Sécurité

Chapitre 51

Many people in the Song Dynasty had surnames but no given names, but children, regardless of their social status, did not take their husbands' surnames. Could it be that this Lady Zhou's maiden family also had the surname Zhou? In an era that valued those with the same surname as family, this was truly rare. Xiao Yuan couldn't help but glance at her a few more times.

After Cailian finished tidying up the fourth courtyard, she took Master Zhou and his family to settle in. Xiaoyuan then asked Cheng Mutian where this gentleman had been invited from.

Cheng Mutian replied, "A friend in business recommended him to me. He said that Master Zhou once taught in a government-run primary school, and he is extremely knowledgeable and patient with children." Xiao Yuan nodded upon hearing this, "He certainly seems very kind. I wonder how much the tuition is?" Cheng Mutian said, "We provide room and board, and you will pay an additional twenty-four strings of cash per year." Xiao Yuan adjusted the abacus on the table and said, "Twenty-four strings of cash a year, according to the current market value of one string of cash being seven hundred and fifty coins, that's only fifty coins per day. Isn't that a bit too little?" Cheng Mutian, being a businessman, had a long-term perspective and said, "Let's see how it goes first. What's the rush? If he teaches well, we can increase the amount later."

Xiao Yuan praised his thoughtfulness, took the account book, noted the entry, and then remembered that Master Zhou was wearing old clothes. She asked, "Do they have a lot of luggage?" Cheng Mutian smiled and said, "Didn't you see it all just now?" Xiao Yuan thought carefully for a moment and asked in surprise, "Only those two bundles?" Cheng Mutian nodded and smiled, "I know you are always compassionate. Quickly give them half of their tuition fees." Xiao Yuan tapped him with the account book, picked up her pen and wrote another line, then called A Cai and told her to go to the accounting office to get a string of cash to send to Master Zhou.

Before long, Master Zhou arrived with his wife and brought the list that Brother Wu wanted to prepare. Cheng Mutian took the list and went to study it. Xiao Yuan looked at the couple. Madam Zhou's thin jacket was brand new, but the cuffs of Master Zhou's robe were frayed. Seeing her looking at her, Madam Zhou smiled shyly and said, "My husband is just like that. I wanted to sew him a new dress, but he refused and instead gave me and the child some floral fabric. I don't need to go out and see anyone anyway, so what's the use of wearing a new dress? But he has to socialize outside, and he doesn't even have a decent outfit..." Master Zhou interrupted her, saying, "What socializing could a teacher like me have? This dress doesn't have any holes, so why waste money?"

Who says poverty makes life miserable for couples? Xiao Yuan herself and her husband are harmonious. Seeing the two of them, she still felt envious. After thinking for a moment, she said, "Let's give the tuition fee monthly, one string of cash each month. The remaining money can be paid at the end of the year." Master Zhou and his wife hurriedly got up to thank her again. Xiao Yuan waved her hand and laughed, "I didn't give you any more than that, what's there to thank me for?"

After Master Zhou and his wife took their leave, Cheng Mutian handed the list to Xiaoyuan. Xiaoyuan took it and saw that the first books listed were: *Elementary Primer for Children*, *Elementary Learning*, *Thousand Character Classic*, *Nature and Principles*, *Hundred Family Surnames*, and *Three Character Classic*. She was slightly surprised: "Six books? So many?"

Cheng Mutian said, "Is that all? These six books are only for learning to read. Once you've mastered a thousand characters, there will be many more." Xiao Yuan sighed. It seemed that children in the Song Dynasty were no less fortunate than modern people. Cheng Mutian laughed at her, saying, "So you're already worried about your son? Next time you have a daughter, you won't have to work so hard." Xiao Yuan still sighed, saying, "How much easier can a daughter be? She'll have to learn to read too, and she'll have to learn needlework, and who knows, she might even have to learn weaving, cooking..." Before she could finish, Cheng Mutian began to tease her, tugging at the red heart-shaped purse at his waist, and laughed, "Why be so harsh on a daughter? It would be good enough if she could be a little better than you at her craftsmanship."

"You keep bringing this up, when will it ever end?" Xiao Yuan jumped up, dragged him into the inner room, pushed him onto the bed, and said fiercely, "I'll give birth to a daughter right now, and ask my aunt to teach her Suzhou embroidery so she can learn a good skill. Then I'll marry her off to someone else and make you furious."

Chapter 151 Skipping School

Once the master is invited in, one must obey his words; no matter how much Xiaoyuan tries to reduce the number, her objections are futile. The next day, Cheng Mutian got up very early and took Cheng Fu to the morning market, heading straight for the Yin family's bookstore in front of the Imperial Ancestral Temple. This shop didn't just sell books; it integrated editing, engraving, publishing, and distribution, doing both wholesale and retail. Cheng Fu asked the shop assistant a few questions, then turned to Cheng Mutian and said, "Young Master, similarly, let's buy three copies so we can get them at the wholesale price, saving a lot of money. My Xi-ge is a year older than Wu-ge; if you don't mind, you can have him become a child attendant." Saving money wherever possible, he had the air of a businessman. Cheng Mutian smiled and said, "Sure, but that's only two copies." Cheng Fu thought for a moment; his eldest sister's eighth brother was still young, Cheng San-niang's baby hadn't been born yet, He Yaohong's two sons had gone to Quanzhou, and only—"Young Master, Fourth Sister..."

