Chapter 289: Jade Roaring Mountain
Third Sister couldn't help but complain, "What exactly does this Thirteenth Young Master Li want? He just won’t let go of Youyou’s mistake."
"Who cares what he wants? We’ve done everything we should. There’s nothing we owe him," Fu Tingyun said with a smile as she walked back with Third Sister. "Now that I’ve handed the person over to the Li family safely, if Madam Li still can’t control him, I don’t see why we should be polite with them anymore."
"Exactly," Third Sister agreed, though the whole ordeal had left her feeling unsettled. Thinking that it had all started because of Youyou, her heart ached. "Even we adults can’t endure such harassment, let alone Youyou—she’s just a child who doesn’t understand!" Her expression tightened. "No, I must go see Youyou. If Thirteenth Young Master Li keeps pressing like this, she might think it’s all her fault!"
Fu Tingyun hadn’t considered this possibility, but upon hearing Third Sister’s words, she also felt the need to comfort Youyou.
The two of them went to Youyou’s side chamber.
Youyou was sitting there with her head bowed, tears in her eyes, looking utterly heartbroken.
When she saw Fu Tingyun and Third Sister, she threw herself into her mother’s arms, sobbing. "I really didn’t mean to…"
"We know, we know," Third Sister said soothingly, stroking Youyou’s head before Fu Tingyun could speak. "That Thirteenth Young Master Li is just narrow-minded. We’ll ignore him." She added, "Our Youyou is a good child. Since it was unintentional and you sincerely apologized to him, it’s all his fault for making such a fuss."
Youyou lifted her head, her large eyes brimming with tears, and asked Fu Tingyun, "Mother, is… is that true?"
Fu Tingyun’s heart ached.
With Zhao Ling away from home, she had been strict with the children. Not just Youyou, but even Xi Ge'er and Xu Ge'er were well-behaved and obedient. The family got along harmoniously, but outside, if they encountered unreasonable people, they would surely be bullied. As a mother, she didn’t want her children to be the ones bullying others, but she also didn’t want them to be trampled upon without resistance.
"Your Third Aunt is right," she said, kissing Youyou’s cheek. "I punished you earlier because you shouldn’t have been shooting stones recklessly. But now, it’s Thirteenth Young Master Li who’s in the wrong. It has nothing to do with Youyou."
Hearing this, Youyou let out a long sigh of relief, and a hint of joy returned to her expression.
She promised her mother, "I’ll never act so carelessly again."
Fu Tingyun smiled and reminded her, "From now on, be more careful in everything you do and think things through thoroughly."
Youyou nodded repeatedly.
"Alright, the storm has passed," Third Sister said cheerfully. "Let’s go eat! That brat was at the table earlier, and I was so upset I couldn’t eat properly."
Youyou, too, had been too worried about whether her mother was angry to eat earlier. Now, she laughed heartily.
Her large almond-shaped eyes curved into crescents, utterly adorable.
Third Sister felt her heart swell with affection and couldn’t help but chuckle.
"Alright, let’s go eat," Fu Tingyun said, picking up Youyou. The three of them returned to the main hall.
After lunch, everyone settled in the inner chamber, and Third Sister began teaching Youyou needlework.In the evening, Yang Tong escorted Daoist An, Xi Ge'er, and Xu Ge'er back home. Chunbing and Yuanxiao stayed in the city with their father to rest and would return up the mountain early the next morning.
Fu Tingyun had Zheng Sanniang send some festive items for the Dragon Boat Festival, such as realgar wine and mugwort incense, to Yang Tong as a token of gratitude for escorting the children home.
Yang Tong didn’t stand on ceremony and thanked her with a smile. He made plans with Daoist An to go on another outing during the Ghost Festival before bidding farewell with his guards.
Xi Ge'er excitedly chattered to his mother, “...The restaurant was so tall! We could see the dragon boat races right from the window... The ones in red were from the Longping Marquis’s family, and the ones in green were from the Wuding Marquis’s family. The red team won against the green team... Uncle Yang even pointed out who the Emperor was, but I only saw a sea of heads and couldn’t spot the Emperor...”
