Chapter 207: Han Qiao Teaches Her Children
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
Han Qiao said as she pulled her three daughters to her side.
“As for Ah-Chi, I’m not worried about him. He’s a boy. When he grows up, he’ll marry the girl he likes. Mother is most worried about you three girls. I hope that you study hard, learn to read, understand reason, and understand propriety, righteousness, and shame.”
“1 shouldn’t have told you all about this so early, but since we’re talking about this today, I’ll tell you all about it.”
“You have to study hard, learn how to read, learn embroidery, practice martial arts, learn how to cook and learn how to be a housekeeper. This is to cultivate your confidence. I hope that no matter what the situation you’ll face, you can always be clear-headed and know what you want.”
“With confidence, you can stand up straight and not be defeated by a little setback.”
“Remember, what your father and I can only pave your future. If you really want to do something, you have to rely on yourself.”
“You are all good children. You know that it wasn’t easy for us to get where we are today. Cherish it and work hard. Mother is not worried that you will not be able to learn well.”
“Mother hopes that you are kind, and also hopes that you are not too kind so that everyone can bully you. We must uphold the old saying; ‘If others do not harm me and I do not harm them. If people harm me, they will be punished no matter how far they run’.”
“You can’t have the heart to harm others, but you can’t be without the heart to guard against others.”
“Girls especially need to have self-love. Don’t be blinded by good-looking men with sweet tongues. Don’t abandon your parents, abandon your family, or elope with others…”
In this era, children matured early. Han Qiao felt that she should say these things to her three girls.
She then looked at Han Chi, “Ah-Chi, you are a smart and capable child, but you have to learn to hide your strength.”
“It’s not a good thing for you to show all your trump cards.”
“Your host today was the county magistrate’s son. No matter how capable you are, you have to be inferior to him.”
“In terms of official position, your father is just a small chief constable. There are many people with higher official positions than him. If you are too high-profile, you will attract jealousy and hatred.”
“Even if you are proficient in everything, you can only be proficient in one of them. You have to hide your skills in the rest of the field. This is a form of protection. You are very skilled in martial arts, but you can’t act like you are very powerful. Even though you have to let others know of your strength, you must not let them know of your depth.”
“If they know your bottom line, it will be very troublesome when you encounter danger.”
“Today, you are in the limelight. Does the county magistrate’s young master not like you and occasionally say a few words to you?”
Han Chi nodded vigorously, “I know he’s jealous of me, but I didn’t expect the whole interaction to have so many twists and turns.”
Han Qiao patted his head, “We have to accumulate our strength and take it one step at a time. We have to be careful everywhere and don’t easily provoke trouble.”
“You must also be careful of the friends you make. Some people seem to be on good terms with you on the surface, but in reality, they may be traps.”
“To be honest, I don’t want to tell you so much of this. 1 always feel that you’re too young and you have us, adults, to protect you. However, after today, I feel that it is better to tell you.”
All schemes and calculations were never done overnight.
Bit by bit, the water would wear through the stone.
When it was beyond saving, when it was terrible, it would later be followed by the destruction of the family.
“Ah-Xiu, Ah-Yi, the two of you must remember that no matter who the boy is, you can only meet him once. You must find an excuse to avoid him. Don’t talk too much with him, and don’t leave anything behind for him to take.”
“Go back and count the things in your rooms carefully. Arrange them and make an account book.”
The two sisters looked at Han Qiao in confusion.
Han Qiao consoled, “Mother is afraid that you will be targeted and they will think of ways to ruin your reputation.”
“All of this must be nipped in the bud, so you must know what’s in your courtyard, especially things like undergarments. If anything is missing, you must come and tell me.”
She didn’t know how to tell her daughter that they were being targeted.
Some people were despicable and would do anything to achieve their goals.
It was also very important to keep an eye on the residence and not let anyone take advantage of it.
The three older children had already understood.
Sun Ke was in a daze and didn’t quite understand.
But she was an obedient child.
She would do whatever her mother said.
When the children went back, Han Qiao lay on the bed and thought about the plans with the other ladies.
Zeng Qin’er told her about what she had seen and heard from the girls.
Han Qiao nodded slightly. There was nothing wrong with it.
Sun Xiu and Sun Yi were smart, beautiful, and had learned some skills. They were neither arrogant nor impetuous, neither humble nor overbearing, so it was normal for girls to like them.
On the boys’ side, Han Qiao asked Zeng Baobao, “Tell me who they are.”
Although Zeng Baobao was young, he had a good memory.
She asked him things like who the boys were, what clothes they were wearing… What was outstanding, not only he remembered what they wore, he remembered what their names were and even their servants’ names.
“The county magistrate’s young master has a bad temper, but the nephew of the county magistrate’s wife is very kind. He even spoke up for the young master.”
“…” Han Qiao understood.
The county magistrate’s wife probably didn’t want to arrange a marriage for her son.
But for her nephew…
“Bao’er, call your father.”
“Alright, Madam.”
Han Qiao asked Shulan to give him a hundred copper, “Take it to buy snacks. You performed very well today. I’ll reward you.”
Zeng Baobao was instantly overjoyed.
“Thank you, Madam!”
Zeng Qin’er was overjoyed to see her brother get rewarded.
After leaving the main courtyard, she even told him to go early and come back early. When he came back, he still had to read and practice martial arts at night.
“Don’t spend all your money. Remember to buy some for Grandpa and Grandma.”
“What do you want, Sister Qin’er?” Zeng Baobao asked eagerly.
“I don’t want anything. 1 don’t have to worry about food and drinks in this residence.” Zeng Qin’er smiled and pinched her brother’s chubby cheeks.
She patted his head.
Zeng Qin’er was exceptionally determined, brave, courageous, and hardworking.
Zeng Baobao was smart and had good eyesight.
Although they were young, Han Qiao was determined to nurture the siblings well.
When they left, the room was quiet.
Han Qiao knocked on the edge of the bed as she waited.
When Zeng Asan saw his son and learned that the Madam wanted to see him, he rushed over.
On the way, he accompanied his son to buy some snacks.
Children who had been poor would not spend money extravagantly.
He only bought a little and quickly returned.
Han Qiao closed her eyes for a while. After Zeng Asan arrived, she stood up and went to meet him in the small hall.
“Madam, you wish to see me?”
“Yes, I asked you to come over because I want you to investigate how many nephews the county magistrate’s wife has in her family. Who was in the manor today? And how old are they?”
“Are you in a hurry, Madam?”
“It’s not urgent, but the sooner the better. Shulan, give him five taels of silver.”
When he was out doing things to gather information, he needed money to open the way.
Han Qiao understood this logic.
Zeng Asan took the silver and said, “Madam, I’ll come back tomorrow to give you the information.”
“Yes..”
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