Cheng Mutian glared at him, which startled him so much that he swallowed the rest of his sentence and quickly changed his words, "How about Aunt Chen's daughter, Yu Niang?" Cheng Mutian still glared at him: "Yu Niang is a girl. It's fine for her to learn needlework at home, but how can she come out and study with the boys?" Cheng Fu couldn't think of anyone else, so he said with a grin: "She's only a few years old, far from the age where boys and girls shouldn't sit together. It's good to coax her over to make up the number of students. As for whether she wants to study for a long time, that's up to her. If the young master doesn't agree, then we can only call Second Aunt's youngest son, Hu Tou."

The people from Aunt Cheng's family are best avoided, there's no reason for them to bring them to their own home. Cheng Mutian frowned, then smiled and said, "I think you're not satisfied until you get the wholesale price. I'll wait for you here. You should go to the Xue family and ask Aunt Chen if she's willing to send Yu Niang to study here."

Cheng Fu happily agreed and ran off. The Xue family wasn't far away, and he soon returned to report to Cheng Mutian that Aunt Chen was very willing to send her youngest daughter to her eldest daughter's home for school. She even brought out money and asked them to help Yu Niang buy all the books. Cheng Mutian nodded, handed the list to the shop assistant, and told him to take three of each type. The shop assistant glanced at the list, picked up a stack of old A-grade books, and laughed, "I see that the customers are buying books for children to learn to read. They'll be thrown away after use. Why buy brand new ones? We have some that are 80-90% new, with not a single page missing, but the price is only half that of new ones."

Seeing that this one was cheaper and more cost-effective, Cheng Fu quickly picked up a book and held it out to Cheng Mutian, flipping through it page by page. Cheng Mutian noticed dirty marks at the corners of each page and frowned, asking what those stains were. The shop assistant honestly replied, "It's probably because the previous owner liked to spit on it when flipping through it, leaving those marks." Upon hearing this, Cheng Mutian immediately told Cheng Fu to throw the old one far away and repeatedly shouted that he wanted to buy a new one.

The new books cost three copper coins each, and six copies had cost a considerable amount of money, causing Fu Xin to cry out in distress. Cheng Mutian asked him to deliver them to Aunt Chen, while he himself carried Wu Ge's share home.

Xiao Yuan was delighted to see the brand-new books. She opened them and saw that they were all printed with "Published by the Yin Family Bookstore in Lin'an Prefecture." It turned out that these were books printed by the Yin family bookstore itself. She ground the ink herself and called to Cheng Mutian, "You, as his father, write his name for him so that he doesn't get confused with others." Cheng Mutian, however, did not take the brush and laughed, "Let him learn to write, and then he can write it himself. Your aunt's daughter, Yu Niang, is also coming to study here. We'll have to provide her with a meal, so you should make the arrangements."

Xiao Yuan asked in surprise, "Why did you know about your sister's upcoming study session first?" Cheng Mutian coughed twice and told her about Cheng Fu's plan to collect three books to get a wholesale price, which drew loud laughter and scolding from her.

Since three people were coming to study, it wouldn't be appropriate to just use any room. After discussing it with Master Zhou, Xiao Yuan ordered someone to clean out a room in the fourth courtyard where they lived, repaint the walls and paper the windows, and set up several long, low tables and matching stools. They also ordered a very grand "lectern" and a very comfortable armchair for the teacher.

For several days in a row, the family had been having a carpenter make chairs, which caused quite a commotion. Xiao Yuan explained to Cheng Mutian, "Our two sons are close in age, and in a few years, there might be children from other relatives coming to study here. So we're making several sets at once to have on hand. Anyway, these wooden things won't break."

Taking advantage of a moment when no one was looking, Cheng Tian leaned close to her ear and said, "Our relatives are all families who can afford a tutor. Who would want to send their children to a secondary school? If you don't have a few more children, it'll be a waste of my good desks and chairs." The contraception plan has only been in place for a few months. Can't you hold back already? Xiao Yuan rolled her eyes at him: "Can Third Sister afford a tutor? The desks and chairs are for her children."

Several days later, the Cheng family's private primary school was finally ready. That day, Xiao Yuan dragged Wu Ge out of bed early, coaxed him to eat breakfast, and then asked A Yun and A Cai to carry him and Xi Ge to school. Sister-in-law Yu, watching the two small figures, laughed, "This page is really too young. Not only can he not serve his master, but we have to sacrifice a maid to serve him." Xiao Yuan smiled and said, "What page? Just find Wu Ge a study companion. He's a good man."

After a while, Aunt Chen personally brought Yu Niang over, saying she had caused them trouble.

