My Lady Always Lacks Ambition
Chapter 122 - 123 Are You Teaching Me Rules? (2-in-1)

Chapter 122: Chapter 123 Are You Teaching Me Rules? (2-in-1)

In those past years, every Mid-Autumn Festival, Qin Liuxi either spent the holiday with a few servants at the old residence, practiced cultivation at the Daoist Temple, or went out to practice medicine. It was not like this year, where the whole family gathered together to celebrate.

Before dawn, Qin Liuxi rose to meditate in her room, and after completing a Grand Circulation, she leisurely freshened up, changed her clothes, and went over to Mrs. Wang for the morning and evening greetings.

By the time she arrived, Mrs. Wang was already up, in the middle of speaking with Aunt Wan. Qin Mingchun stood below, sitting up straight with his pair of bright eyes occasionally glancing towards the entrance. Upon seeing Qin Liuxi, he subconsciously stood up.

Qin Liuxi glanced at him, stepped forward to greet Mrs. Wang and Aunt Wan.

Mrs. Wang smiled and lifted her hand, "No need for formalities."

Seeing Qin Liuxi perform her greetings, Qin Mingchun came over and bowed, "I greet my elder sister."

"Mhm," Qin Liuxi nodded, "Bring me your calligraphy practice sheets."

Qin Mingchun’s small body shivered, looking towards Mrs. Wang and then to Aunt Wan, his eyes pleading for help.

Aunt Wan avoided his gaze, looking down at her hands with pity and sighing; once slender jade-like fingers had now coarsened, how pitiful.

Mrs. Wang, however, smiled and said, "Quickly bring them for your elder sister to give you some pointers."

Qin Mingchun hung his head low. Ah, there was no escaping it.

He shuffled his little steps to his desk, fetched the calligraphy sheets he had copied recently, and walked slowly over. Before handing them over, he reminded, "Elder sister, I am just five years old this year."

In other words, be gentle with the critique.

Qin Liuxi directly snatched the calligraphy sheets from him, took a glance, and said, "They say one’s writing reflects the person. With such ugly handwriting, do you think it suits your handsome face?"

She pinched his cheek.

Qin Mingchun pouted, looking on the verge of tears, "I write every day, my hand is cramping from writing so much. I’ve never written this many characters."

"Tired, are you?" Qin Liuxi snorted, "Your older brother can only dream of being able to study as you do. Do you still feel wronged?"

Qin Mingchun’s body went numb, he looked up at his legitimate mother and saw her distracted and distressed, then he stammered, "I, I..."

"The writing is still ugly, like a ghost drawing a talisman, but at least now one can make out what the characters are. Keep practicing. If you feel it’s tough, then think back to what I just said." Qin Liuxi shoved the papers back into his hands.

Qin Mingchun felt a sudden joy, "So you’re praising me? Not going to hit me?"

The surprise was too sudden, somewhat unbelievable.

"You’ve made a tiny bit of progress, and it’s the autumn festival, so I won’t hit you this time," Qin Liuxi said, glancing at him, "But if you write like this again, you try and see?"

She clenched her fists, her finger bones cracking.

Qin Mingchun’s little face turned pale, his heart wailing, how fearsome his elder sister was.

Mrs. Wang lightly smiled and said, "Alright, Xixi, stop scaring him. Studying and writing is not something that can be achieved overnight. Take it slow."

"I understand. Mother, if you’re free and willing to guide him, that would be his fortune. If truly not, then at least prevent him from being crippled. Without talent, his face will be his fallback."

The tone was as disdainful as the words were harsh.

Mrs. Wang said, "A boy raised by women will also be improper. Once the new year passes, we should send them to the school in Li City."

By then, the Qin family out and about wouldn’t be such an eyesore.

Qin Liuxi was indifferent to it all; whether he went to a school or they hired a private tutor at home, it made no difference to her.

"Go and pay your respects to your grandmother," Mrs. Wang stood up.

...

Old Mrs. Qin’s courtyard was bustling with life; it was packed with people from early in the morning, with grandchildren kneeling down to greet her.

When Qin Liuxi and her party appeared, everyone’s gaze swiftly turned their way.

Upon seeing her, Mrs. Xie quickly dodged her eyes, touching her nose and feeling the pain again.

The other elders, comparing her with their younger relatives beside them, felt a mixture of nostalgia and complex emotions.

The Qin family had fallen, from the high clouds into the mud, from ladies to huswives, from noble ladies to village girls.

Yet seeing Qin Liuxi, they couldn’t shake the feeling that the Qin family hadn’t been defeated. Her face never showed that panicked, aimless darting expression, nor the furtive cower typical of lesser households. She stood upright, her demeanor calm and collected, her gaze lofty and disdainful, forcing others to avoid eye contact.

It felt as though she could see right through you.

Unable to maintain direct eye contact, they stole glances at her, noting that she wore a set of lake-blue new clothes they had never seen before, the hem embroidered with auspicious cloud patterns, and her black hair was simply held up with a jade hairpin, with a single earring dangling from one ear, so modest and pristine.

Even though they all wore new clothes for the festival, the most proper attire to pay respects, they couldn’t help feeling like mere backdrop to Qin Liuxi’s presence.

Mrs. Wang greeted Old Mrs. Qin with a smile, offering a few auspicious words appropriate for the holiday.

Aunt Wan also paid her respects, standing by Aunt Qin’s side like a little sparrow.

Qin Mingchun knelt down respectfully and performed a full kowtow, his manners impeccable, obviously having been privately drilled by Mrs. Wang.

Old Mrs. Qin saw this and felt both sour and emotional. The main branch had but two sons and one daughter, the legitimate eldest son exiled to the northwest—was Mrs. Wang afraid the legitimate son might suffer there and was placing all her hopes on this little bastard? Or was she shrewdly nurturing the other seed of the main branch just in case?

Either way, Mrs. Wang was beyond reproach.

"Rise."

Then it was Qin Liuxi’s turn. She simply placed her hands at her waist, bent her knees slightly as a token gesture of greeting and stood up straight. A kowtow?

Not at all!

"Eldest sister, you should be kneeling and kowtowing to grandmother," a dissatisfied voice with a nasal tone said.

Qin Liuxi looked over, her eyebrows lifting slightly in amusement. Oh, so today the stickler for rules has turned into a boy.

Seeing Qin Mingqi’s brows knitted tightly, his eyes full of displeasure, as if she had done something to tarnish her reputation, was quite amusing.

Before Qin Liuxi could speak, Qin Mingyue interjected softly, "Third brother, perhaps our eldest sister is unfamiliar with such rituals, do not blame her; she’s also in poor health."

See, the caring type to thrust you upon the sharp edge of a knife, kind, isn’t it?

Qin Liuxi responded, "It’s the second sister who understands and cares for me, aware of my frail constitution, thank you. If you could kowtow to grandmother on my behalf, then I would be even more grateful."

Come on, I’m giving you a chance to set up your saintly, benevolent persona!

Qin Mingyue hesitated for a moment, then softly said, "Eldest sister, that wouldn’t be proper."

"Exactly, there’s no substituting for a kowtow; if you don’t understand, then learn now. Our Qin family is a family of poetry, rites, and propriety; you are a Miss Qin, and the legitimate eldest daughter of the main branch, not learning such etiquette would invite criticism towards Aunt, accusing her of not teaching you well," Qin Mingqi declared, chin up, hands behind his back.

Qin Liuxi grew somewhat annoyed.

She restrained her smile, looking disdainfully at Qin Mingqi, "So now you are teaching me manners?"

Just as Qin Mingqi was about to retort, she added, "And what are you, exactly?"