Chapter 66 After being scolded: Hao! Hao Hao Hao brother... middle middle middle middle... done!
Yao Ruyi and Lin Wen'an stood obediently in the room, both with their heads down and their eyes drooping in embarrassment.
They really do look like two bitter gourds that have been hit by frost.
Yao Qizhao sat in a rattan armchair, his face even longer than Yao Deshui's. He started with the "not giving each other towels and combs in person" from the Book of Rites, and went on to quote from the Analects, Mencius, Family Precepts, Sushui Family Etiquette, the Marriage Ceremony of a Scholar, and the Book of Rites, citing classics and providing reasoned arguments. If he were to copy it down, it could probably be written into a rigorous policy essay.
They were lectured for almost half an hour.
Yao Ruyi, however, had sharp eyes and noticed that Yao Qizhao's lips were slightly dry and his Adam's apple bobbed. She bent down, nimbly picked up the thermos of hot water simmering on the table, and fawned over him with a fawning smile: "Grandpa, please moisten your throat and catch your breath before you start scolding him?"
As he spoke, he steadily poured a glass of warm water and handed it over.
"Still grinning like that!" Yao Qizhao took the cup, glaring at her fiercely. "Did you even hear what you just said? Have you reflected on your actions?"
Yao Ruyi quickly pointed to the sky and swore, "I listened, I listened."
Actually, she didn't understand a single word. Grandpa Yao's scolding was all in classical Chinese, making her head spin. She did, however, steal a glance at Lin Wen'an beside her, who was sweating profusely from the scolding, looking deeply ashamed and with his fists clenched at his sides. It seemed that Grandpa's wise sayings, used to berate him, carried considerable weight with him.
Yao Qizhao noticed her stealing glances at Lin Wen'an, and slammed the teacup he had just touched his lips onto the table with a loud thud: "I don't think you heard a single word!" He raised his voice again.
Yao Ruyi shrank back in fright, quickly stopped smiling, and retreated to her original spot, burying her head even deeper. She also put on a very sorrowful look, but her mind had already wandered off.
In the end, this whole thing turned out to be a huge misunderstanding.
At first, she hadn't quite sorted out her own thoughts, so naturally she didn't dare mention it to her grandfather. Later, when she understood and wanted to speak, the words caught in her throat as she looked at Grandpa Yao's stern and serious face, and she inexplicably felt a little timid.
Her name is Ruyi, but it's not the same "Ruyi" as Grandpa Yao's.
The "Ruyi" in her grandfather's heart was that shy and introverted girl, who should be well-behaved and quite knowledgeable, right? If he knew how unreliable she was... would he be disappointed? Would he be sad? Besides that, there was always a heavy unease hanging over her heart.
Does he know if she is as he wishes...?
Moreover, Grandpa Yao wasn't as lucid as he is now a few days ago, and there were times when he didn't recognize people. Seeing him like that, Yao Ruyi felt even more apprehensive, but it was as if she had found a legitimate reason to escape, and she secretly comforted herself: Let's wait and see, until Grandpa is better.
This wait has led to today's "exposure of the truth".
As for Lin Wen'an, Yao Ruyi felt that she really couldn't blame him.
It wasn't that he was breaking the rules and rushing into marriage without a matchmaker or betrothal gifts; it was precisely that he was too serious and rigid. He got caught up in his own jokes about "cars, houses, money, and gold bracelets," feeling he needed to thoroughly understand the family's financial situation, get their approval, properly inform his grandfather, and only then ask his parents to intervene. Perhaps in his formulaic and rigid mind, proposing marriage should be a perfectly measured procedure: first, write a letter to sound out his parents' opinions; if they reply with approval, then discuss it with the Yao family; if the Yao family agrees, finally write another letter, and have his parents bring the family's belongings and a matchmaker to formally propose marriage.
Who would have thought that this first step would lead them astray?
When Lin Zhu received his son's letter in Fuzhou, he was overjoyed to see that his son was thinking about getting married! During the seven years that Lin Wen'an spent in Fuzhou, he was shrouded in a gloomy and listless atmosphere. He didn't even bother to look at his own family members, let alone women. Sometimes he would go for ten days or half a month without saying a word.
