Chapter 23 Chapter 23 School

Chapter 23

After sending Xie Wenlan away, Jiang Yu asked Du Qing to practice calligraphy in the backyard, while he went to the account office to check the accounts with Wang, the shopkeeper. Because the business was so good, he was

making a fortune every day. Jiang Yu calculated the profit this month and felt it was quite generous, so he took out a sum of money to give red envelopes to the shopkeepers. Wang, the shopkeeper, was very happy, but he said, "How can this be done? It's just our job."

Jiang Yu smiled and said, "Everyone has worked very hard, so just say it's extra reward. If the profit exceeds this amount next month, I will give it to you."

Wang, the shopkeeper, felt that he had really underestimated Jiang Yu before, thinking that they, the scholars, were not good at doing business. Now he thought that it was because he had read books that he was different from others. Although it was also a wine shop, it was less mercenary than those old shops, more elegant, and treated them very generously.

Jiang Yu and Shopkeeper Wang chatted for a while, and Shopkeeper Wang asked about this trip. Knowing that Jiang Yu was doing well, he couldn't help but say, "That's good."

Shopkeeper Wang couldn't help thinking that the Jiang family was also thriving, his daughter married a top scholar, and he had an official position, so he thought that things would only get better and better in the future.

When he thought of this, Shopkeeper Wang felt a little bit of awe in his heart, thinking that he should be more careful in doing things.

When the two came out of the account office, Jiang Yu saw the waiter driving away a ragged woman. She frowned and walked over to ask, "What's going on?"

Seeing that the person asking the question was Jiang Yu, the waiter said with a bit of grievance, "Madam, it's not that I look down on people, but if she looks like this, how can other guests eat when she enters the store?" Jiang Yu understood and said, "There's no need to be so mean, just go and get her some food."

The waiter answered repeatedly and got up to get the steamed buns.

Jiang Yu returned to the backyard after finishing her work. The weather was getting hotter, and Du Qing was sweating after sitting for a while. Cuiping was fanning her with a palm-leaf fan.

Du Qing was very engrossed in reading, and the little girl was sitting upright. Jiang Yu was naturally happy to see her, and walked up to her and said softly, "What book are you reading?"

Du Qing was very happy to see that it was her mother, and stood up and hugged Jiang Yu.

Jiang Yu bent down and picked up the child. The afternoon sun was just right, shining on her daughter's pink face, and even the tiny sweat hairs were clearly visible, like a cute little peach, so she couldn't help but kiss her cheek.

Du Qing giggled, arched her body in Jiang Yu's arms, found a comfortable position, and then asked, "Mom, why are the historical records written about men?"

Jiang Yu was shocked. She hadn't thought about this question before. It's not that she hadn't thought about it, but she subconsciously felt that this was the way it should be. As for why it should be, isn't it because this is the way the world is?

No matter how outstanding a woman is, she will always be locked up in the backyard. It is the duty of a woman to give birth to children for the family and have many children.

Du Qing added, "In the school, they all say that I am a woman, and they don't like to play with me."

Jiang Yu felt heartbroken, but he could do nothing about it. It was already very difficult for Du Qing to enter the school. After all, they did not accept women, and this cold treatment was obvious.

Du Qing was a little unconvinced, "So I wanted to look for outstanding women in the historical records to shut them up, but the result..."

Jiang Yu didn't know how to answer for a while, but heard someone outside say, "Then you should work hard to become the first such outstanding woman!"

A man stood at the door, exhausted. It was Du Haoyu who had been away for many days. He seemed to have not slept well, with dark eyes and unshaven beard, looking very haggard, but he was in good spirits and full of energy. There seemed to be a breeze and bright moon in his smiling eyes, and his temperament was extraordinary.

"Daddy!"

Jiang Yu was surprised and happy. He walked over with his daughter in his arms and asked, "Didn't you say you would be back at the end of the month?"

Du Haoyu scratched his head. He had not even had time to bathe and wash himself because of the rush of the past few days. He did not feel it before, but now that he saw his wife and daughter, he felt that he was too sloppy. He stepped back and said, "I smell all over. Let's go home first."

The family of three walked back. Du Qing

did not care that Du Haoyu was dusty. He leaned over and said, "Daddy, hold me!" Du Haoyu had no choice but to be reluctant to make Du Qing sad. He bent down and picked her up. Du Qing began to nag about her grievances, such as how people often added water to her ink in the school, making it impossible for her to write, and they did not play with her, let alone talk to her.

Jiang Yu was surprised for a moment. It was also the first time she knew that her daughter was so unhappy. It was just that she was busy a while ago, and Du Qing never said anything.

Du Haoyu's eyes gradually turned cold, and he was obviously a little unhappy. "Why didn't you tell me before?"

Du Qing hugged Du Haoyu's neck, with a strange stubbornness on his little face. "Dad, you said that it was not easy for me to go to school. I couldn't give up halfway, and I couldn't back down after being wronged. So I endured it."

