Qiang Jin Jiu (Author : Tang Jiuqing 唐酒卿)

Chapter 79 : Clues

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A cacophony of human voices hung over Kailing River. Xue Xiuyi sat cross-legged on the couch, cracking peanut shells and drinking wine. When Xiao Chiye entered, he hurriedly brushed his robe clean and got off the couch to pay his obeisances to Xiao Chiye. 

Xiao Chiye sat directly opposite Xue Xiuyi, and Chen Yang came over to pour wine. Xue Xiuyi placed his fingers at the sides of his legs and subconsciously rubbed them on his robe to wipe his hands. At the same time, he said, “That’s enough, that’s enough… Your Lordship, too much of this wine is bad for your health!” 

Holding the cup, Xiao Chiye said to him with a smile, “The Eldest Young Master is quite meticulous. You must be diligent in keeping yourself in good health back in your residence, right?” 

“Only a little.” Xue Xiuyi did not dare to take his seat without explicit permission. He was short and small-sized to begin with, and hunching over to Xiao Chiye in a bow made him look even more humble and lowly.

Xiao Chiye cordially said, “Please sit. I’ll still have the Eldest Young Master’s advice to seek.” 

With his backside at the edge of the couch, Xue Xiuyi said, “I wouldn’t dare to be so presumptuous as to offer advice.” 

Xiao Chiye noted from Xue Xiuyi’s appearance that the latter was clearly poles apart from Xue Xiuzhuo. For Xue Xiuzhuo to have to submit to such an elder brother, it was only natural for him to be unable to take it lying down.

“It has been a while since I last saw His Excellency Yanqing.” Xiao Chiye drank his wine. “I heard that he has been busy investigating cases with Minister Kong. It has been hard on him.”  

“It’s only because the Secretariat Elder has promoted him that he’s basking in glory now.” Xiu Xiuyu had long disliked Xue Xiuzhuo. He had been making things difficult in all kinds of ways possible for this younger common-born brother of his, but a pity Xue Xiuzhuo had always been like a cotton that cushioned all his damages and made all his efforts come to naught. 

“He’s the Eldest Young Master’s younger brother of common birth. According to customs, the one leading the way to join the ranks of officials in the imperial court should be the Eldest Young Master. So why is it the other way round in your household?” 

Xue Xiuyi accepted the wine, not daring to refuse it. He had already lost his sense of propriety after downing a few cups and was now feeling the earth spinning at his feet. At Xiao Chiye’s question, he gripped the cup and said with a snort, “Well, he has the capability, no? Your Lordship doesn’t know it, but he has always been one since young to ingratiate himself with men in power for personal gains. He’s a shrewd and deep one! There was heavy snow in the year he was born. When the time came for him to be named with the generation name ‘xiu’, he was supposed to be named ‘gui’, but a Daoist priest predicted that he would meet an extremely distinguished benefactor in his life, and calling him by this name would instead prove to be adverse. His birth mother, who was a resourceful woman, fawned upon our Old Master in all ways possible, pleading for him to be named with a ‘zhuo’ instead. As in, cultivation of virtues and outstanding capabilities, with the courtesy name Yanqing. He sure has a charmed life…”    

Xue Xiuyi’s eyes dimmed when he spoke to this point. 

Xiao Chiye comforted him. “Eldest Young Master, why contend with him? You are the eldest lawful son of the Xue Clan; you are way more esteemed than him.”

His words hit right at Xue Xiuyi’s sore point, making him feel stifled. Sure enough, Xue Xiuyi set down his cup and let out a long sigh. 

“Your Lordship…” Xue Xiuyi was already drunk, and subsequently, he grew bolder. “You are the second son of lawful birth of the Prince of Libei. There is no one of common birth to pose as a threat to you, so you are unaware of the specifics. People like us fear having a capable younger brother of common birth back at home. He’s of lowly birth, yet he’s a notch above me. Whether it’s at home or out there, who doesn’t praise him to the skies? What is this? How am I supposed to live with this? Look at the Eight Great Clans. Which of them has a descendant of common birth as the head of the clan? How is it that only our Xue Clan has produced a Xue Xiuzhuo?!”