◎Thus squandering half a life, finally comprehending worldly matters◎

Just like in her previous life, the entire Duke Zhenguo household stood at the main gate to receive her. When Lan Shanjun stepped down from the carriage, Madam Zhu Shi couldn’t help but walk quickly forward a few steps, nearly falling. Lan Shanjun was quick-handed and hurriedly supported her arm, helping her up.

Zhu Shi cried out loudly, hugging her tightly: “My child!”

A group of people came over to console her, all with reddened eyes. Still, it was the old Madame of Duke Zhenguo who spoke up: “Let’s go inside first. In this freezing cold, don’t let anyone catch a chill.”

Zhu Shi responded affirmatively, holding Lan Shanjun’s hand tightly without letting go. Once inside the house, she introduced the family members one by one.

“This is your grandmother. Quickly kneel and kowtow.”

Lan Shanjun called out softly: “Grandmother.”

As soon as the Shuzhou accent emerged, the old Madame’s expression froze slightly, feeling uncomfortable inside. But she didn’t say much, only saying: “Rise quickly.”

Zhu Shi didn’t notice these things. She was extremely happy, holding Lan Shanjun without letting go, pointing at a couple: “This is your Fourth Uncle and Fourth Aunt.”

Lan Shanjun continued kowtowing.

The rest were brothers and sisters. The Duke Zhenguo manor didn’t have many descendants—including her, only seven in total. But the eldest young master was serving as an official in Yuzhou with his wife, and the second young lady had married far away, so only five juniors were present.

From the third branch: Third Young Master and his wife, and Seventh Miss. From the fourth branch: Fourth Young Master and Fifth Young Master.

Thus, after this round of recognizing relatives, Lan Shanjun received quite a few gifts from various people. She thanked them one by one, appearing calm, quiet, intelligent, and clever.

Zhu Shi watched with delight, embracing her and saying: “Your grandfather and father are currently at the temple praying for the deceased soldiers. Because of their sincere hearts, they rarely return home. You probably won’t see them until New Year’s.”

Lan Shanjun nodded: “Yes.”

Seventh Miss Lan watched from the side, saying softly: “Sixth Sister seems to be quiet, steady, and doesn’t like talking much.”

Hearing this, Third Young Master Lan’s mouth moved, swallowing back his words, then opening his mouth again, unable to resist saying: “She was quite talkative at first, asking me about this and that. But a few days ago during the heavy snow, after sleeping once, she suddenly changed. It’s truly strange.”

Seventh Miss Lan, single name Hui, was only twelve years old. She pursed her lips: “Third Brother, people don’t suddenly change. You’re talking nonsense.”

Third Young Master Lan always yielded to his little sister, smiling and saying: “I won’t argue with you. You’ll know later. Your Sixth Sister’s temperament… anyway, she won’t suffer verbal losses.”

Lan Hui asked curiously: “Really?”

The two whispered together. Seeing this, the old Madame found it amusing: “What, you have things to say secretly?”

Lan Hui didn’t dare speak directly, smiling and saying: “Third Brother is talking about the food along the way.”

The old Madame laughed heartily, pointing at Third Lan: “You, you—already a married man, about to fill a vacancy after the new year, yet still greedy like a child.”

She called for food to be served, saying to Lan Shanjun: “Your mother doesn’t know your tastes, so she had people prepare many dishes. See if there’s anything you like to eat.”

Lan Shanjun glanced over—a table full of light and bland dishes, what Grandmother liked to eat. But there were also several spicy dishes. Though not Shuzhou cuisine, they were likely specially prepared for her by Mother.

She remembered that because Shuzhou people loved spicy food, Grandmother wouldn’t touch anything spicy, and the entire Duke Zhenguo manor had no trace of spicy dishes.

Mother was quite good to her initially.

Lan Shanjun thanked her several times, lowered her head and sat down, saying softly: “I like them all. I’m not picky.”

Then she picked up her chopsticks, took food, ate—deliberately making some mistakes, trying to be like before when she knew nothing. But even so, having the knowledge and habits from ten years in her previous life, her every movement was still passable.

People at the table were more or less observing her. Seeing her manners weren’t crude, her speech wasn’t coarse—though she appeared unfamiliar with these things and her Mandarin carried Shuzhou tones—her entire bearing revealed a calm composure that was quite pleasing.

Zhu Shi’s face showed tenderness. She exchanged a glance with her mother-in-law, both thinking Lan Shanjun had learned from Third Young Master Lan along the way.

