Aristocratic Family - Chapter 17

Chapter 17: Patience and Perseverance

The next morning, the sky above Lanxi Courtyard was filled with the crisp chirping of birds and the sound of clear reading. The servants sweeping the courtyard couldn’t help but smile as they watched Tingzheng recite his lessons.

With the young master back, the courtyard was no longer gloomy and depressing. The Lanxi Courtyard, which had been shrouded in darkness for half a year, finally showed signs of new life.

After washing up, Yueyao went to the study to look for calligraphy models. She had reached the limit of her Liu script practice and didn’t need to continue. Instead, she wanted to learn a new font. She didn’t need to master it like the Liu script; just being able to use it in daily life would be enough.

However, after searching for a long time, she couldn’t find any suitable models. Yueyao thought she might need to go to the market to buy some.

Hua Lei saw Yueyao searching through books and asked, “What are you looking for, young lady?”

When Hua Lei heard Yueyao mention calligraphy models, she thought for a moment and said, “I remember the madam gave you a calligraphy model before. I’ll go look for it.”

However, she suddenly realized she had said something wrong. Every time she mentioned the master or madam, Yueyao would get sad.

Although Yueyao was still sad, she wouldn’t be as heartbroken as before. Hearing Hua Lei’s words, she thought about her mother’s beautiful plum blossom font. She used to love watching her mother write in that style, which looked like dancing seal script from afar and blooming plum blossoms up close – absolutely beautiful and elegant.

Hua Lei saw Yueyao lost in thought and called out, “Young lady, young lady.”

Yueyao snapped back to reality, sighed softly, and said, “Go find it for me.” If she could learn the plum blossom seal script, it would be wonderful. Every woman in the boudoir hoped to write beautifully and be admired by others. However, this font was very difficult to practice.

Yueyao wanted to learn the plum blossom seal script not to impress others, but because she thought that if she could write beautifully in this style, she could earn a good income by selling her calligraphy, even if she didn’t sell paintings. She had heard that a well-written plum blossom script could sell for ten taels of silver in small towns, and even more in the capital.

Yueyao realized it was time to pay respects to her grandmother. Although her grandmother had said she didn’t need to come, Yueyao didn’t take it lightly. When elders told you not to do something, it was out of kindness, but if you insisted on doing it, it showed filial piety.

Yueyao had initially planned to bring Tingzheng with her, but after seeing him, she changed her mind. It wasn’t because her grandmother didn’t like Tingzheng, but because he still had injuries on his feet. Walking a short distance in the courtyard was fine, but walking such a long way might reopen the wounds and cause trouble.

As Yueyao left her room, she saw Gu Mama staring at her intently. Yueyao knew what Gu Mama was thinking and said calmly, “Mama, come with me.”

Gu Mama was taken aback, unsure why Yueyao had been cold towards her these past few days. Now that Yueyao seemed willing to be close to her again, she was overjoyed.

Tingzheng held onto Yueyao’s clothes, not wanting her to leave. Yueyao knew he was worried she might not come back and crouched down to comfort him, stroking his head and saying softly, “Tingzheng, I need to pay respects to grandmother. I’ll be back within an hour. When I return, I’ll check on you, and if you’re lazy, I’ll have to punish you.”

Tingzheng’s expression relaxed a bit when he heard Yueyao say she would return soon. He nodded obediently, “Don’t worry, sister. I won’t be lazy.”

Lanxi Courtyard was quite far from the old lady’s residence, and it took about 15 minutes to walk there. Previously, Yueyao thought it was a bit far, but now she considered it a good opportunity to exercise while walking. She realized her body was too delicate and weak from being pampered, which wasn’t good.

Yueyao remembered the words of the abbess, who said that childhood was crucial for building a strong foundation for one’s body. If the foundation was solid, the body would be healthy and robust, and there would be fewer health issues in the future. Therefore, Yueyao decided to exercise regularly and take tonics to strengthen her body, just like Tingzheng.

As Yueyao walked slowly on the road, she enjoyed the fresh air and the sweet songs of birds. She felt carefree and delighted. When she approached the main house, she heard laughter and chatter inside. This time, she arrived earlier than before and coincidentally met three cousins who were paying their respects.

Upon entering the room, Yueyao’s eyes were drawn to the exquisite purple sandalwood carved silk screen in the center of the room. The screen was extremely valuable and had been acquired by her great-grandfather.

Yueyao wondered why her grandmother had instructed someone to display it. She couldn’t help but walk closer to examine the screen carefully. She wasn’t attracted to its value but rather the unique patterns carved on it.

The sound of laughter and chatter in the room brought Yueyao back to reality. She noticed the strange looks from the maids nearby and smiled without explanation, as there was no need to. The maids didn’t ask any questions and led Yueyao into the room.

Inside, Yueyao saw three young ladies with joyful expressions on their faces.
The old lady smiled and beckoned Yueyao to come closer when she arrived. She had heard from the servants that Yueyao had started teaching Tingzheng to recognize characters the previous day, and they had studied until late into the night.

Yueyao wore a cherry-colored jacket with a matching pleated skirt. After paying her respects to the old lady, she walked over to her.

The old lady said with a loving tone, “You started teaching Tingzheng to read and recognize characters last night.”
It wasn’t a question, but a statement, as the old lady was well-informed about everything that happened in Lanxi Courtyard.

Yueyao knew that nothing could escape the old lady’s attention, so she nodded and smiled, “Tingzheng is five years old this year, and he hasn’t started his education yet, so I began teaching him.”

The old lady was aware of Yueyao’s talent and knew that she had inherited her father’s intelligence. With Yueyao’s talent, she would be more than capable of teaching Tingzheng.

