Called to Account

"What is this?"

Old Madam Lu stared in bewilderment at the xuan paper Ge Bao'er had handed her.

"It's Qing's schoolwork from the past few days."

"What?"

The old madam was so shocked that she blurted out, "Qing has spent all this time learning to write this stuff?"

Ge Bao'er was confused herself, so how could she answer the question?

Old Madam Lu held the xuan paper and stared at it for a long while, until her eyes grew blurry. Then she handed it to Nanny Yan. "Do you think this is a proper way to teach a beginner?"

Nanny Yan looked at the horizontal lines covering the paper and stammered, "This..."

She said, "Old madam, you know I'm slow-witted myself. I can only recognize a few characters."

She had never heard of such a way to teach a pupil to write.

Ge Bao'er said, "Old madam, we shouldn't wrong Madam either. It would be best to find someone knowledgeable to take a look."

That made sense.

Old Madam Lu herself came from a military family and was no hand at wielding a brush. She could read account books and manage a household without being taken for a fool, but that was all. She had never seen this method of teaching writing.

The stewards in the outer courtyard were all men with some education. Surely they knew more than she did and would know whether Lin Yunwan was teaching Qing properly.

Old Madam Lu instructed the servant boy outside the steps, "Go summon the chief steward from the outer courtyard."

"Yes."

The servant boy scurried away as if fleeing for his life.

"This humble servant pays his respects to the venerable matriarch."

The chief steward came to the Hall of Longevity and answered from the foot of the steps.

At a gesture from Old Madam Lu, Nanny Yan took several sheets of xuan paper over to him and explained the matter.

"Please allow me to take a look."

The chief steward examined the sheets of xuan paper several times, his brow furrowing deeper and deeper.

"This..."

"I have never seen this method of practicing writing."

Not a sound came from the other side of the steps, and cold sweat broke out on the steward's forehead. Although Nanny Yan had not mentioned who had drawn the horizontal lines on the xuan paper, he felt that something was amiss. Afraid his answer might cause trouble, he hurriedly dropped to his knees.

"Old madam, perhaps... perhaps it is some ingenious, special method. My knowledge is limited, and I have never heard of it."

Old Madam Lu squeezed her eyes shut, then said, "You may go."

"Yes," the chief steward replied uneasily. He withdrew, still utterly baffled. What on earth is going on?

Nanny Yan carried the xuan paper back inside and put it all before the old madam.

The old madam's expression had already turned ugly, and Nanny Yan did not dare say anything more.

"Go summon her here! I'll question her myself."

Old Madam Lu clenched her prayer beads, her face frighteningly cold.

Lin Yunwan had been teaching Lu Chang'gong since morning.

A gentle breeze was blowing. After explaining some key points of writing practice and material from the Thousand Character Classic, she told him to prepare to put brush to paper.

"Ping Ye, grind the ink."

Lin Yunwan had the maids do such small tasks to avoid delaying Lu Chang'gong's lessons.

Lu Chang'gong knew how to be grateful. Even to a maid at his principal mother's side, he knew to say "thank you."

The boy was still young and reserved, and he spoke very softly.

Whenever Ping Ye heard him thank her, she had to stifle a laugh.

Lu Chang'gong did not know why she laughed and thought he had done something improper. He would often lower his head and press his lips together, a faint blush rising on his cheeks.

It was a truly childlike side of him, and the people of Drooping Silk Hall grew even fonder of him.

The inkstick had been ground into ink, and Lu Chang'gong had just picked up his brush when he heard Lin Yunwan say, "You don't need to practice horizontal strokes today."

Though he was startled for a moment, he quickly drew back his brush without asking why.

Whatever his mother taught him, he did as she said.

Lin Yunwan said, "Today I'll teach you to write characters, complete characters."

Lu Chang'gong looked up in surprise. "Mother, but my younger brother..."

Lin Yunwan said mildly, "You've waited long enough for him."

Qing had ordinary aptitude and was skilled at slacking off, which was why their progress had been delayed. Otherwise, Lu Chang'gong should have started learning something new long ago.

Although she did not like Qing, she had never intended to target a child who had not yet grown up.

But if the boy could not bear the hardship of studying and feigned illness to skip class, she would not let it delay Lu Chang'gong's lessons.

"Let's begin. Raise your wrist and use the one-finger grip."

