Doused in Dung

How could this country woman be so ill-mannered?

What right did an outsider like her have to criticize the mistress of a marquis's residence?

The servants in the room all looked at Ge Bao'er in surprise.

Though Old Madam Lu also disliked Ge Bao'er speaking up at a time like this, Ge Bao'er had voiced exactly what was on her mind.

Lin Yunwan smiled, the corners of her lips curling slightly.

Unable to hold back already?

I haven't even used any methods on that mother and son yet!

Lin Yunwan asked with evident curiosity, "Cousin Miss, you're an unmarried maiden with no brothers or sisters, yet you seem quite knowledgeable about raising children. Where did you pick it up?"

"I... I..."

Ge Bao'er pressed her lips together, at a loss.

Old Madam Lu darkened her face and scolded her. "This is no place for you to speak. Step back!"

What a fool!

Why was she so eager to jump out at a time like this?

Ge Bao'er lowered her head and hurried behind Old Madam Lu, gritting her teeth inwardly.

How could Lin Yunwan be so perceptive?

Old Madam Lu quickly turned to Lin Yunwan. "There's some sense in what Bao'er said. Children should be taught according to their abilities. Since you know Qing is slacking off, you shouldn't indulge him."

Lin Yunwan laughed in amusement.

"A student like Qing, who's both stupid and lazy and likes to shirk and cut corners—I shouldn't indulge him. You're right, Old Madam. It's indeed my fault for not teaching him according to his abilities. I should punish him severely, give him a sound paddling and split his skin and flesh so he learns his lesson."

"But I haven't even punished him yet, and you've already called me to account like this, Old Madam. Even Cousin Miss has quite a few complaints about me..."

Lin Yunwan resigned outright. "I can't teach a student like this. Old Madam, you'd best find someone more capable."

Old Madam Lu hurriedly tried to persuade her to stay. "Yun Wan, you..."

Ge Bao'er, however, was angry. How could Lin Yunwan make Qing out to be utterly worthless?

Nanny Yan hurried forward to smooth things over, saying with a smile, "Please don't be angry, Madam. Old Madam was only asking casually today. Why resign over it? There's no need, no need at all."

Lin Yunwan did not refuse, but simply asked, "Old Madam, do you truly still want me to teach him?"

Her expression was utterly sincere.

Old Madam Lu immediately shut her mouth.

Now that their exchange had reached this point, even if she let Lin Yunwan continue teaching him, she feared Lin Yunwan really would target Qing in the future.

"You're tired enough managing the household. Let the heir find another teacher for Qing."

Lin Yunwan nodded. "Since you've already made your decision, Old Madam..."

"Grandmother. What's going on?"

Lu Zhengliu suddenly returned. Taking in the scene in the Hall of Longevity, he knitted his thick black brows tightly.

He had only been away from home for half a day. What trouble had arisen now?

Old Madam Lu said helplessly, "It's nothing. Qing is mischievous, and Yun Wan has found him very difficult to teach. We were just discussing finding him another teacher."

"And you call that nothing?"

Lu Zhengliu's face turned cold. He glanced at Ge Bao'er without appearing to, said nothing, and came in to pay his respects to Old Madam Lu.

Old Madam Lu asked him, "Why have you come over now?"

Lu Zhengliu hesitated for a moment and looked at Lin Yunwan before saying, "Mr. Zhang Feng'an has changed his mind and isn't leaving the capital after all. He sent someone to ask whether the Lu family still wanted to hire him to teach the children."

"Really?"

Old Madam Lu was especially delighted.

Lu Zhengliu nodded. "Mr. Zhang said I must give him an answer within two days. Many other families want to hire him too, but the Lu family offered more and approached him first, so he plans to ask what we want before deciding."

He was very tempted too, so he had rushed back to discuss with Old Madam Lu whether they should hire another teacher.

He had not expected Lin Yunwan to be unwilling to teach Qing anymore.

How could Old Madam Lu refuse? Mr. Zhang was like rain arriving just in time!

"Quickly, send someone to accept his offer."

"Don't be in a hurry, Grandmother. Mr. Zhang has two more conditions."

"What conditions?"

If he wanted silver, the Wuding Marquis Residence could hardly be unable to afford a boy's tuition.

Of course, money was not the issue.

Lu Zhengliu said, "Mr. Zhang only takes one student at a time. He also said he has always been strict with his students. If their elders dote on them and can't bear to see them suffer hardship, they shouldn't consider him, lest everyone lose face when the time comes."

