Time Travel: The Noble Family

Chapter 152: Chapter 63: The Loving Heart of Parents in the World (Part 2)_2

After all the maids had left, Yueying spoke in a voice as soft as a mosquito’s, “Third younger sister, do you think you could ask if the Li family is still accepting students?”

Yueyao immediately understood what Yueying was referring to and without thinking, she refused, “Eldest sister, the Li family doesn’t accept students. Mr. Zhu is a private tutor hired by Uncle Li for Li Han. Uncle Li only learned that our grand uncle and my uncle were looking everywhere for a tutor for Tingzheng, and he made an exception to let Tingzheng study with Li Han because of my father. Eldest sister, Uncle Li and my father are close friends. The Li family hired a private tutor for their son, not a school, and they don’t randomly accept students.”

Yueying asked, “Third younger sister, could you please ask for me? Maybe the Li family would agree.”

Yueyao shook her head apologetically, “Eldest sister, I’m really sorry, but I can’t help you with this.” Not to mention that the Li family doesn’t accept students, even if they did, she would not recommend Tingchao to study at the Li family. Tingchao, already nine years old, would skip classes and wasn’t diligent; having him learn was like asking for his life. If Tingchao were to go, she would also have to worry about him bad influencing Li Han and Brother Zheng!

Although Yueyao knew that Tingchao acted this way because Lady Mo deliberately indulged him, what could she do about it? Tingchao had both parents and even a grandmother from afar, so there was no reason for her, a cousin, to manage such matters—it would only be like looking for trouble on a full stomach.

Yueying wanted to say more, but Yueyao said, “Eldest sister, if there’s nothing else, I should go back.” Yueyao quickly left. She really did not want to continue hearing Yueying’s pleadings. Even when asking for a favor, one should ask for something reliable. It was clear this was a difficult favor to ask for. She had a good impression of Yueying before, but this matter had drastically lowered her opinion.

Nanny Deng softly asked, “Miss, what did Eldest Miss want with you?” Nanny Deng worried that her lady might have agreed to something inappropriate.

Yueyao gave a light smile, “Nothing important, let’s go back!” Since she hadn’t agreed to the request, there was no need to talk about it. Still, Yueyao wondered why Yueying had approached her about such a matter!

Yuehuan returned to the courtyard and noticed a particularly low atmosphere in the Hibiscus Garden; the maids’ faces were also filled with worry. Yuehuan asked in surprise, “What happened? Where is Maternal Auntie?”

A maid whispered, “Maternal Auntie is still in the main house, she hasn’t returned. Miss, please have your meal first!” Everyone seemed to understand the situation inside.

Yuehuan wanted to go to the main house to find Maternal Aunt Su, but the maids stopped her. Yuehuan barely managed to eat her midday meal and was coaxed to take a nap. Yuehuan was not foolish: “Has something happened to Maternal Auntie? Tell me, don’t think about hiding it from me.”

Under Yuehuan’s persistent questioning, Hong Mei finally revealed the truth, “Maternal Auntie truly was in Madam’s courtyard, but during her attending, she accidentally spilled soup on Madam’s clothing. Furious, Madam made Maternal Auntie kneel in the courtyard.”

Yuehuan immediately rushed to Lady Mo’s courtyard. As she entered, she saw Fourth Maternal Auntie kneeling in the middle of the courtyard. Sweat beads covered Maternal Aunt Su’s forehead, and she looked on the verge of collapsing. Yuehuan cried out, “Maternal Auntie…” Is there no humanity, making Maternal Auntie kneel in the courtyard under such a scorching sun?

Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ƝօνǤօ.сο

Seeing Yuehuan charging over recklessly, Maternal Aunt Su knew that this behavior would only anger Madam more, leading to an uncontrollable situation. Anxiety welled up in her, but ultimately, she managed to suppress her inner anxieties and softly said, “Fourth Miss is here, quickly pay your respects to Madam.”

