Chapter 253: Educating the Young (Unedited)
Author:Â White Pear Flower
Raws:Â https://book.qidian.com/info/2386994/
Translated by Pill Bug
Gumihou: It had been a long time since Gumi had seen Pill Bug’s beautiful work. Please enjoy this chapter and appreciate Pill Bug’s sacrifice for a while before heading towards the EDITED section
Jin Zhenyi scratched his hair, his eyes glossing over the people in the room, realising that he was indeed not considerate in his actions. Perhaps someone had seen him and informed Qiuning, but he couldn’t be sure. Feeling a bit timid, he smiled and bowed to Jin Changfeng, “Elder Brother, I know you are a righteous person. You would surely keep your promises and not scheme behind my back. I just do not know who…”
Before he could finish, Fu Qiuning leisurely asked, “What is wrong? Found out who spilt the beans, and now Brother Yi wants to regain your pride?”
Jin Zhenyi’s heart froze for a beat. He hurriedly approached Fu Qiuning like a monkey, grinning, “I dare not, I know Honored Mother is most kind and gentle. It is fine to tell Honored Mother, just please do not let Father know.”
Fu Qiuning did not know whether to cry or laugh as she said, “Even if your father finds out, so what? It is not like you were just having fun, it was actually a good deed. When you return to the capital and tell your Elder Madam and Old Madam, they will surely be happy.”
Saying that and seeing Jin Zhenyi’s collar had flipped out, she stood up and straightened it while earnestly advising, “In your daily studies at the clan school, learning from the Four Books and Five Classics, you should understand that a person is not deemed good merely by their scholarly achievements; their conduct matters greatly too. To be good enough to be praised by others as being both virtuous and talented is what truly counts.
While talent can be cultivated from books, where does virtue come from? It stems from the kindness displayed in these small matters. Brother Yi has been a bit reckless in your daily actions. I heard that there were many times that you recklessly tore the wings off dragonflies and cicadas in your youth, but that was when you were still young and immature. Now that you have grown up, you must not continue such behaviour. You have done exceptionally well in helping that old cat this time. Do not underestimate these small deeds. You must know that whether a person turns out good or evil, it always traces back to what grows from these small deeds during their childhood.
Jin Zhenyi, seeing that Fu Qiuning not only did not blame him, but even praised him, couldn’t help but feel overjoyed, puffing out his chest. Jin Changjiao and Jin Xiunan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at the sight. Jin Changjiao shook her head, “Mother, you are still praising him? If you praise him any more, that little tail of his will wag all the way to the sky.”
Before she could finish, a voice outside the door chuckled, “Whose little tail is wagging to the sky?” With these words, Jin Fengju strolled in and smiled at Fu Qiuning, “How is everything? I come back and see that everyone has done everything properly. Has everything been sorted out?”
Jin Zhenyi, seeing his father, was initially frightened, but then thought: if even Honored Mother praised me for doing a good deed, perhaps I do not need to fear Father.
So, he straightened his chest again. Seeing Jin Fengju looking at him after Fu Qiuning responded, Jin Fengju smiled and said, “Just now, when Jiao’er said whose tail is wagging to the sky, in this room, probably only Zhenyi could live up to that, right? Just what has he done this time?”
Jin Zhenyi pouted, thinking his father’s words were too cunning. Clearly, he was belittling him, but he had to use the phrase ‘live up to’, which stung quite a bit too much. Despite his internal grumbling, he dared not say it out loud.
Fu Qiuning laughed, “Nothing much. Brother Yi just saw an old cat and fed it a fish. I even just praised him. It is not easy for a child to possess such kindness, and this matter was handled correctly. Oh right, has Lord Husband returned to rest? Is there no more business to deal with at the government office? As a newly appointed official, why have you not attended a welcoming banquet?”
Jin Fengju smiled and replied, “Of course, there will be a welcoming banquet. I have just arrived, so it would not be polite to decline. I simply took the chance to come back to check before attending. Now that you all have everything in order, I can go to the banquet in peace.”
As he spoke, he saw Jian Feng bringing tea, so he picked it up and drank, then added, “The food that we have been eating on the transport canals these days are all river and sea delicacies, and I guess you must be tired of them. Fortunately, some friends sent some game meat. I have had them sent to the kitchen. You should have some meat tonight. Other people might be fine with it, but I am afraid if Zhenyi goes without meat for any longer, he just might lift the roof off.”
Fu Qiuning laughed, “You are really overestimating your son. Even if he has the ability, he still does not have the guts to do so. Just now when you entered, he was as nervous as a mouse seeing a cat.”
Before she finished speaking, Jin Fengju set down his teacup and shook his head, smiling, “A father knows his son best. How would I still not understand him? Yes, you just said he actually took fish to feed a cat? That is really a kind act. But I am afraid he might not only have been thinking about the old cat’s pity. Firstly, he is tired of eating fish; Secondly, who knows if there is something fishy going on.”
“Whatever it is, it was still a good deed. Lord Husband, go to the banquet quickly. This place is very much not like the capital. As a new official, you cannot give your subordinates too little face. It would not be good to make the lot of them wait for you eagerly,” Fu Qiuning said, pushing Jin Fengju out. Meanwhile, Jin Zhenyi wiped the sweat off his forehead, thinking: My heavens, it was just feeding a cat with a fish, and Father can see through my thoughts. Does he have fiery golden clairvoyant eyes?”
Of course, he wouldn’t dare to utter such disrespectful words. Seeing Fu Qiuning turn around, he approached her with a smile, “Honored Mother, did you hear Father’s words just now? Thankfully, all that game meat in the kitchen was sent by people. Thank heavens, thank earth, we will finally have meat to eat. All these days on the rivers and seas eating fish on the has almost made vomit.”
