“That child is carefree—nothing weighs on her heart.”

When Tang Jianxi spoke of his daughter, the corners of his mouth unconsciously lifted.

“Even the greatest matters become trivial to her—nothing surpasses eating and sleeping. She’s cheerful all day, living without a care in the world.”

“Buddhist convents are full of people with bitter grievances. Being cheerful all day… she truly wasn’t suited to stay there.”

Yan Sanhe shifted topics. “Master Tang found a son-in-law for Mingyue and kept her by your side—clearly you’re raising her as your own daughter.”

“Miss Yan.”

Tang Jianxi’s face showed a father’s loving kindness. “Do you believe that child came to redeem us?”

Yan Sanhe was slightly stunned. “What do you mean?”

“Think about it, Miss. My teacher had the misfortune, my junior sister fell into the world of dust, my senior brother died, and on top of that I have no children…”

Tang Jianxi smiled bitterly again and again.

“No matter how big my heart is, it can only be so big. For a time I was in complete despair, even considered becoming a monk—I just couldn’t bear to leave Qiao’er.”

Everything changed when Mingyue arrived.

That child’s mouth never stopped—she could call out ‘Father’ and ‘Mother’ dozens of times a day, not at all distant with them.

“Father, don’t keep sighing. Sighing makes you age, and when you’re old with wrinkles everywhere, Mother might dislike you.”

“Mother, Father forced me to read and practice calligraphy again today. The books all say that for us women, ‘lack of talent is virtue.’ Father isn’t forcing me—he’s clearly expressing his disdain that you don’t know many characters. Mother, for your daughter’s sake, for the sake of us women, ignore him… for half a shichen, alright?”

“Miss Yan, have you ever met someone who makes your teeth itch with anger yet you can’t help but soften toward them?”

Yan Sanhe was slightly stunned again, a handsome face floating into her mind.

“That child is exactly like that. Once, she truly angered me and I scolded her a few times. Guess what she said?”

“What did she say?”

“She said, ‘Only people have joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness. Father, you’re more human than before. Come on, scold me some more—I can take it.'”

Tang Jianxi reached this point and laughed despite his anger. “Miss Yan, after hearing that, could I continue scolding her?”

Yan Sanhe found it amusing. “She is quite special.”

“It’s precisely because of her temperament that my junior sister never told her anything.”

Tang Jianxi fell silent for quite a while.

“Perhaps we all lived like people in graves, so we especially treasured the smile on that child’s face. We all wanted her to live carefreely and happily.”

Yan Sanhe couldn’t help but sigh—Master Huiru the old nun was right. There was no girl in this world more fortunate than Mingyue.

“Then I have nothing more to ask. Now I’ll listen to what Master Tang has to say.”

“What I want to say…”

Tang Jianxi’s expression stiffened slightly before he continued, “concerns Lu Shi.”

Yan Sanhe’s brow twitched.

He was actually taking the initiative to tell her about Lu Shi—why?

“Master Tang, aren’t you afraid that your junior sister’s spirit…”

“I want her coffin to close sooner.”

Tang Jianxi: “I won’t speak about the parts involving my junior sister. I’ll only speak of his actions and behavior.”

Rather than cursing him as a hypocrite or despicable scoundrel, his attitude had changed so quickly—Yan Sanhe was somewhat surprised.

“Is Master Tang doing this for Mingyue, fearing unfortunate matters might befall her?”

“Yes!”

“Then please speak, Master Tang.”

Tang Jianxi’s opening words were quite abrupt. “He once lodged at the Tang family, but his lodging was different from Yanling’s.”

“How was it different?”

“My teacher set aside a courtyard in the back to lodge poor scholars, and even provided three meals a day.”

Yan Sanhe suddenly interrupted him. “So his family circumstances were very ordinary.”

Tang Jianxi sneered. “Not ordinary—poor. So poor that he not only ate and lived at the Tang residence, but even wore my teacher’s old clothes.”

“A poor scholar who could be accepted as Tang Qiling’s student must have had extraordinary qualities?”

“His extraordinary quality was diligence.”

Though Tang Jianxi felt disdainful in his heart, he stated without embellishment, “Of twelve shichen in a day, he only slept two. All other time was spent studying.”

“So diligent?”

“Yes!”

Tang Jianxi: “My teacher said this person had a tenacity about him—a determination to never give up until reaching his goal.”

“Tenacity?”

“Let me tell you a small incident. One day, my teacher played chess with the three of us simultaneously—one against three.”

The teacher’s chess skills were excellent. He often said life was like chess—every move required careful consideration. He also said chess reflected character—gentlemen employed open stratagems while petty men used treacherous schemes.

After one shichen, he and Yanling conceded defeat, but only Lu Shi persisted stubbornly.

“Miss Yan, do you understand chess?”

“Somewhat.”

“Some people, when clearly defeated, still refuse to admit it and scheme to prolong the game. Yanling and I said this person liked to struggle desperately in chess.”

After that game ended, the teacher used the chess to evaluate all three of them.

The teacher said Tang Jianxi had natural talent but lacked patience—his thoughts were all outside the game. If he would dedicate himself to study, he could achieve great things.

The teacher said Yanling’s chess style had a chivalrous spirit—this righteousness could both make him and destroy him.

When it came to Lu Shi, the teacher stroked his beard and pondered for a long time before saying, “You, child, are too stubborn in your thinking. Stubbornness is both good and bad.”

Hearing this, Yan Sanhe couldn’t help but feel respect for Tang Qiling—he was quite accurate in reading people.

Tang Jianxi had the most outstanding natural talent—calling him a genius wouldn’t be excessive—but he liked too many things, too scattered, and thus wasn’t refined in any.

Because of the former Crown Prince’s favor, Chu Yanling followed him loyally—that was righteousness. Taking on the elder brother role to protect Tang Jianxi and Tang Zhiwei—that was righteousness. But ultimately he also lost his life because of righteousness, his three clans executed.

As for Lu Shi…

Were stubbornness and tenacity the same thing?

After careful consideration, Yan Sanhe asked, “So that means Tang Qiling’s kindness to Lu Shi was genuine and substantial.”

“Like a second father.”

These four words carried too much weight.

Yan Sanhe thought for a moment. “Could Master Tang elaborate?”

“Lu Shi was several years older than us. He came to the capital earlier and became my teacher’s student earlier, yet he took the spring examination the same year we did. Miss, have you wondered why?”

“Why?”

“Three months before one year’s spring examination, Lu Shi’s birth mother was involved in an unseemly incident—his mother had an affair with a servant and was caught.”

Tang Jianxi sneered coldly. “The Lu family wanted to drown her in the pond. His mother escaped in the middle of the night, fled to the yamen, and beat the drum to proclaim her innocence.”

“Wait!”

Yan Sanhe: “Lu Shi’s birth mother was a concubine, correct?”

“Correct. She was originally Lu Shi’s legitimate mother’s personal maid, but somehow climbed into the master’s bed and gave birth to Lu Shi.”

“A family that can take concubines wouldn’t be too poor, would it?”

“Miss Yan, a maid who climbs into bed without the legitimate wife’s consent will be resented. If the legitimate wife deliberately withholds resources, naturally they become poor.”

So that was it!

Yan Sanhe: “What happened later? Was his mother proven innocent?”

“Not innocent.”

Tang Jianxi sneered. “I heard she was already pregnant with a bastard. To save her life, she thought up this scheme.”