Chapter 8 Too many obstacles in learning to read
There was a sand table for setting up troops in the study. Ink was very expensive, so Su Li could not use it. Su Qingtan used the sand table to teach her to write.
Then Su Qingtan was immediately surprised to find that the second sister was very smart. She could understand the simple words as soon as he taught her once, and it took him less than an hour to teach all the basic rhymes.
So Su Qingtan let Su Li practice the basic calligraphy in the study. One of them read books in front of the table, and the other drew in front of the sand table. It was very quiet in the study. Instead of being interrupted, the rustles of the sand made him more peaceful and efficient.
The servant girl, Zhu’er, who had been serving Su Qingtan, saw that Su Li went to the study of the first young master every day. She stamped her feet in anger and hummed:
“How dare you disturb the young master’s reading? I’ll go and tell the Second Madam!”
When the Second Madam heard Zhu’er’s words, she rushed to the Eastern Courtyard at once.
“Young Master, the Second Madam has come to visit you.”
Hearing the message of the servant girl outside the house, Su Li immediately erased the words on the sand table, drew a big smiling face, and hid the calligraphy under the sand table at the same time. Su Qingtan secretly praised, opened the door and saw that it was his mother. He got out of the way and asked,
“Mother, what are you doing here?”
“I just come for a look.”
The Second Madam looked at her son with a loving look on her face. She turned her head and saw that Su Li was in the study. Her face immediately cooled down, “Erya, why are you so ignorant? Your brother’s recommendation is just around the corner. He needs to concentrate on reading. Now that you are in good health, hurry up and go back to the western courtyard.”
Su Li came over cleverly. Her big black eyes looked pure. She graciously saluted and whispered, “Second mother, please don’t be angry. I’ll leave now.”
The Second Madam was surprised. She heard that Erya was eccentric and impolite. Now it seemed that the facts were very inconsistent with the rumors.
Before Su Qingtan reacted, Su Li had disappeared at the door of the study. He could not help complaining, “Mother, why did you drive second sister away? She was so good that she just played on the sand table and didn’t talk. And I can read better.”
The Second Madam pulled a long face and was a little angry, “What? You can’t be careless before you get into the school of the province. I’m doing all these things for you, but you blamed me for Erya?”
Su Qingtan shook his hand hurriedly and made amends: “Mother, you know that’s not what I mean.”
Madam Cui’s expression was much better. And she said immediately, “I will let Zhu’er keep an eye on it. While you are reading, no one will be allowed to come in and disturb you, not even Hao. Got it?”
“Yes, Mother.”
Su Qingtan smiled bitterly in his mind. He had just promised his second sister to teach her to read, but he was about to break his promise at once.
“By the way, how is Erya doing now?”
The Madam Cui asked with concern, but if you looked into her eyes, you would find that there were all kinds of feelings, but there was no concern at all.
“Mother, the injuries on the second sister had been going on for years, and she can’t be well cured in just one month. Though she can get out of bed now, it will probably take months for her to recover.”
At this point, Su Qingtan showed a trace of hesitation.
How could Madam Cui not know her son’s thoughts? She simply said, “What do you want to ask? You don’t need to hesitate before your own mother.”
Su Qingtan flushed and said, “Mother, I would like to ask. Do you know…the reason of second sister’s injury?”
The Second Madam was immediately filled with fury in her heart. Su Erya was not as beautiful as Su Zipei. How could she fascinate her son in just a month? Tan was suspecting her for Erya?!
The Madam Cui was much more disgusted with Su Li at once. But she was not angry. Instead, she laughed and said, “Why? You’re worried about her? Do you suspect that I folded my hands and saw her die?”
“No!” Su Qingtan was surprised and said hurriedly, “How could I think so? I just wanted to ask who hurt the second sister.”
The Second Madam sighed, pretending to be helpless, “Your First Mother is in charge of the back room. I only heard about what happened to Erya. I never thought she had gone through such a hard time.”
“Isn’t the second sister the first daughter of the First Mother? How could she be so cruel? Didn’t father do something about it?”
Su Qingtan asked in disbelief that he really did not want to believe that the Su family was such an indifferent family.
“I don’t know the details. I heard that it was because Erya made a big mistake when she was very young. Well, forget about the old things. All you have to do now is to study hard and live up to my expectations.”
“Don’t worry, Mother. I will.”
Su Qingtan believed his mother’s words and breathed a sigh of relief.
Madam Cui left the study with Zhu’er after giving advice. Before leaving, her phoenix eyes squinted. This coquette, though she was not so good-looking, was good at seducing men like her mother.
“Keep an eye on Erya! Don’t let her get to Tan.”
“Yes, ma’am.”