Xiao Feng heard this and his face immediately fell. He whimpered, clutching Sheng Lengshuang's hand, "Mother, I'm not ready yet. Can we wait a while longer for the assessment?"
Sheng Lengshuang gently shook a finger. "No, the assessment is meant to be unexpected. If you were prepared, how could I check if you've been diligent or know your true situation?"
Xiao Feng froze, unable to believe what he heard. "So, Mother deliberately ambushed me with the assessment?"
Sheng Lengshuang nodded with a smile. "Yes, I ambushed you. I wanted to see if you've been diligent. Don't be afraid, Mother won't be too strict."
Xiao Feng swayed a few times and then collapsed onto the ground, on the verge of tears. "Mother is so heartless."
Sheng Lengshuang was amused. "Mother can be even more heartless. Do you want to try?"
Xiao Feng jolted and quickly got up, shaking his head vigorously. "No, no, I don't need to."
He certainly didn't want to try.
Sheng Lengshuang: "Little rascal, I can still handle you."
Xiao Feng: "..." The world was full of malice towards him.
Sheng Lengshuang ignored Xiao Feng and chatted with Mo Lingxi.
After the three of them had dinner and rested for a while, Sheng Lengshuang began the assessment for Xiao Feng.
The assessment consisted of identifying medicinal herbs, preparing medicinal powders, and taking pulses.
There were many wild medicinal herbs in the mountains, and Sheng Lengshuang picked a few common ones for Xiao Feng to identify.
Xiao Feng squatted on the ground, looking at the herbs for a long time before stammering out their names, uses, and so on.
He looked pitifully at Sheng Lengshuang. "Mother, I was wrong. I promise I will study medicine diligently from now on and never be lazy again."
Wuwuwu, if only he had known Mother would assess him, he would have studied medicine diligently no matter what.
Sheng Lengshuang crossed her arms and looked at him coldly. "Xiao Feng, you've changed. You've become vain and idle."
Xiao Feng lowered his head and fiddled with his fingers weakly.
Sheng Lengshuang was very disappointed. "I don't expect you to be a scholar or renowned, but you can't be a good-for-nothing either. Look at your recent words and actions – you act recklessly, relying on your status and family background, and you don't study properly."
"Xiao Feng, you've disappointed me greatly."
At these words, Xiao Feng panicked and clung to Sheng Lengshuang's leg. "Mother, I truly know I was wrong. I promise I will study hard from now on and never be like this again."
Sheng Lengshuang slowly shook her head. "You won't. You'll only get worse. You're accustomed to saying 'I was wrong' or admitting fault to mask your true thoughts."
"In your eyes, you are the sole heir of Ming Rui Prince's estate, and with your imperial cousin protecting you, no one in the entire Eastern Jin Dynasty can do anything to you. You can do whatever you want."
Xiao Feng, whose thoughts had been exposed, lowered his head in shame.
Sheng Lengshuang handed the child to Mo Lingxi. "You deal with him. I don't want to anymore."
With that, she went back to her work in the fields.
"Mother, Mother, I truly know I was wrong. I won't do this again. Please forgive me?" Xiao Feng cried out.
Sheng Lengshuang did not look back and walked further away.
Xiao Feng wanted to chase after her.
Mo Lingxi stopped him. "You still have the nerve to cry!"
Hearing his father's slightly heavy tone, Xiao Feng covered his mouth with his hand, not daring to cry anymore. "Father, I was wrong."
Mo Lingxi's face was grim. "Every time something happens, you explain it by saying 'I was wrong,' 'I know I was wrong,' 'I will change.' But have you changed? Do you truly know you were wrong?"
Xiao Feng fell silent.
Mo Lingxi: "You wanted to study medicine in the first place, and you promised your mother you would study diligently and not neglect it. What have you done?"
Xiao Feng remained silent.
Mo Lingxi made him stand in a horse stance. "Xiao Feng, your actions have greatly disappointed me and your mother. We give you a good life not for you to be arrogant and do whatever you please."
Xiao Feng bit his lip, sobbing. "Father, I promise I won't be like this again."
Mo Lingxi: "Your promises are useless to me. I no longer believe them."
Xiao Feng began to regret his actions.
"Xiao Feng, tell me, why aren't you studying properly and thinking about all these useless things?"
"They all say I have an imperial cousin and am the sole child of Ming Rui Prince's estate, so I can do whatever I want and don't need to learn these things."
Mo Lingxi could guess who had said these things. He looked at Xiao Feng with disappointment. "Have you forgotten what I taught you since you were little? You believe whatever others say. If others told you to kill and set fires, would you do it?"
Xiao Feng was filled with shame.
Mo Lingxi: "Before we returned, your mother had already taught you not to go astray. Yet, you've become like this."
Xiao Feng was speechless again. Yes, before they returned, Mother had specifically taught him not to go astray, but he had still gone astray, and made Mother so disappointed in him.
Mo Lingxi left, saying, "Think about it carefully," and went to find Sheng Lengshuang.
Xiao Feng was filled with regret. From now on, he would never be like this again. He would study diligently, obey them, and not be a child who disappointed his mother.
Sheng Lengshuang saw Mo Lingxi approaching and asked, "How is Xiao Feng?"
Mo Lingxi took the hoe from the maid and helped Sheng Lengshuang plant. "This child was led astray by others. Perhaps there's a hidden hand at play, or perhaps those people are trying to flatter Xiao Feng to gain benefits."
Sheng Lengshuang frowned. "It's because we haven't paid enough attention to Xiao Feng. We need to care more about him in the future so he doesn't become a true wastrel."
Mo Lingxi advised, "You can't blame yourself for Xiao Feng's situation. It's due to those with ulterior motives. Don't blame yourself too much."
Sheng Lengshuang sighed. "How can I not blame myself? If only I had paid more attention to Xiao Feng, he wouldn't have become like this."
"That's not right. Those people intentionally wanted Xiao Feng to become a wastrel. Even if we paid more attention to Xiao Feng, we couldn't prevent it. The most important factor is Xiao Feng himself."
"I understand that, but whenever I think of Xiao Feng's current state, I feel extremely guilty."
Mo Lingxi gently patted Sheng Lengshuang's shoulder, understanding her feelings. "Fortunately, Xiao Feng truly knows he was wrong this time. I believe he will change in the future. Let's trust him one more time."
Sheng Lengshuang pinched her brow, looking a bit tired. "If I had really stayed in Shilipo Village, perhaps I shouldn't have brought Xiao Feng back."
Mo Lingxi understood her meaning. "One day, you and Xiao Feng will have to return, especially Xiao Feng. He has to inherit my position and integrate into this circle."
Sheng Lengshuang knew all this. She sighed. "Every time I think of Xiao Feng becoming like this, I regret coming back."