Chapter 4
Xiao Yu looked around to ensure no one was present before saying to A Luo: "Miss, the Third Madam and Fourth Madam both have their backgrounds; you should not address them as Miss and Second Miss like that. If someone hears you, they will say that the Seventh Madam is not teaching her daughters properly."
A Lei's full name is Li Qinglei, A Fei's full name is Li Qingfei, and A Luo is naturally called Li Qingluo. A Luo sighed again, saying that as a concubine, not to mention, her mother was still a woman of the brothel, with such a low status, perhaps a dog by the side of the main wife is more esteemed than the seventh wife
Alo raised her head to look at Xiaoyu: "I cannot bear to see my beautiful mother in tears. I will not let her be confined to this courtyard for the rest of her life. Xiaoyu, you must help me; we will not be bullied."
Alo looked at the excitement and warmth in the Seventh Lady's eyes, walked over, and tugged at the hem of her garment, saying: "Mother, I don't want to learn to be exceptionally skilled; I just want to be able to impress others. We cannot allow people to look down on us!"
A Luo smiled: "Mother, the art of war states that when one's wings are not yet fully developed, one should not engage in a head-on confrontation. Do you not think that besides Auntie, the other childless aunts like me more than Eldest Sister and Second Sister?"
However, during the spring of that year, the winds brought the peach blossom banquet, and the Li Xiangfu received an invitation from the Princess of the Protectorate.
Unexpectedly, Lady Qi proudly declared: "Your mother has been playing the guqin since the age of four, and no one in Wind City can surpass her. Do you doubt your mother's hearing? With this piece, 'Plum Blossom in Three Variations', your playing further highlights the pride of the plum blossom, and my daughter is indeed proud."
The reputation of the two talented daughters in the Li family has unknowingly spread throughout the capital. As early as two years ago, suitors came knocking at the door of the Li residence for Li Qinglei and Li Qingfei, nearly trampling the threshold. However, the third young lady, Qingluo, remains largely unknown. Minister Li could only shake his head and regretfully claim that his daughters were still young and that he was reluctant to marry them off so soon
Xiao Yu smiled and agreed. Once her hair was done, A Luo eagerly pulled Xiao Yu out of the courtyard. Xiao Yu was infected by A Luo's excitement and laughed, saying: "Miss used to never leave the courtyard, always sulking alone. Why the sudden change in character now?"
Alo is increasingly fond of this beautiful young lady, who is kind and gentle, and most importantly, she treats her with a sincere heart. She thinks that once she finds a way in the future, she will definitely take good care of this little mother.
Alo silently recited the twelve Earthly Branches in her mind, thinking that she still needed to familiarize herself with the local method of timekeeping. She then smiled and said, "Yesterday was the end of the ten-day period, so I was so happy that I couldn't sleep. Xiaoyu, could you help me make a piece of clothing?"
Alo deliberately maintained a stern expression and said: "The qin is played for a true friend; if I were to play better than her, how could I bear to be called out to play the qin whenever a distinguished guest arrives?"
Xiao Yu also woke up and asked A Luo: "Miss, why are you up so early? It is only the hour of the rabbit now, and you usually do not wake up until the hour of the dragon."
A Luo smiled and said, "I'll draw a picture for you later. By the way, Xiao Yu, do I need to go and pay my respects in the morning?" A Luo still found it a bit difficult to call her mother.
After spending most of the day, A Luo had a general understanding of the situation after wandering through the inner hall. She led Xiao Yu back to the room and sent her to check if the Seventh Madam had returned.
Lady Qi asked Qingluo: "San'er, how long do you intend to hide?"
A Luo smiled, how wonderful, a ready-made teacher! She said to Xiao Yu: "I have been lying down for too long and feel uncomfortable, I want to move around a bit, take me to see the sights! When my beautiful mother comes back, I will have her teach me!" Adding the words 'beautiful' made A Luo feel that it sounded much smoother.
