Chapter 19 Straw Sandals: Straw sandals woven from cattail grass, with thick soles and closed toes...
"Mother, you forgot. The Guanyin tofu I made yesterday was from a book, and the fishing method I used today also comes from an ancient book." Lin Shu smiled and raised her chin. "Your daughter, I haven't stayed in the Marquis' Mansion for nothing all these years."
He Guixiang was happy at first, but then felt a little guilty.
If the wrong child hadn't been taken away, these should have belonged to A Yao, right?
As soon as Lin Shu saw her expression, she knew that she was thinking of the heroine again, but she was not jealous at all. She left the Marquis' Mansion cleanly, saving face for both parties. The Marquis's wife might think of her from time to time. How could the feelings that had been nurtured for more than ten years fade away so easily?
Lin Shu pretended to be relaxed and said, "Are you thinking about Sister Yao again, Mother?"
Suddenly exposed, He Guixiang's face showed panic and helplessness for a moment, and then she felt guilty and remorseful. "No, Ah Shu, listen to my mother's explanation... I just, I just thought..."
"Don't be anxious, mother. I'm not jealous of Sister Yao."
Lin Shu hugged her arm, tilted her head on her shoulder, and said, "I know you feel guilty, mother. I feel guilty too. But let me tell you something unpleasant. The ladies of the aristocratic families learn music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Besides looking good, the ultimate goal is to marry into a good family in the future. But Sister Yao has already won the favor of the Duke of Yingguo. The Duke of Yingguo's son is a beautiful and elegant man, a rare talent. Countless daughters in the capital admire him, but he must be with Sister Yao. Even if she doesn't learn music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, Sister Yao can still find happiness with her own abilities. If you think about it this way, mother, won't you feel better?"
Lin Shu learned a skill to deceive people in the end times. After being deceived by her, He Guixiang really began to relax her frown.
In reality, many of the imperial court's young ladies weren't interested in learning the arts of music, chess, calligraphy, or painting; it was simply because everyone else was learning them that anyone who didn't felt inferior. Her original self, besides these, had also learned these arts with exceptional diligence, inspired by a childhood advice from Gu Yian. She could be considered a model student. This process was painful, and she didn't find any joy in it.
However painful it was, the benefits the original body gained were real. Learning these things broadened her horizons, cultivated her sentiments, and improved her temperament. These are things that the reborn heroine missed in the fourteen years and it is difficult to make up for them.
But Lin Shu didn't want He Guixiang to think about the heroine from time to time, and she always felt guilty. It was the evil slave of the Marquis' Mansion who deliberately switched the children, so what did it have to do with He Guixiang?
The wife of the Marquis is the mother of a child who has been separated from her flesh and blood for more than ten years. Hasn't He Guixiang, a peasant woman from a farming family, also been separated from her flesh and blood for more than ten years?
To be honest, He Guixiang should blame the people in the Marquis' Mansion for swapping her child.
It was simply because the Marquis's Mansion was a wealthy and powerful family that He Guixiang felt unreasonable even though she was right, and felt that her own daughter had robbed others of their good life.
If the ending had been the same as in the original book, with the original author doing all the bad things and dying on the farm, everyone would have been happy. Who would have thought about Lin Dashan's family far away in the small mountain village?
What did He Guixiang do to deserve the loss of a daughter? Was it her own fault that her own daughter died?
"Ashu, mother understands everything. She won't dwell on it anymore." He Guixiang said, feeling warm in her heart as she looked at her soft and tender biological daughter.
God treated her well. After A Yao left, he sent back such a caring person.
"Mom, sister, I want a hug too!" Lin Xiaopu imitated Lin Shu and also became affectionate with He Guixiang.
The mother, daughter and their two children chatted affectionately for a while.
As He Guixiang expected, not long after breakfast, her third aunt Wang Qiaohua came over with a bamboo basket.
The gate of the courtyard was open, and as soon as she arrived at the door, the three people in the courtyard saw her.
"Second sister-in-law. Xiao Pu and...eldest daughter are all here."
Wang Qiaohua was a little uncomfortable the first time she called her "Second Sister-in-law," but after that initial discomfort, she quickly became more familiar with him. "Yushu brought home a large grass carp, and I braised it. The whole family loved it. I asked and found out it was a gift from the eldest daughter and the youngest daughter. Look at you, why are you being so polite? Third Aunt can't eat your food for free. These are two pairs of cattail sandals I made when I was free. They cover the toes. The eldest daughter is different from the rest of us. She's a sophisticated person, so these are more respectable. Here, take them and wear them. When they wear out, Third Aunt will make you another pair."
Wang Qiaohua lifted the floral cloth on the basket and took out two pairs of straw sandals.
Lin Shu looked over and was surprised. These were straw sandals woven with cattail. The soles were thick and the toes were smooth. They were much more exquisite than the straw sandals on her feet and looked comfortable too.
Seeing that no one was talking, Wang Qiaohua stuffed a pair of shoes into the hands of Lin Xiaopu and Lin Shu, "Try them on quickly. Xiaopu, I see them often, and I know the size of these shoes is correct. The last time your eldest daughter came, I glanced at the crowd a few times, and I'm not sure if the size is right."
Lin Shu looked at He Guixiang and waited for her nod before happily accepting the straw sandals. "Thank you, Third Auntie. These sandals are so beautifully woven. I like them very much."
As he said this, he took off his straw sandals and put on new ones. He stepped on them in the yard and found that they fit perfectly.
This Third Aunt can make an accurate estimate just by taking a few glances at the crowd. She is really amazing.
Lin Xiaopu was reluctant to change them. He tried them on his feet and then put the new straw sandals away.
"Thank you for your concern, sister-in-law. Please sit down." He Guixiang greeted her.
