Chapter 5: If you can't learn it, then learn it until you do.
The next day, Su Xiaoyu, with a feeling of going to her death, reluctantly arrived at the "Jinxiu Pavilion" of the second young lady, Xiao Lingxi.
The atmosphere here is clearly different from that of the lady's Yilan Garden.
The lady's courtyard was orderly and peaceful, while this place exuded a sense of... restlessness and pickiness.
Su Xiaoyu stood in the middle of the courtyard. Xiao Lingxi was idly fiddling with the leaves of a pot of orchids. Seeing this, he threw the leaves aside, stood up, crossed his arms, and slowly circled around her.
Finally, he let out a soft snort from his nose. He looked at her through his nostrils.
"I really don't know what my brother sees in you that makes him insist on sending you to me."
Su Xiaoyu's inner thoughts: [I want to know too! Young Master, you've really put me in a difficult position!]
She forced the most docile smile onto her face: "Second Miss, I am clumsy. If I do anything wrong in the future, please teach me more."
"Instruction?" Xiao Lingxi scoffed. "I don't have time for that. Since you've come to my Brocade Pavilion, you have to abide by my rules."
She glanced at the maid Zisu, who understood and stepped forward, instructing Su Xiaoyu:
"Little Fish, this is the booklet of the Second Miss's daily routine and to-do list. Memorize it first."
Su Xiaoyu's eyelids twitched, and sure enough, she took it and looked at it:
Work begins at 3:45 AM. The rosewood dressing table inlaid with mother-of-pearl needs to be wiped three times a day, morning, noon and night, with a soft cotton cloth. The cloth must be so fine that no dust is left when the fingertips touch it, and the mother-of-pearl inlay should reflect light so clearly that it can be used as a mirror.
The young lady's pet cat, "Snowball," has a delicate stomach; the fish it eats must be freshly slaughtered and deboned, and the goat milk it eats must be delivered that very morning.
And there's the hibiscus tree in the courtyard; the young lady wants a handkerchief dyed with hibiscus petals. The color must match the blooming flowers on the branches perfectly, and she must see it at this time tomorrow…
Su Xiaoyu's eyes widened in amazement!
This is hardly the job of a maid.
This is clearly a master craftsman of kingfisher feather inlay, the head chef of the imperial kitchen, and a master dyer of cloth!
These KPIs are even more ruthless than those of a heartless boss from my past life! They're practically treating people like donkeys!
She transmigrated into the book to lie down and relax, not to experience workplace bullying and abnormal performance evaluations in a different place!
She held the paper, which seemed light yet incredibly heavy, as if she could already see the miserable life ahead, where she would be squeezed dry of everything!
Xiao Lingxi enjoyed her stunned expression, a satisfied smile playing on his lips. He took Zisu's hand and led her into the inner room, casually uttering:
"Doing it well is your duty, but if you don't... well, my Brocade Pavilion doesn't keep idle people."
For the next half day, Su Xiaoyu was indeed in deep trouble.
She was fretting over a pot of mashed hibiscus flowers and a pot of hot water, holding a white rag in her hand, trying to dye it the exact color the second young lady had requested.
Her cuffs and dress were stained with bruises, and there were also some stains on her face, making her look disheveled and pitiful.
This was the scene that Xiao Jingheng saw when he entered.
Meanwhile, Xiao Lingxi was reclining on a chaise lounge under the eaves, her eyes closed in contentment. A maidservant was carefully fanning her, while another maidservant offered her peeled grapes.
Hearing footsteps, Xiao Lingxi lazily opened her eyes. When she saw it was her older brother, she was so frightened that she immediately rolled off the chaise lounge.
"Big brother! What brings you here?"
While adjusting her clothes, she gestured to Zisu to quickly get Su Xiaoyu away.
Then, forcing a sweet smile, she stepped forward and said, "Please have a seat."
Xiao Jingheng took everything in, including his sister's little tricks.
His expression remained calm and composed. He gave a soft "hmm" and sat down on the stone bench.
His gaze swept over the grapes on the stone table, then glanced at the corner where Su Xiaoyu had been busy, where crushed flower petals and stained cloth were still scattered.
"I came to see you." He said in a flat tone, revealing neither joy nor anger.
"How is the new maidservant doing?"
Xiao Lingxi's heart tightened!
Did her older brother find out that she was making things difficult for Su Xiaoyu?
