Since Lin Yuqi got engaged, Madam Li has been busy. She sent a matchmaker to the Marquis of Anle's residence to propose marriage and exchange betrothal gifts. She had to handle all of this and do it well. All the gift lists had to be of the highest quality, and Lin Yuqi's courtyard also needed minor renovations.
Li was extremely busy, and Lin Yuqiao couldn't just go to her yard to freeload in the afternoons, so she decided to show some "brotherly love" and take care of Lin Yucheng.
First he fell ill, then Lin Yufeng took the provincial examination, and then Lin Yuqi got engaged. With all these things happening one after another, Lin Yucheng never had time to return to the academy.
Although he stayed at home, he often spent his days either reading or going out to meet friends, making it really difficult for Lin Yuqiao to talk to him.
Having finally managed to schedule a time in advance during the morning greetings, Lin Yuqiao, carrying her cat Naigao, strode confidently to Lin Yucheng's courtyard, ready to "have a talk" with him.
Lin Yuqiao both liked and felt sorry for her older brother, worried that he might have negative thoughts about the college entrance exam because he couldn't take it. She couldn't help but worry about his mental health.
When Lin Yuqiao lifted the curtain and came in, Lin Yucheng was already waiting. He bent down, scooped up the cat and the person, and put them on the couch together.
"Is this the new kitten?"
Lin Yucheng had long heard that Lin Yuqiao had a kitten that she adored, and that she wouldn't even let Lin Yutian touch it.
"Yes, isn't it pretty? It's called Milk Cake. It's so cute, even the nannies love it. They even embroidered Milk Cake on my clothes and purse, and the embroidery looks just like the real thing!"
When the topic of milk cake came up, Lin Yuqiao's face lit up, and she even pulled out a purse embroidered with milk cake images to present to Lin Yucheng.
Ancient embroidery techniques were truly amazing; the patterns were so lifelike, almost like 3D. The designs created by the maids and embroiderers around her often left this modern country bumpkin, who had only ever seen cross-stitch, completely dumbfounded.
After seeing Lin Yuqiao's purse, Lin Yucheng remembered what Li Shi had told him: Lin Yuqiao had started to practice needlework, but her temperament was still unstable and she couldn't settle down to learn needlework. So he said to her, "I heard from Mother that you're learning needlework. I won't make things difficult for you with clothes, shoes, and socks for now. When are you going to make a purse for your second brother?"
Hearing Lin Yucheng mention needlework, Lin Yuqiao's face immediately fell. She liked embroidered handicrafts, but that didn't mean she wanted to embroider them herself. Learning needlework was no easy task; not only did she constantly prick her hands, but she also had to learn to trace patterns, which was incredibly exhausting.
However, Madam Li valued her needlework skills highly. She was fine when she was lazy while studying, but she was not good at needlework. So ever since she started to pick up a needle, she had Fang Mama keep an eye on her.
Li believed that a girl's education should focus on literacy and understanding principles, and that she shouldn't force herself to compose poems or paint if she didn't have the talent. She could always learn other skills to make up for it.
However, a proper young lady must be skilled in embroidery and present clothes, shoes, and socks to her elders on special occasions such as festivals and birthdays. This is how she demonstrates her competence and virtue.
"Study needlework well, your brother is waiting for your purse. Now that you're a young lady, you can't be lazy with your studies anymore. Write at least two large characters every day, I need to check them."
I had heard Lin Yutian say that my second brother was even stricter with their studies than their teacher, and would go to their study in the evenings to give them extra tutoring, and would often test their memorization and understanding. I never expected that Lin Yucheng would now be in charge of my studies too.
Having died from overwork in her past life, and in this life always adhering to the principle of never standing if she can sit, and never being tired if she can be idle, Lin Yuqiao doesn't want to suffer from her second brother's supervision of her studies again.
Lin Yuqiao immediately imitated Naigao, widening her eyes and tilting her head back to act cute, while speaking with a righteous air, as if she was only thinking of Lin Yucheng.
"No need, no need. I will definitely study hard and practice calligraphy. Big brother is so busy, and he will have to go back to the academy in a while. Studying is hard work. Although I can't help you much, I can at least avoid causing you trouble."
Anyway, she was born into a good family. As the legitimate daughter of an earl's family, she already had a bright future. As long as her family didn't commit the heinous crime of confiscation of property and extermination, she could simply enjoy her life before and after marriage without needing to strive for fame and fortune.
Lin Yuqiao's only requirement for the future is to be able to read and write so that others can read her words. She doesn't have any grand ambitions; she just wants to marry into a wealthy family, win over her husband, have a few children, and enjoy life.
She would rather spend an entire afternoon waiting for a basket of freshly made crab roe buns, or a morning admiring every newly blooming flower in the garden, than waste time reading.
Just kidding, she's not going to be the top scholar. With the time she spends studying, she could do anything else.
