Aristocratic Family - Chapter 16

Chapter 16: Enlightenment (Part 2)

Yueyao took the “Hundred Family Surnames” and pointed to the first character, saying to Tingzheng, “Come, Tingzheng, this character is pronounced ‘Zhao’. Okay, let’s try, ‘Zhao’…”

After teaching Tingzheng for a while, Yueyao realized why everyone said he wasn’t smart. His intelligence was truly at the lowest end of the spectrum. She could remember things after learning them once, but Tingzheng couldn’t remember even after ten times.

Yueyao sighed softly.
Tingzheng was very sensitive and saw Yueyao’s frowning and sighing.
He stammered, “Sister, am I, am I really stupid?”

Yueyao thought for a moment. Instead of comforting him with empty words, she decided to tell him the truth, which would motivate him to work harder.

One-sided denial wouldn’t be realistic: “Tingzheng, your intelligence is a bit worse than average, but that doesn’t mean you’re stupid. Whether someone succeeds or not depends on their character and perseverance, not just intelligence. Since your intelligence is below average, you’ll need to compensate with extra effort. As long as you’re willing to put in ten or twenty times more effort than others, the question is whether you can endure the hardships.”

Tingzheng shook his head, “I’m not afraid of hard work. I’ll definitely listen to you and study hard.” He wasn’t afraid of suffering, but he was afraid that his sister would abandon him.

Yueyao was relieved, “Good, as long as you have this determination, you won’t be inferior to others in the future.” Learning relies on perseverance and endurance. Many people with good intelligence waste their talents due to laziness. As long as you have perseverance and endurance, Yueyao believed that even if Tingzheng couldn’t become a dragon, he would definitely not become a worm.

Tingzheng nodded heavily, “I’ll listen to you, Sister.”

The gentle breeze blew against the windows, causing them to creak loudly. It seemed as though the windows couldn’t bear to see the two people inside so engrossed and wanted to wake them up. However, no matter how loud the noise was, it couldn’t distract the two individuals who were deeply focused on learning.

Yueyao taught Tingzheng to recognize characters until 6:30pm. In just one afternoon, Tingzheng learned ten characters: Zhao, Qian, Sun, Li, Zhou, Wu, Zheng, Wang, Feng, and Chen.

Yueyao couldn’t help but sigh. When her father learned the “Hundred Family Surnames,” he finished it in one day, and she herself had mastered it in half a day, even able to recite it backwards. However, looking at Tingzheng’s learning pace, it would likely take a month for him to finish learning the “Hundred Family Surnames.” This was assuming he could remember what he learned and wouldn’t forget it overnight; otherwise…

Yueyao took a deep breath and comforted herself internally, lowering her expectations. She didn’t expect much from this younger brother, who was fortunate to have been born. She didn’t hope for him to become a successful candidate or bring glory to the family; she just wanted him to grow up safely and continue the lineage of the second branch. That way, she would have family to rely on and wouldn’t be alone.

After comforting herself for a while, Yueyao managed to calm her restless mood.

Once calm, Yueyao couldn’t help but feel grateful for the ten years she spent in the temple, which had tempered her temperament. Otherwise, given Tingzheng’s intelligence, which was like rotten wood, she might have lost patience and given up on teaching him long ago, based on her previous arrogant and proud personality.

Yueyao checked the time and realized it was almost time to rest. She took Tingzheng’s hand and walked out, resting for a bit before the meal was served.

When Yueyao saw the abundant food on the table, she looked at Mu Qiu.
Mu Qiu was in charge of managing his meals, so she should have a clear understanding of the situation.

Mu Qiu smiled and said, “This is the standard portion for both the young lady and the young master.” Mu Qiu’s meaning was that Tingzheng was treated according to the standards of a young master, so the meal was more abundant than usual.

