Chapter 4: 4. Chapter 4: The Xiao Family Produces a Handsome Man

Chapter 4: The Xiao Family Produces Beauties

The grandfather of Xiao Su was the head of the Xiao family, Old Master Xiao the Fifth.

Forcing himself to brace for the encounter, Xiao Su led Zhao Shiqing to meet Old Master Xiao the Fifth.

Years ago, of the "Eight Tigers of the Xiao Family," only Old Master Xiao the Fifth and Old Master Xiao the Eighth had returned alive. Although they had luckily survived, both were left with only half their lives remaining.

Old Master Xiao the Fifth had lost an arm, while Old Master Xiao the Eighth suffered from internal injuries, remaining bedridden until his passing a few years ago.

Consort Xiao, Xiao Jingyan, hailed from the eldest branch of the Xiao family. His father was the eldest of the Eight Tigers, Old Master Xiao the First, who was a full brother to Old Master Xiao the Fifth.

The ancestral Xiao residence was built against a mountain. Since the passing of Old Master Xiao the Eighth, Old Master Xiao the Fifth had moved to the Scholar's Pavilion built halfway up the mountain. To get from Xiao Su's quarters to the pavilion, one had to navigate several turns and climb a long flight of stone steps.

Though Xiao Su was reluctant, he had no choice but to lead the way, cowed by the "tyrannical authority" of the female devil.

There were two sets of stone steps leading to the Scholar's Pavilion: one for ascending and one for descending. Worried about losing face if seen by the servants, Xiao Su deliberately led Zhao Shiqing up the ascending path, as no one was usually around at this hour.

However, halfway up the steps, Xiao Su heard a voice from behind: "I don't want to go see Old Master Xiao the Fifth anymore."

Xiao Su replied irritably, "What do you want to do now?"

Zhao Shiqing said, "Old Master Xiao the Fifth is of advanced age and should be enjoying his twilight years. Do you want to take over his exhausting errands as well?"

Xiao Su: "No, I don't."

Zhao Shiqing: "You do. You must."

"Why? It's not us Xiao family members who are dying," Xiao Su argued.

"If I told you that your Xiao family members almost went to the grave along with my father, would you still stand idly by?" Zhao Shiqing knew she couldn't handle Old Master Xiao the Fifth, but she was confident she could handle a mere Xiao Su.

Sure enough, Xiao Su lost his composure. "Zhao Xiao-si, explain yourself clearly! What exactly is going on?"

"The news you heard—was it that my father passed away due to a heart ailment?" Zhao Shiqing asked.

Xiao Su nodded. The news of Prince Liang's passing had only reached the Qingquan County Magistrate's office yesterday morning. As for the cause of death, the report only stated, "succumbed to illness from overwork, beyond medical remedy." It was only because the legal advisor gave the messenger silver that they learned the cause was a heart ailment; whether it was a chronic condition or a sudden onset remained unknown.

Zhao Shiqing then recounted how Princess Jiayi and Consort Xiao had visited the Prince's manor and shared drinks with Prince Liang. Xiao Su's expression shifted.

Once Zhao Shiqing finished explaining the discovery of the assassins at Wisteria Villa, Xiao Su said nothing more. He simply mounted his horse and spurred it forward, following her toward the capital.

***

The timeline shifts back to one month ago.

Shortly after Princess Jiayi and Consort Xiao left the capital, Xiao Zhen was summoned to the palace by Emperor Yongjia.

That year, although Xiao Zhen had traveled to Baifeng City in the Wu lands, he had failed to see his maternal uncle, Zhong Ziyang. Zhong Ziyang's father-in-law had passed away, and he had traveled elsewhere with his wife and child to attend the funeral.

Though he was expected back soon, Xiao Zhen was running out of time. On his third day in Baifeng City, people from the Princess's manor arrived, and Xiao Zhen could only be taken back to the capital reluctantly.

Xiao Zhen had originally assumed that a beating awaited him upon his return, and he had prepared himself for the punishment.