Lin Zhu had long assumed he would remain a bachelor for the rest of his life.
Now he's sent a letter, not only mentioning he has a sweetheart but also asking about my family's wealth! Needless to say, he's telling me to bring all my possessions to propose marriage! Why wait for a reply when we're going back and forth? That would be such a waste of time! It's better for him to go in person, packing up all the deeds, land deeds, banknotes, and gold—that would show his sincerity.
Anyway, he was a lazy bum, spending his days collecting rent, inspecting the fields, counting money, and watching horse races—he was tired of that life. Besides, Yueyue was insisting on going to the capital with him to visit Uncle Cong, so there was no better time than to set off.
The journey from Fuzhou to Bianjing by water takes only a little over half a month, which is very fast.
Little did he know that these two young people, who were getting involved in a relationship for the first time and living under the same roof, could keep it from Grandpa Yao so well. He thought that Mr. Yao had known all along, and that the letter was a tacit agreement between the two families, just waiting for him to go through the motions!
When it came to Yao Qizhao, it was even worse. His mind went completely blank, without any preparation or buffer. Suddenly, he was told: We are getting married!
What about the parents' wishes? What about the matchmaker's words? What about the rules and regulations? What about the three letters and six rites?
Everything has vanished!
Especially since the other party was a student he had personally taught and the son of an old friend, his anger flared even more. What happened? How could he be the last to know about such an important matter?
Moreover.
Ruyi is a young woman, and although she is nineteen, in his eyes she is still young, inexperienced, and just beginning to fall in love. Therefore, his impetuousness and lack of self-control can be somewhat forgiven.
Lin Wen'an was his prized student, whom he had personally taught and who now held an official position. He usually appeared so composed and proper, yet he had followed suit with such reckless behavior! He had completely disregarded rules, etiquette, and manners—how could he not be angry? Besides, Lin Wen'an had stolen cabbages from his vegetable garden right under his nose, under his own eaves! What kind of behavior was this? A thief within the family is hard to guard against!
How despicable! How hateful!
Yao Qizhao's anger stemmed primarily from this.
Therefore, after scolding Yao Ruyi a few more times, he waved her out: "You, go out first!" Leaving Lin Wen'an alone, he also took the ruler that was under his pillow and pulled it out.
Yao Ruyi hesitated as she retreated to the door, turning back every few steps, her eyes filled with worry. Yao Qizhao, his face cold, shoved her out without a word, slamming the door shut in front of her and bolting it shut to prevent her from peeking.
As soon as the door closed, suppressed angry voices came from inside, rising and falling. Yao Ruyi quickly pressed her ear to the cold door to listen. She couldn't understand what was being cursed through the door, but there were a few slapping sounds mixed in, which were clearly the sounds of a ruler hitting flesh.
It sounds painful!
Lin Wen'an remained silent. She couldn't hear his voice and didn't know what was happening inside. At this time, it was customary to treat one's teacher as one's father, and if Yao Qizhao wanted to discipline him, even Lin Zhu, his own father, couldn't say anything. Besides, Lin Zhu had roughly understood what had happened and thought that he did indeed deserve a beating.
The sound of the ruler striking grew louder and louder inside. Yao Ruyi's heart clenched. Her fingers dug at the paint on the door, and she lowered her voice, both timid and anxious, as she called out through the crack in the door, "Grandpa... please, please go easy on me..."
"Don't break it."
He paused, then weakly added:
"I...I still want this person..."
A moment of silence fell inside the door.
Immediately afterward, Yao Qizhao's furious roar pierced through the door like thunder: "Yao—Ru—Yi!"
Yao Ruyi was jolted back by the shout and quickly shut her mouth. Turning around with a heavy heart, she saw that Uncle Cong had gone back to the Lin family to tidy up the house under the eaves of the courtyard, but Lin Zhu and his daughter Yueyue were still there.
The two men were still waiting by the low table under the eaves, their eyes fixed intently on her.
Yueyue couldn't hold back and burst out laughing at Yao Ruyi's words. Although she quickly covered her mouth with her hand, her shoulders were still shaking.
Seeing how relaxed the father and daughter were, Yao Ruyi walked over, feeling embarrassed.
What's going on? Aren't they worried at all?
