novelSusiti Chapter 69 Madam Feng's Life in Bianjing
Chapter 69 Madam Feng's Life in Bianjing
Before Yuan Shi arrived, she thought Li Yuan and Li Ke would become figures like Jingjiehu in the future. But after meeting Feng Niaoniao, she immediately realized that Feng Niaoniao was extraordinary.
She had been looking forward to seeing how Feng Niaoniao raised her child, hoping to learn from her, since boys were theoretically more difficult to manage. However, when Feng Niaoniao actually revealed her educational methods, Yuan Shi was still thoroughly shocked, no matter how much she had prepared herself.
Qingqing looked at Li Yuan in surprise. In her memory, sewing and mending were all done by her mother. Her father would always bring back a pile of tattered clothes from the military camp. Then her mother would help her sort, mend, wash, dry, and fold them. Her father didn't have to do anything. She had always thought that all men were like that, and that needlework was only for women.
Feng Niaoniao looked at her two dejected sons and said sternly, "This is Aunt Yuan from the Gu family, and this is Miss Qingqing from the Gu family. Why don't you come forward and greet them?"
Li Yuan and Li Ke obediently turned around and bowed to Madam Yuan and Gu Qingqing, who were sitting in the guest seats.
Madam Yuan and Gu Qingqing stood up to return the greeting. Only after the formalities were completed did Feng Niaoniao allow her two sons to sit down to one side.
Unable to contain her curiosity (and gossip), Madam Yuan asked, "Although it may seem a bit rash, this is the first time I've ever seen a boy doing needlework. I wonder what the reason is? Please teach me, Madam Feng."
Li Yuan and Li Ke looked like two cats with droopy ears, heads down and silent. They had lost face big time today!
Qingqing was equally curious about the reason, glancing between Li Yuan and Li Ke, then staring at Madam Feng. This Li family from Guangling seemed to possess some peculiar charm, always giving off an impression of unconventional ways.
Feng Niaoniao sighed and said, "The principle is simply that one should take responsibility for one's actions. Boys are brave and aggressive, and are born to cause trouble. But every time they act tough, they either hurt others or themselves."
When children are unable to defeat others and suffer harm, they become discouraged and dejected. As a mother, you should encourage them to maintain their spirit and strive for excellence.
When they defeat others and cause them pain, they become arrogant and complacent. Mothers need to teach them a lesson, letting them know that violence only provides temporary relief.
Those who are wounded will not truly submit; they will surely seek another opportunity. Those caught in the crossfire of the struggle are innocent, having never provoked them. How can one be considered a great man if one cannot subdue hearts and minds and instead harms the innocent?
My family originally lived in the countryside of Guangling, where everyone was a close-knit community, and the children were all quite rough around the edges. If we were to stay in the countryside and farm forever, this kind of temperament would be just fine.
Unfortunately, the master of the house is already an official in Bianliang, and the children will all follow in his footsteps. This temperament must be changed. Otherwise, he will lack moral compass and reverence, only knowing victory and defeat, not justice and compassion. If he is further tainted by the lust for power and flattered by his subordinates, he will be blinded by greed and commit unforgivable acts, and it will be too late for regrets.
But these two mischievous kids are still young and don't understand much about reason, so it's not good to punish them too much. To be honest, I can't force them to become gentlemen right now.
But doing needlework and tidying up the clothes they'd torn in their brawls could temper their tempers and make them appreciate the hardship their families endured cleaning up their messes. Besides, teaching them needlework was also for their future career prospects.
Madam Yuan hadn't expected that Madam Feng's decision would be so insightful. She diligently memorized it and tried to understand its logic. Her eldest son was only three years old, and in two or three years he would be at an age that everyone disliked. He had left his hometown, far away from his parents and in-laws. The pressure of raising him to be successful was immense.
Lady Yuan asked curiously, "For the sake of your career? Or perhaps to temper your character?"
Feng Niaoniao chuckled and said, "Their fathers are military generals, and they will probably be military generals in the future too. Where in the army are there women to sew and mend clothes for them? Just like this time, when they go on campaign for months or even a year or two, are they supposed to let their clothes be tattered and go into battle naked?"
