Chapter 156: Rules Are Flexible
“Once their business takes off, they’ll have silver, wear silk clothes, and then they’ll know about rules and etiquette,” Miss Shi said in a flat tone.
“Sigh.” Ninth Lady Pan looked dejected and turned to Li Xiaonan, “I don’t like not talking while eating. I prefer eating at a restaurant, sitting in the main hall, even if I can’t speak, I can listen to others.”
“I don’t like it either. When our family has silver in the future, we won’t enforce the rule of not talking while eating either,” Li Xiaonan said with a smile.
Miss Shi, who was bowing to serve tea, paused, then picked up the tea and looked at Li Xiaonan.
“Not talking while eating isn’t a rule for just one family; it’s a rule for everyone,” Fourth Mistress Wei said smoothly, trying to mediate.
“My brother goes to banquets, literary gatherings, and eats with his classmates; it’s all very lively,” Li Xiaonan chimed in.
“That’s right! When I go to banquets with Mother, we talk while we eat and toast each other too!” Ninth Lady Pan exclaimed with a clap of her hands.
“When attending social functions, the focus is on socializing, not eating. When eating normally, the focus is on eating. Talking while eating distracts the mind from the food, and the breath scatters during conversation, which in turn scatters the food, preventing it from fully nourishing the body,” Miss Shi said slowly.
“Exactly. Not talking while eating isn’t about etiquette or rules, it’s a way of maintaining health,” Fourth Mistress Wei quickly said with a smile. “Besides not talking while eating, each family has its own methods for maintaining health.
“For example, in our family, we are not allowed to drink green tea for a month around the winter solstice. They say the cold is heavy then, and the first yang is just beginning, so it cannot withstand the coldness of green tea.
“For example, in Eldest Madam’s family, one must wear cotton socks to sleep. Each family has its own particular customs.”
“Eldest Madam’s younger brother, Young Master Liang, hated wearing socks to sleep the most. Eldest Madam had people sew his socks to his trousers, and then his trousers to his upper garment. Later, Young Master Liang changed his ways,” Ninth Lady Pan added with a laugh.
“Young Master Liang was truly pitiful,” Li Xiaonan sighed sympathetically.
Miss Shi straightened her upper body slightly. Fourth Mistress Wei was initially surprised, then felt a bit awkward. Just as she was about to change the subject, Li Xiaonan leaned forward, looked at Miss Shi, then at Fourth Mistress Wei, and asked seriously, “Then are the people in your two families longer-lived than others? Is everyone longer-lived than others?”
Fourth Mistress Wei and Miss Shi were both stunned.
“Do your two families insist on drinking green tea in the twelfth lunar month, or insist on sleeping with bare feet? After drinking green tea and sleeping with bare feet, did they fall ill? Is their health worse than others in your families? Do they live shorter lives than others in your families?” Li Xiaonan continued to ask.
Ninth Lady Pan blinked a few times, then suddenly burst into laughter, pointing at Miss Shi, “Miss Shi’s paternal grandfather, he’s eighty this year. He sleeps with bare feet. Anyone who advises him to wear socks gets cursed at. He has such a strong voice.”
Fourth Mistress Wei also wanted to laugh, but seeing Miss Shi’s pale face, she quickly suppressed it and hastily tried to smooth things over, “They are just rules. A person’s lifespan is determined by fate, Miss Li is taking this too seriously.”
“These rules are for maintaining health, and more importantly, for restraining one’s temperament and curbing one’s nature. The reason people are human is because they know and observe etiquette, and have rules and order,” Miss Shi said, looking directly at Li Xiaonan.
“Restraining temperament and curbing nature is done through laws and scriptures. If the restraint goes so far as to not even allow one to decide whether to wear socks to sleep, then what is the point of living? Is wearing or not wearing socks such a big deal? Does curbing one’s nature need to go to this extent?” Li Xiaonan asked without reservation.
Fourth Mistress Wei wanted to retort, opened her mouth, but couldn’t say anything.
“These are the rules of our Shi family. If he bears the surname Shi, he must abide by them,” Miss Shi said, straightening her back.
“Then when did these rules of your Shi family come into being? Did they exist from the moment the surname Shi came into being? Are these rules of your Shi family only effective within the grounds of your Shi family residence, or must everyone with the surname Shi, no matter where they are, follow these rules of your Shi family?
“Do guests visiting your Shi family also have to wear socks to sleep?
“When members of your Shi family visit others, for example, if you were here, what are the rules here? If there is no rule about wearing socks to sleep, would you wear socks to sleep?” Li Xiaonan asked a string of questions.
Fourth Mistress Wei’s eyebrows rose as she listened, and Ninth Lady Pan’s eyes widened.
Miss Shi pursed her lips tightly and stared directly at Li Xiaonan.
“You sewed up all your brother’s clothes. Your brother must have cried very pitifully and made a big fuss, perhaps crying and fussing so much that he got sick. If he got sick, would you still sew them? Were you doing it for his health?” Li Xiaonan continued to ask.
Miss Shi’s face turned ashen.
“Miss Li, you said you needed to go back to read books before noon!” Wan Jing could no longer hold back, gritting her teeth and putting all her effort into saying this sentence with utmost politeness and no emotion.
“Yes, yes. I’ll take my leave now. Thank you very much,” Li Xiaonan said quickly, taking her leave.
Entering the library, Wan Jing let out a wail, “Couldn’t you have said a few less words! Didn’t you see Miss Shi’s expression? What business is it of yours what rules her family has?”
“I just felt her brother was too pitiful,” Li Xiaonan mumbled, shrinking her neck. She reached out and picked up the booklet she had been reading halfway through that morning, “I’m going to read. You stop talking, or I’ll copy the book wrong!”
Wan Jing stood with her hands on her hips, looking at Li Xiaonan, who had one hand covering her head and was burying her head in the booklet, she was so angry she was panting.
This dead girl actually dared to offend Miss Shi, she truly doesn’t know her limits!
Alas, when Young Lord returns, she’ll have to quickly find Shi Gun. Alas, finding Shi Gun might not be useful; Shi Gun probably won’t have any good ideas either.
Alas, this dead girl!
………………………………
Gu Yan returned to the villa very late. As he entered his courtyard, the stewardess on duty in the library came to report on the meal in the water pavilion.
Gu Yan dismissed the stewardess and immediately beckoned Shi Gun over, instructing, “Go and ask how Miss Shi is doing.”
Shi Gun agreed and returned shortly to report, “After Miss Li left, Miss Shi went back. She reached Liuyuan Pavilion and said she was tired and wanted to be alone. Ninth Lady went to find Second Madam, and Cousin Girl, worried, stayed behind the Taihu stone watching.
“Second Madam went to the temple to fulfill a vow that afternoon, so Ninth Lady returned to watch with Cousin Girl. They said Miss Shi sat there for over an hour before standing up to walk back.
“Cousin Girl sent for a doctor. This is the medical record. The doctor said Miss Shi caught a cold and was emotionally unstable. He prescribed medicine, which she has taken, and she is now asleep.”
“If Wan Jing comes looking for you, report it to me immediately,” Gu Yan instructed.
Shi Gun lowered his head and agreed.
He was anticipated by Young Lord again. Just as he was going out to inquire, he ran into Wan Jing, who was waiting for him outside.
Alas, Young Lord has given his orders, and he dare not conceal a single word. He only hopes that this foolish Eldest Sister, Wan Jing, won’t say anything she shouldn’t!
