Chapter 94 Hongbao's Wish
So, just as Hongbao took out his handkerchief to wipe his tears, Madam Min Qiao pulled out a copy of Mencius and said with feigned surprise, "Oh dear, how come there's another copy of Mencius here? Little Hongbao, you're already reading Mencius at such a young age?"
As he spoke, he pulled out the Doctrine of the Mean again, "Oh dear, how come there's another copy of the Doctrine of the Mean?"
Upon hearing Min Qiao's words, Yang An, who had been silent all along, paused for a moment, then lowered his head with a somber expression.
Granny Fang was taken aback at first, then her face was filled with anger.
The elderly couple's reaction was strange, wasn't it?
Looking at Xiao Hongbao again, he was already pale with fright, his eyes darting around as he glanced at Yang An and Granny Fang's faces.
When he saw that Granny Fang was angry, he panicked even more, and the tears that hadn't been wiped from his face flowed even more fiercely.
Madam Min glared at Granny Fang, placed the picture book on the small table beside her, and asked Xiao Hongbao while holding only "Mencius" and "The Doctrine of the Mean," "Tell Madam, why did you buy these two books? Do you want to take the imperial examination and become an official in the future?"
Little Hongbao nodded while crying. But as soon as he finished nodding, he shook his head frantically. Then he looked timidly at Granny Fang, not daring to say a word.
Madam Min frowned, and sure enough, when she turned her head, she saw Granny Fang glaring at Xiao Hongbao with a warning look in her eyes.
"You may both leave now," Madam Min Qiao gestured to Granny Fang and Yang An.
Yang An bowed respectfully and left without saying a word.
Granny Fang hesitated, glancing at Madam Min Qiao, then at little Hongbao, before finally saying, "Grand Madam, Hongbao is still a child, you..."
Madam Min's face turned cold, and she sternly ordered them to leave: "Aren't you leaving?"
Granny Fang choked, but finally sighed and went downstairs with a worried look on her face.
After everyone had left, Madam Min Qiao pulled Xiao Hongbao aside and asked, "Now that your grandparents are gone, you can tell the Grand Madam whatever you want to say."
Little Hongbao stopped crying and, no longer glared at by his grandmother, cautiously asked, "Grandma, if I tell you, will you help me?"
Madam Min smiled and said, "That depends on what Xiao Hongbao is asking for. If it's not something bad, and if the Grand Madam is able to do it, then the Grand Madam will help you."
"That's wonderful! Grandma will definitely be able to help Xiao Hongbao!"
Little Hongbao jumped up excitedly and said, "Little Hongbao wants to study, wants to take the imperial examination, and wants to become a high-ranking official in the future, so that Grandma can be like Grandma and become Grandma!"
Upon hearing this, Madam Min Qiao immediately understood the source of the strangeness between Yang An and Granny Fang.
Yang An and his wife were both part of her dowry, brought from her maiden home to the Marquis's mansion, and their descendants were her servants for generations.
As lowly slaves without household registration, the descendants of the Yang family were not qualified to take the imperial examinations.
Serving their masters is their duty.
Sending them to a private school was partly because the Yang family had the money, and partly so that the children could better serve their master, Min Qiaoshi, in the future.
But the fact that they had the idea of participating in the imperial examinations was not a good thing.
Having such an idea but lacking the conditions to put it into practice, it's better to nip it in the bud early on than to let the children suffer later.
Xiao Hongbao continued listlessly, "But Grandma said we can't participate in the imperial examinations. My older brother can't, and neither can I."
"What? Does Xiao Hongbao's older brother also want to participate in the imperial examination?" Madam Min Qiao grasped the key point.
Xiao Hongbao nodded: "That's right! My older brother is amazing! The teacher at the private school said that with my older brother's knowledge, passing the imperial examination to become a scholar would be a piece of cake."
"But my grandmother said that my eldest brother cannot participate in the imperial examinations, and she told him to come home from the private school to help my father and second uncle with their work."
Madam Min sighed. If she remembered correctly, Fang Mama's eldest grandson was thirteen years old this year. He was three years younger than her eldest grandson, Min Changzhong.
She had met the child a few times; he was a gentle and cheerful person. However, when she met him last year, the child had stopped smiling and had become terribly thin.
She was puzzled at the time. When she asked Granny Fang, Granny Fang said it was nothing, just that the child was growing and had lost weight.
She didn't take it to heart at the time.
I never expected it would be about studying for the imperial examinations.
Granny Fang never told her a single word about these things.
Whether it was her past life or this life, Granny Fang never mentioned it.
Madam Min felt a lump in her throat; it was all because of her neglect as the mistress! She was only thinking about protecting Granny Fang and treating her better, but she never considered what it truly meant to treat Granny Fang well!
Now she knows!
Seeing that Madam Min remained silent for a long time, Xiao Hongbao asked with a worried look, "Madam, can't you help me and my elder brother participate in the imperial examination?"
“My older brother and I begged Grandma and Grandpa, but they both said it wouldn’t work. My father and mother even beat my older brother, saying he was too ambitious and didn’t know his limits. They also burned some of his most treasured books.”
"After that, my older brother never mentioned taking the imperial examination again."
"But I woke up several times in the middle of the night and heard my older brother crying under the covers."
Hearing this, Madam Min felt a pang of sadness. She turned away and wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes before patting Xiao Hongbao's head and solemnly saying, "Don't worry, once we return from Jiangnan, you and your elder brother can take the imperial examinations! Next year, we'll have your elder brother pass the exams and bring back a Xiucai (a degree in the imperial examinations) for your family!"
"Really?" Little Hongbao's eyes widened in surprise. "Grandma, is everything you said true? Can my older brother really participate in the imperial examination?"
"Of course it's true! The Grand Madam will definitely keep her promise to you!"
"Wow! That's great! Big brother will be so happy when he finds out!" Little Hongbao jumped up and down with joy.
After a long while, as if she had thought of something, she looked at Madam Min Qiao with unease and asked, "But, Madam, what if my grandmother and my parents don't let my eldest brother take the imperial examination?"
His grandfather was alright; he would just sigh every time. But his grandmother and parents were the ones who would actually hit people!
Madam Min Qiao laughed and said, "They won't do it again. I guarantee that they won't stop you anymore; on the contrary, they'll force you to study and take the imperial examinations! When that happens, Xiao Hongbao and his older brother shouldn't complain!"
"My older brother knows how! I... I don't know how either!" The last part was clearly said without much confidence.
Madam Min Qiao was successfully charmed by Xiao Hongbao's adorable appearance and immediately ordered Ajiu to summon Granny Fang and Yang An.
The couple felt a little uneasy, wondering what nonsense Xiao Hongbao had told Min Qiaoshi.
When the two saw that both Min Qiaoshi and Xiao Hongbao had smiles on their faces, they secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
However, before they could even catch their breath, they heard Madam Min Qiao say, "When they return from Jiangnan, they should hand over their current affairs."
The two were taken aback, and then knelt down before Madam Min.
"Grand Madam?" Granny Fang looked at Madam Min Qiao in horror.
Yang An also looked incredulous. He had some guesses, but he didn't dare to think in that direction.
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