Chapter 217: The Demeanor of an Elder Sister
"Master, what should we do with this cart of vegetables and fruits?" Defu asked cautiously.
Despite the seemingly improved relations between Xiao Yeyang and the secluded residence since the Dragon Boat Festival, Defu knew his master still harbored unresolved grievances. Some matters were not easily let go.
However, creating more opportunities for interaction between both sides might be beneficial.
For servants, only when their master was at ease and in a good mood could they have an easier life themselves.
Xiao Yeyang glanced at the cart of food with visible annoyance and waved dismissively. “Hurry and take it away! It’s not even meant for me. Why leave it in my courtyard? It’s an eyesore!”
Defu’s face lit up at these words. He shot a quick glance at Deshou, who was still kneeling.
Deshou, sharp as always, realized his master was agreeing to send the food to the secluded residence. He immediately stood up, grabbed the reins, and hastily departed with the cart, as if afraid Xiao Yeyang would change his mind.
Meilin Secluded Residence
Looking at the cart filled with vegetables and fruits, Guo Ruomei’s face and eyes sparkled with delight. Turning to her attendants, Meishuang and Meixue, she said, “Earlier, my elder brother wrote to me, boasting that Yang'er had become considerate, sending a cart full of produce all the way to him since the food in his area wasn’t great. He was so proud.”
“Now that I’ve received some too, quick, prepare ink and paper. I must write back to tease him.”
Meixue chuckled and promptly fetched writing materials.
Meishuang inspected the contents of the cart and noticed that most of the items were foods her mistress enjoyed. Smiling, she remarked, “Look how fresh and green these vegetables are. They must taste amazing.”
“Madam, it’s clear the young master still thinks of you. Knowing you love fruits and how hard they are to find in winter, he brought an entire cart just for you.”
As she spoke, she picked up a red apple and exclaimed, “It smells so good!” She quickly handed it to Guo Ruomei.
Holding the apple, Guo Ruomei felt a warmth in her heart despite the snowy mountains around her. “Yang'er has gifted me such a bounty. I should send him something in return. What do you think would be suitable?”
“Whatever the madam gives, the young master will surely cherish it.”
...
From then on, every time Daohua prepared vegetables and fruits for Xiao Yeyang, she would include an extra cart for the secluded residence. Though Xiao Yeyang always seemed impatient and displeased, he never refused the arrangement.
In return, the secluded residence would send back items such as hand-embroidered pouches and belts, handmade garments, or other unique trinkets.
Although Xiao Yeyang often set these gifts aside without using them, the exchange gradually built a bridge. Servants on both sides began chatting and interacting more frequently, and they would even coordinate and assist each other when necessary.
This mutual back-and-forth, unbeknownst to Daohua, had subtly improved the relationship between Xiao Yeyang and his mother.
Yan Residence, Deyi Courtyard
The classroom was warm with a blazing brazier, ensuring that Daohua and the others felt no trace of the winter chill.
While flipping through a book on refined arts at her desk, Daohua occasionally glanced at Teacher Shen seated at the head of the room.
For some reason, since November, Teacher Shen had grown stricter with her.
Previously, mastering the content of the textbooks had been enough, but now, she was expected to learn various arts as well.
“Incense burning, chess, tea appreciation, listening to rain, snow watching, moon gazing, wine tasting, gardening, exploring, and zither playing—these are the ten elegant pleasures of life,” Teacher Shen said leisurely as she sipped her tea, observing the expressions of the four young ladies before her.
“While it’s not necessary for young ladies to excel in all of them, you should at least master two or three. That way, whether hosting guests or enjoying family gatherings, you won’t find yourselves at a loss for words or dull and uninteresting.”
Teacher Shen’s gaze turned to the eldest daughter. “First Miss, have you decided what you’d like to learn?”
Hearing the teacher's question, Daohua immediately sat upright. "Teacher, I’ve made my choice—I want to learn the guqin." In her previous life, she had always wanted to study this traditional instrument, but she never had the chance.
Teacher Shen nodded with a smile. "Among the many arts, the guqin holds the highest virtue. Playing it can refine one’s temperament, express emotions, and connect with nature. A fine choice!"
Encouraged by the praise, Daohua happily placed the guqin score on top of the pile. However, Teacher Shen continued, "Besides the guqin, is there anything else you’d like to learn?"
