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Brother and Sister
T/N: Translated by Jen on Broken Jinsei! Please do not repost my translations! All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
Yu Lingxin also made out the usually bickering and cold yet incomparably loving relationship between Qin Wang and Ming Jinrou. Just, at this time, she truly wasn’t in the mood to tease Ming Jinrou. What she cared about more was still the situation on Yu Zhengshan and Yu Yunxin’s side, don’t know whether these two went with Qi Ke to chat with Wu Wang and Wei Wang or not.
And Qi Ke’s reaction earlier just made Yu Lingxin feel even more uneasy thinking about it.
In the last lifetime, she had met Qi Ke a few times before, but they can’t be considered to have any friendship. In the past life, Yu Lingxin although had stayed with her mother Qi-shi, but Qi-shi actually wasn’t considered too close with her maiden family, the Chang’de Count Manor, and the Chang’de Count Manor, also didn’t try to rope in Qi Ke like in this life. The only few times they’ve interacted were probably still because of Qi Ke’s friendship with Yu Zhengshan as schoolmates.
At the time, Qi Ke’s reputation was very resounding and upright, considered to be a modeled example among the scholars of someone that didn’t adhere to powerful officials, particularly not lowering his head towards the imperial clan and influential noble families.
Based on this kind of image, earlier, under the circumstances where Qin Wang has already rejected Wei Wang’s invitation, even clearly preparing to retort Wu Wang too, Qi Ke instead voluntarily agreed to go with Wu Wang and Wei Wang to have tea and chat, his only request being to not ‘forcibly invited’ the young ladies present.
Although there were actually a lot of young ladies present, aside from Ming Jinrou, Qi Pei, Yu Lingxin, and Xun Ying, there was also Wenhua Academy’s Yu Yunxin, Su Hanwei, and another Chen surname young lady, but the only one that actually got ‘invited’ by Wei Wang by name was just Xun Ying alone.
Under the circumstances at the time, others perhaps would feel that the young first place candidate Qi still had a bit of flexibility, knowing to take advantage of the situation and pave the way for one’s future prospects, but Yu Lingxin really was unable to have that upright and honorable Qi Ke of the past life linked with ‘seeking connection with a prince’.
She even had a feeling that the reason Qi Ke would lower his head to go drink tea with Wu Wang and Wei Wang perhaps was for the sake of helping Xun Ying.
If really like this………..
Along the way, Yu Lingxin couldn’t help but think of Xun Che. The capital’s early winter was already this cold, don’t know what the wind and frost was like in the Chen province army camp at this time. If, after returning to the capital, he were to learn of these things………..
“Eldest sister?” While Yu Lingxin was currently distracted by her thoughts, she unexpectedly saw Yu Yunxin and Su Hanwei coming over together. By their side, there was no one else following along. Moreover, Yu Yunxin even appeared to be a bit happy, voluntarily calling out to her.
“Older sister Ling!” Su Hanwei hurriedly called out in an affectionate tone, and at the same time, went to coil around Yu Yunxin’s arm, “Yun’er, you and older sister Ling really are connected by the heart, saying that you want to look for her, and then immediately just encountering.”
Yu Yunxin however unhesitantly pulled back her arm, “We’re actual sisters, so naturally connected by the heart. Since you want to talk with those wangyes and talented scholars, then just quickly go back. I’m going to talk with my older sister.”
Su Hanwei’s face stiffened, but immediately after, squeezed out a forced smile, “What are you saying, didn’t paternal aunt previously say to let us properly cherish the opportunity during the poetry gathering to learn more from those with good learning? It’s such a rare opportunity to see Gentleman Qi talk about the classics and rhymes in front of two noble personages. There’s no harm in hearing more. Moreover, when you got bored of listening and wanted to come out, didn’t I also accompany you out? How can you hurt my feelings like this in front of older sister Ling?!”
Yu Yunxin wasn’t the slightest bit moved hearing this, directly going forward two steps to Yu Lingxin’s side, though she didn’t reach out to coil around Yu Lingxin, instead turning around and facing Su Hanwei, “Don’t use my mother’s words as an excuse. Your family and my family won’t be able to make marriage ties. The fact that your older brother looks down on me, do you think I can’t tell? You said that you like my older tang brother Shan, what I can help you with, I’ve also helped you. Afterwards, what your attitude was like when meeting Gentleman Qi today, I’m not blind either. Right now, the noble personages are all over there in the side hall. If you want to go back, then quickly go back, don’t disturb my time with my older sister!”
