DKGWF Chapter 5

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Rong Jiaze returned home and was supposed to attend the clan school as usual. However, this time, things were different—he now had to go with Zhongli Luo. Rong Jiaze still couldn’t stand her and really wanted to find someone to beat her up. But yesterday, while his sister was eating snacks with him, she suddenly grabbed a plate and threatened him, making him promise not to provoke Zhongli Luo again. If he behaved, she would sneak him two pieces of pastry every day. If he didn’t, he could forget about ever seeing pastries again!

His sister had never been this ruthless with him before! Glaring fiercely at that Zhongli-surnamed person, he had no idea what kind of charm she had used on his sister. She had only just arrived at their house, yet his sister was already so protective of her!

Feeling his burning gaze, Zhongli Luo glanced in his direction. Rong Jiaze quickly withdrew his furious stare, snorted, and turned his head away.

_

Meanwhile, early in the morning, after casually eating something, Rong Jiahui was stuffed into a carriage by her mother. When she had fallen into the water, Madam Yu had been so frightened that she sent a tearful message to her family at the Jing State Duke’s residence. Although nothing serious had happened in the end, the elders there were still deeply worried about her. Now that she had rested for several days and fully recovered, it was time to visit the Old Madam and put their minds at ease.

Rong Jiahui never really liked visiting her maternal grandmother’s house. It wasn’t that her grandmother treated her poorly, nor that her uncles and aunts were unkind. It was just that she was naturally sharp-tongued, and whenever she was around her female cousins, they often ended up arguing. She rarely got along well with other girls. She and her cousins at the Jing State Duke’s residence had never been close. After all, it wasn’t her own home, so she never felt at ease there. On top of that, the elders always liked to place her among the girls she had nothing to talk about with—how boring!

The two households weren’t far apart, and after about two quarters of an hour, they arrived. The mother and daughter were welcomed into the Duke’s residence, and as soon as Rong Jiahui was about to kneel in greeting, the Old Madam pulled her straight into her embrace.

Holding her tightly, the Old Madam carefully examined her before tapping her nose and saying, “You little troublemaker, you nearly scared your grandmother to death! Is your health fully recovered? You mustn’t fool around like that again.”

Rong Jiahui nestled obediently in the Old Madam’s arms and said softly, “I’m completely fine now. It was my fault—I wasn’t careful enough. From now on, if I ever—”

“If what?!”

Rong Jiahui stuck out her tongue playfully. “No more, no more! Never again. I’ll stay far away from any ponds in the future. After all, my little life is precious—I have to keep it safe so I can grow up and take care of Grandmother!”

This little girl’s mouth was as sweet as honey. The Old Madam couldn’t help but pinch her cheek. Rong Jiahui giggled and buried herself deeper in her grandmother’s embrace.

Watching the affectionate exchange between the grandmother and granddaughter, Madam Yu and her two sisters-in-law couldn’t help but laugh. This mischievous girl was truly lovable.

After chatting with the Old Madam for a long time, she grew tired. Meanwhile, Madam Yu and her sisters-in-law had plenty of personal matters to discuss, so naturally, Rong Jiahui was once again sent off to join the other girls.

There were three daughters in the Jing State Duke’s residence. The eldest was Yu Yixiang, the first daughter of the main branch, fourteen years old. The second was Yu Yimei, the second daughter of the main branch, eleven years old. The third was Yu Yilian, the daughter of the second branch, only seven years old.

The four girls sat together in silence, sipping tea without a word.

Rong Jiahui and her eldest cousin, Yu Yixiang, had never gotten along since childhood. They couldn’t stand each other. They could barely hold a civil conversation, and if they spoke for more than three sentences, they’d inevitably start bickering. Neither of them was the type to be easily bullied. They could manage to keep up appearances in public, but in private, they often argued fiercely—sometimes even coming close to fighting. The second cousin, Yu Yimei, naturally sided with her older sister in everything, trailing after her like a little shadow. As for the youngest, Yu Yilian, she was still several years younger and didn’t have much to say.

Yu Yilian, being only seven, didn’t have a strong impression of Rong Jiahui. She only knew that this cousin, who didn’t talk much, had been sick recently. Sipping her tea, she hesitated for a moment before shyly breaking the silence. “Cousin, are you feeling better now?”

The soft, sweet voice of the little girl was warm and comforting. Rong Jiahui’s heart softened, and she smiled gently. “Much better now. Thank you for your concern, Third Cousin. I remember last time I saw you, you were practicing ‘People at birth are inherently good.’ What have you been reading lately?”

She was, of course, making all of this up—who would actually remember such a thing?

Yu Yilian lowered her head, feeling a little embarrassed. "I'm rather slow. I’ve only just finished learning the Three Character Classic. There are so many characters, and I keep forgetting them."

