Ye Yunniang picked up a slender wooden stick and drew a horizontal line in the sand-filled basin.
Usually, when sewing or embroidering, her hands were steady with the delicate needle, but this time, as she gripped the stick, her fingers trembled.
The trembling was so intense that she had to clasp the stick with both hands.
Applying too much force, the stick plunged straight to the bottom of the basin.
Pulling it out, Ye Yunniang smoothed over the hole with her fingers.
She wrote stroke by stroke.
The first attempt—her hands shook, and the basin couldn’t contain the entire character "Zhao."
She leveled the sand and tried again.
This time, it was slightly better; she completed the character, though the strokes were crooked, the shape distorted.
She smoothed the sand once more, then a third, fourth, fifth time… repeating until bedtime.
Finally, Ye Yunniang wrote the character "Zhao" neatly.
The hardest part was the beginning—once the first character was mastered, the second one, "Qian," came more easily.
Thrilled by her newfound ability, Ye Yunniang lay awake all night in excitement.
The next morning, she rose half an hour early, took the wooden stick, and wrote "Zhao" and "Qian" in the sand basin.
Then she practiced "Sun" and "Li" as well.
Absorbed in her writing, Ye Yunniang lost track of time until Li'er reminded her. Startled, she hurried to Fanghua Courtyard.
After handing over duties to Taohong, she found Jiang Tingjun still asleep.
Ye Yunniang sat nearby, silently reciting the sixteen characters she had learned the day before, tracing their shapes in her mind.
Only then did she realize she could only recall the four characters she had practiced. The fifth, pronounced "Zhou," eluded her memory.
"Wet Nurse Ye, congratulations on enrolling in literacy lessons," Hong Cai said cheerfully.
"I owe it to your guidance," Ye Yunniang replied, pulling a camellia-patterned silk flower from her sleeve and handing it to Hong Cai. "I made this myself—a little gift for you."
Hong Cai, who adored camellias, accepted the lifelike silk flower with delight.
"Sister Ye, you’re so skilled! This is lovely."
"You—"
Light footsteps interrupted them, and both fell silent.
Hong Cai carefully tucked the flower into her sleeve and retreated to a stool, her gaze fixed on the bed.
Ye Yunniang sat on the footrest, watching Jiang Tingjun.
When Hongluo entered, the two glanced at her briefly before turning their attention back to the bed.
Unable to catch them in any misstep, Hongluo left reluctantly.
Once the footsteps faded, Ye Yunniang and Hong Cai exchanged a knowing smile.
Jiang Tingjun woke around mid-morning (9 a.m.).
Ye Yunniang dressed him, tidied up, fed him, then carried him outside to play in the sunlight.
By mid-April, the weather was gradually warming.
Around noon, she brought him back inside.
After lunch, she coaxed him into a nap. By mid-afternoon, when the sun’s heat had waned, he awoke.
Restless indoors, Jiang Tingjun insisted on going to the garden.
At the gate, they encountered Fourth Madam Jiang returning home.
"Jun’er, have you come to welcome Mother?" Fourth Madam Jiang reached out to take him.
Jiang Tingjun turned his head away, making it clear she was mistaken. Pointing insistently and babbling, "Ah, go…," he urged Ye Yunniang to hurry toward the garden.
"Let’s all go play together," Fourth Madam Jiang said, accompanying her son.
In the garden, the steward was overseeing workers as they cleared weeds, trimmed branches, and adorned the waterside pavilion with ribbons.
Spotting Fourth Madam Jiang and her entourage, the steward stepped forward to bow.
"Is the household preparing for an event?" Fourth Madam Jiang wondered, trying to recall any recent celebrations.
The steward seemed surprised by the question but answered respectfully.
"The manor is preparing for the Sixth Young Master's first birthday celebration."
The Sixth Young Master? Jiang Tingjun—her son.
Fourth Madam Jiang smacked her forehead. With all the recent commotion, she had completely forgotten her son's upcoming Zhouzhuazhou (first birthday grabbing ceremony).