As a child born with a rebellious and stubborn streak, Xiao Zhen had enjoyed a complete childhood.

However, Xiao Zhen never expected that this time, he would receive neither a beating nor even a reprimand. The Princess's manor was eerily quiet; everyone was walking on eggshells. Compared to the other matter, Xiao Zhen's act of running away from home was merely a triviality. Regardless, he was safe and had returned in high spirits.

That "other matter" had not only shocked the Princess's manor but the entire capital, even startling the recently ascended Emperor Yongjia.

The situation was as follows.

On a bright and beautiful afternoon, the noble Princess Jiayi, radiating murderous intent, stormed into an elegant residence with her retinue. Before long, two elderly nannies were seen dragging a young woman out of the house, followed by a panicked young maid carrying a wailing infant. Behind them all, a handsome man with a flushed, red face was none other than the once-famous scholar of the capital, Consort Xiao Jingyan.

The facts were plain as day.

This small courtyard was Consort Xiao's private residence, and the young woman was his mistress. As for the child in the maid's arms, there was no need to ask—it was the bastard child of the Consort.

In this dynasty, there was no precedent for a Consort taking concubines. Although it wasn't explicitly written in the law, it was the long-standing custom: even if a Princess could not conceive, a Consort could not take concubines; at most, he could adopt a child from a brother to be registered under the Princess's name.

Consort Xiao had not taken a concubine; he had kept a mistress and even fathered a child who was even lower in status than a legitimate concubine's son!

More interestingly, the Princess had personally led the raid to catch him in the act!

This was the greatest scandal in the capital since the new Emperor's ascension. Petitions to impeach the Princess and her husband flew to the throne like snowflakes. Emperor Yongjia actually had no desire to deal with such messy affairs, but Princess Jiayi was his own sister, and the scandal brought shame upon him. Consequently, Consort Dowager Li summoned Princess Jiayi to the palace for a scolding, and Emperor Yongjia docked Consort Xiao one year's salary.

The next day, news spread from the Princess's manor that Princess Jiayi, being virtuous and kind, had taken a concubine for Consort Xiao.

When the news broke, everyone laughed it off. What "concubine"? It was clearly just the Consort's mistress. The matter had escalated so much that the Emperor and Empress had pressured Princess Jiayi to grant the child a legitimate status just to settle the matter.

Sure enough, not long after, news came from the manor that the concubine had died of illness. The Princess, in her mercy, took the child to raise by her side.

The child was named Xiao Yue.

In other words, from that moment on, Xiao Zhen had a younger brother.

Xiao Zhen was not surprised when he heard this news. In his dreams, he also had a younger brother—a brother who had given his life for him.

Ten years passed in a flash. Xiao Zhen was eighteen, and Xiao Yue was twelve.

The Xiao family produced beauties. In years past, the men of the Xiao family were known as "Beautiful Generals" as they galloped across the battlefield.

Back when Consort Xiao had passed the imperial examinations and paraded through the streets with flowers in his hair, he had captivated the entire capital. Being chosen by Princess Jiayi to be her Consort had broken the hearts of countless young women.

Xiao Zhen also possessed fine features; he was a handsome youth, elegant and refined. However, he was too cold and aloof, like a piece of frost-covered jade on a snowy peak—beautiful, yet intimidating to approach.

But if one were to speak of the most beautiful in the Xiao family, it was the twelve-year-old Xiao Yue.

In stark contrast to the perennially icy Xiao Zhen, Xiao Yue had a face that looked as if it had been exquisitely carved from the finest jade. His peach-blossom eyes, in particular, were such that a slight smile from him felt like the sudden arrival of spring, causing a hundred flowers to bloom and even making the sky seem brighter.

Inconsistent with his stunning looks was his academic performance. The more beautiful Xiao Yue was, the worse his studies became.

According to his former tutor, Master Li, Xiao Yue's brain was like a stubborn stone—a stone so hard that even the divine craftsmanship of the gods could not chip away at it.

(End of Chapter)