The Grand Secretary's Child-Raising Diary

Lu Youning didn't start speaking until she was over two years old.

By then, the news had spread throughout the capital that the only son of Lu Shiyan, the eloquent and debate-savvy official of the Censorate, was a mute.

Officials who had been severely impeached by Lu Shiyan for various reasons, such as indulging in prostitution, favoring concubines over wives, forming cliques, and accepting bribes, all applauded and cheered. Some even said that Lu Shiyan himself must have been born with venomous teeth and a sharp tongue, and that even Heaven couldn't stand his words, which is why his son was mute.

Not only were the people outside who had been offended by Lu Shiyan happy, but even Madam Qin from the Chengen Earl's Mansion was so happy to hear about it that she ate an extra bowl of rice.

Lu Youning was aware of the rumors circulating outside and within the mansion. He also knew that Zhang Shi and Granny Sun had cried a lot in private because of the fact that she couldn't speak.

But Lu Youning stubbornly refused to speak. He wanted to see what Lu Shiyan, who had treated him like a kind father over the past few years, would do if he really couldn't speak.

Will she treat him as before, or will she gradually become disappointed, disgusted, and distant, and then casually abandon him in a corner to fend for himself, while she goes off to marry a new wife and have new children?

Then let the healthy, articulate child call him mute and bully him at will; if that happens...

Emperor Chenghe had also heard that Lu Shiyan's youngest son was mute. One afternoon, while the emperor and his ministers were playing chess and chatting, Emperor Chenghe casually remarked, "Is Songzhan twenty-seven this year?"

As Lu Shiyan placed the black chess piece, he said, "Yes."

Emperor Chenghe continued, "At my age in Songzhan, I was already the father of six children."

Lu Shiyan: "Your Majesty is the ruler of a country. The continuation of your bloodline means the continuation of the Great Qian Dynasty's destiny." Hearing him change the subject, Emperor Chenghe was too lazy to beat around the bush with him. He put the white piece in his hand back into the chess box and said directly: "Look around and see if there is anyone in the court who is like you, who at this age still only has one child."

Since you are unwilling to accept the person the Earl's family has chosen for you, then I will order the Empress to select a suitable woman from among the noble families, and I will issue an imperial decree to bestow a marriage upon you."

Knowing there was no escaping it today, Lu Shiyan simply put down his chess piece, thought for a moment, and then solemnly said, "Your Majesty, I have made up my mind that I will only have one child, You Ning, in this lifetime. Even if he is mute, or even if he is mentally challenged, I will accept it."

Emperor Chenghe said helplessly, "Why are you doing this? Even if you marry and have other children, you can still love that child the most."

Having served as his subject for many years, Emperor Chenghe knew of his stubbornness, but he never expected him to be so obstinate in this matter.

There are some things Lu Shiyan wouldn't say to his father, the Earl of Chengen, nor to his friend Tan Xiuwen, but he could and had to tell Emperor Chenghe:

"My youngest son is extremely intelligent, but he is also stubborn and vengeful, and he cannot tolerate the slightest injustice."

Don't laugh at me, Your Majesty, but I often have this feeling that the child is probably the reincarnation of a lynx that only bites. If I were to remarry and have a new child, he would probably be so angry that he would smother his own younger brother to death.

To avoid us father and son growing to hate each other in the future, let's just have him.

Upon closer examination, this statement inevitably carries a hidden meaning, since the royal family is never short of fratricide.

Emperor Chenghe showed little reaction, but instead became very interested in the youngest son, the reincarnation of a lynx, as described by Lu Shiyan.

Having said all that, Emperor Chenghe, who didn't have the penchant for forcing his subjects to marry, gave a very formal instruction:

"When your youngest son reaches school age, summon him to the palace to study with my princes. I want to see what tricks this reincarnated lynx can pull under my nose."

I never imagined that my heartfelt conversation would plant a huge time bomb for my son.

But Lu Shiyan felt no remorse whatsoever, since the child had broken one of his finest Huzhou brushes a few days earlier.

Lu Youning had no idea that his cheap father had dug such a huge pit for him when he was only two years old, but that's a story for another time.

Lu Youning was quietly waiting for his adoptive father to abandon him, but unexpectedly, he encountered someone else first.

Lu Shiyan held Lu Youning on his lap and pointed to the middle-aged man in front of him, saying, "This is Master Yuan. He will be your tutor from now on."

At first, Lu Youning couldn't understand why Old Deng had suddenly invited the tutor to his door. Could it be that he finally couldn't stand the gossip outside and was preparing to push his child to excel?

But once Master Yuan started teaching him, he understood everything.

Then, Master Yuan came up, grabbed his hand, and pressed it against his Adam's apple, opening his mouth wide and making a loud "ah ah" sound.

Lu Youning understood and laughed in exasperation: So this is the kind of teacher he is.

Lu Youning coldly withdrew her hand, feigning a question: "Is your throat itchy, Master?"

Master Yuan: "Ah, it's alright, young master. Just pay attention and learn from me."

The next second, Master Yuan suspiciously picked at his ear, and his whole body cracked open.

He glanced at the Dendrobium orchid guarding behind Lu Youning and asked, "Is my teaching so effective?"

Dendrobium was also somewhat shocked and stunned. She imitated Master Yuan's unrefined manner of picking her ear, then cast an admiring glance at Master Yuan. "Truly worthy of being the teacher Second Master searched all over the Great Qian Dynasty to find. The Third Young Master can already speak after only just beginning his lessons."

Lu Youning: "Hehe."

Although the process was somewhat comical, the news that the third young master of Songtao Courtyard was not mute quickly spread throughout the entire Chengen Marquis's mansion.

In reality, it was Zhang Shi and Granny Sun who deliberately spread the word. After all, for the past year and a half, the servants in the mansion had often made fun of their young master behind his back, saying that he was a mute who couldn't speak.

In his previous life, Lu Youning was mostly silent due to his living environment. Now, with a caring wet nurse, maids, and servants by his side, and even his adoptive father understanding him with just a glance or a flick of his finger, it's even less important whether he speaks or not.

He thought it was unimportant, but everyone in Songtao Courtyard was excited. Zhang Shi kept talking to him, and her eyes would redden and she would shed tears as she spoke.

After he finally managed to appease Zhang, the two maids, Banxia and Rendong, came over again and talked about how the stray yellow dog at the back gate of the Chengen Earl's mansion had given birth to several puppies, and how Kuandong had fallen down again today.

Helpless, Lu Youning could only clear his throat and recite the poem that Lu Shiyan most often taught him.

In the evening, when Lu Shiyan returned home, Zhang's mother disregarded etiquette and almost ran to meet him, eager to tell him the great news that the third young master was not mute and could speak.