Chapter 649

Chapter 657: Summer Conversations (Part 1)

After the Dragon Boat Festival, Luo Zhenxing and a scholar named Mr. Chang visited the Xu residence.

After speaking with Mr. Chang for an hour, Lord Xu told Steward Bai to prepare Tingtao Pavilion near Shuangfu Courtyard: "From now on, the fifth young master will study with Mr. Chang at Tingtao Pavilion!"

The rumor about the fifth young master studying in Le'an like the second young master was finally put to rest, much to Xu Sizhun's great relief.

"I told you, Mother went to see Uncle," Xu Sijie said with a smile, looking at his brother. "Uncle would find me a tutor. I won’t be going to Le'an." He had complete faith in Eleven Miss.

"I was just worried that Uncle might not find a suitable person," Xu Sizhun said awkwardly. "If Mother saw how well Second Brother was doing in Le'an, she might harden her heart and send you there too... Then I’d be all alone!" His voice trailed off wistfully.

Xu Sijie’s heart warmed: "That won’t happen! We still have Sixth Brother at home, don’t we? Even if I went to Le'an to study, I’d come back during festivals!" But as he spoke, he sensed something off about his words.

Xu Sizhun looked embarrassed.

It wasn’t that Sixth Brother wasn’t good, but he was still young, and they couldn’t really play together... Deep down, he didn’t see him as a friend.

"Oh, let’s drop this topic," he waved his hand, quickly changing the subject. "Since you won’t be going to Le'an after all, and your study place is right next to Shuangfu Courtyard, we can go to school together again." Then he added, "When will you officially start classes at Tingtao Pavilion? Even if Mr. Chang is your tutor, do I need to greet him too?"

"I don’t know," Xu Sijie said. "How about we go ask Mother?" The two headed to the main house.

Lord Xu and Eleven Miss were discussing the children: "...For Chun Ge, Mr. Zhao has it handled. Jin Ge will come to me for calligraphy practice, and I’ll also supervise his lessons. As for Jie Ge, I think Mr. Zhao is a very strict person. He was used to a looser schedule under Mr. Zhao. A new tutor might be tough for him. And since he’s shy by nature, you should keep an eye on him. As for Mr. Chang’s salary, I plan to match what Mr. Zhao received when he first arrived—thirty taels a year, a servant, and two sets of seasonal clothing for both warm and cold weather. If he teaches well, we’ll give extra rewards at the end of the year. If Jie Ge passes the county-level exam, I’ll give an additional bonus."

Tutors in Yanjing typically earned between twenty and thirty taels a year, and Lord Xu was also providing a servant, clothing, and bonuses. The offer was quite fair.

Eleven Miss gave a slight nod.

"Don’t worry, my lord," she said. The weather was getting warmer, but it wasn’t yet time for ice, so she waved a round fan for Lord Xu as he had just entered. "I’ll keep an eye on Jie Ge. But with Jin Ge under your care, you mustn't indulge him. And don’t take him horseback riding—at least not until he’s ten. If he really must go, you should personally accompany him..." She stood beside him, her movements left a hint of perfume in the air.

"Are you telling me to take him riding or not?" His eyes lazily swept over her.

Her loose silver-threaded robe draped softly over her, swaying like water with each wave of the fan, accentuating her curves and slender waist, radiating quiet allure.

He yanked the fan from her hand and fanned himself vigorously. "One moment you say no, the next you say yes. If you keep this up, the child won’t know what to do..." Eleven Miss glared at him.

Who was it that had taken Jin Ge riding again? Now the child couldn’t stop thinking about it, eagerly serving tea and water whenever he saw his father, circling around him like a little puppy...

"You say no, but does my lord ever listen to me?" Her voice held a playful edge. "And then you say things like, 'A boy shouldn’t spend all day with maids and older women—it’ll make him narrow-minded and gossipy...'"

A maid’s voice came from behind the curtain: "Madam, the fourth young master and fifth young master are here!"

Eleven Miss quickly stopped the conversation.

Seeing her faint irritation, Lord Xu regretted his sharp tone. He pressed the fan back into her hand and took the opportunity to hold hers. "Alright, the children are here," he said softly, his voice gentler, as if coaxing her.

Eleven Miss wasn’t opposed to his views—she just didn’t trust unfamiliar riding instructors and preferred Jin Ge to ride with him. But his tone had annoyed her. Now that Lord Xu had softened, her displeasure melted away. Still, she pinched his shoulder before smiling.

She was becoming more and more like a child.

Lord Xu chuckled and shook his head.

Xu Sizhun and Xu Sijie entered.

"You’ve come at the right time," Eleven Miss said after they bowed. She had a maid bring stools for them to sit. Before they could speak, Lord Xu said, "Mr. Chang will begin tutoring after the fifteenth of May." He looked at Xu Sijie. "Pack your things these next few days—you’ll attend classes at Tingtao Pavilion from then on." Then he turned to Xu Sizhun. "After Jie Ge moves to Tingtao Pavilion, Mr. Zhao will teach Jin Ge in the mornings and you in the afternoons. Starting then, you’ll come with me to the outer study every morning to learn how to manage household affairs."

