Chapter 5: Instructing
Soon after, Pingyuan Hou Fu sent a note and a return gift from
"Eldest Miss" expressing her gratitude to Shen Wen for the sachet. The script is clear and elegant which is obviously a woman's handwriting.
The return gift was an ordinary embroidered purse, probably not wanting to
embarrass Shen Wen for her embroidery skills, but the outside was adorned with
gold beads in the shape of plum blossoms, to show that it did not take any
advantage.
Yang Shi rested well for a few days. When she was once again in full
command of the household, Shen Wen went to make a request to her
"What? You want to find a mama to learn etiquette?" Yang
Shi asked Shen Wen in surprise. Although the girls have to learn the rules in around
this time days, but which one is not being forced by their parents to go like a
duck on a shelf. Shen Wen is only six years old and soft natured, how come she
is so eager to learn the rules?
She didn't know that after the Flower party Shen Wen realized that time
was running out. Even though she was so young now, she couldn't help but
quicken her pace. One flower meeting and a few friends’ contacts are not enough
to spread her reputation of weakness and incompetence as quickly as possible.
The quickest way to do this is to find an Etiquette Mama who walks around
the houses and invite to their Mansion and teaches her well. After that she can
speak to others about her temperament. She must be well disguised before acting
in person, so that in the future will not easily cause suspicion.
Shen Wen twisted and said, "At the flower meeting, I fell and they
all laughed at me ......"
Yang Shi was quickly comforted, "Wen 'er is still young."
The old Furen said: "It's good for children to learn the
rules, why are you still stopping them? If Wen'er really learns well, people
will also say that the girls of our Hou Fu have flawless behavior." The
implication was that Shen Xiang's behavior was problematic.
Yang Shi heard the meaning of the old Furen’s words and was
somewhat unhappy in her heart. Shen Xiang is her expected daughter, naturally
feel that what she does is good. It is also appropriate to practice of
martial arts in the family of a Military General. However, when the old Furen
hinted at it, she said, "Then let Xiang'er also learn together, you
two will be a companion.”
The old Furen said to Shen Wen: "You should work hard.
Although Xiang'er is good at martial arts, this learning the rules does not
require strength, you may even learn them better than Xiang'er." The old Furen
felt that she could not show her authority if she didn't expressed her
different position with Yang shi from time to time.
The ordinary girl who heard these words must have worked hard, but Shen
Wen was sorry for the old Furen in her heart and knew she was bound to
let her down.
Twenty days later, Yang Shi found a Mama who was willing to come mansion
and teach. Zhenbei Marquis is the first military General in the dynasty. People
feel that the Military General is violent, so the woman in his family,
certainly arrogant and unruly. Teaching well or not is one thing. Its possible
to get yourself beaten or being cut a knife. So much money can not buy life.
Finally, or a senior Mama from the palace, on the basis of some previous
interaction with the old Furen, to determine that there is no danger of
being harmed, only then applied for the job.
The first day of class was already early summer, and the day dawned
early. Shen Wen went to pay her respects in the morning and saw Shen Xiang
standing there with a depressed face and Shen Zhuo looking like he was
gloating. Seeing Shen Wen come in, Shen Xiang turned her head and ignored her.
Shen Yi saw the situation and said seriously to Shen Xiang: "There
are many benefits for women to learn some rules ......" Not waiting for
him to finish, Shen Xiang interrupted: "Who wants to learn whom should go!
Why are you dragging me? My daily martial arts practice will be wasted!"
Shen Wen immediately started to choke up with tears in her eyes.
The old Furen and Yang Shi walked in and saw this scene, Yang Shi was upset and
said: "Who made Wen'er cry again?”
Shen Zhuo immediately covered for Shen Xiang: "Meimei is
going to see the etiquette Mama today, so scared!"
The old Furen quickly pulled Shen Wen over, kindly advised:
"Since Wen'er loves to learn, will certainly learn very well, Mama is
bound to like. So do not need to panic."