Fu Tingyun burst into laughter listening to him.
Xu Ge'er, being only three years old, struggled to express himself clearly. Hearing his brother’s words, he nodded eagerly in agreement and added, “Uncle Yang also had people catch fish for us to eat.”
Fu Tingyun was puzzled.
Xi Ge'er quickly explained, “There was a big pond behind the restaurant where you could fish. Whatever we caught, the restaurant would cook for us.”
Fu Tingyun smiled. “So you had a great time today, didn’t you?”
Both children nodded vigorously like little chicks pecking at rice.
“That’s wonderful,” Fu Tingyun said with a smile. “Did you thank Uncle Yang and Master An?”
The two boys exchanged glances and then shook their heads in unison.
Fu Tingyun instructed them, “Go and thank Master An now. If it weren’t for him, you wouldn’t have been able to go out and play. As for Uncle Yang, remember to thank him the next time you see him.”
“Okay!” Xi Ge'er and Xu Ge'er replied in unison before scrambling off the kang to go thank Master An.
Fu Tingyun shook her head in amusement.
The next day, when Chunbing and Yuanxiao returned, Fu Tingyun asked about their trip. Assured that everyone was safe and had enjoyed themselves, she finally relaxed.
Chunbing and Yuanxiao had brought gifts for Youyou. Chunbing gave her a pair of porcelain dolls, while Yuanxiao brought her malt candy.
Youyou shared the malt candy with everyone but adored the porcelain dolls. She placed them beside her pillow when she slept and even tried making clothes for them using the rudimentary sewing skills she had just learned from Third Sister over the past few days. In the process, she ruined several perfectly good handkerchiefs.
Third Sister found it hilarious and patiently taught Youyou how to sew properly. Youyou became even more enthusiastic, and within half a month, her stitches had improved to form straight lines. Third Sister praised her for being clever, which delighted Youyou so much that she decided to make a pair of socks for her youngest brother, Xu Ge'er. Third Sister then showed her how to make shoe soles and uppers, and the two of them busied themselves happily.
This was originally Fu Tingyun’s responsibility, and watching them, she felt a pang of guilt. “...It’s so hot outside. You should rest for a while and not worry about her. She’s still young—there’s no rush to learn these things now.”"I have plenty of free time, and having Youyou learn needlework with me gives me some company," Third Sister said with a casual smile, then sighed deeply. "A daughter is her mother's little comfort—you're more fortunate than I am!" Her expression dimmed slightly as she continued, "Look at my two boys—when have they ever chatted and laughed with me like Youyou does? They've both taken after their father's temperament. But you can't say it's bad—boys must bring honor to the family in the future, and this is the kind of temperament they need to succeed. That's why having both sons and daughters is ideal."
Fu Tingyun chuckled and said, "Why not have Youyou be your goddaughter then?"
Third Sister was taken aback for a moment before laughing. "You might be willing, but I doubt Brother-in-law Zhao would agree!" She then added, "Who knows what these boys are busy with all day—they're never around." Her tone carried a hint of deflection.
Fu Tingyun felt she might have overstepped and said awkwardly, "Our two boys are always with Master An. Even if I wanted to discipline them, I wouldn’t know where to start, so I haven’t asked too closely."
Just then, Yuanxiao and Xi Ge'er came running in.
"Mother!" Each went to their own mother. One said, "Second Cousin can't climb trees as fast as I can. He wants to join us in learning martial arts." The other said, "Eldest Cousin is two years younger than me, but he's stronger. I want to train under Master An with them and learn martial arts too."
What nonsense is this?
Fu Tingyun and Third Sister exchanged bewildered glances.
But the two boys, as if they had planned it, tugged insistently at their mothers' sleeves.
Knowing how much Third Older Cousin's Husband had pinned his hopes on the boys, Fu Tingyun smiled and said, "This matter needs to be discussed with your Third Uncle first."
The Shen family had always upheld farming and scholarly traditions—no one had ever practiced martial arts. Besides, Daoist An had been invited from Jiugong Mountain by Zhao Ling's efforts, and he had only agreed after assessing the two boys and finding them suitable. Even if they wanted to become his disciples, Daoist An might not accept them.