Yueyue greeted with a smile, "Sister Ruyi, do you still recognize me?"
Yao Ruyi thought for a moment, and in the original owner's vague memories, there was a little girl named Yueyue, who was very lively, like a little sparrow. She never cared that she was quiet and would chatter around her. The two were not much different in age, so it seemed that they had a good relationship for a while when they were young.
However, Yueyue soon went to her maternal grandparents' house. They spent some time together intermittently, but not for long. Gradually, they lost contact with each other.
Yao Ruyi honestly replied, "I remember a little, but not very clearly."
Yueyue laughed and said, "Me too! But as soon as I saw you, I remembered that you once folded a cloth mouse for me. You folded it with a handkerchief." She even gestured to show it.
The original owner of this body had no recollection of this event. Yao Ruyi shook her head.
Yueyue didn't find it strange; this was the only thing she remembered from her childhood.
The two looked at each other, and Yueyue casually twirled the hair ribbon hanging over her shoulder. As if knowing what her sister was worried about, she comforted her, "Sister, don't worry about my brother. Mr. Yao knew what he was doing. Besides, he deserved it! My brother is a man who understands everything else very well, but when it comes to matters of the heart, he's completely clueless! It's not surprising that he caused some trouble. Father and I are also at fault; we shouldn't have come in such a hurry. We should have sent a message first."
Lin Zhu nodded, a look of shame on his face. "Yes, yes. When Mr. Yao comes out later, I will definitely apologize properly. Sigh," he said, rubbing his hands together, a bitter smile on his face, and whispered, "Yueyue's wedding, her mother was ill at the time, but she still managed to handle most of the arrangements smoothly. But when it came to Erlang, I, as his father, panicked and made such a fool of myself today..."
Yao Ruyi sat down next to Yueyue, a half-cold cup of tea still on the low table. She rested her chin on her hand and sighed softly, "Ah, it's really my fault..."
It would have been better if she hadn't mentioned the money; she's just led people astray.
The three sat in a row under the eaves. Lin Zhu rubbed his knees, Yueyue fiddled with her hair ribbon, and Yao Ruyi rested her chin on her hand, each reflecting on her own actions and sighing in unison.
Fortunately, the door opened soon after, and Yao Ruyi jumped up and peeked inside on tiptoe. Yao Qizhao, who had come out first, still had a stern face and blocked the doorway like a small mountain. When she peeked to the left, Yao Qizhao would take a step to the left; when she peeked to the right, Yao Qizhao would block her to the right.
Yao Ruyi panicked and stamped her foot: "Grandpa!"
"What are you looking at! What's there to see!" Yao Qizhao angrily pulled her aside.
This tug allowed Yao Ruyi to see Lin Wen'an, who then walked out of the door.
He hung his head, looking somewhat listless, but without any external injuries. He silently walked to Yao Qizhao, clasped his hands together, and bowed deeply, saying, "It was all my recklessness that led me astray from your teachings and failed you. I am willing to accept the punishment. From now on, I will certainly abide by proper etiquette..."
He maintained his bowed posture, paused for a moment, and then said somewhat stubbornly, "My heart is sincere, and what I just told you was absolutely true, and... I dare not betray this heart."
He bowed his head deeply again, his posture respectful, but his last words, "I dare not betray this heart," were as firm and resounding as a nail.
Yao Qizhao looked at the drooping nape of his neck, then glanced at Yao Ruyi next to him, whose lips curled up at the sound of her words, and his face darkened even more.
These two have admitted their mistakes, but they're still quite stubborn at heart and won't change at all!
He wasn't trying to break them up; they were both getting on in years, and it was normal for them to discuss marriage. But the matter of propriety had to be clarified. Especially keeping it from him was the biggest mistake!
But we've already hit them and yelled at them, what else can we do?
That's all.
Yao Qizhao's helpless expression softened.
In the midst of this delicate atmosphere, a loud cry came from beside him. Yao Ruyi, having seen something, slipped past him in a flash.
Lin Wen'an had just straightened up when Ruyi rushed towards him like a gust of wind. Before he could react to what she was going to do, he felt his wrist tighten.
Immediately afterwards, that warm little hand grabbed his wide sleeve and yanked it up!