Xiao Yuan asked Sister-in-law Yu to take Yu Niang over. She smiled at Aunt Chen and said, "She's my own sister. What's the trouble? I just don't know what dishes and snacks she likes. Tell me so someone can prepare them." Aunt Chen took out a banknote and handed it to her, saying, "Whatever you eat, she eats. Don't indulge her whims. Take this money. If it's not enough, just tell me." Xiao Yuan declined, saying, "What's this? My sister eats at my house, and I have to charge her? People will laugh at us." Aunt Chen insisted on putting the banknote in her hand, saying, "My sisters-in-law have been begging me for days, saying they want to send their sons to your school. I quoted them a high price, which scared them off. If you don't accept this money, and word gets back to our family, they might bother me again."

Xiao Yuan knew that she and her sister-in-law were usually quite close, and she felt very bad upon hearing this. She said, "It's not that I'm stingy with the money, but I'm afraid of the trouble they'll cause. You know me, Auntie." No matter how good her husband's family was, Aunt Chen still put her daughter first. She smiled and said, "What's there to feel bad about? As far as your Cheng family is concerned, the Xue family is just a distant relative. It's already a great kindness that you're helping them out of consideration for our mother-daughter relationship."

Xiao Yuan secretly sighed, thinking that her own mother was the most caring. She brought Chen Ge over, taught him to greet people, and invited Aunt Chen to stay for lunch, saying, "Our Wu Ge is going to the gym to practice boxing this afternoon, so we'll have to trouble Uncle Xue to take care of him." Aunt Chen smiled and said, "You're the boss, how could he dare to neglect you? Since he's not learning this afternoon, after lunch I'll take Yu Niang home to learn needlework."

"Yu Niang is only four years old, and she's already learning needlework?" Xiao Yuan was surprised. Then, remembering how Cheng Mutian would often use her clumsy skills to mock people, she took an unfinished handkerchief and asked Aunt Chen for advice.

Even as a mother, Aunt Chen thought her eldest daughter wasn't cut out for needlework. She painstakingly taught her while simultaneously trying to persuade her to give up. Suddenly, A-Yun rushed in, flustered, and cried, "Young Madam, Wu-ge is missing!" Xiao Yuan looked up, amused, and said, "He's at home, where could he have gone? Just send someone to look for him." A-Yun responded and hurriedly called for help. They searched the courtyard and also told Qin-sao in the garden to search carefully among the rocks and stones.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Aunt Chen stopped teaching the needlework and laughed, "A big house has its inconveniences; it's hard to find a baby. Our house is small; we can find one just by standing anywhere and looking around." Xiao Yuan buried his head in the ball of thread, struggling with it, and said, "Auntie, you're wrong about that. It's not that our house is too big, but that we have too few people. Originally, one courtyard was empty. Later, Third Sister got married, and my stepmother separated the family, so three of the five courtyards are now empty. I often feel that the house is empty, and I'm thinking of moving to a smaller house." Aunt Chen picked up Chen Ge and patted him, saying, "Right now, the teacher's family has taken up a courtyard, but when your two sons grow up, this house might not be enough."

The mother and daughter chatted for a while, but when Xiaoyuan got tired of the needle and thread and put it down, Wu Ge was still nowhere to be found. She started to get worried and sent someone to the school to ask him carefully. It turned out that Wu Ge had said he needed to relieve himself while studying, and didn't want Ayun to help him. He ran towards the outhouse by himself. When Ayun followed him, he was nowhere to be seen. She didn't know where he had hidden.

Sister-in-law Yu was so anxious she almost fainted: "How could Brother Wu, who is so small, use the outhouse? Could he have fallen in?" A-Yun cried out in panic: "I didn't know he was going to use the potty, I'm so sorry..." Xiao Yuan was extremely anxious and, without bothering to scold her, rushed towards the outhouse first.

When Cheng Mutian rushed back after receiving the news, all the outhouses in the house had been searched, but no trace of Wu Ge was found. He was both angry and amused: "My son may be young, but he's not stupid. If he really fell into the outhouse, wouldn't he be crying out? You guys are really out of your minds. Instead of looking in the proper places, you're searching through the latrines."

He scolded her relentlessly, then turned and saw Xiaoyuan's red eyes. He realized his wife was just worried and confused, so he quickly went to comfort her, saying, "Our gatekeeper is very responsible; he must still be at home, he can't have gone far." Xiaoyuan, trying to hold back her tears, finally couldn't help but throw herself into his arms and cry, "We've searched everywhere, from the front hall to the backyard, the garden, the pond, even the alleyways, but we still can't find him. Could he really have slipped away? There are so many kidnappers out there..."

Seeing her so heartbroken, Cheng Mutian didn't want to push her away. He hesitated for a long time, his face flushed, then patted her back and calmly called someone over to give instructions: "Go ask the old woman who guards the servants' courtyard if she has seen Brother Wu." Xiao Yuan suddenly raised her head: "The servants' courtyard is just across the alley from ours. How could I have forgotten about that side?"

