Chapter 134: My Second Brother Lives in Seclusion

"Wait a moment, I have some other items arriving," Wei Ruo said.

"What else do you have, Ruoruo?" Xie Ying asked.

"Some charcoal," Wei Ruo replied.

"Where did you get charcoal? I asked my mother, and she said it has been getting cold so quickly this year that charcoal is very difficult to buy."

"I purchased it earlier. It is naturally harder to find these past few days. I remember mentioning this to you before."

"You did, but my mother thought it was still early and worried that if we bought it too soon, it would become damp. By the time she wanted to buy more these last two days, it was already too late."

"It's fine. I have plenty left, including quite a bit of silver-bone charcoal. If your household is short, I can spare some for you," Wei Ruo offered.

"That won't be necessary," Xie Jue interrupted. "My father has already procured a batch from the capital; it will arrive by river transport in a few days, so we are not worried about running out. It is just a pity that we have no way to provide charcoal to the disaster-stricken civilians right now."

"That is good, then," Wei Ruo said, dropping the subject.

As they finished speaking, Wei Jinyi arrived on horseback, followed by a cart loaded with charcoal.

Seeing Wei Jinyi, Xie Ying asked curiously, "Ruoruo, who is this?"

"This is my second brother," Wei Ruo replied.

"Your second brother? Why have I never seen him before?" Xie Ying asked.

Hearing this, Xie Jue could not help but interject, "Sister, is it not normal for you not to have seen men from other households? It would be strange if you had seen them all!"

What young lady from a proper family sees men from outside every day? Opportunities to see men outside the household were extremely limited, and a situation like this was a special exception for extraordinary times.

"That's true, I really haven't seen many," Xie Ying admitted after thinking about it seriously.

Xie Jue then scrutinized Wei Jinyi and added, "However, I have never seen this second brother of yours either."

It was normal for Xie Ying not to have seen him, but it was strange that even Xie Jue had not. Wei Mingting had been in office in Xingshan County for some time, and since Wei Jinyi appeared to be of a similar age to himself, it stood to reason that they should have crossed paths at least a few times. He had seen the eldest son, Wei Yichen, many times, but he had never once laid eyes on this second young master. Xie Jue’s gaze toward Wei Jinyi was filled with curiosity and intrigue.

Although he had never met the man himself, he had heard whispers that Wei Jinyi was a gloomy, introverted, and cowardly person. Yet, looking at the man before him—a refined gentleman with bright eyes, white teeth, and an elegant demeanor—there was not a hint of gloom or timidity to be found.

"My second brother keeps to himself and does not care for socializing, which is why you haven't seen much of him, Brother Xie," Wei Ruo explained on his behalf.

Wei Jinyi took the initiative to greet Xie Jue: "Wei Jinyi greets Young Master Xie."

Xie Jue immediately returned the courtesy and asked, "Xie Jue greets Second Young Master Wei. Where are you currently pursuing your studies?"

Generally, at this age, a young master from a prominent family was either practicing martial arts or studying. Seeing Wei Jinyi’s gentle temperament, he did not look like one of those boorish men who spent their time wielding blades, so he assumed he was a scholar.

"I study under the Hermit of Canglin and do not attend a private academy," Wei Jinyi replied.

Xie Jue looked surprised. "You are the one who has gained the favor of the Hermit of Canglin?"

Wei Jinyi acknowledged this silently. Xie Jue could not help but appraise him again. His first look was because the man did not match the rumors; his second was because the Hermit of Canglin had not taken on any disciples for many years. Rumors had surfaced recently that he had finally taken one, but he had never expected it to be the obscure second son of the Wei family. For Xie Jue, studying under the Hermit of Canglin was not an impossible feat, as he spent much of his time in the capital where he had more access to brilliant scholars, but for most families in Xingshan County, it was an unreachable dream.

Before Xie Jue could finish his assessment, Xie Ying grew impatient and urged, "Alright, alright, Brother, stop dawdling. We can talk on the way. Let’s get to the village quickly; it will be dark before we know it!"

"Yes, yes," Xie Jue said, quickly withdrawing his gaze from Wei Jinyi to direct the Xie family attendants to prepare for departure.

Wei Ruo, Wei Jinyi, Xiumei, and the Xie siblings, accompanied by the Xie family attendants, set off toward the west of the city. There were many small mountain villages in the area, and Xishan Village, which had suffered a landslide, was their first stop.

The villagers greeted Wei Ruo with enthusiasm, and upon seeing the supplies they had brought, they were moved to tears of gratitude. The elderly village head, somewhat hunched, walked shakily to the entrance of the village and spoke to Wei Ruo and the others on behalf of the villagers with great emotion:

"Young Master Wei, Miss Wei, we are already so grateful that you came to rescue people and protect our families. How could you bring us so many good things as well? This makes us feel..."

"Village Head, the rice, cotton clothes, and quilts were provided by Young Master Xie and Miss Xie," Wei Ruo explained. The congee distribution was her contribution, but the supplies for Xishan Village were primarily from the Xie family; Wei Ruo felt it was important to make the credit clear.

Hearing this, the village head hurriedly led everyone to thank Xie Jue and Xie Ying, and was about to kneel.

Xie Jue quickly stopped the old man: "Village Head, please, you must rise. We cannot accept this. This is a natural disaster, and in the face of such catastrophe, there is no distinction between us."

Xie Ying agreed: "My brother is right. Elder, please do not be so formal with us."

Hearing this, the village head’s eyes filled with tears. It had already been a difficult year, and the sudden drop in temperature had caused the vegetables planted by the villagers of Xishan to rot in the fields. Then came the landslide, which destroyed many homes. Even without casualties, this winter would have been incredibly harsh. The arrival of Wei Ruo and the others with supplies was not just help in times of need—it was literally saving their lives.

"Village Head, please, don't dwell on this now. The most urgent matter is to help everyone overcome this crisis," Wei Ruo interrupted.

"Yes, yes," the village head agreed repeatedly, then added, "But regardless, the great kindness of Miss Wei, Young Master Wei, Miss Xie, and Young Master Xie will be etched into the hearts of the villagers of Xishan forever. We shall never forget it!" The village head composed himself and thanked them again.

Wei Ruo then directed the unloading of the supplies: "You all, move the items down and deliver them house by house. Make sure no one is left out."

The Xie family attendants sprang into action, and Wei Jinyi and Xie Jue joined in to help. Wei Jinyi appeared refined and elegant, but to everyone’s surprise, he moved the heavy items with ease.

Xie Ying teased her brother: "Brother, look at him. Are you still going to claim you practice martial arts every day?"

Xie Jue was somewhat deflated: "Sister, when you have the chance, ask Miss Wei what she feeds her family. Why is everyone in the Wei household so strong and healthy?"

Even the maid, Xiumei, was like that—clearly a personal maid, yet possessed of martial arts skills, her strikes landing with real force. And now, the second young master of the Wei family was the same.

Xie Ying chuckled: "Brother, are you trying to use me to get things from Ruoruo again?"