The Trick to Teasing a Noble Family's Son - Chapter 26.4

After bathing, Xie Zichen felt more alert. That afternoon, the Xie residence was in chaos. They had found Xie Jie’s body in the outskirts, dead for days.

The third branch mourned over his corpse loudly in the main hall. Hearing this, Xie Zichen rushed over, feigning shock, “How could this be?!”

“Get away!” Xie Jie’s mother, Shen Shi, shoved him, sobbing. “It’s you… you scorpion-hearted wretch! You killed my son!”

“Third Aunt…” Xie Zichen stared, stunned. After a moment, he composed himself, knelt before her, and said earnestly, “I failed to protect Sixth Brother. He warned me about Wanqing’s danger, and in my haste, I went to save her. When Black Wind Fortress’ people arrived, he greeted them. I thought he knew them, so I entrusted him to them.” His eyes reddened. “Third Aunt’s blame is justified.”

Xie Zichen’s usual aloof pride gave way to rare emotion, his delicate features stirring pity in onlookers.

Though not his birth mother, Lin Shi, Second Branch’s matriarch, saw this obedient child bullied and snapped, “Your son caused this, and you blame Zichen?! Don’t take advantage of his honesty. Miss Wang is safe at home, yet your son lured Zichen with lies of her violation. A trap! stealing a chicken only to lose the rice, and you blame Zichen?!”

“You slander!” Shen Shi screamed, “Jie’er is dead, and you smear him? Aren’t you afraid of retribution?”

“Slander?” Lin Shi sneered, The patriarch has proof, and the Crown Prince’s men have testified. Once Black Wind Fortress is taken, we’ll see how your son planned to frame Zichen…”

Before she finished, Shen Shi lunged. Lin  paled, but Xie Zichen caught Shen Shi’hand, “Third Aunt, blame me. What are you doing to my mother?”

“Enough!” Xie Ying entered, glancing unsurprised at Xie Jie’s body. “Shen Shi, stand down! Not embarrassed enough? Must I reveal your son poisoned Zichen’s saddle and colluded with bandits to harm his brother to satisfy your pride?”

“Uncle…” Xie Zichen looked up, feigning shock. Xie Ying sighed, patting his shoulder. “Zichen, it’s not your fault. We’ll talk later.”

With Xie Ying’s arrival, Shen Shi dared not continue, kneeling and sobbing. Xie Ying glanced at the pale Lin Shi. “Take your mother to rest.”

“Yes,” Xie Zichen replied, approaching Lin Shi respectfully. “Mother, let me escort you back.”

Lin Shi, still shaken, nodded, letting him lead her out. After a while, she exhaled. “Zichen, with Xie Jie gone, the palace companion role is yours.”

“I…” Xie Zichen hesitated, “With Sixth Brother’s sudden death, if I take his place, Third Branch will…”

“With witnesses and evidence,” Lin Shi scoffed, “he tried to harm you. How can they blame you? Zichen,” she turned, her gaze soft, “Second Branch relies on you. In the palace, perform well.”

Second Branch had three sons: the legitimate eldest, Xie Zichun (Second Xie), and youngest, Xie Zishang (Ninth Xie), born to Lin Shi, and Xie Zichen, a concubine’s son. Zichun was dull, unfit for court; Zishang was too young. Only Zichen seemed capable.

Lin Shi once disdained this bastard but now saw him differently as the chosen companion.

“You’re grown, you’ll need more allowance. I’ll increase your monthly allowance to ten silver. For other needs, come to me. You’ll enter the palace soon. Until then, enjoy yourself.”

“Thank you, Mother,” Xie Zichen said sincerely, “I won’t disappoint you.”

Lin Shi smiled, nodding, as he escorted her to her room. Returning to his own, he exhaled.

Xie Jie was dead. Once Black Wind Stronghold fell, this matter would close.

Now, he had to prepare for the palace.

While the Xie house was chaotic, Wei Lan had her own troubles.

