CHAPTER 197: CHAPTER 195: A RIFT BETWEEN HUSBAND AND WIFE (1)

By evening, the Second Young Master and the Second Princess returned.

Li Yuzhu immediately informed the Second Princess about the arrangement for Liu Si Niu.

Having a little helper is certainly wonderful.

The Second Princess happily said, "That’s great, Third Sister. You are really thoughtful."

Li Yuzhu glanced at Liu Si Niu, who was helping the Great Princess twist threads, blissfully unaware of the hardships of life and her own unfortunate fate, and sighed, "If she wasn’t being beaten and scolded every day, I wouldn’t have let her work at such a young age."

At just over seven years old, in modern times, she would only be a first-grade elementary school student.

Children of that era only worried about what to play with, what to eat, and looking better than others.

Parents feared they might be wronged and tried every way to pamper them.

But in ancient times, where gender discrimination was severe, a girl slightly over seven had to work and earn money for the family.

Otherwise, she’d be seen as less than livestock, a burden that consumes without earning!

A tool for adults to vent their frustrations when in a bad mood.

Fortunately, in the Lu Ling Royal Mansion, there was no gender discrimination nor child abuse, even if the original host was considered a fool, no one hit her.

The Second Princess was shocked to hear that Liu Si Niu was scolded and beaten every day at home, "Ah? She gets beaten and scolded every day?"

Li Yuzhu nodded, "She is covered in bruises, gets scolded if she works slowly, and beaten if she does something wrong. She’s so small, what can she do? I thought, since you need someone to help with odd jobs at your shop, why not let her follow you?"

The Second Princess, pondering the important matter, looked troubled, "I want to help her, but how to pay her wages?"

Of course, she wanted to hire a helper too, and wanted to help the poor Liu Si Niu.

But she hadn’t earned money yet, so where would she get the money for the wages?

The Second Princess looked perplexed.

Li Yuzhu said, "I already talked to her family. She’s still young and doesn’t know much, so just provide for her food, lodging, and necessities for now. After three months, assess her ability to work, and start giving her some money appropriately. By then, your shop’s business will be stable, an extra three to five hundred coins a month should be manageable."

The Second Princess thought about it; giving money after three months should be feasible.

"Alright, let’s arrange it that way." The Second Princess agreed.

The Great Princess got thirsty and called out to Liu Si Niu, "Si Niu, go get me a cup of water."

Liu Si Niu put down the thread she was twisting and replied crisply, "Okay."

She cheerfully walked to the small table by the window, poured a cup of water, and handed it to the Great Princess, "Eldest Sister Li, here’s your water."

"So sensible." The Great Princess happily accepted it.

After a while, the Great Princess called Liu Si Niu again to ask the Princess Consort Luling for some paint powder.

Paint powder is a pencil used to mark fabric before cutting clothes.

It’s a thin piece made of chalky earth.

When the clothes are made, dust it off, and the powder will fall off, for darker colors, wash it with water, and it will come off.

There are various colors, to highlight marks on the fabric for easy cutting.

The little girl happily complied again and ran out.

Soon, she returned with three pieces of paint powder, "Aunt said Eldest Sister will lose the paint powder, so she asked me to bring back three pieces so we don’t have to keep asking, and reminded me to tell Eldest Sister to use them sparingly, as she only has two pieces left."

She spoke clearly, and the Great Princess responded with a smile, "Got it."

Li Yuzhu was surprised, Liu Laoda had said Liu Si Niu was terribly foolish, and usually when seeing this child, she seemed muddled.

Yet, the Great Princess’s instructions were completed quickly and well by her.

Li Yuzhu couldn’t understand and asked, "Si Niu, do your parents scold you every time you do something at home?"

Thinking of the unpleasant past at home, Liu Si Niu’s expression dimmed.

She nodded, "Yes."

Li Yuzhu said, "Before he hit you today, what did he say? What were you doing? What did he ask you to do before hitting you? Tell me."

In the morning, when asking the child, the specifics weren’t inquired about.

Liu Si Niu lowered her head, "I was just sitting in the main hall, and when my dad came in, he scolded me for being like a piece of wood, knowing nothing, and being lazy. He said even if a broom fell, I wouldn’t pick it up, and as he scolded, he started hitting me." She sighed, "I wasn’t lazy. When he asked me to do something, I did, but he didn’t tell me what to do today."

"So, usually? If your dad doesn’t tell you to do something, you won’t do it?" Li Yuzhu asked.

"If he doesn’t say, I don’t know what to do either." Liu Si Niu sighed.

