Too high to reach

Chapter 69 The Competitive Spirit
Over there, Lady Hou was chatting with everyone:

"The young girls get to know each other quickly. I heard that this year's March 3rd festival was planned by the Crown Princess..."

If Liang You hadn't brought up the Mohist school, Lady Hou wouldn't have been in such a hurry to find him a wife and arrange a marriage.

Every two years, one or two exceptionally beautiful girls will emerge on the third day of the third lunar month. We can then go and choose one.

This silly boy was so impatient; although the Lady of the Marquis felt some regret, she found it mostly amusing…

A woman chimed in, "Indeed, the Crown Princess was already renowned when she was still a young lady! I imagine there will be many novel things to discover this time!"

One of the ladies laughed and said, "It's a feast for the eyes when the young ladies compete to outshine each other."

"Speaking of talents, I've heard that Miss Shanlin received the true teachings of Madam Huang. Her calligraphy is superb, no less than that of a man!"

"That girl's wrist strength is not weak!" Lady Hou affirmed.

Grandma Liang laughed and said, "That girl Yuanyuan studied at Siping College for two years. When she returned to Beijing, she was a classmate of Miss Xianlin! Her husband said that she is poetic and magnanimous, no less than a man."

"At such a young age, she's no less skilled than any man. Take Xiaowei, for example, her chess moves are incredibly sharp! In my opinion, she has no rivals below the national level!" This must be Grandma Liang, right?
Wang felt extremely guilty, as she had never attended school when she was at her parents' home.

She gave birth to a son after getting married.

The men of the Mo family were all quite learned, and even Mo Rusong, who had no official rank, was said to have beautiful handwriting. Therefore, she didn't need to worry about her sons' studies at all.

What about the daughters...?

The Mohists also advocated that girls should learn to read and write and be polite, but they did not have excessively high requirements.

He himself didn't understand the ins and outs of the matter, only caring about the girls' food and clothing, and didn't pay much attention to their talents. It was only because Mo Wen was smart, especially in the zither, that she had a special talent for it, so he hired a teacher to teach her.

But what can Mu Yi do? I remember she can make a few desserts. Her husband said she makes good wontons, but that's not as good as other people's.

So she laughed along with everyone, afraid that people would steer the conversation toward her.

After the girls introduced themselves to each other, they took their seats.

Granny Zhang clearly favored Zhang Xianlin and wanted her to take the lead.

She didn't refuse too much, "I'm very happy to have this opportunity for the sisters to have fun together today. Here, Madam has prepared writing brushes, ink, paper, inkstones, a zither, and chess. Sisters, whatever you are good at or like, you can play. There's no need to compete, just exchange ideas and have some fun. Of course, if you want to have a competition, I'm sure Madam would be happy to see it!"

The girls sized each other up, a competitive spirit stirring within them.

Even more so were those like Liu Yuan, who knew some of the details and kept a close eye on Mo Yi.

At this moment, Mo Yi's heart was in turmoil: Liang You's explicit gesture of goodwill had thrust her into the spotlight. The girls' eagerness added to the pressure. Suddenly, she could still hear her mother's solitary, hearty laughter... and then she thought of the Lady Hou's imposing presence.

A mix of emotions overwhelmed me, and I didn't know what to do.

Liang You, on the other hand, remained calm. He didn't look at anyone, but casually picked up a book and started flipping through it. Although he appeared to be reading, his attention was actually on Mo Yi.

Seeing so many girls there made him realize even more: there's so much beauty in this world. If you look around randomly, you'll get overwhelmed.

All he needs to do is keep an eye on the one he wants to marry.

Zhang Xianlin said, "I'll start by writing a few words to get the ball rolling. Liu Yuan, it'll be your turn after I finish!"

Liu Yuan laughed: "You're not just throwing out a brick, you're throwing out pressure. Do you think we'd dare to embarrass ourselves after you've finished writing?"

The girls all gave insincere smiles, their voices barely audible.

"Don't be modest," Zhang Xianlin said, then rolled up her sleeves to reveal a small section of her fair wrist and a white, smooth, and thick jade bracelet.

Mo Yi put aside her distracting thoughts and immediately noticed the bracelet on the other person's wrist. She couldn't help but swallow hard; it was truly a fine piece!

She picked up her brush, added ink, and calmly began to write...

Girls gathered around and let out soft gasps of amazement.