Under everyone's watchful eyes, she rolled up his sleeve to his shoulder, revealing more than ten red and swollen welts on his arm, crisscrossed from being struck with a ruler.
Lin Wen'an almost instinctively stole a glance at Yao Qizhao, only to see that the man's face, which had just calmed down a little, instantly turned as black as the bottom of a pot, and even the beard under his chin looked like it was about to explode with anger. He also caught a glimpse of Yueyue and her father's astonished gazes out of the corner of his eye, so he silently thought of pulling down his sleeve to cover himself.
But when Yao Ruyi saw that his arm was red and swollen from being hit, and that some of the blows were even bleeding, she immediately became angry.
Instead of loosening her grip on his wrist, she tightened it even more, and with her other hand, she pressed down on his right hand as he tried to pull at his sleeve, glaring at him: "Grandpa! How could you hit me so hard? That's too much!"
Excessive? He's being excessive? He thinks I've gone too far! Yao Qizhao's eyes widened, and he reached out to pull the arrogant girl back. But Yao Ruyi, now incredibly bold, put her hands on her hips, stiffened her neck, and instead of dodging, met his fiery gaze head-on: "No matter what, hitting someone is wrong! Talk is talk, but why resort to violence!"
“You little brat…” Yao Qizhao pointed at her, his hand trembling.
"What's wrong with the little girl?" Yao Ruyi retorted without backing down, her voice crisp and clear. "The little girl knows that hitting people is wrong! Let's reason things out!"
As she spoke, she grabbed Lin Wen'an's battered arm and shoved it forward again, causing Lin Wen'an, whose ears were already slightly red, to stumble forward a step, almost touching Yao Qizhao's eyes. She argued forcefully, "Look at it yourself! How swollen it is! And there are blood spots! You should break his arm!"
Yao Qizhao not only ignored it, but also raised his hand to strike.
"You're still hitting me!" Yao Ruyi quickly pulled Lin Wen'an's arm back, instinctively holding it protectively in her arms. "Stop hitting me!"
Yao Qizhao was so angry that his chest heaved: "You...you little brat! You're really siding with outsiders! You just ignored everything I said."
He's done with them. He's no longer going to care about these two. His children are a burden, and so are his students!
Yao Qizhao turned away with a flick of his sleeve, slammed the door shut with a loud bang, and bolted it shut. After that, no matter how much they knocked on the door, no one inside would answer.
Under the eaves, Lin Zhu stood at a loss, wanting to offer advice but not daring to step forward. Yueyue stood to the side, her eyes wide with surprise, then finding it amusing, and even trying not to laugh. She thought to herself, "Oh dear! Sister Ruyi is so different from when she was little, but now..."
My future sister-in-law's fierce protectiveness is really to my liking.
She glanced at her brother, who was limp from being scolded and beaten by his husband and then dragged to the public for a "test of injuries." He looked embarrassed and worried about his husband, but when his gaze fell on Yao Ruyi, who was still clinging to his arm, there was an undisguised sense of satisfaction and tenderness in his eyes.
Yueyue was even happier.
Look how smug he is! Now he'll have a wife who dotes on him. How amazing is that!
*
The next morning, as soon as a pale light shone through the window, Yao Ruyi jumped out of bed, slipped on her shoes, and went to find her grandfather, hoping to appease the old man. But when she pushed open his door, the room was spotless, and he was nowhere to be seen. She asked Cong Xin, who was squatting by the vegetable garden, and learned that the stubborn old man had taken Tie Baojin and stormed off to Zhixingzhai before dawn.
"I'm still angry..." Yao Ruyi stood in the empty room, scratching her head, and muttered weakly, "But you really shouldn't hit people..."
She walked to the corner of the yard, fed Yao Deshui a mixture of bean feed and hay, and then went to open the window of the shop. While she was at it, she also picked up a small bag of spiced diced meat wrapped in oil paper from the shelf of the general store.
These are Grandpa Yao's favorite snacks. She'll put them in her bosom first, and take them to Zhixingzhai later to appease Grandpa, while also keeping an eye on the teahouse's business.