Chapter 152 Madam Qian Encounters a Setback

When the young mistress found Wu-ge in the servants' quarters, he was leisurely strolling in the embroidery courtyard, breaking open candies and eating them. A-Zhu, unaware that the search for this little rascal had caused such a commotion at home, exclaimed in surprise, "Wu-ge said he was taking a break from class and was just passing by to bring Xi-ge a piece of candy."

How could it take so long to carry a piece of candy? She's always been careless, and Xiao Yuan didn't know what to say to her. She could only tell the people in the yard to be more careful in the future and not let the children run around.

Cheng Mutian was furious that his son, Wu Ge, had made his wife anxious. He raised his hand to slap him, but Xiao Yuan stopped him and solemnly asked Wu Ge, "Why are you skipping school?" Wu Ge replied matter-of-factly, "You didn't ask me if I wanted to study, so why should I go?" Xiao Yuan was stunned for a moment, then turned to Cheng Mutian and smiled bitterly, "So it was our fault after all; we forgot to discuss it with him." Seeing that his son had learned to bargain at such a young age, Cheng Mutian became even angrier. He slapped his son's little bottom and scolded, "You dare disobey your father's orders?"

Although Xiaoyuan disagreed with the slap, she didn't want to contradict him in front of the child. So she quietly tugged at his clothes, squatted down, and sincerely apologized to Wu Ge: "It's our fault that Father and Mother didn't ask for your opinion beforehand." Wu Ge secretly wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes and grinned, "I don't blame you." These arrogant words made Cheng Mutian want to raise his hand to slap him again. Xiaoyuan glared at him and continued to speak softly, "Wu Ge, even the maids and servants in our family can read a few words. If you go out and can't even recognize the shop signs, wouldn't you become a laughing stock?"

Wu Ge's eyes lit up, and he hugged her leg, asking in surprise, "Mother, do I really only need to recognize characters? Why did the teacher say we also need to write an essay?" Xiao Yuan smiled at Cheng Mutian, "So the teacher scared you." Then she comforted Wu Ge, saying, "Writing an essay is for later. Right now, you just need to learn all the characters." Cheng Mutian had his son read, naturally hoping he would participate in the imperial examinations and have a bright future. Xiao Yuan was quite dissatisfied with this, saying, "He'll have to write sooner or later. Don't spoil him."

Xiao Yuan looked on helplessly: "Er Lang, he's not even three years old yet. It's already quite remarkable that he can recognize a few characters. Why force him and make him lose interest in reading?" Cheng Mutian was still angry and wouldn't listen to her. He grabbed the table and threw it into Wu Ge's arms, making him sink. "Go and read. You won't get dinner until you recognize all one hundred characters today." Wu Ge looked at Xiao Yuan with a mournful face: "Mother, I have to go practice boxing this afternoon." Xiao Yuan wanted to maintain her united front with Cheng Mutian, so she put on a stern face and said: "Your parents were wrong in this matter. If you don't want to learn, you can come back and tell your mother. Why did you secretly hide and make everyone worry? Your father's punishment is absolutely right. If you don't go, you might not get lunch either."

Cheng Mutian watched as Wu Ge walked into the fourth courtyard before turning back into the house, grumbling, "How could I have raised such an audacious son?" Xiao Yuan poured him a cup of tea and asked, "Second Brother, you don't really want Wu Ge to take the imperial examinations, do you?" Cheng Mutian gave her a disapproving look: "Do you intend to let him end up like Gan Twelve?"

Xiao Yuan was slightly puzzled. Although there were many officials in the Cheng family, Wu Ge was the eldest son, and his primary task should be to inherit the family business. Why was he being forced to prepare for the eight-legged essay?

Cheng Mutian seemed to have guessed her thoughts: "I also thought about taking the imperial examinations. If it weren't for my lame leg, I would be..." It turned out to be her unfulfilled dream. She wanted to interrupt him in front of her son and said, "It's a good thing you didn't take the imperial examinations. What's the use of becoming an official with the title 'Right'? There are so many officials, and the people waiting to be dispatched are lining up in a long queue. In the end, you still have to pay for it yourself, just like my third brother." There were still some things she didn't dare to say. Who knew how many more years the Song Dynasty could last? It was more practical to hoard more gold and prepare several backup plans. Why bother with those useless eight-legged essays and the imperial examinations?

Cheng Mutian clearly disagreed with her point of view. After resting for a while, he got up and went to the fourth courtyard, saying that he wanted to personally supervise his son's learning to read.

It was lunchtime. Wu Ge hurriedly ate a couple of bites and ran off, saying he still hadn't recognized most of the characters and needed to finish his task quickly so he wouldn't miss dinner. Xiao Yuan glanced at Cheng Mutian, who was ruthlessly forcing his son, but remained silent.

Cailian, standing nearby, said, "Young Madam, because Wu-ge skipped school early, Aunt Chen took Yu-niang home ahead of time. Since classes are still in the afternoon, should I send someone to fetch her?" Xiaoyuan nodded. She told her to stop by the cake shop and pick up a few boxes of cakes and cookies on the way back, so the children could have some snacks after their afternoon studies.