Rong Jiahui chuckled softly and said, "You're not slow at all—this happens to everyone! Let me tell you a little secret, dear cousin. When your eldest sister was six or seven, she was just like you, still studying the Three Character Classic. Back then, I happened to be staying at Grandmother's house for a while. Every time she learned a new character, she would proudly show it off to the younger siblings. She was so pleased with herself! One day, she learned the character '韞' from the name of Xie Daoyun. She confidently wrote it in front of us but suddenly forgot how to pronounce it. She was always very competitive, so she tried hard to remember, but she just couldn’t. In the end, she guessed and mispronounced it. Guess what she said instead?"

Yu Yilian couldn't help but giggle, already having an idea. She turned to look at her usually composed and dignified eldest sister, Yu Yixiang, and asked with a suppressed smile, "Eldest Sister, is this true? Did you… read it as '溫' (Wēn)?"

Even Yu Yimei, who had been watching her older sister's expression closely, couldn't stop the corners of her mouth from twitching. She had been old enough to remember this happening, after all.

Yu Yixiang didn't answer Yu Yilian's question. Instead, she simply patted her head with a smile and gently said, "Third Sister, I remember you love osmanthus rice cakes the most. Here, have them all."

Yu Yilian’s attention was immediately diverted. She beamed and said sweetly, "Thank you, Eldest Sister," before picking up a piece and taking a bite.

Rong Jiahui stuck out her tongue playfully at Yu Yixiang before turning back to Yu Yilian with a bright smile. "Third Cousin, if you ever want to hear more stories about your eldest sister’s childhood, just come ask me. I promise to tell you everything, no secrets left untold!"

Yu Yilian nodded, but then, looking puzzled, asked, "Cousin, what does 'no secrets left untold' mean?"

Rong Jiahui was about to explain when Yu Yixiang interrupted with a smile, "It doesn’t mean anything, my dear sister."

Then, turning to Rong Jiahui, her gentle expression was barely holding together. "I believe it’s been quite some time since you last visited. Why don’t I take you out for a stroll?"

Rong Jiahui beamed and said, "I wouldn’t dare refuse such kindness."

With that, she took Bailu’s hand and stood up.

After dismissing the maids and servants, the two walked side by side toward the garden. Once they confirmed there was no one around, Yu Yixiang’s anger could no longer be concealed. She turned to Rong Jiahui, hands on her hips, and demanded, "Rong Jiahui! Did you come here just to embarrass me in front of my younger sister?"

Rong Jiahui immediately put on an innocent expression. "Yu Yixiang, don't be so fierce! What if someone sees? I was only telling my little cousin some childhood stories. It’s not like I made anything up! Honestly, you've become a lot less adorable than you used to be."

Adorable, my foot! Yu Yixiang snorted coldly. "Stay away from my sister from now on. You’re always spouting nonsense—you’ll only lead her astray."

Rong Jiahui grinned. "She’s your sister, but she’s also my cousin. Between the two of us, there’s not much difference in how close we are to her. Why shouldn’t I talk to her?"

"My bond with her is naturally stronger than yours."

Rong Jiahui said, "Who's closer? My mother and your father share the same mother. They have the same blood running through their veins. So, don't we all share half the same blood? If you think you're closer to her, does that mean you look down on my mother and think her bloodline is impure?"

Yu Yixiang, of course, never meant that. But she had always been bad with words. She pointed at Rong Jiahui, opening and closing her mouth for a long time, unable to come up with a retort. Seeing that she couldn’t win in a battle of words, she stomped her foot in frustration. Then, making up her mind, she reached out and grabbed Rong Jiahui’s braid.

"I told you to stay away from her, so you’d better stay away! Stop arguing with me!"

Rong Jiahui was not one to be bullied. She immediately retaliated by grabbing Yu Yixiang’s hair bun. "You always do this! Every time we argue, and you can’t win, you resort to violence. Do you even realize how old you are now?"

"When was it ever not you who started it? You just can’t stand to see me doing well!"

With that, she tightened her grip, making Rong Jiahui cry out, "Oww! Let go! You—you—you only know how to pull hair! You savage! You’ll never get married at this rate!"

At those words, Yu Yixiang suddenly froze. Her expression fell in an instant, like an eggplant hit by frost—completely deflated.

Seeing this, Rong Jiahui, who had been ready to fight back, hesitated. She loosened her grip on Yu Yixiang’s hair.

There was a shimmer of tears in Yu Yixiang’s eyes.

Rong Jiahui had never seen her proud cousin look so dejected before. Feeling a bit guilty, she let go of Yu Yixiang’s hair bun. Had she gone too far? Could it be that Yu Yixiang was that desperate to get married? Was that why she was so sensitive about it?

Yu Yixiang suddenly asked, "Did you already know something?"

Rong Jiahui was taken aback. Know what? Was she referring to what she had just said? She had just blurted it out without thinking. How could she have known it would provoke such a strong reaction?

