Chapter 14: Heart-Piercing

After the Mid-Autumn Festival, Mr. Yu's illness had also subsided, and everyone returned to the school.

Today, Mr. Yu taught seven-character regulated verse. For Yan Rubei and Zhao Fang, who had already learned this, it was naturally easy. Yao Niang, hearing it for the first time, listened with extra attentiveness.

As the saying goes, a good memory is not as reliable as a diligent pen. She made sure to jot down the key points Mr. Yu mentioned, so she didn't notice the silent exchanges between Yan Rubei and Zhao Fang.

"Xin Sister, do you think what I've done is okay?" Yao Niang asked Xin Wan for advice.

Although Yan Rubei was also very nice, Xin Wan had been more helpful to her, almost sharing everything she knew: "You always respond quickly and have read many books. But if you want to learn poetry, you need to study the works of predecessors. As the saying goes, reading a book a hundred times reveals its meaning, which is true."

Yao Niang found this advice very useful. Looking back, she noticed that Yan Rubei and Zhao Fang seemed uneasy, so she didn't ask further.

Yan Rubei never expected Zhao Fang to be so devious, actually asking her brother to befriend Zhou Lingguang and live in their house, trying to take things from her. Naturally, she felt resentful.

Coincidentally, Ying Niang suggested, "Why don't we go boating on the lake after school today?"

Qian Niang smiled and agreed, and neither Xin Wan nor Yao Niang objected. Yao Niang even added, "We're often afraid of falling into the water when we boat. My mother said she'll take me back to Dongshan next month when my cousin gets married. Then someone will teach me how to swim. If I learn to swim, I can teach you all."

"Third Sister, are you going to Dongshan?" Ying Niang asked.

Yao Niang nodded. "Yes, my cousin is getting married, and my aunt wants to see me. Last time my brother got married, only my uncle came over. They all want me to visit."

At this point, Yan Rubei chimed in, "Third Sister, you're going to your maternal family. I'm also visiting my maternal relatives. I heard that Great Aunt is going to pray, and Second Sister and Fourth Sister will join her. Will the school still be open then?"

Ying Niang laughed. "Sister Rubei, you worry too much. It's just a few days."

"True, we're usually at home. Even when visiting relatives, we only stay a few days. Who would stay at a relative's house forever?" Yan Rubei joked.

This remark was quite hurtful. Normally, Yan Rubei wouldn't say such things, but she was very upset with Zhao Fang and did it intentionally. Unfortunately, it unintentionally hurt Xin Wan.

Zhao Fang pursed her lips tightly, saying nothing. The second branch was now managed by Lady Ming, who was generous and supported the entire branch. Some servants gossiped about her and her brother being freeloaders. Her aunt, unable to conceive, was already troubled and recently became even more depressed because of this.

Xin Wan thought that if her parents were still alive, she wouldn't endure such treatment. Although the Yan family treated her well, it wasn't her own home. When people said such things, she couldn't show anger, or it would reach the matriarch and her aunt.

...

Yao Niang had also experienced similar hardships in the northwest. She was often financially constrained and couldn't speak up because no one would stand up for her. Fortunately, both her parents were there, making things somewhat better. One must learn to appreciate blessings.

A few days later, Lady Jie took Yan Jingzhao and Yao Niang on a boat back to Dongshan. Yan Yingqi personally saw them off at the shore, repeatedly reminding Yan Jingzhao to take care of his mother and sister. Yan Jingzhao nodded in agreement.

As the boat rocked on the water, Yao Niang recounted Yan Rubei's words during dinner: "After Sister Rubei said that, Sister Xin and Sister Zhao looked unhappy."

"Did she really say something like that?" Lady Jie was surprised, as Yan Rubei was always polite and wouldn't speak ill of others.

Yao Niang nodded seriously. "I wouldn't lie to you. Also, every time she gives us food, Sister Xin doesn't like cold drinks, yet she keeps giving her icy bowls. I felt she was treating people differently."

This was why Yao Niang and Yan Rubei weren't close. Yan Rubei treated her well because she was Yan Yingqi's daughter. If she weren't, would she receive the same treatment?

Yan Jingzhao, listening nearby, felt his sister was very perceptive, noticing small details and understanding others' intentions, which was remarkable for her age.

Lady Jie looked at her daughter. "You're too straightforward. People can see through you."

"What's wrong with that? If I'm close to her now, would she still treat me the same if I fell on hard times?" Yao Niang had her own way of thinking, like when she read stories about Sun Wukong. Tang Sanzang said bad people's fates were determined by heaven, but Sun Wukong argued that if heaven truly existed, it wouldn't let bad people bully good ones.