After lunch, Xiao Yuan and her husband were about to take a nap when A Yun rushed in angrily to report that Madam Qian, holding Cheng Si Niang and Zhong Lang, was refusing to leave the front hall. Cheng Mutian, having just loosened his belt, came out and scolded her, "How could you let her in?" Xiao Yuan took out her "Lazy Hair Dressing" to cover her disheveled hair and followed her out, scolding, "Now that Father is gone, you don't even bother with formalities anymore. Even if she weren't your stepmother, you shouldn't have let them stand outside for the sake of your own brother and sister!"

Cheng Mutian's face was as black as the bottom of a pot. He flicked his sleeves and strode into the hall. Without even offering tea, he told them where they came from and where they were going. Madam Qian was stunned, not expecting him to dismiss them without a word. Cheng Mutian's sisters were all afraid of him, and Cheng Si Niang, who had never seen him with a kind expression, was no exception. She hurriedly tugged at Madam Qian's sleeve and whispered, "Mother, let's go back." Madam Qian snapped out of her daze, slapped her hand away, and scolded, "Go back what? You worthless wretches! Just stay here!"

Cheng Si Niang was once a child she cherished dearly. But after Zhong Lang was born, her treatment took a sharp turn for the worse. At such a young age, she vaguely understood the root of the problem, but dared not utter a sound. Tears welled in her eyes, and she bit her lower lip tightly to stop herself from crying.

Even these silent tears irritated Madam Qian. She slapped her again and said sternly, "What did I teach you before we came? Have you lost your mind?"

Fearing another beating, Cheng Si Niang quickly took a few steps forward, lowered her head, and said to Cheng Mutian, "Brother, Father didn't leave Mother any money to raise me... nor did he leave me any dowry money..."

Master Cheng didn't care about this daughter at all, so he wouldn't think of leaving her any money. Cheng Mutian stroked his chin, somewhat troubled. He definitely wouldn't leave this younger sister behind. Taking care of two boys was already tiring enough; he couldn't add to her troubles. So, how about giving his stepmother some money? How much would be appropriate? It was hard to guarantee she wouldn't take this opportunity to make exorbitant demands.

Just as he was in a dilemma, Xiao Yuan brought over a plate of cakes, grabbed a handful and stuffed them into Cheng Si Niang's hand, laughing, "How could your brother and sister-in-law not care? You'll get your share of the dowry in the future, so don't worry." After saying that, she called to Cai Lian and said, "From now on, send money to Aunt Ding every month according to Wu Ge's allowance. Remember to tell her to use it sparingly. If she runs out of money early, Si Niang will have to go hungry until next month."

Madam Qian suddenly stood up and angrily said, "I am her mother, how can you give money to a concubine?" Xiao Yuan ignored her and leaned down to ask Cheng Si Niang, "Si Niangzi, who do you want to manage the money between your brother and sister-in-law?" Cheng Si Niang's eyes were full of tears. She looked at her and then at Madam Qian. She lowered her head and did not speak. She understood. This child wanted her birth mother to manage her living expenses, but was afraid of being blamed by her stepmother. Therefore, she just lowered her head and did not speak. Children in adversity are indeed exceptionally mature.

She was acting as a substitute mother, and since Fourth Sister had spared her care for a few days, she felt sorry for her and pulled Cheng Mutian outside to discuss the matter, saying, "What can Aunt Ding do? Even if we give her the money, the stepmother will take it away." Cheng Mutian naturally didn't want the money for raising her sister to fall into the hands of her stepmother. She hesitated and said, "Should we give Aunt Ding a separate courtyard to live in?" Xiao Yuan almost cried out, saying anxiously, "How can that be? Aunt Ding is not someone to be trifled with. If you let her have her own residence today, she'll want to climb over you tomorrow." She thought about it for a moment and said, "Fourth Sister, you're such a good child. Don't let the stepmother and Aunt Ding corrupt you. Let's bring her back to raise her."

Cheng Mutian shook his head repeatedly: "Don't do something so thankless. You mean well, but who knows if she'll appreciate it? Fourth Miss might even blame you for separating her and her daughter." Xiao Yuan smiled shyly and said, "Since becoming a mother, I've become particularly soft-hearted and haven't thought that far ahead. In that case, let Fourth Miss come home to study. We'll look after her every day, and I'm sure my stepmother won't dare to go too far." Cheng Mutian nodded reluctantly and told her to have the maids watch over everything and not to do it herself and tire herself out.

Xiao Yuan retorted, "When I was taking care of your sons, I never saw you ask the maids to take their place. They are your own sisters too. You are being far too biased."

Cheng Mutian disagreed. He was biased and felt justified. He strode back into the hall and told Madam Qian the result of their discussion. He didn't give her a chance to refute him and immediately ordered someone to make soup.

Instead of tea to welcome guests, they were offered soup to send them off. Madam Qian was so angry that she gritted her teeth. She held Zhonglang's hand tighter than usual, which made him cry loudly. The crying reminded her, and she quickly said, "There's something else. Your second aunt keeps making a fuss about adopting someone from our family every few days. You can't ignore this."

