Reborn as a Hatrack in the Mystical Land-Chapter 52 - 36 Arrogant Elder Brother

On the other side, two sedan chairs entered one after another. As Yue Jinghua and Shalman entered Jingxin Courtyard, they could no longer hold it in and burst into laughter.

After letting out a hearty laugh, Shalman sighed deeply twice and said, "It's just that Lie Sisi is no simple character either; being able to bear such a lesson and keep her cool, you'll need to remain cautious in the future."

Being able to endure what others cannot is not a trait of an ordinary person.

Having grown up with Shaluo, Shalman knew all about the dirty dealings within such prestigious households.

But compared to the foolish Shaluo, Lie Sisi, who looked as gentle as a small bouquet of flowers, was much more formidable.

"Let's not talk about these mood-dampening matters. I'm going to take you to meet my mother," said Yue Jinghua as she beckoned for Shalman to follow her, when suddenly they heard a sound like successive heavy blows.

A Golden Crowned Roc with black feathers flew overhead of Jingxin Courtyard.

Spreading its wings more than two meters wide, the Roc's speed was like a gust of wind, and each of its glossy dark feathers glistened sharply, its beak reflecting the hard metallic luster.

It swooped down towards Jingxin Courtyard, stirring up a mini-storm within the small garden with the wind from its wings, causing several pots and potted plants to be flung into the air. The leaves on a few slim bamboo plants were completely stripped away.

The elderly servants in the courtyard trembled with fear.

It looked as though the Roc was about to crash into Yue Jinghua and Shalman.

"How dare you behave so recklessly in this place," as the disturbance called by the Golden Crowned Roc ensued.

Yue Jinghua let out a "psst", and with a flicker of light in her hand, she shot into the sky like an arrow breaking free of its confines.

Her "Soft Finger" turned into several fine strings, the intertwining light and shadow lassoing around the wings of the Roc.

In the eyes of the Golden Crowned Roc, surprise flared as its wings were fiercely contracted; it was as if the bird had been tied to a huge stone, its body suddenly yanked down by great force, plummeting rapidly.

"Jinghua, go easy on it, it's your elder brother's message-carrying Dark Beast, Golden Wing," Lie Rou, hearing the commotion, rushed out in a panic.

Yue Jinghua peered closely at the Roc pinned on the ground, unable to move, and indeed, there was a letter bound beneath its lush feathers.

On the envelope, a few bold and unrestrained characters were written, "For my sister Jinghua, to open personally."

This Golden Crowned Roc was originally a guardian Roc of the Yue Family, its Dark Rank being fifth-grade. The Roc was naturally playful and used to enjoy teasing Yue Jinghua.

Every time it delivered a message, it would cause a huge commotion for Yue Jinghua. The last time it came with a message, Yue Jinghua had gone to Xuanji Academy and they hadn't encountered each other.

This time, Golden Wing happened to arrive to deliver a message, and seeing Yue Jinghua in mid-air, it wanted to dive down and tease her from above.

Who would have thought that "Yue Jinghua", who it used to scare into jumping about, would come at it like a firecracker, and with an odd kind of silk thread, it had trapped the bird so that it could not move a limb.

In the large eyes of the Golden Crowned Roc, a glint passed that was akin to human bewilderment.

"Oh, it's Golden Wing," Yue Jinghua slapped her forehead and chuckled as she retracted her "Soft Finger."

Upon noticing the changes in Yue Jinghua, out of the Dark Beast's instinct, Golden Wing stood up guardedly, its wings defensively positioned in front of its chest, as if trying to prevent Yue Jinghua from approaching.

"Jinghua, why does it seem like Golden Wing is afraid of you?" Lie Rou was puzzled. Golden Wing liked to tease Yue Jinghua and was considered close to her, but today something seemed off.

"How could that be, Big Gold, don't you love it when I preen your feathers for you?" Yue Jinghua had barely stretched out her fingers when the Golden Wing spread its wings defensively, shielding itself in front.

Yue Jinghua glared at it, and the Golden Wing dared not move any longer.

The feathers of the Golden Peng Bird trembled, and Yue Jinghua smiled, stepped forward, her fingers mimicking a comb as she caressed the rich plumage of the Golden Peng, "You're a fifth-level Dark Beast, you should be more sensible. Remember next time to make less noise when descending; it wouldn't be good to disturb the flowers and plants in the courtyard again like this."

The entire body of the Golden Crowned Roc bristled, and a pressure that it had never felt before emanated from within Yue Jinghua's body. The bird had no doubt that if it showed even the slightest sign of non-cooperation, Yue Jinghua would pluck it completely bare right away.

