Chapter 93: Five Academic Dunces
Chapter 93: Five Academic Dunces
After Queen Qi and Su Su finished choosing the tea, she looked up at Aunt Qiu and added, "Add some walnuts too. They're very nourishing for Su Su."
Aunt Qiu happily obliged with a smile.
As long as the Queen maintained her usual habits, they would simply follow suit.
The tea had been prepared in advance and only needed some final touches, although it would still take a little time.
As Queen Qi thought about Su Su's illiteracy, she lowered her head and asked softly, "Su Su, would you like to go to the classroom with your brothers and learn to read and write from now on?"
After saying this, she looked at the little girl's slender arms and legs and continued, "Eat more and nourish your body. From now on, join the physical education classes as well. In case we encounter danger, we won't rely on others. We can depend on ourselves, and if all else fails, we must at least be able to run away!"
Su Su didn't understand, but since her mother had spoken, she was willing to listen.
Thus, she obediently nestled in her spot and nodded.
The little girl's closeness and obedient demeanor made it hard to look away.
Queen Qi found herself gazing at her again and again, feeling that she was just too adorable and captivating.
She hadn't felt this way when she was raising her other two children before.
It was only with Su Su that she truly experienced the joy of parenthood.
The Queen's emotions were a mix of happiness and complexity.
As they spoke, the tea was brought in.
Approaching noon, Queen Qi was concerned that the children might fill up on snacks and not eat a proper lunch, so she didn't have any snacks served.
However, this cup of tea was quite a feast for Su Su.
The jasmine tea was enhanced with sweet almonds and heated milk, removing any gamy flavor. It was then poured into the tea, along with jujubes, walnuts, goji berries, dried fruit, and honey, creating a blend of the tea's refreshing aroma, the milk's rich fragrance, and the sweetness of the plants.
The various scents entwined, filling the air with an enticing fragrance even before it was served.
After slightly cooling the milk, it was poured directly into the tea.
Thus, the tea was still slightly warm.
Aunt Qiu brought over the tea cup and smiled, "Drink it while it's hot, young lady. If it cools down, it won't taste as good."
Looking at the richly-infused tea, Su Su felt both bewildered and excited.
Tea was a luxury for common folk.
In the past, Su Su had only heard that the village head would brew tea to entertain guests.
Tea had once seemed like an unattainable luxury to her.
Now, it was within her reach.
This kind of life and warmth made her unable to distinguish between reality and dreams.
She thought that if this were a dream, it had lasted too long. Su Su liked this dream and didn't want to wake up!
She felt shy about sharing this with her mother, so she quietly confided in the system instead.
Hearing these words, the system felt both heartbroken and protective.
[Su Su, this is not a dream.]
[The hardships are in the past. From now on, what belongs to us is a bright future!]
[Su Su, rest assured and drink. I'm here with you.]
With the system's reassurance, Su Su felt much more at ease.
She reluctantly climbed out of her mother's embrace and sat in a chair beside her.
She didn't rush to drink but sat down and turned to look at her mother.
Queen Qi's heart softened under Su Su's innocent gaze, which was like that of a fawn. Being so close, she could touch Su Su's head with just a lift of her hand. "Go on, drink. Take your time, there's no rush, and don't drink too much. We'll have lunch soon."
Su Su nodded obediently. Seeing that her mother had already started sipping her tea, she carefully picked up the tea cup and took a gentle sip.
Ugh!
So sweet!
The jasmine tea had a light and fragrant taste with only a slight hint of bitterness.
The longan was naturally sweet, and when paired with honey and milk, the sweetness was doubled.
Just a sip of the tea surprised Su Su!
She had never had the opportunity to drink tea before, so she didn't know that tea could taste so good!
It was sweet and fragrant.
The fruits in it were also delicious!
Especially one type of dried fruit, which was a bit hard to bite into, but when chewed slowly, it felt like honey was exploding between her teeth, making it seem sweeter the more she ate.
Because it was so sweet, Su Su even needed to take a sip of tea to dilute the excessive sweetness.
Su Su was amazed by the flavor. After swallowing a mouthful, she turned her head, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Queen Qi, "It's so sweet and delicious, Mother!"
Queen Qi's Eight Treasure Tea did not include the dried fruit and rock sugar.
So, the taste was relatively light.
Hearing Su Su's comment, Queen Qi lifted her head and smiled, "If Su Su likes it, we can make more this afternoon."
This time, Su Su boldly nodded, "Okay, let's make more!"
Seeing the little girl's slight change in attitude, Queen Qi felt a sense of accomplishment.
She didn't know if this was the joy of parenting.
But this feeling was quite pleasant.
At least, she was enjoying it for now.
Unlike the peaceful and sweet atmosphere with Su Su, the Wangfu's classroom was filled with gloom and doom.
After the day's lesson, the teacher began to check each student's previous homework to see if they had reviewed their lessons.
The older ones like Feng Xuan Cang did fine.
But when it came to Feng Xuan Rui...
He had been away from home for a month and hadn't brought any books with him, so he had forgotten everything he had learned before.
Now, he came to class with an empty head.
The teacher waited for a while, but Feng Xuan Rui couldn't recite anything.
The teacher didn't get angry. Instead, he gestured for him to take his book and stand by the back door to review the lesson again before checking his work.
Feng Xuan Rui dejectedly took his book and went to the back.
Being punished in the teacher's class was a common occurrence, and Feng Xuan Rui didn't feel ashamed.
Because he knew that soon, he would have company.
Indeed, before long, Feng Xuan Bin arrived.
Seeing Feng Xuan Rui looking at him, the little fatty smiled, revealing a mouthful of white teeth, "Sixth Brother, I'm here to keep you company!"
The usually rebellious little fatty who often skipped class couldn't be expected to recite his lessons.
The teacher was frustrated, but the Young Master had said that they didn't need to aim for the top scholar; it was enough for them to be literate.
So, the teacher controlled his temper and patiently instructed them.
Necessary punishments were still necessary, even if they were princes of the Wangfu.
If he didn't establish his authority, these young masters would become even more unruly, and the classroom would descend into chaos.
The first round of checking homework went well, with only the two troublemakers holding their books.
By the third round, Feng Xuan Bo silently joined them, book in hand.
Now, there were only five students left in the Wangfu classroom.
The Crown Prince was studying at the Imperial College.
The Second Young Master was studying at Qingyun Academy.
The remaining five academic dunces were stuck in the Wangfu classroom.
The teacher looked at the two remaining young sprouts and couldn't help but sigh.
Why had he agreed to come and teach in the first place?
He could have just stayed retired in the mansion!
(End of Chapter)
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