latelenovela Chapter 70 Strict Teacher Shen Li
Chapter 70 Strict Teacher Shen Li
"I'll just observe Sister Shen's paintings; I really wouldn't dare to show off my own skills," Zheng Yanran declined.
She's always trying to be in the spotlight, and she's even trying to draw in front of Shen Li—doesn't she have any self-respect?
“If you could learn well just by observing, wouldn’t everyone in the world be a master? Since you trust me, I can’t mislead you. I need to know where you are lacking so I can teach you. Perhaps my sister can draw better than me.”
Shen Li said to Shaoyao, "Grind the ink for Miss Zheng."
Zheng Yanran still declined, saying, "I'd rather not."
"If that's the case, I'll have to report to the Imperial Concubine. I can't teach a disobedient student," Shen Li said sternly.
Zheng Yanran had no choice but to take the paintbrush; she couldn't just be kicked out after only one day, that would be too humiliating.
Peony was the one who was confused. She had prepared brushes, ink and paints all morning. It turned out that the young lady didn't want to paint?
"Focus on your drawing. I'll check on you before lunch." Shen Li stretched and looked at Shaoyao: "Let's go see how Yue'er's martial arts practice is going."
As expected, Shen Yue got up early to practice martial arts, and she was practicing her boxing when Shen Li arrived.
"Why are you here so early, sister?" Shen Yue ran over.
"I came here to find some peace and quiet and read a book." Shen Li wiped her sweat with a handkerchief. "I'll ask you for help if I don't understand something."
"Sister, you must be joking. Me, going to teach you? You were taught by Grandpa, and even Father might not be better than you in every way." Shen Yue said with a bitter expression, "Sister, you're here to supervise my studies, aren't you?"
"I'm talking about this book." Shen Li took out a rolled-up sword manual from her sleeve.
Shen Yue was stunned when she saw the name: "This is my maternal grandfather's family secret technique. If my cousin hadn't been practicing shooting, he would definitely have learned this."
"Can you at least give me some pointers?" Shen Li asked.
Shen Yue nodded: "Okay, although it's too difficult for me to learn how to exert force, I can still understand the technique."
In terms of aptitude for martial arts, Shen Yue is a first-rate genius.
So Shen Li spent the whole morning discussing the sword manual with Shen Yue. Shen Li memorized each move, but mastering it was not so easy. She needed to practice every day to grasp the essence.
The area around Shen Yue's courtyard was naturally filled with people from the Gu family. Those who didn't come in just assumed Shen Yue was practicing martial arts, but those who knew the details were not outsiders.
Peony finally understood. Her mistress had confined Miss Zheng to the inner study, allowing her to do whatever she wanted. Zheng Yanran, though in the Gu residence, was now deaf and blind.
Sure enough, no matter what she came here for, it was difficult to accomplish anything.
When Shen Li went back at noon to check Zheng Yanran's homework, she found that Zheng Yanran had not finished a painting. Her expression immediately became stern, and she ordered that she would only be given a little bit of lunch. If she did not finish the painting by evening, she would not be allowed to have dinner.
"Mrs. Gu, this is not appropriate!" Zheng Yanran couldn't hold back any longer when she saw the steamed buns and pickled vegetables.
“At your age, you’re already much older than children, so you naturally need to work twice as hard. This is how I teach, and even if you complain to the Emperor, I won’t change it. If you don’t want to learn, you can leave,” Shen Li said seriously.
Zheng Yanran was on the verge of tears. She had thought that she would be treated like royalty here because of her status, and that seducing Gu Chang'an while Shen Li was in charge of the household would be a piece of cake.
Who would have thought that Shen Lizhen would treat herself as a teacher, and her strictness was even greater than that of the teachers in the manor.
She stood for half a day until her legs were weak and her hands ached. For lunch, she was given steamed buns and pickled vegetables. Is this how a human being lives?
However, her reason for coming here was to learn painting, so even if she complained to the Imperial Concubine, Shen Li's actions would be blameless and would only make things worse.
She might not be able to stay here then, and she thought that might be exactly what Shen Li wanted to see.
"Since you're not going to eat it, let's take it away," Shen Li instructed.
"No... I'll eat it." Zheng Yanran quickly stepped forward, afraid that someone else would take it away.
I didn't eat much for breakfast, and if I don't eat something after standing all morning, I'm afraid I'll faint from hunger tonight.
"Take a 15-minute break to eat and rest, then continue drawing." Shen Li looked at Shaoyao: "Keep an eye on her; if she doesn't do a good job, there will be no dinner tonight."
“Shen Li…” Zheng Yanran’s face turned pale with anger.
Shen Li pretended not to hear and went to the restaurant to eat her lunch, which was a very lavish spread of chicken, duck, beef and pork.
Lian Qiao followed Shen Li away, whispering, "Miss, is this alright? Aren't you afraid she'll tell on you?"
Where should I file a complaint?
"To the Imperial Concubine or the Prince of Yi."
"So what is my relationship with these two people now?"
“Enemy… hostile…” Lian Qiao reacted for a moment and understood.
Anyway, there's no room for things to get any worse. We can't just let her come to us like this, can we?
Just as Shen Li and Shen Yue were finishing their meal, a maid came in to ask how much silver they should donate.
"What kind of money should we donate?" Shen Yue asked.
"It was the Crown Prince who started this at the morning court session. The Empress and the Crown Prince together raised 10,000 taels of silver for the Ministry of Works to use for developing firearms. The Emperor was overjoyed, and so the ladies of the harem and our officials from the court are all raising money." The maid asked, "How much do you think our household should contribute?"
"This is a good thing. Officials are all rolling in money, so it's only right that they do their part for the border." Shen Yue was the first to clap and cheer.
"Lianqiao, go and have the accountant prepare two portions of silver. Give five hundred taels to the court in the name of the Gu family, and send another ten thousand taels to the harem in my name," Shen Li decided after some thought.
Since we're going to take the money anyway, we might as well do the Crown Prince a favor.
"Why not put them together? There's still so much difference?" Shen Yue asked, puzzled.
“Even a third-rank official who manages his business well can only afford five hundred taels. Any more and he’ll be stealing the limelight.” Shen Li put a chicken leg on her plate. “But you said the Northern Border is waiting for money, provisions and equipment. Isn’t it a bit much to only take this little?”
"I see. Sister, you've given money and helped the Crown Prince at the same time. This prince is truly fortunate to have met you." Shen Yue wanted to say that Li Heng had burned incense in gratitude, but her sister would probably accuse her of being outspoken if she heard such a phrase.
Shen Li just smiled when she heard this. That was indeed the case in her past life, but it was hard to say in this life.
"Eat quickly, and we'll go to your yard after we finish."
Shen Yue nodded repeatedly. She even felt a little sorry for Zheng Yanran. With a strict teacher like her sister, she would probably have to keep painting for as long as she stayed at the mansion.
If she were Zheng Yanran, she would run away as soon as possible. It doesn't matter whether she can learn it or not, but she only has one life.
Zheng Yanran hadn't rested since noon in order to earn a living. She stood until sunset, feeling dizzy and lightheaded, and was sweating profusely before she even finished her painting.
"Miss, Lord Gu is back. He's in the main room," the maid whispered in her ear.
Zheng Yanran, drawing strength from who-knows-where, finished the drawing in the shortest time, gritting her teeth and saying, "Shen Li, wait until I get my hands on her, let's see what you're still so smug about."