Chapter 198 – The Old Madam is from a Scholarly Family (part 12)

When Anniang went back and mentioned this, her parents were overjoyed. Even her younger brother was very happy. It was just that her mother was still a little worried. Her mother feared that the Li family would treat her son unfairly because of the previous incident. This son was the treasure that she got after giving birth to four daughters in a row. He was the treasure of the Yang family. When she was younger, her father-in-law was still here and her family was pretty good. Her son went to a private school.

Anniang glared at her mother after learning about her mother’s worries. “Mother, what are you thinking? Do you think the Li family is the same as ours? The Li family is a scholarly family, and auntie is the most reasonable person. If she really cared, she wouldn’t discuss this matter with us. Besides, it may not work out. After all, they want to meet younger brother and see if they will be satisfied with him. Mother, hurry up and change Anshu into clean clothes. The Li family is waiting. ”

Father Yang quickly pushed his wife and asked her to quickly bring clean clothes for his son. Yang Anshu quickly fetched well water, took a shower, put on clean clothes, and went with second older sister and her husband.

Li Su looked Yang Anshu up and down, then nodded in satisfaction. Li Yu knew that he had attended a private school and asked him a few questions. Li Yu learned that, although he had been farming at home these years, he remembered what he had learned in private school. Li Yu asked him to recite a few words. Yang Anshu was a little nervous, and after thinking about it, he started to recite the Three Character Classic, all the way to “The characters in the middle reach Laozi and Zhuangzi1

Li Yu was also very satisfied. He seemed to be a man of learning, so he asked him to write a few words with a pen. Yang Anshu became even more nervous when he saw the pen, ink, paper and inkstone, and wrote his name and the first three words in a crooked manner. The words were not very good, but for Yang Anshu, it was already very good.

Li Yu nodded. “I’m short a book boy, I wonder if you would like to be my book boy?”

Yang Anshu and Ling Er were overjoyed. Yang Anshu stammered nervously, “Yes, yes, yes!”

Li Su also smiled. “The person introduced by second young master can’t be wrong of course. Since that’s the case, it’s up to you. Go back and talk to your parents first, then come back in a few days. In the future, you will get a hundred copper taels every month. If you do well in the future, it can be increased. There is just one thing. In a few days, A-Yu plans to go out to study. Do you want to follow at that time?”

When Yang Anshu heard that he was able to earn money, there was no reason for him to say no. “Yes! Madam, don’t look down on me because I’m thin. I’m strong enough to protect uncle.”

“There’s no need to call me madam. You are just like second young master. You can call me auntie. Then it’s settled. You can go home and talk to your parents, then come back in a few days.” Li Su smiled.

Yang Anshu nodded excitedly, and Ling Er also looked happy. If only he could read and write, he could have also been a book boy for the scholar.

After they found a book boy, Li Yu’s study tour was officially put on the agenda.

That night, Li Su asked Li Yu to discuss how much money he was going to bring for a study trip.

Li Yu had thought about it for a long time. In addition to wanting to go to Nanyang to visit Fang Daru and ask for advice, he wanted to learn more about people’s suffering and broaden his horizons. These days, he had thought about it carefully. The reason why he failed after repeated attempts was probably in policy theory. Over the years, he had stayed at home blindly, reading old books, and had ignored the outside. He only had a limited understanding of it from books.

So, he wanted to try to change it this time.

“Mother, I’ve thought about it. The focus of this study tour is to study, not to travel. I thought that taking twenty taels should be enough.” Li Yu gritted his teeth.

Twenty silver taels didn’t sound like much. “How long will it take you to go there? Is twenty taels enough?” Li Su asked.

“I have asked other friends who have traveled abroad to study, and they said that if the trip is not far, there should be no accidents. Twenty taels should be more than enough. I thought of bringing more, just in case. If there is anything leftover, I will bring it back.” Li Yu had also recorded the twenty taels in the ledger.

Li Su thought for a while. “Okay, you can take that much.” She was not the kind of mother who spoiled her children. If Li Yu could really change through these study tours, then it was fine.

But Li Su was still a little worried. She was afraid that, if Li Yu died outside, wouldn’t her mission fail? So, she explained a few things to Yang Anshu in private, that safety must be the first most important thing when going out. She quietly gave Yang Anshu 10 taels of silver notes, and explained to him again and again that the money should not be used unless it was a last resort. Although it was a bit small, it should be able to save their lives in a critical moment. She would let him go with peace of mind. She would let Anniang take care of her here at home.

Yang Anshu patted his chest and said that he would take good care of uncle and bring him back safely.

After preparing, Li Yu took Yang Anshu and set off.

Parting was something adults had seen before. As for the children, this experience was new. Li Yuan even thought that, if he was a little older, he could go out with his father and see the world outside. That would be wonderful.

Li Ru was also thinking that it would be great if she were a boy since she would have the opportunity to travel in the future. But, unfortunately, she was a girl. But it didn’t matter. Grandma said that girls could also do anything. There were many female poets in history. Although she couldn’t take the imperial examination, she still had to work hard.