Today I taught them some needlework techniques, so that they can save themselves a lot of trouble when they go to war. Not to mention them, even my lord, after his death, took on all the household chores. He knows a little about needlework, cooking, and tailoring. It's just that his skills aren't great; the clothes he makes are always crooked and uneven.
Upon hearing this, Madam Yuan imagined a man making clothes, producing such crooked and uneven garments. She couldn't help but cover her mouth and laugh, apologizing to Feng Niaoniao as she did so: "Please forgive me, Madam Feng. I wasn't mocking your master. It's just that when I first learned needlework at my maiden home, I also made such unpresentable clothes, and I couldn't help but laugh."
Feng Niaoniao covered her mouth and laughed, "It's alright, it's alright. Men are always clumsy with their fingers. When I was at my parents' house, I was often scolded by my mother for my poor needlework. It took me a long time to improve. My mother even said that I was a natural waste of fabric, and if I had been born into a poor family, they would not have been able to afford to let me learn needlework."
Feng Niaoniao's self-deprecating remark prompted Madam Yuan to joke, "So, Madam Feng's actions also have the implication of passing on family traditions."
At this point, both women couldn't help but release their hands from their mouths and burst into unrestrained laughter. They probably shared similar life experiences and felt a strong sense of resonance.
Gu Qingqing pricked up her ears to listen to the gossip. Although she was only nine years old, she already had a natural talent for gossiping. Her bright eyes darted back and forth between Madam Feng and Li Yuan and Li Ke.
Li Yuan and Li Ke gradually went from feeling embarrassed at first, to ashamed and remorseful when they heard their mother scolding them, and then, after hearing their mother talk about their father's hardships in the past, they suddenly forgot all their embarrassment. So their father could also do needlework! Then they didn't feel ashamed anymore. He was their own father, what's wrong with sons resembling their fathers!
Seeing her two sons gradually becoming smug, Feng Niaoniao said irritably, "You two are getting happy now. Your grandparents passed away early. If your father didn't learn these things, how would he survive? Now, not only is he fighting on the front lines, but he also has to sew and mend clothes himself. How hard that is."
Asking you to fight less and do some housework makes it seem like you're torturing your heroic spirit? Do you even know what true heroism is?
They were like the rooster crowing at dawn, Zu Ti crossing the river, Yan Changshan's silver tongue, and Zhang Suiyang's sharp teeth. None of them were fond of fighting or brawling in the streets and alleys, nor were they obsessed with chivalry and brotherhood.
Instead, they shouldered the safety of the nation and the rise and fall of the world, risking their lives to protect the country. The monarch was safe because of them, and the people were at peace and reunited because of them. They were praised by all people, their names were remembered for eternity, they brought glory to their ancestors, and they protected their descendants. That was true glory.
Today he occupies a street, tomorrow he loses another; day after day he's nothing more than a street hustler, trying to save face in front of and behind houses. What kind of hero is that?
Li Yuan and Li Ke hung their heads dejectedly and said, "Mother is right. We know we were wrong."
Madam Yuan sighed in admiration, "Back in my days at home, my parents taught me to read and write, which made me quite proud of my reputation as a talented woman. But now, having met a true talent like myself, I realize how shallow my past understanding was. Madam Feng, if you don't mind, would you be willing to keep in touch often?"
Qingqing stared at Madam Feng with expectant eyes; her pitiful and adorable appearance made it hard to refuse her.
Feng Niaoniao smiled and said, "Why not? My family has been in Bianliang for less than a year, and my lord has gone to war again. I'm quite lonely at home. If Madam Yuan doesn't mind my nagging, we should naturally visit each other more often."
Although Xiangyang and Guangling are far apart, within the confines of Bianliang, both families are labeled as southerners. How could Feng Niaoniao refuse Madam Yuan's overture of intimacy? Social interactions among wives have always been a crucial aspect of a family's standing; choosing who to befriend or distance oneself from has tested the wisdom of generations of matriarchs for centuries.
Now that formal diplomatic relations have been established, Feng Niaoniao and Yuan Shi need to be categorized by age. Yuan Shi is one year older, so she becomes the older sister, and Feng Niaoniao becomes the younger sister.
As for Miss Qingqing, she came to Li Yuan and Li Ke in a very open and generous manner, addressing Li Yuan as her elder brother and Li Ke as her younger brother.