Lady Qi twisted her face and embraced her, saying: "San'er, you are truly clever! It seems that no matter how much I love you, it is never enough!"
Alo sighed, realizing that receiving praise from the best musician in Wind City was indeed true. She then quietly said to Lady Qi, "Mother, please don't let anyone else know about this. Is it alright if I only play for you?"
Alo took the opportunity to inquire about the situation of the Third and Fourth Ladies. She learned that one was the illegitimate daughter of the wealthy merchant Zhang from Fengdu, while the other was a cousin of a current assistant minister in the Ministry of Works. The other ladies also came from respectable families, with the exception of the Seventh Lady, who was born in a brothel. She was purchased with a large sum of money on the night of her debut and given to Old Li as a concubine, which explained why the other ladies looked down on her
From that day on, Lady Qi taught A Luo to play the piano and paint every day. A Luo discovered that children have a remarkable ability to absorb information quickly; she could almost remember everything at a glance. With the mental acuity of a twenty-two-year-old, she was able to grasp the concepts after just one lesson from Lady Qi. Once she learned to play the piano, A Luo realized that it was indeed a good thing; her voice changed, and time flew by as she played modern songs that she liked. Consequently, she devoted more and more effort to practicing the piano. Once she learned to play the piano, A Luo realized that it was indeed a good thing; her voice changed, and time flew by as she played modern songs that she liked. Consequently, she devoted more and more effort to practicing the piano.
In the blink of an eye, the time for the March examination has arrived again. A Luo coldly observes the performances of her elder and second sisters showcasing their talents in music and literature. After a while, she lowers her head and sings a tune that is quite good, with excellent lyrics, but is out of tune. Old Li, having formed a preconceived notion, believes that the poem A Luo recited last time was indeed taught to her by her mother specifically to meet him, and he did not ask A Luo to compose poetry again. Now, seeing her learn to sing, he is very pleased and encourages her as usual
Xiao Yu's eyes turned red as she listened, and she wandered around with A Luo, patiently informing her about the situation in the residence. Suddenly, A Luo remembered that she did not even know her own name, so she tilted her head and asked Xiao Yu: "That eldest sister Li that the third wife gave birth to, Li something Lei, and the second sister Li something Fei that the fourth wife gave birth to, are both very arrogant, aren't they?"
Alo asked curiously, "Then who should I turn to for learning?"
Xiao Yu brought water for her to wash her face, while combing her hair and asking: "What kind of clothes does the young lady want? Xiao Yu can make anything."
Alo thought that she had been here for six years, and she had given up on the idea of returning to the modern world one day. The only thing on her mind was how to establish herself and ensure her safety here. She needed money, and after much contemplation, Alo decided to open a tavern in the future. Once she earned money, she would take her beautiful mother, Zhang Ma, and Xiao Yu to explore the other four countries. Such a travel itinerary would be hard to come by even in the modern world. Perhaps one day she would meet someone and marry him; if not, being a tavern owner and living a carefree life would also be good. Once she earned money, she would take her beautiful mother, Zhang Ma, and Xiao Yu to explore the other four countries. Such a travel itinerary would be hard to come by even in the modern world. Perhaps one day she would meet someone and marry him; if not, being a tavern owner and living a carefree life would also be good.
Xiao Yu was quite surprised: "The eldest young lady and the second young lady have both invited tutors, and the third and fourth madams are also proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Young lady, you have sent away several tutors in the past, and the madam said she would wait until you wanted to learn before inviting another tutor. However, young lady, our madam is truly a talented woman; she understands everything."
As the sky began to brighten, it was likely around 5 or 6 in the morning. Cheng Qing (A Luo, as she will be referred to from now on) got out of bed and noticed that she was wearing a thin, straight-collared garment, which was not very suitable for exercise.
