All Hail Cousin Brother

128 Do You Still Want Me to Live?

Yu Youyao sorted out her cousin’s previous words and added some of her own ideas. After two hours, she had written a lot of words, and could be considered to have completed today’s calligraphy task.

After that, Yu Youyao found Nanny Xu and discussed with her about centralizing and dividing power.

Nanny Xu had come from the palace and was knowledgeable and cautious. With her help, it would definitely be useful.

The two of them discussed until nine o’clock before making a preliminary decision.

After Nanny Xu helped Yu Youyao with bone molding, she went to prepare the medicinal bath. Yu Youyao had already learned the movements of the Flexible Body Technique on the couch. She could easily finish it in ten minutes. After doing it, her bones did not hurt nor did her body ache. Instead, she felt very light and experienced the benefits of the bone molding from the Flexible Body Technique.

Perhaps because she was tired, Yu Youyao was a little sleepy as she soaked in the medicinal bath. She said to Chun Xiao, “Tomorrow morning, go to Ms. Ye and help me take a day off. Tell her that Mother is sick. I want to help manage the household and ask Ms. Ye about the classes she is going to teach. I’ll learn them myself in my room. After I’ve made my notes, I’ll let Ms. Ye check them.”

She still had a lot of things to deal with tomorrow, so she couldn’t go to school.

The next morning, after Yu Youyao finished learning etiquette, she was covered in hot sweat. Her body felt sticky and uncomfortable, and she only felt a little refreshed after soaking in the medicinal bath.

Yu Youyao sat in front of the glass mirror and pouted as she complained, “The weather is getting hotter and hotter. Every day, I wear twelve layers of clothes to learn etiquette. After an hour, the layers of clothes inside are drenched. It’s simply too uncomfortable.”

Nanny Xu smiled but said nothing.

Seeing that Nanny Xu did not reply, Yu Youyao pouted in disappointment. “Nanny, didn’t you praise me for learning etiquette well? Then when can I stop learning etiquette?”

Nanny Xu smiled and said, “At least until May.”

Yu Youyao’s eyes widened in shock. “Nanny, do you still want me to live?”

Nanny Xu patted the little girl’s head. “Nonsense. Look at Master. He wears a thick official’s uniform to court every day, but his expression doesn’t change. You know why I asked you to wear twelve layers of clothes to learn etiquette? In addition to courtesy, there’s also the importance of being restrained. When you’re drenched in sweat, and you can still maintain your expression and act calmly, you won’t have to learn etiquette anymore.”

If she knew etiquette but lacked the ability to control her emotions, it was also bad for her reputation.

Moreover, if Yu Youyao married into an official family in the future and became a mingfu, she would have to wear at least seven layers of clothes to meet the nobles on a hot day. That would be truly unbearable.

In the past, when she was in the palace, she had seen many mingfus. On hot days, they would wear their thick attire and sweat. There were even some who had caught a heatstroke.

“Sigh, it’s really too difficult for me.” Yu Youyao’s face fell again. When it was cold, she had to wear nine layers of clothes to learn etiquette. The morning was very cold. She was not allowed to light up the underground heater in the house, let alone light up a brazier. She was so cold that she was trembling and could not even walk steadily. Her body hurt every day from falling. She had finally adapted to it, but now it was going to be bitterly hot again.

It was really scorching hot. When would this end?!

At this moment, Dong Mei took out an apricot-yellow dress with embroidered red apricot flowers and a short jacket. “Young Miss, are you wearing this today?”

The apricot color was a little more refreshing and beautiful than the pomegranate red, but it wasn’t too dazzling. Yu Youyao nodded. “This is very good.”

Nanny Li nodded. The people in Yu Youyao’s courtyard had all been personally chosen by Old Madam Yu. In the past, before they moved into the courtyard, Nanny Liu had helped to manage Yu Youyao’s room. The maidservants had all followed their masters and were a little undisciplined. Now that they had moved into the new courtyard and were carefully taught, they were all reliable.

Dong Mei was a steady and careful person.

Chun Xiao was considerate and loyal. She also had some tricks up her sleeve, so it was very good for her to serve her personally.

The most surprising person was Xia Tao. Initially, she had only given her a few words of advice when she realized that this girl was smart. Who would have thought that this girl would become someone who had a knack for finding out things? She knew everyone in the residence and could ask about everything in detail.

Even Qiu Xing, who was the least outstanding, was a cautious and quiet person. She did her work well and had never made a mistake.

It was only because the people in the courtyard were reliable that Yu Youyao could arrange a good show yesterday.

After washing up, Chun Xiao also returned from Xiaoxiang Pavilion. “Ms. Ye is going to teach the Book of Rites today. Ms. Ye said that she will go through the last chapter of the Book of Rites. Tomorrow, she will start teaching Spring and Autumn, one of the Five Classics. She will aslo teach the third chapter of the Analects, Eight rows.”

Yu Youyao’s heart skipped a beat.

Yesterday, her cousin had mentioned the “Ritual Dances to Confucius” and “Eight rows” in passing. Eight referred to the emperor, six referred to the princes and dukes, four referred to scholars and two referred to soldiers.

There were a total of sixty four people and eight people in a row. It was the highest form of etiquette.

After talking about Eight rows, it was impossible not to talk about the “Six Rows Sacrificial Dance”. Then, the act of wearing lanshans to respect to Confucius would naturally be mentioned.

It was obvious that Ms. Ye had also heard about the incident with the lanshan.

The Yu family was a family of scholars, so it was impossible for the commotion in the residence to be hidden from her grandmother. A lanshan was nothing much, but if she really wore it out, she would be exposed. It was also normal for her grandmother to ask Ms. Ye to emphasize this etiquette.

Yu Youyao asked Chun Xiao to bring the new tea she had made a few days ago and went to An Shou Hall.

It was rare that her grandmother was still asleep, so Yu Youyao did not ask Nanny Liu to wake her up.

Nanny Liu asked, “Eldest Miss, you’re officially in charge of the household today. Do you want to call the servants over at 7am so that they can familiarize themselves with the people and matters in the residence?”

7 am? Yu Youyao was stunned for a moment before she reacted.

Every ten days, the residence would summon all the servants in the residence to give a lecture and show the dignity of the head of the household. The servants did not dare to slack off.

Hence, she shook her head. “I won’t call for anything.”

Nanny Liu did not say much.

Yu Youyao took a thick stack of papers from Chun Xiao. “If I don’t manage the household, I don’t know the hardships of being in charge. During my first day managing the household yesterday, I felt that the matters in the residence were complicated and messy. After a day, I couldn’t do anything else, so I discussed some ways to manage the household with Nanny Xu. I don’t know if I can use them, so I still need Nanny’s help.”

Nanny Liu was a little surprised, but then a smile appeared on her face. “That’s good. If Eldest Miss’s method of managing the household works, there will be less trouble in the residence in the future. I can also relax a little and serve Old Madam carefully.”

Eldest Miss was magnanimous, kind, and capable. She really resembled Old Madam.

She could even handle the matter yesterday without any flaws. After Old Madam found out, she had a rare good night’s sleep yesterday, but today, she was still asleep.

It was obvious that she was really at ease with Eldest Miss.

Yu Youyao pursed her lips and smiled. “I’m just trying to slack off. Nanny, you’re not allowed to laugh at me.”