"Kidney deficiency, kidney deficiency," Meng Shuping's repeated taunts finally broke Meng Shuyang's patience. He stormed out of his bedroom, fuming, "You little brat, are you tired of living?!"
Sun Shi quickly intervened, grabbing him. "Yang Ge'er, what are you doing? Go back and rest!" It wasn't that she didn't want to hit Meng Shuping, but the boy was notoriously wild, and Meng Shuyang was currently frail. If a real fight broke out, Meng Shuyang would surely get the worst of it.
Meng Shuping, even more concerned about a confrontation than Sun Shi, swiftly darted behind others. [No, no, I can't hit him again. He's so weak now—if I really hurt him, wouldn't he hold it against me forever?]
Hearing this, Meng Shuyang's anger flared even hotter. "You rotten kid, if you've got the guts, don't hide! What kind of man hides behind women?"
Sun Shi almost lost her grip. She quickly yelled at the surrounding maids, "What are you all staring at? Hurry and help me hold Yang Ge'er!" The maids, unsure what to do, rushed forward to restrain Meng Shuyang at her command.
Meng Shuping retreated even faster. [I don't have the guts. If I did, you'd just blame me. This mother and son, honestly—it's not like I caused his kidney deficiency. Why are they both taking it out on me? Who did I ever offend?]
[I was even the one who helped them summon the imperial physician. Even if they're not grateful, they shouldn't bite the hand that feeds them, right? Sigh, it's getting harder and harder to be a good person these days.]
Meng Shuyang was livid, pushing against the others with all his might. "Bastard! Get over here!"
Meng Shuping sighed. [Look at you, already so weak. Just take it easy, stop making a fuss. What if you make it even worse?]
Fearing Meng Shuping's continued provocations would escalate the situation beyond control, Feng Shi quickly interjected, "Third Sister-in-law, don't worry. I'll send some ginseng and deer antler over later so Yang Ge'er can properly nourish his body. Since there's nothing else, I'll take Ping Ge'er and leave first."
Meng Shuyang's face was crimson with rage. "No need! I'm perfectly fine. There's nothing wrong with me!"
Sun Shi, however, wasn't about to refuse such tonics. She'd have to buy them anyway, so if Feng Shi provided them, she wouldn't have to spend money. She immediately feigned anger, "What do you mean 'no need'? The imperial physician himself said you need to nourish yourself properly!"
Meng Shuping chimed in, [Exactly, exactly. He's offering it for free, and he won't take it? Is he stupid? How can his kidney deficiency get better if he doesn't nourish himself quickly?]
Ignoring Meng Shuyang's livid expression, Sun Shi turned to Feng Shi and said, "Then thank you, Second Sister-in-law."
Meng Shuyang urgently cried, "Mother!"
Sun Shi was equally annoyed. "I haven't even scolded you yet. I haven't kept an eye on you for a few days, and you've been messing around in the courtyard all day, haven't you?"
Hearing this, Meng Shuyang instantly felt guilty. He certainly didn't want Sun Shi to become too strict with him.
While Sun Shi and Meng Shuyang were distracted, Feng Shi and Meng Shuping quietly slipped out. But just as they exited the room, they heard Sun Shi's shrill scolding, "And you lot, you wretched little hussies! I told you to take care of the young master, and this is how you do it? All of you painted and powdered, who are you trying to seduce?"
Hearing her vulgar curses, Meng Shuping couldn't help but mutter, [Putting on makeup makes them hussies? She wears plenty herself—does that make her a hussy too?]
[And why isn't she blaming her son? It takes two to tango. If Meng Shuyang wasn't willing, could they have forced him?]
Sun Shi choked, unable to continue her tirade. She was furious. Why hadn't Meng Shuping left yet?
"Pfft—" Feng Shi started laughing again, clutching her stomach. Why did everything sound so amusing when it came out of Meng Shuping's mouth?
After they left the courtyard, she finally managed to stop laughing. Having something important to say, she paused and turned to Meng Shuping. "Ping Ge'er, have you had any schooling before?"
Meng Shuping hesitated. "A little bit... I guess?" In modern times, he'd studied for many years, but here it might not count. Still, he guessed the original owner probably knew some characters.
Feng Shi assumed Meng Shuping had attended school for a couple of days and knew some words, so she said, "In that case, starting the day after tomorrow, you'll study at the mansion with your other brothers. The mansion has hired a tutor, so you won't need to go out."
Meng Shuping was stunned. [What? I have to go to school? Doesn't that mean I'll have to go out every day and meet lots of people? No way!]
He dryly refused, "How about... no? I can study on my own."
Feng Shi disapproved, but considering Meng Shuping's temperament, she patiently explained, "Studying on your own is fine, but it's not as good as having guidance. Besides, the children of our family don't just need to be literate—they also need to learn horseback riding, archery, and martial arts. Only by mastering these can you make something of yourself in the future, right?"
Hearing this, Meng Shuping grew even more alarmed. [What? You want me to make something of myself? Doesn't that mean I'll have to interact with lots of people? No, no, I can't do that.]
Feng Shi hadn't expected her persuasion to backfire. She quickly added, "Besides, you've seen your father's attitude. He probably won't make many plans for you in the future. Your grandfather treats you decently, but he has many grandchildren. If you're not capable, he won't have time to keep an eye on you every day, right?"
