Jiang Huaiyu smiled slightly and said softly, "Mother-in-law, this lotus root pink color is really not suitable for you. Please allow your daughter-in-law to carefully embroider a better silk handkerchief and then respectfully present it to you as a sign of filial piety."
Bai Qi glanced at her coldly, her tone filled with dissatisfaction: "Although you know how to supplement the family income, you can't indulge in embroidery all day long and neglect other household chores, can you?"
Bai Yujing finally couldn't hold back any longer. She put down her chopsticks and gently comforted her, "Mother, my wife isn't good at these trivial matters. Why are you so demanding of her?"
With a disdainful look, Madam Bai said firmly, "The Bai family never supports idlers. How can you think you can escape housework just by embroidering handkerchiefs? There's no such thing as an easy way."
Bai Yujing gripped Jiang Huaiyu's hands tightly and raised them high.
"Look at these hands, so delicate and smooth, like spring onions, even the nails are as beautiful as exquisite seashells. Since she can earn money with her skillful hands to supplement the family income, shouldn't we let her give up those rough jobs?"
Those slender and delicate wrists were like exquisitely crafted works of art, and even the surrounding air seemed to soften because of them.
Yang couldn't help but admit her inferiority, while Xie Wenying's eyes flashed with a hint of jealousy. Both of them secretly hid their hands under the table.
However, Bai Qi remained unmoved, her tone firm.
“You asked me to exempt her from the family rules, and I agree. However, to become a daughter-in-law of the Bai family, it is absolutely not acceptable to avoid labor. As for what she doesn’t know, she can learn it slowly.”
Bai Yujing was speechless and silently lowered his head, for the Bai family's situation was indeed as it was.
Suddenly, as if struck by a flash of inspiration, his gaze shot towards Jiang Huaiyu with lightning speed.
"Huaiyu, are you quite accomplished in poetry and prose?"
Although Jiang Huaiyu was unaware of the reason, since he had asked, she replied, "I dare not claim to be an expert, but I have only dabbled in it and gained some knowledge."
At this point, her eyes dimmed instantly.
Her knowledge stemmed from the meticulous instruction of Jiang Wenyuan, who, although not of high rank, was a genuine Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations). Furthermore, some of Jiang's ancestors had also achieved high honors in the imperial examinations, thus the family had always upheld a tradition of scholarship and learning.
In the Jiang family, not only were the men required to study diligently to prepare for the imperial examinations, but the women were also required to be literate, understand principles, and cultivate their character.
Before Jiang Shuqin returned, Jiang Huaiyu was the daughter of the Jiang family. When she was five years old, Jiang Wenyuan personally taught her and imparted knowledge to her for ten years.
She once thought that she was the apple of her parents' eye and the luckiest person in the world.
However, fate played a cruel trick on us...
In the end, it was all just a dream; everything in the Jiang family never truly belonged to her. Now, she was nothing more than an orphan girl who had to rely on the Jiang family, drifting aimlessly like a rootless duckweed.
Jiang Huaiyu didn't delve any further, gently turning her head to look at Bai Yujing's face. "What is the purpose of your inquiry, husband?"
Bai Yujing smiled slightly and said in a gentle tone, "Father-in-law, you are very knowledgeable. I have heard that you have inherited your father-in-law's teachings since childhood, so your talent must be extraordinary."
Jiang Huaiyu humbly shook her head, "My husband is too kind."
Bai Yujing turned her gaze to the eldest son and his wife, "Eldest brother, eldest sister-in-law, Fengyun is now an eight-year-old child. Haven't you always hoped to send him to school?"
When this matter was mentioned, Bai Jinxiao couldn't help but frown.
“Indeed, we originally planned to send Fengyun to the private school you attended in your childhood, but unfortunately, that scholar Zhang has already gone far away, and there are no other schools in the town. Although the academies in the county have excellent teachers, the tuition fees are high, and our family's current situation makes it difficult to afford them…”
Madam Yang glanced at Bai Yujing secretly and muttered in a low voice, "In my opinion, Second Brother, you are now a Juren (a successful candidate in the imperial examinations) and your knowledge is as profound as any teacher in the county academy. Why not let you personally serve as Fengyun's teacher? This way, not only can we save a considerable amount of tuition fees, but we can also give Fengyun a better education."
Bai Jinxiao glared at his wife, his eyes wide with anger. "Why are you bringing this up again? Yujing will be taking the imperial examination next year. How can we let him be distracted by teaching Fengyun at this crucial moment? Wouldn't that ruin his future?"
“What I said is not wrong. No matter how excellent the teachers outside are, can they be better than the teachings of one’s own uncle? Besides, my second brother is exceptionally talented. If our Fengyun follows him to learn, he will surely achieve great things in the future.”
"This will not do; the future of Yujing is of paramount importance."
Madam Yang frowned, her tone becoming more forceful, "Then aren't you thinking about your son?"
Bai Jinxiao's face was full of pride, and his tone was firm and unwavering, "Once my second brother is promoted to a high position, what kind of teachers can't we hire? Are we still worried about not being able to teach Feng Yun well?"
The two women's voices gradually rose as they argued. Bai Qishi's face turned ashen, and she slammed her hand on the table in anger.
"Stop arguing!"
She first glared at Madam Yang with wide eyes, then slowly said, "My eldest son's words are not without reason. The imperial examination in Yujing is of utmost importance and cannot be neglected in the slightest. Fengyun is still young, so we might as well postpone his studies for now."
After Bai Qishi spoke, Yangshi dared not say anything more.
"I will do whatever Mother decides."
Seeing this, Bai Yujing quickly comforted him, saying, "Mother, there's no need to be angry. Of course, I'm willing to tutor Fengyun, but my studies are quite demanding, and I inevitably neglect some things when I'm busy. The key to learning is perseverance, which is why it's inconvenient for me to personally teach him. However, as I just mentioned, Huaiyu's knowledge comes from my father-in-law's true teachings and is by no means inferior to those scholars and students. Therefore, I plan to ask you, my wife, to personally tutor Fengyun so that he can receive a good education from a young age."
In this way, Feng Yun was not only able to study seriously, but the family's financial burden was also greatly reduced.
He looked at Jiang Huaiyu with gentle eyes, "Huaiyu, are you willing to accept this proposal?"
Jiang Huaiyu understood that he had suggested this method because he couldn't bear to see her doing heavy labor, so she nodded without hesitation and said firmly, "Of course I'm willing."
Xie Wenying looked suspicious and said with dissatisfaction, "Cousin Yujing, you're giving Second Cousin's wife too much credit. Aren't all the tutors outside learned and highly respected scholars? Second Cousin's wife is a woman, after all, not a professional tutor. Although Fengyun is still young, it is a crucial period for him to broaden his horizons. If she were to teach him, she might mislead the child, and how could he possibly succeed in the future?"
Bai Qi's face was gloomy, and her tone was cold and hard, "That's right, Feng Yun is the eldest grandson of our Bai family. How can we find a woman to be our teacher?"
Bai Yujing, however, remained unperturbed, retorting casually, "What can a woman's status determine? Although women cannot participate in the imperial examinations, it doesn't mean they lack knowledge. There are many examples of wealthy and powerful families in the capital hiring female tutors to teach in their homes. Why can't women serve as tutors?"
"Besides, Mother, Fengyun is already eight years old, which is the golden age for his early education. If this opportunity is missed, it will be much more difficult for him to catch up with others in the future. Wouldn't that ruin his future?"
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