Cheng Mutian's eyes widened in surprise. So she wanted something from him, but how could this person be even more arrogant than him? Xiao Yuan knew that Cheng Ershen's trouble was caused by Cheng Dajie, and she understood the principle of knowing when to stop. So she subtly moved behind Cheng Mutian and quietly poked his back with her little finger. Cheng Mutian, having received the hint, changed his words and said perfunctorily, "I don't know about this matter yet. Let me find out first." After saying that, he impatiently picked up the soup bowl and stormed off.

Madam Qian possessed remarkable composure; despite his actions, she remained seated. Unable to force her way out, Xiao Yuan took Cheng Si Niang's hand and cleverly slipped away, saying, "Si Niang, how about your sister-in-law takes you to see the primary school?"

She and Cheng Si Niang disappeared in a flash. Madam Qian, with her bound feet and carrying Zhong Lang, couldn't catch up and had no choice but to return and sit down. A Yun, eager to get rid of her, went out a few steps and came back in, saying, "Madam, you should go back first. Si Niang will take you home later."

Madam Qian reached out to slap her, saying, "You rude girl, how dare you speak to your master like that?" A-Yun wouldn't let the slap land on her. She quickly stepped back to avoid it, then slapped her arm twice with a grin, saying, "Madam, be careful not to hurt your hand. I'll hit myself." Madam Qian was about to chase after her to continue hitting her when Little Copper Coin, completely bewildered by his usually reasonable mistress's change in attitude, quickly pulled her back and pleaded, "Young Master didn't say he wouldn't help us. Let's go home and wait for news."

Madam Qian dragged her along for a while, but she couldn't catch up with A-Yun who was running fast. She could only return home panting and out of breath, leaning on A-Yun's sedan chair.

A-Yun spat in the direction she left, then happily went to find Xiao-Yuan to boast, only to be scolded instead: "You've caused Fourth Sister to get beaten when she gets back." A-Yun had just witnessed Madam Qian beating Cheng Fourth Sister, and after this scolding, she was filled with regret, fearing that Madam Qian would really take her anger out on Cheng Fourth Sister. She quickly ran outside, saying she wanted to go and apologize to her. Xiao-Yuan stopped her, saying, "Will she listen to your apology? Go and tell her that if Fourth Sister is mistreated, we will not get involved in Second Sister Cheng's matter." A-Yun smiled again, saying, "Young Madam is just good at scaring people. If I had known how to control her earlier, I would have teased her a few more times."

Xiao Yuan watched her skip and hop out, shook her head helplessly, and led Cheng Si Niang to continue looking at the school. Inside the room were three specially made low tables. Wu Ge was at the front, Yu Niang was next to him, and Xi Ge was behind him. Teacher Zhou was teaching them to read. Cheng Si Niang peeked out curiously, then suddenly whispered, "Sister-in-law, you don't need to worry about me. Actually, Mother doesn't beat me that much." Xiao Yuan was very puzzled by her words and asked a few questions before learning that Cheng Si Niang, seeing there were no extra tables in the room, assumed her sister-in-law didn't really want her to stay at school, but rather wanted her to spend less time at home to avoid being beaten.

This child is so clever and lovable; she has guessed most of the adults' thoughts. Xiao Yuan suddenly remembered Cheng San Niang before she got married. She was also very cautious. The difference was that Cheng San Niang was cautious in order to benefit herself, while Cheng Si Niang was afraid of causing trouble for her brother and sister-in-law.

Xiao Yuan's pity for Cheng Si Niang grew stronger, and she hurriedly led Cheng Si Niang to the storeroom. Pointing to several brand-new tables, she said, "There are tables prepared for you, but since you didn't come, they haven't been moved out." Cheng Si Niang finally smiled sweetly, but soon her face fell again: "I don't have the money to buy them." Xiao Yuan quickly comforted her, saying, "You don't need to worry about these things. Tomorrow, your sister-in-law will have someone buy them for you." After saying that, she added, "If you want to eat or wear anything, just tell your sister-in-law. Don't keep it to yourself. I took care of you when you were little, so don't become distant now that you're older."

Chapter 153 Learning Characters Through Pictures

Fourth Sister was very stingy, refusing everything but grabbing a small handful of biscuits, saying she wanted to take them back for Aunt Ding to try. The servants in the room all felt a lump in their throats, wishing they could persuade the young mistress to keep Fourth Sister around and take care of her. Xiao Yuan also felt sorry for her, so she ordered the kitchen to prepare some good dishes and invite her to stay for dinner that evening.

After the children finished school, someone from the Xue family came to take Yu Niang back home. Xi Ge came over and ate a few pieces of candy. He was also preparing to go home for dinner when Xiao Yuan stopped him and asked, "Xi Ge, aren't you Wu Ge's page? Why is he not back when you've come back?"

Xige blinked, then remembered that he was a pageboy. He quickly stuffed the candy into his mouth and ran towards the school. He returned shortly after, panting, and said, "Young Madam, Wu-ge said he hasn't learned all one hundred characters yet. He's afraid the young master will beat him, so he's studying hard over there."

