Chapter 20: Delighted to Find

"Ying'er, how about this—you give it a try first. If it really doesn't work out, Grandfather won't insist. But if you find it manageable, teach him a bit. I don't want him failing the yearly exam and embarrassing me," Hu Zhong pondered for a moment and came up with a compromise.

"Well... I'll do as you say," Hu Ying'er replied, seeing the hope in her grandfather's eyes and unable to refuse any further. She agreed, though in her heart she thought that if Xue Rui turned out to be just as she imagined, she could always find an excuse to decline later. After all, he was known for his lack of diligence—whether he studied or not made little difference.

Meanwhile, in the tea room, Xue Rui was growing uneasy. His tea had been changed once already, yet Hu Zhong still hadn't appeared, which made him anxious. The old master’s health had long been poor, and he spent half the month at home recuperating. Lately, fearing Xue Rui might get into trouble, the old man had been going to the Astronomical Bureau every day, which was a great strain. If he worked himself into exhaustion, Xue Rui truly didn’t know how he would answer to the Hu family.

Just as he was lost in thought, Hu Zhong, supported by attendants, slowly entered the tea room.

"Master," Xue Rui hurried to stand and offered his arm to support the old man from the other side.

Once Hu Zhong was seated, Xue Rui finally had a chance to observe the tall young lady beside him. She possessed a refined beauty, her hair styled in the three small buns common to Ming girls, a scholarly air about her brow. She wore a light green blouse and a skirt of misty green gauze adorned with scattered blossoms, the ensemble accentuating her graceful figure—Xue Rui couldn't help but glance twice.

Yet her expression was less than friendly, her eyes scrutinizing him with a hint of disdain. That look of contempt immediately gave away her identity—was this not the granddaughter of the Hu family, the very Miss Hu who had once scolded him to tears as a child?

What puzzled him was how she had grown—she'd already been taller than him back then, but now, after three or four years, she still stood a good half-head above him. When they stood face to face, he hadn’t even spoken before he found himself looking up.

"Greetings, younger sister," Xue Rui said, unfazed by her frosty demeanor. He cupped his hands in a respectful salute and said sincerely, "In my youth I was ignorant and offended you—please do not take it to heart. I promise to reflect on my behavior going forward."

Hu Ying'er was momentarily at a loss—she hadn't expected Xue Rui to apologize right away, leaving all her grievances stuck in her throat with nothing left to say.

The two stared at each other, the situation growing tense.

"Ahem, Ying'er, aren't you going to greet your brother Rui?" Hu Zhong interjected, breaking the awkward silence.

"Greetings, elder brother. The past is behind us, you need not dwell on it," Hu Ying'er replied, bending her knee in a formal salute, her tone forced but gracious.

Hu Zhong was very pleased to see the younger generation reconcile and smiled with satisfaction.

"Rui, although Ying'er has spent most of her time in the inner quarters, she has learned something of astronomy and calendar calculation. She should be able to give you a solid foundation—let her teach you for now. If she feels unable, I’ll find time to instruct you myself."

"Have my cousin teach me?" Xue Rui was taken aback. In this era, women were bound by tradition—apart from needlework and cooking, most learned little poetry or literature, let alone the highly specialized science of astronomy. But he did not doubt Hu Zhong's words; if Hu Ying'er could teach him the basics, her skills must far surpass those of most novice astronomers at the Bureau.

This Miss Hu was truly extraordinary!

Xue Rui's surprise brought a flicker of pride to Hu Ying'er's face. She had indeed worked hard on her studies, her knowledge exceeding that of most new Bureau astronomers. Her confidence swelled, and unable to restrain herself, she looked at Xue Rui with feigned sternness. "I can teach you, but there must be conditions. If you cannot abide by them, you’ll have to find another teacher."

Delighted to find a worthy mentor, Xue Rui readily agreed, "If you’re willing to teach me, nothing would please me more. Please, state your conditions."

"First, you must treat me with the respect due to a teacher. No overstepping boundaries," Hu Ying’er said, counting on her fingers.

"Of course!" Xue Rui had no objections. "With three people, there is always something to learn from another," as the saying went—he’d call anyone 'teacher' if they could teach him, even a beggar on the street.

"Second, each day I will quiz you on the previous day’s lesson. If you cannot answer, I’ll strike your palm, and you are not to complain!"

"No problem!" If Han Xin could endure humiliation, what was a few ruler strikes to Xue Rui? Mere trifles.

"Third... I haven’t thought of it yet. I’ll tell you when I do," Hu Ying’er said, deciding to leave this one for now and bring it up when needed.

"Fine, as long as it doesn’t go against proper morals, I’ll do my best," Xue Rui agreed, making his own stipulation lest she come up with an impossible demand later.

With their agreement reached, Hu Zhong set down his teacup and told Hu Ying’er, "Take your brother Rui to the study for lessons. When dinner is ready, I’ll have someone call you."

...

The most direct way to judge a family's foundation is to look at their library.

At first, Xue Rui assumed the Hu family was much like his own—just a bit wealthier. But upon entering Hu Zhong’s study and seeing the collection, he realized how wrong he had been.

Bookshelves lined three walls, packed to capacity—by rough count, nearly a thousand volumes! Xue Rui stepped forward to examine the titles and was instantly stunned. Nearly all the books related to astronomy and calendrical science, including rare and precious editions, some of which had already been lost to later generations and were known to him only by name.

The value of these books alone must be worth several thousand or even tens of thousands of silver taels. Compared to the Hu family, the Xue family’s assets were insignificant!

Seeing him gawk about like a country bumpkin, Hu Ying’er couldn’t help feeling proud. These books had been collected by generations of the Hu family, including many unique copies not even the Astronomical Bureau possessed, and which could only be found referenced in the Yongle Encyclopedia—truly priceless treasures.

Still, the fact that Xue Rui recognized their value reassured her somewhat.

Suppressing his excitement, Xue Rui turned and exclaimed, "To spend my days and nights among such books—there could be nothing more delightful in the world!"

Hu Ying’er, however, was skeptical, suspecting he was merely flattering her, and retorted, "How can keeping company with books compare to spending time with the finest courtesans?"

"I..." Xue Rui, caught off guard by her jab, nearly choked. Good news travels slowly, bad news never fails to spread—he’d only visited the pleasure quarters once and hadn’t even made it inside before being knocked out, yet rumors made it sound as if he were a regular!

After a while, his face flushed red as he recovered and awkwardly replied, "You jest, cousin. I have always conducted myself with propriety and never visited such places. Those are but unfounded rumors!"

Hu Ying’er couldn't be bothered to argue about his innocence. She picked up a ruler from somewhere and tapped it against his hand, saying, "From now on, you must address me as 'teacher,' or I won’t teach you."

"Yes, Teacher," Xue Rui replied helplessly, changing his form of address.

Taking the main seat, Hu Ying’er asked in all seriousness, "Since you want me to teach you, I must know your current level. Tell me—what have you learned so far?"

Although eager to learn, Xue Rui did not want her to look down on him. After all, he was a professional well-versed in modern astronomy—he couldn’t disgrace his peers. So he answered, "I’ve studied quite a bit, but I haven’t been able to put theory into practice. I’ll need your guidance to make progress."