623 Academics (Part 2)

Back in the house, Eleventh Lady warned Xu Lingyi: "My Lord, you must explain everything to Master Pang when the time comes, lest Master Pang doesn't know the inside story and Chen'er falls and gets hurt!"

"I will explain this to Master Pang!" Xu Lingyi said with a smile, calling Jian Ge'er over to talk. "Since you are learning from Master, you must study hard. You can't fish for three days and then dry the nets for two days. Otherwise, Master will punish you!"

Jiang Ge'er nodded repeatedly: "I will not be punished by the master!"

"Okay then." Xu Lingyi said with a smile, "You must remember your words!"

Jianger smiled and nodded, then ran to Shiyi Niang, who was sitting on the kang sorting out scraps of cloth, and said, "Mom, mom, are you going to make a schoolbag for my seventh brother?"

"Yes!" Eleventh Lady smiled and carried her son onto the kang.

Jiang'er lay on his mother's lap, looking at Shiyi Niang with his big phoenix eyes without blinking: "Mom, my second brother has books, as well as pens, ink, paper and inkstone... There are also carvings of big tigers and pine trees on the inkstone..." His eyes were full of envy.

The inkstone used by Yu Ge'er was given by the Second Lady. It was a Duan inkstone from the previous dynasty and was extremely valuable.

Eleventh Lady couldn't help laughing and pinched her son's nose: "Little rascal, mother has prepared it for you a long time ago." Then, she took out a yellow poplar wood box with pictures of fishing, woodcutting, farming and reading carved on it from under the kang beside her: "Here you go!"

Qin Geer looked at the box, which was the size of Yu Geer's inkstone. He opened the box hesitantly. Inside, there were brushes and inkstones neatly arranged. The brush tube was made of bamboo, with a monkey holding a peach carved on it. The monkey's hair was clearly visible, and it looked lifelike. The inkstone was also a monkey, but it was climbing on the inkstone. The inkstone was carved with a monkey picking pine nuts under a pine forest. All three items were small, cute and interesting.

Jian Ge'er shouted and threw himself into Shiyi Niang's arms. Shiyi Niang was caught off guard and was thrown back by him, almost hitting the kang.

Xu Lingyi was quick to act and grabbed his son, shouting, "You're about to go to school, why are you still so impatient?"

"It's okay, it's okay!" Eleventh Lady smiled and came to her son's rescue.

Jiange'er struggled nonchalantly and threw himself into Shiyi Niang's arms again: "Mom, these are all for me!"

"Yes!" Eleventh Lady hugged her son, "It looks good, doesn't it? Mother specially ordered it from Duobao Pavilion."

"It's beautiful!" Jianger nodded repeatedly, his eyes smiling into crescent moons. Then he climbed out of his mother's arms, picked up the box and slid down the kang. "Mom, I'm going to see my seventh brother!"

"It's so late!" Eleventh Lady was a little surprised. She looked out the window and said, "Let's go tomorrow!"

"I'll be back soon!" Jiange'er's eyes sparkled. "I'll let Huang Xiaomao and Liu Erwu follow me. I promise they won't run around everywhere..."

Eleventh Lady suddenly realized.

He didn't go to see Chen Ge'er at all, it was obvious that he was going to show off.

"You can go if you want, but leave the box here with me." Eleventh Lady said with a smile, "Be careful not to break the things in the box.

She didn't point it out for the sake of her son's face.

Jiange'er pouted and rolled his eyes.

Eleventh Lady pretended not to see it and called Hong Wen in: "It's getting late, help Sixth Young Master wash up!"

Hongwen agreed and went to hold Jian'er's hand.

Jiange'er followed Hongwen with his head hanging down.

Eleventh Lady laughed.

If we let him go, Chen Ge'er will definitely be jealous and the Fifth Madam will not have a peaceful night.

She picked up the scraps of cloth on the table and said, "My Lord, I will help you wash up!"

"No need." Xu Lingyi sat down opposite his wife, "Just ask the maid to come in!"

Eleventh Lady called the little maid.

Xu Lingyi told her about Jian'er's schooling: "Don't feel bad when you see your child suffer. Don't go when it's hot, don't go when it's cold, and don't go when it's windy or rainy. If you get into bad habits, you won't be able to do anything well in the future!"

"See what the Marquis said." Eleventh Lady put the selected pieces of cloth into a small rattan basket beside her. "Am I that kind of person?"

Xu Lingyi smiled and said, "Don't bring yourself up. Mom is a person with strong opinions, right? My second brother gave up halfway."

"Why do you feel so unhappy when I haven't seen your second brother?" Eleventh Lady and he carried her.

Xu Lingyi was speechless.

"Got it!" Shiyi Niang glanced at him, "I will definitely urge Jian Ge'er to go to school every day. I guarantee that his studies will not be delayed!"

Under the light, she looked sideways, the waves were sparkling, like spring water.

Xu Lingyi was moved and held Shiyi Niang's hand.

Eleventh Lady pursed her lips and smiled.

There was a heart-pounding ambiguity in the room.

Xu Lingyi's mouth twitched, and he was about to say something when Hong Wen suddenly called out from outside the room: "Sixth Young Master, Madam told you to go tomorrow..."

Shiyi Niang was startled, and Xu Lingyi quickly pulled the curtain and walked out. When Shiyi Niang went out, Xu Lingyi was looking for the child: "He must not have left the yard. Light up all the lanterns and look for him carefully for me!"

He stood on the steps with his head held high, his bright eyes as sharp as a falcon. The maids and old women around him were either moving stools, or holding the iron poles for hanging lanterns, or carrying lanterns out to shine in the corners of the yard. The scene was bustling and chaotic.