Xiao Yuan glared at Cheng Mutian: "Look how scared you've made the child." Cheng Mutian said: "I didn't scare him. No food for him unless he's completely honest." After saying that, he told Xi Ge to go back first, and then told the maids to serve the dishes and start the meal. Xiao Yuan understood that parents had to have principles, but her son was hungry, and she couldn't eat. She quickly called Sister-in-law Yu to take care of Cheng Si Niang, and went to the primary school to find Wu Ge.

Wu Ge was indeed still diligently studying at the table, but he wasn't the only one; Master Zhou was also by his side, occasionally offering him pointers. Xiao Yuan was somewhat surprised and felt extremely apologetic. She quickly went over and bowed, saying apologetically, "His father punished him, which has implicated you, sir." Master Zhou shook his head, not particularly concerned, "Since I have accepted Young Master Cheng's tuition, I should do my best. It's my duty; Madam, you needn't worry about it."

Xiao Yuan, not wanting to be too tired to eat, put away Wu Ge's books and led him back to his room. Wu Ge looked surprised when he saw Cheng Si Niang, but said nothing. He bowed politely according to custom, sat down at the table, and began shoveling rice and noodles into his mouth, saying, "Mother, hurry up and serve the food! I still have dozens of characters I haven't learned." From the moment he sat down, Cheng Mutian's face darkened. Now, seeing him eating without completing his task and daring to urge his mother, he flew into a rage, snatched the bowl from his mouth, and angrily demanded, "What does the 'Elementary Primer' say?"

Even though Wu Ge was bold, he was afraid of his father getting angry, so he pushed the stool away, took a few steps back, and stood still with his hands tightly pressed against his sides.

Cheng Mutian hurriedly began reciting again: "Clothing and shoes are the first, speech and gait are the second, sweeping and cleaning are the third, reading and writing are the fourth, and details are the fifth." Seeing that he recited it word for word, Cheng Mutian thought to himself, "My son is not stupid." His expression softened slightly, and he asked, "How do you explain 'speech and gait are the second'?"

Wu Ge, a man of many thoughts, noticed his father's improved expression and knew it was because he had recited his text well. To please his father, he recited the entire passage in one breath: "As a child, one must always speak softly and slowly, never loudly, boisterously, or frivolously. When fathers, elder brothers, or superiors give instructions, one should listen attentively and not offer unsolicited advice. If elders reprimand you for a mistake, do not immediately take it upon yourself. At first, remain silent, but gradually and carefully explain, saying that the matter was probably as it seemed, or that you had simply forgotten; or that you had not reflected on it properly. If so, there is no offense, and the truth will become clear. The same applies to friendships. When you hear of someone's wrongdoing, even a servant's fault, you should conceal it and not speak of it aloud. Instead, you should tell them to correct their behavior. When walking, one must walk upright and not run or jump. If parents or elders call you, you should run quickly and not be slow..."

Cheng Mutian was both angry and amused. With a hint of anger, he slapped the table and said, "Stop showing off and come over here right now."

Cheng Si Niang, sitting at the table, looked on with envy. Xiao Yuan was even more amazed. Wu Ge was only three years old, yet he could recite such a long passage. She couldn't help but ask Cheng Mutian, "Wasn't he learning to read today? How come he also recited a book?" Cheng Mutian didn't see any contradiction between reciting and reading. So he didn't know how to answer her question. After a long pause, he said, "The teacher taught him to recite. I punished him by making him read."

"It's so hard to have a son, it makes your father-in-law so proud. You must be quite pleased with yourself," Xiao Yuan thought to herself. Then she asked Wu Ge, "Son, did you understand the passage you just recited?" Wu Ge honestly shook his head and replied, "I don't understand. The teacher said we should memorize it first, and he'll explain the meaning tomorrow."

Cheng Mutian said, "The teacher will talk about important principles tomorrow. Today, your father will tell you a few small things first. Listen carefully. From now on, you must not talk back when your parents are admonishing you; you must not sit down when your elders are standing; and you must not refuse to drink when your elders offer you a drink."

Wu Ge nodded repeatedly. Then he stared expectantly at Xiao Yuan. Xiao Yuan was confused and could only look back at him. Wu Ge was still young, and seeing that she didn't understand what he meant, he became anxious: "Mother, hurry up and tell me to eat! Father said that I can't refuse when elders urge me to drink. So if you urge me to eat, I have no choice but to eat."

The whole room erupted in laughter. Xiao Yuan, hugging Cheng Si Niang, chuckled, "Tomorrow when you go to school, you'd better watch out for him. Don't let him fool you." Cheng Mutian also wanted to laugh, but didn't want to lose face as a father-in-law. He forced a smile, barely managing to hold it in.

Seeing that he was softening, Xiao Yuan pleaded for her son, "Should we let Wu Ge eat before he continues learning to read?" Cheng Mutian looked at Wu Ge and slowly shook his head, "It's all because I spoiled him too much. That's why he's like this today. I must discipline him more strictly from now on."