She meticulously drew a sketch of the residence's layout. Tang Garden was indeed remote, adjacent to a vegetable garden, with a large bamboo grove behind the house, and beyond that was the courtyard wall. A Luo was very satisfied; with such a location, if she were to climb over the wall in the future, she would not be discovered.
Embracing this mindset, Aroza plunged into the ocean of knowledge across different timelines. By combining modern and ancient knowledge, she envisioned that if one day she were to return, she would not do anything else but open an antique shop, making a fortune.
The Seventh Lady's eyes reddened: "I knew it all along, how could my daughter be a fool! Seeing the begonia in the courtyard can inspire such beautiful poetry, San'er, you have a gifted nature."
The Seventh Lady's eyes sparkled with amusement: "Are you afraid of overshadowing your elder sister, and thus never finding peace again?"
The Seventh Lady, upon hearing that A Luo had risen early to learn a skill, excitedly went to find her: "San'er, what do you wish to learn? Why do you want to learn it? Tell your mother!"
Xiao Yu smiled slightly and said: "Madam enjoys tranquility and loves to spend time embroidering things for the one she loves. She goes to visit the elder lady at the third hour and stays in her room upon returning, so there is no need for the young lady to go."
Alo forced a smile, lacking spiritual roots, yet now must learn to possess them.
The ladies were also calculating in this way, increasingly disliking the Seventh Lady, feeling that it was utterly shameless of her to use her daughter to seduce the master right in front of him. Fortunately, Li Xiangcheng was watched closely by the First Lady and was entangled by several other concubines, so he had only visited Tang Garden once or twice. Tang Garden was quiet, and Li Xiangcheng felt that the Seventh Lady was not warm enough, which made him lose interest. The other ladies also felt reassured and laughed at the Seventh Lady, saying that despite using all the seductive tricks from the brothel, she still could not capture the master's heart.
Thus, A Luo grew up to be 12 years old. Li Qinglei was 16 years old, and Li Qingfei was also 14 years old
Alo could not believe it and asked Lady Qi, "Is it the song that is good? It is not my skill on the instrument that is impressive." As she spoke, she played another piece, "Three Variations on the Plum Blossom." Alo thought to herself, now you have something to compare it to
One day, Lady Qi listened to her play a piece called "Shui Diao Ge Tou" and was unexpectedly moved to tears, soaking a silk handkerchief. Choking back her sobs, she said to A Luo: "San Er, this song is truly beautiful. Your playing is filled with emotion, much better than your elder sister's."
Every time the monthly examination approached, A Luo would alternate between playing chess, embroidering, and playing the piano, yet she excelled at none. Li Xiang observed that her learning was eclectic but lacked depth, and she could not present anything of merit. No matter how much he reprimanded her, during the next monthly examination, A Luo would again showcase a new skill she had learned, pitifully saying: "A Luo diligently follows her father's teachings, studying hard for three months, and has learned a new skill XX, please evaluate it, Father." Of course, it was still mediocre, and although Li Xiang urged her to specialize in one thing, she could never measure up to Qing Lei and Qing Fei, leaving him to shake his head in disappointment. However, the gazes of several ladies often softened.
Xiao Yu nodded in agreement, observing that A Luo's complexion was becoming increasingly rosy and her steps lighter and more agile. She felt that the young lady's method of nurturing her health was truly effective, and thus refrained from saying another word.
The Seventh Lady thought happily that she would rely on the daughter of this mischievous spirit for the rest of her life
Every morning, A Luo wakes up and puts on the long robe and baggy pants made by Xiao Yu to start her warm-up run. Upon reaching the bamboo forest behind the house, she has Xiao Yu stand guard outside while she practices the karate she learned in modern times over and over again. Every evening, after completing half an hour of yoga, she goes to sleep. At first, Xiao Yu found it strange. A Luo stared at Xiao Yu and said, "If you truly want to repay my mother’s kindness, then don’t speak of it outside. It doesn’t matter if you don’t understand what I’m doing, but remember it is for our good in the future."