Chapter 294

Third Cousin couldn't help but complain, "What exactly is this Thirteenth Young Master Li trying to do? He's still harping on Youyou's mistake."

"Who cares what he wants? We've done everything we should—we have nothing to be ashamed of before him." Fu Tingjun smiled as she walked back with Third Cousin. "I've safely delivered the person to the Li family. If Madam Li still can't keep him in check, then I don't think we need to be polite with them anymore."

"Exactly." Even so, having been stirred up like this, Third Cousin still felt somewhat displeased at heart. Thinking that all this had arisen because of Youyou, she couldn't help but feel a pang of distress and said, "Even we adults can't withstand this kind of harassment, let alone Youyou—she's still an innocent child!" At this point, her expression tightened and she said, "No, I have to go check on Youyou. With Thirteenth Young Master Li being so relentless, Youyou might even think the fault lies with herself!"

Fu Tingjun hadn't thought of that angle. Hearing Third Cousin's words, she also felt it necessary to comfort Youyou.

The two of them went together to Youyou's side room.

Youyou was sitting there with her head lowered, tears in her eyes, feeling heartbroken!

Seeing Fu Tingjun and Third Cousin, she burst into tears and threw herself into her mother's arms: "I really didn't mean to..."

"We know, we know." Before Fu Tingjun could speak, Third Cousin beside her was already stroking Youyou's head and saying softly, "It's that Thirteenth Young Master Li who is narrow-minded. We'll just ignore him." She added, "Our Youyou is a good child. Since it was unintentional, and you sincerely apologized to Thirteenth Young Master Li, it's all that Thirteenth Young Master Li's fault."

Hearing this, Youyou looked up and asked Fu Tingjun with her big eyes brimming with tears: "Mother, is... is that true?"

Fu Tingjun felt a pang in her heart.

With Zhao Ling away from home, she had been strict in managing the children. Not just Youyou, but even Xige'er and Xu Ge'er were all very well-behaved and obedient. The family got along naturally well, but if they encountered unreasonable people outside, they would surely be bullied. As a mother, she didn't want her children to be bullies who preyed on the weak, but she also didn't want her children to be arbitrarily bullied by others.

"Your Third Aunt is right." She couldn't help but kiss Youyou's cheek. "Mother punished you earlier because you shouldn't have recklessly shot stones. But now, it's Thirteenth Young Master Li who is in the wrong—it has nothing to do with Youyou."

Hearing this, Youyou let out a long sigh of relief, and a hint of cheerfulness appeared between her brows.

She assured her mother: "I'll never be so rash and impulsive again."

Fu Tingjun smiled and reminded her: "In the future, be more careful in whatever you do, and think things through more thoroughly."

Youyou nodded repeatedly.

"Alright, the storm has passed." Third Cousin smiled as she watched and said, "Let's go eat! That fellow was at the table just now, and I was so upset I couldn't eat properly."

Youyou, who also hadn't eaten because she was worried whether her mother would be angry, burst into cheerful laughter at this.

Her big almond-shaped eyes curved into crescent moons, looking very adorable.

Third Cousin felt delighted at the sight and couldn't help but laugh.

"Alright, let's go eat." Fu Tingjun smiled and picked up Youyou, and the three of them returned to the main hall.

After the midday meal, everyone settled in the inner chamber, and Third Cousin began teaching Youyou needlework.

In the evening, Yang Tong escorted Daoist An, Xige'er, and Xu Ge'er back. Chunbing and Yuanxiao stayed behind in the city with their father, saying they would come up the mountain early the next morning.

Fu Tingjun had Zheng Sanniang send some Dragon Boat Festival items—realgar wine, mugwort incense, and such—to Yang Tong as thanks for escorting the children back.

Yang Tong didn't stand on ceremony. He smiled and expressed his thanks, made an appointment with Daoist An to go out together again during the Ghost Festival, and then took his leave with his guards.

