The sky gradually darkened. In contrast to the joy of the elder couple, Xiao Yao Shi's face was stiff. She slammed her bamboo chopsticks onto the table and cursed, "What time is it? Not setting the table while it's still light, waiting for darkness and needing oil lamps, don't they cost money!"
"With all the elders of the family present, we still have to wait for a mere girl to eat? Aren't you afraid of shortening your lifespan!" Xiao Yao Shi cursed viciously, her face contorted and ugly.
From the end of the competition until now, for over a month, Xiao Yao Shi had been displeased with the elder branch in every way. Yet, this time, no matter how she instigated trouble, Elder Zhan and Elder Madam Zhan were determined to let Zhan Fei Yu attend school.
Farmers dared not offend even the low-ranking yamen runners, let alone the county magistrate. Even if the Zhan family dared to be disobedient, the village chief, the villagers, and Master Lin would force the Zhan family to let Zhan Fei Yu attend school.
Seeing Xiao Yao Shi throwing things around, Li Shi knew she was unhappy. But compared to Xiao Yu being able to study in a private school, what were a few sarcastic remarks from her sister-in-law?
Li Shi said gently, "Father, Mother, Master has asked Xiao Yu to stay. Let's eat first. I'll save a steamed bun for Xiao Yu."
"Mm, set the table," Elder Zhan had also heard what Shan Wa Zi and the others said. His granddaughter had brought honor to the Zhan family, and Elder Zhan was happy. "Save two steamed buns for Xiao Yu, and some vegetables too."
Hearing this, Xiao Yao Shi's face contorted with rage, her eyes spitting fire. Just as she was about to speak, she was glared at warningly by Zhan Lao Er beside her.
...
In the tenth month of Mengdong, the north wind lingered.
Zhan Fei Yu held her wrist up, dipping the brush tip in water and leaving streaks on the table.
Li Shi looked at her daughter, who was still shorter than the table, and said with concern, "Xiao Yu, it's time to sleep."
"Mother, I'll write for a while longer," Zhan Fei Yu did not look up, her small chubby face set, her gaze focused on the water marks on the table that were quickly drying. She recalled Master Lin's instructions on brushstrokes and continued to practice calligraphy with water as ink.
Practicing for over half an hour had made her wrist sore, and her forearm trembled so much she could barely lift it. Zhan Fei Yu gritted her teeth and persevered. The adult soul allowed her to take shortcuts in recitation and interpretation, but her handwriting was no different from that of an ordinary seven-year-old student; she was starting from scratch.
"Don't disturb Xiao Yu," Elder Zhan pulled Li Shi back into their room. He glanced back at the little girl who was imitating them and said smugly, "A doting mother spoils her child."
"I know you know the benefits of reading and attending school," Li Shi scoffed. So he knew it was good to study, yet he had wronged Xiao Yu by letting Er Lang and San Lang go to school before.
Elder Zhan's dark, weathered face stiffened awkwardly. It was not as if the family had no money.
Around Hai Shi, all was silent. Zhan Da Lang slammed the wooden door of the study shut. Looking at the light in the opposite room, his face showed annoyance and frustration.
In just one month, Zhan Fei Yu had become the favorite of the Lin family's private school, diligent, studious, intelligent, and quick-witted, truly a child prodigy praised by the county magistrate.
Her cousin, Zhan Da Lang, was completely overshadowed, especially by the mockery and ridicule from people like Zhu Peng. Zhan Da Lang could neither argue nor fight back, so he naturally harbored resentment towards Zhan Fei Yu.
Hearing the door close, Xiao Yao Shi came out in her clothes and peeked at the opposite room. Her expression of concern instantly turned into displeasure. "Da Lang, you're sleeping so early? Xiao Yu is still studying."
"I'm so sleepy!" Zhan Da Lang roared angrily, pushing aside Xiao Yao Shi who was blocking the doorway, his face full of impatience. "You talk about Xiao Yu every day, why don't you say San Lang is sleeping like a pig!"
Xiao Yao Shi looked at the angry Zhan Da Lang who stormed away in surprise. She had stumbled when he pushed her, and her fingernail hit the doorframe and broke. The pain brought Xiao Yao Shi back to her senses. She couldn't bear to blame her son, and she also resented Zhan Fei Yu.
"What are you two mother and son arguing about? Disturbing people's sleep late at night!" From the bedroom, Zhan Lao Er cursed unhappily. He was calculating and had a light sleep. For over a month, he had been woken up every few days, and Zhan Lao Er's complexion grew more and more grim.
Pushed by her son and scolded by her husband, Xiao Yao Shi became angry. She walked back to the bedroom in a few steps, sat on the edge of the bed, and annoyedly nudged Zhan Lao Er.
"You said you'd think of a way. It's been over a month. Are you just going to watch that dead girl suppress our Da Lang! Master Lin even beat Da Lang's palm until it was swollen the day before yesterday!"
Zhan Da Lang was not intelligent, nor was he diligent. With Zhan Fei Yu, his younger cousin, as a comparison, Master Lin became much stricter with Zhan Da Lang. However, he couldn't bring himself to study hard, and his days at the private school were miserable.
"Keep your voice down late at night!" Zhan Lao Er got up. Thinking of Zhan Fei Yu's performance at the private school, Zhan Lao Er's eyes became more vicious in the darkness.
Originally, among the younger generation of the Zhan family, Da Lang, the eldest grandson, was highly favored. But now, Zhan Lao Er clearly felt the change in his parents' attitudes. Zhan Fei Yu was praised by Master Lin and brought honor to the Zhan family, which greatly improved the status of the elder branch.
Xiao Yao Shi, thinking of the praise Zhan Fei Yu had received from people in the village during this time, complained to Zhan Lao Er, "If you don't think of a way, what about our San Lang? To neglect a grandson who can carry on the family line and let a jinx attend school, Mother and Father are truly senile! Can the county magistrate really interfere with our old Zhan family's affairs!"
"Shut up!" A furious roar sounded. Zhan Lao Er covered Xiao Yao Shi's mouth, his vicious eyes flashing with ferocity. "If you dare to say a word of this outside, then get out and go back to your parents' home! You dare to drag the county magistrate into this, if you want to die, don't implicate me!"
Thinking of the imposing county magistrate that day, Xiao Yao Shi, whose mind was clouded by jealousy, turned pale. She nodded tremblingly but dared not speak nonsense.
"Tomorrow, tell the third family that Er Lang will also need to attend school next year, and the ten taels of tuition fees should be prepared." Zhan Lao Er lay down again, closing his eyes to hide the sinister and terrifying coldness in his eyes.
Zhan Fei Yu was unaware of the second branch's schemes. All her time was dedicated to reading and writing. An hour later, Zhan Fei Yu put down her brush and rubbed her sore wrist.
After practicing calligraphy, Master Lin assigned a daily task of writing five large characters. But even the cheapest yellow hemp paper cost thirty wen per ream. Zhan Fei Yu would dip her brush in water and imitate the characters on the table for an hour, only writing on paper the next morning.
"The way of great learning consists in manifesting the clear character of the people, in resting in the highest excellence..." Lying back on the bed, Zhan Fei Yu began to recite the Great Learning. Although the entire text was only over two thousand characters, it was the first of the Four Books and an introductory text to Confucianism.
The smooth recitation echoed in the deep night. Zhan Fei Yu's schedule for the past month had been like this: sleeping at Zi Shi and waking at Mao Shi, truly studying diligently.