Time Travel: The Noble Family
Chapter 602 - 242 The Tragic Mingzhu

Chapter 602: 242 The Tragic Mingzhu

The next day before dawn, Yueyao dragged me from my bed, under the noble pretext of morning lessons. As soon as Luo Mingzhu opened her eyes, she began to regret it.

Yueyao snorted coldly, "You agreed to it yourself, to follow my lead in everything before you return. Once words are out, you can’t take them back."

Mingzhu clutched her blanket and refused to let go.

Seeing Luo Mingzhu didn’t care, Yueyao chuckled, "You said it yourself yesterday, if you go back on your word, you’ll turn into a little dog. Don’t tell me you actually want to become a dog in your next life."

Luo Mingzhu felt she’d been tricked.

Yueyao added another sentence, "This is Zhaohua Temple. The vows you made yesterday were heard by Buddha and all the Bodhisattvas. If you fail to keep your promise, you’re definitely going to be a dog in your next life."

In those times, people held great reverence for gods and Buddhas, and Mingzhu was no exception. Thinking about her vows, she shivered and quickly scrambled out of bed.

Yueyao smiled with pursed lips.

The water for Luo Mingzhu’s face-washing was warm, but she was dissatisfied, muttering, "Why so little water? It’s really inconvenient. We should set up a small kitchen!" Having a small kitchen would make everything easier, but Yueyao ignored her.

After Yueyao finished her toilette and the maid styled her hair, Luo Mingzhu, with a scowl, let Zhi Qin help her. Yueyao paid her no mind, and once everything was in order, the Zhong Sheng bell rang for morning lessons. Yueyao pulled Luo Mingzhu into the room to begin.

Luo Mingzhu couldn’t focus on the chanting, but Yueyao was patient, reading each line and having Mingzhu repeat after her, and that’s how the morning passed.

Come breakfast time, Mingzhu glared at the meal on the table. Two bowls of thin porridge, four steamed buns on a plate, and a dish of pickled vegetables.

Mingzhu’s stomach had been growling for a while, but she still exploded with rage at the sight of such a breakfast, "What is this? Pig feed?"

Xiang Wei said with schadenfreude, "Miss, this is your breakfast. If you don’t eat, there won’t be more until lunchtime."

Mingzhu ate her breakfast grudgingly, and then, eyelids fighting, crawled back into bed to sleep. Yueyao laughed and went to Mr. Yu Shan.

Lunch was a plate of cabbage, a plate of beans, a plate of tofu, and then rice.

Mingzhu’s face turned the color of bitter gourd, "Yueyao, how can I eat this?" But as soon as she finished speaking, she saw Yueyao pick up her bowl and start eating, chewing slowly and gracefully.

Mingzhu now deeply regretted coming to Zhaohua Temple. She wanted to go back on her word, but Yueyao didn’t give her the chance. Whenever she faltered, Yueyao would say, "Are you planning to be a dog?"

Hearing this, Luo Mingzhu capitulated; what she hated most was dogs. She’d been bitten by one as a child, which had left a deep psychological scar. So the thought of being reincarnated as a dog in her next life made her skin crawl.

Yueyao left Mingzhu in the room, "Read some books, practice your calligraphy. I’ll go to the teacher and come back at noon."

Luo Mingzhu did not want to stay put, but without anyone from Marquis Jingning’s Residence to escort her back, she felt it would be too shameful to return on her own. She cared too much about her face to leave, which was exactly her problem.

As Yueyao was set to go to the next courtyard, Mingzhu clamored to follow. Yueyao acquiesced, "It’s fine to go, but don’t anger the teacher. If you do, you’ll regret it."

Luo Mingzhu muttered, "Who’s the real elder sister here, it feels like our roles are reversed." Whenever she was with Yueyao, she felt like the younger sister, which was not a pleasant sensation.

Mr. Yu Shan, seeing an extra bright and beautiful young lady, delighted in the added scenery but still cautioned, "As long as you don’t disturb us, you may stay. If you can’t settle down, feel free to leave."

As Mr. Yu Shan taught Yueyao and noticed the ink was running out, he turned to Luo Mingzhu and said, "Grind the ink."

Luo Mingzhu hesitated before going over to grind the ink, mimicking how Maid Zhi Qin used to do it.

Mr. Yu Shan, unimpressed, chided her, "Can’t you even grind ink properly?" He was aware of Mingzhu’s status, but that didn’t stop him from scolding her.

This was Luo Mingzhu’s first time being rebuked, and she truly didn’t see anything wrong with the ink she’d ground, replying with a sense of injustice, "What’s wrong? Isn’t this how it’s supposed to be?"

Yueyao, trying not to smile bitterly, explained, "You can’t just pour so much water all at once when grinding ink; you have to add it slowly." It was no surprise to Yueyao that Mingzhu, a pampered young lady, didn’t know how to grind ink.