Chapter 330: Staying
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
The two children’s heart-wrenching cries made Auntie Xue and the old women, who were standing at the side, wipe their tears. “What good girls. How can they be so ruthless as to not want them?”
Su Ling and Wang Xinrong turned the grievance and resentment in their hearts into tears and cried. The two of them sobbed and looked up from Li Yu’s arms. They wiped the tears off their faces and bowed to Li Yu shyly. “Madam…’
Li Yu smiled at them with red eyes. “It’s all in the past. You’ll live here in peace in the future. There are also a few girls about your age in the classroom and some boys. In the future, you’ll be brothers and sisters with different surnames. Let’s live well together. There’s also Granny Xue and Aunt Lin.”
When Auntie Xue, Auntie Lin, and the others heard Li Yu mention them, they walked over and held their hands. They smiled and comforted the two of them. “Miss Su, Miss Wang, don’t worry, and stay here. We’re a big family here.” “The more the merrier,” Aunt Lin said with a smile.
Su Ling and Wang Xinrong sniffed and bowed shyly to them. Su Ling whispered, “Madam, Granny Xue, Auntie Lin, just call me Ah Ling.”
“My name is Ah Rong,” Wang Xinrong said softly.
Li Yu looked at the two of them and pointed at Auntie Xue and the others. “In the future, you’ll learn needlework from Auntie Xue and Auntie Lin and work and go to school with Yanzi.”
“Yes, we thank you, Madam.” The two of them nodded in agreement. Li Yu looked at the two of them and nodded in relief. “Auntie Xue, Auntie Lin will bring them to wash up and tell them the rules here.”
Auntie Xue smiled brightly and said, “Madam, don’t worry.” Li Yu nodded and returned to the house.
Auntie Xue and Auntie Lin brought the two of them to the girls’ dormitory. Auntie Xue pointed at an empty bed and said with a smile, “The two of you will stay in this room. There are also Yanzi and Ah Qiu in this room. In the future, you’ll work with them and do needlework. You’ll also go to school together, understand?”
The two of them curtsied. “Got it, Granny Xue and Aunt Lin.”
Aunt Lin tidied up the hair that had fallen on their faces. “Follow Granny Xue to the bathroom to wash up. I’ll make the bed for you.”
Auntie Xue smiled and nodded. “Come, the bathroom is in the room around the corner. I’ll bring you to freshen up before eating.”
“Okay.” The two of them nodded and carried their small bags to the bathroom with Auntie Xue. They pushed open the door and saw a large pot by the back window. There was hot water in the pot and a large water vat beside it. There were two rows of clean bathtubs against the wall on both sides. There were cloth towels and items for bathing hanging on the bathtub.
Su Ling wrinkled her nose and walked up to Wang Xinrong to hold her hand. “Ah Rong, we have to live well in the future.”
Wang Xinrong nodded seriously and replied, “Yes! We’ll have to live well.”
In the Yunzhou government office, Zhou Jia got someone to calculate the farmland of the Tian Kun family and found the exact location. Chu Feng thanked Zhou Jia and rushed back to the Four Seas Bank with the records. He brought a few people out to check.
The two nearby villages learned that the Zhou family’s manor had set up a school and accepted children from poor families to study for free. Two families brought the children to the manor with the intention of giving it a try. One was Old Madam Yang’s family, and the other was a family with the surname Shi in the village at the foot of the mountain.
Ruyi glanced at Le and smiled. “Are you the child who came to report the other
“Hello, Uncle.” Yang Le bowed to Ruyi cautiously. After Old Madam Yang and the woman from the Shi family bowed to Ruyi, they asked nervously with red faces, “Steward Zhou, I heard that you opened a school in your manor. You don’t have to pay school fees, right?”
“That’s right! Madam said that the children of poor families will be exempted from school fees. You have to prepare the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone yourself.” Ruyi looked at the children with them. “Are you planning to send the child here?”
Old Madam Yang and the woman from the Shi family smiled happily and clasped their hands together in thanks. “Thank you, Madam. It’s already not bad that we don’t have to pay tuition. We should prepare the other things ourselves. Can we send the children tomorrow morning?”
Ruyi smiled and said, “Alright, class starts at dawn every day. At that time, bring the child in to meet Sir. After the apprenticeship ceremony, you can stay and study. They can rest every hour.”
“We’ll come tomorrow morning.” The two of them walked back happily with the children.
When Old Madam Yang returned to the Yang family village, she met a smart-looking woman in front of her house. She looked at Old Madam Yang and asked, “Grandma Yang is so happy. Could it be that she picked up silver?”
Old Madam Yang smiled at her. “Chun Niang is back! How can it be so easy to pick up money? I’m just happy that my Ah Le will go to school tomorrow.”
When Chun Niang heard this, she seemed to have heard a joke and sneered. “Hehe! Your Ah Le can go to school too?”
“Grandma, let’s go.” Yang Le looked at her and pulled Grandma Yang away unhappily.
Madam Qian pulled Old Madam Yang. ‘Grandma Yang, don’t leave! Tell me, where your Ah Le is going to study? That school can even afford your family. I’ll send my Ah Bao over tomorrow.”
Old Madam Yang looked at her indifferently. “The Madam of the school hall said that she only accepts children from poor families. Although your father-in-law is no longer the village chief, he’s still different from families like ours.”
Chun Niang rolled her eyes at Old Madam Yang. “So what if my father-in-law is no longer the village chief? It’s all because of you greedy people who got him down.”
“Pfft!” Old Madam Yang spat at her. “Make yourself clear. Who was the one who got your father-in-law down? If you don’t understand, go back and ask your father-in-law. Don’t spout nonsense just because you’re young. Be careful not to be torn apart!”
“You lousy old woman, how dare you spit at me…” Chun Niang reached out to grab Old Madam Yang.
Madam Yang came out from behind and grabbed Chun Niang’s hand. She shouted sternly, “Shi Chun Ya, don’t you dare touch my mother-in-law. If I don’t peel off a layer of your skin, I’ll take your surname.”
“Let go. I’m just scaring her,” Chun Niang said as she looked at the tall Madam
Yang.
Old Madam Yang looked at Madam Yang and said, “Daughter-in-law, forget it.” Madam Yang let go.
Chun Niang broke free from Madam Yang and ran a few steps from them before looking at Madam Yang and her daughter-in-law. She shouted fiercely, “Water buffaloes, I won’t lower myself to your level. Don’t think that I’m afraid of you!”
Madam Yang rolled up her sleeves and shouted at her, “Slut, don’t run if you have the guts.”
The villagers surrounded them and advised, “We’re all from the same village. Let’s talk nicely.”
Old Madam Yang looked at everyone and wiped her tears. “No matter how poor my family is, I’ve never borrowed a penny from your family. You were the one who forced me to talk… Everyone, listen to me.”
An old woman looked at Chun Niang and curled her lips. “That’s right! Old Madam Yang is right. We know how your father-in-law lost his village chief status. You still have to accumulate some merit at such a young age!”
Chun Niang looked at them and sneered. “A group of people who flatter the strong and trample on the weak. Pfft!” She spat at the onlookers and turned to leave.
The group looked at each other. “Who is she scolding?”
Old Madam Yang shook her head and pulled her grandson and daughter-in-law into the courtyard..