Li Yuan had never had a younger sister in his life. All the adopted children his parents had taken in were older than him. So, the sudden appearance of a younger sister like Gu Meimei was quite a shock and a pleasant surprise for him.
Li Ke was already used to having a bunch of older brothers and sisters, so one more wouldn't hurt. He called her "Sister Qingqing" without any psychological burden.
Under Madam Feng's arrangement, Li Yuan and Li Ke exchanged gifts with Gu Qingqing as a token of their first meeting.
After exchanging greetings again, the three children took their seats. Feng Niaoniao then said to her son, "Bring your clothes over; I want to see how well they've been mended."
Yuan Shi, sitting in the side seat, was also eager to try it out and see what was so special.
Li Yuan and Li Ke presented their dirty clothes one after the other. Feng Niaoniao unfolded them one by one, looked at the messy stitches, and chuckled: "Whose needlework is this? So free and natural, hmm, it's like a gift from heaven."
Yuan was enduring it very hard; only her eyebrows remained curved, trembling incessantly.
Gu Qingqing, however, lacked her mother's cunning and smiled radiantly.
Li Yuan and Li Ke laughed along sheepishly. Boys are thick-skinned after all, and after the series of lessons they had learned, this little setback was no longer enough to break their spirits.
Madam Yuan gently patted her daughter's forehead and scolded, "The Li family's brothers were doing needlework for the first time. It's already very good. The first thing you did was so ugly that I'm embarrassed to show it to anyone. And now your skills aren't much better than theirs."
Gu Qingqing hadn't expected the flames to suddenly spread to her, and her face immediately flushed red. She huffed and complained, "Mother, why are you saying this? How can you say what your daughter made is ugly?"
Yuan said irritably, "Why are the Li brothers mending their clothes? Because they tore them in a fight. Why did they fight? Because they saved you today. How dare you laugh at their poor handiwork?"
Li Yuan suddenly realized and said, "Oh, so you're that girl."
Li Ke also said in shock, "It doesn't look like it. That girl's face was all black, and she had snot in her nose."
Feng Niaoniao immediately and sternly stopped him: "Erlang!"
Li Ke shuddered in fright and quickly lowered his head and shut his mouth.
Gu Qingqing felt like the sky had fallen. Her face turned red and her eyes welled up with tears of grievance. Li Yuan had saved her but didn't remember her at all. Li Ke did remember her, but the image he remembered was too terrible. It would have been better if he hadn't remembered her at all!
Madam Yuan was both amused and exasperated, blaming herself, "It's all my fault for letting Qingqing go out to play, and she's always getting all dirty. She wouldn't listen to me, and now she's made a fool of herself."
Feng Niaoniao felt a surge of pity and beckoned to Gu Qingqing, saying, "Good girl, come here quickly and let me see. Poor thing, such a pretty girl, her eyes will swell up from crying, and she won't look pretty anymore. It's not worth it. Don't argue with boys. They're careless and don't know how to speak properly. They don't understand any sense of propriety. It's all unintentional, isn't it, you two?"
Gu Qingqing came to Madam Feng's side and was comforted by Feng Niaoniao in her arms. Madam Feng didn't forget to glare at her sons, implying that she was apologizing to them.
Li Yuan and Li Ke dared not be negligent. Knowing they had caused trouble, they quickly stood up and apologized to Gu Qingqing.
Gu Qingqing didn't even look up, burying herself in Feng Niaoniao's arms and ignoring them.
Li Yuan and Li Ke stood there awkwardly, unsure whether to go forward or retreat.
Madam Yuan chuckled and smoothed things over: "Boys are just like that, so clueless about romance. Qingqing's father is the same way, often saying things that are unintentionally hurtful. As for me, I've long since stopped getting angry. Once I get angry, I never stop. It's like men were born to make us women suffer."
Madam Yuan's complaints resonated with Feng Niaoniao. The two women continued their complaints, sharing some parenting experiences. Gu Qingqing also calmed down, returning to her seat with her red, peach-blossom eyes glaring at Li Yuan and Li Ke.
