Chapter 65: Enlightenment

On the same day at the training grounds, Zhen also received a gift from Princess Zhenyang.

“I don’t want it.” However, he was straightforward, or perhaps one could say he had clear likes and dislikes, and he refused to accept it.

Since learning about Princess Zhenyang’s feelings for his father, he found it disgusting and had been eating less at meals lately.

“Young Master Zhen, why don’t you want it? Our Princess knows you enjoy practicing martial arts and specially found this Tang knife with a history of a hundred years. It’s forged from high-quality steel and can cut through iron like mud,” the nursemaid said, her face a bit awkward as she forced a smile.

Could it be that Xu Qingyi had incited something or spoken ill of their Princess?

“The knife is indeed a good one, but I don’t take rewards without merit. Please take it back and don’t disturb me while I practice,” Zhen said with a cold expression, starkly different from his usual playful demeanor.

A knife that could cut through iron like mud was quite tempting, and he truly felt drawn to it, but he wouldn’t accept it from Princess Zhenyang.

The nursemaid was now convinced that Xu Qingyi had incited the children against them.

The difference was that some children were easily swayed, while others were not.

The eldest son, Lin, was the one who wasn’t easily swayed.

The nursemaid didn’t feel too downcast.

After all, the eldest son was the most outstanding.  As long as she won him over, it was enough.

This second son seemed to have average talent.  It was said he only started martial arts training at the age of eight, so his future achievements would be limited.

“Since Young Master Zhen doesn’t appreciate it, then so be it. I’ll go back and report to the Princess,” the nursemaid rolled her eyes inwardly, silently cursing his ingratitude, and left after speaking.

“Was that someone from Princess Zhenyang?” Pei Che walked to Zhen’s side, looking at the nursemaid’s back, and asked, “She wanted to buy you off?”

He had already heard about the love-hate entanglement between the Princess and the Xie brothers from his student, who couldn’t keep a secret.

The story was, to say the least, eye-opening.

“Mm, she wanted to win me over,” Zhen nodded.

Then, with a look of disgust, he said disdainfully, “But she’s overthinking it. How could I betray my mother for personal gain?”

Pei Che smiled, showing his approval.

As his master, he knew how tempting that ancient knife was to Zhen.

But Zhen didn’t even blink, rejecting it decisively.

After school, Zhen and Lin met on their way back to the courtyard.

Zhen felt he had done something significant today, so he proudly told his older brother, “Today, second aunt sent someone to give me a hundred-year-old ancient knife, and I refused it.”

Before he could finish boasting, he saw his older brother looking at him like he was an idiot.

It made him doubt himself.

“What’s wrong?” Zhen looked unhappy.  Had he done something wrong?

“Why would you refuse?” A hundred-year-old knife, it clearly was valuable. Lin looked at his younger brother speechlessly. “Why not take it?  You don’t have to repay her.”

Would taking it make him lose a piece of meat?

Zhen’s eyes widened, looking at his brother, “But… she’s so disgusting. Accepting her gift is like betraying Mother, isn’t it?”

After a pause, he narrowed his eyes and asked, “Brother, she didn’t send you a gift too, did she? You accepted it?”

If Lin had accepted something, he would have to straighten his back and reprimand his older brother.

Lin could tell his younger brother was trying to hide something and replied coolly, “I did accept it.”

Before Zhen could scold him, he added, “I gave it to Mother. She was very happy and hopes for more good fortune like this.”

Zhen was momentarily speechless, preparing to criticize his brother but then swallowed his words.

“After all, it’s free money. Do you think you can live without spending money on food and daily expenses? In the future, when you prepare for your future, it will also cost money,” the elder brother lectured. “The teacher Mother hired for you, Mr. Pei, also cost a fee. Moreover, when you marry and have children, there will be even more expenses.”

The more Zhen listened, the more regretful he became, his face turning pale.

Indeed, his brother was right. “If you don’t take advantage of a good deal, you’re a fool,” he thought, especially since he wouldn’t have to repay anyone.

Seeing that his younger brother understood, Lin decided to keep quiet.

He was thoughtful and often pondered more than necessary. If Zhen didn’t bring it up, he wouldn’t mention it.

And if he did explain it and Zhen didn’t understand, he wouldn’t repeat himself.

Zhen understood, but it felt like a painful blow to his chest. He couldn’t help but ask, “Brother, do you think that hundred-year-old Tang knife could sell for a lot of silver?”

