Chapter 8, Grandparents and Grandchildren

If I hadn't captured Xiang Yuanniang, what would your fate be if she let slip even half a word outside

After returning from the old master with Yue Tingzhong, the eldest madam instructed her eldest son to go back, but called her eldest grandson, Yue Xiuyi, over from the Qingfang courtyard

Old Master Yue was extremely surprised. He and Yue Qianqiu locked eyes for quite a while, and suddenly burst into laughter, saying: "None of your uncles, siblings, or nephews and nieces can figure out those numbers. Just thinking about it makes me angry. If you really want to learn, I will teach you, but you must study hard. If you don't learn well, don't blame me for hitting you with a big stick!"

I know that Uncle Ying can help my grandfather organize the bookshelf, copy the catalog, return the disordered books to their original positions, and buy new copies of the worn-out books that are exactly the same. If he can do these things, then Uncle Ying must be literate. As long as I can read and write, having read through all the books in Hemu Pavilion is certainly better than my grandfather back in the day

Absurd, is this the kind of thing you can complain about to your subordinates? Do you not realize that if this gets out, your reputation for your entire life will be ruined? Do you think the old master has no awareness at all? He claims to send people to the Yingtian Prefecture for questioning, but in fact, he has instructed his students to kill them instead. Otherwise, do you think you could still be sitting here so peacefully?

At first, he had a certain courage that seemed to embrace death, but after five searing strikes, the unbearable pain finally compelled him to withdraw his hand. However, he was immediately seized by the matron, who firmly grasped his wrist, forcing him to endure twenty more strikes. In the end, the palm of his hand was swollen to the height of a steamed bun

Yue Qianqiu had no interest whatsoever in seeking Mr. Qiu for studies. Not for any other reason, but simply because it was the eldest madam who brought up the matter, he did not believe it could possibly be a good intention

How did Shilang become so cynical? One time, the Emperor left the palace to visit his home and praised him for his valor, saying he would surely be of great use in the future. As a result, someone at home became jealous and urged him to join the army. When he saw the disarray in the military, he immediately began to curse the civil officials for their love of money and the military generals for their cowardice! However, despite causing trouble everywhere, someone told him that his soon-to-be fiancée's brother was a bully in the army, which made him furious and led to a big argument with me, after which he turned against me and left!

Having finally expressed the words that had been pent up inside, the old lady tugged at her few whiskers, gradually letting out a sigh again

Old Master Yue did not expect that Yue Qianqiu would actually negotiate terms with him, and for a moment, he stared wide-eyed: "Don't talk big to me. Today I will teach you the multiplication table song. If you can't recite it tomorrow, I will let Luoxia go and marry someone else"

At first, Old Master Yue had a face full of smiles, but as he listened to Yue Qianqiu's words, the smile on his face gradually faded away

Yue Ying said softly: "The Ninth Young Master has a good memory, and in fact, he has already learned to read."

He is someone I have watched grow up since childhood. Initially, I thought of it as just raising a small dog or cat to relieve stress, but in the end, I developed feelings for him. This little rascal has only one flaw; to put it nicely, he is laid-back, but to put it bluntly, he is carefree and just eats and waits to die! He is only seven years old and already like this; what will he be like in the future? It doesn't matter while I am here, but what if I am not around later?

Knowing that one must learn arithmetic, this struck a chord with the old gentleman, and even the thousand-year-old couldn't help but laugh

If the world truly descends into chaos, what use is a scholar with no strength to even bind a chicken

The intense pain and humiliation caused him to curl up completely, tears streaming down his face. Even after the lady of the house wiped his face clean with a handkerchief, he continued to sob uncontrollably

Old Master Yue glared at Yue Ying with displeasure: "I am not like others who are superstitious about this and that all day long. What is there to fear about birth, aging, illness, and death? Does avoiding the word 'death' mean I can live to be a hundred? You, a martial artist, are even more superstitious than this old man!"

Yue Ying's expression suddenly changed: "Old Master ... ... "

That day I let it slip, and now there are a lot of people outside laughing at me for having a full house of grandchildren, yet I ended up taking in a grandson to raise. If I were to hand you over to Xiaoying for teaching, am I raising a grandson or training a thug? I am not one of those military generals who claim to have a bunch of adopted sons, when in fact they are just personal bodyguards!

