Chapter 1119: Chapter 615: Wen Li Once Held a Master-Apprentice Ceremony

"What are the Six Rites of Gift...?"

Yun Qian repeated the words of several people, her clear eyes shimmering with an emotion named confusion.

She didn’t understand these things, nor would she take the initiative to understand them. For Yun Qian, the knowledge she absorbed from the mundane world was of no use, even if it was the same knowledge, only spoken from the mouths of Xu Chang’an or his connections did it hold any meaning.

So Yun Qian repeated it again.

"What are the Six Rites of Gift?"

As Yun Qian finished speaking, the atmosphere instantly froze.

Zhu Pingniang: "..."

Miss Lu: "..."

Wen Li: "..."

In an instant, the three women were speechless.

Especially Zhu Pingniang, she suppressed the urge to roll her eyes, and after a long pause... she rubbed her forehead and spoke.

"Ms. Yun... you were once a young lady of an affluent family, right?"

"...Mm." Yun Qian nodded.

Her husband thought so, so it could be.

Zhu Pingniang was at a loss for words.

A well-bred young lady, yet she doesn’t understand the Six Rites of Gift?

Forget it, it doesn’t seem all that out of place.

Zhu Pingniang belatedly realized that Yun Qian never gave her the impression of being particularly intelligent, or rather... she was simply a "naïve beauty".

Thinking this, Zhu Pingniang looked into Yun Qian’s eyes and suddenly realized how rude and unfair it was to criticize the girl in such a way.

Ah.

Looking at Yun Qian’s eyes, as innocent as they were pure, Zhu Pingniang felt a surge of guilt.

How did she forget?

In the earthly world, it’s not uncommon for legitimate daughters of prominent families to live their lives in isolation, praying for the family’s fortune.

Ms. Yun wasn’t as all-knowing and perfect as she appeared on the surface; she used to live such a life.

"Indeed, it’s also because of how likable you behave daily that I momentarily forgot about how you and Chang’an have been living," Zhu Pingniang rubs her cheeks helplessly, giving Yun Qian an apologetic glance.

She shouldn’t have thought Ms. Yun was foolish, but at least she did praise Yun Qian as a beauty, so perhaps she needn’t be... so guilty?

Mm.

Yun Qian had always lived with Xu Chang’an on some island, without even a maid to serve her, so it was perfectly normal for her not to understand these earthly commonalities.

Suddenly, matching Yun Qian’s gaze, Zhu Pingniang found herself liking her even more.

Exactly.

Even if the Six Rites of Gift is the most basic rule of the worldly realm, what does it matter if one doesn’t know?

"It’s because she doesn’t know that she needs to ask, Lu’Er, what kind of look are you giving Ms. Yun... could it be you’re laughing at her? Are you asking for a beating?" Zhu Pingniang, the villain, complains first, conveniently scolding Miss Lu beside her.

"..." Miss Lu.

Ugh.

Her sister really knows how to make full use of things.

She’s certainly not mocking Madam Xu; rather, her first reaction is sympathy.

But there’s no choice, as a daughter, it’s her duty to shield her mother at times like these.

After taking a deep breath, Miss Lu said, "Miss Yun, about the Six Rites of Gift... it’s like this... uh."

She was about to explain to Yun Qian, but Zhu Pingniang suddenly covered her mouth. She looked over discontentedly, only to find Zhu Pingniang staring intently at Wen Li as if she suddenly remembered something, with a playful look in her eyes.

"Courtesy of Yan Zhi... indeed, this is the most ancient rule of the Qingzhou Human Race, no matter what one asks for, there’s always a courtesy," Zhu Pingniang squinted, gazing at Wen Li’s always calm eyes, with a friendly smile: "The rules of the apprenticeship ceremony, what would a brothel girl like Lu’Er know about it? Don’t lead Ms. Yun astray... Ah Li, why don’t you explain to Ms. Yun what the ordinary Six Rites of Gift are."

"...?" Hearing this, Miss Lu was taken aback.

She wasn’t an idiot and could vaguely hear the implication in Zhu Pingniang’s words and noted Zhu Pingniang’s emphasis on the word ’ordinary’.

"Alright." Wen Li did not refuse, and once Yun Qian looked over, she started speaking in a calm demeanor and gentle tone: "Junior Sister Yun, the ordinary Six Rites of Gift are six kinds of gifts from a student to their teacher, representing various expectations and auspiciousness."

"Gifts?" Yun Qian pondered: "What kind?"

"Celery, lotus seeds, red beans, red dates, longan... and lastly, a customary gift," Wen Li spoke with a touch of nostalgic emotion.

Upon hearing this, Yun Qian blinked.

Celery, lotus seeds...

What are these used for?

Is this an apprenticeship or a cooking session? Besides celery, the others are things her husband often made for her, saying red dates and longan were good for energy and blood, helping her recover strength, and Yun Qian always ate them diligently.

"Are you suggesting making a table of dishes to treat the teacher?" Yun Qian asked, tilting her head.

If that were the case, she could eat some too.

"That’s not it." Wen Li shook her head, her tone very slow and gentle, as if teaching a child to read, carefully saying: "Celery symbolizes diligence and learning, labor yields skill. Lotus seeds, bitter in taste, symbolize painstaking guidance. Red beans bring good fortune, red dates suggest early success, while longan implies complete accomplishment."

"These apprenticeship gifts aim for a good omen in the earthly world, making up five rites. The last gift, the customary gift, can be anything—some silver coins, or even some meat strips—it’s mainly for expressing the student’s sentiments, and generally doesn’t hold high value."

That’s why Miss Lu pointed out that the Six Rites of Gift couldn’t substitute with silver taels, as collectively they couldn’t equate to any silver coin.

"Since ancient times, the courtesy of Yan Zhi includes presenting wine jugs and the Six Rites of Gift, and upon a teacher accepting the gift, they’d reciprocate with gifts like green onions and celery, leading students in reciting the ’First Chapter,’ symbolizing the great responsibility of ’imparting teachings, passing on knowledge, and resolving doubts,’" Wen Li spoke with a slight pause, then looked at Yun Qian, whose eyes showed understanding, and nodded: "These are the symbolic meanings of the apprenticeship gifts and the Six Rites of Gift; perhaps you understand now?"

If not, she would explain further.

"I understand," Yun Qian nodded.

With Wen Li’s detailed explanation, even someone like Miss Yun could grasp what the so-called Six Rites of Gift referred to, and simultaneously... Yun Qian’s eyelashes fluttered ever so slightly.

Speaking of which, her husband’s Senior Wen was usually rational and reticent.

But once it came to teaching, she became exceptionally gentle—just as she was now when she meticulously taught about cultivation knowledge before.

"..."

Observing Wen Li, the frequency of Miss Lu’s blinks quickened slightly.

Although their acquaintance was brief, Miss Lu hadn’t anticipated that the usually logical Wen Immortal could have such a tender tone, even deliberately slowing her speech, fearing Yun Qian might not comprehend or misinterpret her words.

This felt a lot like an elder sister caring for a delicate child—quite... quite endearing.

"No need to make a fuss over it." Zhu Pingniang, long accustomed to it, chuckled: "Wen Li is always this way with her junior sisters."

Wen Li was recognized as the gentlest and most dashing Senior Sister.

This was the consensus on Muyu Peak.

One must know, even when interrupted by a group of junior sisters during a night portrait session, Wen Li remained calm, even gently guiding them on fun places to explore.

And what she was painting then... was Xu Chang’an.