Chapter 005 Talent is not about status

Yao Niang came to the school the day after climbing the mountain. As expected, Qian Niang and Ying Niang did not wait for her on the way. She could have expected that. In the past, her parents were not together. Her father and his wife were in Beijing, her mother was in Jinling, and she was in the northwest with her grandparents. Now they are all back, and her father has come all the way to her mother's place. They will definitely be uncomfortable.

Sure enough, after she sat down, Qianniang and Yingniang came in secretly. Qianniang smiled at her, but Yingniang ignored her.

Yingniang ignored her, and Yaoniang of course ignored her too.

In the school, Xin Wan asked for leave because of feeling unwell. Yan Rubei was afraid of heat and always wiped her sweat with a handkerchief when she came. However, Zhao Fang did not have any sides or factional disputes, and he chatted with Yao Niang.

Fortunately, Mr. Yu came at this time. What he taught today was not poetry or calligraphy, but painting.

Mr. Yu smiled and said, "Since the Eastern Han Dynasty, there has been a special school of painting called 'Hongdu School'. Even in this dynasty, some people even became Jinyiwei by painting. Today's calligraphers and painters are also divided into two categories: one is the literati calligrapher and painter, and the other is the painter, that is, the painter."

"Excuse me, sir, what is the difference between the two?" Yao Niang didn't understand.

Mr. Yu explained: "Most of the literati paintings are not for fame and fortune, but are done as they please, expressing their worries and joys, and their true nature and emotions. However, the painters make a living by painting, which is naturally different. The ladies learn to paint to cultivate their moods, not to make a living like painters. Moreover, the masters spend thousands of gold to learn the six arts of a gentleman, especially poetry, painting, calligraphy, seal carving, and calligraphy and painting collection, which requires a very high level of proficiency."

After listening to Mr. Yu, the female students took out their painting tools. Mr. Yu wanted to teach them to start with detailed flower and bird paintings, which include feathers and animals, flowers, fruits, birds, insects and fish. It is said that only after becoming familiar with these paintings can one learn ink painting and freehand painting.

After learning to paint for an hour, Yao Niang breathed a sigh of relief. Mr. Yu looked at their paintings and praised Qian Niang, saying that her painting was very spiritual and extraordinary.

Yao Niang saw something special in her second sister Qian Niang. In the past, when the three sisters met guests together, they all wore the same hairpins and skirts. But even so, the servants knew the difference. Yao Niang heard from her wet nurse Gu Mama that although everyone said that legitimate and illegitimate children in wealthy families were brought up the same, when you really go out, others will treat you differently because you are a legitimate child. This subtle feeling is hard to detect unless you are in the situation.

Even Yao Niang herself discovered that Madam Zhen and her mother could sit down to eat together, while Aunt Yin and Aunt Feng would open the curtains and serve the dishes on the side.

But now that my second sister is so talented in calligraphy and painting, it shows that being a legitimate or illegitimate child is actually not important. One’s identity is one thing, but personal ability is the most important.

At all times, people must speak based on their real abilities.

"Second sister, the homework assigned by the teacher is to draw a picture of a buffalo. What should I do if I don't know how to do it?" Ying Niangsi had no idea.

Qianniang said the same as always: "I'm not very good at it either, but I'll help you when I can draw it."

Yingniang hugged Qianniang's arm, as if to protest to Yaoniang: "Second sister has always been good to me."

If it were before, Yao Niang would definitely be angry and feel that she was being treated differently, but now she was thinking that since her second sister could draw well, why couldn't she draw well too?

Only what you have learned yourself is yours, and no one can take it away.

Therefore, during lunch, Xie saw her daughter frowning and asked with concern, "Does your leg hurt?"

"No, it was Mr. Yu who taught us painting today, did you know that? My second sister doesn't seem to be very successful on weekdays, but she shines today. Mother, I suddenly thought of something. Although my brother is not close to us, as long as he passes the imperial examination, no one will think that your grandmother deliberately keeps him away from you, and some may even think that the child raised by your grandmother is better. So, my daughter thinks that no matter how kind and lovely I am, if I am incompetent, I am useless." Yao Niang said.

Xie looked at Yao Niang in surprise: "At your age, it's great to have such insight."

"Anyway, my daughter has to study hard today. Even if she can't surpass them, she can't be too far behind." Yao Niang made up her mind.

Xie nodded: "Okay, I'll accompany you later."

Compared to Yao Niang, Xie's hands and mind were more dexterous. She had never studied calligraphy or painting professionally, but when she saw her daughter painting or studying, she would draw patterns on the side. Yao Niang saw this and praised her repeatedly.

"Yao Niang, you are eight years old this year. I want to set up a yard for you in the back courtyard, so that I can use a room as a study. The light is better than the second room." She touched her daughter's head, feeling very reluctant, but also felt that her daughter should learn how to manage servants.

Yao Niang was a little reluctant: "My daughter still wants to sleep with me."