Shen Wen was sobbing until Shen Xiang said to her: "Don't cry!
No one is bullying you! Little crybaby!"
Yang Shi looked at Shen Xiang reproachfully. "You can't say that
about your meimei!" Shen Xiang was not afraid at all and she made a
face at her mother.In the previous life, Shen Wen always felt that her mother
favored Shen Xiang, Shen Xiang bullied her mother and also did not treat her
well. Now look, Shen Xiang is just a child, What is right and wrong among
children? Mother actually did not take these quarrels to heart at all, so what
is the eccentricity or otherwise? How could she be so small-minded in the first
place? But then again, if her heart was not so biased, she would not have
insisted that she could not return for a thousand years.
After greeting the old Furen and Yang Shi, Shen Wen followed Shen
Xiang with a faltering face. Shen Xiang was very upset when she looked at her.
She felt that her sister was really unlovable. She not only does not like to
practice martial arts and always love to crying, but also has to learn some
rules to make trouble for me.
When they arrived at the classroom, they saluted the Qin Shi who was a
etiquette teaching mama. Qin Shi is fifty years old and has a solemn
face. She accepted their salutes arrogantly. After a few polite sentences, she
said in a tone: "As a women, she has a virtuous and chaste character, she
can't be slack, she is modest and respectful..." Shen Wen yawned. Qin Shi
looked at Shen Wen with a sharp eye and asked in a flat tone, "Miss
Second, what did I just say?"
Shen Xiang looked at Shen Wen in surprise: How could she be more
impatient than herself?
Shen Wen blinked hard as she looked at Qin Shi with her mouth half
open: "What did ...... say?
Qin Shi's corner of the mouth appeared downward lines: "This is the
first lesson, I have not yet spoken three sentences, Miss Second already can
not listen to it?
Shen Wen shook her head in horror, "How could it be? I was the one
who asked my mother to learn the etiquette, how dare I not listen?"
Qin Shi eased down and asked: "What did I say just now?"
Shen Wen blinked her eyes and said, "I... I don't
understand."
Shen Xiang looks at Shen Wen strangely. This meimei is not good at
other things, but she can read early. When she was three years old, she already
could read more books than herself. How can she not understand what she
said?
Qin Shi explained patiently: "Women should be soft as beauty, women
have four behaviors, said women's virtue, women's words, women's appearance,
women's work, women's virtue to modesty and deference as virtue ......"
Shen Wen yawned again.
Qin Shi was so angry that she picked up the ruler and said to Shen Wen,
"You actually yawned again!"
Shen Wen shook her head in fear: " Don't hit, don't hit!"
Qin Shi continued with anger: "Modesty and Deference means that a
woman should be able to tolerate others and hold a submissive intent to
everything and anything ......" Shen Wen covered her mouth with her hand,
but obviously yawned again
Qin Shi shouted: "Stretch out your hand!"
Shen Wen cried and Shen Xiang spoke at this time: "Mama
please stop..My meimei is the most gentle and submissive, let alone talk
about these things!"
Qin Shi looked at Shen Xiang angrily: "Are you a Etiquette mama
or am I? So rude, hand out!"
Shen Wen burst into tears and said: "It's my fault. I can't help it.
As soon as Mama said those words, my ears buzzed and I wanted to
sleep..."
Qin Shi was even more annoyed: "You can't even listen to the lecture
anymore? Go back and copy the Lessons for Women fifty times, and don't
eat until you finish!"
Shen Xiang pulled Shen Wen to salute, turned around and left, while
walking whispered: " Copy it, what's the big deal.”
Qin Shi was so angry that she waved a ruler at their backs: "What
uncultured people!”
On the way back, Shen Wen said with some concern: "How to copy the
50 times of the Lessons for Women ah?”
Shen Xiang waved her hand: "I'll take care of it! Let the Three
Brother's servants help copy it!"