He had made a special trip back because he was worried Old Madam Lu could not bear to see Qing suffer hardship.

Old Madam Lu was not particularly concerned about that.

A teacher who had made a name for himself would not deliberately harm a student. How strict could he be?

Could he be more frightening than what Lin Yunwan had described?

She said, "Since Yun Wan is teaching Chang Gong, Mr. Zhang can teach Qing alone. There's no problem with that."

Lu Zhengliu said, "Good. I'll send someone to invite Mr. Zhang to come and stay at the residence tomorrow."

He still wanted to ask what else had happened today, but with Lin Yunwan present, he was embarrassed to bring it up.

As it happened, Lin Yunwan could not be bothered to waste more time there.

"I'll take my leave, Grandmother."

She left quite satisfied. Zhang Feng'an had a volatile, eccentric temper; having him teach Qing could not be better!

Lu Zhengliu finally asked, "Grandmother, why won't Yun Wan teach Qing anymore?"

Only then did Old Madam Lu tell Lu Zhengliu what had happened that day.

Lu Zhengliu's face turned livid as he listened.

Old Madam Lu still had Lu Chang'gong's writing clutched in her hand, the paper crumpled. She sighed deeply. "Look at this. Chang Gong has only been at the residence a short while, yet he can already write such beautiful characters."

Meanwhile, her own great-grandson could only draw horizontal lines. She wanted to chop off Lu Chang'gong's hands and attach them to Qing.

Lu Zhengliu took the sheet of Xuan paper and glanced at it, then looked at what Qing had written.

Nanny Yan could not help revealing an even crueler truth. "This was young master Chang Gong's first day writing..."

Lu Zhengliu's expression grew even uglier.

Old Madam Lu said, "It's all this fool's fault! She doesn't understand anything, yet she loves stirring up trouble. She thinks everyone is as full of schemes as she is, that everyone wants to harm Qing, but in the end, she's the one who's harmed him most!"

Ge Bao'er stood in the room, deeply mortified.

Wasn't I doing it for Qing's sake? It's a fact that Lin Yunwan couldn't teach him well.

"Grandmother."

Lu Zhengliu spoke up softly, but did not try to dissuade her, because he could not bring himself to say anything either.

"Such misfortune for the family. It's enough to vex a person to death..."

Old Madam Lu felt dizzy and returned to her room to lie down.

Only then did Lu Zhengliu say a few words to Ge Bao'er. "With Mr. Zhang here from now on, don't interfere in Qing's studies anymore."

Was he blaming her?

Ge Bao'er looked at Lu Zhengliu with tears brimming in her eyes.

In broad daylight, Lu Zhengliu could not linger. He did not comfort her either, but left at once.

Ge Bao'er stood there, at a loss.

Fortunately, fortunately, she had secured a better teacher for Qing.

It was worth it.

Back in her own room, she looked at the sparse furnishings, and a sudden surge of anger filled her. Frowning, she asked her maid, "Didn't they say they'd furnish my room? Why haven't the things been delivered yet?"

Wu'er was a little nervous. "The mistress is in charge of that, so I don't know..."

Never mind. They'll send them over sooner or later.

Ge Bao'er washed her face and went for a stroll in the garden to clear her mind.

In Drooping Silk Hall, Lin Yunwan was speaking with Lu Chang'gong.

"Did you hear everything outside the Hall of Longevity just now? Studying under me will be very hard from now on."

"I'm not afraid of hardship, Mother."

Lin Yunwan smiled gently. "I'm teasing you. It won't be that hard. Not everyone has to become a great calligrapher. Writing a neat hand is enough."

Lu Chang'gong shook his head. "I want to write a beautiful hand, Mother."

"Why?"

Lin Yunwan was very curious.

Lu Chang'gong looked up at her, his eyes full of a child's devotion. "Your writing is beautiful, Mother. I want to be just like you."

Lin Yunwan smiled. "All right."

They had only exchanged a few words when someone shouted outside, "Madam, something terrible has happened!"

Ping Ye went out to take a look. "What happened?"

An older servant who tended the flowers and plants in the garden came in and said, "Qiao Da threw dung all over Cousin Miss!"

"Good heavens, did it ever stink! Human dung, horse dung, and chicken dung too..."

Just hearing about it made it seem overwhelmingly smelly.

Ping Ye pinched her nose shut.