Among them, the Qingfang Courtyard assigned to the eldest young master’s family is naturally the best, aside from the Hengshui Residence where the eldest madam resides.

Old Master Yue could not help but be astonished, and after a while, he burst into hearty laughter, pointing at Yue Ying and saying: "You want Xiao Ying to teach you? Do you know how many characters he recognizes?"

Just when Yue Qianqiu thought that the old man would most likely agree, the words that followed from Old Master Yue were quite the opposite

Going to study with Yuexiu, isn't this intentionally making him a foil for the nephew

The current emperor has ascended the throne for forty years. In the first twenty years, imperial edicts were often returned by officials, promotions for concubines required the approval of ministers, and there was no one to prepare the food they desired, leading to a multitude of grievances that had to be endured

Forget it, let's not talk about that rascal! Qianqiu is like me, quick to recognize characters. I once threw a primer at him during a break, and a few times I pointed to the Analects in a book for him to read, and unexpectedly, he actually learned to recognize characters. This little fellow, just by seeing him scribble all over the book, one can tell that he can only read a few simpler ones. Does he think books are so easy to understand?

What is the relationship between the four adopted sons and the eldest son? She does not care that in the future, after a thousand autumns, there will be a share of the inheritance!

At such a young age, Yuexiu could hardly conceive of such a malicious idea, but it cannot be said that her actions towards her mother are purely a display of political maneuvering; there must certainly be something more sinister behind it

"If you are truly upset, then show your true abilities." Only then did the lady pull Yuexiu up, wipe the tears from his face with a cloth, and said word by word, "Extend your hand to me!"

Although the mistress does not manage the household, there are not only sisters-in-law in the family; both the second and third masters feel intimidated by her, let alone a child like Yuexiu

To actually use the people of the Chang family as pawns, she will certainly expose that black-hearted and treacherous individual

Seeing the madam's stern expression, with her right hand gripping a long ruler, Yuexiu's face instantly turned pale, yet he still obediently extended his left hand

Yue Qianqiu glanced at Yue Ying, who stood beside Old Master Yue like a shadow, and said without hesitation: "I will not go; I want Uncle Ying to teach me"

Blocked tightly by Old Master Yue, Yue Ying truly lost her temper and simply closed her mouth, choosing not to speak.

After a moment of silence, this esteemed elder, who held the highest position in the Yue government and was also a decisive figure in the court, suddenly struck the armrest and said: "Good lad, you have some ambition, actually wanting to compete with me!"

The Chang family occupied the eastern road of the Yue residence. The four courtyards were originally arranged in a neat square shape, appearing to be quite spacious. However, both of the eldest lady's sons had already married, and their daughters-in-law had given her grandchildren. As a result, the first two courtyards were utilized in a compact manner, featuring some intricately designed elements.

I exposed his background to make him aware of the fickleness of human relationships, and also to take a look at the quality of these people in the family! Indeed, someone has brought out a Ding Youcai! You truly understand my intentions, instruct Song Qiying to ensure that this matter is handled thoroughly and that the culprit is dealt with decisively

It is not so easy to reject Old Master Yue. Yue Qianqiu's eyes turned, and he then compromised, saying: "Then I will listen to grandfather and go to Chang'an together. However, grandfather must teach me arithmetic"

Yuexiu was suddenly taken aback: "No, absolutely not, grandmother, please do not listen to mother’s nonsense!"

Having spent three years in the Crane Ming Pavilion reading to alleviate boredom, coupled with the hints revealed during eavesdropping on conversations between the old master and Yue Ying, Yue Qianqiu has managed to gain a glimpse into the current state of the world.

Therefore, he retorted without a moment's thought: "Grandfather, what if I excel in my studies?"

He knelt down with a mournful expression, lowered his head and said: "I just complained to Xiang Mama a little, saying that Great-grandfather treats Qianqiu better than I treat this great-grandson. Xiang Mama told me that she would find someone to teach this wild child a good lesson. I really didn't intend for him to be abducted, nor did I know that Xiang Mama would dare to have such an idea. I truly do not know..." I really didn't intend for him to be abducted, nor did I know that Xiang Mama would dare to have such an idea. I truly do not know...