Shaking her head, Lin Yuqiao thought she had figured things out, but Lin Yucheng didn't have such a big imagination as her. He just thought that she and Lin Yutian were like when they first moved to the front yard and disliked school. They were just used to playing and couldn't get back into the swing of things, so they needed to "tighten up their strings".
"It's alright, Second Brother isn't tired. Even if I'm not home and go to the academy, you still have to practice calligraphy as usual. I'll check your daily practice when you come back. Don't you dare cut corners."
Besides, the girl is young and doesn't understand, but he's a man, he knows. What man doesn't want his future wife to be a romantic and poetic companion, or at least have some talent, like writing a nice piece of calligraphy, so that their relationship can be more interesting?
Hearing Lin Yucheng's decisive tone, dismissing the case as invalid, Lin Yuqiao could only reluctantly agree. Her inner child, tears streaming down her face, bit her handkerchief, regretting ever coming to care for him. Now look what happened; she'd lost everything too.
After disciplining the unruly child who didn't like to study, Lin Yucheng remembered Lin Yuqiao's purpose for coming and asked, "Didn't you say you wanted to talk to me? What do you want to say?"
He emphasized the pronunciation of the words "let's talk," and couldn't help but chuckle when he remembered Lin Yuqiao's serious request for him to set aside time, saying that she wanted to "talk" with him.
"Hmph, I just care about you. I was worried you might be having some issues because you couldn't take the exam, so I came to listen to your troubles!"
Having been struck down by Lin Yucheng's use of large characters, Lin Yuqiao stopped trying to be tactful and went straight to the point.
"What do you think I could be thinking?" Knowing that this was what she wanted to say, Lin Yucheng understood. Lin Yuqiao had come when he was sick but hadn't disturbed him. She probably heard everything from outside.
Lin Yucheng felt a warmth in his heart when he thought of her thoughtfulness, even though he really didn't have much to "confide" to her.
"For example, do you hate the person who prevents you from taking the exam, or the person who prevents you from taking the exam?"
Lin Yuqiao's words were awkward, but Lin Yucheng still understood. He smiled, radiant as spring blossoms, his eyes sparkling.
Lin Yuqiao was momentarily stunned by that smile, and felt as if the entire room had instantly lit up.
"Don't worry, I don't hate them." Lin Yucheng said softly to his sister. He was just more disgusted with his father, Chen Lianghou, and wanted to suppress Lin Yuqi even more.
Lin Yucheng casually pushed down the milk cake that kept rubbing against his sleeve, then gently pinched its neck and lifted it aside. He was usually aloof and reserved, and not used to touching such a fluffy and soft little thing.
"That's right, you're still young. If you don't take the exam this time, you'll take it again next time. There will be plenty of opportunities. Your father and older brother can't stop you."
Lin Yuqiao truly believed that her second brother would definitely rise to prominence; it was only a matter of time. Rather than becoming famous too early and having an unstable mindset, it was better to wait. Lin Yucheng was like a rough gem; the more he was polished, the brighter he would become.
Watching Lin Yuqiao pat his arm and talk like a little adult, Lin Yucheng found it quite amusing and ruffled her bangs.
It feels like an elder encouraging a younger generation.
It must be his imagination. Yes, that's right.
Although her words were too blunt, they truly struck a chord with Lin Yucheng. His sister's affirmation and confidence in him gave him even more strength. Indeed, they could never stop him.
Lin Yucheng's gaze was warm and firm as he affectionately rubbed Lin Yuqiao's head.
"I'll plan these things in my own mind. You just need to focus on your studies and sew the purse for me as soon as possible." You just need to grow up happily. I, as your older brother, will take care of all the troublesome things that require your attention. I will bear all the hardships and difficulties.
It seems his illness has worried them; he really shouldn't have succumbed to such a setback. Lin Yucheng reflected on it and realized he hadn't done enough.
From a young age, he learned from the various unequal treatment he received from his father and grandmother that he was different from his older brother. His older brother had the protection of his grandmother and father, while his mother had a hard life. His younger siblings were still young, and they were all his responsibility. He had to mature early and strive to become strong.
As the eldest son in the Li family and the elder brother of his younger siblings, Lin Yucheng has always carried this spontaneous sense of responsibility, which is also the driving force behind his continuous progress. Although the road ahead is difficult, he knows he will persevere until he leads everyone to a place of light.
He will not fall, nor does he have the right to be weak; he is the support they all rely on.
Feeling the care and tenderness overflowing in Lin Yucheng's words, Lin Yuqiao felt a little uncomfortable. It was a strange feeling that was both awkward and very comfortable.
"Haha, since you understand, I'm relieved."
Quickly breaking the awkwardly warm atmosphere with a laugh, Lin Yuqiao picked up the baby that Lin Yucheng had rejected and started sharing gossip with him.
"I've seen my future sister-in-law, she's not that pretty! Second brother, you'd better pick a beauty in the future, don't let the old lady find one for you, her taste is very poor!"