Wang Qiaohua waved her hand and said, "No, no, I won't sit down anymore. The weather's been nice these past two days, and I have to go back to dry the hemp. When I come back to weave it, I'll bring it to my second sister-in-law."
He Guixiang smiled and said, "Okay, I'm just bored being alone."
Wang Qiaohua glanced at Lin Shu, then at Lin Xiaopu, "How could Second Sister-in-law be bored? Xiaopu and the eldest daughter are at home with you. Unlike me, my son Yushu goes to the fields with his father before dawn."
He Guixiang was silent.
Wang Qiaohua's lips curled downward, and the bitterness on her face deepened. "Second sister-in-law, I used to be too picky, but I've let it go. People have to accept their fate. Our Yushu wasn't destined to study. Look, after the family split, I've been busy all these years, and I can't even afford the children's tuition. Why did I blame others before? Yushu hasn't mentioned studying for a long time. It's just me who can't let go. In the end, not only did Second Sister-in-law dislike him, but it also caused a rift between his father and Second Brother."
At first, Wang Qiaohua wanted to admit her mistake, thinking that the relationship between the two families might slowly return to what it was before. But as she spoke, she thought about the pain she had been holding in her heart for all these years, and she suddenly felt sad and her eyes became wet.
He Guixiang felt a little uncomfortable when she saw this. Thinking of what Ah Shu had said before, she couldn't help but look over.
Lin Shu gave her a reassuring look and said to Wang Qiaohua, "Third Aunt, I have a plan for Brother Yushu to continue his studies. He doesn't need to pay tuition. He only needs to study for an hour every day after breakfast. If he's talented, he can achieve some success in just half a year. Forget about taking the imperial examinations, and he could easily become an accountant in town or even the county."
Wang Qiaohua was stunned. "Not accepting Xiu? Is there such a good thing in the world?"
Lin Shu said with a smile: "There is no such good thing in the world, but after all, Yu Shu is my cousin."
Wang Qiaohua was still in shock until Lin Shu pointed at herself and said, "Aunt, I'm a lady from a wealthy family in the capital. I'm as knowledgeable as those old scholars. I'll teach Yushu myself and won't charge him any tuition. I just ask him to help me with some odd jobs from time to time."
Wang Qiaohua's eyes suddenly widened, a light of ecstasy flashing in them, "My dear! My dear, are you serious?!"
"Really? He was so enthusiastic about helping me today. He looks like a good student. It would be a shame if he didn't study. If you and Yushu don't mind me being a female teacher, I will be his teacher."
"What are you complaining about?!" Wang Qiaohua excitedly grabbed her hands and said, "My dear daughter, if you think of your brother Yushu like this, when he becomes successful, I will ask him to kowtow to you and show him filial piety. No, no, I will call that boy over right now and ask him to kowtow to you right away!"
Lin Shu immediately grabbed her and said, "Aunt, you're too polite. What I say is always binding. Don't be impatient. Go back today and discuss it with my uncle and Yu Shu himself. If you all agree, you can ask Yu Shu's cousin to come over after breakfast tomorrow."
"Okay, okay, okay, okay," Wang Qiaohua responded repeatedly. Then, thinking of something, she hurriedly asked, "My dear, just come directly. No need to prepare anything? Like, pen, ink, paper, inkstone, or anything like that?"
Lin Shu smiled and said, "Third Aunt, just follow my mother's lead and call me Ah Shu. Let's not rush to prepare these things. I will teach my cousin Yu Shu to read and write first. At first, he will write on the ground. When he has learned enough, we can buy pens, ink, paper and inkstone to practice calligraphy. This way we can save a lot of money."
"Oh! Third Aunt will listen to you!" Wang Qiaohua thanked her again and then left happily.
Seeing her like this, He Guixiang felt deeply moved and thought that her daughter was very capable.
"Teaching one is teaching, teaching two is teaching. Xiao Pu, you can learn together in the future."
Lin Xiaopu, who was suddenly called out, looked bewildered. "But sister, I'm a girl."
"What's wrong with being a girl? Girls can also read and write. You don't have to take the imperial examination, but it's good to be able to read and read more books. Have you forgotten how my sister can make Guanyin tofu and catch so many fish?"
Lin Xiaopu was immediately convinced and nodded obediently, "Then I want to learn to read and read more."
He Guixiang opened her mouth but ultimately said nothing.
What's the point of knowing these few words for a girl? In the end, she still has to get married, take care of her husband and children, and work around the kitchen.
But never mind, let them be.
"Mother, can Brother A Ye come back today?" Lin Shu asked.
He Guixiang replied, "Come back. Your father and I have long ago told you to only stay in the mountains for one night. After two days and one night, no matter what you find in the mountains, you must leave. You'll see, I'll probably be back in time for dinner. Ah Ye has been busy in the mountains for two days and must be starving. Let's have dry rice for dinner tonight!"
Lin Shu continued, "Brother Aye hasn't tasted the fish Xiao Pu and I caught yet. I'm going to ask him to dig a fish pond for me later. When he comes back, I'll personally make him a pot of pickled fish!"
He Guixiang smiled and replied, "Okay, A'niang will help you light the fire, and A'shu will do it herself."
Lin Shu was looking forward to Zhou Ye's quick return so that she could stuff him to death with a big pot of fish. However, by the time dinner was ready and the family of four had finished eating, Zhou Ye still hadn't returned.
It's getting dark.
Lin Dashan looked at the sky with a frown on his face, and He Guixiang also looked worried.
After a while, Lin Dashan suddenly said, "You guys wait at home. I'll go to the village to find a few men and go take a look in the mountains together."
Lin Dashan was just about to take a torch and go out when he suddenly heard a commotion outside.
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