But was it really necessary to make such a grand affair out of a Zhua Zhou ceremony? Fourth Madam Jiang was skeptical.
Upon inquiring, she learned it was Zhuang Meixue's suggestion.
The household had faced one mishap after another lately, and they wanted to hold a joyous event to overshadow the past unpleasantness.
"Second Sister-in-law, you're too kind." Fourth Madam Jiang felt a pang of guilt for her previous petty thoughts about Zhuang Meixue and resolved to treat her better from now on.
This was exactly what Zhuang Meixue wanted. She gladly accepted Fourth Madam Jiang's overtures.
As the two grew closer, Bai Xiuxiu was so furious she smashed an entire room of porcelain.
Ye Yunniang and Taohong, as wet nurses, were pulled aside by Aunt Jinlan for training. She intended to choose the more proficient of the two to carry the young master during the Zhuazhou ceremony.
After several days of learning under Aunt Jinlan, Ye Yunniang gained much knowledge.
Even while training with Aunt Jinlan, Ye Yunniang didn’t slack on her literacy studies.
By the day before the ceremony, she had already memorized 64 surnames and could write 32 of them.
She could recognize characters at a glance and even taught Li'er to recognize 32 characters.
Overjoyed, Li'er bought a large basket of pears and asked the main kitchen to prepare pear syrup candy for Ye Yunniang.
After days of training, Aunt Jinlan made her decision—Taohong would be the wet nurse to carry the young master during the ceremony.
"Thank you, Aunt Jinlan, for this opportunity." Taohong bowed with delight, her eyes flickering toward Ye Yunniang with barely concealed disdain.
"Wet Nurse Ye, please take care of the young master tonight," Aunt Jinlan said before leading Taohong away to finalize the next day's arrangements.
Ye Yunniang returned to the inner room.
Seeing Hong Cai's worried expression, she smiled. "I'm fine."
"Sister Ye, there will be other chances," Hong Cai reassured her.
"Tomorrow, we’ll face so many people. Truthfully, I’m afraid. Not going is actually a relief." Ye Yunniang genuinely dreaded drawing attention in front of such a crowd.
The Zhua Zhou ceremony was held in Chunze Courtyard.
Though Ye Yunniang wasn’t assigned to carry Jiang Tingjun, Aunt Jinlan still had her follow behind Taohong as a precaution.
Ye Yunniang steeled herself and trailed after Taohong to Chunze Courtyard.
The main hall was laid with a carpet, over which a bordered mat had been placed.
The center of the mat was left empty, while the edges were lined with objects: brushes, inksticks, paper, inkstones; qin (board games), books, paintings; swords, spears, halberds; axes, blades, forks; gold, silver, jade ornaments; an abacus… Each item was exquisitely crafted in miniature, delightful to behold.
Once the guests arrived, Fourth Madam Jiang placed Jiang Tingjun on the mat.
"My son, grab the book," Fourth Madam Jiang urged, her own hopes clear—she wanted her son to pursue the imperial exams and become an official.
"My son, grab the spear," Jiang Mingrui interjected, his heart set on battlefield glory. If not for his family’s objections, he would have long since enlisted on the frontier.
"Tingjun, don’t listen to your father. Grab the book," Old Master Jiang insisted, wanting his grandson to follow the scholarly path like his uncle and bring honor to the family.
"Grab the abacus," Old Madam Jiang countered, hoping Jiang Tingjun would inherit the family business. Such vast wealth needed a proper heir.
Old Madam Jiang didn’t notice the momentary falter in Zhuang Meixue’s smile or the flicker of cold ruthlessness in her eyes as she gazed at Jiang Tingjun.
The surrounding guests chimed in.
Some called for the book.
Others urged him toward the weapons.
There was also talk of seizing jade artifacts...
Jiang Tingjun glanced at this, then at that, his eyes darting between the chattering crowd.
In the corner, Ye Yunniang watched the restless gleam in Jiang Tingjun's eyes and knew the young master was about to stir up trouble.