Li Yuzhu understood, this child indeed was like a piece of wood.

Whether at work or at home, tasks need to be self-initiated.

If you can’t find work to do and wait for others to assign tasks, you’ll be seen as lazy.

Does a broom falling still need others to remind someone to do work?

Living with family, there’s a myriad of miscellaneous things, like countless hairs on an ox, and many are minor matters.

Can’t handle big things, don’t know how to handle small ones, isn’t that just lazy?

No family likes a member who doesn’t do anything.

The same goes for work units.

But then again, Liu Si Niu is only seven and a half, she really doesn’t know how to find things to do by herself, so teach her well, let her learn to find things to do on her own.

"Si Niu," Li Yuzhu said, "Children under ten can’t do heavy work, nor should you, but some light tasks are naturally yours to do, without needing reminders, you need to do them well.

For instance, fixing a fallen broom, sweeping the floor every morning and evening, wiping tables. Straightening crooked chairs and stools, chasing away stray cats and neighbors’ chickens that come to steal food, picking up clothes blown to the ground by the wind, when the sisters cook, you can help by tending the stove or delivering firewood, or selecting vegetables,

washing the family’s shoes, helping to dry clothes, and when clothes are dry, bring them back inside, and fold them piece by piece, placing them on each person’s bed. Once you see these tasks, do them, don’t wait for reminders, otherwise, you’ll be a lazy girl. Understand?"

Liu Si Niu blinked and nodded seriously, "I understand, Sister Yuzhu."

Li Yuzhu said, "Alright, now, try to find some things you can do, so I can praise you as a diligent little girl."

Liu Si Niu already spun two threads for the Great Princess, she put down the threads, glanced around the room, and immediately ran outside, grabbed a broom, and started sweeping.

Her sweeping was not skilled, but her little face was full of serious expression, making the Great Princess laugh heartily, "Good, good, really good, Si Niu is so capable."

The little girl was praised, remembering how the Great Princess had given her some coins before, she swept even more earnestly.

Li Yuzhu said, "That’s right, when you’re at home, you should work like this, then you are a diligent child."

Liu Si Niu grinned widely.

...

Xue Family kept kneeling, Princess Consort Luling saw her kneeling obediently this time, called the Princely Heir to help her back.

Kneeling for so long wasn’t good, letting Jingjing and Guoguo see it wasn’t great either, Princess Consort Luling was saving her face.

However, the Princely Heir didn’t speak to her at all.

Helping her inside the house, then immediately went back to the fields to work again.

Didn’t even ask if she was tired, nor did he ask if she was hungry.

Xue Family didn’t have lunch, then was punished to kneel, both tired and hungry, had to go to the kitchen to find food by herself.

Underneath the bamboo rattan cover, she found two bowls of rice and two bowls of vegetables, Xue Family picked out all the dishes she liked and ate them.

After eating, she did not go to work, but returned to her room to sleep.

In the blink of an eye, it’s time to make dinner again.

Normally, someone would come to call Xue Family to make dinner, but today no one came to call her.

Until it was dusk, no one came to call her.

Xue Family was hungry again by now, rubbed her belly, and walked to the kitchen.

The kitchen was pitch black.

From the wall’s groove, she found the fire stone, scratched it to light up the lamp.

Actually, everyone had already eaten.

Under the bamboo rattan cover on the table, there was a bowl of dish.

And it wasn’t even good dish!

Excessive, leaving all vegetarian dishes for her?

Xue Family was filled with resentment as she finished her meal.

She returned to the South Courtyard, the Princely Heir had come back, was standing in front of the wardrobe looking for his change of clothes, hearing footsteps, he just glanced back at her, and then walked past.

"Hey, am I invisible? You just walked right past like that?" Xue Family yelled at his back.

The Princely Heir ignored her, went straight into the bathroom.

Xue Family sat furiously.

After a while, the Princely Heir came out of the bathroom.

A newly bathed man is always so pleasing to the eye.

Thinking of the good in the Princely Heir, Xue Family softened her heart and called out to him.

The Princely Heir still ignored her and went to bed by himself.

Xue Family had never been so neglected by the Princely Heir, her temper flared up, she stood by the bed and sneered, "What, are you going to divorce me? Fine, bring the divorce papers!"

The Princely Heir had been busy in the fields all day, and being troubled by Xue Family, exhausted in both body and mind.

After getting on the bed, he immediately closed his eyes, wanting to fall asleep quickly, hearing Xue Family saying this, he sighed and opened his eyes.