While the two were having their meal, Hu Meier returned and quietly stood behind Bai Yueyue.
"Mother, I have finished my meal and am going back to my room now." Bai Yueyue wiped her rosy lips clean with the tissue Zhao Shuli had prepared and bid farewell to Li Jieyue.
"You two can leave now. Zhao Shuli can serve me." After Bai Yueyue left, Li Jieyue ordered her two personal attendants behind her.
"Yes, ma'am." The two responded and left the restaurant quietly.
“Madam, it is improper to send your personal attendant away.” Zhao Shuli looked at Li Jieyue, as if she had returned to the first time she met Li Jieyue. Although Li Jieyue seemed very well-behaved and exceptionally talented back then, she would always give out orders that caused headaches.
For example, they were required to practice the zither with Li Jieyue, but Li Jieyue had already shown her talent at that time. Even some of the zither-playing servants who were specially assigned to practice with Li Jieyue might feel inferior.
"It's alright, you're practically my personal attendant, aren't you?" Li Jieyue revealed the daughterly demeanor she only showed in front of Li Jianchuan and Lü Dan.
"Zhao Shuli was Miss's personal attendant all her life." Zhao Shuli did not address Li Jieyue as "Madam," but rather as a title that had been discontinued more than twenty years ago.
“I’m very happy to hear you say that,” Li Jieyue put down her cutlery and smiled. “But I’m no longer a young lady of the Li family. You should be a personal servant of the Bai family.”
"Yes, Zhao Shuli understands."
"But I didn't keep you here alone just to catch up. You should know why, right?"
"Madam is only keeping me here for the sake of the young lady, right?"
"Yes, how did you feel about spending time with Yueyue today? Please don't only praise her good points just because she's my daughter."
Although I also think my precious daughter is full of good qualities.
"Yes, madam. The young lady is quite similar to the madam in her youth. In terms of dining etiquette, walking posture, and conversation, although the young lady still has some shortcomings, she has already reached the standard of women from the five great families of the capital. However, perhaps because the young lady has been too well protected by the madam and master for a long time, she seems to have never participated in gatherings of the upper nobility and still does not know how to protect and conceal herself. Similarly, the young lady did not have servants in the past, so she may lack the skills to manage subordinates. In addition, if the madam allows, I hope I can have the honor of witnessing the young lady's aristocratic skills before her coming-of-age ceremony."
“You’re right. I can’t tell you about Yueyue’s past, and you must also ensure that no one in this manor can find out about her past. However, I can tell you that Yueyue only started learning these skills half a year ago. You’re right about the last two points. I will personally select Yueyue’s personal attendants, and with my assistance, there shouldn’t be any major problems with them. My biggest concern is that Yueyue won’t be able to protect herself among those people.”
"Oh my, Miss only started learning these etiquettes half a year ago? I really have to say, she is indeed the lady's child, naturally intelligent." Zhao Shuli was really surprised that Bai Yueyue's standard etiquette was only learned half a year ago. You know, the women of the five major families in the capital all learn these things from a young age.
“Yueyue is my proud child, and naturally she is very intelligent, but Yueyue is also very hardworking.” Seeing Zhao Shuli’s surprised expression, Li Jieyue was also a little proud. “Tomorrow I will test Yueyue’s skills again. I will allow you to observe. You will also assist me in teaching Yueyue how to hide and protect herself when she is in a situation and when she is talking to others.”
"Thank you for your trust, Madam. I will never let you down and will make the young lady the most outstanding noblewoman."
Although it was their first meeting, Zhao Shuli actually liked Bai Yueyue quite a bit because Bai Yueyue was Li Jieyue's child, and unlike some noble people, she wasn't willful or troublesome. She was also well-behaved and cute.
Naturally, Bai Yueyue will also be treated harshly.
However, when Zhao Shuli received Bai Yueyue's previous training schedule from Li Jieyue, she looked at her with suspicion.
"Madam, you are too harsh on Miss. Just by looking at the learning plan and assessment standards you have set for her, I can tell how excellent her skills are." Zhao Shuli was really helpless. It seems that she should be more lenient with Miss.
"Really? But Yueyue has persevered, and she hasn't failed a single test," Li Jieyue said in a somewhat Versailles-esque tone.
"Only the young lady and the madam could complete this plan, right? Besides, the young lady is so pitiful. Others might only master some of these skills by the age of 28, but the young lady mastered them all before she was 18. Even in Kyoto, or even the Imperial Family, there is no woman who could master all these skills at the young lady's age. Moreover, according to the madam, the young lady has only been practicing for half a year! This is not something that can be achieved through hard work and talent alone!"
Zhao Shuli was a little angry. It was already amazing that Bai Yueyue could persevere through such high-intensity training without breaking down. Zhao Shuli really couldn't bear to put any more pressure on Bai Yueyue.
“But there are less than two months until Yueyue’s coming-of-age ceremony, so this level of intensity is necessary.” Li Jieyue naturally knew that the task she had given Bai Yueyue was heavy, but the coming-of-age ceremony absolutely could not have any problems. “Otherwise, if someone challenges Yueyue at the coming-of-age ceremony or at any other time, it won’t do if Yueyue can’t beat that person.”
“I think unless Madam returns to the age of eighteen, no one of her peers could surpass Miss in these skills.” Zhao Shuli felt that Li Jieyue comparing herself to Bai Yueyue was the most terrifying thing. “After appreciating Miss’s skills tomorrow, I will revise Miss’s training schedule according to her performance.”
"Hmm, I don't think that's a good idea."
"Madam!" After many years, Zhao Shuli once again lost her temper with Li Jieyue. "Please have more pity for Miss! She is your daughter who is not even eighteen years old! While other women are still thinking about how to master one instrument, Miss has already mastered three. Moreover, the pieces you gave Miss for her assessment are far beyond her age!"
Finally, due to a habit she had developed since childhood, Li Jieyue, under Zhao Shuli's coercion, agreed to let Zhao Shuli edit Bai Yueyue's course.
Of course, the content will be less demanding than before, because Li Jieyue insisted on not lowering the difficulty level. The difficulty level is still far beyond what Bai Yueyue should be able to master at her age. However, there is still a lot more free time than before.
Regarding the difficulty level, after discussing it, the two decided to keep it a secret from Bai Yueyue. After all, they were used to it, weren't they? Lowering the difficulty level all at once probably wouldn't be suitable for Yueyue (the young lady)...
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