Third Sister soothed her son, "We’ll have to talk to your father about this."
The two boys immediately asked when Shen Rensi would arrive.
"Your Third Uncle will be on leave in a few days," Third Sister said to Xi Ge'er. "He’ll likely come up the mountain to see you."
Xi Ge'er and Xu Ge'er cheered and ran off to Chunbing’s room, as if Shen Rensi’s arrival alone would make it happen.
Chunbing was practicing calligraphy when they burst in, looking surprised.
Yuanxiao said smugly, "I’ve already told Mother—we’re going to become Daoist An’s disciples. Once Xi Ge'er and I master martial arts, we’ll deal with Li Thirteen."
Chunbing, however, sensed things wouldn’t be so simple. "Did Mother agree?"
"No," Yuanxiao and Xi Ge'er plopped onto the Grand Tutor chairs opposite Chunbing. "She said we have to wait until Father comes up the mountain."
Father probably won’t agree!
Chunbing pondered this. Ever since they’d learned Li Thirteen had returned, his younger brother and cousin had racked their brains for ways to deal with him. This was the best idea they’d come up with, so he didn’t want to discourage them and dampen their enthusiasm.
When their father finally came up the mountain, Chunbing couldn’t help but inquire carefully.Third Older Cousin's Husband not only refused but also scolded his younger son: "...You're not studying properly, your handwriting is getting worse, and now you want to learn martial arts? Do you think martial arts is just for fun? Training through the hottest summer days and coldest winter months—do you think you can endure that?" He then handed Yuanxiao a copy of The Analects and demanded he recite it.
Yuanxiao had only just begun learning The Analects , and these days his mind had been preoccupied with the idea of learning martial arts from Master An. How could he possibly recite it? His father punished him severely, striking his palms with a ruler.
When Third Sister saw her son's injuries, she couldn't help but chide her husband: "In this sweltering heat, what if his hands swell up?"
"This child is too disobedient," Third Older Cousin's Husband insisted stubbornly. "Spare the rod, spoil the child." He wondered why his son, who had been so well-behaved at home, had started getting distracted with wild ideas shortly after coming to the mountain. He asked Third Sister, "What happened? Why did Yuanxiao suddenly decide he wants to learn martial arts?"
Third Sister had asked Chunbing about it, but he had said nothing. Pressed further, he only admitted that he admired Xi Ge'er's agility. Since Third Sister knew nothing more, she couldn't provide a clear answer.
"It's no wonder the children want to learn martial arts from Master An," she said. "Xi Ge'er and Xu Ge'er are younger than our two, but when it comes to climbing trees, playing cuju, or wrestling, our boys can't compare to Ninth Sister's children in any way."
Xi Ge'er was two years younger than Yuanxiao, and Xu Ge'er four years younger. It was somewhat understandable that Xi Ge'er might outperform Yuanxiao, but Xu Ge'er...
Third Sister was skeptical but secretly observed the children playing together. She noticed that compared to Xi Ge'er and Xu Ge'er, Chunbing and Yuanxiao appeared noticeably clumsy.
Being a proud man, Third Older Cousin's Husband recalled that in ancient times, a true gentleman was expected to master the six arts. But in recent years, the imperial examinations focused solely on the Four Books and Five Classics, leading everyone to chase after those while neglecting music, archery, and horsemanship. The thought stirred something in him. However, Master An was highly regarded by Zhao Ling, and he wasn't sure if the master would be willing to take on Chunbing and Yuanxiao as students.
After some consideration, Third Older Cousin's Husband took Third Sister with him to see Fu Tingyun.
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I have good news to share—the simplified Chinese edition of The Concubine's Survival Guide has finally gone to print and is now available for pre-order on Dangdang. If you're interested, feel free to check it out.
O(∩_∩)O~
PS: I've been dealing with some personal matters lately, so updates might be delayed. Please bear with me. On the bright side, the outline for the new book is progressing smoothly, and I should be able to start posting the new story soon. Busy, but happy.
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(End of Chapter)
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