Gu Lijin: After I Died, I Became a Golden Calligraphy Grand Lady

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Chapter 9

The Path Ahead


"Mother!" The voices of her three little chicks—at least, that’s how they appeared to the mother hen—sent a tingling sensation through her heart and soul of the young woman.

Ah... Had she really become a mother hen?

"Si'er, don't run so fast..." Seeing her youngest son dashing forward at full speed, she grew concerned, afraid that he would trip and fall, scraping his knees. Hearing this, the little one grinned widely, slowed to a brisk walk, and raised both arms as he reached his mother’s feet.

The meaning was clear—he wanted to be carried…

A mother still lacking full strength, struck with such an attack, found it hard to resist. Reaching out with all the energy she had, she scooped up her little one, but to her surprise, the child was much lighter than she had expected.

Jiusi... was terribly thin. His face still had some fullness to it, but his body was small and frail. Now that she was holding him again, feeling his form with both hands and arms, she became all the more certain of her conclusion.

This place was no home for her little family. It was merely a nest of vipers, where the master of the house delighted in gathering different kinds of snakes, allowing them to fight and devour one another.

She would not remain trapped in such an ugly cycle any longer.

After Jiusi had been held to his heart’s content and kissed on the cheek until he giggled, the newly reborn mother bent down to shower Liming and Lijìn with the same love. She would never neglect them. She would never forget to include them in the goals of her new life.

After chatting and waiting in their mother’s room for some time, Ning-ning and a few other servants brought a large meal to the entrance. Naturally, the main mistress of this residence still had to play the part of a lifeless vegetable, lying motionless on the bed until they were gone.

These servants were not under the command of the two secondary wives. Thus, they could only cast sorrowful glances at the three little masters, who looked so small and weak. They were determined to help their master’s children as much as possible—even if only in secret.

"Will this food really be enough, Sister Ning?" One of the maids asked in concern. Even though the table was full of dishes, to her, it still didn’t seem sufficient. What they had brought was merely a light meal—intended for the young masters and young misses of the household.

"I fear I may be troubling you all. This residence does have a kitchen, after all. Do you think the pantry would allow some fresh or dried food to be allocated here?"

"It may be a bit tricky, but I’m close with Auntie Huang. We’ll try speaking to her. I don’t think Steward Wei Chang would have any objections..."

"Thank you very much. Oh, right... take this as a token of my gratitude." Ning-ning handed three copper coins to the two helpers. Their eyes widened, even though it was only three copper coins.

"This might not be appropriate. This residence has limited funds because it has been oppressed by the secondary wives for so long. How could I take from you?" Three copper coins were a meager sum, but money was money. It could buy three steamed buns—perhaps more if they chose a cheaper vendor. Life as a servant was hard. Any extra food was a great help.

"Take it. At the very least, I must show appreciation for those who assist our residence. Think of it as mutual support." She had memorized her mistress’s teachings. It was a way to build good relationships—something she had never considered before.

"I’ll accept it, then. Auntie Huang should be free around midday. Sister, come speak with her then. We’ll introduce the matter to her beforehand so things go more smoothly."

"Thank you. You should go now—I’ll take care of things here." The two nodded at the residence’s maid before bowing politely to the young master and young misses.

Before leaving, they turned back to glance at the remote bamboo-forest residence. Its aged and dilapidated state was undeniable. How had Master Wei chosen such a place for convalescence? Not only was it near the estate’s back exit, but there were no guards stationed there. It was so isolated that if anything were to happen, no one would arrive in time to help.

Perhaps it was fate... That was their thought as they stepped outside, carefully shutting the wooden doors to the residence—just as Ning-ning had requested​.

"She's gone, madam..." The trusted maid announced to her mistress. The moment she heard it, Lijin’s eyes widened, a bright smile clearly appearing on her face. She then quickly stood up—her stomach was already growling, as the aroma of food had been tempting her from the start. She feared that the three children must be just as hungry.

"You should come and eat with us too, Ning-ning." Lijin gestured for her maid to join them. Since this had happened many times before, Ning-ning did not hesitate.

No mistress of any household would normally think this way. Allowing a servant to share a meal at the same table was considered highly improper. But ever since her days in the Gu family, things had always been like this, no matter how much she had argued otherwise.

It seemed that the mistress had not changed, just as she had expected.

The food on the table looked delicious. The main dish was a bowl of beautifully plump white rice with a fragrant aroma. There was also a whole herbal-stewed chicken—though small, it was enough to fill the stomachs of those in this residence. What stood out, compared to meals from other courtyards, was the larger portion of meat. However, it wasn’t the tender, flavorful fatty cuts. Even the kitchen didn’t quite understand why the young master and young misses of the First Furen had requested such a meal, but they followed the orders regardless.