Yueyue and Lin Zhu had come from afar, and Yao Ruyi had already made arrangements. She told Uncle Cong not to rush to Zhixingzhai to help, but to first settle the luggage of the Lin father and daughter, and then accompany them to stroll around Bianjing City. Although Lin Zhu and Yueyue were both considered "old Bianjing residents," the capital had changed so much over the years. Just looking at the various branches of Chenji and the huge farm outside the city was enough to keep them occupied for a whole day.
However, Yueyue and Lin Zhuxian were invited by the Lin Si Cao family today. It's rare for them to come back, and I heard that they have to take a car later to visit other members of the Lin family in Zhuxian Town.
Therefore, Lin Si Cao specially asked the yamen for leave and, together with Aunt Ying and the boys in the family, accompanied Lin Zhu to buy gifts in a lively manner. Uncle Cong naturally had to come along as well.
Lin Zhu came in a hurry, bringing only two servants to look after the luggage. Yueyue was also accompanied by a young girl who had just grown her hair out and was nimble on her feet.
In that case, the task of "making milk tea" will have to be handled by her and Lin Wen'an for the next few days. Lin Wen'an also went to the palace early this morning to ask for leave, and should be back soon.
Yao Ruyi took a nap and, upon waking, was indifferent to what had happened yesterday. Well, she knew what she should and shouldn't know now, and the truth was finally out in the open; she had nothing to worry about anymore.
The most important thing right now is to coax that stubborn old man, Grandpa Yao, back.
Thinking this, she removed the door panel from the general store, propped up the windows, and let the cool morning breeze dispel the stuffy smell that had lingered in the store all night. After tidying up, she picked up the bag of diced meat and strolled leisurely towards Zhixingzhai. In the cracks between the bricks in the courtyard of Zhixingzhai, many unfamiliar wildflowers bloomed. Yao Ruyi hadn't ordered them to be removed; they quietly blossomed into clusters of small buds, carrying a faint fragrance.
Yao Ruyi quite liked these resilient wildflowers and grasses. Although they weren't any famous varieties, they could still bloom beautifully even in the cracks between bricks.
As soon as they entered the courtyard, they saw that Meng Boyuan and the others had already arrived. Knowing that the Lin family was back, Yao Ruyi's side would definitely be short-handled, so they busied themselves with practiced ease: Meng Boyuan was using long-handled fire tongs to stoke the tea stove, Cheng Shujun was carrying a large copper kettle to pour water, and Lin Weiming was using a large broom to sweep the courtyard floor with practiced ease.
A little while later, Little Stone arrived carrying General Ma on his back. He was pushing a small bamboo cart, inside which lay his younger sister, kicking her legs and waving her hands. He helped serve tea and water in the tea room, or tidied the shelves in the stationery shop, all while looking after his sister. His parents weren't home today, so his sister was entrusted to him and Lin Weiming, who was anxiously waiting for the results.
These days, Xiao Shitou comes over every few days to do odd jobs, and Yao Ruyi pays him a daily wage. Last time, he used his wages to buy his sister a rattle drum and a six-hole wind chime that could be tied to a bamboo cart and would spin in the wind.
As soon as Lin Weiming saw Xiao Shitou pushing his younger sister in, he immediately threw aside the broom he was holding, stood up to greet her, his face beaming with smiles, and even his voice became soft and high-pitched: "Oh dear, our little darling is awake? Was she a good girl while nursing today? Come here, let your big brother hold her and lift her up high—"
The cloyingly sweet tone made Meng Boyuan, who was poking the stove, and Cheng Shujun, who was fetching water, feel nauseous. They both shuddered and got goosebumps on their arms.
Yao Ruyi found it amusing, went behind the counter, and gave Xiao Shitou a small bag of rice crackers. She then asked him, "Would you like some milk? It's just been heated up."
Little Stone tilted his round little face up and solemnly refused, "No need, Sister Ruyi, I'm a big brother now, I don't want milk!"
"Silly Stone," Yao Ruyi smiled, still pouring a cup of warm milk and putting it in his hand, "You can drink it now that you're a big brother. It will help you grow taller, and you'll definitely be taller than your older brother in the future."
Little Stone smiled, took the drink, and thanked him; he actually wanted to drink it.
