Chapter 9: Why Not Try a Contest Instead?

“Is Zishu your uncle?”
“Yes.”
“Well, that settles it. Zishu and I are sworn brothers, so naturally I’m your cousin uncle. Isn’t it rude not to greet your uncle properly?”

Shen Xianyue stood quietly by the side, suddenly realizing that if she really married Xiao Tuyu, she would become Xiao Liyang’s aunt by marriage.
From then on, when they met, should she continue to call him brother, or should he call her aunt?
Thinking about it that way, she actually felt quite satisfied.

“See? Even Sister Shen is smiling, which means this young master is right. Why aren’t you calling me uncle yet?”

Xiao Liyang clenched his fists tightly. The Emperor of Donglin valued filial piety above all else, and the entire Donglin respected the elderly and cared for the young. Showing utmost respect to one’s elders was a given.
But facing Bai Jin, who was even younger, calling him uncle was something he simply couldn’t bring himself to do.

“Enough, what are you all doing here?”

Xiao Tuyu changed the subject. Bai Jin pouted, just as he was about to take advantage of the situation, he was cut off.

“Yueyue misses her family, so she asked me to bring her here to pay respects to Uncle and Aunt.”

Before Xiao Liyang finished speaking, Bai Jin suddenly exclaimed, “Oh, no wonder Zishu came so early and even brought that rare wine he’s been saving for years. Turns out he’s visiting his future father-in-law and mother-in-law.”

Xiao Tuyu forcefully threw the horsewhip in his hand at Bai Jin. “Nonsense.”

Bai Jin clutched his belly, pretending to howl in pain. “I didn’t say anything wrong. Your marriage was personally arranged by the emperor. Isn’t that what they call a match made in heaven?”

Shen Xianyue’s face flushed red from hearing this. Although she had agreed to the marriage, who announces their betrothal in public?
And… she glanced at Xiao Tuyu. That jar of wine placed before her father and mother’s graves—was it Xiao Tuyu who put it there?
Somehow, Shen Xianyue suddenly thought this cold-faced general might not be as indifferent as the rumors said.

The group laughed and joked boisterously, while Xiao Liyang stood aside like an outsider.
“Uncle, I have always admired you. Just now, seeing your heroic stance on horseback, I wanted to ask for your guidance. Would that be alright?”

Xiao Tuyu looked him up and down, a faint smile curling on his lips. Tilting his head, he involuntarily reminded Shen Xianyue of the lines: “Riding a horse leaning against a slanting bridge, red sleeves beckon from the pavilion.”
At that moment, Shen Xianyue realized that the famed Champion Marquis was only twenty-three this year.

“There’s no need for guidance. But if it’s a competition, I’m willing to give it a try.”

“Good, then let’s compete!”

Xiao Liyang agreed immediately. His horsemanship was well known; even if he wasn’t the best in battle, he wouldn’t lose in riding skills.
He shot a confident smile at Shen Xianyue, who didn’t notice, but Xiao Tuyu clearly did.

Bai Jin, fearing the matter wouldn’t escalate enough, kept egging them on. “If it’s a competition, there should be stakes!”

Xiao Tuyu absentmindedly stroked the horse’s mane. “If I win, from now on when you see Bai Jin, you have to call him uncle.”

Bai Jin jumped for joy, nearly throwing himself at Xiao Tuyu with a big hug. “You’re truly my good brother, remembering things like this for me!”

“No problem. But if I win, I want you, uncle, to agree to one condition.”

“Alright.”

Xiao Tuyu agreed without hesitation. Bai Jin anxiously grabbed his sleeve. “Are you crazy? You agreed to any condition? What if he asks you to do something murderous or treasonous?”

Shen Xianyue also thought Xiao Tuyu was a bit impulsive. At least to her, Xiao Liyang was certainly not a man of pure intentions. Leaving such a big leverage for him to use as a threat would be disastrous.
Still, the relationship between this uncle and nephew was truly bizarre.
They could maintain surface civility before, but now every encounter was like the clash of sharp needles, a matter of life and death.

“Don’t worry, my request won’t be anything like murder, arson, or betraying state secrets. It’ll be very easy for you.”

Xiao Tuyu dismounted swiftly and brushed off the nonexistent dust on his clothes. “Looks like you’ve been thinking this through for a long time?”

“I have.”

Xiao Tuyu glanced at Shen Xianyue, raising an eyebrow. “Good. Let me see if you’ve improved even a little over the years.”

He signaled for a stable boy to bring two horses over.
“These two horses are fairly matched. You can choose first.”

Xiao Liyang, thinking about the stakes, didn’t hesitate. After a careful look, he picked one.

“Hope after the match, uncle still has such a good mood.”

Xiao Tuyu smiled but said nothing.

Once both were mounted, Bai Jin waved over a stable boy and pointed forward. “You, be the referee.”

“Me, a referee? Such an important task should be done by Master Bai!”

Bai Jin smacked him on the head. “I’m wise and heroic, not here for trivial matters like this. Besides, if I’m the referee, who will take Sister Shen to watch the match? You have no foresight at all.”

The stable boy smiled and praised Bai Jin for being thoughtful.
Then Bai Jin turned to Shen Xianyue with a bright smile. “Sister Shen, let’s go up to the platform. Zishu rarely competes with others; this is a rare grand event.”

Shen Xianyue was surprised by how close Bai Jin and Xiao Tuyu’s relationship was.
“You’re really close with the Champion Marquis?”

Since the engagement, she could never call him uncle properly.

“Of course. Don’t be fooled by Zishu’s cold face now. He used to be quite the playboy. If you talk about a rake, he was way worse than me.”

“The Champion Marquis was once a rake?”

“Certainly. Not sure what triggered him, but he went off to war. I prayed every day that he wouldn’t die on the battlefield. Luckily, he made a name for himself.”

Shen Xianyue and Bai Jin walked side by side up to the highest point of the platform, already prepared and waiting for the whistle to start the match.

“Zishu, come on! Whether I can call you uncle depends on you!”

Bai Jin waved his arms excitedly, yelling at the top of his lungs.
Not satisfied, he urged Shen Xianyue to cheer too, saying Zishu would definitely win if she did.

Shen Xianyue was too shy and only shook her head timidly, her cheeks flushed.

Xiao Tuyu watched Bai Jin’s hand brush against Shen Xianyue’s sleeve, a flicker of displeasure crossing his eyes.
Looks like Bai Jin will need a lesson on proper boundaries between men and women, on the saying “seven years old and no shared seat.”
Well, better to take him to the training ground for a beating. Teaching through words doesn’t stick; teaching through actions works instantly.

Just as Bai Jin was quietly offering Shen Xianyue some osmanthus cakes, he suddenly froze, looking around suspiciously.

“What’s wrong?” Shen Xianyue asked.