The Golden Crowned Roc nodded its head in a flurry.

"Silly child, why bother talking about such matters with a brute beast," Lie Rou chuckled with pursed lips, stepped forward to remove the letter bound to its talon, glanced at it briefly, and then handed it to Yue Jinghua with a smile, "Your big brother said in the letter, why haven't you replied to his letters? You used to send back several pages of replies, but recently, it's been mother sending greetings on your behalf."

"Reply to the letter? Mother, let's not talk about that for now. This is Shalman, the senior sister from the Outer Court that I've mentioned to you in my letters," Yue Jinghua paused, then embarrassingly pulled out a smile uglier than crying, and quickly changed the subject.

To have a 23rd-century female spy hold a brush and write a family letter to Lie Rou every fortnight was already enough of a headache, not to mention making casual conversation with a completely unfamiliar young man.

In the 23rd century, there was no longer a postal system, and everyone's communication was completed through virtual fiber optics. Also, given the nature of her work as a spy, she seldom left her own handwriting behind.

As for the letters from Yue Minzhi, Yue Jinghua's room was already filled with several large boxes of them, each letter written extensively, four to five pages long, containing more than ten thousand words. Each letter outlined Yue Minzhi's daily routine, revealing that this young lord who had taken over his father Yue Nian's mess lacked his father's bad habits and was an exceptionally upright young man with no vices.

He practiced martial arts at cockcrow each day, and sent salary on time each month to subsidize the expenses of Jingxin Courtyard.

After exchanging a few polite words with Shalman and having someone take her to rest, Lie Rou caught Yue Jinghua, who was trying to sneak away, and stuffed the thick pile of family letters into her hands.

"I feel sorry for Minzhi, who stayed alone in Duke Mansion so that we three could safely leave Longzhan Country. You know that there are only two old servants in the mansion now, with no one to look after him. He is all alone and your family letters would provide him with some comfort," after Yue Nian went bankrupt and disappeared, the once grand Duke Mansion had scattered like leaves in the wind.

In fact, Yue Min has been on his own in Longzhan for over three years. Yue Jinghua felt a wave of emotion, not wishing to upset Lie Rou, she opened the letter and, looking at the beautiful handwriting, couldn't help but conjure up the fragmented memories.

When they were faced with sinister debt collectors demanding repayment, Lie Rou chose to hide out in Shang Kingdom. The family of four had already packed up, sold off their properties, leaving only the ancestral home, only to be intercepted by debt collectors who had heard the news and came rushing as they were leaving the Capital.

To ensure the safety of his mother, sister, and brother, Yue Minzhi chose to stay behind alone at that moment.

The slender back of the young man stood firm in the cold north wind; he watched the gradually distancing carriage, his eyes steely with determination.

The image of a dutiful son and caring elder brother leaped forth from the page, stirring within Yue Jinghua a sour sensation - it was the concern and guilt the once "Yue Jinghua" had for her older brother.

Although "Yue Jinghua" had died, the sibling affection hidden within her was subtly changing Yue Jing's feelings towards the Yue Family members.

Yue Minzhi once said that he was the last backbone of the Yue Family, and Yue Jinghua was the keystone in that backbone.

Just like his mother Lie Rou, Yue Minzhi did not support Yue Jinghua entering the Xuanji Academy, and his opposition was even stronger than Lie Rou's.

In his previous letters, he kept persuading Yue Jinghua not to go to Xuanji Academy. In the latest letter, he also mentioned that he had passed the assessment of the Dragon Rider Battle Group in Longzhan Country and had become a Dragon Rider Dark Cultivator. As long as he accumulated enough merits to become a Dragon Rider General, he could bring Yue Jinghua back to attend the affiliated academy of the Dragon Riders and enjoy the benefits entitled to families of Dragon Rider Generals.

Among the young generation, Yue Minzhi's cultivation was quite impressive; he had already achieved Small Success in Dark Earth. Compared to those young nobles from Longzhan Country, he was truly rare. In addition to his talent, his strenuous cultivation played a major role.

Had it not been for the fall of the Yue Family, Yue Minzhi would have been enjoying a life of fine clothes and food. Yue Jinghua wondered whether the disappearance of Yue Nian and the collapse of the family fortune were a blessing or a curse for the children of the Yue Family.

"Mother, I will remember to reply to big brother's letters. I have to go out for a bit and won't be back until evening. Please take care of Shalman in the meantime. She's been sensitive ever since she lost her mother as a child," having finished reading the letter, an idea formed in Yue Jinghua's mind.