Joyful Motherhood in a Rural Family-Chapter 850 - Di Xuan Returns!
Chapter 850: Chapter 850 Di Xuan Returns!
Two days later, Di Xuan also returned to the mansion.
Accompanying Di Xuan, aside from the anticipated Uncle Da Niu and Le Ping, Di Hongyuan had also surprisingly come back.
Now fourteen years old, the recent turmoil had caused Di Xuan to miss the autumn Imperial Examination. However, this suited Liu Sisi just fine. She believed that whether it was in terms of knowledge or something else, having more experience and a clearer understanding, grinding a bit of edge and allowing time for reflection, was always a good thing.
Clad in an ink green long flag, Di Xuan followed close beside the short and elderly Di Hongyuan, laughing and talking as they entered from outside the door. Seeing Liu Sisi’s figure, his eyes immediately lit up!
Di Hongyuan stepped forward briskly to greet her, “I, the minor official Di Hongyuan, pay my respects to the Princess.”
Di Xuan also hurriedly knelt down, “Di Xuan pays his respects to the Princess.”
...
“Please rise quickly, the ground is cold—don’t kneel, be careful of contracting arthritis in the future.” Liu Sisi quickly extended a hand to help them up. These days, with people kneeling at every turn, it really wasn’t good for the knees.
“Thank you, Princess.”
Only then did the two of them stand up.
Liu Sisi smiled and then stepped aside to greet Di Hongyuan in turn.
“Sisi greets Eldest Uncle.”
Di Hongyuan waved his hand, “Sisi, there’s no need for such formalities, we’re all family here. All this bowing and scraping is too much. This time I was ordered to leave the capital, and on my way back, I happened to meet Xuan’er, so I brought him back with me.”
With a light call from Di Xuan, he once again lifted his robe and knelt down on one knee, “Mom, Xuan’er pays his respects to his mother.”
“Stand up. You seem much more mature after this trip. It seems that following your uncle is indeed beneficial,” joked Liu Sisi.
“Mom, not only is uncle’s scholarship profound, he explains the content of the textbooks even more in detail than the teacher does, and with a deeper insight,” Di Xuan hurriedly praised Di Hongyuan.
This claim caused Di Hongyuan to laugh heartily, “Are you saying this because you want your uncle to teach you, child?”
Updat𝓮d from freewēbnoveℓ.com.
“Of course. Although this year’s autumn Imperial Examination was not held, there will eventually come a day when it shall resume. My own scholarship is lacking, so naturally, I need to seek uncle’s guidance,” Di Xuan answered earnestly.
When it came to scholarship, Liu Sisi immediately thought of Chou Chou. Di Yelei had been looking all over without being able to find a suitable teacher. If Eldest Uncle could be the one to enlighten Chou Chou…
However, there were many complications to this matter. Eldest Uncle had to attend court sessions and also teach Xuan’er, would he agree to take on Chou Chou as well?
“Seeking my guidance in scholarship is naturally fine, I just fear that my teaching may not be sufficient and could delay your studies,” said Di Hongyuan.
As Di Hongyuan spoke, his gaze frequently drifted toward Liu Sisi, and upon seeing her frown, he couldn’t help but sigh to himself. After all, one is never quite the same with someone who is not one’s own flesh and blood!
Liu Sisi, for her part, didn’t notice these things. She instinctively looked up, “Eldest Uncle, I have complete faith in your scholarship. I am more than willing to entrust Xuan’er to you. Additionally, I have a somewhat presumptuous request.”
“Please speak frankly, Third Sister-in-law.”
It was a difficult favor to ask, but thinking of Chou Chou’s long search for a good teacher, her cheeks flushed as if on fire, and she braced herself to speak.
“Chou Chou is over five years old now and it’s time for his enlightenment. Lately, Ye Lei has been in and out constantly just to find a good teacher for Chou Chou. Just now, I heard Xuan’er mention seeking guidance from Eldest Uncle. I would like to request Eldest Uncle to initiate Chou Chou’s enlightenment, to guide him onto the correct path. It’s not about gaining fame, but rather about being true to one’s conscience.”
