The Rebirth of Han Yuxi

Chapter 0788 Siblings (1)

After Zaozao was moved to the front courtyard, Yuxi could not resist going to see her that very afternoon. The moment Zaozao saw her, she began to sob loudly and pitifully again, prompting Yuxi to embrace her and cry along with her.

Huo Changqing pressed a hand to his forehead. ”Zaozaoʼs mother, there is nothing for you to do here. You should go back!” The mother and daughter were holding each other and crying. Anyone who didnʼt know what was happening might have thought that he had done something terrible to them both. Come to think of it, despite Yuxi having been married into the family for so long, this was the first time that Huo Changqing had ever seen her cry this hard!

Yuxi wiped away Zaozaoʼs tears and said to Huo Changqing, her voice choked with emotion, ”Zaozao is still young. Practising martial arts for half a day each day should be enough. How could a child endure it if you made her practise all day?”

Huo Changqing replied, ”I didnʼt make her practise all day. It is only two shichen a day.” One shichen in the morning and another in the afternoon was really not much. Back in those days, Dajun and the others trained continuously from morning until night.

Yuxi choked up. Two shichen a day truly was not very much, but seeing the child cry like this made her heart ache. Picking Zaozao up, Yuxi said, ”Itʼs already getting late. I will take Zaozao back with me. Iʼll bring her here again tomorrow.”

Huo Changqing was astonished. ”Didnʼt we agree that Zaozao would live here?” Even her clothes and bedding had been delivered, yet Yuxi was changing her mind now.

Yuxiʼs mind worked very quickly. Almost instantly, she found a reason Huo Changqing could not find fault with. ”I want Momo Quan to prepare a medicinal bath to relieve Zaozaoʼs fatigue and pain.”

Huo Changqing looked at the mother and daughter, whose eyes were brimming with tears, and gave in helplessly. ”All right, but you must bring the child here early tomorrow morning.” Previously, Huo Changqing had felt that Yuxi was becoming increasingly forceful in the way she handled matters, and he had worried that Yun Qing might eventually be unable to keep her under control. Now, however, it seemed that he had overthought it. In Han Shiʼs heart, her husband and child were still the most important things.

Zaozao clung to Yuxi and refused to let go. After they returned to the rear courtyard, Zaozao remained glued to Yuxi, refusing to allow her to take even half a step away. Whenever Yuxi tried to move away, Zaozao cried, afraid that she would be taken back to Huo Changqingʼs courtyard.

After hearing what Yuxi had said, Momo Quan replied, ”Preparing a medicinal bath is not difficult, but have you truly decided not to send her to the front courtyard?”

Yuxi shook her head. ”I will feel more reassured if she remains right under my eyes. It will only be like this at the beginning. Once she has had some time to adapt, she will be fine.” Everything is difficult at the beginning. When she first started studying under Teacher Song, she found it extremely challenging as well. However, once she persevered, everything became better.

Momo Quan breathed a sigh of relief. ”Itʼs good that you can think of it that way.” As long as Yuxi did not intend to break her promise and stop Zaozao from practising martial arts, everything else could be discussed.

Yuxi had another reason for bringing Zaozao back to the rear courtyard. ”Although Feng Dajun and the others are highly skilled in martial arts, they have little literary ability. They recognise only a few characters and are unable to properly write official documents. I cannot allow Zaozao to become like them.” She did not expect Zaozao to become a great female scholar in the future. Still, she could not allow her to become so poorly educated that she would even have to borrow someone elseʼs hand to write official memorials.

Momo Quan nodded. ”Zaozao is still young, so there is no need to hurry. Once she turns five, you can hire a teacher to start her education.” Boys generally began their education at the age of three. As for girls, most families would not hire a teacher specifically for them; they were usually taught by their older female relatives.

Yuxi nodded. ”There is no need to wait until she is five. We can start teaching her to recognise characters now. She doesnʼt have to learn many—just three to five characters a day. Over the course of a year, that will still add up to quite a lot.”

