Chapter 33: Psychological Lecturer Liang Yunqing

Before long, everyone in the family, with the exception of Mistress Chu and Liang Mingxue, bore symmetrical slap marks on their faces. Even Liang Youyong, who had just returned from chopping firewood, had been included. He looked at Liang Yunqing with a wronged expression, utterly bewildered—had he done something wrong?

The answer was certainly no. Liang Yunqing simply wanted him to feel included.

With that, everyone could finally sit down and speak properly, and a sense of harmony returned to the courtyard. Li Pinghua, her face flushed red, smiled and pulled Liang Youcai over to apologize to the others. Liang Youcai, no longer acting tough, bowed respectfully to Liang Yunqing and said, "I am sorry. What happened today was my fault."

Liang Yunqing leaned back in her chair and said unhurriedly, "You shouldn't be apologizing to me. You should be apologizing to your parents and your grandmother."

The three people suddenly addressed looked at Liang Yunqing in unison. They were already receiving an apology—why were they involved now? Their cheeks were still red, and there was something comical about the way they all stared at her. Suppressing a laugh, Liang Yunqing continued:

"You have studied since you were a child, and the entire family exhausted their resources to support your education. You became a Xiucai at fourteen, and we were all so happy for you. But ever since you entered the county school, you have been exploited by people with ulterior motives, neglecting your studies and spending your days drinking and carousing."

"I... I just wanted to get along with them," Liang Youcai offered weakly. Liang Yunqing couldn't even be bothered to get angry. She spoke again, with a show of mercy:

"Get along with them? When I was hitting you, did any of them step in to help? They only stood by to watch you make a fool of yourself. A gentleman's friendship is as clear as water, while a petty man's friendship is as sweet as wine. Do you not even understand such a simple truth? Has all your reading been in vain?"

Liang Youcai frowned, unable to refute her. It was true... when he was being struck, not a single one of them helped; they only egged him on. Why had he never noticed this before?

"Your mother sold her dowry, your father toils at manual labor all day, and when money was short, your Aunt, whom you look down upon, found ways to scrape it together. Your grandmother even gave up the money set aside for her own burial. The whole family gave you their love and hopes, but what about you?"

Liang Yunqing rose from her chair, determined to shake this deluded fool back to his senses. Pointing her finger at Liang Youcai’s chest, she said each word with crystalline clarity:

"Outside, you refuse to acknowledge your own kin, yet inside, you enjoy the fruits of this family's labor. When you spent that money, did you ever think about the fact that your mother has never even been to the Xike Restaurant? You think you are superior because you have read a few books, yet you couldn't even write the poem I recited today."

Liang Youcai went rigid. He raised his eyes to look at the person he had once disdained the most. The lines of the poem from that afternoon echoed in his mind. She was right—he couldn't write it.

"Since ancient times, many scholars have been cold-hearted. Open your eyes, Liang Youcai. Are you worthy of this family's investment? Are you worthy of the title of a scholar? Do you have the right to recite those poems?"

"I... I... I didn't mean that. I only..."

Watching his psychological defenses crumble, Liang Yunqing knew she had to break him completely; change is always painful.

"You are simply selfish. You look down on your mother for being thrifty, you look down on your father for being unremarkable, and you look down on this home because you think it is shabby and fails to give you status. But every cent you spend, every grain of food you eat, comes from this home you try so hard to avoid. Look at Li Pinghua’s hands—they are covered in chilblains from washing clothes for others in the dead of winter just to earn money."

Liang Yunqing grabbed Li Pinghua’s hand and held it up for Liang Youcai to see. Li Pinghua was sobbing uncontrollably now. While she didn't understand all the words being used, she understood the sentiment. The grievances and endurance she had buried for years were being brought out into the light. It turned out that someone finally understood her frugality.

"Your father’s shoulders are covered in callouses from his labor. Your younger brother has no money for his own schooling and can only read the scraps of paper you leave behind. Your grandmother is over fifty, and she gave you every cent she had. What more do you want?"

The people mentioned one by one began to weep, their sobs rising and falling. It was as if everyone was releasing years of suppressed grievances and resentment. Even Mistress Chu, standing to the side, shed tears.

Liang Youcai felt as if something in his heart had been torn apart. Guilt and immense shame made his face turn pale. Looking at the burning gazes of his family, he felt he could not face them. He had... he had truly been wrong.

He took a few unsteady steps backward, his eyes gradually losing their focus. He could only repeat, "I was wrong... it was me..."

Liang Youcai dodged away when Li Pinghua reached out to touch his cheek. He looked at his mother with eyes full of remorse, then cast his gaze over the others in the courtyard, his voice choking:

"I have let you all down. I am sorry, I..."

Before he could finish, Liang Youcai turned and stumbled out of the courtyard. Li Pinghua wailed in agony. Liang Yunqing coughed slightly. He should be clear-headed now.

"Let him cool off. Everyone, stop crying; there is still work to be done."

The shift in mood was too abrupt, and it took a moment for them to compose themselves, but Li Pinghua was the first to settle back down at the table. Grandmother looked toward the gate with concern.

"Will the boy be alright?"

"He will be. Come here, quickly."

Liang Yunqing slammed a bag of money heavily onto the table. This was the portion she had set aside earlier, as she had told the family the price of the peppercorns was 200 wen per catty. She couldn't reveal all 50 taels she had received from Steward Yang, so she only produced 20 taels of silver, having already quietly tucked the rest away for Mistress Chu.

"This is the 20 taels from our employer. Everyone has worked hard this past month, so I am distributing the pay today. However, 7 taels and 9 qian of this belongs to Aunt Ma’s family."

As she spoke, she took a portion of the money from the bag and set it aside, continuing, "The remaining 12 taels and 1 qian is ours. I will settle the wages now; does anyone have any objections?"

Hearing that money was being distributed, the family forgot all about Liang Youcai, wiping their tears away and crowding around the table.

"Father and Mother’s wages are calculated at 25 wen a day; for 30 days, that is 750 wen each. Grandmother’s is 600 wen. Youyong, like your second uncle, gets 750 wen."

As she spoke, she counted out the coins from the bag and handed them to each person. Li Pinghua watched excitedly, even helping to count the coins. Everyone who received their share was overjoyed.

There were 10 taels of silver left on the table. Liang Yunqing took 1 tael of broken silver and handed it to Li Pinghua. "Second Aunt, this is your dividend. You will continue to run the shaomai stall; just give me twenty percent of the capital."

Li Pinghua took the silver piece in a daze. This was the most she had ever earned—a full tael! Heaven knew what earning a single wen meant in a village like this. She bit the silver to confirm its authenticity, tucked it away like a treasure, and urged Liang Zhiyan and Liang Youyong to hand over their wages, claiming she would help them keep it safe.

"A-Yan, Xiao Hong, come here."

Liang Yunqing smiled and beckoned to the two children hiding in the room. A-Yan ran over and hugged her leg, while Xiao Hong stood by obediently.

"Here is 10 wen for each of you. This is your pay."

The two children were ecstatic, clutching their coins and running out to play.

"Mother, please take Aunt Ma’s money to her. I am going out to find Liang Youcai."