Daohua was momentarily stunned. Wasn't learning the guqin enough?
Seeing Teacher Shen looking at her with a gentle smile, Daohua sighed inwardly and returned to flipping through the book of artistic pursuits. After some deliberation, she chose incense making.
In ancient times, incense was integral to life—it was used for scenting clothes, purifying rooms, and during rituals.
There were many applications.
Daohua was genuinely interested in incense, especially in blending fragrances herself. She even wanted to create medicinally beneficial scents—an endeavor that could be quite profitable.
"Burning incense in a quiet room cultivates refined leisure," Teacher Shen remarked with added approval. "Anything else?"
This time, Daohua resisted the pressure. No matter what, she refused to choose another skill.
Her daily schedule was already packed, and adding guqin and incense-making left her with even less free time. She simply couldn’t take on more.
Teacher Shen seemed a little regretful but didn’t insist. "Starting today, your embroidery lessons will be moved to the mornings. In the afternoons, you’ll alternate between guqin practice and incense-making."
Daohua respectfully nodded. "Yes, Teacher."
Afterward, Teacher Shen turned his attention to Yan Yihuan and her two younger sisters.
For them, she wasn’t as demanding, assigning each only one art to learn.
Yan Yihuan, who enjoyed tranquility, chose chess.
Yan Yishuang, considering herself refined, chose tea appreciation.
Yan Yile, playful by nature, selected flower arranging.
After class, Daohua waited for Teacher Shen to leave before standing to exit. Just as she reached the door, she overheard Yan Yile speaking sourly to the other two sisters.
"Teacher Shen clearly favors Eldest Sister. Not only did she teach her prized double-sided embroidery technique, but now she gets to learn an extra art compared to us."
Daohua stopped and turned, her expression serious as she looked at Yan Yile. "Fourth Sister, where are the manners you’ve been taught?"
Yan Yile was about to retort, but Yan Yihuan quickly pulled her back. "Eldest Sister, Fourth Sister spoke without thinking—she didn’t mean it."
Daohua cut her off. "Enough. I’m tired of hearing excuses like 'thoughtless,' 'careless,' or 'too young.' Whether she’s using these reasons to vent her discontent, we both know."
Straightening her expression, Daohua continued, "I didn’t want to interfere with your affairs, but your behavior reflects on the Yan family’s reputation. As such, I must say a few words."
"Teacher Shen tailors her teaching to each student’s abilities. I’m learning more because I can handle it. Ask yourselves: even if given the opportunity, could you manage such a workload?"
Unlike her sisters, she wasn’t a child mentally. Her mature mindset, patience, and strong memory allowed her to handle a heavier schedule.
"But if you truly want to learn more, you can approach Teacher Shen yourselves. Complaining behind her back, however, is unbecoming of a noble lady."
"Rules and etiquette—Teacher Shen emphasizes these daily. They’re meant to guide our actions and integrate into all aspects of life, not remain superficial. Your earlier behavior, gossiping and complaining, is hardly what Teacher Shen has been teaching us."
Turning to Yan Yile, she added, "Fourth Sister, you’ll be ten next year. Some mistakes and ignorance can no longer be excused by age. Today, for speaking ill of Teacher Shen, I’m assigning you to copy one hundred characters. Reflect on your impulsiveness."
Yan Yile panicked and protested, "I won’t do it!"
Daohua replied coolly, "That’s your choice. However, you’ll no longer be allowed to accompany us on outings. If you embarrass the family with your impulsiveness again, people might think all Yan daughters lack proper upbringing."
With that, Daohua glanced at the other two sisters and left with her maidservant.
Yan Yile anxiously looked to her elder sisters for help.
Yan Yishuang, uninterested, offered a few perfunctory words of comfort before quickly leaving.
Yan Yihuan sighed and pulled her younger sister towards the second household's courtyard. "Let’s ask Mother what to do."
Once the girls had all departed, Teacher Shen, who had observed everything from the main hall, smiled and shook her head.
A servant woman handed him a cup of tea, remarking with a chuckle, "Your guidance wasn’t in vain. The eldest young lady of the Yan family is sensible and appreciative."
Taking the tea, Teacher Shen smiled warmly. "That girl may not be the most gifted of my students, but she is the most insightful. She’s steadily growing into a true eldest sister of the household."
(End of Chapter)
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