Jin Changjiao chuckled, “Mother, listen to what he is saying, no wonder Father spoke about him like that just now. If there is no meat to eat, he really might really lift the roof off. This is not a mansion in the duke’s estate either, it is not as sturdy as our mansion…”
Before she finished, Jin Xiunan couldn’t help but laugh too. Jin Zhenyi glared at her fiercely, but he had nothing to say. If he didn’t get to eat meat again, he really might run off to the roof and start digging up the tiles.
That night, the dining table finally had carefully prepared game meats. Although Fu Qiuning had never managed a household before, she had her own methods and naturally wouldn’t let people have any chance at picking at any faults. Therefore, she specially instructed someone to send some exquisite dishes and porridge to Jiang Wanying and the others. She also had someone send word that if Second Madam Wan wasn’t feeling well, she could let her children stay in Fu Qiuning’s room for a couple of days.
After dinner, the servant who had been sent over came back, saying that Second Madam Wan thanked Fu Qiuning for her concern, but since her children were raised by her, she naturally understood their temperaments and they might not get along with the others well, so it was better if they stayed with her. Originally, Fu Qiuning was just being polite, but since Jiang Wanying refused, she was happy to let it go.
Jin Fengju didn’t return until the wee hours of the morning. Surprisingly, he wasn’t completely drunk and unaware of what was happening. When he saw Fu Qiuning, he was still somewhat sober. However, after a quick bath and change of clothes, he collapsed onto the bed and started snoring almost the moment his head touched the pillow.
Fu Qiuning couldn’t help but think of Jin Changfeng and Jin Changjiao’s origins, recalling how this Young Marquis had been taken advantage of when he was drunk back then. Now, why did he like alcohol so much? But then she thought, after all the travel, he must be exhausted, so it was no wonder he just wanted to sleep after getting drunk. Perhaps those officials, intimidated by his reputation, didn’t dare to force him to drink too much; otherwise, he might have needed to be carried back far earlier.
She instructed a junior maid to serve the sobering soup prepared in the kitchen long ago. Supporting Jin Fengju, she helped him drink a bowl and placed a sobering stone in his mouth. If she didn’t do that, he would suffer the next day after he woke up, with a headache that wouldn’t go away all morning. Once everything was settled, she then undressed and slept peacefully. That night passed without incident.
The next morning, she woke Jin Fengju up early. Indeed, thanks to that sobering soup, he didn’t suffer much. Jin Fengju thanked Fu Qiuning profusely, smiling as he said, “Back when I was immature, I often got drunk. At that time, Elder Sister had not married yet. Even if I fell asleep, she would definitely wake me up with punches and kicks and feed me this sobering soup, so that I would not suffer during the day. I did not expect that after so many years, with Elder Sister married off to Prince Rong’s Palace and even me rarely getting drunk, today, I would revisit the taste of the past.”
Fu Qiuning helped him put on his official robe while suppressing a smile. “The Princess Consort is truly straightforward. I am actually not as easygoing as Second Madam Wan. If it were not for your new appointment last night, with a role that was inevitable to being forced to drink, why I bother to deal with you? But from now on, you are not allowed to get drunk again. Otherwise? The Princess Consort will only punches and kicks, and that is not severe. Just wait and see my methods; I guarantee you will not dare to do it again.”
Jin Fengju laughed, “These words would make anyone shiver with dright. Really, are you even going to prepare a stick for me?” To which Fu Qiuning replied with a smile, “You have never seen the world, have you? What is a stick? Wait until I prepare a spiked mace. Once you are drunk, I will give you a few whacks with it. At that time, not only will it hurt, but the spikes will also embed in your flesh. There is no fear that you will not remember it for a lifetime.”
Jin Fengju pretended to be afraid, “Truly the most poisonous woman’s heart. As your husband, I bow to you. In the future, I will maintain purity and whatever is said, will not give you, my maiden, a chance to roar like a lioness.” After a few jokes between the couple, Jin Fengju continued, “Today, it is likely that the officials’ women will come to visit. Since Wanying is ill, and you are my official wife, you should be the one to entertain them. I know you are annoyed with these things, but you will have to bear with it today.”
Fu Qiuning replied, “Rest assured, in your heart, do you really think I am so clueless? I will make sure to receive these madams and elder madams properly and give you unrestricted freedom in Quanzhou.” As she spoke, she straightened Jin Fengju’s collar and watched him leave.
When she returned, breakfast had been sent from the kitchen. Fu Qiuning also sent someone to check on Jiang Wanying and sent word to the kitchen to prepare her meals carefully. Jin Zhenyi couldn’t help but feel impatient, muttering, “Honored Mother, I know that you are kind-hearted, but you also have to see if others appreciate it. Maybe she just finds you annoying now, trying to show off the official wife’s authority to her. Why bother? You have to worry about yourself, and it might not turn out well.”
Fu Qiuning gently tapped his forehead and laughingly admonished, “At such a young age, you are already thinking about these things. These must be Concubine Xu’s teachings, right? That is fine, today I will give you a lesson too. Just now, you said I might not do well in my concerns. But you do not realise that sometimes, even if it is troublesome, you must not let people find fault. How old are you? Acting like a little adult, but have you really grasped everything about adult matters yet?”
[Gumihou: To those who read the whole thing, I commend your stomach. I have no idea who these people are]
Pill Bug TL Notes:
I had some health problems so I had to take a break from translating. I’m back now!
Take care of your health, alright? A healthy person has a thousand wishes, a sick person only has one.
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