Although Meng Shuping still didn't really want to go, he knew Feng Shi's words were genuinely for his benefit. Plus, he really wasn't good at refusing, so he reluctantly agreed, "Alright then."
Seeing Meng Shuping finally agree, Feng Shi breathed a sigh of relief. She added, "I'll have your attendants waiting at the Hanwanzhai. If you want to see them, just send someone to call them. From now on, that will be your outer study."
Meng Shuping was too preoccupied with his worries to clearly hear what Feng Shi said. He just nodded subconsciously, "Okay."
After parting ways with Feng Shi, Meng Shuping wandered back to his courtyard in a daze. Once inside, Miao Bi asked him, "Fifth Young Master, do you still want to see those attendants?"
Meng Shuping replied absently, "Sure."
So when the four attendants stood before him, he asked, confused, "Who are they?"
The four attendants quickly introduced themselves, "I'm Xing Lai," "I'm Wen Shou," "...Greetings, Fifth Young Master."
Being stared at eagerly by the four of them, Meng Shuping felt a bit uncomfortable. He cleared his throat and tried to act dignified, "Hmm, okay."
"..."
The scene fell into an awkward silence. Meng Shuping wondered what he should say at a time like this.
[Ahhh, why did they assign me so many people?]
As if hearing his thoughts, one of the attendants boldly suggested, "Fifth Young Master, since we've just arrived and haven't settled our duties yet, perhaps you could assign us shifts?"
Meng Shuping asked, puzzled, "What shifts?"
Xing Lai explained, "The four of us will split into two shifts and take turns serving you, Young Master."
Meng Shuping understood—it was a rotation system. He pointed randomly, "Then you two will be one shift, and the other two will be the other shift!"
The attendants quickly acknowledged the order. Seeing that Meng Shuping had nothing else to say, Xing Lai added, "Fifth Young Master has any other instructions? If not, we'll take our leave for now."
Meng Shuping breathed a sigh of relief, "Alright, you can go back for now. I'll call you if I need anything."
"Yes."
After the attendants left, it was almost time for lunch. A young maid from the courtyard went to the kitchen to fetch the meal, but after a long time, she still hadn't returned. Jinzhan sent another maid to hurry her along. After waiting a bit longer, the two returned together.
As she set out the meal, Jinzhan complained unhappily to the two maids, "Why did it take so long to fetch the food?"
The young maid timidly replied, "The kitchen staff said they were too busy and didn't have time to serve us."
Jinzhan, having been in the mansion for so long, knew exactly what was going on—the kitchen staff were simply playing favorites.
Thinking of this, she felt very wronged. Back in the old madam's courtyard, if she wanted something to eat, the kitchen would eagerly deliver it. But now, serving under Fifth Young Master, would she even have a good life in the future?
Seeing Jinzhan standing silently to the side after setting the table, Meng Shuping found it strange, "Aren't you going to say anything?"
Jinzhan asked, puzzled, "What does Fifth Young Master want me to say?"
Seeing that Jinzhan genuinely had no intention of speaking, Meng Shuping shook his head. "Never mind."
[I thought she was going to say again, 'Fifth Young Master, our Earl's household is not some petty household. The kitchen has to prepare so many meals every day—how could they possibly attend to everyone? You grew up outside, so it's normal you don't know. You'll get used to it after a while.']
Seeing that Meng Shuping had captured her tone spot-on, Jinzhan flushed red with embarrassment. This Fifth Young Master, why did he always have to mock her?
After teasing Jinzhan, Meng Shuping turned his disdainful gaze to the table. The dishes looked decent in terms of ingredients, but they were clearly leftovers, and they had been sitting out for so long that they had lost most of their heat. They didn't look very appetizing at first glance.
Should he make do with these leftovers or go out for a simple meal? Meng Shuping hesitated.
Seeing that Meng Shuping wasn't eating, Jinzhan said with feigned sincerity but underlying scorn, "Fifth Young Master, why aren't you eating? Although these dishes aren't very warm, they still took quite some effort to prepare. You spent so many years wandering outside—you must never have tasted such delicacies. Why don't you try them quickly?"
Although she looked down on these dishes herself, she thought that Meng Shuping, having grown up in a backwater, had never seen anything good and would surely find such meals a treat. How could he possibly know the kitchen was deliberately giving him the short end of the stick?
Meng Shuping glanced at her. "You like eating this kind of food?"
Jinzhan replied perfunctorily, "Of course I do."
"Alright," said Meng Shuping. "Then you eat these. I prefer my food hot."
Jinzhan was stunned. She forced a dry laugh and said, "How could that be? These are your meals, Fifth Young Master. Who am I to be worthy of eating them? Besides, if I eat them, what will you have?"
Meng Shuping said, "It's fine. You eat. I'll go out for a meal later. If you don't eat them, they'd just go to waste."
Just as Jinzhan was about to refuse again, Miao Bi said with a mocking smile, "Sister Jinzhan, the young master is truly fond of you. Why don't you hurry and thank him?"
Seeing her stiff expression, Meng Shuping couldn't help but wonder, [Does she herself look down on these dishes yet still try to persuade me to eat them? Should I save all the leftovers for her from now on?]
Afraid that Meng Shuping might actually do that, Jinzhan quickly said, "Thank you, Fifth Young Master. This servant will eat them right away."