This was good. With such diligence, teaching her more later and making corrections, things would surely be excellent.

After the meal, everyone sat together to talk. Zhu Shi smiled and asked: “I heard your third brother mention earlier that you know how to read?”

Lan Shanjun nodded: “I can read.”

Because the old monk refused to teach, her wall-ramming ultimately didn’t produce many characters. Most characters were learned through day and night study after arriving at the Duke Zhenguo manor.

But in this lifetime, she couldn’t spend so much time learning characters again, nor could she spend half a year learning etiquette without leaving the house. She had more important things to do.

She spoke the explanation she’d already thought through: “My master said before becoming a monk, he was from Wuzhou. When he was young, his family did business and had money, so they hired a teacher for him to study. That’s why he was literate. I learned from him and recognize most characters.”

This wasn’t a lie. Every sentence was true—what the old monk told her after getting drunk.

Young Lady Lan Hui listened curiously: “Then why did he become a monk?”

Lan Shanjun recalled: “Master said he was someone who didn’t like studying, only liked fighting and killing. When young, he really wanted to see the gratifying martial world affairs in storybooks. He even boasted, wanting to become a hero. So he went out brandishing a blade, only to discover that even a penny stumps a hero. Too embarrassed to slink back home, he gritted his teeth and worked as a teacher for others. Thus squandering half a life, he finally comprehended worldly matters. Having no wife or children, he simply became a monk.”

And a wandering monk at that.

The old monk ate the pork she brought back, his mouth dripping with oil: “What luck—I just arrived in Huailing and ran into you.”

“Ah, Shanjun, bringing you along isn’t convenient for traveling. I can only be a settled monk.”

Later he was indeed buried in that dilapidated temple, unable to be buried anywhere else.

Lan Shanjun sighed, looking toward Zhu Shi: “Mother, I’d like to hold a Buddhist ceremony for Master at a Luoyang temple these few days, light an eternal lamp.”

Zhu Shi: “This is proper.”

Then she discussed future arrangements: “We can’t tell outsiders you’re our lost daughter. That wouldn’t sound good. Your grandmother and I thought it over—we’ll say that year I gave birth to twins. After birth, a Taoist priest came to the door, warning that twins must be raised separately to have long lives. So we sent one away overnight, keeping one.”

The one sent away was raised in Shuzhou. All these years they didn’t dare publicize it, fearing the King of Hell would learn and take her life. Only after turning sixteen did they dare bring her back.

Lan Shanjun nodded: “Grandmother and Mother thought this through thoroughly.”

In her previous life, they said the same thing. With this explanation, Mother kept her confined learning etiquette for over half a year until she looked like a proper young lady before taking her out to meet people.

Her obedience truly delighted Zhu Shi. She personally took her to settle in the new courtyard, assigning four maids and two matrons to her: “From now on, they’ll serve you exclusively.”

Busy until midnight, Zhu Shi finally went with Fourth Master and his wife to the old Madame’s room. Third Lan had been waiting there and immediately recounted events from the journey upon their arrival.

He naturally wouldn’t mention in front of Grandmother, Fourth Uncle, and Fourth Aunt that Lan Shanjun was unwilling to change her Shuzhou accent. This could only be discussed privately with Mother.

He selected some interesting matters from the journey to mention, then looked at Fourth Master: “Fourth Uncle, the other day at the postal station, I encountered Grand Secretary Wu’s student, Yu Qingwu.”

Fourth Master’s abilities were mediocre—unable to excel in civil or military matters. His fate should have been living off his father and elder brothers’ accomplishments. Who knew that by strange coincidence, he’d have to shoulder the family’s responsibilities? Thus these years he lived exhausting himself with meticulous care, looking older than his peers.

Hearing this, he asked: “The disciple Grand Secretary Wu taught when demoted to Shuzhou? I remember he was Third Place Scholar in the forty-fourth year of Yuanshao. He should have entered the Hanlin Academy, but later because of a case in Shuzhou, he fought with the eldest young master of the Marquis Boyuan household and was demoted to serve as magistrate in Shuzhou.”

Third Young Master Lan nodded: “That’s him—Fourth Uncle, have you heard any news about his transfer order? Do you know where he’s being transferred?”

Fourth Master shook his head helplessly: “Though I’m still in the Ministry of War, I’m not valued. I barely know Ministry of War matters, let alone Ministry of Personnel affairs.”

Third Young Master Lan scoffed: “Grand Secretary Wu is too impatient. He just returned—how long has it been?—and he’s already practicing favoritism in recommending talent? I expect they won’t be jumping around much longer.”

