125. Where can I find a master?
"This is such a complicated matter..." the little princess said, resting her chin on her hand. "From Lin Lingrong's perspective, Lin Fuman was indeed very wrong. But now that Lin Fuman knows she was wrong, shouldn't Lin Lingrong give her another chance?"
The young prince snorted, "If you ask me, the Duke of Anguo's mansion is full of bad people and good-for-nothings. If the first wife had any backbone, would things have come to this?"
"Your Highness!" the little dumpling stamped her foot anxiously, "Big sister's mother is so pitiful!"
"Exactly!" the little princess chimed in. "You're so heartless!"
The young prince scoffed, "I'm just stating the facts. Doesn't your cousin Xie think the same way?"
"Let's think of something first. Where should the master be?"
"It must be in a temple."
"Nonsense, it should be in a Taoist temple!"
"You're talking nonsense! It's a temple!"
"you……"
"A Taoist temple!"
"temple!"
"don't want……"
"A Taoist temple!"
"temple!"
"Don't make a sound!"
The three children were arguing heatedly when Qu Zijin appeared at the door, holding a scroll of bamboo slips in his hands.
"I was only a moment late, and you're already arguing?" Qu Zijin frowned.
The three children turned to look at the Grand Tutor in unison, and then stepped forward in unison, saying, "Grand Tutor!"
The little princess spoke first: "Grand Tutor, don't you think the master should be in the Taoist temple?"
The young prince followed closely behind: "Even a fool would know it's in a temple!"
The little dumpling said nervously, "Grand Tutor, they're arguing again!"
Qu Zijin was completely confused, but his instinct to answer his student's questions kicked in: "A master is someone who has achieved great things in scholarship, art, or skill and is respected by the public. Therefore, whether a monk or a Taoist priest, as long as they have a certain level of achievement and reputation in their field, they can be called a master..."
The young prince: "Did you hear that? I was right! It's a monk! Go to the temple!"
Little Princess: "Nonsense! I'm right! It's clearly a Taoist temple!"
Little dumpling: "You're both right! Stop arguing!"
After listening for a while, Qu Zijin finally understood: "You mean, we should go to a temple or Taoist monastery to find a master? Why?"
The little princess and the little prince subconsciously looked at the little dumpling, asking her with their eyes if they could tell the adults this "little secret".
The little dumpling thought, "Of course!"
So she explained the whole story again.
Upon hearing this, Qu Zijin frowned even more deeply: "The Duke of Anguo's mansion has actually fallen to this state..."
"Does the Grand Tutor have a solution?" the little dumpling asked hesitantly. "Yue'er thinks that Sister Fufu has really become a better person."
Qu Zijin pondered for a moment, but did not deny her. Instead, he nodded and said, "Since Lin Fuman knows how to repent, it is a turning point. After all, it is a great virtue to know one's mistakes and correct them."
"Yes, yes! That's it!" the little dumpling said happily.
The Grand Tutor and she shared the same idea.
The young prince protested, "Grand Tutor, the book says, 'It's easier to change mountains and rivers than to change one's nature...'"
“Your Highness,” Qu Zijin interrupted him gently, “the book also says that ‘human nature is good at birth.’ A five-year-old child will accept whatever he is taught.”
The little boy looked up at the Grand Tutor and felt that the Grand Tutor was exceptionally tall and imposing.
He was facing away from the east, with the sun directly behind him, making him appear to be shining brightly.
The little dumpling looked up, its eyes bright: "Grand Tutor, Grand Tutor, can you...can you be that master?"
Qu Zijin was taken aback at first, then shook his head: "I am but a scholar..."
“But the Grand Tutor looks really impressive!” the little dumpling said earnestly. “And the Duke of Anguo will definitely believe what the Grand Tutor says!”
The little princess tugged at Qu Zijin's sleeve and pleaded, "Grand Tutor, please go! Just consider it... just consider it an extracurricular lecture! You can even take me with you!"
The young prince initially wanted to object, but upon hearing that he could leave the palace, he immediately changed his attitude: "Yes, yes, Xiaoyue and Chaoyun are right! If the Grand Tutor goes, we'll go and see what's going on."