Lady Jie placed a piece of fish in her bowl, sighing. "Eat up, dear."

The Jie family in Dongshan lived in an estate. Lady Jie had two older brothers, local gentry, who were ten years her senior. Their wives treated her like their own daughter. The elder aunt was tall and slim, while the younger aunt was plump. They chatted endlessly with Lady Jie and doted on Yan Jingzhao and Yao Niang.

Their grandfather was still serving elsewhere, while her uncles managed the land and household businesses. Though they had no official titles, they ran the family affairs well.

The cousin getting married was the third daughter of the second uncle's family, seventeen years old. Lady Jie brought several boxes of fine red silk for the wedding, explaining to the second aunt, "These are the best quality red silk. I picked eight pieces. Since it's hot, I included more gauze."

"You've put so much effort into this," the second aunt said, holding Lady Jie's hand.

"It's nothing. Your family doesn't lack silk, but these are imperial-made, adding a symbolic touch."

The Yan family, with officials like Yan Yingqi and the third great-grandfather, received many imperial gifts. While not as prestigious as titled families, they still had some imperial-made items.

In the Jie family, Yao Niang felt different. In the Yan family, she was treated differently, but here, everyone revolved around her. Her sixth cousin, two years older, took her fishing and climbing trees, treating her better than a real brother, becoming her best playmate.

Early in the morning, while she was still combing her hair, her sixth cousin rushed in. "Yao Niang, let's go eat peaches today."

"Okay, I'll go out once I finish combing my hair," Yao Niang smiled.

Before finishing, Yao Niang ran out to play, frustrating Aunt Gu, who complained to Lady Jie, "Your daughter has gone wild here."

Lady Jie laughed. "Let her play. It's better than following strict rules at home."

Yao Niang and her sixth cousin went to the elder aunt's place to eat juicy peaches. The elder aunt told her, "Your uncle heard you liked sweet and sour eel, so he had some caught for lunch."

"That's great. At home, I only had eel noodles, never cooked like this," Yao Niang said happily.

The elder aunt wiped her face and gave her pastries to share with her cousin.

Her cousin ate quietly, while Yao Niang shared snacks from Jin Ling. Clearly interested in Jin Ling, he had only visited Hangzhou before. Yao Niang described many sights: "Fire-breathing performers are common, but some can spray six different colored waters. During my brother's engagement, there were sand artists. Oh, and the envoys from the southern kingdom of Srivijaya wore red clothes with Buddha images. The southern tribes wore pointed hairstyles and black hats, bowing to the emperor as if to their gods."

"Yao Niang, you know so much," her cousin marveled.

Yao Niang smiled. "Sixth Brother, you should hear my father. He knows even more."

A distant relative whispered to the elder aunt, "Sister, your son and the Yan girl seem close. Maybe someday—"

The elder aunt quickly intervened. "My sister-in-law is kind and I like Yao Niang, smart and pretty. But they're young. We'll see later."

The elder aunt's youngest son, Six Lang, was spoiled but not ready for marriage. If he gained an official title, it might be easier to propose.

Yao Niang had finished eating a watermelon and then went shrimp fishing with her sixth cousin. They first used earthworms as bait, and once they caught a shrimp, they used a small piece of the shrimp meat tied to a string. Whether it was cutting the worm or breaking off pieces of shrimp meat, she was full of enthusiasm and didn't find it dirty at all.

"Hey, I caught another shrimp." Yao Niang put the shrimp in a wooden basin, delighted.

If it weren't for Yan Jingzhao coming over, Yao Niang would still be learning how to make cricket cages from Jie Liulang. She thought this cousin could do everything—making cricket cages, flower wreaths, even fishing and playing games. He spoke slowly and could be considered Yao Niang's first good friend.

Even Yan Jingzhao felt a bit jealous when he saw this: "Yao Niang, you've been spending all your time with your sixth cousin these past few days and not playing with your brother?"

"Brother, you have so many sisters, but Sixth Cousin only plays with me." Yao Niang wrinkled her nose, remembering that when she complained to Yan Jingzhao about Ying Niang targeting her, he didn't stand up for her.

Children are different from adults; adults can dislike someone yet still maintain a facade, but children push away those they don't like. However, Yao Niang wasn't just a child; she understood some things but wasn't fully mature like an adult. Therefore, her words struck a chord.

Yan Jingzhao was taken aback, feeling a pang of sourness in his heart.