After Wei Shao returned to the capital, he flew into a rage, summoning Wei Lan and Wei Hua. Seeing his daughter in men’s attire, dashing and free, and his son in women’s clothing, delicate and frail, he nearly choked, almost heart-clogged to death.

He meant to discipline them, but their appearance made him spit his tea, roaring, “What is this?! Change back… change back, damn it!”

Wei Hua collapsed, sobbing. Wei Lan crouched, comforting him, and said to Wei Shao, “Father, I told you clearly. It’s not time to switch back. We’ll talk later.”

“Nonsense!” Wei Shao jumped in fury. “You’re one thing, but him?! A man running around in women’s clothes. Does he want to be a man?!””Rubbish!” Wei Shao fumed, “What about him? A man in women’s clothes, how will he be a man?”

Wei Hua cried harder, pitifully. Wei Lan, heart aching, scowled, “So what if he wears women’s clothes? Is it a crime? He’s doing what he loves, harming no one. If he likes, I’ll support him in women’s clothes forever.”

Knowing his daughter’s odd logic, Wei Shao was speechless. Finally, he found his voice. “Like that, how will he marry?!”

“Marry someone like me,” Wei Lan said impatiently. “The world is vast—there’s someone for him. Why force him to be someone he’s not, to find someone who doesn’t truly love him?”

“And sons?! What about our Wei lineage?!”

Wei Lan’s gaze turned icy.

In this world, she hated such talk. She believed daughters were the true inheritors. Yet, this world’s reversed, viewing daughters as lesser.

She sneered, “The Wei lineage should be mine to carry. Children from my body are the purest Wei blood. Can Brother guarantee his are?”

Wei Shao spat his tea. Even Wei Hua, crying, paused, staring at his sister’s resolute face. After a moment, he said slowly, “Um… A’Lan… that makes so much sense…”

“Shut up!” Wei Shao roared, pacing. “What propriety… what propriety!”

Ignoring him, Wei Lan helped Wei Hua out. Wei Shao shouted after her, but she left, escorting Wei Hua to his room before heading out.

Feeling lonely, she invited Wang Xi and Lin Che for drinks.

They never refused her. Wang Xi, well-connected, gathered a group. They booked a floor at Drunken Immortal Pavillion, drinking and reveling.

After three rounds, Wei Lan sat by the window, sipping wine, watching passersby. Wang Xi approached, fanning himself. “What’s A’Lan looking at?”

She wasn’t looking at anything, about to reply, when a clear voice rang out. “What of a woman? Born human, she deserves human rights. She’s your daughter. You should cherish her. Abandoned, you don’t comfort her but cast her out? What logic is that?”

Her attention caught, Wei Lan looked over. On the street, a youth with a medicine box blocked a man. Behind him, a woman lay crying; the man, holding a broom, seemed ready to strike.

The young man was strikingly handsome, with lively eyes. The man, shamed, shouted, “What do you know? She’s been divorced!”

“Divorced? They couldn’t make it work and parted—so what? Find another man. Even if she doesn’t, she can live alone.”

The young man helped the crying woman, scolding the man, “As her father, you should be ashamed!”

Wei Lan smiled. The man, enraged, swung his broom. Wei Lan threw her wine jug, hitting his hand, then leapt from the second floor, landing beside the youth. Pulling him into her arms, she said gently, “Your words, sir, I find most reasonable.”

Wei Lan was a romantic.

For any man, handsome or not, she felt a protective urge, wanting to show her womanly valour. But holding this youth, she was surprised. No trace of her usual feelings for men. Frowning, she noticed his medicine box and his maintained pose, leaning back in her arms. In a voice only they could hear, he said slowly, “Big sister, you’re super cool, but same-sex doesn’t work! I’ve no interest in mirror-polishing!”

Wei Lan: “…”

She let go, watching him fall, looking down arrogantly, “Weakling.”

Lin Xia: “…”