Xu Zhi had just returned to her room when Bai Shu came over and said that Granny Wang was requesting an audience.
When Xu Zhi heard that it was Granny Wang who had arrived, she quickly went to the outer room to wait.
After Granny Wang curtsied, Xu Zhi said, "Bai Shu, bring Granny Wang a stool."
Bai Shu brought a stool to Granny Wang. After Granny Wang thanked her, she said, "Young Madam, I've come here to ask for your advice."
Xu Zhi smiled and said, "Granny, please feel free to speak your mind."
Wang Mama said, "Young Mistress, Yuan'er is already twelve years old. I was thinking, should we let Yuan'er learn to manage household affairs?"
Xu Zhi said, "Granny, I was just talking about this with Granny Lu. As you know, I have to go out with my third uncle for some business in a while. There always needs to be someone to take care of things at home. I was thinking that Yuan-jie will eventually have to manage the household affairs herself, so it's good for her to learn now."
Upon hearing this, Granny Wang smiled and said, "Young Mistress is indeed very thoughtful. However, there is one thing: you asked Aying to come and serve Yuan'er this afternoon. Is that Aying's custom?"
Xu Zhi smiled and said, "Grandma, let me tell you now. This afternoon, Yuan-jie said she liked A-ying. I think it's good that A-ying is a local. We don't understand many of the local customs when we come here. It's always good to have a local to give us some pointers."
Wang Mama nodded in agreement. Xu Zhi said, "Furthermore, Yuan'er is already twelve years old. In a few years, we will have to prepare for her marriage. Once she is married, she won't be able to do many things. Before she gets married, we should relax as much as possible. Aying seems to be a lively person. Mama, don't be too strict with her. As long as you don't go against the rules, let Aying accompany Yuan'er to relax."
Upon hearing this, Granny Wang smiled and said, "The eldest young mistress really dotes on our Yuan'er. In that case, I'll do as the eldest young mistress says."
Xu Zhi said, "Granny, I'm entrusting Yuan'er to you. There are many things that I need to learn now so that I can use them when I need them in the future."
After seeing off Granny Wang, Xu Zhi lay on the bed. Outside, Bai Ying and Bai Guo were still packing things. After taking some of Xu Zhi's clothes out of the trunk, they hung them in the wardrobe in the room.
Xu Zhi turned over, unable to sleep any longer, so she got up. Bai Ying saw this and quickly came over to ask, "Miss, is something the matter?"
Xu Zhi said, "I'll write two letters, and you can find someone to deliver them first thing tomorrow morning."
Bai Ying quickly served her pen and ink. Xu Zhi thought for a moment, then wrote a letter to her parents, another to her brother and sister-in-law, and finally to the old lady and the Marquis.
After finishing writing the letters, it was already past midnight. Xu Zhi rubbed her head, looked at the three letters on the table, and said to Bai Ying, "Send them out first thing tomorrow morning. We've settled in here. Let's let our families know. Tomorrow, ask the people who came with us if anyone wants to write back to their families to let them know they're safe. If they can write, let them write; if they can't, have them write for them."
Bai Ying agreed and took the three letters out. Xu Zhi finally breathed a sigh of relief and lay down on the bed, quickly falling asleep.
Xu Di has already taken Li Yuexi back to Tai'an. Xu Di has been reading until the third watch of the night before going back to his room to sleep. Li Yuexi has already prepared a midnight snack.
It was scallion pancakes, millet porridge, and a few kinds of pickled vegetables, which Xu Di liked to eat.
There was an open space next to the academy's wall. Li Yuexi and Xu Ru led a group of children to clear this abandoned land and plant some common vegetables. Xu Di would go over to help manage it whenever he had free time. Although it hadn't been long, the seedlings had already grown lush and green.
The scallions used in the scallion pancakes were picked from the scallion field. They were thin, long scallions, finely chopped, sprinkled on the flour, rolled up, cut into small pieces, rolled into thin pancakes, fried in oil, and then cut into small pieces. They were crispy on the outside and fragrant on the inside. Xu Di ate several pieces in a row.
Li Yuexi was tidying up the bed for their upcoming sleep. The two of them slept on a kang (a heated brick bed). Usually, they would roll up the bedding and put it in the kang cabinet. When it was time to sleep, they would wipe the kang clean and take out the bedding to lay it out.
After eating, Xu Di quickly washed up and lay down in bed.
Li Yuexi blew out the glass lamp on the kang table, lay down next to Xu Di, and said, "I wonder where Ninth Sister has gone."
Xu Di did some calculations and said, "I think we should be able to reach Yuezhou."
Li Yuexi asked, "Brother Di, is Yuezhou very far?"
Xu Di did the math and said, "It must be about two thousand miles away from here."
Li Yuexi asked in surprise, "Is it that far?"
Xu Di said, "Yes, it's that far. I went to Yuezhou with my third uncle once, and it took us more than ten days to get there."
Li Yuexi asked, "What is Yuezhou like?"
Xu Di said, "Yuezhou is by the sea. It is very hot and humid in the summer and very cold and humid in the winter."
Li Yuexi asked, "In winter, can you heat a kang (heated brick bed) like we do here?"
Xu Di said, "No, there's only a bed over there, not a kang (heated brick bed)."
Li Yuexi asked, "Then how will we keep warm?"
Xu Di thought for a moment and said, "If we're looking for warmth, let's rely on our righteous spirit."
Li Yuexi asked curiously, "A righteous spirit? Can righteousness keep you warm?"
Xu Di couldn't help but laugh. Li Yuexi had been living with Xu Di for a while, and when she heard his words, she knew he was joking with her. She said coquettishly, "Brother Di, are you teasing me?"
Xu Di said, "No, no, the people over there really rely on themselves to keep warm in winter."
Li Yuexi said, "Won't Ninth Sister get cold in the winter?"
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