Yu Lingxin in this moment was even more surprised. At the same time, she was also more or less a bit gratified. Actually, these days, when occasionally seeing Yu Yunxin, she also noticed that this younger sister from a different mother has gradually grown up. Aside from growing taller by two inches, her facial features becoming increasingly delicate and pretty, her eyes were also clear and bright, able to see things more clearly, unlike when she was younger, always clinging by her mother Su-shi’s side, liking to be spoiled.
Probably, after Yu Lingxin married, Yu old madam had even more time and energy to have Yu Yunxin kept by the side to teach and give guidance. Moreover, while studying and improving herself in the Wenhua Academy, she’s ultimately able to become more knowledgable.
TN: All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
“Yun’er, don’t be this irritable, ultimately your maternal uncle family’s older cousin.” Yu Lingxin smilingly patted Yu Yunxin’s hand, having her own silver hand furnace handed to her, and then stroked her hair, “You are increasingly older now, a big girl, so when it comes to the close and distant relationships, you also need to have propriety, need to be polite towards others.”
Yu Yunxin originally just wanted to use Yu Lingxin as an excuse to get away from Su Hanwei. At this time, seeing Yu Lingxin gently smiling, her gaze full of encouragement, her heart strangely turned sour.
Although it can’t be said that as sisters who have never been too close for over ten years, they suddenly just became intimately close, but they ultimately shared blood from having the same father, so she was still able to clearly sense her eldest sister’s kindness. Yu Yunxin practically clenched her teeth to summon the courage to hold Yu Lingxin’s arm, just like normally when Xun Ying would go out with Yu Lingxin.
Yu Lingxin let her hold her with a smile, also glancing at Yu Yunxin’s cloak, “Is this feather muslin cloak warm enough? A few days ago, I gave the old madam a few bolts of fabric. There were also some bright colors inside, did you not make a new cloak?”
Yu Yunxin nodded, “Made one. Old madam said, that was the material eldest sister picked for me, already let someone go cut out, still haven’t finished.” She paused for a moment, her feelings inside increasingly complicated, but amidst the sour and bitter, there was also even more warmth. As such, she softly added, “Thank you, eldest sister.”
“Just a little thing, not worth minding.” Yu Lingxin shook her head with a smile, “Now that I’m not home, and Shan’er is often at the academy, in front of the old madam, it’s just you keeping the old madam company and carrying out filial piety normally. Every time I go back and see the old madam happy, I also remember your good.”
Seeing this pair of sisters reconciling like this and chatting, Su Hanwei felt increasingly awkward and speechless. Originally, since childhood, it was her that was close with Yu Yunxin like real sisters, when did they ever have Yu Lingxin this gentle and weak Yu family eldest miss taken seriously?
However, as time pass and things change, never mind Yu Lingxin flying up a high branch, the Yu family also no longer interacted with the Su family. And now, Yu Yunxin actually wanted to cut ties with her too? This suffocating resentment inside practically didn’t need to be mentioned.
However, Su Hanwei ultimately once trained for many years with her parents that adhered to the Zhu family. In the past, when studying in the Zhu family private school with the other young ladies of the Zhu family side branches, she’d seen the open fights and secret schemes between the di daughters, shu daughters, side branches, and so on inside the Zhu family. This ability to act pragmatically and have an eloquent tongue, she didn’t practice any less. Even though it still wasn’t to the level of being able to swallow humiliation, but forcibly giving herself a way out was still possible.
At this time, she dryly coughed, once again opening her mouth with an apologetic smile, “Yun’er really must be joking. We’re all relatives, one family. Even if you want to talk, still can’t leave me here all by myself. Oh right, eldest sister, when you came over, did you see older brother Shan? Just now, he’d also followed Gentleman Qi over for a sit, but very soon, just got called away by someone. When leaving, his expression was even very anxious.”
Yu Lingxin although didn’t want to answer to Su Hanwei’s words of being ‘one family’, but she had to admit that Su Hanwei’s brain actually spun quite fast, swiftly just bringing up a question that she indeed cared about, Yu Zhengshan.
Yu Zhengshan was young and smart, his conduct although not as steady as Xun Che and Qi Ke, he nevertheless surpassed Xun Cong a little. Reasonably speaking, if he’d followed Qi Ke over to have tea with Wu Wang and Wei Wang, since he’d already gone, he will ultimately need to sit for a while. As fellow schoolmates, going together and leaving together was normal.