But then they heard Madam Yuan say, "Since arriving in Bianliang, my husband has shed his humble origins and donned an official's robe. However, the Gu family is just a nouveau riche family with not a single ounce of education. If they were still farming in their hometown of Xiangyang, being illiterate wouldn't be such a big deal."
But as my sister said, times have changed, and we can't ignore the children's education. Unfortunately, there are no academies in Bianliang, and no books are sold in the market.
Although I studied literacy at my parents' home for a few years, I cannot recite the books I studied. I wonder if I could borrow one or two scrolls from my sister to take home and copy them. I will return them intact after I finish copying them. I know that a collection of books is a family treasure, and such a request is truly presumptuous. Perhaps my sister could name a price to put my mind at ease.
Feng Niaoniao would never let her newly recognized older sister spend money. She thought for a moment and said:
"I thought it was something serious. There are indeed books brought from our hometown. They were all handwritten by my husband's parents and grandparents. I dare not give those books to my sister without my permission."
However, my two sons haven't committed any major offenses over the years, but they've made a lot of minor ones. They've copied some books by hand as punishment, and they're all stored in the cupboard. If you don't mind, sister, feel free to choose as many as you like; I won't mind.
Yuan said with delight, "What's there to complain about? As long as there are no mistakes, a book is a book, recording the teachings of sages. How can we praise or criticize it just because the person who copied it is different?"
Feng Niaoniao nodded and said to her son, "Go and bring over the box containing your humble works. Ying'er, you come with me."
Ying'er quietly agreed, bowed to Madam Yuan and Gu Qingqing, and then left with Li Yuan and Li Ke, who had just bowed.
After Yuan Shi and Gu Qingqing rose to return the greeting, they sat down and continued chatting while waiting.
Before long, two adopted daughters came in carrying a box and placed it on the ground. In fact, Li Yuan and Li Ke were not the only ones copying the scrolls. Most of the adopted sons and daughters, as well as the children from the servant families who came to study with Feng Niaoniao, had several scrolls at home.
Feng Niaoniao felt that these were all their future family heirlooms and could not be considered Li family property, so this time she only asked Yuan Shi to select from her sons' inventory.
After much deliberation, Yuan finally selected twenty chapters of the Yan Family Instructions, saying, "Copying books is hard work, and only those with great perseverance can accomplish it. A gentleman should not take away what others cherish. Therefore, I will take these Yan Family Instructions home to copy them, and return the book after I have finished copying them, as a sign of my sincerity."
Upon hearing Yuan's words, Feng Niaoniao inwardly approved and no longer interfered, saying, "Very well, let's do as you say, sister."
Upon receiving the scroll, Yuan Shi felt a great weight lifted from her heart, overjoyed, and expressed her deepest gratitude to Feng Niaoniao. Heaven knows how much anxiety she had endured for over a year since arriving in Bianliang. Forty years of chaos had extinguished the literary tradition, warriors roamed freely, and books had vanished.
Even though Bianliang was the capital of the Great Zhou Dynasty, a major city, there wasn't a single bookstore. The Imperial Academy was practically defunct, with almost no books to speak of. How could Lady Yuan not be overjoyed to be able to borrow twenty chapters of the Yan Family Instructions, such a sacred text for educating children, from the Li family today?
Madam Yuan's enthusiasm left Feng Niaoniao both amused and exasperated, and she repeatedly offered words of comfort. After a while, noticing the weariness on Feng Niaoniao's face, Madam Yuan tactfully took her daughter and left.
After Madam Yuan left, Feng Niaoniao said to her two sons, "Do you see? The hearts of parents are all the same. Even someone as opinionated and knowledgeable as Madam Yuan had to bow down for a book."
The dozens of books in my family were collected by your great-grandparents, grandparents, father, and your mother. This is a true blessing from our ancestors, and the foundation upon which our family survives. From now on, you must study diligently, and remember, don't take your blessings for granted.
Li Yuan and Li Ke were also realizing the value of their family's book collection for the first time, and quickly assured their mother. Then they carefully packed the books into a box. Ying'er and the box were carried back to the bedroom for safekeeping.
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A few days later, Madam Yuan was summoned to the palace by the Empress to speak with her.