As for Li Heng and Li Li, apart from eating and drinking, they could only spit bubbles and cry. They didn’t understand anything.

Watching Li Yu and Yang Anshu go away, Li Su heaved a sigh of relief and turned to look at Yingniang, who was wiping her tears. “Okay, let’s go back! There are still things to be done.”

Yingniang wiped away her tears and supported Li Su’s arm. “Mother, I’ll support you.”

Li Su felt a little uncomfortable. “I’m not too old to walk. I don’t need your help.” Then, she looked at Ling Er and Anniang. “Send your Lingping and Ling’an tomorrow as usual. Yuan’er will teach them.”

Then, she looked at Anniang. “You are four or five months along, right? How do you feel?”

Anniang smiled. “Very good. Except for the nausea when I woke up in the morning, everything is fine.”

Li Su said with a smile, “Looks like she’s well-behaved. I still have some bird’s nests left over from Yingniang’s confinement. I will bring them when second young master picks up the children. It is suitable for pregnant people to eat.”

Anniang quickly declined. “No, no! I don’t need these. Auntie, keep them for yourself!”

“I made you worry about your younger brother while you are pregnant. If you don’t accept it, then does that mean you consider me as an outsider?” Li Su patted Anniang’s hand.

Anniang and Ling Er looked at each other and had no choice but to accept.

Ling Er and Anniang left. Li Su’s family also returned to the house.

Li Su looked at Yingniang’s uneasy look, and shook her head helplessly. “Ru’er, these days when your dad is away and when you have nothing to do, teach your mum to read and write.”

Liu Yingniang was taken aback. “Mother, I need to read and write too?” She was so old. Why does she need to read and write?

Li Su was a little helpless. “A-Yu is a scholar. He might pass the imperial provincial exam in the future. Maybe he can be an official. You are his wife. If you don’t know one big character, then the distance between you and your husband will only increase since there won’t be a common language. Can you guarantee that A-Yu will not change his mind for a lifetime?”

Liu Yingniang’s face was a little pale. This was something she obviously couldn’t guarantee. But, why does it matter? She was not good. Naturally, there should be good women by Husband Yu’s side. She was Husband Yu’s first wife. As long as she served her mother-in-law and took good care of the children, she would naturally have her place by Husband Yu’s side. Husband Yu was not the kind of person who would despise her.

When Li Su saw Liu Yingniang like this, she knew that Liu Yingniang didn’t take her words to heart. She felt a little helpless. For a person like Liu Yingniang, reasoning would not work, so she could only use her authority as her mother-in-law. “In short, I want you to learn so you can learn. I don’t expect you to be able to read everything. Just recognising a few words and not being illiterate is good enough.”

Li Yuan looked at his mother with a solemn face. “Mother, I think what grandma said is right. Dad is making progress, so you have to work hard to catch up with him. Even if you can’t walk side by side, you can’t be too far behind.” Although most of the couples now were in the same situation as his father and mother, Li Yuan still felt that it was more important to have the same mind between husband and wife.

Li Yuan knew that only he and his younger brothers were well. No matter how far his father went in the future, it would not shake his mother’s position. However, Li Yuan secretly hoped that his mother and father would be good together.

Li Ru also nodded. “Mother, what grandma and older brother said makes sense. Don’t be afraid, mother. You have me.”

Liu Yingniang had always gone with the flow. Since everyone said yes, she didn’t protest so much anymore. “Okay then. I’ll learn.”

Li Su was satisfied. “That’s right. A-Yu is not at home now. Heng’er and Li’er have a wet nurse to take care of them. You have nothing to do, so you can learn to read. You will be able to read a ledger in the future.” Li Su even thought that it would be nice if she could invite a wet nurse who retired from the palace or something like that to follow Liu Yingniang and teach her at any time.

But she was just thinking about it. This was not the capital. How could a wet nurse from the palace come here?

Li Su didn’t expect to hear that a wet nurse from the palace really came. It was said that this Wet Nurse Yan was from Jixian. After she left the palace, she missed her homeland, so she came back.

Li Su thought about Liu Yingniang and Li Ru, and immediately prepared a generous gift.

Many people came to visit, and many of them had the same idea as Li Su. Li Su was a little worried when she saw this. Right, there were many smart people in this world.

Li Su no longer had any thoughts on inviting Wet Nurse Yan to come home as a teacher. After she handed over the gift and said a few perfunctory words, she planned on heading back.

She didn’t expect Wet Nurse Yan to stop her. Wet Nurse Yan inquired about her family’s situation carefully, and then put forward some conditions. The Li family agreed, and she went to the Li family.

Li Su’s eyes widened. The conditions that Wet Nurse Yan had, such as the Li family supporting her for the rest of her life, and whatnot were not a problem. Why did she choose the Li family?!

Li Su instinctively felt that there was a conspiracy here. But when she thought about it carefully, there was nothing worth thinking about in the Li family.

Except for one… Li Su remembered one thing, and then looked at Wet Nurse Yan. She probably understood.

1.(文中子，及老莊) I have no idea if this is an accurate translation.¯\_(ツ)_/¯