Chapter Twenty-One: Reverse Wear

  After washing and dressing, Shu Yao untied her hair. If there was one thing that made Shu Yao stand out from her peers, it was her raven-black and lustrous hair. The girls of the Eight Banners' noble families placed great importance on their hair; cutting it off would be a grave offense against filial piety.

  It is said that when Gua'erjia was pregnant with Shu Yao, she often ate nuts and sesame seeds. Shu Yao loved cleanliness from a young age and frequently washed her hair, which was not only black but also carried a faint floral scent. This blended with the unique sweet fragrance emitted by Shu Yao's body, making her entire person seem very gentle and innocent. Her misty eyes added to this impression, giving people a refreshing feeling when they looked at her. Being around her made one feel comfortable and joyful without needing much calculation.

  Shu Yao tousled her hair, hugging the quilt and rolling around on the bed, Taozi and Meizi didn't think it was unusual, this was a girl's hobby, always liking to hug the quilt and roll over. Taozi pulled at the quilt, "Miss, you should sleep now, the Duke's mansion isn't Huizhou, tomorrow morning you still have to pay respects to the old madam."

  Xiu Yao's eyes blinked repeatedly, her small mouth pouted, and she muttered reluctantly: "Do we still need to pay our respects? It's so tiring, not paying respects won't make Mama sick."

  "Xiao Yao." Guajia's displeased shake of the head, Xiao Yao stuck out her tongue: "Mother, I was just joking."

  "Trouble comes from the mouth, this kind of talk is no longer allowed."

  Shu Yao nodded, "I know." Shu Yao was both delighted and annoyed to see Gua Erjia. With Gua Erjia by her side, how could she sneak off into space? "Don't you need to accompany Ama?"

  Gual Jia raised her palm and slapped Shu Yao's little butt, Shu Yao shrank into the quilt, revealing a wronged pair of black eyes, "I didn't say anything wrong, why can't Ama leave E Ma alone?"

  "Are you like your mother?" Gualjia's cheeks were slightly red, and Zhiyuan had just forbidden her from visiting Shuyao, but Gualjia was worried about Shuyao. Her daughter always had trouble sleeping in a new place, so she couldn't help but keep an eye on her. She poked Shuyao's cheek gently, "Go to sleep quickly, Mother will leave after you fall asleep."

  Shu Yao estimated the time and it seemed that she couldn't go to space tonight. Compared to going to space to harvest radishes, Shu Yao preferred to stick around Gual Jia's side and enjoy the maternal love she had never experienced in her past life. In her previous life, Shu Yao despised coquettish behavior, but now she used it with ease, without feeling any shame at all. A ten-year-old loli was supposed to be spoiled.

  Shu Yao stretched out her white lotus-like arm from the quilt, wrapped it around Gual Jia's waist, rolled into her arms and rubbed against her, softly calling: "Mother, tell a story."

  Guar Jia's heart immediately softened, she had always been soft and not hard to eat, especially for her most beloved daughter Shu Yao. She hated that she couldn't give her daughter the best things in the world. Guar Jia never meant to be biased towards boys over girls, but instead valued Shu Yao more than her two sons. Although daughters of the Eight Banners were generally more respected because they could be chosen as imperial consorts and might one day marry into the royal family, Guar Jia's love for Shu Yao was not because of this. Her daughter's peace and happiness were more important than anything else.

  Guaerjia was quite regretful, this is also the case in the Qing Dynasty. If she were in the Tang Dynasty, she would have taught her daughter Xianyi to ride horses and be carefree on the streets of Chang'an. Unfortunately, the dynasty was not right, Guaerjia did not understand, even if Shuyao was born in the Tang Dynasty, she would still be a lazy and idle person, and would never have the demeanor of a noble lady of the Tang Dynasty.

  Gua Lijia gently stroked Shu Yao's hair and asked, "What do you want to hear?"

