Jiang Huaiyu bowed respectfully and said, "Thank you, Mother-in-law."
Faced with her docile behavior, Bai Qishi's anger gradually dissipated, and she earnestly reminded her, "Since you understand the hardships of Yujing, then you must take meticulous care of him. As for Fengyun and Huiyi, they are entrusted to you, and you must ensure that they do not go astray."
"Your daughter-in-law will remember this," Jiang Huaiyu replied solemnly.
...
Time flies, and a month has passed in the blink of an eye.
The heat was unbearable. Even with all the windows in the main room open, Jiang Huaiyu was still sweating profusely, with beads of sweat sliding down her cheeks.
Feng Yun and Hui Yi were also in a bad situation; while doing their homework, sweat kept dripping down their faces.
However, the two did not take the opportunity to slack off.
Jiang Huaiyu has a gentle personality, but she is exceptionally strict in her teaching. If Feng Yun and Huiyi make any mistakes, her punishments are severe, with slapping their hands and making them copy books as punishment being commonplace.
After what seemed like an eternity, Feng Yun and Hui Yi finally finished the assignment given by Jiang Huaiyu and handed it over.
After Jiang Huaiyu finished correcting the writing, he took out a ruler and said sternly, "Bai Fengyun, you wrote six words wrong, so you should be punished with six strokes of the ruler. Bai Huiyi, you wrote four words wrong, but considering that you still need to do needlework in your spare time, I will exempt you from the punishment of the ruler and instead punish you by making you copy this article four more times."
Although the brother and sister trembled at the sight of the ruler, neither dared to protest under its intimidation, and they silently endured the punishment.
Huiyi buried herself in her writing again, while Fengyun was struck hard by a hand.
Witnessing her son being beaten, Yang, who was standing in the corridor, felt both pain and anger. She cherished her child dearly and would never have laid a hand on him, yet Jiang Huaiyu had repeatedly subjected this innocent child to violence. Whenever she thought of her son's swollen palms after being beaten, tears streamed down her face.
"Look at you, what good will it do to hide in the shadows and cry?"
Suddenly, a mocking voice rang out from behind.
Madam Yang turned around and saw Xie Wenying helping Madam Bai Qi walk over. She gently wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes with her sleeve and asked in confusion, "The sun is so bright outside, why doesn't Mother go inside to rest?"
Bai Qi's gaze was fixed on the situation inside the courtyard, her eyes revealing coldness and dissatisfaction.
"The one being punished is none other than your own flesh and blood. You're here shedding tears of sorrow, why don't you stand up and stop it?"
Madam Yang sighed softly, “It’s inevitable that children will be punished by their teachers while they are studying. How can I argue with my second brother and sister-in-law over this? Forget it, I will try to avoid it from now on and just pretend that I didn’t see anything. That way, I might feel better.”
"Your behavior is utterly cowardly!" Madam Bai spat at her angrily.
She said indignantly, "Don't you feel sorry for your own son? I feel sorry for my precious grandson. He's such a small child, and his hands are swollen like this. How can he hold a pen and write?"
Xie Wenying chimed in, adding, "That's right. It's common for teachers to punish students, but Second Cousin-in-law isn't a teacher. As her aunt, how could she not gently advise her nephew? I dare say, she's putting on this show of authority to no one else. Eldest Cousin-in-law, don't let her ride roughshod over you without you even realizing it!"
"I……"
Just as Yang was about to explain, she was interrupted sharply by Bai Qi.
"Alright, you've been able to tolerate this for over a month, but I can't stand this kind of atmosphere. Not long ago, I specifically told her not to be violent, but if Wenyin hadn't told me in time, I would have known nothing. She's already used violence against my grandson. Isn't this openly provoking this old woman?"
Bai Qi stepped into the courtyard with an indignant expression. She first gently took Feng Yun's small hand and examined it carefully. When she saw that his palm was terribly swollen, she immediately showed deep pity.
“Mrs. Jiang, I have solemnly reminded you to treat the child well, why did you turn a deaf ear?” Her voice was filled with undeniable severity and sorrow.
Jiang Huaiyu calmly met her savage gaze, resolutely stood up from his chair, and said in a deep voice, "Merits and demerits must be clearly distinguished, and rewards and punishments must be timely. A few days ago, you instructed me not to punish them, and I followed your orders. However, their studies have been declining, and they have repeatedly made the same mistakes, even two or three times. How can I sit idly by and not teach them a profound lesson for such a distracted attitude?"
Upon hearing this, Bai Qi gave a cold snort, "They are still young, and it's the height of summer. It's normal for them to be a little lazy. You just need to guide them patiently. But you insist on using violence. I think it's clear that you yourself are unwilling to put in that much patience!"
The thought of her grandchildren being repeatedly beaten by her daughter-in-law filled Bai Qishi with suffocating pain.
Jiang Huaiyu insisted, "The sea of learning is boundless and tedious. Since I have accepted the important responsibility of teaching them, I must do my duty. Huiyi is a girl, so we can be more lenient with her. But Fengyun's future is to follow in his uncle's footsteps and take the imperial examination. If I don't discipline him strictly and lay a solid foundation for him, how will he be able to stand on his own and show his true talent in the future?"
Unable to bear it any longer, Madam Bai said indignantly, "In short, you absolutely cannot lay a hand on my grandson!"
Jiang Huaiyu has always found it difficult to endure the sweltering heat, relying on an ice chest every summer to get through the scorching days. But now, she is enduring the intense heat of the sun, patiently teaching her two children to read, and she is already gritting her teeth and struggling to keep going.
At this critical moment, Bai Qishi suddenly barged in, causing a series of chaotic disruptions that quietly fueled Jiang Huaiyu's anger.
“If my mother-in-law is not satisfied with my teaching, then I will no longer take on this responsibility. The money I have saved by doing embroidery should be enough to pay for Fengyun’s tuition.”
In the Bai family, she had always presented herself as docile, so such a resolute attitude was truly rare. Upon seeing this, Bai Qishi was furious.
"You think such threats can subdue me? Dream on! Tomorrow I will send Yujing to the county town to find an academy for Fengyun. The teachers there will be a hundred times more learned than you!"
Jiang Huaiyu coldly replied, "As you wish. Since you don't need my continued instruction, I will go back to my room to rest."
She turned and walked towards the door.
Bai Qi watched coldly without offering any assistance, while Xie Wenying beamed with delight, looking smug and overjoyed.
Yang was conflicted. She wanted to step forward to stop her, but she didn't dare to offend her mother-in-law. Hesitant and undecided, she finally sighed and did not take any action.
Unexpectedly, just as Huaiyu was about to step out of the room, the two children suddenly knelt down in front of her.
"Auntie, it was my fault, Fengyun, who wrote the wrong homework. I am willing to accept the punishment!"
"Auntie, please don't leave us."
Their eyes were filled with tears, their voices trembled, and they were filled with helplessness and pleading.
The brother and sister looked anxious, as if they were afraid that Jiang Huaiyu would really abandon them from now on.
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