When dividing a pig into different cuts, the fatty meat was valued at twice the price of lean meat. Not only was it more delicious, but it also provided higher energy. Thus, the shinier and more richly marbled the food, the higher its cost.

"Eat plenty of vegetables. Don't be picky. These are very good for you..." The mother carefully placed food into her children’s bowls. Having endured hardships despite being the children of a nobleman, they had long since learned to be easy to care for. They neither complained nor acted spoiled.

"Chew thoroughly. The meat is yours, so take your time eating. It won’t disappear."

"Yes, Mother..." Lijìn replied with a smile, then turned to glance at her younger brother, who was devouring his food ravenously. Meanwhile, their elder sister maintained a much more composed demeanor.

"Mother, you should eat plenty too, so you can regain your strength." Liming did not let their mother focus solely on feeding them. Instead, she urged her mother to eat more as well. Before their father left on his travels, food was abundant. They needed to take advantage of this while they could.

In the past, they had done so in hopes of gaining their father’s attention. But after speaking with their mother yesterday, they now fully understood what lay ahead in their future.

"What are your daily activities? Does Ningjian manage your schedules well?"

"A teacher from the city comes to teach us reading and writing..." Jiusi answered on behalf of his sisters, informing Lijin that the three children studied together from the Si hour (09:00 – 10:59) until the Wu hour (11:00 – 12:59).

"After that, Jìn'er and I split off to learn embroidery, painting, etiquette, tea ceremony customs, or music, depending on when Secondary Mother Meiying is available. As for Si'er..."

"I chose calligraphy practice. Father wants me to become a scholar, so he instructed Secondary Mother to arrange my lessons accordingly."

Lijin furrowed her brows slightly upon learning that her children had to study almost the entire day. Aside from a short two-ke break after the Wu hour, they had continuous lessons until the Shen hour (15:00 – 16:59), after which they were finally allowed to rest.

In Lijin’s view, such an education was highly ineffective. She understood well how short a child’s attention span could be. She feared that after sitting to read, listen, or practice for just two ke, their initial excitement and interest would fade. After that, absorbing knowledge would become increasingly difficult. What truly mattered was hands-on practice​.

One more thing that Lijin was concerned about was that these lessons did not teach logic or mathematics. Even the literary works and ancient scripture stories in traditional textbooks were difficult to interpret—even for adults.

Or was it because people in this era believed in such methods? Had they simply decided to imitate the ways of renowned scholars and continued to do so out of habit, until it unconsciously became the foundation of education?

Lijin wished she could become a teacher for her own children instead of sending them to waste their childhood in the hands of others. At that thought, a sudden realization struck her. A sense of joy swelled in her mind as she finally found a direction for her future.

Why had she never considered that the knowledge and experiences she had gained in that near-infinite dimension of time were an extraordinary gift from the heavens? She could recall everything she had ever read with precision. Her mind was like a moving library. Though she didn’t possess all the knowledge from her previous world, there were many subjects that had intrigued her enough to make her pick up books and read them.

Contemporary literature, profound poetry, world history and development, documentary books, illustrated works, cookbooks, home and garden design, and so much more. Regardless of what language she had originally read them in, her mind now effortlessly translated them into Chinese—more elegantly than ever before.

Why had she never thought to use this knowledge for her own benefit? Had she been shackled by the old mindset that once dominated her thoughts?

Why should a woman be limited to embroidery, painting, dancing, playing music, tending to a garden, raising chickens, or merely cooking delicious meals for her family and husband…?

A woman could read and write. She could impart knowledge. She could be an excellent teacher, could she not?

A certain bondage within her soul shattered. Then, a power she had unconsciously denied all along surged through her. Lijin felt a sudden warmth envelop her entire body, sending a brief shiver down her spine. It was a happiness she had never experienced before—one that truly filled her.

She placed her chopsticks down, her hands trembling slightly as she lifted them to examine them. Then, she smiled—a radiant, sweet smile. The happiness on her face made the four lives around her feel like smiling as well.

"Are you all right, madam? Do you feel pain anywhere? Shall I call for the physician?" Ning-ning asked worriedly when she saw her mistress’s trembling hands and unusual expression.

"No need... I... I just figured out what I should do next."

Lijin smiled at her maid, then reached out to stroke the heads of her three little ones. She gently wiped the crumbs from Jiusi’s mouth.

If the path she had just envisioned truly succeeded as she hoped, wealth, power, and the connections necessary to secure their future would soon fall into their hands.

Just imagining that moment thrilled her so much that she could hardly wait​.