Chapter Seven, Mu Shaoai

Old Master Yue took some time to recall who Luoxia was. He was first taken aback, and then he burst into hearty laughter.

It is said that the woman who scared away his "foster father" Fourth Master before even entering the door is actually a formidable daughter of a prestigious family

Madam Qin of the San family possesses a vast fortune, with her family having been wealthy merchants for generations. Now, she manages the household expenses for the entire family, truly exemplifying the principle of making the best use of everyone.

Yue Tingzhong had always been very submissive in front of his grandfather, and he quickly agreed without hesitation. Once the eldest madam finished speaking, she naturally would not linger in her father-in-law's Crane Ming Pavilion, so she promptly stood up to take her leave

Madam Jin is dignified and graceful. When the old master was either a senior official or a county magistrate, he was the superior of his superior, the daughter of a prominent governor.

Compared to her son, the eldest madam was much more composed. She was completely unconcerned about Yue Qianqiu's gaze and instead gently nodded and smiled at him. Then she addressed the elder Yue: "Elder Yue, Qianqiu and Chang'an are already seven years old, which is the age for school. Given their aptitude, ordinary teachers would only hinder their progress."

Of course, Yue Qianqiu would not overlook the scrutiny of this inexpensive elder brother. He smiled and looked back, only to see that the other party could not bear it first, avoiding his gaze and looking elsewhere. It was then that he turned his attention back to the eldest madam.

Master Yue Tingzhong is twenty-six years old this year, with one son and one daughter. In terms of age, it would not be a problem for him to be the father of Yue Qianqiu. However, in front of Old Master Yue, he appears even more constrained than Yue Qianqiu.

At this point, the matron smiled at Yue Qianqiu and said, "Qianqiu has grown up under the care of the old master since childhood, naturally intelligent. Why not take Chang'an along with you? The two of you, uncle and nephew, can go and give it a try. If you are fortunate enough to be accepted as a disciple, you will have family support and guidance from teachers and senior brothers in the future. Whether in your studies or your career, it will surely yield twice the result with half the effort."

When one is young, one admires one's parents; as one grows up, one understands the pursuit of young and beautiful women; upon having a wife and children, one becomes infatuated with them; when one becomes an official, one seeks to please the sovereign; if one fails to win the sovereign's favor, one becomes anxious within

After all, only those who remain in this inner study after the old master returns each day are considered trusted confidants. Aside from Yue Ying, it is also the big maid Yuan Bao, who is specifically responsible for attending to the old master Yue's writing materials and daily needs in the back room.

It was evident that the old master Jianyue was listening intently to her words, which gave the eldest madam a greater sense of assurance. She then further softened her tone: "Recently, my elder brother wrote to recommend a Mr. Qiu. He mentioned that this gentleman is a wise and virtuous person whom the Emperor has repeatedly sought but could not engage. He has authored numerous works and has countless disciples spread across the land. It is said that he will no longer teach this current batch of final disciples as they are about to graduate."

The old gentleman is, after all, a person of extremely firm resolve; such moments of distraction are merely fleeting. Upon seeing that Yue Qianqiu had finally recognized him, he quickly set down his book and ran over, calling out "Grandfather." The old gentleman smiled and nodded, then went to change his clothes. When he came out, he had already changed into a comfortable home robe.

Although the family background of the second Mrs. Yan is somewhat humble, after the old gentleman completed his term as county magistrate, a local family with a long-standing scholarly tradition, moved by his fair judgments and fearlessness in the face of power, actually married their daughter to him

Little bunny, at such a young age, already knows about lust?

At this moment, after everyone had exchanged greetings, as usual, they spoke a few words to Old Master Yue. Then, the Second Master and Second Madam, along with the Third Master and Third Madam, took their children and took their leave. However, the First Madam did not move from her spot; instead, she stayed behind with her eldest son

Just by observing a dozen or so people of the same generation and younger, it becomes easy to understand why others feel such envy and resentment towards him over the years

I want to keep the setting sun. She got married too early

Before long, the entire family of the Yue residence arrived one after another, filling the room to capacity.

When there are few people, one longs for parents; when one knows beauty, one longs for youth; when one has a wife, one longs for a wife; when in service, one longs for the ruler; if one cannot attain the ruler, one becomes fervent in the pursuit

The old gentleman never concealed his humble origins, shallow knowledge, and dry writing style... In his own words, he was born with the ability to remember countless complex numbers, yet could only recite the Analects fluently, while his grasp of other classics and histories was rather mediocre. Therefore, to rise from a minor official in a county to the Minister of Revenue was purely a stroke of luck, unmatched by anyone else

After the marriage proposal fell through that year, the then Left Chancellor had intended to marry that lady as his daughter-in-law, but was thwarted by the Minister of War. Now, the third son of the Minister of War, who once indulged in romantic escapades, does not dare to engage in any flirtations outside.