"It's alright, it's alright, just a bit clumsy. I'm teaching her the rules." Xiao Lingxi said, trying to remain calm.
"Is that so?" Xiao Jingheng picked up the teacup that Zisu had offered, and said casually, "Since he's clumsy, then I'll teach him more. If he's really unusable..."
He paused slightly, noticing the sudden glint in Xiao Lingxi's eyes.
"...Then come back to me, and I'll find you someone more clever. It wouldn't be good to let a maid interfere with your leisure time."
Xiao Lingxi's smile froze.
Her brother's words... sounded considerate, but why did she feel like he was warning her?
"Big brother is right," she replied dryly, abandoning her little scheme to get rid of Su Xiaoyu for the time being.
Immediately afterwards, Xiao Jingheng stopped looking at her and instead raised his hand to clap twice.
Soon, Changfeng came in from outside the courtyard carrying a thick booklet with a dark, black cover that looked heavy.
"Big brother, what is this...?"
Xiao Lingxi stared at the booklet, a sense of foreboding creeping over her.
Immediately afterwards, Xiao Jingheng's emotionless voice rang out:
“You have come of age and are no longer a child. Your mother has entrusted me with the task of properly disciplining you. This is the ‘Record of Self-Cultivation and Learning for Women’ that I have prepared for you. From today onwards, follow this guide.”
Xiao Lingxi blankly took the heavy booklet, casually flipped through a few pages, and was instantly dumbfounded, as if struck by lightning!
The following are clearly listed above:
At the beginning of the morning: Get up and recite "Admonitions for Women" and "Inner Instructions". You need to understand their meaning and memorize them every day.
Chen Shi Zheng: Practice calligraphy by copying a scroll of famous calligraphers' works, aiming to capture both the form and spirit of the characters.
At 9:00 AM, students are required to complete their poetry and lyrics lessons. Each day, they must compose a poem or write a ci poem based on a given topic.
Noon...
Shen Shi (3-5 PM)...
"Big...Big Brother!" Xiao Lingxi's voice was already choked with sobs.
"Poetry, songs, and etiquette are one thing, but writing policy essays on the 'Records of Mountains and Rivers' and the movements of the court? Aren't these things only for men? What would I do with learning these things?"
How can you expect a young lady who only knows how to eat, drink, have fun, and stroll in the garden to care about important court affairs and even write articles?
This is far more painful than making her embroider flowers for a whole month straight!
Xiao Jingheng remained unfazed, his demeanor dignified and composed.
"As the legitimate daughter of a marquis, you will marry someone of great wealth and status. If you only know about romance and pleasure, how can you fulfill the responsibilities of a matriarch and head wife? How can you have common ground with your husband?"
A broad perspective, sound judgment, and the ability to know when to advance and retreat are the foundations of a successful life. Do you really want to be looked down upon by your husband's family in the future, thinking that my Yongning Marquis's mansion only raised a good-for-nothing daughter?
After saying that, he glanced at Su Xiaoyu, who was trying to make herself as inconspicuous as possible while inwardly complaining, and continued, "From now on, I will come here every day at Shenshi (3-5 PM) to personally test your studies. Su Xiaoyu will need to be by your side with pen and ink to record the key points."
Su Xiaoyu, who was watching the drama unfold, was shocked!
What? I have to listen in and take notes?
She inwardly wailed: [Those things about local customs, politics, and state affairs are so boring they make me want to fall asleep! Young Master, tormenting the Second Miss is bad enough, but why drag me into it too?! o(╥﹏╥)o]
Xiao Lingxi still tried to struggle, clinging to her last hope: "Big brother... I... I can't learn it..."
"If you can't learn it, then learn it until you can."
Xiao Jingheng cut off her escape route, "Or do you want to be sent to a private school in the outskirts of the capital for quiet study? When will you return after you have completed your studies?"
The family schools in the suburbs of Beijing were strict and incredibly boring, practically hell for people like Xiao Lingxi!
Moreover, the return date is uncertain!
Xiao Lingxi instantly deflated like a punctured balloon.
Tears welled up in her eyes, and her voice was filled with desperate sobs: "...Yes, elder brother."
Seeing her utterly hopeless expression, Xiao Jingheng glanced at Su Xiaoyu, who was also looking like she was doomed, and a faint smile flickered in the depths of his eyes.
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