Chapter 13: Second Brother, don't find me annoying

Nan Guang was sobbing again.

The Chao Wen Courtyard, the most spacious and luxurious residence in the mansion!

It is said that over two hundred years ago, the Nan family specially built it to receive the emperor during his tour, and even the plaque was personally inscribed by the emperor at that time.

After years of continuous maintenance and reconstruction, the entire mansion is very magnificent and grand. How could it be given to such a lowly adopted son to live in?!

Nan Bao Yi was stunned.

She looked at the courtyard in disbelief, then glanced at Xiang Xin, and then at Xiao Yi, feeling that something was not right.

How could she suddenly be living with Lord Quanchen?

In the shortest time, Yu Wei inquired about the conflict between Nan Bao Yi and Nan Yan, and whispered a few words in Xiao Yi's ear.

Xiao Yi absentmindedly played with the teacup, "Miss Nan Yan seems knowledgeable and reasonable, she must have received an education."

Nan Yan politely smiled and ignored him.

Just a lowly adopted son, not worth her attention.

If she gave him any favorable treatment, he might cling to her, and that would be terrible.

Nan Bao Zhu couldn't stand Nan Yan's haughty attitude and stretched her neck in a strange manner, "Right? Just now, she was preaching about frugality and advising everyone to live a simple life!"

Xiao Yi lightly curved his lips, "Miss Nan Yan must surely be frugal in private."

Although it seemed like a compliment, the old lady raised her eyebrows secretly.

Both of them were shrewd and experienced people, and she smiled at Nan Yan, "In that case, we shouldn't hinder your frugality in the house, so as not to spoil your virtue. Jijie, instruct the kitchen not to send luxurious dishes to the Embroidered Pavilion in the future, just simple meals. Also, instruct the household staff not to send any fancy clothes or jewelry, she will be happy with plain clothes and simple accessories."

Nan Bao Yi chuckled.

She glanced at Nan Yan, whose face turned green, and her facial muscles trembled violently.

She entered the Nan family for wealth and status, but now she was living worse off than before. It was infuriating.

She leaned in and whispered to the old lady, a little shy, "Grandmother, dote on me..."

The old lady affectionately brushed her delicate and slightly upturned nose, her eyes filled with a smile.

...

Nan Bao Yi had a lot of stuff.

When she moved out of the Embroidered Pavilion, the endless procession of boxes and crates left the maids and servants in the mansion speechless.

The most eye-catching was the dowry left to her by her mother.

Her mother was a young lady from a wealthy family, and when she got married, she had 120 loads of dowry, which made the girls in the city envious.

Her grandmother and aunt were kind and didn't want to touch her dowry, so they asked Nan Bao Yi to keep it herself. As a result, the dowry was piled up in the storage room of the Embroidered Pavilion.

Nan Bao Yi sat under the eaves, holding a bowl of bird's nest soup, watching the servants move the dowry.

In her past life, she treated Nan Yan as her own sister, and Nan Yan complained to her about her humble background, unable to give her a decent life. So she generously gave half of her dowry to her.

But what Nan Yan coveted was more than just her dowry...

She took a sip of the bird's nest soup, and a mocking smile appeared on her lips.

"Sister..."

A delicate voice suddenly sounded.

Nan Yan timidly leaned against the door, her eyes red from crying.

Nan Bao Yi smiled, "Sister, are you here to see me off?"

Nan Yan wiped her tears with a handkerchief, "Sister, I know you're afraid that I'll take away your favor after entering the mansion, that's why you wrongly accused me of pushing you. But I promise you, I will treat you as my own sister in the future, and I will never take anything from you! I have been alone and helpless since childhood, please pity me, and don't target me anymore, okay? Having one more person to love you in the mansion, isn't that good?"

Nan Bao Yi casually handed the small golden cup to the servant.

She casually picked up a white jade round pendant with tassels from the dowry and held it up to the spring sun, "Sister, look, isn't this pendant beautiful?"

Nan Yan looked over.

The white jade pendant was warm and translucent, and it was obviously valuable.

Everything Nan Bao Yi had was of excellent quality.

She tightened her handkerchief, and her smile didn't reach her eyes, "Sister's things are naturally beautiful and precious."

"Unfortunately, I don't like it."

Nan Bao Yi threw the pendant away.

The exquisite white jade pendant shattered into pieces.

Nan Yan frowned, her heart aching.

"I destroy things I don't like, no matter how beautiful they may seem to others." Nan Bao Yi lazily stood up, "It's getting late, I have to go and see my new courtyard. Sister, you don't need to see me off."

After she left, the maid asked in confusion, "Miss, what did Miss Nan Bao Yi mean just now?"

Nan Yan bit her lip fiercely, "What else could she mean, if not pointing fingers and casting aspersions?"

She just didn't understand why Nan Bao Yi had such great animosity towards her when she was playing the role of a good sister and not actually harming her. Why was her hostility so strong?

The maid sighed, "Nan Bao Yi is really malicious, taking advantage of being the legitimate daughter of the mansion to bully the young lady. It's unfair, a bad girl like her can have so much dowry, while the young lady, who is kind-hearted and knowledgeable, has nothing..."

Nan Yan stared at the dowry being carried out like flowing water, unable to suppress the sourness in her heart.

She was thirteen this year, and the reason her mother was so eager for her to marry into the Nan family was to give her a legitimate status, so she could secure a good marriage. But now, even if she could secure a good marriage, she wouldn't have as much dowry as Nan Bao Yi.

When she married into her husband's family, she would be looked down upon by others.

She twisted her handkerchief and suddenly had a good idea.

...

Nan Bao Yi met Xiao Yi at the entrance of the Chao Wen Courtyard.

The young man was wearing a round-necked dark blue brocade robe, revealing a white shirt collar, and his handsome face was as clear and beautiful as a pine or cedar tree.

"Second Brother!" she sweetly called out, "I'll have to rely on Second Brother to take care of me from now on!"

"Noisy," Xiao Yi said coldly.

Nan Bao Yi's eyebrows curved, "They all say that Second Brother has outstanding literary talent and profound knowledge. Can you explain to me what '朝闻院' means?"

Men like to be flattered and fawned over, and they also like to show off their talents in front of others. She felt that Xiao Yi was no exception.

Xiao Yi looked deeply at the plaque, his emotions were too complex for her to understand.

After a while, he explained lightly, "'朝闻道，夕死可矣'."

Nan Bao Yi asked, "Does it mean 'as long as you understand the truth in the morning, it's okay to die in the evening'?"

Xiao Yi sneered, "In one's lifetime, there are too many truths to understand. If understanding one truth means dying once, then how many times must one die?"

Nan Bao Yi fell silent.

In her past life, she had made the mistake of misjudging people, and by the time she realized it, she was on the brink of death.

To be able to be reborn was truly a blessing from heaven, but where in life were there so many chances to start over?

In this life, she had to move forward wisely!

Her beautiful phoenix eyes gradually became moist. She wiped away her tears and raised her innocent and tender bun-like face, "Second Brother, you are a very talented and capable person. I will learn from you in the future. Please don't find me annoying, okay?"