Although Wu Ge is mischievous, he has learned his lesson today and is now very diligent in memorizing and recognizing characters. What difference would it make if he ate a meal first? Besides, wouldn't he be even less efficient on an empty stomach? Xiao Yuan thought for a moment and said, "How about we change the rule a little and make it so that he can't sleep until he has finished recognizing all the characters?"

The boy is at the age where he is growing, and it would be bad if he were hungry. Cheng Mutian nodded this time, pointed to the stool, and told Wu Ge to sit down and eat.

While serving food to Cheng Si Niang, Xiao Yuan instructed Wu Ge, "Auntie Si will be going to school with you tomorrow, so don't bully her." Wu Ge made a face and said, "Bullying her would be disrespectful, and Dad would beat me again." Before he finished speaking, Cheng Mutian flicked him on the head, which startled him so much that he finished his rice in a few bites and rushed to the study to continue learning characters.

After the meal, Xiaoyuan packed a box of fried fruit and snacks for Cheng Si Niang and had someone send her home. Then she went to the study to see Wu Ge. The desk in the study was usually used by Cheng Mutian, and it was too tall for three-year-old Wu Ge. He probably thought he couldn't reach the table while sitting, so he simply squatted on the chair. Xiaoyuan placed a cup of goat's milk with almonds on the table and said with concern, "Wu Ge, don't you have a low table in your room? Why are you curled up here?"

Wu Ge looked back first, and seeing that Cheng Tian hadn't followed, he said, "Mother, don't tell Father I was squatting on his chair, or he'll get angry again." After Xiao Yuan nodded, he added, "I have a younger brother in my room, and he'll cause trouble whenever he sees books and pens. I had no choice but to move here." Xiao Yuan quickly had someone move the low table from his room to the study, apologetically saying, "It was Mother's oversight. You're all grown up now, you should have your own room." Wu Ge hurriedly said, "The front and back yards are empty, Mother, give me one room." Xiao Yuan couldn't help but imitate Cheng Mutian, grabbing the "Thousand Character Classic" on the table and hitting him with it, laughing and scolding, "You little monkey, if you don't get a beating for three days, you'll be climbing on the roof and tearing off the tiles. You want your own yard? How can your parents control you? Don't even think about it."

Unable to outwit his mother, Wu Ge reluctantly grabbed the "Thousand Character Classic," moved it to the low table, and continued burying himself in learning characters. Xiao Yuan leaned over to take a look and exclaimed in surprise, "Son, this book of yours is nothing but words!" Wu Ge was puzzled: "Mother, what else could it be?"

Xiao Yuan considered her thoughts for a moment, abandoned her plan to explain the "illustrations" to him, and instead called Cheng Mutian over, asking, "Has no one compiled an easier-to-understand children's literacy book?" The Song Dynasty was an era that valued literature, and all kinds of books were readily available, so she did not directly state her own ideas, but instead asked this question first. Sure enough, Cheng Mutian thought for a moment and replied, "There are 'Four-Character Miscellaneous Characters,' with four characters forming a sentence, each sentence rhyming, and some also have a few small illustrations."

Rhyming? Easy to remember, but not very helpful for recognizing characters. But since there was a precedent for matching pictures with characters, Xiao Yuan got excited. She put aside all her concerns, grabbed the green sandalwood paper on the table, picked up her pen and drew a small picture, wrote the corresponding characters below it, and enthusiastically called the father and son to see her "picture-based character recognition".

Wu Ge held the paper, looking at it again and again, then shook it. Cheng Mutian hesitated, "Although this character is crooked, I can still barely make out that it's the character for 'tiger,' but this painting... a cat? A dog?"

Xiao Yuan angrily crumpled the paper into a ball and threw it at his head, yelling, "This is a tiger! A tiger!" Cheng Mutian was extremely displeased that she was doing something that undermined his dignity in front of his son. He picked up the crumpled paper, tore it to shreds, and said angrily, "I think you're the tiger, a tigress."

After he finished speaking, he took another piece of paper, sketched an outline with a few strokes, and Wu Ge clapped his hands and exclaimed, "Tiger!" Hearing his son's affirmation, he curled the corners of his mouth, finished the drawing, wrote a "Tiger" character in a flamboyant style, clapped his hands, and boasted, "This is what you call a 'Tiger'."

Xiao Yuan looked at the imposing, striped tiger and was completely convinced, but she muttered to herself, "Aren't you a businessman? How come you know a little about medicine and painting too?" Cheng Mutian handed the painting to Brother Wu and taught him to recognize the character "tiger," and laughed, "I was a student for a few days, so it's normal for me to know a few strokes of the pen. Even Jin Jiu Shao can draw a portrait of a beauty."

Seeing that he was in a good mood, Xiaoyuan brought over a stack of paper and called on the maids to cut it into small sheets. She then asked him to transfer the characters from the Thousand Character Classic onto the small sheets of paper, one character per sheet, with each character corresponding to a picture. Finally, they were bound into a book, which was both beautiful and useful: "Learn Characters by Looking at Pictures".

Chapter 154 Lady Zhou