"Silly girl, you will be a big girl in a few years. The day after tomorrow, your grandmother's nephew and grandson will get married, and your mother will take you there to meet more relatives!" Xie touched her daughter's head. Of course, she had to make some plans for her daughter. Although the Yan family is doing well now, the Quan family has many children. In the past, most of the children entered the central government. Later, after experiencing party struggles, they now focus on teaching and educating people, especially "morality" first.

Yao Niang said unhappily, "But my daughter doesn't want to take leave?"

Xie smiled and said, "Don't delay. After you finish your class at noon, I will accompany you in the afternoon, okay?"

"This is not a good idea. What if grandma scolds you?" Yao Niang was very worried.

Xie shook her head: "It's okay."

Yao Niang was very sensible: "My daughter still won't go."

Xie said, "You still have to go. This way you can have more playmates. You are the only daughter in our family. When your courtyard is in order, you can invite the Quan family to come and play in the future."

"That's good. My daughter is with mother now, and she can get cheap things for everything. When she was with grandmother, a granddaughter who was patrolling the family gave me a box of snacks and some books. I didn't give her any gift in return, so the granddaughter stopped playing with her. I like mother and hope she will still be my mother in the next life. But if I have to choose a grandmother in the next life, I want to choose my brother's grandmother." When talking about the past, Yao Niang blamed her grandmother in her heart.

If others heard these words, they would naturally feel that they were incoherent, but Xie understood everything. It was obvious that Madam Quan was very partial. She gave her son whatever he wanted but ignored her daughter.

Xie patted her daughter's hand and said, "Then let's paint the buffalo picture carefully."

"Yes." Yao Niang nodded heavily.

After redrawing the buffalo picture for the whole afternoon, Yao Niang took a short rest and took out the book to read. She did not put down the book until Yan Yingqi came over for dinner.

The side dishes on the table were all made by Xie herself, especially the sour red lotus root, which was very appetizing. There was also the crispy yellow taro, and the shrimp pickled in wine, which were almost all Yan Yingqi's favorites.

Zhen was from Hebei, and her food was more northern. Aunt Yin could cook some side dishes, but not as well as Xie. Xie was literate, and the wine she brewed was not ordinary green plum wine, but coconut wine, which was made naturally from coconut pulp. It looked crystal clear, mellow, sweet, and refreshing, and it would not make people drunk, but it would quench their thirst.

Yan Yingqi was unaware of the heat, so he asked the maid to serve him another bowl of rice. He also said to Xie: "The food here is the best for me."

"As long as you like it, it's just a few side dishes." Xie said with a smile.

After dinner, Yao Niang showed Yan Yingqi the picture of buffalo she had drawn. Yan Yingqi looked at the painting and gave some instructions, while Xie was doing needlework beside her.

Just when they were enjoying themselves, someone outside the door said, "Master, Master Zhou is here."

Master Zhou? Xie and Yao Niang looked at each other in bewilderment. Yan Yingqi stood up and said to them, "He is from the capital. He is the son of Zhou Jijiu. Zhou Jijiu is my junior master. I just don't know what he is doing here now. I will go out and meet him."

Xie glanced at her husband and said, "You should change your clothes before going."

Yan Yingqi suddenly realized: "Yes, I will change my clothes."

Yao Niang was also taken away, of course. It was not until the evening that she heard that the Master Zhou mentioned at dinner had already lived in their home. Hong Xiu came in with a high-legged plate of crisp, juicy grapes and said, "It is said that Master Zhou looks like a fairy boy. He is about the same age as our eldest son. The eldest master let him live in the Wutong Courtyard and study with our eldest son in the future."

Mother Gu asked, "Wutong Courtyard is adjacent to our eldest son's courtyard, both are in the inner courtyard. It seems that this Mr. Zhou will stay in our house for a while."

"Isn't it? Sister Suxin, who is beside the Madam, opened the storehouse herself to decorate the courtyard. I saw two servants deliver the four nanmu cherry-colored carved glazed screens that came as a dowry to the Wutong Courtyard." Qingdai was also well-informed.

Yao Niang was still young after all, and she just thought that she was a distinguished guest. But Zhen Shi thought more because the thing she was most worried about happened.

"Zhou Lingguang is the son of the chief academician of the Imperial College. Zhou is a famous scholar of the time. I heard that his son is also a rare talent. No matter what he asks our family for help, it is absolutely right to make friends with him. The eldest master is doing this to pave the way for Yan Jingzhao." After Zhen arrived in Jinling, she felt that everything was not going well.

She is from Hebei and mostly eats noodles, but when she came to Jinling, she mostly ate rice. People here also like to eat fish, but she thinks it has a fishy smell, or the food she eats is particularly sweet and sticky.

She originally thought that no matter what, Yan Yingqi should respect her for the sake of face, and at least let her do such things as entertaining guests.

But he arranged Zhou Lingguang and Yan Jingzhao together without consulting her at all, clearly to expand Yan Jingzhao's network. Zhen, who grew up in the officialdom, knew very well that even if you are very talented, if no one promotes you and no one appreciates you, your official career will be very difficult, and you may even be blamed for others inexplicably and die without knowing how.

If I don't do something, my position will be threatened.