Lu Ye gently tucked a stray strand of hair behind Bai Sheng's ear, asking with a smile what medicine she was refining today and why it was taking so long.
Bai Sheng let out a soft breath and said, "It's a new kind of itching powder. Yesterday, Xiao Yun asked me if I had any medicine that would make one's skin itch when sprinkled on it. They wanted to carry some with them in case they encountered bad guys, as a self-defense weapon."
"So, I thought it was just itching powder, and not fatal, so I'll refine some for them. However, I divided the itching powder into several grades: slightly itchy, very itchy, and maddeningly itchy, so it took a little time."
"So, it was Xiao Yun who asked for it. Those mischievous monkeys, I don't know what they've been up to lately. After school in the evening, they've been coming back a full hour later than before, and last time during the旬假, they were gone all day," Lu Ye said with a helpless smile.
"Husband, they are all boys. As long as they are not in danger, they should be allowed to roam freely. If they are too well-behaved, it's not good," Bai Sheng smiled and placed her hand on the baby carriage, helping to push it towards the main courtyard.
Lu Ye nodded, "My dear is right. In the future, we'll let our son roam freely too."
"Of course. Not only our son, but also Hua Hua. As long as they are safe and don't do anything evil, they can go to the heavens or the earth. I will give them the most relaxed growth environment." Bai Sheng believed that her cubs, like their elder uncles and younger uncles, were not ill-intentioned children.
At that moment, Lu Yun and Lu Yu, who were waiting for lunch at the academy's dining hall, sneezed several times.
At the academy, they basically acted as a group of five. They neither actively sought friendships nor were excessively cold. Everything was left to nature. Their main objective was to study hard.
When their sister-in-law (the eldest madam, the mistress) paid their tuition fees, they saw very clearly that it was two taels of silver per month, which was extremely expensive!
Moreover, the brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones in Mobao Studio were also not cheap, and the academy's dining hall included lunch, which was also a significant amount of money.
The cost of their studies for the five of them each month was a huge sum. If they didn't study hard, they would be prodigal sons, useless, and without prospects.
Although there were quite a few sons of officials and wealthy families who were very displeased with them and often mocked them as country bumpkins, poor ghosts, and hillbillies, they couldn't be bothered to argue with those people. It was just some verbal provocation. They would only retaliate with the fiercest blow when those spoiled brats truly crossed their bottom line.
Their sister-in-law had told them that arguing with people and exploding at the slightest provocation was the behavior of utter fools.
The world was vast, and there were so many people who disliked you. If you had to retort and argue with every single one of them, you wouldn't be able to get your own affairs done.
Not arguing with fools about trivial matters and constantly focusing on one's most important tasks was the way of truly smart people.
Their most important task at the moment was to study hard and make sure the money their sister-in-law (the eldest madam, the mistress) spent was worth it.
They wouldn't engage in losing businesses. The more knowledge the teachers imparted, the more beneficial it was for them.
They wanted to eat their fill at lunch today because after school in the evening, they were going to seek revenge on those who had bullied Tianya.
One couldn't seek revenge without strength.
The enemy they were going to find today was also a beggar. He used to steal Tianya's alms food and often beat Tianya.
After school, San Gouzi appeared at the gate of Houde Academy on time. Seeing Lu Yun and the others, he immediately pounced on them enthusiastically, sticking out his dog tongue and licking them all over.
The few children patted San Gouzi's head, exchanged glances, and then went to a nearby alley to take off their scholar robes, revealing their casual wear underneath.
Then, each of them covered half of their faces with a black cloth.
Si Wa followed Tianya to a deep alley three blocks away from Houde Academy.
That alley was frequented by many beggars, and the old beggar who bullied Tianya often appeared there.
When the children reached the mouth of the alley, they indeed saw many beggars. Seeing the well-dressed children, the beggars extended their hands to them.
Lu Yun took out a handful of copper coins from his sleeve pocket and threw two to each beggar.
"Have you seen a beggar named Lao Lai?" Lu Yun asked the beggars.
The beggars frowned and thought for a moment, then opened their mouths and grinned lewdly, revealing their black teeth. A middle-aged beggar asked, "Little children, what are you looking for Lao Lai for?"
Seeing the beggars all laughing, Lu Yun remained unfazed, his eyes showing a hint of coldness. "Last year, Lao Lai often bullied a little beggar. That little beggar is my friend. I'm here today to avenge the little beggar!"
Now, the beggars naturally couldn't recognize that Tianya was that bullied little beggar. Lu Yun didn't want to embarrass Tianya, so he didn't reveal his identity.
A beggar huddled in a corner said, "Lao Lai died last year during the New Year. He was beaten to death."
"Dead?" The few children were very surprised.
"Yes, he died long ago. He touched a young woman's butt, and the woman's husband beat him to death with a club. His body was thrown into the wild forest outside the city. I guess he was eaten by wild animals long ago," the beggar in the corner said carelessly.
The other beggars chuckled lewdly again.
Lu Yun felt a flicker of regret in his eyes, having come all this way for nothing and not being able to let Tianya take revenge himself.
The other three children also felt a little disappointed that the enemy was gone before they could even make a move.
However, Tianya was very happy because Lao Lai was finally dead, and he would no longer bully other little beggars.
They returned empty-handed.
Upon returning home, Lu Yun hurried to Bai Sheng. "Sister-in-law! Sister-in-law! Have those itching powders been made yet?"
Bai Sheng's gaze suddenly sharpened. She feigned seriousness and said, "Xiao Yun, confess! These itching powders are not meant to harm people casually, are they?"
Lu Yun scratched the back of his head and grinned, "No, Sister-in-law. You know, your eldest uncle is a good child and never bullies people casually. That medicine is purely for self-defense."
"Is that really so?" Bai Sheng shifted her gaze to the other four.
The four of them pursed their lips and immediately nodded vigorously, their eyes looking exceptionally sincere.
Only then did Bai Sheng take out five small paper packets from her sleeve pocket, hand them to the five children separately, and sternly instruct them, "You can only use them for self-defense, not to harm others without reason."
"Mmm-hmm, thank you, Sister-in-law!" Lu Yun, who had received the medicine packets, ran off excitedly, followed closely by the other four.
Tomorrow and the day after tomorrow are旬假, giving them a full two days to seek revenge on the street thugs who had sprinkled lice and leeches on Tianya.
Tomorrow, they also need to find a way to get some leeches, big, fat, blood-sucking ones.
An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.
They also want to make those thugs experience the torment of being bitten by lice and leeches, and then sprinkle them with itching powder to make them itch to death!
They heard that some medical clinics sell live leeches, so the children headed straight to the clinic early in the morning.