Chapter 30: Mother Xu Beats Her Sons

"Replying to Mother, naturally we have learned it."

Sun Shi asked in a tone that was flat and even somewhat cold, "Oh? Then why don't my two good sons help resolve this confusion for your mother?"

The two brothers exchanged another glance and said, "Mother, please speak."

"Why don't you two explain to me 'Longyang Weeps Over the Fish' from Chapter Four of the Wei Strategies in the Strategies of the Warring States?"

Xu Zaizhang said, "Mother, how difficult is this? This 'Longyang Weeps Over the Fish' speaks of how, during the Warring States period, King Wei and Lord Longyang fished together on the same boat—Big Brother, why are you pulling me?"

Xu Xu Zaiduan said, "Mother, we know we were wrong."

"Big Brother, the idiom derived from this chapter of the Strategies of the Warring States is 'Longyang Weeps Over the Fish,' which mostly implies falling out of favor; why are you apologizing to Mother?"

Xu Xu Zaijing was also somewhat curious, but seeing his eldest brother looking somewhat ashamed while his second brother still seemed to understand nothing, it apparently was not a major matter.

However, upon hearing the two characters "Longyang," Xu Zaijing's heart grew cold, and he realized where the problem lay.

Bianjing had many people, many nobles with merit, and even more wealthy individuals.

When warmth and fullness are achieved, lust arises; children of wealthy families are exposed to and imitate private, filthy matters without realizing it.

It was quite possible that within the academy attended by his own two elder brothers, there were those engaging in such things.

Perhaps this was also why, back then, Old Lady Sheng, who hailed from Hou Fu of Marquis Marquis Yongyi, did not seek a family of nobles with merit but instead chose a family of scholars.

In Old Lady Sheng's eyes, she had seen too many sordid affairs within families of nobles with merit.

But in Xu Xu Zaijing's view, Old Lady Sheng, who was then the sole daughter of the Marquis Marquis Yongyi, was still too one-sided in her perspective on matters.

Not only one-sided but also arbitrary, engaging in occupational discrimination.

Who told her that the descendants of military noble families were all useless, while the descendants of scholarly families were a clear, unsullied stream?

Perhaps back then, when Old Lady was still a simple young maiden awaiting marriage, she read a few articles of brilliant literary style and developed an occupational worship,

having her mind clouded by the filter of the scholarly class.

She sought death and clung to life in her determination to marry the third-place palace graduate.

Hmm, considering the reason that third-place palace graduates are all extremely handsome, Old Lady Sheng was also one who judged by appearance.

Setting aside past stories, Sun Shi, the mother before Xu Xu Zaijing, wore an increasingly ugly expression.

"Extend your hands."

The two brothers extended their hands with some trepidation.

Sun Shi's personal maid, Xiao Zhu, walked up before them.

"Strike."

"Slap! Slap!"

"Hiss."

"It hurts, Mother!"

"Strike again!"

"Slap! Slap!"

"Your father toils in the bitter cold lands of the northwest army to secure a future for you, yet you, here in Bianjing's den of softness and indulgence, pull these low, despicable tricks on your old mother!"

"Strike again!"

"Mother, stop hitting us; Big Brother and I did not participate."

"Did not participate? If such things were happening, why did you not speak up?"

Xu Xu Zaijing hurriedly walked to his mother's side and advised:

"Mother, as a family of nobles with merit, it was already somewhat difficult for us to change our household's focus to scholarly pursuits; Big Brother and Pei Erge were likely afraid that speaking out would cause you difficulty."

Sun Shi swept her gaze over him, a cold smile at the corner of her mouth: "You little rascal, spouting what kind of Hu Yan nonsense! If you want to be beaten, then kneel there."

Xu Xu Zaijing hurriedly covered his own mouth.

"From now on, you two will study at home; I will entrust someone to find a teacher to come and teach within the household! I heard from the young attendants beside you that last month you even went to Qiyun Tower to drink wine with courtesans?"

"Mother, that was money pooled together by classmates from the academy, just to see the world."

"Yuan Yuan Erlang, just shut your mouth."

Eldest brother Xu Xu Zaiduan said.

"Strike again."

The previous two strikes had already turned the brothers' hands red,

and in the time it took to speak, their palms had become even more sensitive.

After the third strike, tears were already welling in the eyes of both brothers.

"Do you know why I am still beating you?"

Xu Xu Zaiduan frowned, thought for a moment, and shook his head.

"I ask you, how much money did you pool together?"

"Pei Erge and I contributed thirty taels, all pooled together for the family of Duke Lingguo."

