Chapter 32: No Less Than a Man

Chapter 32: No Less Than a Man

Shi'an Garden

Tang Shuyi was instructing Cuicui to bring some bedding to the study. She had confined Xiao Yuming to the study not to starve or freeze him, but to give him a chance to ponder his life.

After receiving her orders, Cuicui left, and Tang Shuyi took a walk in the yard with Xiao Yuzhu, repeating the old saying, "A hundred steps after a meal will keep you healthy until ninety-nine."

Xiao Yuzhu laughed upon hearing this and then asked Tang Shuyi with her little face upturned, "Are you punishing second brother because he helped fifth brother Yan leave home?"

"That's part of the reason," Tang Shuyi replied softly. "Running away from home is the last thing one should do. Look at Yanwu; his running away has unsettled the entire Nanling Manor. Fortunately, this time he was somewhat clever, hiding in Meihua Alley. If he had left the capital and encountered villains or enemies of the Nanling family, his life might have been at risk. If he had died out there, Lord and Lady Nanling would have been devastated."

Xiao Yuzhu nodded solemnly upon hearing this, and Tang Shuyi continued, "If you have any issues, you should discuss them with your family. There's always a solution. Running away from home is the last resort, especially for girls."

Xiao Yuzhu nodded again. She would never run away from home. Without maids and servants to wait on her, unable to eat and sleep well, she thought anyone who ran away from home was foolish.

After walking in the yard for a while, the mother and daughter prepared to wash up and rest. The eastern wing was not yet fully tidied, so Xiao Yuzhu still shared a room with Tang Shuyi. After washing up, they lay in bed, and Xiao Yuzhu asked her mother to tell her a story.

Tang Shuyi thought for a moment and then recounted the story of the famous female poet Li Qingzhao from her previous life. Xiao Yuzhu listened with shining eyes. Tang Shuyi even recited Li Qingzhao's famous poem: "To live as a hero, or die as a ghostly hero. Even now, I think of Xiang Yu and refuse to cross the river eastward."

Xiao Yuzhu didn't fully understand the poem but could feel its imposing aura. She said, "She was a very formidable woman."

"Yes," Tang Shuyi replied as she tucked her in, "she was a woman who stood equal to men."

Xiao Yuzhu pondered for a moment, then said with pride, "Mother, you too are no less than a man."

Tang Shuyi smiled, pinched her smooth cheek, and said with a laugh, "My little flatterer."

"I'm telling the truth," Xiao Yuzhu insisted earnestly.

"Alright, Mother knows. Let's sleep now."

Xiao Yuzhu closed her eyes and soon fell asleep. Tang Shuyi, however, spent some time reading by the lamplight before settling down for the night. In ancient times, there wasn't much entertainment, and evenings were often spent reading to pass the time.

The next day, Tang Shuyi rose at dawn, freshened up, and took a few strolls around the courtyard before waking Xiao Yuzhu. After Xiao Yuzhu got ready, Xiao Yuchen also arrived, dressed strikingly today. He wore a crescent-white robe paired with a silver-grey cloak and a green jade crown on his head, truly dazzling to behold.

"Big Brother looks really handsome today," Xiao Yuzhu couldn't help but exclaim.

Xiao Yuchen blushed at such straightforward praise. Tang Shuyi chuckled and said to Xiao Yuzhu, "It's not proper to say a man is 'good-looking'; you should say 'handsome.'"

Xiao Yuzhu immediately corrected herself: "Big Brother is very handsome today."

Somewhat embarrassed, Xiao Yuchen cleared his throat and asked, "Is breakfast ready?"

Tang Shuyi stopped teasing him, and the three of them sat down to eat together. After breakfast, Xiao Yuchen left for his gathering, and Xiao Yuzhu went to the family school. However, before leaving, she sneakily took a good amount of snacks, which Tang Shuyi pretended not to notice.

Xiao Yuzhu didn't head straight to the family school after leaving the Shi'an Garden. Instead, she first went to the front yard study.

The study room door was still firmly locked. Xiao Yuzhu approached the door, peered through the crack, but saw nothing. She then called out softly, "Second Brother, are you there?"

Having just finished breakfast and contemplating life while reclining on the couch, Xiao Yuming walked to the door and leaned against the frame, replying, "Where else would I be if not here?"

"Can't you pick locks? Maybe you could pick the lock and get out," Xiao Yuzhu remarked, thinking her Second Brother was quite capable, even skilled in lock-picking.

Xiao Yuming was speechless for a moment, "The lock is on the outside; how am I supposed to pick it from here?"

Xiao Yuzhu widened her eyes in surprise, "You actually want to pick the lock?"

Xiao Yuming: "…Go do whatever you're supposed to be doing."

Xiao Yuzhu wasn't offended by his tone and took out the snacks she had previously sneaked away. Seeing the narrow gap in the door, she realized the whole packet wouldn't fit through. So, after some thought, she took out a piece and slid it through the crack, chiding as she did so, "Why did you have to do such a foolish thing, helping Yan Wuge to run away from home? How silly!"

Xiao Yuming caught the snack pushed through the crack and stuffed it into his mouth, retorting, "What would a child like you know?"

Xiao Yuzhu huffed, "How would I not know? After Yan Wuge ran away, did he have maids and servants to wait on him? Could he eat whatever he wanted?"

Xiao Yuming: "…"

Xiao Yuzhu didn't expect a reply and pushed another piece of snack through, saying, "Surely he had nothing, right? So, tell me, isn't he silly?"

Xiao Yuming accepted another piece of the offered snack, "What do you know? Yan Wu's father is making him sit for the scholar examination."

Xiao Yuzhu retorted, "Is it more comfortable to study at home, waited on hand and foot, or to endure hardship outside?"

Xiao Yuming: "……"

Xiao Yuzhu huffed again, "I call you fools, and you won't even admit it."

Xiao Yuming: "……"

Xiao Yuzhu had to attend her family school and couldn't stay long. After stuffing a few more snacks through the crack, she asked before leaving, "What snack would you like for the afternoon?"

"Rose pastry," Xiao Yuming replied thoughtfully.

"Got it."

After Xiao Yuzhu left, Xiao Yuming reflected on her earlier words and muttered, "She does have a point."

………

Tang Shuyi naturally knew what Xiao Yuzhu did with the snacks. She didn't stop her, intending to nurture the siblings' bond. She even instructed the kitchen to prepare extra pastries, especially the rose pastries, Xiao Yuming's favorite.

"With his carefree nature, how come he's so fond of sweets?" Tang Shuyi mused about Xiao Yuming's taste, unable to resist discussing it with her maids, Cui Zhu and Cui Yun.

Both maids laughed, with Cui Yun adding, "I've heard that people who like sweets have a soft heart. Our Second Young Master appears carefree, but he's actually the most tender-hearted."

Tang Shuyi smiled, pointing at her playfully, "You sure have a way with words."

"I'm only speaking the truth," Cui Yun replied with a smile.

……

After sharing a laugh, Tang Shuyi checked the time. The Wu family's arrival was imminent, so she said to Cui Zhu, "Go wait by the main gate. We mustn't neglect our guests."

"Yes."

With her affirmation, Cui Zhu turned to leave. Through the recent events, she had roughly guessed that the marital arrangement between the eldest son of her household and Miss Wu from the second branch might fall through. However, the more it seemed so, the more meticulously they needed to attend to their guests, leaving no room for criticism.