As soon as she finished speaking, Lu Chang'gong sat up straight and held his brush with his wrist raised, just as Lin Yunwan had instructed.

After she had personally guided him for nearly half a shichen, several sheets of xuan paper were covered with beautiful characters.

Lin Yunwan looked through them one by one, nodding in approval.

As Lu Chang'gong wrote, he glanced at his principal mother out of the corner of his eye. Fearing she would notice, he quickly looked away and concentrated on writing.

"You've written very well."

Lu Chang'gong's ears turned red. Pressing his curving lips together, he said, "Thank you, Mother."

Lin Yunwan walked over to his desk and looked down at him. "However..."

"Is there s-something I still need to improve, Mother?"

Lu Chang'gong gripped his brush nervously.

"You need to balance work and rest. You're still young and growing. Each day, it's enough to finish the work I assign you. Spend the rest of your time running and jumping, strolling in the garden, and eating and drinking more."

The boy was far more diligent than she had expected. According to the servant boys in the outer courtyard, he wrote until dark every day after returning, and wrote for another half a shichen in the morning before coming to pay his respects and attend lessons.

How could he grow up strong like that?

Unlike Qing, Lu Chang'gong was the sort of pupil she had to urge to play more.

Lu Chang'gong stared at Lin Yunwan blankly. "I-I understand, Mother."

His birth mother had died when he was very young, and his father was ill year-round. No one had ever cared for him like this.

And Mother had smiled, such a gentle smile.

So this is what a mother is like!

"Madam, something's wrong... someone has come from the Hall of Longevity."

Ping Ye rushed in, flustered.

Lin Yunwan glanced at her.

Ping Ye came over and whispered a few words in her ear. The visitor had not come with good intentions. Someone had warned them to prepare early; the old madam had summoned her this time, and would probably make trouble for her.

Lin Yunwan showed little reaction, remaining as calm and unruffled as ever. She said to Lu Chang'gong, "Continue practicing your writing."

But Nanny Yan barged in and said, "Madam, forgive this old servant's presumption. The old madam ordered me to bring Young Master Chang Gong's schoolwork along as well."

She glanced at the xuan paper on Lu Chang'gong's desk. The characters were exceptionally neat.

Could Madam really have treated them differently?

Madam is so muddleheaded! Qing is the Lu family's own flesh and blood!

"Nanny Yan, what do you mean by this?"

Ping Ye stepped forward to stop her and said indignantly, "Young Master Qing said he was ill himself and missed today's lesson. Today is also Young Master Chang Gong's first time writing actual characters. Surely you aren't going to take his work from today to the old madam and complain about Madam?"

Nanny Yan sneered. "What are you saying? The old madam will decide everything. What say do I have?"

Tao Ye gathered the xuan paper and handed it over with a smile. "Please, take it."

Only then did Nanny Yan give a genuine smile. "Miss Tao Ye is the reasonable one." Then she looked at Lin Yunwan.

"It seems I must go along too?"

Nanny Yan nodded. "Yes, those were the old madam's instructions. Thank you for making the trip, Madam."

"Let's go."

Lin Yunwan brushed the dust from her sleeves with an unhurried air. She had not even had time to wash the ink from her palm.

Ping Ye's eyes reddened with anger. Once they had gone, she cried and cursed, "They make trouble for Madam every other day! Why should our madam have to put up with this? Have they all forgotten how the Wuding Marquis Residence begged our madam to marry into the family, with three matchmakers and six betrothal gifts?"

Tao Ye waited until she had vented before soothing her. "All right. Madam foresaw this long ago."

"What?"

Ping Ye wiped away her tears at random.

Tao Ye said softly, "Otherwise, why do you think Madam kept Qing's schoolwork herself?" And Young Master Chang Gong's schoolwork too.

Ping Ye could not puzzle it out and said blankly, "Why doesn't Madam tell me anything?"

Tao Ye did not know whether to laugh or cry. Madam had not told her either.

"Wash your face first! Madam will need us for something in a little while."

Lu Chang'gong called them to a halt. "Sisters."

Ping Ye and Tao Ye turned at the same time to look at Lu Chang'gong. He cupped his hands to them and said, his gaze steadfast and calm, "I want to go too."

Lu Chang'gong straightened his back. "I want to be able to help Mother too."

The two maids stared at him.

Though the eldest young master was only eight, he truly was a good, filial child!