Xige'er chatted animatedly with his mother: "...The restaurant was so tall! From the window you could see the dragon boat race... The ones in red were from Marquis Longping's household, the ones in green were from Marquis Wuding's household, and the red team won over the green team... Uncle Yang also pointed out who the emperor was, but all I could see was a sea of heads—I didn't actually see the emperor..."

Fu Tingjun laughed heartily at this.

Xu Ge'er, being only three years old, still had some trouble expressing himself. Hearing his brother's words, he nodded eagerly in agreement and added, "Uncle Yang also had people catch fish for us to eat."

Fu Tingjun was puzzled.

Xige and Tushu'er quickly explained: "There's a big pond behind the restaurant where you can fish. Once you catch one, the restaurant cooks it for you."

Hearing this, Fu Tingjun said, "So you had a wonderful time today, then?"

The two children nodded like little chicks pecking at rice.

"That's good." Fu Tingjun smiled and asked them, "Did you thank Uncle Yang and Master An?"

The two children looked at each other, then both shook their heads.

Fu Tingjun then instructed the two children: "Go now and say 'thank you' to Master An. If not for Master An, how could you have gone out to play? As for Uncle Yang, whenever you run into him another day, remember to thank him."

"Great!" Xige'er and Xu Ge'er responded in unison, scrambling off the kang and running over to thank Master An.

Fu Tingjun shook her head with an amused smile.

The next day, when Chunbing and Yuanxiao returned, she asked about their situation and, upon learning that everyone was safe and had enjoyed themselves, finally felt at ease.

Chunbing and Yuanxiao, however, had brought gifts back for Youyou. Chunbing gave Youyou a pair of porcelain dolls, while Yuanxiao brought her malt sugar.

Youyou shared the malt sugar with everyone, but she took a particular liking to the porcelain dolls. Not only did she place them beside her pillow when she slept, but she also used the clumsy needlework skills she had just learned from Third Cousin over the past few days to make clothes for the dolls—ruining several perfectly good handkerchiefs in the process.

Third Cousin watched with amusement and patiently guided Youyou on how to sew. Youyou grew even more enthusiastic, and within half a month, her stitches were already forming a straight line. Third Cousin praised Youyou for being clever, and Youyou was overjoyed, declaring she would make a pair of socks and shoes for her youngest brother, Xu Ge'er. Third Cousin then taught her how to layer the soles and cut the shoe uppers, and the two of them busied themselves happily.

This was normally Fu Tingjun's responsibility, and seeing it, she felt a bit guilty: "...The weather is so hot, why don't you take a break? Don't bother with her—she's still young, and there's no rush."

"I'm idle anyway, and having Youyou learn needlework with me gives me some company." Third Cousin smiled dismissively, then let out a long sigh. "A daughter is a mother's little quilted jacket—you're more fortunate than I am!" Her expression dimmed slightly as she added, "Look at my two boys—when will they ever chat and laugh with me like Youyou does? They've both taken after their father's temperament. But then again, you can't say it's a bad thing—for boys, if they're to bring glory to the family, this is exactly the disposition they need to succeed. That's why I say, having both sons and daughters is the best."

Fu Tingjun smiled and said, "Then why not let Youyou become your adopted daughter?"

Third Cousin was taken aback, then laughed: "You might be willing, but I doubt Ninth Brother-in-law would part with her!" She added, "I wonder what those boys are up to all day—not a trace of them to be seen," somewhat changing the subject.

Fu Tingjun felt a bit like she had overstepped with good intentions and said awkwardly, "Our two boys are always by Master An's side. Even if I wanted to manage them, I wouldn't know where to begin. I haven't really asked in detail."

Just then, Yuanxiao and Xige'er came running in together.

"Mother!" Each went to his own mother. One said, "Second Cousin isn't as fast at climbing trees as I am—he wants to learn martial arts with us." The other said, "Elder Cousin is two years younger than me, but he's stronger. I want to join them in formally apprenticing under Master An to learn martial arts."

What on earth was all this about?

Fu Tingjun and Third Cousin looked at each other in bewilderment.

