102 Chapter 102
◎Xiao Qi's troubles◎
Xiao Qi had been holding it in tightly outside, but the moment she saw Cheng Mu, she couldn't hold it in any longer and threw herself into her arms, crying bitterly.
Wanli told the story, and Xiaoliu was the first to jump up and rush out.
Cheng Mu first asked Xiao Qi about the situation, but Xiao Qi just cried. Wan Li said anxiously, "Madam Cheng, why don't we brothers beat up that kid too?"
"When it comes to matters between children, it's best to ask Xiaoqi's opinion first." The other party was just a young lady and a little boy, and Cheng Mu asked Wanli to invite them in.
Cheng Mu pulled out a handkerchief and carefully wiped Xiao Qi's tears. "Besides the wound on your face, are there any other wounds?"
Xiao Qi shook her head, her emotions calming down a bit. She sobbed and said, "Mom, is Master Zhuang going to die?"
Cheng Mu was startled. "What happened to Master Zhuang?"
"They said that they had delayed our studies these days, and that the teacher was seriously ill and couldn't apologize in person, so we didn't need to go anymore and were told to transfer to other schools on our own."
"Didn't mother just pass away a few days ago? She said it was a simple cold. This is what illness is like, especially since the teacher is old. It's normal for the condition to recur. Let's wait for more news." Although Cheng Mu was comforting Xiao Qi, she had a bad premonition in her heart, and she suppressed these messy thoughts.
"Back then, Master Zhuang admired your intelligence and wanted to take you in, but he was afraid of delaying your studies. We chose to study with Master Zhuang. We had already made this decision. Don't worry, Mother will find a new school for you."
"Mom, I don't want to..." Xiao Qi felt that he shouldn't say such words.
"If you want to follow Master Zhuang, then wait for news from him. It may not be bad news. But you also have to know that even if Master Zhuang survives this time, I'm afraid he won't open the school again. Let's not talk about that for now. They're coming in."
Cheng Mu took Xiao Qi to the study. Xiao Qi's heart was focused on the words he hadn't said. He felt that if he didn't say it this time, he would hardly have the courage to say it in the future.
"Mom, I don't want to study and take the imperial examination."
The young lady was Rong Zhaohua, a lady from the Rongchang Escort Agency in the city, and the little boy was her younger brother Rong Chong.
When Rong Zhaohua saw Cheng Mu, he gave her a good look and said, "So you are from Madam Cheng's house. My younger brother is ignorant and has offended your beloved son, so I have come to apologize."
Xiaoliu had just gone out to look for something, and now he was holding a stick in his hand. "Do you know there's a rule called 'carrying a stick to apologize for your crime'?"
"That's not the case!" Rong Chong said, "I punched him, and he punched me back. I accept it!"
"You're talking as if it's my brother who's causing the trouble. You only count your fists, don't you consider your height? What's your physique? What's my brother's physique? Don't you think you're bringing trouble upon yourself? You've blamed him for no reason, and look how terrified he is. He doesn't even dare to cry!"
Xiao Qi snuggled up to Cheng Mu and felt a little embarrassed when she heard that.
Rong Chong weighed the pros and cons in his mind, "That's up to you. Pick a big stick and hit me as many times as you want. I'll bear it!"
"All you do all day is fight and kill." Rong Zhaohua couldn't hide his disdain for his younger brother. "Seventh Young Master is a scholar, let him be. Madam Cheng, as long as it can help you and the young master resolve the conflict, we will agree to it."
Xiao Qi lowered his head, remaining silent. Cheng Mu said, "Tai'er has never encountered anything like this before. He was a little frightened, but otherwise he's fine. Madam Rong, it's enough that you came to visit with such sincerity. Young Master, be brave and take responsibility for your actions. Remember this next time: don't be reckless when you're out there. If you run into someone even more ruthless, you'll be the one who suffers."
"Madam Cheng is right." Rong Zhaohua humbly accepted the advice. "My father also often said that harmony is the most important thing when traveling. The escorts in my escort agency often say, 'Three points ensure safety. Smile three points, give in three points.' Chong'er still needs to improve his temper. I will ask my father to punish him when we get back."
Cheng Mu asked, "Is Madam Rong's escort agency the Rongchang Escort Agency?" When they went to Zhaojia Village, the escort agency that Mu Yun found was the Rongchang Escort Agency.
"That's right. Madam Cheng, if you need the escort agency in the future, you must come to me."
Cheng Xi nodded.
Wanli politely saw the brother and sister off on behalf of the host.
Even though they let him go, Xiaoliu was still not satisfied. "Mom, Xiaoqi got beaten, and you're just going to let it go? At least let me give him a beating back."
"A beating with a stick makes you feel better? That kid really messed with the wrong person. He should have messed with you. Let our Sixth Miss teach him a lesson."
"Hmph." Xiaoliu knew her mother was teasing her, but she wasn't the type to confront her head-on or give in. After all, they knew each other now, and there would be plenty of opportunities to fight back later.
"Xiaoliu, go out first. Mother wants to talk to Tai'er alone."
With only the two of them left, Xiao Qi knew he had to face what he had said before.
"Mom, I..."
"Why don't you want to study?"
You are seven years old, the right age to go to school. How can you be tired of studying so early?