Yueyao nodded slightly, thinking it was only right and proper that they should receive this treatment. After washing their hands, they sat down to eat. Unlike at noon, Tingzheng now asked Hua Lei to refill his bowl after finishing one bowl of rice.

Yueyao smiled at Tingzheng to encourage him, and Tingzheng’s face lit up with joy. Yueyao thought to herself that this child’s expectations were truly low.

After dinner, Yueyao took Tingzheng to the courtyard again. As the sun set in the west, it cast long shadows of the two figures.

Yueyao looked at the shadows and suddenly said, “Tingzheng, recite what you learned today for Sister.” Although it was only ten characters, Yueyao hoped that Tingzheng could remember what he had learned.

Tingzheng recited the characters loudly, and Yueyao listened by his side. Being able to recite them was normal; if he couldn’t, Yueyao would be the one to cry.

In the evening, Yueyao didn’t teach Tingzheng to recognize more characters. Instead, she had him start practicing writing. After writing the character “Zhao,”

Yueyao said, “From today on, you’ll practice writing during the day and practice calligraphy in the evening.”

The Liu script was known for its elegance and refinement, with a reputation for being “thin, hard, and square.” Liu Gong’s regular script was more uniform and slender than Yan’s, earning it the nickname “Yan Tendon’s and Liu Bones.”

As a result, Lian Dongbo had always liked it and practiced the Liu script. Yueyao had inherited this habit and had mastered the Liu script herself. Her handwriting had received many praises, and it was more than sufficient for teaching Tingzheng the basics.

Tingzheng listened to Yueyao’s explanation about the Liu script and looked up at her. “Sister, what is the Liu script?”
During the afternoon’s lesson, Yueyao encouraged him to ask questions if he didn’t understand. Don’t be afraid of losing face; what’s scary is not knowing something and not asking. If you don’t understand, you should ask, and that’s how you make progress.

Tingzheng was a good boy, and he asked questions when he didn’t understand. Yueyao was delighted to see Tingzheng seeking clarification and explained to him what the Liu script and Yan script were.

After Yueyao finished writing the characters for Tingzheng to practice, she had nothing to do. Watching Tingzheng practice his handwriting, Yueyao thought that her Liu script had reached its limit and couldn’t improve further. It was time to learn a new font.

Yueyao searched the bookshelf for a long time but couldn’t find a font that suited her taste. In the end, she picked up a book of her father’s essays to read.

Tingzheng practiced writing for an hour and a half in the entire evening, focusing on the ten characters he learned during the day. Yueyao breathed a sigh of relief; fortunately, he didn’t get impatient even though he only practiced ten characters.

Yueyao finally discovered Tingzheng’s first advantage: he had enough patience.

As it was getting late, Yueyao told Ting Zheng to go to bed. She scheduled him to wake up at Second quarter of Chen Shi (around 7:30 am) the next day to recite the characters (although there were only ten, he still needed to memorize them to develop good habits).

Yueyao lived in the main room, while Tingzheng was arranged to stay in the east wing. Yueyao asked Xijuan and Xiyu to take care of Tingzheng. Since the siblings were close, it would be convenient for them to look after each other.

Yueyao had decided to appoint Deng Mama as the housekeeper in charge of Tingzheng’s care. She hadn’t chosen a personal maid yet, but it had to be someone she trusted. She also needed to carefully select a personal servant boy to attend to Tingzheng.

Yueyao was well aware that when it came to using people’s hearts and employing strategies, she was still in the novice stage and had much to learn.

Thinking about the situation she was facing, Yueyao eagerly hoped that Deng Mama would return soon. With Deng Mama’s guidance, she could avoid many detours.

Yueyao sat in front of the dressing table, removing the hairpin from her hair. She saw Gu Mama walking in through the bronze mirror. Over the past two days, Yueyao hadn’t given Gu Mama a cold shoulder, but their relationship wasn’t as close as before. She had let Hua Lei and Mu Qiu take care of her needs, effectively sideling Gu Mama.