The two boys, as if they had conspired together, tugged at their mothers' sleeves and refused to let go.

Fu Tingjun knew that Third Brother-in-law had great hopes for his two sons, so she smiled and said, "This matter will have to be discussed with your Third Uncle."

The Shen family had passed down scholarship through generations, and no one had ever practiced martial arts. Moreover, Daoist An had been invited from Jiugong Mountain through Zhao Ling's efforts, and before agreeing, Daoist An had looked at the two boys and only accepted after finding them satisfactory. Even if they wanted to apprentice, Daoist An might not take them.

Third Cousin soothed her son: "This matter needs to be discussed with your father."

Upon hearing this, the two boys asked when Shen Renshi would come.

"Your Third Uncle has his day off in a few days," Third Cousin said to Xige'er. "He'll most likely come up the mountain to see you."

Xige'er and Xu Ge'er cheered and ran off to Chunbing's room, as if everything would be settled the moment Shen Renshi arrived.

Chunbing was practicing calligraphy and looked surprised to see them.

Yuanxiao said somewhat smugly, "I've already told Mother—I want to apprentice under Daoist An. Once Xige'er and I have mastered martial arts, we'll go take care of Li Shisan."

Chunbing, however, felt things wouldn't be that simple and asked, "Did Mother agree?"

"No." Yuanxiao and Xige'er sat down on the armchairs across from Chunbing. "She said we have to wait until Father comes up the mountain."

Father probably wouldn't agree!

Chunbing pondered this. He knew that ever since they learned Li Shisan had come around again, his younger brother and elder cousin had been racking their brains to deal with him. Now that they had finally come up with this idea, he didn't want to refute them and dampen their good intentions.

When his father came up the mountain, he made a point of inquiring carefully.

Not only did Third Brother-in-law refuse, but he also gave his second son a stern lecture: "...You don't study your books properly, your calligraphy is getting worse and worse, and you want to practice martial arts? Do you think martial arts is a game? Training through the scorching summer and freezing winter—can you endure that?" He then handed Yuanxiao a copy of the Analects and told him to memorize it.

Yuanxiao had only just begun studying the Analects, and these past days he had been preoccupied with thoughts of training under Master An—how could he possibly recite it? He received a harsh beating on his palms from his father.

After seeing her son's injury, Third Cousin couldn't help but chide her husband: "In this sweltering heat, what if it swells up?"

"This child is far too disobedient," Third Cousin's husband said stubbornly. "Spare the rod and spoil the child." But thinking that his son had been well-behaved at home, and wondering why he had suddenly started having such notions shortly after arriving at the mountain, he asked Third Cousin: "What happened? Why did Yuanxiao suddenly want to learn martial arts?"

Third Cousin had asked Chunbing about it, but Chunbing wouldn't say anything. When pressed, he only said that he admired Xige'er's agility. Third Cousin knew nothing and naturally couldn't explain the ins and outs of the matter.

"It's no wonder the children want to study with Master An," she said. "Xige'er and Xu Ge'er are younger than our two boys, yet whether it's climbing trees, playing cuju, or wrestling, neither of our children can match the two children of Ninth Sister's family."

Xige'er was two years younger than Yuanxiao, and Xu Ge'er was four years younger. It was understandable that Xige'er surpassed Yuanxiao, but Xu Ge'er...

Third Cousin was half-doubtful and secretly began to observe. She found that when the children played together, Chunbing and Yuanxiao were noticeably clumsier compared to Xige'er and Xu Ge'er.

He was a competitive man, and thinking that since ancient times gentlemen were expected to master the Six Arts, yet in recent years the imperial examinations only tested the Four Books and Five Classics, causing everyone to flock to those while neglecting music, horsemanship, and archery, he couldn't help but be tempted. However, since Master An was held in high regard by Zhao Ling, he wasn't sure whether Master An would be willing to accept Chunbing and Yuanxiao as students.

After some thought, Third Cousin's husband took Third Cousin with him to see Fu Tingjun.