Faced with the sharp gaze of the matriarch, Yuexiu instinctively avoided her scrutiny, and in the end, could only muster the courage to ask: "Does grandmother have something to ask her grandson?"

Old Master Yue paid no attention to Yue Qianqiu's dazed expression and sighed, saying: "When I was an apprentice, I had the fortune to learn from my father-in-law, Old Manager Xu. Later, not only did he marry his daughter to me, but he also secured me a position as a minor treasury clerk. I was fortunate to have caught my teacher's favor, which allowed me to officially begin my studies. My teacher took twenty years to finally pass the imperial examination and died as merely a county lieutenant, yet in my eyes at that time, he was already extraordinary."

If in the future you only harbor resentment over trivial matters, I will deal with you directly to spare the Yue family from embarrassment! If you want to surpass Yue Qianqiu, it is quite simple. When you go to Mr. Qiu's place to study in a couple of days, you must demonstrate your true abilities of recognizing characters at three years old, reciting poetry at four, and writing at five, so that Yue Qianqiu can see for himself!

Oh? I didn't even mention who it was that asked, how do you know it was me asking Mother?" The madam Fengmei frowned slightly, her eyes revealing deep anger, "Aren't you going to confess the truth to me?"

The old gentleman holds a high official position, yet it becomes increasingly arduous for him. Rather than relying on scholarly pursuits to attain an official post, starting from the eighth or ninth rank, it would be more beneficial for him to first learn martial arts from Yue Ying for self-defense.

Xiao Ying, did you hear that? From ninety-nine to eighty-one to twenty-two as four, I only said it once, and this kid actually remembered it completely

The most tragic aspect is that the two queens, the first of whom was decided by the Empress Dowager, both passed away with great difficulty. After their deaths, the selection of a new queen was still dominated by the ministers. As a result, the concubines gave birth to four princesses, yet none of the sons survived. Consequently, they had no choice but to adopt a son from the royal family to serve as a foster child in the palace

He gazed at the distant landscape, gradually revealing a look of melancholy: "I have never participated in the imperial examinations in my life, and have been criticized for being unlearned. However, I cannot allow my descendants to be ridiculed! This Qiu Chuan'an has been in Jinling for over a year, and I have often heard people in the court praise him, to the point that my ears have grown calluses. You should go with Chang'an and see for yourself whether this so-called distinguished scholar is a mule or a horse."

However, the world did not become peaceful and prosperous simply because the emperor regained some power and finally had a son with a male heir. Banditry and piracy continued to plague various regions, and there were even instances of rebellious civilians seizing county towns. Meanwhile, the aristocratic families and the commoners grew increasingly resentful of each other, leading to deeper conflicts. There had even been a shocking case where a county magistrate's entire family was exterminated, and the case remains unresolved to this day

Yet in these twenty years, the emperor, who had lost the queen once again, was caught in a struggle between the aristocracy and the humble civil officials, while also diligently nurturing grassroots figures like Old Master Yue. He himself toiled away in the palace and finally succeeded in having a son, who was exactly seven years old, resembling him in every way

Yuexiu curled up into a ball after being scolded by the madam, crying heartbrokenly: "I am just so upset. I can only stay at Great-grandfather's Crane Ming Pavilion for a little while each day, yet he can linger there every day, indulging in those messy books..."

The old master saw that Yue Ying seemed about to speak, and directly slammed the armrest, shouting: "You don't need to speak for them. I know that someone was using their power to intimidate others yesterday. If it weren't for their grievances, would the subordinates be so audacious?"

Gazing at the little one he had watched grow up since childhood, he suddenly realized that, without his noticing, the child he once held in his arms and who would unexpectedly tug at his beard had already grown up

I never expected that the esteemed eldest grandson of the Yue family would actually plan to send his own uncle into the hands of kidnappers

An hour later, when the old master let the well-fed Yue Qianqiu return after dinner, he immediately looked towards the side at Yue Ying