Everyone watched quietly. In no time, she finished writing, picked it up, blew on it slightly, and then showed it to everyone. Liu Yuan saw this and a glint of something gleamed in her eyes; she could never write like that…

If I went up there now, others might compare themselves to me, and I'd be at a disadvantage. So, after offering a few compliments, I smiled and declined to go up and write.

Unexpectedly, a girl whom Granny Zhang hadn't emphasized went up without hesitation and started writing.

Even Zhang Xianlin was stunned, for the girl's calligraphy was remarkably skillful. Each stroke was like bamboo, each character possessing strength and character. Everyone who saw it couldn't help but exclaim in amazement.

Wang Xiaoyang was a bit loud and boisterous, and he kept praising her loudly.

Wang Xiaowei glanced at it, but seemed unimpressed. The person in question doesn't care, so why are you all making such a fuss?

She was assertive and walked directly to Liang You, bowing respectfully. "Young Master Liang, seeing the ladies having so much fun, I'm also itching to play a game. I'd like to challenge you to a match. Would you be so kind as to offer your guidance?"

When Liang You saw someone speaking to him, he put down his book and said seriously, "Sister Wang, you are too kind! First of all, Liang You is not good at chess. I have just heard that Miss Wang is very skilled, so it is even more inappropriate for me to show off my limited skills. Besides, today is for all the sisters to have fun, so Liang You should just stand by and cheer and applaud! There is no need for me to play."

Although Wang Xiaowei is strong-willed, it is still somewhat embarrassing for a girl to be rejected to her face.

Yuan Huixian, being a kind-hearted person, quickly came to the rescue: "Sister Xiaowei, although my chess skills are poor, I really like them. Come, let me ask you for some pointers?"

Wang Xiaowei turned around and sat down at the chess table with Liu Mingzhen.

A girl went over to watch the game, and Mo Yuan actually got up and went over with a grin.

Seeing Mo Yuan standing next to her, Wang Xiaowei put on a clearly surprised and disgusted look, glanced at Mo Yi out of the corner of her eye, and sneered.

She wanted everyone to see her disdain.

Liu Yuan didn't write anything, but instead spoke to Mo Wen and Mo Yi.

"Just now, Granny Zhang didn't have time to introduce the Mo family girls in detail. May I ask where you went to school? It's not Emei Academy, is it? I have sisters studying there. The surname Mo is relatively rare. If so, everyone would know."

Mo Wen, being the eldest, answered when no one was specifically asked: "The Mo family has strict requirements for men but lenient requirements for women. Our family has supported girls' education at the former Tang Dynasty Academy. We have also had female tutors at home."

"Former Tang Academy... I am truly ignorant; I have never heard of it."

Mo Wen didn't follow her words to explain: "After we learn to read, we'll hire a teacher based on our own preferences. But if we don't want to learn, or don't learn well, we won't be scolded..."

To be fair, Mo Wen was quite skilled; his voice was gentle, and his answer was neither humble nor arrogant.

Liu Yuan smiled and said, "What Miss Mo said is quite enviable. You know, it is indeed hard to expect women to be treated like men, to get up before dawn, practice the zither and calligraphy, read books and write poetry! However, this is the path that my daughter must take."

Mo Wen was angry at being rebuked, but she couldn't retaliate. She just smiled and didn't say anything more.

"So, what is Miss Mo good at, or rather, what does she like?"

"I wouldn't call myself an expert, I just play the piano occasionally!" Mo Wen said frankly.

Liu Yuan was secretly delighted. Rumors circulated that she was a good poet, but in truth, her musical skills were also quite remarkable. She simply hadn't revealed them, waiting to astonish everyone on the third day of the third month!
Just now, I saw Zhang Xianlin praising that girl's calligraphy. She's got some serious talent. I might have to show off my skills later.

"Then... what about Miss Mo Yi?"

Yesterday, a reader commented that the female protagonist lacks personality.

Does it mean she doesn't have a strong personality?

Actually, this is her character setting, and it makes sense.

Let me explain: She was just an ordinary girl, neither particularly beautiful nor talented. Her mother was strong, her father weak. Her siblings each had their own strengths; how could she possibly develop a strong personality?
Having only attended school for two years and rarely having the opportunity to go out, where would she get the perspective to support her personality?
How can she cope with her mother's suppression and the bullying from her relatives? Will she just go on a rampage and kill everyone?
As human beings, we are born with some things and some we are not! More often than not, we have to strive for what we have to gain…

Careful, cautious, pragmatic, calm, calculating, and fond of beautiful things—that's her personality.

The little rascals might not like this...

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(End of this chapter)