  "As long as Mother says so, I like it all." Shu Yao rubbed against her mother's warm and comfortable embrace, just like a proud little cat basking in the sunshine. "I like them all."

  "Then let's talk about the Tang Dynasty, my favorite and most familiar one is the Tang Dynasty." A hint of regret flashed in Guaerjia's eyes, "Yao'er, do you know which family is the most famous in the Tang Dynasty?"

  Historical issues, Shu Yao absolutely had no idea, she only knew that in history there was a Tang Dynasty, which used to be the Celestial Empire, and abroad there were Chinatowns. As for the most famous aristocratic families of the Great Tang? Shu Yao secretly shrugged her shoulders - I don't even know what surname the emperors of the Tang Dynasty had, how would I know about the most famous aristocratic families of the Tang Dynasty? What's with these aristocratic families anyway?

  "The Hongnong Yang family, from the Sui dynasty to the prosperous Tang, has always been the most noble and respected family in the world. It is a legendary family and the number one aristocratic family in Guanzhong. The empress was able to return to the palace from the temple and become the queen and later the empress only with the help of the Hongnong Yang family...Yang family..."

  "Huh?" Shu Yao suddenly sensed the thoughts rising in her mother's heart, vague and unclear, but seemingly... Shu Yao widened her eyes, could it be that the special ability had gone wrong again? Why did her mother have feelings of reluctance and nostalgia towards the Yang family? Could it be... could it be that her mother was also... a transmigrator?! This thought suddenly rose to the surface of Shu Yao's mind, only to be immediately dismissed by her. She and her cousin Li Qiqi were normal transmigrators, how could her mother, Guarl Jiasi, be an anti-transmigrator? This world was really too chaotic, heaven wouldn't play tricks on her like this, it must be the special ability malfunctioning again.

  Sleep, sleep, wake up, she forgot everything. The words of Gualjia about the Tang Dynasty echoed in her ears, and even Shuyao, who was historically ignorant, felt as if she were there in person. The snacks of the Tang Dynasty, the folk customs of the Tang Dynasty, the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty, everything seemed to be right before her eyes. Shuyao thought that nowadays, the requirements for women's three obediences and four virtues, and the rules for women's behavior, were still quite strict. The daughters of banner families were relatively better off, but she heard that Han Chinese women had even stricter requirements, including foot binding. Shuyao suddenly felt grateful that she was not a Han Chinese woman.

  "After Her Majesty the Queen ruled the world, women's status was very high. They could discuss state affairs, hold official positions, raise concubines, and ride horses in Chang'an. However, it was short-lived, and there has never been a female ruler again."

  "Does Mother respect Her Majesty the Queen?"

  Gual Jia rubbed Shu Yao's head and sighed, "It's not admiration, it's worship. You'll never know how much the Empress has paid to ascend to the throne? How much she has given up? I couldn't do what she did."

  Guarjia gently kissed her daughter's tender cheek, seeing Shuyao sleep dazedly, and whispered: "Although it is... the noble lady of the Great Tang... I value my husband and son more, and cherish my Y'ao even more."

  Guar Jia gently coaxed Shu Yao to sleep, tucked in the quilt for her daughter, and quietly left after putting down the curtain. Guar Jia had just lain on the bed, not yet taking off her outer clothes, when Zhiyuan suddenly hugged her from behind and whispered in her ear: "Huiya, my wife."

  "Mmm." A happy smile played on Guajia's lips, and a rare flirtatious glint flashed in her eyes as she let Zhiyuan take off her clothes and wrapped her arms around his neck: "Zhiyuan, my husband."

  Shu Yao was resentful that Li Zhiqing could grow ginseng and red Fuji apples, so she decided to sacrifice her sleep time to actively cultivate the land, not wanting to fall too far behind. Shu Yao turned around again and entered the space, saw the state of the land, and burst into tears, squatting on the ground and wailing, "Heaven, don't be so cruel to people, it's not like this."