When Madam Hou took it and looked at it, she exclaimed, "This is wonderful news!"
Qingsong Academy was founded by a great Confucian scholar from the Imperial Academy after his retirement. It mainly admitted children from poor families; it was not easy for those with official titles or ranks to get in.
Where did this recommendation letter come from?
"Old Madam, you are wise. It was sent by my daughter-in-law's family. They specially went to ask Grand Secretary Song for help."
It was originally for my nephew, but the kid insisted on going on a study tour this year, so I couldn't let this invitation go to waste.
I thought our son Yan was at the right age to go to school, so why don't we send him there?
Although he's a bit young, going there would be good for him to temper his temper and cultivate his character.
The old lady nodded approvingly, "That makes sense."
When are you leaving?
“My daughter-in-law received this message as soon as she got back. She wanted him to leave today, so she was quick to do it.”
However, his recent behavior has been inappropriate and he must be punished. So his daughter-in-law ordered him to be beaten with ten strokes of the cane.
Although I am injured, with a physician by my side, I should be fine on the journey.
Madam Hou frowned. "Just punish him by making him copy books and write characters. Why hit him?"
"Since you're injured, it's better to rest at home for a few days before setting off again."
"Grandma, let him leave today. I'm afraid he'll be too late and the academy will close at closing time."
It's important to know that Qingsong Academy has a limited opening period for enrollment each year. This year's enrollment period is already halfway through.
Ultimately, studying is still the most important thing, so the old lady thought about it and had no choice but to nod in agreement.
He also sent his personal maid, Granny Lu, to take care of him along the way, as he wasn't at ease even with a doctor accompanying him.
He lowered his head and scolded the second wife a few more times, saying that there were other ways to punish her, why did she have to torture her like this!
But the old lady was satisfied. Without rules, there can be no order. They had to be punished so that they would know right from wrong.
Madam Zheng naturally nodded obediently, but she knew perfectly well that the old lady was satisfied.
After scolding her, the old lady had Granny Lu bring out a small box containing twenty gold ingots and ten thousand taels of silver notes.
Zheng was terrified and tried to push her hand away.
“It is an honor to receive a gift from an elder. Yan’er will be gone for three years. The Qingsong Academy may be simple and need no money, but it is good to travel with money even if you are poor. Let him take this money with him.”
After receiving it, the second wife respectfully kowtowed and went back.
Before a single night had passed, Granny Feng, accompanied by Zijuan and a group of maids, guards, and a page, personally escorted Lu Yan to his studies.
Once there, only the pageboy could stay; the others would return after delivering the items.
After he left, the second wife didn't sleep all night, her eyes red and swollen, and she stayed awake until dawn.
The next morning, I carefully washed and dressed. I applied powder and rouge to my face.
She wore a bright red brocade robe with gold-embroidered hibiscus patterns, paired with a pomegranate-red brocade skirt adorned with plum blossom branches. She wore a red-gold plum blossom hairpin. Her style was flamboyant yet commanding.
He led a large group of maids and servants—oh, the same ones who beat up Gu Yan yesterday—to Moyuan Courtyard in a grand procession.
The third young master was playing a game of "adding fragrance to the room" with Liu Xiang'er, teaching her to write characters with a calligraphy brush.
"The Third Young Master is not studying properly and repenting. He's fooling around with a maid in the study in broad daylight. Beat him!"
"Madam, what did I do wrong? I was reading, I didn't even step out of the yard."
At his age, being pinned to a stool and beaten repeatedly made Gu Ting feel utterly ashamed and indignant.
Gu Ting still felt uncomfortable. He really didn't have any bad intentions this time; he just wanted to amuse his younger brother.
She's just a maid; who would have guessed she came from the First Madam's family!
I was inexplicably confined to my home for three months, which made me very angry. It wasn't until yesterday when I heard that the confinement period had been halved that I felt better.
I was caught red-handed this morning after playing for only a short while. But it's not a big deal, is it? I was reading in the study, after all.
Zheng saw through his thoughts and chuckled softly.
He's just like his father, who only cares about romance and poetry! What good is being good at studying if he'll never amount to anything?
Thinking this way, I felt inexplicably better. At least her children all resembled her; they were down-to-earth and honest.
He was to be given twenty strokes of the cane. On the thirteenth stroke, Aunt Yang came over crying.
"Madam, Madam, if you're angry, then punish me. The Third Young Master's body isn't fully grown yet; he can't take such a big thing!"
"Hmph, before his body has even fully developed, he already knows how to take in a concubine and indulge in debauchery during the day."
Gu Ting was in so much pain he almost fainted. The old women had hit him much harder today than they had hit Gu Yan yesterday.
Thin streaks of blood had already seeped out from her buttocks.
Following behind Aunt Yang was a fair-skinned, delicate, and youthful girl of about sixteen or seventeen.
Seeing the second wife's ruthless methods, he turned pale with fright.
After saying those words, Madam Zheng sat down leisurely in her chair and said, "Go, pour me a cup of tea!"
Manjing nervously brewed a cup of Lu'an Melon Seed tea. Zheng took a sip and found it delicious. She didn't remember any of the young masters in the manor having this tea in their rooms.
"Master dotes on the third young master, even serving him the finest and rarest tea. But the young master is also well-mannered and has not disgraced Master or the Marquis's mansion."
"I didn't." Gu Ting's weak voice came. The beating was finally over, and Aunt Yang couldn't stop it.
Zheng only saw his mouth move, but she couldn't hear what he said. Even if she had heard it, she wouldn't have cared.
She came to vent her anger, and coincidentally, Gu Ting happened to run into her. He originally intended to give her ten strokes of the cane, but he gave her ten more, and she felt incredibly relieved.
"Someone, go and fetch a doctor for the third young master. Prepare some good medicine for him to apply. The money will come from the second branch of the family."
Turning around, she saw Aunt Yang's niece swaying precariously but still not leaving, and she raised an eyebrow.
"And who is this young lady?"
Yang Mei quickly stepped forward and knelt down, "Greetings, Madam."
Aunt Yang ignored her son and chimed in, "This is my brother's daughter from my maternal family. She's very good at needlework, so I asked her to come in and embroider a screen for me."
"She's quite pretty. Come closer and let me see." When she got closer, Madam Zheng took off the cinnabar beaded string from her hand and put it on her wrist.
"Such beautiful colors should be worn in red and green, to look bright and festive."
Yang Mei put away the bracelet and took a step back, rubbing the red beads tightly without saying a word.
Aunt Yang glanced at it. A string of cinnabar beads? It's just a cheap trinket, something to give a little maid.
But he said, "It's her good fortune to receive something that Madam once brought. This girl's embroidery skills are truly excellent. I'll have her embroider a few handkerchiefs for Madam and send them over in the next couple of days."
Madam Zheng glanced at her and looked at Yang Mei. "Your embroidery is so good. Do you want to go to the embroidery workshop at your residence?"
"If Madam Wu takes a liking to you, she can take you in and sign a contract. You can earn a tael or two of silver a month embroidering. That's better than working outside."
Aunt Yang's face instantly turned ugly. "Madam is joking. This girl is fickle and can't sit still."
Furthermore, my brother only has this one niece, and I can't bear to let her spend day and night in the embroidery workshop."
Zheng ignored her and stared intently at Yangmei.
Yang Mei's face turned red. Suddenly, she took two steps forward and knelt down. "Thank you, Madam. I can work. I'm willing, I'm willing to go to the embroidery room."
Madam Zheng smiled and instructed her maid to take her to the embroidery room.
Without listening to or looking at Aunt Yang's appearance, he went straight back.
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