Liang Shu arranged a room for Zhang Qi, with only one kang, it seemed that she didnt need to share the room with others. Seeing Zhang Qis gaze sweeping over the kang, Liang Shu smiled and said: "Ah Qi, you can temporarily stay here. If Shi Lang sees you, he will definitely arrange a better place for you." Shi Lang was her biological father.

  "Whatever sister-in-law arranges, Ill be very satisfied," Zhang Qi hastily replied.

  She is after all a member of the Zhang family, a spinster living in a servants quarters. How could she possibly be truly satisfied? If she can say such things, its either because shes unsophisticated and from the countryside or because shes aware of her circumstances.

  Liang Shu looked at her, nodded and said: "As long as youre satisfied. If you need anything, just tell Liang Shu." Seeing Zhang Qi say no, she instructed two more sentences before turning around to leave.

  Zhang Qi sat on the couch, quietly looking at the layout of the room.

  After resting for a while, she walked out of the room door.

  The broom was placed in the storage room, and Zhang Qi only needed to take it out to sweep. The yard wasnt big either, and sweeping it clean wouldnt take more than an hour.

  Zhang Qi lowered her head to sweep the floor, and from a distance came the sound of people whispering and discussing, accompanied by faint snickers.

  Now, Zhang Qi still hasnt thought about getting to know anyone. Her memory is too vague, and the people around her who appear are familiar with two faces, but she cant remember their names, let alone recall their experiences and personalities. So, for now, she just quietly does her work, one step at a time.

  After finishing sweeping, I went to the big kitchen to have breakfast. Zhang Qi rested for a while and then arrived in the afternoon.

  In the afternoon, her task was to recognize characters.

  In the Zhang familys large mansion, there were three or four big and small schools. The school that Zhang Gui was in had four other girls who were dressed simply. These girls not only looked about the same age as her but also had pretty facial features. From their tone of voice, it could be heard that they were all daughters of concubines from the family who were not valued, and in this large mansion of the Zhang family, they had an awkward status just like hers.

  The one who taught them to read was a woman of twenty-seven or eight years old. This woman was not young, but still wore her hair in a maidens knot. She had been an imperial lady-in-waiting and had left the palace at an age that was too advanced for marriage. With some property of her own and able to support herself, she did not remarry, but instead took up the position of teacher among various aristocratic families.

  As soon as they saw Zhang Qi walking over, the four young girls turned their heads around at the same time, huddled together and giggled while pointing fingers. Although they were not from a good background, compared to Zhang Qi, this illegitimate daughter, they were much more radiant.

  Zhang Qi lowered her eyebrows and closed her eyes, sitting quietly in a corner, waiting for the teacher to start class.

  "I heard hes from the countryside." "He looks like a lowly commoner at first glance."

  "What a shameless mother she has!"

  ……

  The last sentence was heard in her ear, and Zhang Qis eyebrows jumped. She turned back to look at the little girl who had spoken, Xiang Liu, who was a head taller than her.

  She wasnt really a little girl after all. This gaze was deep and heavy, with an unspoken warning. Zhang Dan suddenly saw it and couldnt help but tremble slightly.

  In the blink of an eye, she stood up as if she had suffered a great humiliation, and shouted in a shrill voice: "What are you looking at? Did I say anything wrong? Your mother is indeed a cheap one!"

  Zhang Qi was furious and just about to lose her temper when she heard the teachers impatient scolding from the front, "Whats all the commotion? Zhang Qi, Zhang Cen, write this character ten times!"

  Zhang Qi turned her head and saw that the instructor was looking at her with disdain.

  Zhang Qi stood up, she knew that this was her first battle after entering the mansion. If she showed weakness, there would be endless bullying in the future. However, if she acted too roughly and it spread out, she wouldnt have a good life either.

  She raised her head, her eyes quietly staring at the instructor, and asked in a clear voice: "Obviously Zhang was insulting my mother, I didnt even retort, why did Instructor Zhao want to punish me? Isnt it that the instructor has studied poetry and etiquette for many years, but deep down thinks that insulting peoples parents is worthy of admiration?"

  She had barely said that when Zhaos long face sank. She glared at Zhang Qi and shouted, "Who encouraged you? You little girl are so nosy! Sit down and write this word a hundred times for me!" Her voice was extremely severe.

  The other three little girls were so frightened by her that their faces turned pale and they shrank back into the couch, not daring to move.

  However, Zhang Qi was no ordinary young woman.

  Upon hearing this, she didnt get angry but instead smiled, lifted her skirt and strode out in big steps.

  "Zhaos teacher was taken aback and shouted loudly: How dare you leave? Once you walk out of this door, dont even think about learning characters again!"

  Zhang Qi turned around.

  She saw a smug look on Zhaos face. Of course, literacy was the privilege of the upper class, and being able to learn characters was an honor in itself. She had been running her business here for many years, and if she said something wrong to those above, it could really cut off her own path to literacy.

  Zhang Qi stopped in her tracks. At this moment, she stood at the doorstep, outside the door was a shaded path.

  Zhang Qi glanced at the small road outside and the passersby on it, then turned back to look at Zhao Xiansheng and calmly said: "Teacher is wrong, I didnt come here to leave school." In the midst of Zhao Xianshengs raised head and cold smile, Zhang Qi quietly and clearly said: "There are many people coming and going here, I just want to discuss reason with everyone, and also let the entire Zhang family discuss reason: Teacher, is it only teaching people to recognize a few characters, or should filial piety and etiquette be taught together? If a teacher encourages his disciples to insult other peoples parents, should this behavior be allowed?"

  Listening and listening, Zhaos face turned pale! His palms were sweating profusely!

  She is also a worldly person and naturally knows that even in the Two Jin dynasties, which valued being unrestrained and natural as beauty, filial piety was still taken seriously. Not to mention this era!

  This young ladys words must not be spread, if they are, she will either lose her teaching position or her reputation will be ruined!

  With a pale face, Zhao looked at Zhang Qi, the muscles on his cheeks twitching frequently. Forcing a smile, he said to Zhang Qi in a gentle voice: "Little girl, youre being too serious, disrespecting ones parents is a great mistake, how could this teacher possibly agree with such behavior?"

  She turned to Zhang Dan, her face pale, and shouted sternly: "Foolish! A good little girl, how can you be as reckless and unscrupulous as a rascal? Go! Stand outside for an hour! Then copy this Classic of Filial Piety again, and hand it over to me in five days!"

  After drinking and scolding, making Zhangs eyes brim with tears, Zhao turned his head around, smiling obsequiously at Zhang Qi, saying: "Ah Qi, its time to learn your lesson, lets go back."

  Zhang Qi saw that it was good to stop, she nodded and said: "I was wrong, Zhao Jiao Shi is not that kind of person. Fortunately, I didnt speak loudly just now, and I didnt disturb others." This reminded Zhao Jiao Shi to seal the mouths of the other three little girls.

  Zhaos anger and vigilance towards Zhang Gui had just dissipated, replaced by a faint sense of gratitude. She stared at Zhang Gui, thinking to herself in shock: I heard she was from the countryside and only learned to read for a month. But judging from her current tactics, even the palace ladies cant surpass her. Shes indeed not someone to be underestimated.