Mrs. Ji said on the side, “They are mother and daughter. Of course they look alike.” Then she turned to Qiao Jinniang. “Destiny makes fools out of people. I never thought what happened in the plays would happen to you and your mother. Mrs. Zheng must be blessing you in heaven.”
It seemed that Ji Wangkui and Zheng Xiao’s grandfather were on good terms, so Qiao Jinniang said, “Yes, thanks to the blessing of my ancestors. I came rashly to visit you today because I wanted to ask Mr. Ji to teach my son, Xi’er…”
Before she even finished speaking, Ji Wangkui stuffed the unfinished mung bean cake into his mouth and took a sip of water. “Don’t even think about it! What makes you think a mere piece of mung bean cake can bribe me to teach the imperial grandson? I won’t be bribed by a piece of mung bean cake.”
Qiao Jinniang: “…”
Lu Chen cupped his hands and said, “Mr. Ji, Xi’er is talented and intelligent. Except you, I really can’t find another suitable teacher for this job. Please teach my son. Xi’er is obedient and sensible and won’t trouble you much.”
Ji Wangkui said, “Everyone likes to brag about their own sons. The late emperor bragged about His Majesty, His Majesty bragged about you, and now you bragged about your own son, but I’m too old to teach.
“Find someone else. I heard that Tao Wen is teaching the imperial grandsons, isn’t he? Isn’t it enough?”
Little Lu Xi said, “Although my father’s teacher is very knowledgeable, he insulted my mother, so I don’t want him to teach me!”
Ji Wangkui looked at the adorable little emperor’s grandson and said, “Oh? How did he insult your mother?”
“He said my mother came from the countryside.” Little Lu Xi said.
“So you think he was insulting your mother by saying that? Does it mean that you also look down on the countrymen in your heart?”
Little Lu Xi shook his head and said, “No, the countryside is fun. There, I can catch fish, shrimp and frogs. Only when farmers grow grain diligently can we have good food to eat and can my mother make good food.”
“Then why do you think it was an insult?” Ji Wangkui continued to ask.
Little Lu Xi said, “My father’s teacher said that my mother was from the countryside, so she didn’t know the Six Arts, but the countrymen also know the Six Arts. My mother didn’t let me practice calligraphy just because she didn’t want my hands to get hurt!”
Ji Wangkui said, “If your teacher and your mother contradict on how to teach you, will you listen to your teacher or your mother?”
Little Lu Xi said, “My mother. My mother is never wrong!”
Qiao Jinniang was a bit embarrassed.
Ji Wangkui said, “To err is human. How can you say that your mother is never wrong?”
Little Lu Xi said, “Mother will never harm Xi’er. Even if my mother is wrong, it’s still for my own good, so I’ll listen to her words!”
Ji Wangkui smiled again and asked, “If your father and your mother contradict, will you listen to your father or your mother?”
Little Lu Xi touched his chin and said, “Still my mother, because my father will listen to my mother in the end.”
Lu Chen couldn’t help clenching Little Lu Xi’s hand. That was not true! In his son’s eyes, he didn’t have the majesty of a father at all?!
Qiao Jinniang said to Little Lu Xi with a little anxiety, “To err is human, but to correct is divine.
“It is inevitable to make mistakes in life, but it’ll be fine if you are willing to take responsibility for your mistakes, ask for forgiveness, and get back on the right path.
“Mother will also make mistakes, but I’ll correct them, as should Tuan’er.”
Lu Xi nodded. “But Xi’er still thinks Mommy will never make mistakes”
Qiao Jinniang had given up hope that the Imperial Teacher would accept Xi’er as his disciple. She picked up little Lu Xi and couldn’t help kissing his little face. “Good boy, Xi’er.”
Mrs. Ji kept them for lunch, and she was very surprised to see Lu Xi eating alone. “Is the imperial grandson already eating by himself at this age?”
“He has been eating by himself since he was two years old,” Qiao Jinniang said.
When they left, Ji Wangkui said to Lu Chen, “Bring Lu Xi over in the morning and pick him up in the afternoon every day from tomorrow onwards.”
When Qiao Jinniang heard it, she was so overjoyed that she almost knelt down to Ji Wangkui. “Thank you, Mr. Ji.”
Ji Wangkui said, “I didn’t promise to teach him knowledge. It’s inappropriate for such a little kid to practice calligraphy or learn some hard-to-understand knowledge.
“Everyone praises him as a child prodigy, but how many child prodigies can still be famous after they grow up? Most of them fail halfway.
“I will only teach him books like the Thousand Character Classic, although he must have already read and memorized them. Hope you won’t blame me for being too slow in teaching.”
Lu Chen said, “No, it is Xi’er’s blessing to be taught by the Imperial Teacher.”
Little Lu Xi whispered, “Mother, If I come here to study, can I still see Brother Bao and Brother Yun?”
Ji Wangkui said, “In case the others say that I’m still involved in politics at such an old age, let his Brother Bao and Brother Yun come along with him.”
Lu Chen and Qiao Jinniang were even more grateful. “Thank you, Imperial Teacher.”
…
Before returning to the East Palace, Qiao Jinniang ordered Yuyan to inform the Prince Chu Mansion and Prince Qi Mansion of this matter.
Consort Chu and Consort Qi were also very grateful. Ji Wangkui was very famous. It was indeed a blessing to be taught by His Majesty’s teacher.
Consort Qi was very worried about her Bao’er, who was not as excellent as Lu Xi and was only interested in food. She was worried that her son might be despised by the Imperial Teacher.
At this time.
A maid came to report that Prince Qi was having an affair with Tong Yingying in the bookstore today, which immediately infuriated Consort Qi, and she ordered someone to go to the bookstore to bring Prince Qi back.
…
The imperial envoy to go to the South to deal with the flood had been decided.
It was Prince Huai, and Qin Shu was appointed as the general to protect Prince Huai. Qiao Lu also followed Qin Shu to the South to gain experience.
Fulu hadn’t been to the South before, so she clamored to follow Qiao Lu to the South.
Qiao Ruoyun also wanted to go to the graves of her parents to pay homage, so Fulu and Qiao Ruoyun went to the South too.
When Qiao Jinniang heard that Qiao Ruoyun and Qiao Lu were both gone, she couldn’t help but worry about Zheng Xiao. Qiao Ruoyi was still an unmarried girl who was under sixteen.
The secret tunnel had been sealed, so Qiao Jinniang took the excuse of sending Xi’er to the Imperial Teacher’s mansion to go to the Qiao Mansion to visit Zheng Xiao.
However, to her surprise, she didn’t see Zheng Xiao in the Qiao Mansion.
Qiao Ruoyi said angrily, “Yesterday, as soon as Brother and Eldest Sister left, Daddy took Mother away at night…”
“Did Mother leave voluntarily?”
Qiao Ruoyi said, “Of course not, but she was about to give birth, so she didn’t dare to resist.”
Qiao Jinniang sighed. “Then you should go back to the Duke Mansion too.”
Qiao Ruoyi said, “No, Sister, I’m going to Xishan Academy. There is a shortage of female teachers at Xishan Academy. Since I have some knowledge, I should go to Xishan Academy to teach.”
Xishan Academy was the school opened by Qiao Jinniang. A few months later, the school seemed to be developing well.
Because many famous teachers went there, many women in Chang’an went to Xishan Academy to study, so it lacked female teachers.
Qiao Jinniang said, “It’s good to go to Xishan, but the conditions there are still poor…”
Although Qiao Ruoyi was born by a concubine, she was still a duke’s daughter, who had been living in affluence since she was born…
