The Marquis Mansion’s Elite Class

Zong Jincheng shared the same thought, but hearing those words actually come from Xu Wan's mouth made his face burn as if he'd been slapped in public.

"Hey!" he protested indignantly.

What did she mean by that? Did she really see him as nothing but a selfish person who didn't care about others' lives? And breaking his legs... couldn't he have volunteered to help someone of his own accord?

This woman was judging a gentleman's heart with a petty person's mindset!

Hmph!

Xu Wan responded with an "Oh" and reminded him, "Address me as Mother."

This impudent boy had no manners.

"I won't," he refused.

Zong Jincheng glared at her with puffed cheeks, then looked at the pitiful Zong Wenxiu beside him. Truth be told, his heart was softening and he wanted to agree, but seeing Xu Wan's confident expression made him feel like he couldn't back down, so he remained stubborn in his childish tantrum.

Just then, a gust of wind rattled the windows of the room. Although all doors and windows were tightly shut, both children instinctively shivered.

"Well then, Jincheng has agreed. I'll arrange for the imperial physician. Quickly, take them both to warm up and change clothes," Xu Wan declared decisively, making the decision for the little tyrant, though she had already sent Cui Zhi to deliver a message to the Old Marquis.

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Zong Wenxiu's eyes lit up – Mother would be saved!

Cui Liu was the most efficient of the servants; when given a task by the mistress, she would complete it perfectly by any means necessary. So now she maintained a stern face as she grabbed both boys, one in each hand, and dragged them off for their baths.

Halfway there, a confused Zong Jincheng thought: "???"

I didn't agree, I didn't agree at all, so how did she say I agreed?

I didn't say anything out loud, did I?

When the little tyrant realized he'd been tricked by Xu Wan again, he tried to stand up from the bath barrel, but as he rose, he caught sight of Zong Wenxiu in the adjacent tub.

Zong Wenxiu was so thin he was practically just skin and bones, his skin rougher than a servant's. Looking closer, Jincheng noticed several chilblains on his hands and many calluses on his palms.

Zong Jincheng sat back down and asked in confusion, "How do you get calluses and chilblains just from reading and writing?"

Hadn't Grandmother said that studying was the easiest thing in the world? Just sitting in a room reading and writing – you couldn't get cold or tired from that.

Shunzi, who was attending to his bath, couldn't help but sigh inwardly: The young master could be truly innocent sometimes.

Young Master Wenxiu hadn't grown up in the Marquis Manor like you. He came from the slums, where the Capital City's poorest families lived. People died there every day from illness, hunger, or cold. It was remarkable that Young Master Wenxiu had survived nine and a half years there – of course his body would bear more and more wounds, not fewer.

Zong Wenxiu was startled by the question. He instinctively withdrew his exposed hands under the water, thinking Zong Jincheng was mocking him. At his sensitive age, he remained silent.

Zong Jincheng glared at Shunzi: "Have the manor's servants been bullying him?"

With Second Uncle dead and no proper wife in the second branch of the family, it wouldn't be surprising if servants bullied them for being born of concubines.

Shunzi raised his hands in frightened protest: "Not at all! The Old Madam has been very good to that courtyard. Young Master Wenxiu gets up before dawn to study, and they've even given him an extra brazier. He's been taken care of exceptionally well."

Realizing that Zong Wenxiu might feel embarrassed, Shunzi leaned close to the little tyrant's ear and explained the situation in a low voice.

Only then did Zong Jincheng understand that hands with chronic chilblains would easily develop them again even with the best care, and that children in the slums, even at just a few years old, had to do a lot of hard physical labor.

No wonder his cousin, though only two years older than him, wasn't much taller or stronger.

The little tyrant lowered his eyes thoughtfully, his earlier desire to argue with Xu Wan forgotten as he absently splashed the bathwater back and forth.

Zong Wenxiu was actually very nervous beside him. He could sense Zong Jincheng's reluctance and feared he might change his mind at any moment, so despite being in a warm bath, he didn't dare move a muscle, afraid that any movement might upset Zong Jincheng.

Suddenly, the little tyrant spoke up: "I heard you've been studying books since you returned to the manor these past few months. What's so interesting about those thick books?"

A few months ago, when Auntie Hong was brought back to the manor, the Old Marquis had arranged for them to live in the west courtyard, publicly announcing Zong Wenxiu as merely the second branch's eldest son born of a concubine.

Everyone knew the difference between legitimate and illegitimate children.

Regardless of whether Zong Jincheng studied or succeeded academically, no one could challenge his position as the legitimate grandson, so he had never felt any sense of crisis, nor did he understand why Zong Wenxiu was so fond of reading.

Zong Wenxiu replied, "Because reading teaches you to understand principles and shows you many things you've never seen before. If you can achieve a good rank in the imperial examinations, you can do many things you want to do."

"What do you want to do?" Zong Jincheng asked.

Children their age only thought about playing; how would they know what studying was for?

Zong Wenxiu paused, then answered honestly, "Actually, I don't know what I want to do when I grow up, but my mother says that whatever I choose to do, I should first have sufficient knowledge. That way, I'll have more paths to choose from later. For example, if I want to become an official, I need to pass the examinations first; if I want to go into business, I need to know the ways and methods of making money."

Zong Jincheng understood but felt it didn't apply to him.

 his status, if he wanted to become an official, his grandfather would arrange it, and it would probably be a good position; if he wanted to do business, his grandmother would provide the capital, shops, and even the people to manage them.

There was no need to study at all.

Clearly this wasn't a topic suited for his contemplation.

Zong Jincheng finished his bath hurriedly and got out, with Zong Wenxiu quickly following suit.

Just as Wenxiu was worrying that his reportedly willful brother might cause a scene, he heard Zong Jincheng ask ahead of him, "Where do you study? It's not in Auntie Hong's courtyard, is it? How many braziers are there?"

In that instant, Zong Wenxiu's anxiety melted away.

His furrowed brow relaxed as he patiently explained, "Not in my mother's courtyard. Grandmother said there was an empty study in the manor that wasn't being used, so she told me to study there. It has an excellent collection of books, and there are three braziers in the room – it's warm and comfortable."

Zong Wenxiu hurried to catch up and describe everything to him. This was completely unexpected – his brother was nothing like the rumors suggested, but rather... awkwardly kind-hearted.

Zong Wenxiu made a silent vow.

He would definitely help his brother study well. Even if he himself couldn't achieve top honors in the examinations, he would make sure his brother did!