Chapter 1415
Jin Yue 16
Chapter 1415 Jin Yue 16
As Cheng Qian watched Tan You take such good care of the maids and servants, he suddenly noticed the most obvious difference between her and others. In an era where the lives of maids and servants were cheap, Tan You saw the whole picture.
In her eyes, everyone's life is precious, and her life is not less valuable just because she is a maid or servant.
Perhaps that's why the servants in the manor especially like to show their faces to her. After all, who doesn't like to be treated like a human being?
This sense of identity is what these people, who have long been oppressed and exploited at the bottom of society, crave most.
Cheng Sui finished the plate of lychees, wiped his hands, and then took Tan You's hand: "Mother, I want to do good deeds in the future, and take good care of the people around me like you do."
"But Mother, what exactly is merit? What can I do right now?"
Tan You pondered for a moment and said, "So-called merit is not necessarily about doing something earth-shattering, but more about whether you take good care of yourself and the people around you."
"When you are still weak, you can protect those around you. When you have the ability, you can bring blessings to the region."
"Do not do evil because it is insignificant, and do not neglect good because it is insignificant."
"But at the same time, don't be a pushover; you also need to have your own edges."
Cheng Sui didn't quite understand, but he caught one sentence: "I know, for example, right now, Father can't do anything to us. Only by controlling Father can the household listen to Mother."
Cheng Qian smiled wryly. "My son really knows how to give examples. Don't give any more next time, or I'll be so angry I'll die."
Tan You glanced at Cheng Qian: "Sui-ge'er, do you think your father is a good person?"
Cheng Sui looked at Cheng Qian, staring at him for a long time before pouting, "Mother, don't try to trick me. I'm a big kid now, I won't fall into any traps easily."
This child is precocious, and with Tan You's help in developing his intelligence, the young boy is now exceptionally bright and can grasp things very quickly.
Tan You raised an eyebrow with amusement: "Oh? Tell me about it."
Cheng Sui: "Mother, you once told me that a person cannot be simply described as a good person or a bad person; it mainly depends on their status and position."
"I didn't understand before, but I've thought about it for a long time now, and I think I understand it a little better now."
“In Lin Ge’er’s eyes, he was a good father. He would teach Lin Ge’er to read and bring him all sorts of little trinkets. Lin Ge’er was the son he wanted.”
“But in my eyes, he only occupies the identity of my father. He has hardly appeared in my and my mother’s lives. From childhood to adulthood, it was always my mother who accompanied me. I rarely saw him.”
“My mother and I lived in Yiran Residence for three years. During those three years, the household cut our expenses and treated us harshly. My mother supported me with her meager dowry.”
"He did not fulfill his responsibilities as a father, nor did he give me any fatherly love. To me, he was not a good father."
Cheng Sui pursed his lips: "But stepping outside his identity as a son, and only looking at his achievements in the court, those on his side should think he is a good person, as for those on the opposing side, you can imagine."
“I’ve figured it out now. I don’t ask for his fatherly love or care. I just want him to hold onto his role as my father and shield me from outside schemes until I grow up.”
"That's enough."
Tan You pinched his little hand and his pouting lips: "Whose little crybaby is this? Are you about to cry?" Cheng Sui twisted his body and pressed his little face against Tan You's skirt. Soon, Tan You felt that the hem of her skirt was wet.
Tan You patted Cheng Sui's shoulder helplessly: "Brother Sui, let me give you a courtesy name. Cheng Sui's formal name was just something he came up with casually; he didn't put much thought into it."
Cheng Sui looked up at Tan You, his eyelashes wet, like a little puppy with nowhere to hide in the rain: "Mother... hiccup... what name will Mother give me?"
"Yunxing, how about calling me Yunxing?"
Cheng Sui asked, puzzled, "Why is it called Yunxing?"
Tan You wiped away his tears with a handkerchief: "Sui seems to be everywhere and unremarkable. But in my eyes, Sui means to follow, conform, and adapt to circumstances, which is a very good meaning."
"As for your calligraphy, I've considered names like Congzhi, Shunzhi, and Anzhi, but after much thought, I still think Yunxing best suits you. I hope you are free and unrestrained, not bound by material things."
"As for 'following' or 'going along with', they all imply following others. I hope you have your own opinions, don't just parrot what others say, and don't conform to the crowd. After all, only cattle and sheep travel in herds, while wild beasts roam alone."
"I hope you are a beast, possessing the strength to protect yourself, and never giving up."
Cheng Sui wiped away her tears with her small hand: "Then I'll be called Yun Xing from now on? I don't like the name Cheng Sui."
"It sounds like it was just chosen randomly."
Tan You: "Okay, from now on I'll call you Yunxing, Cheng Yunxing. Everyone listen carefully, you're not allowed to call me Sui-ge anymore."
Gu Yu suppressed a laugh: "Yes, from now on, call him Brother Yun."
Cheng Sui tried hard to keep a straight face, but the corners of his mouth couldn't help but turn up: "Hello, Brother Yun. I like Brother Yun. If anyone calls you by the wrong name in the future... well, they'll deduct your monthly pay. Every time someone calls you by the wrong name, they'll be fined a month's pay."
Tan You couldn't help but hug and rub him a few times: "The little thing has become picky."
Cheng let Tan You rub him, his eyes sparkling, and the corners of his mouth turned up higher and higher.
Cheng Qian watched Tan You and the maids chatting and laughing, and couldn't help but lower his eyes bitterly. Now, his only use to Cheng Sui was as a target, shielding him from the schemes around him. As for paternal love and filial piety, those were long gone.
This monster taught her own son in this way, yet she couldn't control him. She could only watch helplessly as her son grew distant and lost all filial piety.
Cheng Kun stepped into the Duke's mansion at dusk, when Tan You was teaching Cheng Sui at Qing Langgan. After all, she had raised an emperor, so teaching a child was a piece of cake for her.
Not only was Cheng Sui engrossed in listening, but the maids and servants serving in Qinglanggan were also unusually quiet. Even Cheng Qian, who prided himself on being refined, listened with exceptional attention.
He thought Tan You only knew how to use extraordinary methods, but now Cheng Qian has glimpsed her talent. She is like a great scholar, able to elaborate on a single allusion.
When explaining the meaning, she did not limit herself to simply explaining one point, but also wrote down countless poems about the world or about things she had seen before.
Most importantly, she is particularly good at guiding people to think, rather than simply and crudely instilling her own ideas into others.
At this moment, Cheng Qian couldn't help but feel jealous of Cheng Suilai. Why hadn't he encountered such an excellent teacher before?