章 25: She Liked to Appear Beautiful and Liked to Show Off
編集者: Exodus Tales
Nan Baoyi raised her eyebrows, "Can't I dress up beautifully to study? When I am nicely dressed, I will be happy and study harder. When others see me dressing beautifully, they will also praise me and I will be happier. When I am happy, I only need to study half the books but gain twice as much!"
She was full of delusional reasoning.
Xiao Yi has never met any other little girl who liked to appear beautiful and liked to show off as much as her.
She stood there gracefully, fair, and tender like a little budding willow tree.
She held onto her beautiful dresses, her pinky still curved up delicately. Her fingertips even had on new red nail polish that was crisp and silky.
She had the goods to show off.
Nan Baoyi piled on her dresses on a circular chair and gestured to her body one by one, "Second brother, what do you think of this light yellow dress embroidered with Acacia flower?"
"Too flowery."
"What about this green one?"
"Too plain."
"What about this white dress with jasmine flowers?"
"Like a funeral garment."
Nan Baoyi was speechless.
The style of these dresses were all new and original with colors that are light and pleasant, very suitable for school wear.
However, in Xiao Yi's eyes, none of it seemed to be good enough.
"What's wrong with your eyesight, I should not have asked you…"
She mumbled, carried all her dresses, and walked out quickly.
Xiao Yi watched her step out, the little girl's pink skirt twirled around in the spring breeze, revealing a pair of exquisitely embroidered shoes.
She disappeared from view.
There was still a light hibiscus fragrance in the large study room.
Xiao Yi touched the gold-braided hairband around his wrist. He felt that she actually looked good no matter which outfit she wore.
He calmed his mind and wrote two words on the paper. Suddenly he called out, "Chang Xin."
"Master has any instructions?"
Xiao Yi took out a rectangular pencil case with satin surface from his drawer, "Give this to her."
Chang Xin was stunned.
This case contained a brush pen made out of bamboo and engraved with flowers and birds and it was owned by Consort Xiang from the previous dynasty. She heard that her master bought it from an unknown market awhile back and spent more than ten thousand gold!
At that time, Shi Yan was extremely jealous and wanted to borrow it from his master to admire it but his master refused.
Unexpectedly, it was given to Fifth Miss just like that!
After she left, Xiao Yi stared at his paper, unable to continue writing.
Based on what he knew, Nan Yan was also studying in the academy and she had a good relationship with most of the girls there. If she took the lead in bullying Nan Baoyi…
That little girl was stupid, she definitely was no match for Nan Yan.
He said, "Shi Yan."
Shi Yan appeared, holding his book while swaying his head around, "It's a bright sunny day today, what instructions does Master have ~~"
"You go and be Fifth Miss' boy attendant at school."
[Translation note: In ancient times, wealthy families have servants that are still young serving their child as boy attendants in the study room or accompany them to study.]
Shi Yan was so shocked he almost dropped his book to the ground.
He was a knowledgeable and talented secret guard, now he had to be a boy attendant for that young miss?
To him, this was humiliation, an absolute humiliation!
He wanted to protest!
Xiao Yi glanced at him coldly, "What are you waiting for?"
"Master is wise and brilliant, I will follow Master's orders~~!"
He painfully walked out.
...
Although no one in the Nan family had an aptitude for academic studies, they were still a reputable family in Shu County. So Nan family funded and built an academy at the end of Hanlin Street, which is a quiet place with three courtyards.
All children from the Nan family can study for free. Of course, if children from other families could also study here as long as they have paid.
In the morning, Nan Baoyi and Nan Baozhu sat in a carriage and arrived at the academy.
The old tutor knew that there would be new students coming in today and already prepared their books for them.
Both of them received their books and chose to sit on the desk in the front row.
Nan Baozhu flipped open her book awkwardly, "Growing up, this is the first time I'm touching The Analects of Confucius. This book looks quite dignified and the words looked serious. I'm actually nervous just looking at it."
"Once Zhuzhu read more books from now on you won't be nervous anymore."
Nan Baoyi took out her pencil case, picked up the brush pen, and looked at it carefully.
This was a gift from Second Brother, it must be an excellent brush pen.
She quietly took a glance at a place not far away.
A fair-looking teenager stood under the tree holding books. He said that he was ordered by her Second Brother to be her boy attendant.
She could not help but curled up her lips, feeling warm all over.
Nan Baozhu nibbled at a piece of cake she just took out, "Speaking of The Analects of Confucius, Jiaojiao, my nanny told me the story of Confucius before. She said that when Confucius traveled around the country, the wife of Duke Weiling, Nanzi liked him. But Nanny also said that Confucius was very ugly… Why do you think Nanzi would like an ugly and desolate wandering man?"
"Zhuzhu, this story is used by people for fun and jokes only, it isn't real."
"Really? I still thought it was a sad and beautiful love story!"
While they were talking, laughter suddenly sounded in the courtyard.
Nan Baoyi turned around. A few very young girls walked in as they were crowding around Nan Yan.
It turned out that Nan Yan was also studying here…
"Yan'er need not be sad, with Third Uncle's attitude displayed over there, it will not take long for Old Madam to admit defeat and reunite your family into the residence."
"Yes! Blood is thicker than water. Yan'er will sooner or later be the official daughter of the first wife of Nan residence. When that time comes, don't forget to help and support us!"
"The way Niu San appeared is strange as if he was instructed by someone from behind. Could it be that someone does not want Aunt Liu to enter the residence?"
The girl next to Nan Yan flicked her handkerchief and smiled, "What do you all know, all this was planned by Nan Baoyi!"
"Sister Xiaoqian, isn't Nan Baoyi very stupid? She has the brains to frame someone?"
Nan Xiaoqian sneered, "Why not? Nan Baoyi is evil, often gossiping in front of Old Madam and causing Nan Yan to be chased out of the residence… Just because she is the daughter of the first wife in the Nan residence, what is so great about her, good appearance with no real substance, sooner or later she will be stepped over by our Yan'er!"
Nan Yan waited for her to finish scolding and said, "Don't say that, she is my sister after all."
Nan Xiaoqian was unsatisfied, "You see her as your sister but she doesn't see you that way! You and Aunt Liu are too kind, that's why you were framed by her. If I were you, if I did not scratch across her whole face, I would write my name backward!"
[Translation note: 'Writing my name backward' means showing seriousness in the previous actions]
Nan Baozhu was furious after listening!
Before she had time to react, Nan Baoyi pulled at her sleeves.
She shook her head and curved her lips into a smile.
She knew these girls.
They were all outsiders apart from the direct line of descendants in the Nan family. Their families were all lazy, happy to keep taking but not willing to work, they were considered leeches that relied on the Nan residence.
They relied on the wealth of Nan residence but once the Nan residence's status and wealth declined, none of them stepped in to offer any help. Instead, they could not wait to divide the family assets and made the matters worse…
The girls over there discussed while taking their seats, only noticing there were two more people in the classroom when they picked up their books.
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