Practicing Calligraphy with Stones, a Mature Aura

While she was still in a daze, Teacher Ning calmly continued, "Your task now is to write the character 'Jing' five hundred times."

"... Yes."

"Also, place a bag of stones on your wrist while writing."

"......"

A moment later, Zhao Changge placed a heavy purse filled with stones on her wrist, her fingers trembling slightly as she held the brush.

It was fine at first, but as time went on, her hand began to shake noticeably.

After finishing a large character, looking at the crooked horizontal and vertical strokes, Zhao Changge could only grit her teeth and continue.

By the last few characters, she was relying almost entirely on sheer willpower to keep going.

Having finished the 500 large characters, Zhao Changge hastily removed the purse from her wrist.

A numb sensation spread from her wrist to her entire arm. She rotated her wrist slightly, then looked at Teacher Ning: "I have finished writing."

Hearing this, Teacher Ning walked over, picked up the stack of papers to examine them page by page, flipped through a few, and nodded, saying, "We will discuss what to do in the afternoon when the time comes. As for painting, unless I permit it, you are not to paint on your own."

Zhao Changge quickly said, "I still have two paintings I plan to give to others. Once those two are finished, I won't paint anymore, is that alright?"

Teacher Ning looked at her for a moment, then nodded. Then, she glanced out the window at the sky and said, "It is time. You may return."

"Then this student shall take her leave." Zhao Changge bowed and departed.

Teacher Ning watched her figure recede, then looked down at the large characters she had just written, a look of satisfaction appearing on her face.

As soon as she stepped out of the study, Zhao Changge immediately rubbed her hand—it was truly too numb!

She couldn't help but recall how, when she reached the last few characters, her handwriting was so distorted it barely had any shape. She wondered if it was even legible.

"Young Miss, what did you learn with the teacher today?" Chunhua asked worriedly, seeing how exhausted she looked.

"Calligraphy practice," Zhao Changge replied.

"Weren't you supposed to learn painting?" Chunhua was surprised, as her young miss's handwriting was already very beautiful.

"I do as Teacher Ning instructs." Zhao Changge faintly understood her teacher's intention. She knew that when she wrote, her wrist lacked strength, but she had always thought her handwriting was decent, so she had never considered changing her style.

But now, since Teacher Ning wanted to teach her, she would learn. No matter how hard it was, she could endure it. Besides, no matter how exhausting it was, it couldn't compare to the mental torment she had suffered in her past life.

Thinking of this, a look of determination flashed in Zhao Changge's eyes. It was a persistence from the depths of her soul, a powerful desire to rise.

Looking at her, Chunhua felt that her young miss was currently radiating a brilliant aura. Compared to before, she was not just more beautiful, but possessed an indescribable grace.

*Young Miss... has indeed grown up!*

Chunhua thought to herself, already imagining how peerlessly beautiful her young miss would become in a few years.

As maids, as long as their master lived well, they would have a future.

Then again, she was already very fortunate. She had heard from the minor maids in the courtyard that a fellow villager of hers working in the Governor's manor had died suddenly for some unknown reason.

But what about her? Serving by the young miss's side as a head maid, she not only received a high salary but was also frequently rewarded by her master. When going out, her life could be considered wealthy compared to ordinary people.

Because of this, she always reminded herself to be content. Countless people had suffered simply because of their insatiable greed.