However, Yuehuan refused to heed Maternal Aunt Su’s advice and directly stormed into the house. Seeing Lady Mo leisurely drinking tea, she thought of Maternal Auntie kneeling in the courtyard, “Madam, why are you punishing Maternal Auntie?” Even if she was naive, she couldn’t believe that Maternal Auntie would actually spill soup on Lady Mo, and even if it truly was an accident, she didn’t need to kneel from morning till now.

Although she had not been here long, she could feel Maternal Aunt Su’s loving heart. She truly regarded Maternal Aunt Su as a mother, which is why she was especially angry.

Lady Mo feigned kindness in front of Yueyao not just because Yueyao was valuable, but also because of her special status; for the sake of her own reputation, she had to treat her well outwardly. However, in front of Yuehuan, she no longer needed to pretend. Lady Mo put down her teacup and glanced coldly at Yuehuan, saying, “After learning manners for so long, you’ve only learned to shout at me. It seems all that learning was in vain.” Previously, this maid had been quite obedient, but it seemed she had developed a bold streak after her fall.

Seeing that Lady Mo hadn’t even raised her eyebrows, Yuehuan’s veins bulged as she exclaimed, “Madam, Maternal Aunt Su has been kneeling all day; how much longer will you have her kneel?”

Lady Mo gave a slight smile and was about to speak when Maternal Aunt Su staggered in. She had been kneeling for so long that her legs were unsteady, and she had to feel for the door to steady herself.

After catching her breath, Maternal Aunt Su knelt on the ground and kowtowed to Lady Mo, “Madam, Fourth Miss suffered brain damage from her previous fall and is not very coherent. Please, Madam, in consideration of Miss Su not yet being healed, spare her! This is all the maidservant’s fault, please spare Fourth Miss!” Maternal Aunt Su’s head hit the Greenstone tiles with such force that she bled from her forehead with each knock.

Yuehuan, who wanted to speak, was so frightened by the sight of blood on Maternal Aunt Su’s forehead that she couldn’t utter a single word. Maternal Aunt Su crawled beside Yueyao, trying to pull Yuehuan down to kneel as well.

Unable to move her, she pleaded, “Fourth Miss, quickly apologize to the Madam. Miss, you must quickly apologize.” Nothing major would have happened, but if they left Fourth Miss’s behavior unchecked, things could spiral out of control.

Yuehuan felt terribly cold inside as she saw the blood on Maternal Aunt Su’s face. Although she initially resolved never to kneel, she eventually submitted under Maternal Aunt Su’s pleading and knelt down numbly.

Maternal Aunt Su anxiously said, “Fourth Miss, quickly apologize to the Madam. Won’t you apologize?” The child was so stubborn; she had not always been this way.

Lady Mo, expressionless, stated, “Considering your amnesia, you will copy the ‘Female Precepts’ twenty times. You may come out once you finish copying them.” If it weren’t for her damaged brain, the punishment would not have been just copying the ‘Female Precepts’ twenty times.

Maternal Aunt Su sighed in relief, pulling Yuehuan to kowtow while repeatedly saying, “Thank Lady Madam for her grace, thank Lady Madam for her grace.”

Lady Mo glanced at Maternal Aunt Su, “Seeing as you have served me diligently for so many years, I will let this go. But do not mistake my forgiveness for leniency if there is a next time.”

Upon hearing this, Maternal Aunt Su stiffened but quickly responded, “Madam, rest assured, the maidservant will not dare to offend again.”

Yuehuan allowed Maternal Aunt Su to pull her back to Hibiscus Garden, returning without uttering a word. Although Yuehuan had always known that the position of Maternal Auntie and daughters born of a concubine was low, she had not realized it was so abjectly low. She did not know what to say or what to do anymore.

Back in Hibiscus Garden, Maternal Aunt Su did not let the maids wash her. Instead, she had Yuehuan do it. She wanted Yuehuan to remember this moment firmly so that in the future, she wouldn’t take Maternal Aunt Su’s words as mere wind and would avoid making even greater mistakes.

While applying medicine to Maternal Aunt Su’s forehead wounds, Yuehuan’s hands trembled. Upon seeing that her knees were also bloody, her legs went weak, and she knelt on the ground, hugging Maternal Aunt Su and weeping profusely.