Even Lady Yuan and Lady Feng were actively engaging in social interactions within their own households. Empress Fu, residing in Bianliang, besides caring for her two-year-old son, naturally also frequently summoned the families of various households to the palace to cultivate relationships and contribute to her husband Guo Rong's career. And now, it was Lady Yuan's turn.
This was the first time Madam Fu had met Madam Yuan. Curious about women from the south, she asked more detailed questions. Hearing that Madam Yuan hadn't been doing needlework these past few days, but instead had been busy copying books, she asked curiously, "Copying books? Are they Buddhist scriptures?"
Tragically, in times of chaos, Buddhist scriptures spread more widely than traditional classics. Therefore, Empress Fu's first reaction was that Yuan was copying Buddhist scriptures to pray for her husband at the front.
Lady Yuan quickly denied it, saying, "Your Majesty has misunderstood. I was copying the Twenty Chapters of the Yan Family Instructions. My eldest son is already three years old and is quite mischievous. I feel that a child's education cannot be neglected; three years old is the age to be taught principles. Therefore, after arriving in Bianjing, I searched for books from various sources."
Unfortunately, books are scarce in Bianjing, and I was unable to fulfill my wish. Recently, I received generous assistance from Madam Feng, the wife of Commander Li of the Black Spear Dragon Cavalry, who lent me her family's collection of the Yan Family Instructions for me to copy. For the sake of our family's reputation, I have been working diligently at home these past few days, carefully copying the book, hoping to complete it as soon as possible so I can return it to Madam Feng.”
Madam Fu asked with great interest, "Oh, does Madam Feng have a large collection of books?"
Lady Yuan did not see Li Xuan's collection of books and laughed, "Your Majesty is wise. The Li family moved from Guangling to Bianliang less than a year ago. Traveling a thousand miles is no easy feat. How many books could they possibly carry with them? I imagine not many."
Empress Fu nodded, chatted about other things, and then ended the audience with a vegetarian meal.
After Lady Yuan left, Lady Fu asked the lady-in-waiting beside her, "Go and find out how many chapters of the Yan family precepts are in the palace?"
The female official, accompanied by a eunuch, hurried to the Tianzhang Pavilion in the palace to inquire. The Tianzhang Pavilion was the palace's official library, and in principle, it should house all the books in the country. However, it was currently empty, containing only a little over a hundred books, totaling about two thousand volumes.
Upon hearing news of the Yan Family Instructions, the scholar in charge of the Tianzhang Pavilion immediately exclaimed excitedly, "The Yan Family Instructions in the Tianzhang Pavilion are incomplete, consisting of only five volumes. We do not know where the Yan Family Instructions are located, so please be sure to request them. Even if it is just for borrowing, we are willing to copy them and return the originals."
The female official and the eunuch were not well-educated and originally did not know the importance of the Yan Family Instructions in the literary world. After the scholar from Tianzhang Pavilion explained it to them, they exclaimed in surprise, "So this is a book for educating the children of the family. No wonder, no wonder Madam Yuan had to copy it without leaving the house."
The scholar from Tianzhang Pavilion asked impatiently, "Speak quickly, which lady is it? The appearance of a classic is a major event for the court. You cannot evade responsibility with falsehoods, or I will impeach you."
The lady-in-waiting was startled, but unsure of the Empress's meaning, she could only say, "The book is in the hands of a certain lady, and I don't know the details. However, I will report the scholar's statement to the Empress. It seems that it would be more convenient for the Empress to handle matters concerning these ladies and retrieve the book herself."
The scholar from Tianzhang Pavilion solemnly corrected him, "It is a request for a book, a request for a book; it must not be taken lightly or carelessly."
"Yes, yes, yes, we have noted down your request for the book. Please rest assured, Scholar."
Having finally gotten rid of the scholar from Tianzhang Pavilion, the female official and the eunuch quickly ran back to the palace to report the scholar's opinion to Madam Fu.
Madam Fu nodded knowingly and said, "Indeed. His Majesty was once worried about the scarcity and incompleteness of the imperial library. How could I ignore this? Send out invitations to invite Madam Li, the eldest daughter of the Li family of the Black Spear Dragon Cavalry, to the palace for a meal in three days. Hmm, I heard she is pregnant. Send a carriage from the palace to carefully bring her over."