Chapter 5 The Scholar’s Wife
The scholar was wearing a blue robe and looked handsome. Although the clothes on his body had been washed a lot and the color had faded, they were very clean and spotless.
The scholar in the blue robe originally planned to take a step back and stay away from trouble, but he did not expect that his move was seen as standing up for the woman, which made him very helpless.
He sighed and smiled slightly: “Young lady, did your head hurt or not?”
The woman blushed slightly, bowed her head shyly, and said, “It hurts.”
The blue robe scholar continued to smile gently and said. “Since it hurts, why don’t you go to the medical clinic to see the injury first?”
The woman’s face stiffened, and she couldn’t go on crying.
The blue robe scholar seemed to be unaware, and continued, “It’s really unsightly to see so much blood. Besides, with so much blood, young lady don’t you feel dizzy? did you feel nausea?”
Before waiting for the woman to answer, the blue robe scholar robe said: “Probably young lady thinks that only by kneeling here until she dies, and the blood is drained, can junzhu be criticized and punished, and you will be treated with justice, right?”
The last two words were asked in an extremely gentle tone, but it made the woman’s face turn pale, and looked at him in disbelief.
Sitting in the carriage, Liu Fang almost laughs out loud. She probably understood the woman’s inner voice: Are you a devil?
Anhe was also very happy watching this, and even forgot the wound on her forehead.
“Not bad, this scholar has seen enough and said enough.”
Liu Fang smiled, “He is earnest in caring for the sufferer.”
Anhe chuckled, “Yes, it was really earnest.”
Liu Fang smiled, this scholar was a good person, his mind was clear and calm, didn’t lose his mind when saw a beautiful woman, and most importantly, he was pretty good-looking.
Being born in Duke Liu Mansion with high value in appearance. Liu Fang’s aesthetic vision has also improved a lot. At least, there were very few people who can impress her and make her feel good-looking.
Anhe looked at her younger sister’s radiance face and then looked at the blue robe scholar outside. An oval face with flying eyebrows on his temples, slightly slanted phoenix eyes, a high nose and thin lips. He was tall and upright, his black ink hair was all tied up. Although the clothes were simple and looked very old, but they were spotless.
Overall, a modest, self-disciplined gentleman. And it seems that the brain was also very good.
Compared with the other scholars next to him, especially the one who has just spoken up, the blue robe scholar stood out from the crowd.
Anhe smiled, her charming face was full of understanding, and when they passed the group of people and went up the mountain, she said to Liu Fang, “Good little sister, little Anfang, tell elder sister, did you like that scholar?”
Liu Fang nodded with a smile, “Well, this person is not bad.”
“Oh…” Anhe looked at her meaningfully and smiled.
Madam Liu never had any plans for them to marry for the sake of the family. From the eldest sister to her, to Anfang, it was always the best fit.
Therefore, the eldest sister who was born of blue, but beat blue, married to Duke Zhen Mansion.
[Qing chu yu lan er sheng yu lan (青出于蓝而胜于蓝) literally meaning green is born of blue, but beats blue is Chinese idiom used to describe a person who becomes better than his/her predecessors]
The shrewd and sophisticated fifth elder sister married the eighth prince and became the princess consort;
The eighth sister, who was equally intelligent, married into the eldest princess family.
As for the second sister, who has a mild temperament, she married the eldest son of Jiu family from the imperial academy;
The bold and vigorous third elder sister married the second son of the General’s Mansion in Zhenyuan;
The sixth elder sister was simple and honest and was married to the concubine son of Marquis Anyang Mansion. The sixth brother-in-law’s biological mother died young, and he was separated from the mansion as soon as they got married. He has honest temperament, and lives the life of a rich landlord by guarding the divided fields.
The seventh elder sister was obedient and submissive, so she married Madam Liu nephew, the youngest son of Prince Wang Cheng, a great painter and calligrapher who liked to travel in the mountains and rivers.
The ninth elder sister Aiqin who was obsessed with zither happened to meet the youngest son of the seventh family of an old and well-known family, who was also a fellow man, so she married the Confucius family.