Qu Zijin, unable to resist the three children's pestering, finally sighed and said, "Fine, since it's to help someone, I'll swallow my pride and go ahead..."
"Yay!" the three children cheered.
“However,” Qu Zijin changed the subject, “the county princess can go with you, but you, as noble ladies, cannot leave the palace.”
"Huh?—" The little princess and the little prince were greatly disappointed.
The little prince said angrily, "Why? Can't we even go out and join in the fun?"
The little princess had a sudden inspiration: "Hey, I'll go to Father Emperor. If Father Emperor agrees, wouldn't that be great?"
“His Majesty will never agree to this,” Qu Zijin poured cold water on the idea. “The young heir should not leave the palace in the first place, and the Duke of Anguo’s mansion is not a good place either. For both reason and sentiment, His Majesty will not agree.”
The little princess and the little prince, sharing a rare moment of sympathy, hugged each other, saying, "We're so miserable, waaaaah!"
Over there, Qu Zijin looked at the little dumpling: "I'll have someone send an invitation, saying that we'll be visiting Duke Anguo in three days. As for the twin lotus flowers..."
The little dumpling patted the backs of the little princess and the little prince with both hands to comfort them, and replied, "Sister Fufu said she will be ready!"
Qu Zijin gently patted the little dumpling's head: "Okay, then it's settled."
The little princess pouted and tugged at the little dumpling's sleeve, looking aggrieved: "I really want to go outside and see the world! I've heard the outside world is so beautiful!"
The young prince's eyes were also full of longing: "I...I'm not just playing around, I...I just want to...want to see those twin lotus blossoms..."
The little princess pitifully tugged at the little dumpling's hand: "Little Moon, you must come back and tell me what happened, don't leave out a single word!"
The young prince turned his face away and said in a muffled voice, "If anything interesting happens, remember to tell me."
The little dumpling nodded vigorously: "Yes! Yue'er will definitely tell you everything she saw and heard!"
“Oh, right,” the little prince said awkwardly, “if, if anyone bullies you, just say my name.”
"Yes, yes, yes! And mine too!" The little princess hugged the little dumpling. "You're my best friend, I'll never let anyone bully you! Absolutely not!"
"Mmm!" The little dumpling stretched out its chubby arms and hugged her. "Little Cloud is also Moon's best friend!"
"Hey, hey, hey!" the little prince cried out anxiously. "What about me?"
The little princess looked him over with a smile, and finally nodded: "I allow you to be second."
"Hey! What?! I want to be number one too!"
"Hehe, I won't allow it."
-
In the evening, the little dumpling returned to the Marquis of Beiding's residence.
Not long after entering the courtyard, a maidservant hurriedly came to greet her: "Miss, the second young lady of the Duke of Anguo's mansion has arrived and is waiting for you in the flower hall!"
The little dumpling was taken aback, then her eyes widened in surprise: "Sister Fufu? She came to play with Yue'er?"
She lifted the hem of her skirt and ran towards the flower hall.
In the flower hall.
Lin Fuman was sitting in a chair, her face still a little pale, but she was in good spirits, her eyes bright and lively.
Jiang Xiyue sat to the side, ordered tea and snacks to be served, exchanged a few polite words, and then said nothing more, her expression indifferent.
She didn't particularly like Lin Fuman, but she was indeed somewhat surprised that she had come alone today.
She wouldn't make things difficult for a child; she still observed proper etiquette, just not as enthusiastically.
Seeing the little girl come in, she said, "Yue'er, Miss Lin has come to play with you. You stay in the courtyard and don't run too far."
The little dumpling obediently agreed.
Lin Fu stood up with a smile and bowed to Jiang Xiyue: "Thank you, Madam."
Then she turned to the little dumpling, her eyes curving into crescents: "Princess, I've come to play with you!"
The little boy grabbed her hand and led her outside, asking as they went, "Sister Fufu, aren't you still taking your medicine? Why are you here alone? Where's your mother?"
Lin Fu waved her hand dismissively, her tone light: "It's better for me to come alone. If I bring my mother along, both your mother and my mother will be uncomfortable."
She winked at her: "It took me a lot of effort to convince my parents to let me out!"
The little dumpling nodded as if it understood, and happily pulled Lin Fuman toward its own courtyard.
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