Momo Quan glared at Yuxi. ”Youʼre not thinking of teaching her yourself, are you?” When Yuxi nodded, Momo Quan retorted unhappily, ”Youʼre already so busy. How could you possibly have time to teach a child?”

Yuxi had also considered that question just now. ”Everything has now settled onto the proper track. Wangye is no longer as busy as he used to be, so I can make time too.” Besides, teaching just a few characters a day wouldnʼt take much effort.

Momo Quan knew that Yuxi had already made up her mind. ”Since you have decided, I will not object. Should you have no time, I can teach her when the time comes.”

That evening, after Yun Qing returned and heard that Zaozao had soaked in a medicinal bath, he asked with some concern, ”Is it appropriate for such a young child to soak in a medicinal bath?”

Yuxi replied, ”Why wouldnʼt it be appropriate? Momo Quan only used medicinal ingredients with very mild properties. They will benefit her body without harming it.” After pausing, she looked at Yun Qing and asked, ”I heard that there are also methods for strengthening the muscles and bones. Is that true?”

Yun Qing shook his head. ”I have heard of such methods, but martial arts must be developed through steady, methodical training. Trying to gain an advantage through clever shortcuts is useless.”

Yuxi badly wanted to roll her eyes. ”If such a method truly existed, wouldnʼt the child achieve twice the results with half the effort in her martial arts training?” She merely hoped that the child could have an easier time and would not become so exhausted.

Yun Qing did not argue with Yuxi, as it was clear they would not reach any conclusion by debating the matter. ”Stop thinking about it and go to sleep early. You still have to wake up early tomorrow.”

The following day, Yun Qing did not go out. He stayed at the residence to handle government affairs. Meanwhile, Yuxi went to find Master Yang to ask if he knew how to strengthen a childʼs muscles and bones.

Master Yang nodded and answered frankly, ”There are, but they are all intended for boys. There are none for young girls.” It was not that he looked down on Zaozao. Rather, there were significant differences between males and females. A medicinal bath intended for boys might cause complications for Zaozao in the future.

Yuxi was left speechless. ”Even this is divided according to whether the child is male or female?”

Seeing her reaction, Master Yang casually replied, ”Zaozao will certainly marry and have children when she grows up. What happens if soaking in too much of this medicine makes it difficult for her to bear children?” Boys did not have that particular concern, but Master Yang could not be certain about girls.

Yuxi felt as though thunderbolts were crashing down all around her. Master Yang was certainly thinking far ahead. Nevertheless, it was not the ten thousand ordinary possibilities that one should fear, but the single unexpected one. ”Master Yang, please give me the prescription. I will have Momo Quan and Physician He examine it. If they say it cannot be used, I will forget about it.”

Master Yang raised the tobacco pipe in his hand, took two puffs, and responded, ”When you have a son in the future, I can help strengthen his muscles and bones, but I cannot give you the prescription.”

Yuxi felt somewhat frustrated. ”Honestly, everyone keeps good things hidden away and tightly guarded.” Something so useful should be brought out and used to its fullest potential.

Master Yang was not angry. He pointed out, ”Everyone is like that. If you had a treasure in your hands, you would certainly hide it away and guard it closely, rather than give it to someone else, wouldnʼt you?” Master Yang had also received a share of the miraculous medicine, but he intended to save it for Yu Cong and Zijin. He had no intention of using it himself.

After Yuxi left the courtyard, Gancao, who had been waiting outside, said, ”Wangfei, Da Nainai Yang has arrived.” Da Nainai Yang was Fu Qingluo.

Yuxi knew that Fu Qingluo had certainly come to see Fu Tianlei and Chen Shi. Under normal circumstances, Yuxi would not have interfered and would have simply allowed it. The present circumstances, however, were unusual. Fu Qingluo was more than four months pregnant, and a pregnant woman could not withstand too great a shock. If anything unfortunate were to happen to her at the Yun residence, it would also be difficult to answer to Yang Duoming.

After a momentʼs thought, Yuxi summoned Mama Qu and instructed her, ”Mama, please take Fu Qingluo to visit Chen Shi.” Fu Tianlei had gone out and was not currently at the Yun residence.