But, to suddenly leave in a hurry, it was indeed a bit odd. Moreover, since Su Hanwei said these words in front of Yu Yunxin, it probably wasn’t a bluff.
“Older tang brother Shan indeed left in somewhat of a hurry.” Yu Yunxin also nodded, “At the time, I vaguely heard something about the west garden.”
“Then, let’s go over for a look.” Yu Lingxin originally just wanted to come over to look at Yu Yunxin and Yu Zhengshan, so this was a good opportunity to go check. Yu Yunxin naturally nodded and followed along. Su Hanwei also insisted on coming, and it wasn’t good to forcibly push her away. After all, this grand plum forest poetry gathering was held by Wenhua Academy. With Su Hanwei being a student of Wenhua Academy, Yu Lingxin and Yu Yunxin didn’t have any excuse to stop her from going to the west garden.
Just, on the way over, the Yu family sisters only talked among themselves, mostly ignoring Su Hanwei. The latter attempted to insert herself twice, but truly found it boring, so finally gave up in the end.
However, the west garden wasn’t far. Currently, there were a few teachers who were adept in painting that had set up four desks, separately discussing or directly using the brush to explain the different painting techniques and style. The entire west garden was very big. The number of students gathered at this time were also quite a few, respectively circling around the desks of the different styles. There were also a few that stood together chatting on their own.
When they entered the gate, Yu Lingxin’s eyes were still somewhat dazzled. Yu Yunxin however tugged her sleeve, “Eldest sister, isn’t that your family’s………”
Yu Lingxin looked over in the direction she pointed. Sure enough, she saw Xun Ze, Xun Xiang, and Xun Tan standing together, currently talking with the Zhao style painting teacher. By their side, there was also Qi Pei’s older brother, Qi Jue, all chatting very happily.
Yu Lingxin nodded, just turning her head, roughly explaining to Yu Yunxin these people’s names and family ranking. Since the other party still haven’t seen them, she was also happy to pretend to not see them, so as to avoid going over to greet.
Especially since after explaining and looking around once more, she already heard a voice that sounded like Yu Zhengshan’s in another direction, so just directly went over with Yu Yunxin.
Sure enough, after going pass two groups of students discussing different styles of paintings, Yu Lingxin saw Yu Zhengshan loudly talking while radiating with smiles, bragging about painting the scenery in Wangchuan Pavilion, as well as the sceneries of the Chen province and Liu province that he’d heard about.
And the ones talking with Yu Zhengshan, judging from appearance, were probably a pair of brother and sister. That older brother was refined in manner, just the normal appearance of a young scholar, while that young lady’s appearance was very gentle and delicate, her skin fair and her brows soft. Although not considered extremely beautiful, her appearance was still very comfortable to look at. At a glance, one would just feel that she was a dignified and virtuous young lady.
And when they saw Yu Lingxin come over, they very naturally swept a glance. Yu Zhengshan’s face unexpectedly turned red, “Eh? Eldest sister, how come you came over?”
Yu Lingxin was even more surprised than him. Yu Zhengshan at present was studying together with Xun Cong, coming over to the Wen’an Marquis Manor every few days to ask Xun Che for guidance. That’s why, she actually saw Yu Zhengshan pretty often. When returning to the maiden home, she’d also mentioned to the old madam and her father to give some thought to Yu Zhengshan’s marriage.
Just, this matter wasn’t as urgent as Yu Yunxin’s matter. On one hand, Yu Zhengshan was smart and clear, having a sense of propriety. Additionally, there was also Xun Che keeping an eye on him, so she wasn’t scared of him getting seduced by someone. And on the other hand, Yu Zhengshan was currently still just a young juren[1], still having yet to take the spring exam. In fact, whether or not he will take it next year was still uncertain. Actually, waiting until after he passes the imperial exam and then discuss marriage won’t be considered late either.
But, looking at the situation in front, Yu Zhengshan, this little guy, under the circumstances of completely not giving Xun Che and her any heads-up, actually already had his own plans?
And after meeting, when mutually reporting their family’s name, Yu Lingxin was just even more shocked.
That quiet and gentle young lady was actually Marshal Yan’s niece, the one that had just cancelled her engagement with Xun Ze a few months ago, Yan-shi, Yan Xiaochan.
[1] Juren is the scholarly title for those that have successfully passed the autumn exam.
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Little brother has moves!!!! XD