In the evening, when Old Master Yue entered the Crane Ming Pavilion, he did not notice the absence of a young green figure; instead, he immediately spotted Yue Qianqiu, who was enthusiastically flipping through a book.

The old gentleman rarely has the disposition to tell stories, and naturally, it would not spoil the atmosphere for a thousand autumns. At that moment, he very cooperatively shook his head and said, "I do not know"

He stepped forward and grasped the old gentleman's sleeve, speaking earnestly: "Grandfather, I have a request to make of you"

Madam has left, and Yu Qianqiu similarly does not mention Qingyin, nor will he speak of the farce of the book theft that occurred in the afternoon

Old Master Yue is a long-time widower. Only when the three wives and a large group of people arrive early for the wedding ceremony each day does Yue Qianqiu get to see the three nominal aunts, the First Madam, the Second Madam, and the Third Madam.

Madam did not mention Qingyin at all, as she was well aware that the old master did not care about the two maids at Hemu Pavilion during the day. She could easily resolve this minor issue by simply choosing someone herself

As she was about to leave, she glanced once more at Yue Qianqiu, who, after causing quite a stir in the residence over the past two days, waved cheerfully at her, seemingly bidding farewell

Yue Qianqiu had long been accustomed to the coarse language that occasionally erupted from the mouth of Old Master Yue

He inherited his appearance from his parents, appearing more dignified than elegant. At this moment, he assisted his mother to sit down as instructed, and after standing beside her, his gaze inevitably fell upon Yue Qianqiu.

The elderly gentleman from humble beginnings, who, during a time when his official position was not high and his future uncertain, married three daughters-in-law, all of whom came from considerable family backgrounds

Therefore, in the face of such a straightforward grandfather at home, Yue Qianqiu naturally spoke candidly: "Grandfather, I am not accustomed to having different people around me. Moreover, Luoxia is only sixteen; let her stay for two more years, and she can get married at eighteen. By then, I will also be older and can personally choose a good man, marrying her off as if she were my own daughter."

Old Master Yue pondered for a moment and said noncommittally: "You have a good heart. Darlang, your father has been serving as an official outside for several years, while your mother has been at home taking care of you and your siblings, working hard every day. You should be filial to her."

"How old are you? What are you talking about marrying off a daughter? If she were a few years older, she would be old enough to be your mother!" Old Master Yue laughed heartily, his large hand, resembling a fan, rubbed Yue Qianqiu's head several times, and finally, he rarely pulled him up.

Hmm? Old Master Yue still thought that Yue Qianqiu was going to mention the matter of studying that the madam had brought up, and he immediately raised an eyebrow with interest. But the next moment, he was taken by surprise

Upon seeing this scene, the old master immediately understood that the madam had something to say, and directly stated: "Da Lang, help your mother sit down and talk."

Old Master Yue let out a long sigh, and then suddenly asked an unrelated question: "What do you think about what your aunt just said?"

Old Master Yue exclaimed while slapping his thigh, "I have never liked Mencius; there is more to that statement, which discusses how Shun among the Five Emperors was loyal and filial. In my opinion, that is pure nonsense. However, the first few sentences are simply profound truths!"

Does the elderly Mr. Yue, with a house full of descendants, still need to adopt a child to raise as a grandson? Even if he fears that the young master will have no heirs, wouldn't it be easy to choose one from among the grandsons to adopt?

So, you little rascal, the fact that you can speak to me and ask me to stay today is a sign that you have barely grown up

As Jian Yue blinked his eyes, Old Master Yue smiled and asked, "Do you know what it means?"

Although the scene of the little fellow with short arms and legs seriously flipping through books is indeed somewhat comical, he couldn't help but feel a moment of nostalgia as he recalled that his youngest child was born after he became an official, and since he could remember, he had always loved lingering in the study

Although a thousand years may pass, one can faintly sense from the idle gossip of the lower classes that the old gentleman's apparent support for the Yan family in the past was not genuinely about the matter at hand. His true intention was to balance the local aristocracy with the scholarly families from humble backgrounds, and gaining a daughter-in-law was merely an unexpected delight