There was a smile in Xie Yan Fang’s voice, but no one thought he was joking. The nephews and younger relatives surrounding him looked at Xie Yan Fang with no trace of mockery, only admiration and fear. Years ago, when Xie Yan Fang was just a teenager, he had accomplished things that no one else in the Xie family could do.

He could follow his heart’s desires because he could do so.

The Xie family’s current good fortune was also something he had fought for.

“I sent you from the Imperial Guard to the postal soldier camp to experience life’s hardships,” Xie Yan Fang looked at A-Jiu and said, “But I forgot that your life was already difficult. These things don’t mean much to you. Perhaps in your eyes, this life is still quite comfortable.”

He sighed lightly.

“Yan Lai, people cannot live their lives solely for their comfort. Since that’s the case—”

A-Jiu interrupted him, his expression indifferent: “What I mean is that marriage is the most useless thing. It can be left to the nephews who have no real abilities. I don’t need to bother with it.”

Xie Yan Fang was momentarily stunned, then burst into laughter, pointing at those around him: “Like Xie Xiao, you mean?”

Xie Xiao and the others had been listening to their conversation. Xie Xiao couldn’t help cursing: “Xie Yan Lai, you son of a—”

“How dare you speak to me that way!” A-Jiu cursed back, turning to point at Xie Xiao. “Is this how the Xie family taught you manners? Do you have no respect for your elders?”

Xie Xiao grew even angrier, spitting out a vulgar word as he moved to charge forward: “What nonsense! Who’s not respecting their elders? What have you ever done for the Xie family except bring shame and ridicule? You have the nerve to claim you’re capable! Who are you better than?”

The other young men joined in the clamor.

“Enough!” Xie Yan Fang tapped his fishing rod, causing the fish in the stream to scatter and the noisy young men to quiet down.

He first looked at A-Jiu and said: “You can’t talk about family members like that. The family isn’t about who is more capable than whom.”

He turned around to face the others.

“And not everyone in the family needs to strive for excellence or be learned and talented. Since we are all born as humans, everyone has meaning in their existence. This is especially true for the descendants of the Xie family. No matter what kind of person they are, the family has a responsibility to ensure everyone has food and clothing. You should all treat your children the same way in the future. This is the meaning of a family’s existence.”

The young men were excited and happy. Xie Yan Fang was strict yet forgiving. He truly cared for each person and never looked down on anyone. This was something those elders who only maintained airs couldn’t do. This was the family leader they respected in their hearts.

Xie Xiao pointed at A-Jiu: “I, Xie Xiao, may indeed be useless, but I neither eat your food nor drink your drink. Who are you to look down on me!”

Faced with the increasingly hostile gazes of the young men, A-Jiu showed no fear whatsoever. He sneered: “You admit you’re useless, yet you can’t stand being looked down upon?”

As the commotion and arguments were about to flare up again, Xie Yan Fang tapped his fishing rod once more.

“Alright, alright,” he said. “I don’t expect you to pretend to be affectionate brothers, but I warn you all.”

At this point, his gaze swept across everyone.

“You can quarrel all you want at home, but don’t embarrass us in public.”

“Rest assured, Third Uncle,” Xie Xiao immediately shouted, patting his fat belly. “I wouldn’t bother with him in public.”

The others also hastily agreed.

For once, A-Jiu joined in, calling out: “Third Brother, don’t worry. I’ll test them outside to see if they keep their word.”

Damn it! Xie Xiao glared. What did that mean? Was this little bastard planning to deliberately provoke them in public?

Xie Yan Fang looked at A-Jiu, amused.

“Fine, regarding this matter, since you’re unwilling, we’ll let it go,” he said with a slight smile. “We’ll do as you suggest and save you for other more important tasks.”

His smile was like the spring breeze, but A-Jiu clenched his hand at his side and turned his gaze away.

“Go rest now, and from now on, stay at home,” Xie Yan Fang said. “You don’t need to return to the postal soldier camp. Go back to the Imperial Guard and train well.”

A-Jiu made a sound of assent and turned to leave. Several maidservants who had been waiting in the distant pavilions saw him and immediately rushed out.