As Liu Sisi spoke, she respectfully bowed deeply.
Di Hongyuan was having some trouble coming to terms with the situation.
“You agree to let me teach Xuan’er?”
Liu Sisi looked at him somewhat surprised, still kneeling and not getting up, “Eldest Uncle’s knowledge is top-notch; for Xuan’er to receive guidance from Eldest Uncle is indeed a great fortune. Why would Sisi disagree?”
Di Hongyuan felt his mouth turn both sour and bitter, “You want Chou Chou to start his enlightenment with me?”
Suddenly he remembered that although it was called enlightenment, the triplets had been with Liu Sisi since they were little. She never hid her calligraphy from the children, and Chou Chou might already recognize hundreds of characters by now.
“I hope Eldest Uncle will not withhold his instruction. Sisi also understands that Eldest Uncle is busy on normal days, but you may as well teach a few days each month, and the rest of the time, Chou Chou could study on his own or visit Eldest Uncle from time to time to learn. How does that sound…?”
Looking at the cautiously respectful Liu Sisi in front of him, Di Hongyuan couldn’t help but sigh; Sisi and Ms. Zhao were indeed very different.
He personally helped Liu Sisi to stand up and promised earnestly, “I will discuss this with Ye Lei before deciding. Don’t worry, Chou Chou is also my nephew, Di Hongyuan; I will certainly not stand idly by.”
With Di Hongyuan’s assurance, Liu Sisi naturally felt relieved.
“In that case, I am very thankful, Eldest Uncle.”
“You guys continue talking, I need to make a trip to the palace to submit a decree.”
Liu Sisi got up in a hurry to see him off, “In that case, Sisi won’t delay Eldest Uncle from going to the palace. Old Cheng, go and accompany Eldest Uncle on his journey quickly.”
“Yes, Madam.”
Waiting until Di Hongyuan left, Liu Sisi turned back to look at Di Xuan, who was playing with Chou Chou, Di Qiu, and the others, and couldn’t help sighing to herself.
Unknowingly, Di Xuan had grown up so much!
Time really does push people to age!
“Second Brother, Second Brother, you promised to bring me some tasty food, you can’t break your promise!” Chou Chou was shaking Di Xuan’s left hand.
To his right, Niuniu was hanging onto his arm, “Nonsense, Second Brother promised me to bring something fun. Second Brother is not like you, who breaks promises. Later, I won’t even let you play with it.” With that, she even made a face at Chou Chou.
“Everything is there, no need to hurry.”
Di Xuan was also very happy, and quickly directed Le Ping, who was behind him, to take out the baggage, “The things I brought for you are all in the baggage that Le Ping is carrying. Toys are for Second Sister, and food is for Third Brother, go over and get them.”
The two children could no longer hear these words. They immediately let go of Di Xuan’s arms and hopped around Le Ping.
Laughter and quarreling occasionally carried over, “This is mine! This is mine… Don’t snatch! This is what Second Brother brought for me…”
Seeing his brother and sister-in-law in laughter, Di Xuan couldn’t help but smile himself.
“Xuan’er, take a seat, tell me what has happened along the way?” Liu Sisi greeted him with a smile.
“Thank you, mother.”
Di Xuan sat down as instructed, thought briefly, and then began recounting, “We relied entirely on Uncle Da Niu on this journey. Following mother’s instructions, we left West City and headed westward, stopping near the Great River Mansion to settle down temporarily. To stay abreast of the movements in the capital, Uncle Da Niu took me and Le Ping to disguise ourselves as father and son, carrying goods at the hostel. Although it was hard work, we led a simple life with three meals a day. Later, when we learned from the passing merchants that the capital had lifted the ban and that the Di Residence was safe, we hurried back. Unexpectedly, we met Uncle on the road and took a carriage ride back to the capital city.”