Lin Yuqi and Miss Jin's marriage is now halfway through the betrothal ceremony, and they are just waiting to get married in October.
Sneakyly approaching her second brother, Lin Yuqiao whispered to him the insights she had summarized.
"If Dad and Grandma also want to find you an ugly second sister-in-law, Second Brother, you can pretend to be sick, or we can pretend to be sick with you, and then find a fortune teller to say that your horoscopes are incompatible, so you won't have to marry her."
Based on her experience with Lin Yuqi's engagement, Lin Yuqiao also learned about the specific marriage procedures in this era.
Young girls generally don't go out to socialize; at most, they'll visit familiar relatives, embodying the idea of "being kept hidden away and unknown to the world."
However, when they reach the age of thirteen or fourteen, they will be taken out by the female elders of the family to participate in flower viewing parties, wedding banquets of various families, or full moon celebrations. For example, Lin Yuqiao's eldest sister, Lin Yuxuan, used to frequently attend these disguised matchmaking banquets with the second wife.
The presence of eligible young women at a banquet signifies a desire for marriage proposals, allowing wives from both familiar and unfamiliar families to inquire about potential wives for their sons.
If both families intend to arrange a marriage in private, they will first compare the birth dates of the two parties. Usually, they will go to a temple to find a master to tell if their birth dates are compatible. If they are compatible, they will proceed with the betrothal ceremony, and the two families will meet together, with the girl serving a cup of tea to her future mother-in-law.
Next, the groom's family would send someone to formally propose marriage to the bride's family. The two families would exchange birth charts and place their birth dates and times under the ancestral tablets in the ancestral hall for one night. If everything went well, the engagement would be announced. Since the birth charts had already been matched and their destinies analyzed beforehand, exchanging birth charts was mostly a formality.
Although marriage is traditionally arranged by parents and matchmakers, there's always a chance if you feel the person isn't right for you. The key lies in the earlier stage of fortune-telling and analyzing birth charts.
Lin Yuqiao felt that there were at least two opportunities to take advantage of. The best one was during the period before the two were engaged, when they were asked to match their birth dates and horoscopes. She could bribe a monk in a temple to tell her that the two were incompatible and had very bad luck in their fates, which would completely get rid of the problem.
If it doesn't work out, there's a second chance. When exchanging birth charts, pretend to be sick, and ideally, an elder in the family should actually be sick, so that the engagement can be declared invalid.
Hearing Lin Yuqiao's childish words, Lin Yucheng wanted to laugh again.
"Wouldn't faking illness to see a doctor expose him? Besides, why would any family just randomly invite a stranger to tell their fortune?"
"Then let's bribe the doctor with silver, and bribe the fortune teller in advance. Money can make the devil turn the millstone!"
Lin Yu-chiao continued to defend herself.
"Where did you learn such strange talk! No wonder you don't like to study; you've been focusing your attention on other things!"
Seeing that Lin Yuqiao was still unconvinced, Lin Yucheng continued to reason with her.
"Putting aside whether you have that much money, the doctors you hire in the manor are all well-known doctors from outside, and they have a long-standing relationship with the Marquis's manor. How could you easily bribe them? I'm afraid that the moment you spend the money, Father and the old lady will find out."
"As for bribing the monks in the temple, that's even more impossible. Monks are supposed to be free from worldly desires, so why would they be willing to do such things against their conscience for you?"
"How will you know if you don't try? If you can't bribe the doctor, you'll really get sick! If you can't bribe the master, find someone else. Isn't Second Aunt the one who believes in that old hag Ma the most?"
In fact, Lin Yuqiao realized that she had been thinking too simply after listening to Lin Yucheng's words. She was influenced by those novels about palace intrigue from her previous life, which made it seem that those skilled in palace intrigue could easily bribe others to do things, and could be used for their own purposes with just a word.
But she still had to hold on, because admitting defeat directly would be too embarrassing.
"Besides, it's just talk, just talk. It's still a long way off for Second Brother to marry Second Sister-in-law."
Having a younger sister who is still a three-headed figure but loves to act like an adult and always has to worry about him is a sweet burden for Lin Yucheng.
While feeding Lin Yuqiao some snacks, she said with a hint of helplessness, "You can think so far ahead about things that have no basis in reality. If you have so many little thoughts, you won't grow tall."
Speaking of which, Lin Yuqiao is six years old now, but she's really not very tall; she's quite petite. She looks tiny, only two years younger than Lin Yumei, but significantly shorter.
Mrs. Li was also worried about her, watching her drink soup and broth every day, constantly supplementing her diet, but she still didn't grow taller, and instead gained a lot of weight. On snowy days, she would wear a red coat outside to play, looking like a candied hawthorn covered in frost.
Lin Yucheng kept feeding her, and by the time Lin Yuqiao left with the cat, her belly was already round and bulging.
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