The Duke Zhenguo manor belonged to Prince Qi’s faction. Prince Qi never liked Wu Qingchuan’s reforms. Several years ago, he led a group to have Wu Qingchuan demoted to Shuzhou.

Fourth Master knew this nephew’s temperament and immediately drew a sharp breath, saying sternly: “You didn’t do anything to him, did you?”

Third Young Master Lan’s face showed embarrassment: “Am I that rash? I even spoke to him politely.”

The old Madame of Duke Zhenguo listened from the side, tears falling. She embraced Third Lan and scolded her fourth son: “Why scold him? Back then what status did we have? Your grandfather followed the late Emperor to establish the realm. Your father and brothers followed His Majesty to defend Luoyang. When you all went out, who didn’t show some respect?”

“Now the tiger has fallen to the plains and is bullied by dogs. We can’t even afford to offend a minor magistrate?”

Fourth Master said helplessly: “Mother, though we have the Duke’s manor plaque, we lack the Emperor’s favor. Now we only survive clinging to Prince Qi’s manor as our great tree. But your son is mediocre, not valued. Among the younger generation, only eldest nephew serves as an official, and he’s just a county magistrate. Therefore, we must be even more cautious in words and deeds.”

He explained: “This Magistrate Yu isn’t a simple county magistrate. Wu Qingchuan never married or had children, nor took students. Yu Qingwu was painstakingly taught by him—equivalent to a biological son.”

He sighed: “I remember Yu Qingwu is only twenty this year? He achieved Third Place Scholar at seventeen, has already been magistrate for three years at twenty. Returning to court now, he’ll definitely enter the Hanlin Academy. As long as Grand Secretary Wu doesn’t fall, his future prospects are boundless.”

Speaking to this point, Fourth Master couldn’t help sighing: “Someone like him—if Azhang has promise, they’ll meet their match at court. If he has no promise, in a few more years, there won’t even be opportunities to sit at the same table.”

Third Young Master Lan’s single name was Zhang.

The old Madame of Duke Zhenguo was displeased hearing this: “I don’t like these words. Go say them to others.”

Fourth Master found it amusing: “Mother, don’t be angry. I’m just motivating Azhang to work harder so in the future he can…”

Fourth Madame saw her husband continuing relentlessly and quickly glared at him, glancing at Zhu Shi. Seeing her expression unchanged, she breathed a sigh of relief: “Stop talking about these unpleasant things. It’s late—let Mother rest early.”

Fourth Master nodded, falling silent.

After leaving, Zhu Shi deliberately detained Fourth Master and his wife with her son, bowing solemnly to them both, saying sincerely: “Fourth Brother can admonish Azhang this way—I’m grateful from the bottom of my heart. We women staying in the manor don’t know the dangers outside, can’t constantly instruct him. Azhang has such a temperament and mouth. I worry inside but have no solution.”

“These years, Fourth Brother has treated him like his own son—scolding when wrong, rewarding when right, truly teaching with care. I’ve seen it all and am nothing but grateful.”

“Now he’s grown but still immature, his mouth still speaking without restraint. I’m anxious inside—I hope Fourth Brother will definitely watch over him more.”

With Zhu Shi’s words, Fourth Master felt much more comfortable. He smiled: “Third Sister-in-law needn’t speak poorly of Azhang. He’s still quite capable.”

Third Young Master Lan lowered his head admitting fault. Fourth Master praised him for correcting mistakes, only then departing with Fourth Madame.

After they left, Third Lan’s face showed melancholy. Thinking it over, he said: “Mother, not only must you worry about me—I’m afraid Sixth Sister will also require your concern.”

Zhu Shi found it amusing: “How so?”

Third Young Master Lan: “Sixth Sister… seems to be someone with strong opinions. That day she told me she was born in Shuzhou, raised in Shuzhou, and her Shuzhou accent was taught word by word by Master. So she’s unwilling to change her hometown accent.”

Zhu Shi was surprised, then shook her head: “In our family, that’s probably inappropriate.”

Third Young Master Lan immediately complained: “I also think it’s inappropriate, but she won’t listen. Her temper is quite fierce.”

Zhu Shi sighed: “She’s young and doesn’t understand the depths… How many people from our family died in Shuzhou?”

Then she consoled: “No matter. I see she understands propriety and etiquette, is obedient—not a stubborn temperament. After I slowly teach her, with time passing naturally, she’ll change. Otherwise, she won’t pass your grandmother’s test.”