Too high to reach

Chapter 106 Can't Chat
Mo Yi blushed immediately and quickly stood up straight again.

"I'd like to chat with you, young lady, to distract myself. That way I won't feel so tired. Have you attended a girls' school?"

Only then did Mo Yi realize that she was indeed very tired, her back was strained, her legs were a little sore, and she was still a little short of breath.

"Replying to Granny, when Mo Yi was eight years old, she attended a girls' school for two years. Later, the family hired a female tutor. When my uncle and father had time, they would also teach us."

"Reading and writing letters, is that alright?"

"I can understand most books. But I don't quite understand the ones my older brother is reading."

"So what books have you read?" Granny Zhao asked.

"My eldest uncle is in charge of editing. He has a lot of books on various topics, and we can borrow them to read. I like travelogues, miscellaneous notes, cookbooks, and... some other books!"

"You have storybooks, right?"

Mo Yi's eyes darted around as she glanced at the older women beside her.

Her uncle wasn't old-fashioned; when he brought back books, he'd bring back huge piles, covering all sorts of topics. Her father would also buy her all sorts of random books—local customs, strange tales, even ghost stories.

These are things that ordinary families are not allowed to see.

"...Yes. But I prefer travelogues!"

"Oh? Why do you like travelogues?"

"As a woman, I may never be able to leave the capital in my entire life. So, I really want to see how people in other places live."

Granny Zhao smiled. "What about the arts of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting?"

Mo Yi said, "I'm not good at any of these. My third sister plays the zither well, and my fourth sister is good at chess. I do like to draw, but I'm not very good at it."

Do the sisters usually talk about these things together?

Mo Yi's inner thoughts: No. But to put it another way...

"Occasionally……"

"So what do you like to do in your daily life?"

Mo Yi's inner thoughts: I like silver! I like doing work to earn silver. And I also like... your jade bracelet...

Granny Zhao noticed Mo Yi's burning gaze fixed on her wrist...

"Miss Mo?!"

"Uh... I'm getting a little tired of standing." Mo Yi blushed slightly when someone noticed.

"It will be tiring. Stand for a quarter of an hour this morning and a quarter of an hour this afternoon. If you feel like it, stand for the time it takes to burn an incense stick tonight. Double that tomorrow. Starting the day after tomorrow, stand for half an hour each time, three times a day. Once you get used to it, you can increase the time."

"..." The three Mo sisters, all slightly sweating, were a little apprehensive.

It's tiring and monotonous, and to make matters worse, we're not allowed to talk!
"Let's continue. What does the girl do on a daily basis?"

“I…” Mo Yi was thinking about what she should say.

Mo Wen thought to herself, if the nanny asked her: "When I get up in the morning, I dress up and then go to my mother's room to pay my respects, have breakfast with my mother, and see my father and brother off."

Then I went back to my room and read for a while.

At lunchtime, I went to my mother's room and chatted and laughed with my sisters.

After my afternoon nap, I also learn needlework, embroidery, and occasionally how to make pastries.

Mo Yuan thought to herself, "If it were me, I would say: I will read books and study chess scores in the morning."

In the afternoon, I chatted with my sisters, drank tea, made some snacks, and played chess.

Both of them wanted to describe their lives as rich and elegant, but Granny Zhao didn't ask them, so they had no chance to speak.

Then, the two of them heard Mo Yi say, "The Mo family is an ordinary family. It's just that my uncle is enlightened, and the girls in the family can read and write. But they also have to do some work. They have to make the clothes for their parents and brothers, and also have maids to make them. During festivals or when there are big events in the family and they are too busy, they have to help out. On top of that, they also have their own things to do... In short, they are never idle."

Mo Wen and Mo Yuan were both incredibly frustrated!
This silly girl, she really doesn't know how to chat!
It’s not embarrassing either!
In their excitement, their movements became distorted.

Ignoring her, Granny Zhao continued, "Miss Mo Yi, are you tired?"

"tired."

"Hmm, it's almost time. Did you make your own clothes?"

"I sewed it myself. If I couldn't cut it well, the nanny next to my mother would cut it. But if it was something to wear during the New Year or something to wear when visiting guests, I would go outside to make it."

Mo Wen and Mo Yuan both turned to glare at Mo Yi. "Why are you never going to stop?!"
Are you suggesting that if the Empress asks you this in the future, you'll say the same thing?!
Why doesn't Granny Zhao say anything to her?
Ugh! I'm so angry, I'm so angry I can't even breathe properly!

Then the three of them realized that they were sweating on their backs and foreheads.

