Chapter 97

97. Chapter 97: Suiyang Shuyuan

Jiang Wei counted out half a string of copper coins for Chunmiao, totaling three hundred and fifty wen.

Upon seeing so much money, Chunmiao's face turned pale with fright: "Auntie Jiang, we've only worked for a few days, how can we take so much money?"

Jiang Wei said calmly: "The wage here is twenty wen a day. You and Chunya have worked for ten days. The work you did alone is fully equivalent to that of an adult, so you deserve twenty wen a day. Your sister is a bit younger, so she gets less than you, fifteen wen a day. Added together, it comes to three hundred and fifty wen."

As she spoke, Jiang Wei shoved the money into Chunmiao's hand.

Chunmiao stood frozen on the spot, unable to react for a moment.

She hadn't expected that not only would she have wages, but her sister Chunya would as well.

Her sister Chunya was only eight years old and had only come to help out, yet she could actually earn fifteen wen a day!

Thinking back to when they were at home, she and her sister were scolded all day long by Zhao Wulai as burdens, scolded for being useless, and for knowing nothing but eating the family's grain. She never expected that one day, she and her sister would be able to earn so much money for the family...

Chunmiao's eyes gradually turned red.

She gripped the string of copper coins tightly, bowed deeply to Jiang Wei, and then turned and left the room.

Arriving at the stove in the courtyard, she worked even harder.

She didn't know how to repay Auntie Jiang, so she could only work with all her might; she absolutely could not let Auntie Jiang down!

Jiang Xiaoxiao wanted to follow her out to take a look, but was grabbed by the back of her collar by Jiang Wei: "Stop running around blindly, you're coming to town with me today."

Jiang Xiaoxiao: "Huh?"

Why go to town so suddenly? Wasn't it fine for her mother to deliver the goods alone these past few days?

Old Man Zhao's ox cart was already waiting outside. Jiang Wei carried the ice cabinet onto the cart, and Jiang Xiaoxiao followed her onto the ox cart.

"Xiaoxiao, you're going to town today too?" Old Man Zhao, who hadn't seen Jiang Xiaoxiao for a long time, couldn't help but show a smile.

"Yes, Grandpa Zhao, I'm going to deliver goods with Mother today." Jiang Xiaoxiao revealed a mouthful of little white teeth and smiled sweetly.

Seeing the smile on Jiang Xiaoxiao's face, a kind smile also appeared on Old Man Zhao's aged face.

Jiang Xiaoxiao was like a little sun; as soon as people saw her, they couldn't help but feel happy and relaxed.

The mother and daughter sat on the ox cart, swaying all the way from the tail of the village to the head of the village.

The ox cart moved very slowly, and as they passed the villagers along the way, Jiang Xiaoxiao inevitably heard some of the villagers' gossip.

"... This is truly a strange affair; it's the first time I've seen someone burn down their own house because of an affair."

"I knew that Widow Xu wasn't a good person long ago. Her own husband had only been dead for two years before she started messing around with other men. Bah, the shameless hussy, she's simply a disgrace to our Yuhe Village!"

"It's also because the times have improved now and the government doesn't allow private lynchings. If it were in the past, a woman like that would have been drowned in a pig cage long ago!"

The topic of the villagers' gossip was still about Zhao Wulai and Widow Xu.

Jiang Xiaoxiao couldn't help but frown halfway through listening. Clearly, it was Zhao Wulai and Widow Xu who were having the affair, yet only Widow Xu was being scolded...

When such a scandal was exposed, the man was fine and hid away beautifully, while the woman was dragged out to suffer all the insults.

"Uncle Zhao, it's getting late, please go faster." Jiang Wei suddenly spoke up.

"Aye." Old Man Zhao responded, raised his whip, and struck the ox's rear.

The old yellow ox let out a "moo," quickened its pace, and left the gossiping group on the road far behind.

Upon arriving in town, Jiang Xiaoxiao followed her mother to deliver goods to restaurants, tea houses, and wine shops one by one.

After finishing in Yong'an County, they went to the neighboring Qingping County.

Along the way, from the misty early morning to the high noon sun, the whole morning passed just like that.

Even though Jiang Xiaoxiao hadn't done anything, just sitting on the ox cart had made her break into a sweat.

The weather was truly too hot.

She looked up at the cloudless sky and recalled the plot from the original work. Although the problem of the crop drought had been solved, if she remembered correctly, once autumn arrived, the sky would start pouring down heavy rain.

By then, the crops in the fields would be ready for harvest. Rice needs irrigation for most of its growth, but not when it is mature and ready for harvest. If they didn't find a way to drain the excess water, the rice in the fields would drown.

She would have to find a way to give her mother a hint when the time came, otherwise, in the end, the villagers would still have worked for nothing for a year.

After finishing the deliveries, Jiang Wei came out of a restaurant, got on the ox cart, and told Old Man Zhao to drive to the nearest bookstore.

Jiang Xiaoxiao realized suddenly; so bringing her to town was to buy her books...

Come to think of it, she had long since memorized the "Thousand Character Classic" and the "Three Character Classic" she bought last time, so it was time to buy some new books to read.

The ox cart stopped in front of the bookstore.

Jiang Xiaoxiao was carried off the ox cart by her mother. She strode into the bookstore, but when she turned her head, she discovered that her mother hadn't gotten off the cart.

Jiang Wei said from the cart: "Xiaoxiao, you go in and pick out your books first, I'll come to pick you up in a while."

After saying this, she had Old Man Zhao turn the ox cart around and head toward the other side of the street corner.

Jiang Xiaoxiao was stunned. She looked into the distance; the opposite street corner wasn't far from here, and it was all shops selling bricks and tiles.

Why buy bricks and tiles again?

Jiang Xiaoxiao scratched her head in confusion. Forget it, she would ask her mother later.

She turned and strode into the bookstore.

This bookstore was in Qingping County, not the one she had been to before.

Qingping County was clearly even more prosperous than the Yong'an County where she lived. This bookstore was also decorated with particular elegance; the main gate had colorful paintings, there were curtains inside the door, the shop was decorated with seasonal flowers, and famous calligraphy and paintings were hung up—everything was extremely particular.

Jiang Xiaoxiao took a few looks and then walked into the shop.

There were a few bookshop attendants in the shop using feather dusters to clean the dust off the bookshelves. Seeing her, they didn't look down on her for being young and all politely showed a smile to acknowledge her.

Jiang Xiaoxiao was slightly surprised in her heart.

This bookstore didn't have the situation of "judging people by their appearance" that she had imagined.

However, when Jiang Xiaoxiao looked out the window to the side, she understood the reason.

Diagonally opposite the bookstore was the most famous Suiyang Shuyuan in Qingping County.

She had heard that the teachers at Suiyang Shuyuan were at least scholars, and the Mountain Chief of the academy was a famous scholar who was both virtuous and talented, and full of learning.

Most of the academies in other counties and towns were run by old scholars and were far from having the solid foundation of Suiyang Shuyuan.

Ordinary counties and towns could produce one or two scholars a year, but Qingping County was different. Because of Suiyang Academy, the number of scholars could reach seven or eight each year, and from time to time, they could even produce a promoted scholar official.

Suiyang Shuyuan was a famous existence in the neighboring counties and towns, and many children of wealthy families were sent there to study.

Besides this, some of the students studying at Suiyang Shuyuan were government-supported students who enjoyed grain subsidies from the Imperial Court and could also receive allowances. Besides preparing for the Imperial Examination, they also had to act as guarantors for child students and sign their names on the guarantee documents. (End of chapter)