Chapter 177 You've gone too far!

Song Hui readily agreed.

"With my husband and I here, Father, you can rest assured. When my younger brother comes back, I will have my husband tutor him more so that he can pass the imperial examination with flying colors."

Once my younger brother enters the imperial court, my husband will find a way to secure him an official position in the capital. Then he can be reunited with my father and mother.

Song Cheng was very happy, and an expectant smile appeared on his face.

While wiping away tears, Madam Zhang murmured her longing for her son.

Zhao Hong frowned slightly, resenting Song Hui for agreeing without consulting him.

He was just a minor Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works, and he hadn't even settled into his post yet.

He had no confidence whatsoever in securing an official position for his brother-in-law in the imperial court.

Even he himself spent several years working away from home and accumulating experience before being transferred to Bianjing, and even now he hasn't quite secured a position as a high-ranking official in the capital.

How could Song Hui dare to agree on his behalf so readily?

His lips moved as if he wanted to complain about Song Hui, but remembering Song Hui's previous efforts, he held back and quietly got up and left.

Song Hui noticed that he was leaving and got up to chase after him.

"Husband, you seem unhappy. What happened?"

Zhao Hong rubbed his temples. "It's nothing. I'm just too tired from the disaster relief work these days. I'm going back to my room to rest for a while. We'll talk again at dinner."

After saying that, he turned around and left.

Without giving it much thought, Song Hui went to Zhao Wanqing's side and kept an eye on her daughter's studies.

When she went in, Zhao Wanqing had already finished learning the rules, her eyes were red and her eyelids were swollen.

Upon seeing her enter, a cluster of glistening tears immediately welled up in his eyes again.

Song Hui shook her head at her, indicating that she should continue to study hard.

Zhao Wanqing bit her lip, picked up the Classic of Filial Piety with a wronged expression, and began to recite it along with Granny Cui.

The personal maidservant came in from outside and reported in a low voice.

“This servant has already found out that the Marquis of Anping’s residence did not hire a tutor for Li Nanke, nor did she learn anything from her.”

Today, Li Nanke accompanied her grandmother to the vegetable market. I heard they bought a lot of vegetable seeds and flowers.

Oh, and I heard she also went to the blacksmith's shop.

Song Hui asked in surprise, "What are you going to the blacksmith's shop for?"

"It seems to be about making a set of farming tools for planting flowers and vegetables."

"Growing flowers and vegetables? Ha, a noble lady from a noble family doing such menial work in the countryside, she's utterly unfit for such a position!"

Song Hui sneered, but also felt relieved.

Empress Xue was a person who valued rules and etiquette the most. Li Nanke neither learned the rules nor the precepts of filial piety and respect for women, so he would certainly not be selected as Princess Zhaoning's study companion.

Granny Cui left after finishing her lesson.

Zhao Wanqing leaned closer, looking aggrieved, and before she could even speak, tears streamed down her face.

"Mother, we're both going to the palace to be chosen as companions for study, so why can Cousin Nan Ke not learn anything, while I have to study so hard?"

Song Hui frowned.

"I've already explained everything to you clearly, so why are you still whining?"

"Granny Cui is too strict. She hits people at the drop of a hat. It's only been an afternoon, and my arm is almost swollen from being hit. Mother, can you change my nanny?"

Zhao Wanqing sobbed as she rolled up her sleeve, revealing five or six clear, bluish-purple marks on her left arm, a shocking sight.

Song Hui felt a pang of heartache, but she hardened her heart nonetheless.

“There’s no learning process without hardship. Granny Cui is doing this for your own good. Besides, she only hit your left arm, not your right arm.”

It was because she knew you needed to keep your right hand for writing, and she was afraid you wouldn't be able to use it effectively. This shows that Granny Cui was quite shrewd.

"Granny Cui is a highly sought-after governess, someone many families would kill to hire. You better study hard and make sure you're chosen as my study companion, understand?"

