A Foodie Transmigrated into the Palace

Chapter 165: Chapter 164: I’m Saving it for My Eldest Sister

Maternal Aunt Wen continued, ”It was Madam. She heard that the second young master was participating in the autumn examinations this year, so she contrived a way to trick him into coming back!”

”Tricked into coming back?”

Maternal Aunt Wen nodded vigorously.

”Madam feigned illness, forcing the master to send a letter to the academy, asking the second young master to return and attend to her!”

”What?”

Xia Ruqing was extremely shocked.

In ancient times, there was indeed a rule: if a parent was seriously ill, their children were obligated to return and care for them. No one, not even the Emperor, could forcefully prevent it. Even if White Horse Academy was strict, it couldn’t possibly prevent students from returning home to care for an ailing parent. After all, their teachings emphasized benevolence, righteousness, and filial piety.

”Where is Jingfeng?” Xia Ruqing asked furiously.

”In his courtyard!”

”When the second young master returned, he was furious. He locked himself in his room and buried himself in his studies!”

”I’ll go see him!”

After speaking, Xia Ruqing walked outside.

Her heart ached terribly again, and her eyes filled with anger. Even though this family felt like strangers, and even though she had never met this so-called younger brother, the pain in her heart was undeniably real and acute. She could feel the depth of the original owner’s resentment and anger. Even a stranger, upon encountering such a despicable situation, would offer help if they could. Besides, she and he were now connected by blood—siblings born of the same mother.

Maternal Aunt Wen said, ”I’ll go with the young miss!”

Xia Caiying mumbled from the side, ”Aunt, I want to go too!”

Soon, Xia Ruqing found herself standing before the gate of a dilapidated courtyard. It contained only three small, decrepit rooms, and the yard was overrun with weeds. Even moderately wealthy farmers wouldn’t deign to live in such a courtyard, let alone more affluent households.

But... he was the legitimate young master of the Xia Residence!

A pang of sorrow struck Xia Ruqing’s heart, and she felt a wave of pity for this ’younger brother’ she had yet to meet.

”Let’s go!”

She gently pushed open the door.

Xia Ruqing slowly made her way along a narrow path winding through the weeds. An overwhelming sense of familiarity washed over her, accompanied by a sorrow that surged uncontrollably from within. Xia Ruqing’s heart clenched violently, each beat a throb of pain.

She furrowed her brow and clutched her chest. Is it your lingering attachment, or the primal instinct of our shared blood?

Images of the siblings together, fragments of memories, gradually pieced themselves together, becoming strikingly clear. He was supposed to be a stranger, yet before Xia Ruqing even pushed open the door to his room, tears began to stream down her face uncontrollably. She simply couldn’t feel any distance from him at all.

”Jingfeng!”

She called out. She pushed open the door.

The room was sparsely furnished, containing only a bed, a desk, two chairs, and a few bookshelves. These items were all in terrible condition—the paint was peeling, they were misshapen, the carvings were damaged, and some even had wormholes.

Two kerosene lamps sat on the desk.

A delicate-featured young man was hunched over the desk, completely engrossed in his studies. He was so absorbed he didn’t even notice someone had pushed open the door and entered!

Xia Ruqing’s gaze swept over the shabby furniture, the uneven, pitted floor, the worm-eaten desk and chairs, and finally... those two kerosene lamps.

The sight of those dilapidated kerosene lamps made her tears fall uncontrollably.

”Jingfeng!”

Startled by her call, the young man finally looked up. He froze, staring.

”Big... Big Sister?”

”Why are you still using kerosene lamps? What about candles? Reading by this light at night will ruin your eyes! Why aren’t you asleep yet?!”

Xia Ruqing’s tears flowed unrestrained. She had always been easily moved to tears, and now, for reasons she couldn’t quite fathom, she found herself crying so hard.

Xia Jingfeng immediately got up and ran over. He first examined her carefully, then hesitantly reached out to touch her arm.

Suddenly, a look of joy lit up his face.

”Big Sister, Big Sister, it’s really you!”

Saying this, he threw his arms around her in a tight hug. He had grown much taller, now standing half a head above Xia Ruqing.

He said joyfully, ”Big Sister, you always protected me before. Now I’m taller, so from now on, I’ll protect you!”

Xia Ruqing felt an immense warmth rushing in from all directions, enveloping and overwhelming her. Even a heart of steel would have melted completely.

”Alright!”

She returned the embrace, holding her younger brother tightly.

Two hearts, linked by blood, a brother and sister born of the same mother. Sometimes, one has to admit that the bonds of kinship can truly conquer all.

”Big Sister, how did you manage to come back?”

Before Xia Ruqing could answer, he continued, ”Big Sister, everyone said you wouldn’t return, but I knew it! I knew you’d never abandon me!”

Xia Ruqing wiped away her tears and said with a smile, ”Silly boy, how could Big Sister ever abandon you?”

”You have no idea, it’s thousands of miles from the Capital City to here. The journey must have been arduous. Big Sister, are you tired? Big Sister, your health isn’t good. You must eat more and stop saying you’re not hungry!”

Tears welled up in Xia Ruqing’s eyes again. She ruffled his hair.

”I know, I know, you little imp!”

”Big Sister, are you doing well in the palace? Does... does the Emperor... bully you?”

Xia Ruqing thought of Zhao Junyao. He... He dotes on me so much, how could he possibly mistreat me?

Xia Ruqing shook her head and said with a smile, ”No! The Emperor is very good. He is... the greatest Emperor under Heaven!”

”Really?”

”Mhm!”

Xia Ruqing’s eyes sparkled.

”But... many people say the Empress’s Harem has countless women, and those women are always scheming against each other... Have they bullied you, Big Sister?”

Xia Ruqing chuckled and pinched his nose. ”My, you seem to know quite a lot!”

Xia Jingfeng looked a little embarrassed. ”It’s just... things I’ve heard...”

”Hearsay or not, you shouldn’t be listening to such things. You need to focus on your studies!”

”Oh...” Xia Jingfeng lowered his head.

”Big Sister won’t be bullied in the palace!” Xia Ruqing stated firmly.

”Really? But the Emperor has so many women...”

Xia Ruqing interrupted him, ”So what if he has many women? I’m the one the Emperor cherishes most!”

Xia Jingfeng stared, dumbfounded, at Xia Ruqing’s radiant expression and the sparkling light in her eyes as she spoke.

”Big Sister, you’ve changed so much from how you used to be...”

”Ah...? Really? What was I like before?”

”Before...” Xia Jingfeng trailed off, his reminiscent smile freezing on his face.

The Big Sister from before... she was thin and frail, withered, with no light in her eyes, like a candle about to flicker out. But the Big Sister now was gentle and lively, her large eyes like clear springs, full of spirit.

”I still prefer the Big Sister you are now!”

Seeing his reluctance to elaborate, and having a fair idea herself, Xia Ruqing didn’t press him further.

”Right, why are you using kerosene lamps? Didn’t I give you silver?” Xia Ruqing asked.

Xia Jingfeng suddenly smiled and whispered, ”I’ve been saving all that silver for you, Big Sister!”