Chapter 23: Chapter 21, A Virtuous Wife_l
Translator: 549690339 |
Time slipped away quickly, and before she knew it, Daohua had already been in Linyi County for over a month.
In this month, she roughly figured out the situation of the County Governor’s Office’s backyard and also gained some understanding of the people of the Yan
Family.
The elders were quite tolerant of her, and as for the younger generation, aside from the occasional sour comment, there wasn’t much else.
Overall, she was quite happy here.
One afternoon, the three sisters Yan Yihuan, Yan Yishuang, and Yan Yile finished their lessons for the day and were walking towards their grandmother’s Songhe Courtyard; they hadn’t even entered when they heard laughter and playful chatter coming from inside.
Yan Yile pouted enviously and said, “Eldest sister went out to play with third brother and fourth brother again.”
Yan Yihuan said with a light smile, “Eldest sister has just arrived in the county town and is not familiar with this place; it’s good for her to go out and have a
look around.”
Yan Yile retorted, “It’s been over a month, the county town is only so big, she should have gotten used to it by now. I think Auntie is just spoiling eldest sister, letting her do whatever she wants.”
Yan Yile first glanced at Yan Yishuang beside her before glaring at Yan Yihuan, “Shut up, it’s not our place as juniors to comment on the matters of our elders.”
Yan Yile, not convinced, didn’t continue but instead smiled at Yan Yishuang, “Third sister, don’t you want to go out and play like eldest sister?
Yan Yishuang pursed her lips and did not speak.
Did she want to?
Of course, she did.
But her mother was very strict with her and rarely let her go out.
Yan Yile immediately leaned in, “Uncle adores you so much, talk to him, and let us go out with eldest sister to stroll around.”
Yan Yishuang was somewhat tempted but still shook her head, “My aunt won’t agree.”
Yan Yile’s face fell, “Aunt Lin is too strict with you.”
Yan Yishuang wouldn’t allow others to speak ill of Aunt Lin and immediately said, “Aunt is looking out for my best interest.”
Her mother said that only if she were better than her eldest sister would her father like her more.
Yan Yihuan hurriedly intervened to prevent the two from arguing again, “Alright, let’s go in and pay our respects to grandmother.
The rule of paying respects was established after Old Madam Yan arrived.
Once in the morning and once in the evening.
Old Madam Yan did not object; seeing her children and grandchildren around her made her heart happy.
When Yan Yihuan and the others entered Old Madam Yan’s room, they saw Daohua dressed as a young boy, holding something and explaining it to Old Madam Yan with a smile on her face, while Yan Wentao and Yan Wenkai stood on both sides, chiming in from time to time.
Seeing this, the three of them felt envious.
First because Daohua could go out, and second because of Old Madam Yan’s partiality towards Daohua.
Although Old Madam Yan was also kind to them, she just didn’t favor them as much as she did Daohua.
After paying their respects to Old Madam Yan, Yan Yile looked at Daohua with a smile, “Eldest sister, when will you join us for classes?”
Madam Li had hired a female scholar to teach the young ladies of the Yan Family literacy, reading, and embroidery.
On hearing this, Daohua paused.
Old Madam Yan thought about it seriously and then said, “It is indeed time to
attend classes.”
The others in the room thought Daohua would be unwilling, but she said nothing.
Daohua caught a glimpse of Yan Yile’s slight disappointment and couldn’t help
but find it amusing.
So in their minds, was she someone ignorant and uneducated?
“Grandmother, rest assured, I will attend classes diligently.
She was well aware that to survive well in ancient times, she had to adapt to
the local customs.
Ancient society had many demands on women, and learning more skills could only be beneficial.
The next morning, after having breakfast in Old Madam Yan’s courtyard, Daohua returned to the main courtyard and was called over by Madam Li.
“I heard from Old Madam Yan that you want to go to school?” Madam Li said, smiling as she pulled Daohua to sit beside her.
Daohua nodded, “My sisters are all in class, and as the eldest, I naturally can t
fall behind.”
