong's mouth fell open in shock; she whispered in disbelief:

"How did Young Master come here?!"

A servant whispered something into the Old Matriarch's ear; her face darkened further.

"Xie Guan?"

She slammed her hand on the table, shouting angrily:

"Who let him in?!"

"Jinxing thing!"

Lady Yuan's face turned cold as well.

Sima Ting and Xie Ying exchanged glances; Xie Ying's face showed concern.

Xie Yuan was equally puzzled, wondering why his brother Guan had suddenly appeared.

When Zhuge Jian heard the name Xie Guan, his eyes brightened.

Only Xie Renfeng, standing behind Xie Hong, curled his lips into a cryptic smile, lowering his head in silence.

(End of Chapter)