Persuasion

"All right, your mother is here now. Whatever you want to say to her, go ahead and say it!"

Old Madam Lu urged Qing on.

The child had come running over as soon as school ended, saying he had something he wanted to discuss with Lin Yunwan. He had not dared go to Drooping Silk Hall to speak to her alone and had insisted that Old Madam Lu help summon her.

So she had done him that favor.

Qing looked up at Lin Yunwan. He no longer dared laugh and fool around without manners as he once had, and there was awe in his eyes.

But he still did not dare say anything.

Old Madam Lu smiled and said, "If you still don't speak, your mother will have other things to attend to."

She assumed Qing had become sensible under Zhang Feng'an's instruction and wanted to apologize to Lin Yunwan, so she was happy to see it happen.

Qing stammered, "I... I... I don't want Mr. Zhang to teach me anymore. I want Mother to teach me."

"What?!"

Old Madam Lu's eyes widened. Frowning, she said, "Child, what nonsense are you talking about? Your father went through untold hardships to engage Mr. Zhang for you. Why do you want to change teachers again? Doesn't Mr. Zhang teach well?"

Qing shook his head.

Mr. Zhang taught very well—in fact, he was too good.

He burst into loud sobs and flung himself into Old Madam Lu's arms. "Great-grandmother, I'm so tired. I don't want Mr. Zhang to teach me anymore. When I want to rest, he won't even let me. I... I don't want to go to school anymore."

Old Madam Lu's expression turned very ugly.

How could he not go to school?

She said dryly, "Just look around. Whose children don't go to school? How can you not go?"

Lin Yunwan watched coldly, unmoved.

Zhang Feng'an's teaching methods were very traditional. He generally had his students memorize everything by rote first and did not explain the principles behind it to them.

There was nothing wrong with that, but for a young child, doing exercises and memorizing texts every day was indeed dull.

Unlike men, she did not have to take the imperial examinations, so she was not so particular when giving students their first lessons. She focused more on cultivating their habits and disposition.

Qing was young and had not known the differences between teachers before. Only after experiencing different teachers did he come to regret it.

But it was too late.

"Great-grandmother, Great-grandmother..."

Qing pleaded with her.

Old Madam Lu glanced at Lin Yunwan in a quandary.

"Yun Wan, this..."

Lin Yunwan smiled faintly. "Old Madam, I'm not the one you should ask first. You should ask Mr. Zhang."

"But you've experienced Mr. Zhang's temper yourself. If we dismiss him now, he'll think the Lu family treats engaging a teacher like some kind of game!"

"Scholars may not have much else to boast of, but they do have some skill with their tongues and brushes. If we really offend Mr. Zhang, I think the loss would outweigh the gain."

After hearing this analysis of the stakes, Old Madam Lu had nothing to say and could only try to persuade Qing.

"Chang Gong can do it, so why can't you? Qing, it's only a few months. Bear with it, and you'll get used to it."

Children did not listen to reason, and Qing simply kept crying.

Old Madam Lu was both distressed for him and vexed.

"Yun Wan, tell me, is there another way? Something that would let Qing study happily without offending Mr. Zhang?"

"There is."

"Oh? Tell me quickly."

"Qing has a lively temperament and isn't the sort to sit still. The Lu family is a military household to begin with. Old Madam, you need only tell Mr. Zhang that Qing doesn't have to study like those preparing to enter officialdom through the imperial examinations; recognizing a few characters will be enough. Ask him to set aside some time for Qing to learn martial arts, and I expect Mr. Zhang won't refuse."

"That won't do!"

Old Madam Lu was resolute. "Qing must study and enter officialdom!" She helped Qing stand straight and said sternly, "Your grandfather survived nine deaths to live, and your father has also had an especially hard time. If you don't study, your life will only be harder in the future."

Qing's lips puckered, and he was still crying.

Lin Yunwan was in no mood to watch him cry. She rose and left.

Once they were outside, Ping Ye remarked, "Young Master Qing has only studied under Mr. Zhang for a few days, and he's already listless."

"Everyone is different. He isn't like Chang Gong, who was born with a gift for study."

Lin Yunwan smiled without realizing it, very proud of him.

Ping Ye smiled to herself. Madam and the Eldest Young Master were growing closer and closer, just like a mother and her own son.

Tao Ye had listened for a while. Somewhat worried, she said, "It won't do for Young Master Qing to dislike studying. If he grows up to be a wastrel, Madam will still have to worry about him."

Lin Yunwan did not think so.

"Don't worry. Someone will persuade him."

Qing would surely still take the path of entering officialdom through the imperial examinations. As for whether things would go as smoothly as in his previous life, that was hard to say!

Tao Ye asked in confusion, "Who does Madam mean will persuade the Second Young Master?"

Ping Ye answered first. "The heir, of course. Who else could it be?"

Tao Ye pondered it for a while. Why did it sound to her as though Madam hadn't meant the heir?

When Ge Bao'er heard Qing crying, she indeed could not restrain herself and went to the main quarters.

"Old Madam."

She had not come by for quite a few days and had been very well behaved. Although Old Madam Lu looked down on her, her earlier anger had gradually faded with time, so she did not send her away.

Having read Old Madam Lu's expression correctly, Ge Bao'er walked in and said softly, "Let me try to persuade him."

Old Madam Lu thought his birth mother's words would be of some use, so she instructed Nanny Yan, "Close the door."

"Yes."

Nanny Yan also stationed a maid at the entrance to prevent anyone from barging in and discovering the secret.

Qing was sniffling, his spirits low, and he could no longer take in anything anyone said.

Ge Bao'er held her son and went into the Green Gauze Cabinet. First, she gently wiped his face.

Only after he had calmed down did she patiently reason with him.

No one knew what she said, but Qing did stop crying.

Watching from a distance, Old Madam Lu sighed inwardly.

They were mother and son by blood, after all. Qing was still closer to Ge Bao'er.

Nanny Yan went over, hoping to overhear something, but Ge Bao'er spoke softly, right against Qing's ear, and she could not hear a thing. When she moved closer, Ge Bao'er stopped talking and led Qing out by the hand. "Old Madam, Qing understands now."

Qing said obediently, "Old Madam, I was wrong. From now on, I'll study hard under Mr. Zhang."

Well!

Old Madam Lu hugged Qing and laughed. "You came around so quickly?"

Qing nodded.

"My precious darling, if only you'd been sensible sooner. You shed so many golden beans that you made your great-grandmother's heart ache."

Qing grinned. "I won't make your heart ache again."

"Listen to that sweet mouth! It's as if it's been dipped in honey."

Old Madam Lu and Nanny Yan chatted and laughed.

Before long, Old Madam Lu instructed Nanny Yan, "It's getting late. Take him back first."

"Young Master Qing, come with this old servant."

Qing nodded and followed her.

Old Madam Lu kept Ge Bao'er behind and first asked her, "How did you persuade Qing?"

Ge Bao'er lowered her head, conveniently hiding the flicker in her eyes. "It was nothing. I just reasoned with him. Qing is still a child, though, so he needs gentle coaxing. Once his stubborn streak passes, he'll listen to reason."

Old Madam Lu was not familiar with Qing's temperament, after all, so she had no doubts.

"I heard from the maids that you've been practicing writing lately?"

"Yes..."

At Old Madam Lu's sudden mention of it, Ge Bao'er had a bad feeling.

Old Madam Lu said coolly, "A woman's virtue lies in having no talent. You needn't learn anymore."

Ge Bao'er's face went pale.

What did she mean? If Lin Yunwan could do it, why couldn't she learn!