The last sentence suddenly became stern, frightening Zhao Wanqing so much that she trembled and shrank back, not daring to speak again.

But she couldn't help but envy Li Nanke. Why did her mother only know how to force her cousin Nanke to study when Aunt Song Yi didn't force her to study?

Li Nanke was unaware of what had happened to the Zhao family.

After learning about business from Huang Sheng in the morning, she saw that it was still early, so she accompanied Madam He to the market.

The market was bustling with activity, filled with shouts, the sizzling sound of grilled meat skewers, and lively conversations at the herbal tea stalls under the shade of trees.

Mr. He enjoyed his visit immensely.

"...Since marrying into the Marquis's mansion, I haven't been to the market for over twenty years."

Did your grandmother often go to the market before she got married?

Li Nanke asked curiously.

He squinted, a hint of nostalgia flashing across her face.

“My family is a family that values ​​both farming and scholarship. We are not wealthy. Before I got married, I often came to the market to buy things because things were cheaper there.”

Why did my grandmother marry my grandfather?

One was a family of farmers and scholars, the other a noble family; they should have had no connection whatsoever.

He came to her senses, and the faint smile on her face disappeared.

"It was an arranged marriage from our ancestors."

Seeing the gloom in her eyes, Li Nanke clearly didn't want to say anything more.

She knew that her grandmother's gloomy mood over the years must be related to her grandfather.

Not daring to ask any more questions, he took her hand and said with a smile, "There's a vegetable seed stall up ahead, Grandmother, let's go take a look."

After patiently helping Mrs. He choose the vegetable seeds, Li Nanke then took her to the blacksmith shop.

"Grandma will be growing vegetables and flowers in the future, and she can't be without important tools."

Madam He smiled again, "Ke'er is so thoughtful."

After selecting his farm tools, Li Nanke was about to leave when he suddenly remembered Zhou Huai'an and asked the blacksmith if he could make a prosthetic limb.

The man said, "In addition to iron, the prosthetic limb also needs to be made of wood and leather, and it will take at least a month to make."

Li Nanke paid half the deposit, intending to order a prosthetic limb for Zhou Huai'an.

In the afternoon, she woke up and took the Classic of Filial Piety and the Admonitions for Women that she had found in Li Mu's study to the Zhiguan Hall.

The sky was somewhat overcast, and the leaves of the trees in the yard rustled in the wind.

When she went in, she saw Huang Sheng and Zhou Huai'an sitting in the courtyard staring at each other.

To be precise, it was one eye facing two deep-set eyes.

"Master Huang, Grandpa Zhou, what are you doing... Hey, Grandpa Zhou, what happened to your leg?"

She stared at Zhou Huai'an's right leg in surprise.

Zhou Huai'an's right leg was completely missing below the knee. At this moment, a mass of soft flesh could be clearly seen protruding from his trouser leg below the knee, hopping around incessantly.

It's like a pestle for pounding garlic, clapping away, never stopping for a moment.

Noticing Li Nanke's gaze, Zhou Huai'an hurriedly pulled down his pants, a hint of embarrassment flashing in his eyes.

Huang Sheng scoffed and touched his left eye, which was not covered by an eye patch.

"That's how it is with people who have broken legs. Their useless leg will keep twitching and hurt when it's cloudy or rainy."

Just like the scar on my left eye, it hurts on cloudy days.

This was the first time Li Nanke had heard of such a thing.

"Were you arguing about this just now?"

Huang Sheng rubbed his left eye, looking puzzled.

"You two had an argument? You didn't, did you?"

Zhou Huai'an's beard trembled as he glared at Huang Sheng with resentment.

"You've gone too far!"

"How have I gone too far? Come on, tell me!"

Zhou Huai'an pressed hard on his still throbbing right knee, trying to stop it from throbbing.

But no matter how he pressed, the lump of flesh wouldn't stop; instead, it throbbed even more violently.

His expression was ashamed, and he stammered, "He actually wanted me to use my broken leg... my broken leg..."