The Eldest Daughter of a Rural Family
Chapter 182: The Concubine Is Promoted (9)_1

Chapter 182: Chapter 182: The Concubine Is Promoted (9)_1

"There are some things even an aunt can’t foresee. We’re not going anywhere—I, as the eldest sister, have the capability to take good care of my siblings!" Pei Qin rejected firmly once again; the Fang family could be casual acquaintances, but they were not a place to return to. Besides, she had never been accustomed to relying on others!

No matter how they persuaded or enticed her, Pei Qin remained resolute; even tears couldn’t pry a concession from her.

Old Scholar Fang lowered his head and said, "Stop persuading her! Since they won’t go anywhere, then let’s just leave things as they are for now!"

"But, Dad! How dangerous it is for a few girls to be alone and vulnerable out there!" Fang Li didn’t agree.

"Although I can’t claim ’to hold the pass alone against thousands,’ I can still protect myself!" Pei Qin glanced at him.

Even knowing that phrase, Old Scholar Fang asked her, "How much have you read?"

"I’ve heard a bit of ’The Four Books and Five Classics,’ and some miscellaneous books as well," Pei Qin replied; her knowledge was indeed limited, only the selected readings from her textbooks—the rest she did not know and had not learned.

San Ya whispered, "Eldest sister sneaked in her learning while big brother was studying." Eldest sister is both intelligent and skilled!

Old Scholar Fang sighed deeply; to have learned so much through secret study—had she been a boy, she would have been able to establish a school by now!

Grandma Fang couldn’t help but start crying again, with Lady Yu crying alongside her.

Pei Qin called San Ya to prepare lunch, as it was nearing noon.

Fang Li still wanted to persuade Pei Qin and her siblings to go to the Pei family’s, but he didn’t say he was leaving. "Dad! There’s still a long afternoon ahead—let’s wait for news from the Pei family," he said, asking Lady Yu to help with cooking.

Si Ya felt a little displeased; although they had stood up for their mother, there wasn’t any resolution, and now they seemed to want to take advantage of them, even expecting a meal! After the funeral expenses and buying books, ink, paper, and brushes, they had scarcely any silver left.

San Ya felt grateful to the Fang family for standing up for them; relying just on her siblings, they definitely couldn’t have faced off against Old Pei’s House—Pei Lizheng was unwilling to help, and they needed assistance! So, she took out some eggs and a piece of dried meat to start cooking.

They boiled a pot of rice porridge and used the leftover sanhe flour buns from the basket.

Lady Yu stir-fried eggs, sautéed cabbage in vinegar, and mixed turnips with meat. After the meal was prepared, she served it out.

Since there weren’t enough bowls at home, they took turns drinking the rice porridge.

After eating, Old Scholar Fang inquired about Pei Qin’s education; he had just been looking at the curriculum chart on the wall, "Arithmetic? Who taught you arithmetic?"

"I know a bit of mental arithmetic," Pei Qin sighed inwardly; had she known, she wouldn’t have posted the curriculum chart, a habit that’s hard to break.

Old Scholar Fang took it upon himself to assume that she also secretly learned with the eldest grandson of the Pei family as he stayed and inquired about Pei Qin’s knowledge and how far she had progressed in mental arithmetic.

Pei Qin’s knowledge was scattered and disordered; she was a science student, involved in chemistry. Aunty Pei would sometimes boast about her daughter, with an air of indifference, "I have no idea what sort of strange things she’s concocted, but it’s unexpected that she even won awards. The professors praised her, and we, her parents, didn’t take it seriously at all!"

After assessing Pei Qin’s education, Old Scholar Fang realized that she had indeed learned through secret study, and many things she only knew in bits and pieces. For her to have learned so much on her own was impressive! If Pei Zongli hadn’t run into trouble, or if he had returned promptly, Rongniang wouldn’t have ended up so miserable, and he could have raised this intelligent eldest daughter to be excellent!

Old Scholar Fang, pushing aside his thoughts, went on to test her arithmetic.

In the future, she planned to teach San Ya and the others, especially Pei Wendong, whom Pei Qin had prepared to focus on. If all three of them became accomplished, she certainly couldn’t claim she hadn’t taught them what she herself didn’t know. She gave a slight demonstration, quickly solving all the problems Old Scholar Fang tested her on. He couldn’t provide anything beyond multiplication and division, let alone more advanced problems.

Yet she quickly solved each problem without needing an abacus, which already astonished Old Scholar Fang. Could she be a prodigy?

Fang Fu looked at Pei Qin with a face full of amazement. Her mental arithmetic was so fast; though he couldn’t solve them himself, her confident expression indicated that her solutions couldn’t be wrong. No one had taught her, and she had only learned through sneaking lessons, yet she had reached such a level!

Grandma Fang and Lady Yu knew only that Pei Qin was very skilled at mental arithmetic; they felt some pride but also a touch of sadness.

Outside, people thought that they were discussing how to deal with the Pei family; once the Fang family arrived, they managed to drive Ms. Qian away, so what might happen next could be a major upheaval. But the Qian family was a prominent household, more formidable; what were they going to do in the meanwhile!? Everyone was craning their necks and pricking up their ears, even taking their meals outside, waiting to see how things would unfold.

Pei Zongli caught up with the carriage and persuaded Qian Wanxiu to return. The carriage came back.

Seeing Qian Wanxiu return, the Pei family’s people were overjoyed, all believing that Pei Zongli had convinced her.

But Qian Wanxiu was resolute in her refusal of the concubine’s elevation; compelling her to become the official wife was one thing, but she could only endure so much. And she had conditions! She wanted the despicable Pei Qin under her control, to be worn down and crushed for a lifetime. Otherwise, all negotiations were off!