"Granny, I often stand for long periods or walk long distances on weekdays, but I've never been this tired as today."

“Your usual standing posture is relaxed. When you get tired, you can switch legs or stretch your back. But now, you stand straight and upright like a pine tree. Of course, you will get tired.”

"So, you usually stand like this, right, Granny?"

Granny Zhao nodded with a smile, "Yes." She couldn't help but recall that when she served the Empress, she would sometimes stand for two or three hours at a time. During major celebrations, the time would be even longer.

"Habits become second nature. Once you get into the habit, you won't feel tired anymore. You need to gradually adapt to this posture, and gradually increase the time you practice, and it will become a fixed movement. Eventually, even if you don't stand against the wall, you can actively maintain this posture."

The three Mo sisters were not stupid; they could tell from Zhao Mama's demeanor that she was quite clever.

Finally, Granny Zhao said, "Alright, relax for a while and sit down to rest."

The girls, feeling a bit dizzy and lightheaded, walked to their seats, plopped down, and hunched over to rest for a while.

Then Zhao Mama said, "Now, let's talk about sitting posture."

Upon hearing this, the three girls immediately sat up straight again...

We ate lunch in this room, because even while we ate, Granny Zhao was giving a lecture.

After finishing my meal, I went back to my room to rest for a while before starting my afternoon classes.

After a long day, the three sisters were so exhausted they felt like they were about to fall apart. They ate a little something, went to bed, and fell asleep immediately.

I was still not used to it when I went to class the next day; my eyelids were drooping as I listened to the lecture.

Granny Zhao had a good grasp of the rhythm. At this time, she would call them to get up, either to walk or to bow.

Although they were tired, all three girls were very serious and none of them gave up. Moreover, Mo Wen and Mo Yuan were more skillful in this regard, grasping the concept quickly and performing the movements perfectly.

Although Granny Zhao didn't interfere, she saw it all and was satisfied.

Outside of class, the three put aside their past grievances, discussed and offered each other advice, and made rapid progress.

Time flies, and three or four days passed in the blink of an eye. The Mo family was having dinner when Granny Zhao came to the dining room.

"There's something I need to tell you quickly, so as not to disturb your meal. The tailor is coming early tomorrow morning to make clothes for Miss Mo to wear in the palace!"

Madam Wang hurriedly said, "Granny Zhao, my mother and sister have prepared some clothing and jewelry for Mo Yi. We'll take them over in a bit, and you can take a look."

"Fine!" Granny Zhao said indifferently.

Liu's eyes shone with excitement as she gently nudged Mo Yuan beside her, asking, "Is there one for you too?"
Mo Yuan gestured to her not to say anything more. Although she really wanted it, she had come to understand more clearly over the past few days: this Granny Zhao was not one to offer unsolicited kindness, nor would she care about others' feelings.

My gains are not small, so I can't be too greedy, because greed will only lead to more losses.

The ink pattern is also somewhat awkward...

Zhuang was secretly anxious, wondering how much silver Zhao Mama had mentioned for the clothes, and how it was calculated. Although her own family didn't have that much, she knew that wealthy and powerful families could easily spend over a thousand taels of silver on a set of clothes.

The clothes Mo Yi wore when entering the palace must have been of high quality. If the Mo family had to pay for them, how could they possibly make ends meet?
She had already realized the problem with clothing and told her husband, but he just said to buy whatever she needed. Buy? Where would the money come from? She then grumbled to her son, but Mo Fan shared the same opinion as his father!
You don't know the cost of firewood and rice until you're in charge of the household!

"Madam Mo!" said Zhao Mama, "I will take care of everything Miss Mo Yi needs for entering the palace, from head to toe! The Mo family doesn't need to worry about it." She said with a smile.

Zhuang breathed a sigh of relief, the pressure instantly gone. She smiled excitedly and sincerely, "Thank you so much, Granny! Mo Yi is truly blessed. The tailor you brought must be quite remarkable; we'll be able to broaden our horizons following her."

Granny Zhao smiled and went back to her room.

"White clothes?!" Liu Shi could no longer contain herself and grabbed Mo Yuan, asking, "Yuan Yuan, do you have any?"

"Probably not."

"Mother, go and talk to Granny Zhao!"

Mo Yuan quickly pulled her back, "Don't go!"

"Well... how about we talk to Mo Yi? Where would you get this extra outfit from?!"

Mo Yuan's eyes were burning with determination. "Mother, listen to your daughter! Don't worry about it, I know what I'm doing."

Thank you everyone for your support and votes! Merry Christmas!

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(End of this chapter)