Xiao Qi knew he shouldn't have said that. But he was really fed up with the foreseeable future life: leaving the Zhuang Family Book House, entering another private school, and continuing to sit there all day, nodding his head as he read. He was really fed up.
When did it start?
Ever since he could remember, he knew that he liked reading and learning to read. It was interesting to compete with Xiaoliu in learning. He was also very confident when he first chose to study in a private school. Everyone said that he wanted to study and take the imperial examination, and he thought so too.
After Xiaoliu and his mother were captured and taken to Mongolia, Yu Nai often told him that if he had someone in the court, if he could pass the imperial examination, if he could become an official... he should study hard every day even if no one urged him.
When did it start? After Xiaoliu came back, she told him about what happened to her and her mother in Mongolia. Others were also talking about how they were rescued and how they saved others. For the first time, he clearly realized that people must have skills. The more powerful the skills, the more invincible they will be, instead of studying and taking imperial examinations.
His mother and his young father were both capable people. He could just learn from them. Why should he go to a private school to learn from teachers? The three of them secretly made up their minds to learn the skills of farming, but in the end, they failed. Badou implicated his mother and killed the old cow.
At that time, he had lost interest in studying, and he suddenly lost interest in the obscure books. Returning to the private school now made him even more convinced of this.
He really envied Xiaoliu. She just couldn't study to take the imperial examination, but she could do everything.
He even envied the reckless Rong Chong. Brute force is a skill.
"Mom, why should I take the imperial examination?"
"You don't want to take the imperial examination? It's okay if you don't, but you still have to study."
In Cheng Tai's eyes, taking the imperial examination and studying were the same thing. The few students in the private school all took the exam, enduring the dull and boring school life. When asked why they took the exam, they said it was to bring honor to their ancestors. His mother had never asked him to do so, and since they never offered sacrifices to their ancestors, who could they bring honor to?
Cheng Mu patiently reasoned with him, "You are still young and can't do much. It's time to learn to read and write. Didn't the Master say that books contain golden houses, beautiful women, and even a wider world. Mother learned how to farm and raise crops because she read a lot. Your father also developed faster than others after joining the army because of his education. Even Badou's mother worked hard to learn to read."
"But none of you took the imperial examination."
Cheng Mu touched his head and said, "Mom said, it doesn't matter if you don't take the exam. Mom won't force you."
"What about going to cram school?"
"Don't you want to go to cram school?"
Xiao Qi nodded.
"Then don't go. It doesn't matter if you don't go."
"real?"
"real."
Mu Yun came back in the evening and heard about Xiao Qi being beaten and about the apology. Cheng Mu showed him the drawing she had drawn, and he casually told Cheng Mu about this matter.
What Cheng Mu was worried about was that Xiaoqi suddenly said he didn't want to study and take the imperial examination.
"Am I being too utilitarian? I'm so complacent with a child so young and talented, and I'm immediately forcing him into the rigid imperial examination system. Blame me for being too impatient and self-righteous."
Closer to the light, Mu Yun's eyes lingered on the blueprints, unconcerned, "Just give him a beating."
"How could you think that!" Cheng Mu was surprised. He himself was not the kind of person who could be beaten into submission. "Violence can't solve the problem. I reflect on myself. Such a young child is at the age of playing. I was wrong to wind him up so tightly. According to Buddhism, I am too attached to appearances."
Mu Yun put away the blueprint and smiled, "Xiao Qi is lucky to have a mother like you."
Cheng Mu sneered, "You are not badly blessed."
It's not that I didn't worry about him in the beginning, and I'm still worried about him now.
After Wang Bingren understood the situation, she introduced several people to him, and she would go out to find one for him tomorrow.
The brother and sister in front of Wanli had flattering smiles on their faces and were holding a row of boxes of gifts in their hands.
"I came here in a hurry yesterday. Fortunately, Madam Cheng and the Seventh Young Master were generous and didn't blame me. After I got home, my father gave my sister and me a good scolding. I came here today to make up for it."
Wanli said, "You two came at an unfortunate time. Madam Cheng and the Seventh Young Master are not at home."
Rong Zhaohua said, "Now that we've knocked on the door, there's no reason to just sit there and wait. Why don't you take the person in?"
Wanli was avoiding it, who knew whether Madam Cheng would accept it or not, "I can't make the decision."
"Is there anyone else in the family who can make the decision?"
Wanli had a flash of thought about going to the Lin residence to report to Master Mu Yun, but he quickly rejected the idea. "Madam Gui is at home..." Before he could finish his words, a voice came from behind him, "Who are they?"
Since she was in confinement after childbirth, Nanny Zhu only let Gui'er walk in the courtyard occasionally and in a limited way when she was at home. Most of the time, she was not allowed to leave the house. Today, she knew that everyone was out, so she strolled around every corner of the house like a monkey in the mountains.
Just now, I came to the kitchen and heard someone coming.
"Madam Gui, why did you come out?" Madam Cheng went out and took Li Yan away. Wanli stayed behind to guard the door, partly to guard Madam Gui. Madam Cheng was indeed far-sighted.
"No, I didn't go out." Gui'er lifted one leg and pretended to step out. "I'm still inside."
"Oh, Madam Gui!" Wanli begged for mercy.
"If you don't want me to go out, please invite them in to talk." Gui'er turned around and went in first.
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