"Excellent, so you have actually mixed with the family of Duke Lingguo. Strike again!"

Four more strikes of the bamboo board fell, and the two brothers were already convulsing from the pain.

"First fault: pooling money to drink flower wine. Second fault: thirty taels of silver, and that was all spent on drinking flower wine.

Jing'er, do not laugh; once the Mr. is found, you will also study alongside your two elder brothers,

and if I learn that you have slacked in your efforts, the number of strikes will be no fewer than this time, but greater."

Xu Xu Zaijing smiled innocently and said in a ingratiating manner,

"Rest assured, Mother."

The next day, the two Xu brothers no longer attended that academy,

but instead began studying at home.

With his left hand covered in medicine, he read a book.

Sun Shi had even asked someone to buy calligraphy copybooks from the streets near the Imperial Academy, so that after Xu Xu Zaijing finished practicing his spear, bow, and breathing techniques, he would begin tracing them.

In the afternoon,

in the main lady's room within the courtyard, Bai Shi walked up behind Xu Xu Zaijing, who was concentrating on tracing calligraphy,

and said with considerable curiosity, "Sister, I thought that with Jing-ge'er's nature, which loves horseback riding and archery so much, he would be unable to settle down; it seems today that I was mistaken."

Sun Shi glanced at the focused Xu Xu Zaijing, then lowered her head to coax Bai Shi's daughter, Gu Gu Tingyi,

"Yo-yo, good little Yi-Hua Jie."

Then she raised her head to look at Xu Xu Zaijing, who hadn't noticed them, and whispered, "Yesterday I severely beat the eldest and the second son, making him watch from the side."

Bai Shi hastily covered her mouth with her handkerchief, afraid her laughter would carry over to him.

It could be considered "killing the chicken to warn the monkey."

Turning the topic, Bai Shi said,

"Indeed, I cannot use that method; the eldest son of the Gu family was born weak. These past few years I have tried various methods, yet Yu'er's body remains so frail."

"Do not worry; I see that your Ye'er is also sensible, and strong-willed, unwilling to admit defeat. That day, seeing his older brother write well, did he not also settle down calmly to practice calligraphy?"

"Don't mention it; he only stayed quiet while you were there. The moment you left, he started making a racket again."

"Mine is much the same as your Ye-ge'er; he behaves obediently in front of others," Sun Shi whispered to Bai Shi.

"Look at what you're saying."

"Wah-wah-wah!"

Gu Gu Tingyi in Sun Shi's arms began to cry.

Bai Shi took her daughter, rocking her while saying,

"The Marquis of Dongchang's mansion also frequently sends medicine over for my eldest son."

Sun Shi glanced at her own youngest son.

Her tone somewhat hesitant, she said,

"Sister, some words, once they leave my mouth, must enter only your ears; let no third person know them, will you?"

"Sister, rest assured; once they enter my ears, they will absolutely never be spoken from my lips."

"I can see you were raised as a Jin Zunyu; Master Bai surely held you in his palm fearing you might fall, and kept you in his mouth fearing you might melt.

In terms of bearing and demeanor, even I, born into a small household here in Bianjing, cannot compare to you.

Yet, being raised as a Jin Zunyu, you lack a bit of caution against others."

"Sister? What do you mean?"

"Do you know that the old marquis of the Marquis of Dongchang's mansion has passed away, and now the eldest son of the Qin family is managing the household?"

"Does Sister mean that he is her own nephew?"

Sun Shi shook her head,

"Sister, you are the only daughter in your family; everything good in the house belonged to you, so you certainly have never experienced siblings fighting over things. When I was at my maiden home, my mother followed my father's orders, managing the household with military law, and since our family was all military men, it was relatively fine."

Adjusting Gu Gu Tingyi's clothes, Sun Shi continued speaking,

"But I know children from other families; those favored wear fine clothes, eat well, and are kept by their parents' sides. Those unfavored, or concubine-born sons and daughters, are treated little better than kittens or puppies."

Protected too well by her father, Bai Bai Wanshu, Bai Shi looked at Sun Shi with some surprise.

"I have heard rumors, but rarely seen it myself."

"Then you should know that some children, in order to vie for favor, will deliberately feign illness, or even make themselves truly sick? And those who are precocious yet cannot distinguish good from evil will push their own brothers and sisters into ponds."

Bai Shi was dumbfounded, glancing in shock at Cui Mama Chang standing behind her.

Cui Mama Chang nodded with a solemn expression.

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Please offer some support.

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(End of Chapter)