The two boys stood and respectfully replied, "Yes."

Lord Xu added a few more instructions—"Listen to your tutors, study hard, observe carefully, ask Steward Bai if you don’t understand, and don’t make rash decisions"—before dismissing them to prepare. Xu Sizhun shot Eleven Miss a meaningful glance.

Lady Eleven remained composed as she escorted the two boys out.

Xu Sizhun quickly said, "I was thinking of inviting Mr. Chang for a meal. Would that be acceptable?"

"Of course!" Lady Eleven considered that Xu Sizhun wouldn’t be taking the imperial exams, so there was no clear standard to prove Mr. Zhao’s teaching quality. When there was only one tutor in the household, it hadn’t mattered much, but now with two, she trusted Mr. Zhao’s character but had little interaction with Mr. Chang. If any discord arose between the two tutors, it would ultimately affect Xu Sizhun and Xu Sijie. She advised Xu Sizhun, "Mr. Zhao is your tutor and has also taught your fifth brother. Over the years, he has treated you like his own children—you mustn’t slight him. Since you’re inviting Mr. Chang, why not ask Mr. Zhao to accompany you and help host him? It would also give the two tutors a chance to get acquainted." A good start was always beneficial. Remembering that Xu Sizhun would soon formally take on household duties, she added, "When you’re in the outer courtyard, treat the household stewards with courtesy—they’ll be your future assistants." Xu Sizhun nodded repeatedly.

After Mr. Chang officially moved in, Xu Sizhun followed Lady Eleven’s advice and invited Mr. Zhao to join as a host, holding a banquet in his own courtyard to entertain Mr. Chang. Mr. Chang had initially known that both young masters had been tutored by Mr. Zhao, who focused on self-cultivation rather than strict academic rigor. In contrast, Mr. Chang had to teach Xu Sijie the rigid eight-part essays, requiring strict discipline. He had worried that Xu Sijie might resist the hardship, comparing him unfavorably to Mr. Zhao and becoming disobedient. But seeing how respectfully and courteously the two boys treated him, he concluded that Mr. Zhao had taught them well. His earlier suspicion that Mr. Zhao was merely leeching off the Xu family faded, and he treated Mr. Zhao with newfound respect. Mr. Zhao, being open-minded, had feared that Mr. Chang—who treated the eight-part essays like gospel—might disdain his poetic and literary teachings. But since Mr. Chang took the initiative to befriend him, Mr. Zhao reciprocated warmly. They often took strolls together during leisure days, and over time, the two became good friends.

With the tutors getting along, the children’s learning atmosphere naturally improved.

Xu Sijie diligently followed Mr. Chang’s rigorous demands, while Xu Sizhun accompanied Lord Xu in managing household affairs every morning, taking great care not to make mistakes. Gradually, he devoted himself to outer household matters. Though slow to adapt, his gentle and willing-to-learn attitude endeared him to the stewards. Such qualities would win anyone’s favor over time, but coming from the Yongping Marquis’s heir, it carried special significance. The stewards treated him with genuine respect, and Xu Sizhun’s reputation for "benevolence" gradually spread.

Lord Xu currently prioritized "stability," and Xu Sizhun’s performance satisfied him. He entrusted Xu Sizhun with more responsibilities while personally overseeing Jin Geer’s martial training at Xiumu Court every morning and reviewing his studies in the afternoon. As long as Jin Geer completed his tasks well, Lord Xu would take him out for excursions, recounting his past military campaigns. Once, inspired, he even built a terrain model with Jin Geer based on the Nine Provinces map.

Jin Geer found spending time with his father incredibly fun. He stopped feeding birds, walking dogs, or bickering with Shen Geer, focusing instead on finishing his work quickly to enjoy his father’s harrowing campaign stories.

Lady Eleven noticed her son’s change and grew concerned. After checking his work a few times, she found it not only better but also faster. When she unexpectedly visited the outer courtyard one afternoon, she saw Lord Xu merely telling stories and building landscape models with Jin Geer—yet the boy listened with rapt attention and played with enthusiasm. She couldn’t help but sigh—boys naturally gravitated toward their fathers as they grew older.

This wistful feeling didn’t last long.

Xu Sijie began visiting her more often for meals, sometimes staying afterward to chat, seeking her company persistently.

Lady Eleven thought it over and gently inquired after his lessons.

It turned out that under Mr. Zhao, he had received both criticism for mistakes and praise for good work. But with Mr. Chang, despite his efforts, he rarely received affirmation and wasn’t sure if he met expectations.

"Has Mr. Chang ever criticized you?" Lady Eleven asked.

"No!"

"Then there’s no problem!" Lady Eleven smiled. "If you weren’t doing well, he would’ve scolded you. Since he hasn’t, you must be doing fine."

Xu Sijie, who deeply trusted her, relaxed and returned to Mr. Chang’s lessons in high spirits.

As the children found their footing, the hottest month of the year, June, arrived. Xu Siyu returned from Le'an, travel-worn and dust-covered!