Then I'll Teach You

Back at the Residence of the Earl Who Protects the State, Bai Mo felt she was truly at the end of her strength. This body was still too frail, and she felt dizzy and disoriented. Before she knew it, she had fallen into a deep sleep. By the time she woke, the sun was high in the sky...

The teacher Bai Peilan had hired arrived that day.

Teacher Zhang had never been particularly keen to teach Bai Mo, that good-for-nothing young lady, and had only come out of consideration for Bai Peilan. She had not expected to hear Madam Chen privately recounting Bai Mo's misdeeds one by one in her courtyard.

Teacher Zhang's face grew darker and darker.

"Please don't be angry, Teacher Zhang. My daughter is still young. Her mother and I have spoiled her, and she knows little of the world. Look, she hasn't even gotten up at this hour. She doesn't understand the first thing about respecting her teacher and honoring her teachings.

"I'll be sure to have a proper word with her when she gets up. Please rest a while after your meal, Teacher. I imagine she went to visit a brothel again yesterday and tired herself out. She'll come once she wakes."

Madam Chen appeared to be soothing the newly arrived teacher, but in truth she was stoking the flames...

"Your eldest young lady is already seventeen, isn't she? That's hardly young. I only came because of my friendship with Lord Bai. Her behavior this time is simply outrageous. Why do you indulge her so, First Husband? You haven't even sent someone to wake her."

Teacher Zhang was already bursting with anger, with nowhere to vent it.

The maid beside Madam Chen pulled a long face and said aggrievedly, "With the eldest young lady's temper, how would we dare wake her? If we did, we'd be sure to get a beating. We've all been beaten so often we're afraid, so all we can do is wait quietly..."

"Cuizhu, stop that nonsense," Madam Chen said sharply.

"Yes." The maid called Cuizhu withdrew dejectedly, giving the teacher a look tinged with sympathy. It only made Teacher Zhang angrier, and she rose to take her leave.

Madam Chen made a show of trying to keep her, but Teacher Zhang had already swept out in a huff.

Once she had gone, a cold smile appeared on Madam Chen's face.

"Gurgle." Bai Mo woke to waves of hunger.

Her stomach rumbled in protest.

"Xiaohan, come in and help me up. Hurry and have a meal brought."

"Coming, coming! Eldest young lady, you're finally awake. If you hadn't woken up soon, I was ready to break down the door."

Xiaohan had been keeping watch outside the door all morning. Seeing that Bai Mo was finally awake, the maids immediately got busy serving tea and water, helping her dress, and ordering her meal.

"Eldest young lady, I just heard a teacher came to the residence today. She arrived this morning and was waiting in the Peach Blossom Courtyard."

Bai Mo froze, only then remembering that Bai Peilan had said a teacher would arrive in the next couple of days. But why hadn't she heard a thing about it? Bai Mo thought of Madam Chen, and her face gradually turned cold.

"Go and invite the teacher over now. Be sure to observe every courtesy."

"Yes, miss."

Xiaohan set off for the Peach Blossom Courtyard as ordered, but she had only taken a few steps outside when she saw Cuizhu, Madam Chen's personal maid, approaching gracefully.

Cuizhu explained that the teacher had left, then departed.

"You're saying the teacher left because I made her angry?"

"Mm. That's what Cuizhu said. The teacher also said you were a child beyond teaching and that she wouldn't come back. She said she couldn't teach you, miss."

Heh. Bai Mo narrowed her eyes. Did this Madam Chen have a death wish??

"Cuizhu said the first husband cared for you, eldest young lady, and couldn't bear to disturb your rest."

Bai Mo thought Bai Peilan was unreliable too. Couldn't she have said when the teacher was coming? How could she entrust something like this to Madam Chen?

Now that this teacher had left, probably no one else would be willing to teach her, and they would think she was the one who hadn't been punctual. She really was like a mute eating bitter herbs, unable to speak of her suffering...

After hearing Xiaohan's report, Bai Mo felt that even the meat had lost its flavor. She didn't know what other way there was to learn, and most importantly, there was no time to waste.

She had to deal with Madam Chen first. She wasn't going to spare Bai Peilan, that old mother of hers, any consideration!!!