Yuebing looked curious and asked, “Third sister, didn’t Third Uncle used to be able to recite and write with ease? He memorized the Hundred Family Surnames and the Three Character Classic in one day without making a single mistake. I wonder how Tingzheng will compare.” Her tone was clearly not well-intentioned, as everyone in the family knew about Tingzheng’s poor aptitude. It was almost as if she was calling him foolish.

The old lady looked at Yueyao. Yueyao knew Yuebing’s intentions weren’t good, but she still answered truthfully, “Tingzheng is doing well. He learned ten characters yesterday.”

As soon as Yueyao finished speaking, the room fell silent. The only sound was the wind rustling through the trees outside. Everyone stared at Yueyao in shock.

Yueyao knew that learning ten characters in one day might be considered decent in rural areas, but in a prestigious family like the Lian’s, it was almost embarrassing to mention.

Yuebing covered her mouth and smiled, “Third sister is truly patient.” She seemed to be implying that Yueyao’s brain might be rusty, and that Tingzheng’s poor aptitude was laughable.

The old lady looked at Yueyao thoughtfully. Given Yueyao’s previous pride and arrogance, she would have likely refused to teach someone with such poor aptitude. However, today, Yueyao remained calm and composed despite Yuebing’s sarcasm, which sparked the old lady’s curiosity.

Yueying looked expectantly at Yueyao, while Yuehuan remained expressionless, as if she was just a prop in the background. She had always been good at playing that role.

Yueyao seemed to ignore Yuebing’s mockery and said, “Second sister is right. Tingzheng’s aptitude is indeed not as good as others. But I believe that aptitude isn’t the key. I’m confident that with perseverance and determination, Tingzheng can still achieve great things.”

When Yueyao saw Yuebing about to speak, she smiled and continued, “I don’t expect Tingzheng to be as outstanding as grandfather or father. I just want him to understand etiquette and be capable of managing the second branch of the family. That’s enough.”

Yueyao’s words made it clear that she didn’t have high expectations for Tingzheng’s future. She didn’t hope for him to achieve great success in the imperial exams or become an official. Her goal was simply to ensure that Tingzheng understood the basics and continued his father’s lineage.

By saying this, Yueyao effectively silenced others who might criticize Tingzheng’s poor aptitude. Since she had already lowered her expectations, it would be unreasonable for others to belittle Tingzheng further.

The old lady’s eyes sparkled with insight after listening to Yueyao’s words. Indeed, with Tingzheng’s aptitude, it would be challenging for him to become a Jinshi or Juren, or even a Xiucai.

The fact that Yueyao was so dedicated to teaching him despite knowing his limitations spoke volumes about her sincerity. The old lady thought that Yueyao had matured significantly, not only understanding the situation but also having a clear plan for the future. It seemed that the lessons she learned from her mother had had a profound impact on her.

Yuebing smiled and said, “Third sister, let’s go see Tingzheng together later. Would that be okay?” Yueyao pursed her lips and remained silent, using her silence as a form of protest against Yuebing’s teasing.

Yueying tried to break the awkward silence by saying, “I’ve heard that Tingzheng is very shy around strangers. Third sister, are you worried that we might scare him?”

Yueyao nodded and apologized, “Yes, Tingzheng is indeed very shy. Even the maids can’t get close to him. I’ll bring him to visit you sisters once he gets more familiar with me. Grandmother, Tingzheng’s leg is injured, and I’m afraid that walking such a long distance might reopen the wound and leave a scar. That’s why I didn’t bring him with me today. I hope you won’t mind.”

The old lady was impressed by Yueyao’s thoughtful words. She knew that Yueyao had given a lot of thought to Tingzheng’s care and well-being. The old lady asked, “Now that you’ve brought him to your courtyard, how do you plan to take care of him? Who will attend to his needs?”
The old lady was aware of Yueyao’s stance on not wanting sycophants around her, and she was curious to see how Yueyao would handle this situation.

Although Yueyao said she would discuss this with the old lady, the old lady was confident that Yueyao had already thought this through and had a plan in place.
Yuebing smiled and said, “Third sister, yesterday you told my mother that there are no reliable maids or servants taking care of Tingzheng. My mother has already selected a few maids who are diligent and trustworthy. They’re all born into the family, so we don’t have to worry about their loyalty. You can take them to Lanxi Courtyard later.”

Yuebing was used to giving orders, and others would usually comply without objection, except for the old lady. However, she didn’t consider whether Yueyao would give her face or not.

Yueyao had originally planned to discuss this matter with her grandmother after everyone left, but since Yuebing brought it up, she decided to go along with it. She smiled and said, “Grandmother, I would like to ask you to select a reliable mama for Tingzheng.” She was hinting at wanting Deng Mama to return, and she believed that her grandmother would understand her intentions.

The old lady looked at Yueyao in surprise, realizing that this girl was starting to think strategically. She smiled and said, “Actually, Deng Mama had asked someone to tell me that she wanted to come back and serve you. However, I had already chosen a mama for your courtyard, and I couldn’t replace her with Deng Mama. But now that Tingzheng needs a reliable mama, Deng Mama is the most suitable person. She was loyal to your mother, and it’s only fitting that she serves Tingzheng.”

Yueyao had predicted that her grandmother would agree to her request, but she didn’t expect her to agree so readily. She felt grateful and said, “I’m really unfilial, and now I’m making grandmother worry about me.”

Deng Mama had been loyal to her mother and had never married, dedicating her life to serving her family. Yueyao had grown up with Deng Mama and trusted her completely. Having Deng Mama by her side would be like having an extra pair of hands.

The old lady smiled and stroked Yueyao’s head, saying, “Silly child, grandmother is not that old yet. Don’t worry about me.”