“Several thousand taels, maybe even tens of thousands,” Lin said.

He wasn’t trying to scare his brother; antiques were priceless.

It was even possible to sell it for hundreds of thousands of taels.

The younger brother was stunned, his mouth agape, unable to recover for a long time.

Afterwards, Zhen, having missed out on a large sum of money, seemed listless.

Xu Qingyi noticed this quickly and looked at him with concern, examining him from head to toe. “What’s wrong? You ate so little at dinner. Are you feeling unwell?”

Zhen shook his head without speaking.

“Was your martial arts training not going well today? Did Mr. Pei scold you?” Xu Qingyi guessed that if it wasn’t a physical ailment, it was likely emotional distress.

The only thing she could think of that could make this martial arts enthusiast so downcast was something related to his training.

“No.” Zhen looked at his mother listlessly, feeling increasingly sad. “I’m fine, Mother. I just don’t have much of an appetite today.”

Then he walked towards his room, “Mother, I’ll go back and rest.”

He felt useless, only knowing how to spend money and lacking common sense.

Xu Qingyi looked at her eldest son, asking, “Don’t you think something’s wrong with your second brother?”

A lack of appetite was not a trivial matter for Zhen.

Lin said, “Don’t worry, he just missed out on tens of thousands of taels of silver.”

What? Xu Qingyi’s relieved heart leaped again.  She was about to ask for clarification, but suddenly, she understood.  She tentatively asked, “He refused the Princess’s gift?”

“Mm.” Lin responded, then also said goodbye, “Mother, I’ll go back to read.”

Xu Qingyi smiled, “Go ahead.”

After seeing Lin off, she went to her second son’s room.  She found him sitting dejectedly at the table.

“What did the Princess give you?” Xu Qingyi sat down, smiling curiously.

“You know?” Zhen lifted his eyelids, heartbroken. “It was a hundred-year-old Tang knife that could cut through iron like mud.”

That was indeed a valuable item. No wonder Zhen was so upset. Xu Qingyi comforted him, “It’s okay that you refused it. It shows you have a generous spirit.”

Zhen: “…” That’s because he didn’t know its value.

He also didn’t know how to be as cunning and deceitful as his older brother, taking the money without doing anything in return.

If he had known, he wouldn’t have been so generous.

Generosity doesn’t put food on the table.

“Later, Mother will get you one. It won’t be as old as a hundred years, but it will certainly be a good one,” Xu Qingyi said.

Weapons held a significant allure for martial arts enthusiasts.

Although Zhen was still building his foundation and far from using weapons, getting him one to handle would still be necessary.

“Really? Can I choose one myself? I want a long spear, just like Father,” Zhen said excitedly, his previous dejection gone.

His idol was his father, followed by his master, Pei Che.

Both were masters of spear techniques.

For a general, spear fighting was the orthodox method.

“Okay.” A spear was safer than a sword, so Xu Qingyi readily agreed.

“Father has a Huo Yun spear. It’s amazing. I’ve seen it, but unfortunately, Grandfather took it away, and I’ve never touched it,” Zhen said regretfully, looking at Xu Qingyi with hopeful eyes, his thoughts clearly revealed.

Xu Qingyi chuckled and didn’t refuse. “Is that so? I’ll ask your grandfather later to see if it can be retrieved.”

Looking at her son’s ecstatic face, she added a condition, “But you can only touch it. If you want to use it, it depends on your skills.  Until you achieve something, you’re not qualified to use it.”

“Yes, yes, yes.” Zhen nodded like a puppy. In his eyes, his mother was practically omnipotent.

As long as Mother asked, Father’s spear could certainly be retrieved.

Indeed, the spear that had accompanied Xie Yunzhi through countless battles and life-or-death situations was kept by the Marquis.

The Marquis believed that the weapon had killed countless people and had too much murderous aura. Keeping it in Danhuai Courtyard would be detrimental to Xie Yunzhi’s recovery.

However, Xu Qingyi thought that since the weapon had accompanied Xie Yunzhi in protecting the country and fighting countless battles, even if it did have murderous aura, it was the aura that protected its owner.

Separating them would likely make both the owner and the weapon feel sad.

“Father, maybe if he touches the spear, the Young Master might have some kind of reaction?” Xu Qingyi suggested to the Marquis, genuinely believing it.

The spear was something the Young Master valued greatly. Perhaps, it was the key to his awakening.

After all, no opportunity should be overlooked. It was worth a try.