Hearing the noise, Xu Lingyi turned around and said, "This kid is too quick. When I arrived, the person was gone." There was some helplessness in his tone.

Hong Wen, who was lighting the lantern nearby, heard this and came over immediately. "Madam," she said, her face flushed red, almost crying, "It's all my fault that I didn't hold him back..."

The older Jian'er gets, the more these maids and old women can't keep an eye on him. We have to find him a personal servant who can keep him in check. Otherwise, when he moves to the outer courtyard in a few years, Xu Lingyi won't be able to keep an eye on him all day, and by then, I'm afraid there won't even be anyone to stop him.

"I know." Eleventh Lady comforted her, but she was a little helpless. "Go and light the lantern!"

As soon as she finished her words, Xu Lingyi quickly stood next to the holly tree beside the steps.

"Do you want to come out by yourself or let me carry it out!" He smiled as he looked at the holly tree trimmed into the shape of a fence.

There was a rustling sound, and Jiange'er stood up with a pouty mouth, holding a box made of yellow poplar wood, with a few pieces of dry grass hanging on his head.

"How did Daddy know I was here?" he muttered softly, but his eyes timidly glanced at Eleventh Lady.

"This yard is so small, the hallway is invisible, and there is a corridor outside the door. Even an adult can't run out in such a short time, let alone a child like you." Xu Lingyi did not yell at him, but patiently answered Qing'er's confusion, "You are either hiding in the room or hiding in a corner of the yard. Knowing that I am looking for you, no maid or old woman would dare to hide you. That means you are hiding in a corner of the yard. I lit the lantern, the yard is brightly lit, and you are wearing a bright red dress, with red and green colors, so I can find you quickly."

Jianger stared down at his red silk crane cloak with a gourd vase on it, frowning in annoyance: "If I had known this would happen, I would have changed my clothes before I came out!"

Eleventh Lady was at a loss whether to laugh or cry.

Hong Wen hurriedly carried Jiang'er out: "Marquis, Madam, I'll take the Sixth Young Master to wash up." She looked as if she was afraid that Xu Lingyi and Shiyi Niang would pursue the matter further, and she wanted to make a big deal out of a small matter.

"Wait a minute!" Xu Lingyi and Shiyi Niang said in unison to stop Hong Wen.

The couple couldn't help but look at each other.

In front of so many maids, considering Xu Lingyi's authority, Shiyi Niang took a step back and signaled Xu Lingyi to speak first.

Xu Lingyi took Jiange'er from Hongwen's hand and asked him as he walked into the house, "If you changed your clothes, could you have escaped?"

Jiange thought for a moment and said, "I'll wear green clothes!"

"What if we look for it bit by bit?" Xu Lingyi went to the inner room.

Eleventh Lady followed.

Seeing Jiange'er tilting his head and saying nothing, there was a stubborn light flashing in his eyes.

Xu Lingyi sat on the kang near the window and let Jiang'er stand in front of him.

"Your mother didn't agree with you going out, but you still insisted on going out. The maids and the old women naturally didn't allow you to go out. You didn't even think about it, didn't think of a solution, and just forced your way out like that," he looked at his son indifferently, "I really didn't expect it!"

Although they are telling Jian Ge'er to plan carefully before doing anything, it sounds like... like they like Jian Ge'er to go against his parents!

Eleventh Lady couldn't help but frown: "My Lord..." and interrupted Xu Jinyi's words.

Xu Lingyi didn't even look at her, but raised his hand with a serious expression and made a "forbidden" gesture.

In front of her son, Eleventh Lady had to keep silent.

"You can't just change your clothes to solve this problem!" Xu Lingyi continued, "Think carefully about what I said, isn't this the truth?"

Jiange'er pursed his lips and lowered his head.

Xu Lingyi didn't say anything either.

The room was quiet and the atmosphere was solemn.

After a long while, Jiange'er raised his head and said, "Well, then I'll sneak out through the back door!" His eyes were a little wandering, and he seemed very unconfident.

"There's a night watchwoman at the back door." Xu Lingyi poured a bucket of cold water on Jiange'er's head, "Not to mention that Hong Wen is following you. Whether you go out the front door or the back door, the result will be the same!"

Jiang'er, however, was cheered up - he saw a faint smile in his father's eyes.

"Then I'll run to the yard first, and then sneak out the back door!" Without any fear, Jian Ge'er's mind raced. He said loudly, "You all should look for me in the front yard, and I can go out the back door!"

Isn't this a strategy to lure the tiger away from the mountain?

Xu Lingyi's few short sentences gave Jiang'er the idea.

Shiyi Niang's eyes widened. She thought that if parents argued in front of their children, the children would be at a loss, so she forced herself not to speak.

"Then you have to be faster than me!" Xu Lingyi could no longer contain his joy, the smile overflowed from his eyes to his brows.

"Well, then..." Jiange'er rolled his eyes as he thought of a solution.

Xu Lingyi scolded him, "Don't look around! When others see your eyes moving, they will know that you are thinking about something. Then others will know you clearly, but you will know nothing about others.

You will suffer a great loss!"

Jian Ge'er quickly said "Oh" and his eyes immediately fixed.

Xu Lingyi nodded with satisfaction.

Jiange'er's expression became even more relaxed.

"Then I will wait for Hong Wen to go get some water and then I will sneak out of the warm room. You go to the front yard to look for me and I will go out from the back door. You go to the back yard to look for me and I will go out from the front door. By the time you find me, I will have already run out and you won't be able to find me!"