Huining Zhai is a place where one can find tranquility among flowers. Surrounded by dense forests and bamboos, there are also gurgling streams dug by humans. It is like a paradise on earth.

Mrs. Fan sealed a book bag for each of her two sisters-in-law. Her craftsmanship was excellent. Although they were made in a hurry, the stitches on them were very fine and the embroidery patterns were bright and lovely.

"Thank you, sister-in-law." Yao Niang thanked Fan.

Fan waved her hands and said, "Fifth and Sixth Sisters, please study hard. This is also my little token of appreciation as your sister-in-law."

Generally speaking, Fan's life was relatively easy. Her mother-in-law, Yu, was very tolerant. Although her husband was a bit of a playboy, he still treated her, his wife, with due respect. As for her sisters-in-law, although they were young, they were all sensible, so her life was very easy.

Yu then said to Fan, "Send someone to clean up the small courtyard in the second corridor. The cousin of the Shan family has already become your disciple and is going to live in our house."

Mrs. Fan nodded immediately, and the two talked about some family matters.

After they finished talking, Yu smiled and said to Yao Niang and Shi Yu, "It's the first day of school, so we can't be late. You go first."

Mr. Shen is not a strict person, but even if he is gentle, he still prefers well-behaved and motivated students. Yao Niang is an adult by nature. She is not arrogant in her new life, but very attentive. Shi Yu also studies hard under the instructions of Aunt Qin, but Shi Fang often falls asleep.

He fell asleep on the first day. He is a god.

Mr. Shen had very high requirements. Other elementary schools all started with "Three", "Hundred" and "Thousand", but he started with Xun Gu. Xun Gu is the study of phonology and philology. He taught these from the beginning, which clearly showed that he was not an ordinary person and had his own way.

Yao Niang listened very carefully. From the first day of the training, Mr. Shen even taught them how to grind ink and write.

"Fifth sister, let's go play by the creek later. I heard that the water is frozen and there are a lot of fish under it." Shi Fang was grinding ink boredly and could not help but strike up a conversation.

Yao Niang smiled and shook her head: "Fourth sister, no, it's cold and it's snowing. You'd better go back and lie down."

Shi Fang curled her lips and then sighed.

She looked pitiful, and Yao Niang understood that Shi Fang was like an unrestrained person who was locked in a cage, so she was not comfortable with it. She was not suitable to be bound by rules.

But my second aunt Ren is the kind of person who doesn't want to be outdone by others, so this is a difficult situation.

Shi Yu quietly said to Yao Niang: "Fifth sister, don't worry about her, we will learn by ourselves and it will be fine as long as we learn well."

She had never expected Shi Yu to say this to her. Yao Niang could tell that she was speaking from the bottom of her heart, so she nodded and smiled. It was probably because she had come into contact with Shi Yu quite a lot in her life. In recent days, she had also been talking to Shi Yu about housekeeping matters, and she had also taken care of the six ceremonies for becoming a disciple. Shi Yu had also gradually become close to her.

What's more, they are of similar age. When they get along with each other, Yao Niang likes Shi Yu's cleverness, and Shi Yu also likes Yao Niang's funniness.

After school today, Yao Niang and Shi Yu went home in the east, while Shi Fang went back in the west. On the way, they happened to meet their cousin Yu Yan, who lived in the nearby Xinghuayuan. Yu Yan was also educated by her father when she was young, and she went to school for a few years. She looked at Yao Niang and Shi Yu with envy as they carried their school bags.

"Cousin Yu." Yao Niang saluted with a smile.

Yu Yan asked quickly, "Are you going home, cousin?"

"Yes, where is my cousin?" Yao Niang looked at the food box she was carrying curiously.

Yu Yan said, "My grandmother fried some quail and asked me to send it to my aunt. It's just right. I will go with you."

The three of them went back together. Yu Yan saw that the two girls from the Luo family came out with four maids. Their skirts were all made of the finest soft silk from Jiangnan. Even the handkerchiefs in their hands were made of expensive Korean silk, which cost five taels per square. Looking at herself again, she was indeed much simpler, and a little self-deprecating.

But what she didn't know was that Yao Niang and the others only dressed nicely when they went out, and usually wore half-worn clothes at home. Yu did not approve of extravagance.

The material Yu Yan was wearing wasn't bad either, she was just overthinking it.

When the three of them arrived at the door of Wenhua Hall, the little girl who opened the curtain said, "The eldest wife of the Shan family and Mr. Shan are talking in the inner room."

When they entered the inner room, they saw Mrs. Shan sitting next to Yu, and a young man sitting to the right of her. He had long eyebrows, flying sideburns, and thin lips that were tightly pursed. One could tell at a glance that he was a man of strong will.

Yao Niang thought to herself, this person must be the young master Shan Yujing that my mother mentioned this morning, the son of the first wife Shan. At the same time, this person is also the first husband of my second sister Shi Zhen.

However, at this time, Mrs. Shan was talking to Jingrou, looking very happy, while Luo Jingrou was polite and distant. It was easy to guess that Luo Jingrou was definitely a person with great ambitions and was unwilling to leave the Shan family, which was already on the decline.

"Come, this is your single cousin." Yu introduced him to them.

Yu Yan was stunned for a moment. Seeing the foreign man, she quickly lowered her head in confusion and awkwardly saluted with Yao Niang and the others. When she raised her eyes again, she found a hint of amusement in Shan Yujing's eyes.

Yu introduced them to Shan Yujing, "This is my niece, Mrs. Yu, and these two are my fifth and sixth wives."

Shan Yujing also hurried to pay his respects. Born into an official family, the gift he brought was just right. Yao Niang and Shi Yu each received a new book, and there were also bookmarks made of gold foil, which was very elegant.

At this time, Shan Yujing saw that there were more female guests in the house, so she wanted to leave, and Mrs. Shan also left. Before she left, she pretended to glance at the girls of the Luo family casually. According to their age and relationship, she hoped it was Luo Jingrou the most, but she also knew that it was unlikely, so it could only be Mrs. Luo Wu.

Although she was a little young, she was born to a concubine, so she was at least a legitimate daughter. The Yu family was impoverished, and Yu Shi listened to Luo Zhizheng in everything, so it was not difficult.

She had also noticed Luo Jingrou's indifference just now. Mrs. Shan certainly knew that her maternal ancestor's family was the Yanping Marquis Mansion, so Luo Zhizhi would definitely ask the Yanping Marquis Mansion for their opinion on the marriage of their eldest daughter. If so, why not retreat and choose someone else who is her direct descendant?

Shan Yujing was also very surprised when she heard what Mrs. Shan said on the return carriage: "Mother, weren't you very nice to her third wife just now?"

Mrs. Shan did not hide this matter from Shan Yujing, and only said: "Mrs. Luo San is the granddaughter of the Marquis's family. Her family has a very good relationship with Old Lady Dou. This girl is too proud, which may not be a good thing. I think her fifth daughter is not bad. You also see that this Mrs. Yu is gentle and kind, much more virtuous than the mother of the third daughter, and she is also very much liked by your great aunt."

From another perspective, Mrs. Shan did not like Yu, thinking that she was more respectable than them as a continuator. But from the perspective of choosing a daughter-in-law, it was obvious that a daughter-in-law with a gentle and docile temperament would be the best.

As for his younger age, it is not a big deal. My son still has to study for a few more years, and early marriage will easily cause distraction.