Sanya was not comforted and said, "Actually, my arithtic is okay, just not as good as my Second Sister, but after thinking about it last night, I feel that neither my aunt nor my Second Sister is as talented as you, Aunt."
Manbao wrung out the towel and wiped her face while looking at her curiously, "So?"
Sanya’s eyes were bright as she said, "So, Aunt, may I learn dicine from you?"
Manbao’s eyes lit up, "That’s not a bad idea."
Seeing her expression, Sanya knew that Aunt agreed and beca excited, "I also think my idea is good. I’ve thought it over carefully; learning dicine from you, Aunt, my mother will certainly stop nagging about being useless and not letting study anymore..."
Manbao: "...So Sanya, why do you want to learn dicine?"
"To avoid farm work, to be able to continue studying," Sanya tilted her head and thought carefully, very honestly, "Farming is too tiring. I think many things my mother says are wrong, but there is one thing especially right: if I don’t have skills and can’t earn money like my eldest sister and second sister, I’ll definitely have to go to the fields, whether I marry or not."
"I’m not afraid of planting seedlings, scattering seeds, cutting beans, wheat, and rice, but I’m afraid of having to wake up before dawn like my mother and carry a hoe to break up soil, weed, and then, after dinner, still have to cut wheat and rice while it’s light. Our family is okay because there are many uncle-cousins to share the heavy work, but in other households, won also have to do such heavy tasks."
She said, "I’m afraid of that."
Manbao was stunned; she didn’t expect Sanya to want to avoid this, but there was nothing wrong with it. Like her, she had a clear goal.
It’s just the goals are not quite the sa.
Manbao hung the towel up to dry and said, "Then you must study hard. Learning dicine is tough; it requires a lot of ntal effort. First, you have to morize many dicinal materials."
Sanya then confidently raised her chin, "I’m not afraid of hardship. Is there any work in this world harder than farming?"
Manbao nodded; although she rarely got into the field, she also felt farming was hard. It’s precisely because it’s hard that her family doesn’t let her do it.
She flipped through her bookshelf and pulled out the handwritten copy of the "Inner Canon of the Yellow Emperor" from back then and handed it to Sanya, "Start with this. Later, when you go to the pharmacy, I’ll teach you to recognize dicinal materials."
Sanya is the only disciple starting from scratch. The ones she’s teaching now, whether Ms.Doctor Liu, Doctor Xiao, or Shao, all have many years of experience and already know the common dicinal materials, so they don’t need her instruction.
Just carrying the book happily, Sanya was stunned and asked, "Do I have to go to the pharmacy? Doesn’t that an I have to go to the capital with you, Aunt?"
Manbao nodded, "You need to follow continuously to learn dicine. Otherwise, how can I teach you?"
Sanya: ... She was only thinking about morizing the book first, and then getting a na for it.
However, going with Aunt to the capital...
Sanya was a bit tempted but hesitant, "This matter might need to be discussed with my parents first."
Manbao casually said, "No worries, I’ll talk to Second Brother and Second Sister-in-law later."
Sanya’s eyes brightened, and she happily said, "Thank you, Aunt."
She hugged the book to leave, saw the wooden basin on the side, and simply stuffed the book in her bosom, picked up the water, and went out to pour it.
Manbao ran to the neighboring large courtyard, where everyone was busy, boiling water, preparing tables. A pig and a sheep were driven into the cow pen, and everyone gathered around to watch the fun.
Their two cows had already been led out to graze, so no one feared scaring them. Everyone pointed at the pig and sheep inside the pen, discussing how to cook their at deliciously.
Junior Ms.Qian saw Manbao and handed her a bun, urging her, "Go outside to eat. They’re going to slaughter the pig soon—it’ll be too ssy; you go play outside first. Co back after they’re done, and we’ll invite the Bai family’s young masters to eat. By the way, is the Bai family’s Eldest Young Master better?"
Junior Ms.Qian was about to suggest inviting him, too, but Manbao said, "He can’t eat these things."
"Then, forget it. You go play first."
Manbao took the bun and ran back inside, picked two books and so paper, put them in the book basket, added her pen, ink, ink stone, and notebook, and carried the basket out the door while munching the bun.
Bai Shan had just woken up not long ago, and was having breakfast with his grandmother and mother. Seeing Manbao munching on half a bun as she entered, he laughed with a snort.
Grandma Liu couldn’t help but laugh and imdiately waved to her, "You’re in luck. We’re having breakfast right now; co and eat with us."
Nanny Liu stepped forward to take Manbao’s book basket, and a maid went to prepare a new set of chopsticks and bowls.
Manbao bowed slightly and sat below Bai Shan, who handed her a bun and smiled, asking, "Why were you kicked out?"
Manbao replied, "Our family is slaughtering pigs and sheep right now."
Ms.Zheng laughed, "Is your eldest niece leaving tomorrow?"
Manbao nodded, "Grandma Liu, Auntie Zheng, please co to our house for the wedding feast tomorrow."
Grandma Liu nodded, and with a smile, said, "Your eldest sister-in-law ca to invite us; we’ll definitely be there tomorrow."
Grandma Liu glanced at her book basket and, with a laugh to the two said, "It’s almost New Year, taking a break occasionally wouldn’t hurt; you shouldn’t tire yourselves too much."
Manbao indicated that they weren’t tired at all, knowing they had promised Daohe to give him a dical book, so she had to write, and Bai Shan had to copy.
Grandma Liu just ntioned it, and seeing the two children being diligent, naturally wouldn’t stop them.
After the four had breakfast, Manbao got up with Bai Shan to excuse themselves politely, and went to the study together.
Ms.Zheng noticed Grandma Liu looking outside and followed her gaze and smiled, saying, "Mother, don’t worry. The two children are well-behaved; they’re supervising each other and won’t cause any mischief."
Grandma Liu nodded, "I know; even if they’re mischievous, it’s only for a mont. They’re both very sensible."
Grandma Liu reached out to Ms.Zheng, who quickly supported her, and the two of them headed to the garden as they did every day after als, it had beco routine.
After contemplating for a mont, Grandma Liu said, "Shanbao is fourteen already; he’ll be fifteen after the new year. It’s ti to consider his marriage proposal. If you have no objections, I’ll bring it up with the Zhou family tomorrow."
Ms.Zheng promptly said, "I’ll go along with whatever mother decides."
Grandma Liu nodded.
The two had discussed this matter in the capital and reached consensus—except back then Zhou family elders weren’t in the capital and several Zhou SiLang couldn’t make decisions, so Grandma Liu didn’t bring it up.
Ms.Zheng secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but the joy in her heart couldn’t be contained. After walking a circle with Grandma Liu, she didn’t return to the house but went to the kitchen instead, personally made many small desserts with the chef, and brought a plate over for Manbao and Bai Shan.
The Zhou Family rarely made desserts because they consu a lot and aren’t filling, mainly because there are too many people in their family.
That’s why Manbao loved coming to the Bai Family to eat dessert.
But she had never eaten so many at once; she picked her favorite type of dessert and then brightly asked Ms.Zheng, "Auntie, is there so good news?"
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