Madam Li smiled tenderly, “Even if the old lady didn’t mention it, I would have arranged it for you. It’s good for a woman to read more books, whether for managing household affairs or for assisting her husband and educating her children, it all comes into use.”
“Right, you should also start learning needlework. In the future, if you’re to examine someone, being skilled in needlework will leave a very good
impression on them.”
Upon hearing this, Daohua felt a rush of black lines cross her mind: “Mother,
I’m only 9 years old, isn’t it too early to talk about this?” Madam Li tapped Daohua’s forehead, “What’s too early about it? Some families arrange these matters as soon as a child is born.”
Daohua shivered, “I’m glad that didn’t happen to me.
Madam Li smiled helplessly.
Just then, Senior Maid Ping Xiao from Madam Li’s side walked in with several account books: “Madam, this month’s accounts have been completed, please review them.”
Madam Li looked at Daohua, “I have work to do now, you can go and play
elsewhere.”
Daohua had no intention of leaving but instead looked at those account books, “Mother, may I take a look?”
Madam Li burst into laughter, “Does our Daohua want to start learning how to manage household affairs already?
Daohua gave a sheepish smile, “Just taking a glance first.”
Madam Li did not refuse but simply said, “Don’t damage them.”
Daohua replied, “Mother, I know.” Saying so, she casually picked up an account book and started flipping through it.
Madam Li shook her head with a smile, beginning to check the income and expenses of the house for that month.
After a quarter of an hour…
After half an hour…
Half an hour later, Madam Li looked at Daohua with mild surprise.
She had thought that her daughter was just a child, who couldn’t possibly sit still in front of the dense accounts. But unexpectedly, once Daohua finished one book, she immediately started on another, seemingly determined to read through them all, and she was doing so with great attention to detail.
The old lady had mentioned in past family letters that Daohua had helped her with the accounts back in their hometown and had done a very good job. Despite initially thinking the old lady was exaggerating, she now saw that it was actually true.
Ping Xiao, who was serving on the side, marveled inwardly as well.
In this period of time, having seen the eldest miss running around everywhere with the third and fourth young masters, she had thought her to be an active and restless girl. But she hadn’t expected her to have such a calm and poised side as well.
Meanwhile, Daohua, engrossed in reading the accounts, was unaware of what the other two were thinking. She had wanted to go through the account books to understand the Yan Family’s income and expenses.
Since her arrival here, she had noticed that the household wasn’t very affluent. Firstly, there were not many servants in the house. For someone like her, even the newly arrived third branch wasn’t assigned any servants to run errands for them.
Secondly, their food, clothing, and daily expenditures were not very lavish. Whether it was Yan Zhigao or Madam Li, their clothes were semi-new and not fresh. It was only her eldest brother Yan Wenxiu, who studied at the county school, who was dressed a bit better.
From these observations, it seemed her father was indeed incorrupt.
After looking through the account books, Daohua thought to herself, no wonder Grandmother always said the Yan family had thin foundations.
They truly were thin.
The whole family depended on the sole income from Yan Zhigao’s salary, but they had to support a large family. Nobody else had any source of income, yet the expenses were significant.
“Mother, Father is lucky to have married you.”
Daohua remarked.
If not for Madam Li’s dowry, which included manors and shops that brought in some daily revenue, the household truly couldn’t function.
Madam Li glared at Daohua, “What are you talking about? It’s my good fortune to have married your father.”
Seeing that Madam Li’s eyes were smiling, Daohua covered her mouth and stole a giggle. She could tell that her mother genuinely adored her father. Daohua laughed, “Father is fortunate as well, for if not for Mother managing the household, Father wouldn’t be able to do his work with peace of mind.
Madam Li smiled, and this time she didn’t scold Daohua, “Your father works hard as an official, I naturally have to help him bear some of the burdens.”
Daohua said, “Mother, you are truly wonderful.”
Her mother was genuinely wonderful, the epitome of a virtuous wife and good mother. Not only did she take meticulous care of the family, but she also never made life difficult for the favored concubines, epitomizing the principle of home and prosperity to the utmost..