Seeing Bai Mo like this, Lixia grew anxious too. "Eldest young lady, why not visit Hundred Gatherings Studio after your meal? Men of letters gather there. As long as you're willing to pay, it shouldn't be hard to find a scholar to teach you to read."

"That's right! Why didn't I think of it? You really are the sensible, clever one, Lixia. Go arrange a carriage, then. We'll have a look after the meal."

Bai Mo felt she had to get this sorted out before Bai Peilan returned to the residence. Madam Chen talked far too much. It wouldn't be going too far to poison him and shut him up, would it?

Shen Qing was checking the accounts on the third floor of Hundred Gatherings Studio when he suddenly saw the carriage from the Residence of the Earl Who Protects the State stop outside. Before he could wonder who it was, Bai Mo, dressed in red, had leaped out of the carriage like a whirlwind and headed straight into the shop.

He couldn't help chuckling. "She really is working hard. Could she actually want to take the examinations and become the top scholar?"

A tenderness he himself was unaware of entered Shen Qing's eyes. "Xiaotian, go downstairs and tell Shopkeeper Pan to bring Eldest Young Lady Bai up to see me."

"Yes, young master."

As soon as Bai Mo entered the shop, she headed straight for Shopkeeper Pan. She was just about to ask about hiring a teacher when she saw Xiaotian coming down the stairs. He asked her to come up to the third floor, saying his young master wished to see her!

"Is your young master reading at this bookshop too?"

Xiaotian nodded. Before he could answer, Shopkeeper Pan smiled and chimed in, "Haha, you may not know this, Eldest Young Lady Bai, but this bookshop belongs to Young Master Qingya."

Bai Mo: "..."

When they reached the third floor, the first thing Bai Mo saw in the private room was an extremely beautiful piece of calligraphy. She couldn't read what it said!!!

Without stopping, Bai Mo walked into the inner room step by step. There she saw Shen Qing gazing at her, his chin resting lightly on his left hand, the corners of his mouth slightly raised and his features as lovely as a painting.

Today he wore a fitted purple robe that accentuated his broad shoulders and narrow waist. His hair was held up by a jade crown, leaving his entire face visible. He looked every bit a handsome and distinguished young nobleman, with an incomparably noble air.

The sight of Bai Mo looking a little transfixed pleased Shen Qing once again, and the smile at the corners of his mouth involuntarily deepened.

"Xiaotian, you may leave."

"Please sit, Eldest Young Lady Bai."

Shen Qing pointed to the stool beside him.

Bai Mo smiled, a hint of teasing in her voice. "You should smile more often. It's beautiful enough to enchant anyone who sees it."

"All right." Shen Qing did not stand on ceremony in the slightest.

"Did you come to the bookshop to buy a book today?"

Shen Qing poured Bai Mo a cup of tea.

Bai Mo shook her head, thought for a moment, and briefly told Shen Qing what had happened that day.

"You own Hundred Gatherings Studio, so you must know lots of men of letters, right? Could you introduce me to a teacher? I'm pressed for time, so it would be best if they could come immediately."

Seeing how anxious Bai Mo was, Shen Qing thought for a moment, then smiled. "An ordinary person won't do as your teacher. I'm afraid someone else might lead you astray. Since you sincerely wish to learn, why don't I teach you?"

"You? Where would you find the time to teach me?"

"Are you very slow-witted?"

"I'm very clever."

"Then you needn't worry. Every day, when I have nothing else to do, I read, play chess, or drink tea at home or at the bookshop. That's my usual routine. If you want to learn, come here. I can't go to your residence. People's gossip is a fearsome thing."

Bai Mo thought it over, then nodded in agreement.

"Then when do you want to start?"

"We can start today, with learning characters."

Shen Qing paused briefly, then nodded and instructed Xiaotian to go prepare some elementary books, brushes, ink, paper, and an inkstone.

Bai Mo hurriedly interrupted him. "There's no need. Just bring the elementary books."

"Why? Aren't you going to learn and practice writing?" Shen Qing asked, puzzled.

"It's not time to practice writing yet. You only need to read every character in the dictionary once and briefly explain what it means. That will be enough."

Seeing him look a little dazed again, Bai Mo nodded firmly. "You only need to say it once, and I'll remember..."

Shen Qing: "..."