Time Travel: The Noble Family-Chapter 1369 - 559: The Art Exhibition (Part 1)

Tingzheng returned home, and Madam Lin quarreled with him.

Tingzheng was already in a bad mood due to the troubles at the Earl of Pingyang’s Mansion, and now with Madam Lin causing a scene, his mood worsened. He said, "I have told you, you should manage the back courtyard; the front courtyard is not for you to interfere with."

Tingzheng received the most orthodox education, which dictated that men handle external affairs while women manage the internal. Lin Qinghan’s generous gifts to the Lin family had already crossed Tingzheng’s red line, and now she was keen on meddling with his business, which, backed by the words of the Chief Steward, made Tingzheng suspicious of Lin Qinghan.

Madam Lin, her face flushed with anger, replied, "I never intended to meddle in the affairs of the front courtyard." She merely felt that the monthly household allowance was too meager. If she managed the finances, she could spend as she wished, no longer constrained.

Tingzheng understood Lin Qinghan’s thoughts, his expression turning somewhat cold: "A monthly household allowance of one thousand taels, and you still find it insufficient. So, tell me, how much would be enough?"

Tingzheng was not ignorant of financial matters. Back then, Yueyao feared Tingzheng would be as unaware as she was about the importance of money, so he began managing the Tian Zhuang at age thirteen. The Lian family did not have many members, only around sixty in total, making the monthly expenditure of one thousand taels of silver quite sufficient.

Lin Qinghan felt frightened at the sight of Tingzheng’s demeanor.

Tingzheng, unwilling to continue the conversation, waved his sleeve and left. The attendant beside him asked, "Old Master, where are we going?"

Tingzheng thought for a moment and replied, "To the Li Mansion." Apart from Yueyao, he was closest to the Li family, and fortunately, Lin Qinghan’s relationship with the Li family was not bad. This "not bad" was, of course, relative compared to Yueyao.

When Tingzheng arrived at the Li family, Li Guoxing happened to be at the residence. Seeing Tingzheng, and recalling certain matters Lady Li had recently mentioned, he said, "Come with me to the study."

In the study, Li Guoxing asked about the matters within the Infantry Camp. Tingzheng seriously recounted some incidents within the residence.

Li Guoxing nodded, then shifted the topic: "Rumors outside say you’ve had a falling-out with Yueyao. What’s going on?" Li Guoxing was busy with countless matters daily, without time to manage even the affairs of his own family, let alone Tingzheng’s household. But the issue had blown up to such a degree that it was impossible for Li Guoxing to remain unaware.

Tingzheng hurriedly said, "Uncle, there’s no truth to that. My sister and I do have some disagreements, but it’s nothing like the rumors outside."

Li Guoxing would not pry into the specifics of Tingzheng and Yueyao’s disagreements. These domestic affairs were not his concerns, he merely said: "Tingzheng, Yueyao has been your sister since she was eight. At that age, other children are still coddled by their parents, yet your sister protected you and safeguarded the second branch’s estate, putting in tremendous effort and nearly losing her life. Tingzheng, without your sister, you could not have grown up safely, nor achieved what you have now."

Tingzheng did not clearly remember the events of his childhood. More precisely, Yueyao had never told him about her experiences in the Lian Mansion, leaving him ignorant of the past events. He only knew that the Lian family treated them poorly, not how much Yueyao had sacrificed for him.

Recalling An Zhichen’s words from before, Tingzheng asked, "Uncle, did Father stop me from pursuing martial pursuits back then?" Tingzheng was not very clear on this matter.

Li Guoxing nodded, "Yes, back then Lian Dongfang said if you dared pursue martial arts, he would expel both you and your sister from the clan. I later learned that your sister managed to make Lian Dongfang compromise, though I don’t know how."

Tingzheng muttered, "I knew nothing about this."

Li Guoxing continued, "Back in the day, your sister bore the pressure of the Lian family to seek assistance from your uncle in finding a tutor, just to prevent you from attending the Clan School. When Lian Dongfang pushed her to the brink, she let go of her pride and became a study companion for a young lady at the Marquis Jingning’s Residence, merely to find a stable base for you both. She later pleaded with me to take you to Shandong, to shield you from the Lian family’s restrictions on pursuing martial pursuits. Your acceptance into the Cavalry Camp was also due to her appeal to the Marquis Jingning. What your sister has done for you extends far beyond this, but she never spoke of these deeds. Tingzheng, just because your sister remains silent doesn’t mean you can overlook these things." Li Guoxing did not spell it out explicitly, but the implication was clear: Yueyao’s kindness and sacrifices for him were a debt he could never fully repay. If he dared to act against Yueyao, it would be tantamount to ingratitude.

Tingzheng was left speechless.

Suddenly, Li Guoxing asked, "After you got married, how much did your sister allocate to you?"

Tingzheng instinctively answered, "Two hundred thousand taels of silver."

Li Guoxing, hearing this, said, "Tingzheng, I’ve told you before, when evaluating people and matters, you can’t just look at the surface, rely solely on what you see and hear; you must feel and assess with your heart. By doing that, you’ll discern who genuinely cares for you." Following the dispute between Tingzheng and Yueyao, Li Guoxing had inquired with Lady Li, who recounted the deeds Lin Qinghan had been associated with. However, at Li Guoxing’s standing, even if he disapproved of Lin Qinghan, he wouldn’t speak ill of her in front of Tingzheng.

Both Li Guoxing and An Zhichen, being in high positions, shared similar perspectives on this issue, agreeing that the main fault lay with Tingzheng. The difference was, An Zhichen had no patience with Tingzheng, and when Tingzheng consistently shielded Madam Lin, An Zhichen immediately distanced himself. However, Li Guoxing had always regarded Tingzheng as a son, holding deep affection for him, thus, after learning what Tingzheng had done, he patiently guided him.