Gu Mama took over Hua Lei’s task, preparing to style Yueyao’s hair. Hua Lei retreated to the side after seeing Yueyao nod at her.

Yueyao watched Gu Mama’s obsequious expression as she combed her hair, feeling a cold amusement in her heart. She wondered how she hadn’t seen through this person’s true nature in her previous life. What was the point of having eyes if she couldn’t see?

However, Yueyao didn’t reprimand Gu Mama. The cold treatment over the past few days was enough. If she suddenly scolded Gu Mama without reason, it would harm her reputation. After experiencing her previous life and attempting suicide multiple times, Yueyao didn’t care much about her reputation. But she wouldn’t let someone like Gu Mama ruin her reputation. She would tolerate it for a couple more days.

Gu Mama carefully styled Yueyao’s hair and asked, “Young lady, you didn’t copy scriptures today?”

Yueyao replied indifferently, “Ensuring the second branch’s lineage continues by teaching Tingzheng to read and raising him to be a capable person – that’s the greatest filial piety to our parents.” Copying scriptures was just a trap; of course, she would still copy scriptures, but she would do it at her own pace and not limit herself to scriptures alone.

Gu Mama’s hands paused, and she hurriedly said, “Young lady, you can’t do that. Young lady, Master Pu’an said…” She had been quiet for the past few days, secretly investigating who was spreading rumors in front of the young lady and what exactly happened that night.

She asked Mu Qiu, but Mu Qiu shook her head, saying that the young lady was just frightened by the lightning and thunder that day, and everything else was fine, nothing out of the ordinary.

If Hua Lei had said that, Gu Mama wouldn’t have believed it. But Mu Qiu was known for being honest and never lied, so Gu Mama had to believe her.

Yueyao had told Hua Lei about her mother’s message in a dream but hadn’t said a word to Mu Qiu. It wasn’t that Yueyao didn’t trust Mu Qiu, but she knew Mu Qiu’s nature – she was too honest, almost to the point of being foolish. Yueyao wasn’t worried about Mu Qiu betraying her, but she couldn’t guarantee that Mu Qiu wouldn’t be manipulated into telling the truth.

Yueyao looked at Gu Mama, her lips curling into a cold smile. After she returned, she had gone to Hua Lin Temple to burn incense, and Master Pu’an had told her that if she sincerely copied the “Classic of Filial Piety” every day for a year and then burned it for her parents in the afterlife, it would make their lives better.

This had been a timely comfort for her when she had suddenly lost her parents. So, in her previous life, she had persisted in copying scriptures for a year, every day immersing herself in the texts, and thereby missing out on many things.

Gu Mama saw Yueyao’s ambiguous smile and was greatly alarmed. However, remembering the promise she had made to the lady of the house, she mustered up her courage and said, “Young lady, you mustn’t give up halfway! The master said it requires a sincere heart.”

Yueyao gently placed the silver hairpin on the dressing table.
“Mama, don’t worry, I know what I should and shouldn’t do. Mama, you’re getting older, and staying up late isn’t good for your health. You should take care of yourself from now on. The matters in the courtyard can be left to Mu Qiu and Hua Lei.”

Gu Mama wanted to say she could endure it, but Yueyao didn’t even look at her and directly called Mu Qiu in.
Feeling embarrassed, Gu Mama left.

As Gu Mama went out, Yueyao’s eyes flashed with a mocking smile. It seemed that Madam Mo was getting anxious and had sent Gu Mama to probe her. However, with Grandmother’s presence, Madam Mo wouldn’t dare to make any moves. Otherwise, Grandmother wouldn’t spare her.

After lying down, Yueyao couldn’t sleep, tossing and turning in bed. Her mind was a mess. Since she couldn’t sleep, Yueyao got up and went to the small Buddhist hall. Instead of continuing to copy scriptures as she usually did, she sat in front of the full table of scriptures, thinking about what to do next.