Du Haoyu and Jiang Yu looked at each other, and they saw distress and surprise in each other's eyes.

Jiang Yu knew that Du Qing was unusually smart, but he didn't expect that he was so forbearing, so young, and had his own rules for doing things.

Du Qing said again, "Dad, you are right. Since it is not recorded in the historical records, I will be the first person who can shut them up."

Du Haoyu opened his mouth, but in the end it turned into a gentle gaze. He touched his daughter's head and said, "Dad believes you."

Jiang Yu, "..."

Du Haoyu obviously did not sit still and wait for death. He said, "Didn't you say that your teacher is always busy? So, starting tomorrow, I will take time to go to your school and help him share the burden. Well, I will teach you how to write."

Jiang Yu, "..." This is obviously to support Du Qing!

When they arrived at the door, Cuiping had already called the coachman to wait. Seeing Jiang Yu, she hurriedly got up to get the stirrups and helped Jiang Yu get on the carriage.

Du Haoyu was the last one to sit on the carriage. He was afraid that he would smoke Jiang Yu, so he sat near the door. Du Qing did not dislike it at all. He leaned against his father and began to listen to him talk about the scenery along the way.

"I'll take you to see Ninghe River when I have time. It's really magnificent and breathtaking."

Du Qing listened with great interest, seemingly forgetting the grievances he had just felt. Jiang Yu was a little uneasy. Her daughter was too smart. Should such a child who had a photographic memory and was so tenacious at such a young age really be buried in a deep house?

She thought of what Xie Wenlan had said before. What if she could join the Shanggong Bureau? Could she be the pride of her daughter? In fact, didn't Jiang Yu have a desire to display her talents and be on par with those officials in the court? Of course there was, but it was just unfortunate that she never had the opportunity.

The Shanggong Bureau had gone through several generations, but it had declined a bit. The last woman who could compete with the cabinet ministers in the court was a female Shanggong surnamed Qi during the Xiao Emperor's period. Even those university scholars in the court who looked up to the top would respectfully call her "Your Excellency" when they saw her, which showed her prestige.

He was confused for a moment, and when he reached the door of his house, Cuiping called him several times before he came to his senses.

Jiang Yu went to the kitchen to prepare a few dishes that Du Haoyu liked, and took out the cakes he had just made. When he was about to come out of the kitchen, he found that the hall was empty. Cuiping said with some distress, "The eldest girl is practicing calligraphy. She said she would write well so that those who look down on her would have nothing to say."

Jiang Yu walked over and saw Du Qing's small body sitting upright in front of a desk that was several times larger than her, writing seriously and attentively. He was both relieved and distressed, and finally quietly left.

Du Haoyu went to the ear room to take a bath. Jiang Yu went in and collected his old clothes, and asked Cuiping to bring new clothes. However, when he picked up the clothes, he suddenly saw an old sachet inside.

This sachet was like an eight-treasure gourd, and the gold thread on it was delicate and beautiful. It was a pity that it was a few years old, and it had no fragrance, and it was even very old.

Jiang Yu was stunned for a moment, and finally pretended not to see it, and quietly stuffed the sachet into his sleeve, just like before.

Jiang Yu knew that this was the scent sachet given to him by Zhao, Du Haoyu's previous deceased wife. In the past few years when they were together, he had never mentioned it. Jiang Yu almost forgot the existence of this person... Until he saw this scent sachet, Du Haoyu would always carry it with him.

Speaking of Du Haoyu's marriage, it was not arranged by his parents or matchmakers, but he married himself. Zhou had never even seen this daughter- in-law.

It was said that Du Haoyu met her on the road when he was playing, and later they secretly decided to spend their lives together. They did have a period of loving days, but the woman had a short life and died of illness in less than a year. Later, no one knew who spread the rumor that Du Haoyu was unlucky in marriage.

Du Haoyu did not explain and did his own thing. It was when Jiang Yu returned home that Du Haoyu hurried back home.

Jiang Yu thought of Du Haoyu's unruly character. The person who could please him must be an outstanding woman, right?

Jiang Yu got up and went out. Through the window, she saw Du Haoyu hurriedly getting up, searching in old clothes for a long time, and finally finding the sachet, and then she breathed a sigh of relief.

Jiang Yu did not blame Du Haoyu. Who doesn't have a past? The two were not married for the first time, and just like when Du Haoyu chased her to the teahouse before, to Du Haoyu, she was his closest cousin. Wasn't Du Haoyu her closest cousin?

Du Haoyu looked up and saw Jiang Yu standing outside the window. He was a little embarrassed for a moment.

After washing up, Du Haoyu sighed comfortably, feeling refreshed and comfortable. However, he felt a little embarrassed when he thought of the sachet just now. He looked at Jiang Yu and stuttered for the first time, "Ayu, actually..."

Jiang Yu smiled, and the tenderness in his eyes was stronger than the summer sunshine. He said, "Cousin, I understand."

Du Haoyu looked at Jiang Yu for a long time, nodded, and there seemed to be some tears in his eyes.