Gradually, the tea room became lively as students entered in twos and threes. Some sat down to play yin-yang cards, some drank tea and chatted, and a few plucked strings and hummed tunes in a corner. They appeared relaxed, but in fact, everyone's brows betrayed a hint of anxiety.
Yao Ruyi wiped the ceramic cup, stood on tiptoe, and peered quietly through the partition towards the other end of the study.
You can vaguely see Grandpa Yao leaning back in his rattan chair, his head slightly tilted to one side, his mouth slightly open, as if he's dozing off.
Yao Ruyi shook her head, both amused and annoyed. Grandpa Yao was angry with her and insisted on getting up early to avoid her, and what was the result? Now he'd made himself sleepy!
Ironclad Gold, however, remained upright and serious, squatting beside Grandpa Yao's chair leg. Whenever a student carrying a book came in, seeing its dignified posture, they couldn't help but smile, bend down, and pat this "Golden Doctor's" forehead.
A short while later, Yu Jiuwan also entered, dressed in her finest attire. She always made herself look beautiful, with her hair styled in a dark bun, adorned with delicate flowers, and her every step accompanied by the soft tinkling of her jewelry and the allure of her fragrance.
Now it is also a very beautiful sight in Zhixingzhai.
Many students couldn't help but come to see this beautiful older sister, not to mention Meng Qingyuan. Whenever he had a day off, he would come to Zhixingzhai and seriously act as a "volunteer," claiming that he was afraid that Grandpa Yao was too busy and that he could help the students with their homework.
But everyone knows what Sima Zhao is up to.
Since Sister Jiuwan did not chase him away, Yao Ruyi pretended not to know anything.
After she entered, she waved to Yao Ruyi from afar, then went straight into the small side room where the books were kept and got to work. Yao Ruyi had conscripted everyone she could for her grand book-printing project, including Lin Wen'an, Grandpa Yao, Dr. Jiang, Dr. Zou, and even Sister Jiuwan, who was brought in to proofread and review the manuscripts. Therefore, she had recently been spending entire days in her room surrounded by manuscripts.
Yao Ruyi handed several cups of prepared milk tea to the customers, and taking advantage of the moment when no one was ordering, she came out from behind the counter. She walked to the cabinet, took out a thin blanket that had just been starched and still smelled of sunshine, and was about to cross the courtyard to the study to cover Grandpa Yao with it when she was suddenly startled by the sudden sound of gongs and drums outside the alley.
"Clang! Clang clang clang! Thump thump clang!"
Immediately afterwards, the crackling of firecrackers rang out, and Zhixingzhai fell silent for a moment. Many people immediately stood up, nervously wanting to go out and see what was happening. Just then, a disheveled figure rushed in from outside the gate.
Geng Ji, who had been waiting outside the examination hall for several days, was sweating profusely. He was so excited that he tripped on the high threshold and almost flew in close to the ground.
Geng Hao and the other students rushed out to help him.
Geng Ji was helped up, his face covered in sweat and ash. He pointed towards the alleyway, his mouth agape, but something seemed to be blocking his throat. His face turned red, and after a long while, he managed to squeeze out a single word:
"May your fortune increase!"
His stuttering made everyone groan in pain. One person stamped their foot impatiently, yelling, "Just say it! What did you say?"
Some of the more impatient ones grabbed their hair, turned around and shouted at Geng Hao, "Geng Da! Why did you have to make him look at the list? Can he even explain it clearly? This is driving me crazy!"
Geng Hao's face darkened, and he raised his foot to rush out and see what was going on.
Just then, Gengji swallowed hard, mustered all his strength, and finally roared out the whole sentence: "Famous! Fa fa fa—the list is up!!"
He was breathing heavily, his finger still pointing straight at Geng Hao:
"Hao! Hao Hao, brother... Zhong Zhong Zhong Zhong... Liao Liao Liao!"
Geng Hao's raised foot was instantly frozen in mid-air, and he turned his head in disbelief, pointing at himself:
"Me?...I won?...Huh?"
————————
Lin Wen'an: From now on, I'm no longer a wild man without a wife to pamper me! [Sprinkling flowers]
Geng Hao, who is usually a poor student but suddenly performed exceptionally well: "Was the test paper graded incorrectly?" [question mark]
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