Yueyao sat in a chair, looking at the round moon outside. This lifetime, she hadn’t come back just to be cautious or solely to fight with Madam Mo. As long as she was on guard against Madam Mo and no longer let herself be deceived, she would find others to support her. She wouldn’t be helpless like in her previous life, and Madam Mo wouldn’t dare to betray her.

But what would she do in the future? She couldn’t spend her whole life like in her previous life, living in a daze and being muddle-headed.

Yueyao’s mind was a mess. Her gaze drifted to a painting on the wall, and she stared blankly at it, remembering her days in the temple.

There were many women in the temple. Some of them had families who sent money and food every month, and they didn’t have to worry about their livelihood. However, there were also many women who were homeless and had to rely on themselves. The temple couldn’t support them for free, so they had to work to earn money. Most of them did embroidery or other tasks, while some did rough work, all of which was very tiring.

After she arrived at the temple, she realized she was useless. She couldn’t cook, didn’t know embroidery, and didn’t know anything. The nun in charge of the temple’s affairs would frown whenever she saw her. Over time, not only the nun in charge but also the other women looked down on her, treating her like a parasite.

It wasn’t until the abbess discovered that she had a good handwriting that she was tasked with copying scriptures. During the process, it was found that she was also skilled at painting. So, she earned money for the temple by copying scriptures and painting Buddhist images. The income she brought was considerable, and her life in the temple became tolerable.

Yueyao sat at the desk, looking up at the painting of a sunset mountain village. Although she didn’t need fame and reputation this lifetime, she couldn’t afford to lose her skills. Not only couldn’t she lose them, but she also needed to strive for perfection and continuous improvement. That way, if something unexpected happened, she could rely on her skills to survive.

Thinking about painting, Yueyao couldn’t help but remember Mr. Wen’s words of regret back then. He had said it was a pity, a waste of her talent. If she were a man, he would have taken her as a student, but unfortunately, she was born a woman.

Mr. Wen Chengxiang had agreed to teach Yueyao because he owed a friend a favor. Although he thought Yueyao had remarkable talent in painting, he didn’t take her as a student because she was a woman.

The reason was simple: women were expected to get married, have children, and manage the household. Learning to paint was just a hobby, not a serious pursuit. However, despite holding such views, Mr. Wen was just as strict with Yueyao as he was with his own students, using all his expertise to teach her. Those four years laid a solid foundation for her.

Unfortunately, when her family had an accident, she hadn’t had time to learn more advanced things before returning to the capital. After she came back, she didn’t have a teacher to guide her, and everything she learned was through self-study.

Yueyao clenched her fists, realizing that her calligraphy had reached its limit and couldn’t improve further. However, her painting skills were just beginning to develop, and she had a lot of room for growth. If she wanted to take her painting to the next level, she would need to seek guidance from a teacher. Although it was impossible for her to become a formal student, she was confident that her teacher would provide valuable insights if she encountered difficulties.

Recalling her past experiences, Yueyao knew that even without systematic study, her 20 years of experience and skills would be beneficial. With her teacher’s guidance, her painting skills would definitely improve significantly.

After calculating and planning for half a day, Yueyao had a clear direction for her future path. With a clearer mind, her panic dissipated significantly. As she lay in bed, Yueyao couldn’t help but think about Tingzheng, who had only learned ten characters in an entire afternoon.

Yueyao felt truly depressed. Tingzheng’s learning progress was already lagging behind his peers, and now he was learning at a snail’s pace. At this rate, he would fall far behind. Yueyao had given up on the idea of Tingzheng becoming a high-ranking official like a Jinshi or Juren. According to this progress, it would be a blessing if Tingzheng could even pass the Xiucai exam.

Yueyao smiled bitterly, wondering why her brother’s aptitude was so poor. Why was there such a huge difference between him and her?
If possible, she would rather be mediocre herself and have her brother be intelligent instead.
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