“Ninth Young Master.” “Young Master Yan Lai.” They greeted him joyfully. Some supported his arm, some held his hand, and those who couldn’t reach anything simply grabbed the hem of his clothes from behind. “Hot water has been prepared.” “Your favorite dishes are ready.” “Young Master, your hands have become so rough; let me apply some fragrant cream for you.”

Chattering and bustling, they surrounded A-Jiu as he walked away.

The young men were both angry and jealous. They all had beautiful maidservants who were obedient and compliant, but somehow they seemed different from Xie Yan Lai’s maidservants.

His maidservants showed such genuine happiness, pouring out their feelings without restraint.

“Pah!” Xie Xiao spat, resentfully saying, “He just relies on that face of his.”

“What good is just a face?” another person spat. “Without his identity as a Xie family young master, I don’t believe anyone would be so desperate to follow him.”

Some felt this statement wasn’t quite right. They looked back at Xie Yan Fang sitting in the pavilion—dressed in plain clothes, with jet-black hair, skin as white as jade, elegant as a startled swan—

Though Xie Yan Fang might be slightly less handsome than Xie Yan Lai, in temperament and character, ten A-Jius couldn’t compare to him.

“Even without his Xie family young master status, women would still be desperate to follow Third Brother,” one declared firmly.

The young men immediately all echoed this sentiment. Xie Xiao shouted the loudest: “My wife often says she agreed to marry into our family just for the chance to see Third Uncle frequently.”

Xie Yan Fang didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, and shooed them away, telling them not to talk such nonsense here.

The nephews and younger relatives withdrew, and quiet returned to the streamside.

An elderly servant approached from behind the crowd and asked: “Young Master, regarding the marriage arrangement with the Liang family, should we select someone else?”

Xie Yan Fang shook his head: “No need. Changing the person would create enmity rather than an alliance. Such a marriage would lose its meaning.”

The elderly servant frowned and complained: “What shall we do then? Young Master shouldn’t indulge him so much. He truly believes he’s here to be a young master.”

“It doesn’t matter. If he’s unwilling, let it be. Some people seem unruly, but when it comes to a lifelong companion, they’re extremely particular,” Xie Yan Fang said. “Perhaps he’s the type who doesn’t fall in love easily, but once he does, he’ll be devoted until death.”

The elderly servant laughed: “That’s truly amusing.”

How could any two people be together until death?

“Don’t laugh,” Xie Yan Fang said, his expression quite pensive. “You and I aren’t such people, so we can’t understand. It’s a pity in its way.”

The elderly servant found it even more amusing and laughed heartily: “Young Master, please stop joking.”

Xie Yan Fang smiled.

“Even if he’s disobedient, he still has his uses,” he said. “Besides, Liang Siqing has just angered His Majesty and had tea thrown at him. I originally thought he could hold on for two more years, but now it seems he might not last a year. This marriage is no longer suitable.”

The elderly servant was surprised. He hadn’t heard this news in the capital yet, but the Young Master knew it as soon as he arrived. After his surprise, he felt somewhat ashamed: “This old servant is useless, having failed to gather such information.”

Xie Yan Fang shook his head: “You are in the capital near the Crown Princess. It’s indeed better not to be too well-informed about palace matters.”

The elderly servant acknowledged this, then thinking of Liang Siqing, added: “Liang Siqing was reprimanded because of Chu Yi’s daughter.”

He related the incident from a few days ago when Miss Chu and Miss Liang had gotten into a fight.

It was a minor incident that hadn’t seemed important at the time. Unexpectedly, it had ended with Liang Siqing being punished.

He looked at Xie Yan Fang again, his eyes unable to hide his admiration: “Chu Yi is indeed special in His Majesty’s eyes. I wonder how he will respond to the letter you sent him.”

“I expressed the Xie family’s goodwill. How General Chu responds is entirely up to him,” Xie Yan Fang said.

The elderly servant acknowledged this, then asked: “Should we learn more about Miss Chu Zhao?”

Xie Yan Fang shook his head: “No need. She is merely Chu Yi’s daughter.”

He wanted to establish a connection with Chu Yi. A mere child wasn’t worth his attention yet.