The tenth elder sister likes to do carpentry and carving, and Madam Liu racked her brain and found the nephew of the Ministry of Works to match her.
Eleventh elder sister, Twelfth elder sister…
All sisters’ marriages, no matter what kind of family, in the end, the people who married were very suitable for them: They had the same hobbies or like-minded interests. In short, they did not sacrifice the marriage for the family.
When it came to her, Anhe’s future husband’s family was also very much in line with her heart – the youngest son of Count Wenyi, he, like An He, liked to play and eat.
Therefore, in Anhe’s heart, it doesn’t matter who Anfang marries, the important thing is that she likes it.
Yes, it’s that simple.
It’s just that, since she was a child, Anfang, this youngest sister, didn’t particularly like anything. When she ate something delicious, she was not like Anhe who had to ask for a lot. She can eat anything.
She did not show a special love for money, nor did she say that she particularly liked to do something.
She also learns qin, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, wine, and tea, and she likes them a lot. She was also very happy and earnest in learning needlework, cooking, and housekeeping
She seems to like everything, but she doesn’t like it very much.
Therefore, Anhe and their other brothers and sisters have always been worried about her, worried that she will be wronged in the future.
To be honest, with so many brothers and sisters in the family, the real good-natured one was definitely not the sixth elder sister Anwan, nor the seventh elder sister Anmo, but the youngest sister Anfang.
The sixth elder sister was honest and sincere, but she was not a selfless fool who was willing to suffer losses. You can take advantage of her, but next time you don’t let her take it back, this is not over!
The seventh elder sister, Anmo, was indeed submissive, but as a sister from the same biological mother, Anhe was very clear that the seventh elder sister has a very small heart. If you provoke her, she will never make you feel better. And it was still the kind that you will never forget, and never want to try again.
As for the other brothers, heh, Anhe will tell you that none of them are to be messed with. Usually, the most simple and honest ninth elder brother Anjin was a sesame-stuffed bun, let alone others. Don’t be sold and still count the money for him.
[Sesame-stuffed bun is a Chinese metaphor for someone who looks harmless but the inside was very deceptive like a bun white on the surface and black on the inside]
[Mai le hai ti ta men shu qian (卖了还替他们数钱呢) being used by others. Not only do I not know that I am being used by others, but I feel that others are helping me, so I am very grateful to others]
Anyway, in Anhe’s eyes, there were only four people in the whole family who was simple: the father⎯⎯Duke Liu, Qi Yiniang, the youngest sister⎯⎯Anfang, and herself.
It was not that Anhe didn’t know how to scheme, but she was too lazy to use her brain, and her IQ was not comparable to other brothers and sisters.
Father, Duke Liu didn’t need to mention it. If it wasn’t for him being their father, he treated them well every day. I’m afraid he would have been coaxed around by his sons leaving nothing in the end.
Don’t mention Qi Yiniang, she was just a fool.
The youngest sister, Anfang was able to endure, especially tolerable. Or rather there were many things she can disregard neither did she care.
She only cares about two things: family and sincerity.
Such a fool, let Anhe and the others sisters and brothers all think that the youngest sister was too kind and easy to be bullied, and she will definitely be wronged in the future.
Usually, the more sensible and pure a person was, the easier it was for them to be hurt and let down.
Her family must be reluctant to let her down and hurt her, but what about her husband in the future? What about her children?
So Anhe and the others were really worried about Anfang.
Seriously, they wanted Anfang not to get married, stayed at home and was raised by the eldest brother. They could even take turns raising her together. Staying for one month in one family then it will take three years for a round.
It was really nothing for them, and they can definitely afford it.
It’s just Madam Liu disagreed, saying that she always had to know what the future will be like. If she didn’t even try, then even if they raised Anfang for the rest of her life, she might not be happy.
Anhe also felt that Madam Liu was right. At least, let the little sister choose how to live her own life. Instead, let her family arrange her life with the thought it was good for her.
Maybe they can arrange Anfang’s future well, but it didn’t necessarily mean that she was really happy.