Not wanting to tease her anymore, Rong Jiahui said earnestly, "I don’t know anything. Don’t worry. You’re beautiful and good at putting on a show. You’ll definitely get married."

She remembered that in her past life, Yu Yixiang had married quite well. Her aunt had been a kind and easygoing mother-in-law—an ideal situation.

Yu Yixiang didn’t believe a word of it. She stepped closer to Rong Jiahui and accused, "You still say that? You must know! You figured out that I have feelings for Young Master Liu, and now you’re here to mock me!"

Who?

"Which Young Master Liu?" Rong Jiahui asked in confusion. But seeing Yu Yixiang’s face grow darker, she suddenly gasped and covered her mouth.

She hesitantly asked, "The one from the Ministry of Rites?"

Yu Yixiang remained silent, but Rong Jiahui knew that girls had thin skin and were too embarrassed to admit such things. So, she took her silence as confirmation.

To think that the man she had once avoided like the plague was actually considered desirable in someone else’s eyes.

Well, she had to admit, Young Master Liu did look impressive—good looks, a respectable family background, and, as far as she knew, a relatively clean reputation in the household. In her past life, even until her own unfortunate demise, he had only one wife and one concubine. As for any mistresses outside, she wasn’t sure. But still, what a scheming man!

Although she had never been particularly fond of Yu Yixiang, she was still her cousin. And after all the bullying she had endured from her, she couldn't just stand by and watch Yu Yixiang jump into a fire pit, thinking it was paradise.

Of course, she couldn’t say it outright. She could only offer a subtle warning.

"Yu Yixiang, listen to me. That Young Master Liu is not a good man. Don’t be fooled by his appearance. He’s all flash and no substance. He’s not even worthy of polishing our shoes!"

If only she had a solid reason, she would have already convinced her parents to call off the engagement! This wasn’t something she could just whine her way out of—this marriage had been arranged over a decade ago. Everyone knew about it. They couldn’t just cancel it on a whim. It had to be handled carefully.

But Yu Yixiang didn’t believe her words were genuine.

She thought Rong Jiahui was just trying to show off—that she was saying, "The man you like? Hah! I wouldn’t even give him a second glance. In fact, I find him repulsive."

Thinking of this, Yu Yixiang’s eyes turned red. She refused to say another word and ran off.

Rong Jiahui called after her several times, but Yu Yixiang ignored her.

The more Yu Yixiang thought about it, the more aggrieved she felt.

Her grandmother had always doted on Rong Jiahui more than her and her sisters, which was already unfair. But she had accepted it—after all, their grandmother liked how Rong Jiahui was always smiling and knew how to talk sweetly. And anyway, Rong Jiahui didn’t live with them permanently. She only visited occasionally, so she was just a temporary nuisance.

Her grandmother’s favoritism wasn’t such a big deal.

But Young Master Liu…

She had first met him months ago at a temple. She had just finished burning incense and was waiting for her mother, who was speaking with the abbot. Bored, she noticed a young monk who looked adorable, so she struck up a conversation with him.

The little monk, about ten years old, had delicate features and was quite charming. He kept calling her "Lady Benefactor" in a solemn tone.

She had never thought about it before, but suddenly, she was struck with curiosity.

She asked him why monks addressed men simply as "Benefactor" but added "Lady" when addressing women. If Buddha preached equality, why did they make this distinction? Why not call men "Male Benefactors" or just call everyone "Benefactor" without differentiation?

It was the rare occasion when her words flowed smoothly, leaving the little monk completely speechless.

She had only been teasing him, but the little monk took her words seriously. He acted as if he had just received divine enlightenment, nodding solemnly and deciding to start calling men "Male Benefactors" from then on. It became a small but amusing spectacle at the temple.

She had found it funny at the time and hadn’t noticed that someone else had been listening.

As she laughed at the little monk’s reaction, a clear, youthful voice sounded beside her:

"Which mischievous young lady is this?"

The temple was quiet, and though the speaker had spoken softly to his servant, she had still heard him.

Annoyed, she turned to look—and found herself face-to-face with a young man, about fifteen or sixteen.

Dressed in pristine white, standing tall and elegant, with a face like polished jade. He fanned himself gently with a folding fan painted with a West Lake scene.

Normally, if someone had called her mischievous, she would have been angry. But at that moment, she was rendered speechless, her face burning.

The young man, realizing he had been overheard, blushed just as deeply.

They stood there awkwardly for a long time until she finally broke the silence.

As the eldest daughter of a noble family, she couldn’t just stand there foolishly with a stranger. Lowering her gaze, she gracefully curtsied, then quickly took her maid’s hand and fled.

But, overcome by a young girl’s curiosity, she later made discreet inquiries about the boy’s identity.

When she learned who he was, she regretted it immediately.

Because he was the son of the Minister of Rites.

And the Minister of Rites had only one son…

Why was it that all the best things in the world always ended up belonging to Rong Jiahui?

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