Life was only a few decades, and being happy was the most important thing. The other things were really not that important.
As for Anfang’s crush on a poor boy? Oh, it doesn’t matter. As long as these older brothers and sisters can stand up, the younger sister can live whatever she wants in the future, and no one can bully her.
Even if there was such a day, Anhe feels that in the end, it must not be Anfang who will suffer, but the person who bullied her.
There was no other choice, who make their brothers and sisters so protective.
The carriage arrived on the mountain safely and steadily. Anhe and Anfang got off the carriage, went to the front carriage and helped Madam Liu to get off, and then entered the Anguo Temple with Madam Zhen and their eldest sister⎯⎯Ansu to offer incense.
Anguo Temple was worthy of being a national temple. Not to mention the area, the temple itself was tall and majestic, and the scenery was also very good.
Anhe accompanies her mother, eldest sister, and younger sister for a while then wasn’t very happy to continue to accompany them.
Madam. Liu and Madam Zhen also planned to listen to the scriptures. The eldest sister, Ansu, has been married for many years. Naturally, she has to accompany her mother-in-law. Besides, she was much older than Anhe and the others. It was said that she was an elder sister, but actually feels like a mother to her younger sister.
Seeing Anhe’s eyes looking around, it was obvious she couldn’t stay sat still any longer, Ansu smiled, turned to Madam Liu and Madam. Zhen and said, “Mother, mother-in-law, I’ll accompany you to listen to the scriptures. The younger sisters are still young and rarely go out, so let them relax and let them go for a walk in the temple.”
Anhe stuck out her tongue in embarrassment.
Madam Liu waved her hand angrily, and said, “Forget it, it can be seen that you can’t wait any longer, go, go ahead. But you have to take good care of your sister, and you are not allowed to only care about your own fun.”
Anhe took Liu Fang’s hand and saluted with a smile, “Well, mother, your daughter must keep an eye on younger sister, don’t worry.”
“Go.”
Anhe also pulled Liu Fang to salut Madam Zhen. Then took the maids to wander around.
Madam Zhen watched them go away, smiled and said to Madam Liu: “It’s still your daughters, and they are obedient and well behave.”
Madam Liu smiled, “You haven’t seen the time they were naughty.”
Madam Zhen smiled and shook her head, “Children, it was best to be lively and full of vigor. If it was like a wooden man, what’s the fun? For people like us, it was enough for the children to be sensible and reasonable and don’t need to achieve anything.”
Madam Liu smiled and nodded, “You are right. Seeing that they are about to get married, the days in their parents’ family are getting fewer and fewer, isn’t it good to let them be happy for a few days? After getting married, it will be busy and will not have time to relax.”
“Isn’t it…”
Madam Liu and Madam Zhen were good friends when they were young, and their temperaments were very similar. Otherwise, they would not marry their eldest daughter to her eldest son. Therefore, every time the two meet and talk, they werre very casual.
In this regard, Ansu was also not surprised.
She only instructed the servants to pay attention to the two younger sisters, and she followed the two mothers to the side hall to listen to the scriptures.
Speaking of Anhe, she dragged Liu Fang all the way, turned left and right, and unknowingly came to the forest in the back mountain.
“It’s a bit interesting here. It is said that it is the calligraphic treasures left by the poor scholars who stayed in the temple. Some of them are still a bit talented…”
At Anguo Temple, in addition to the peach blossom forest, the pear blossom forest, and the plum forest. There was something interesting about the bamboo forest, the biggest attraction was the large collection of ancient stone tablets at the back mountain.
There were some classic works left by great scholars, and there were also immature works left by underprivileged students. In short, it was quite interesting to watch a hundred schools of thought.
Anhe and Liu Fang also studied in the Duke Mansion since childhood. The education in Duke Liu Mansion was still very good. At least they can learn literature and martial arts, and also invited talented people to teach them. Therefore, although the sons and daughters of Duke Liu Mansion were not well-known outside, in fact, all of them were proficient and had their own strengths.
