Chapter 63: Marry If You Want

The children were so scared that they all shrank their necks and began to recite the book with wails.

Seeing the teacher was so fierce, Jiang Wan was a little scared, clutching her sister-in-law's sleeve and not daring to let go, her little eyes timid.

Du Ruo also had a head full of black lines.

Ancient teachers were really fierce, punishing students with corporal punishment at every turn, and they didn't have to worry about being complained about.

She sized up Teacher Jiang calmly.

He was in his early forties, of medium height, and on the thin side. One could still vaguely see the handsomeness of his youth, but his expression was very serious, looking like someone who didn't joke around.

"You are Dalang's wife?" Teacher Jiang led them to the poplar tree and looked at Du Ruo.

Du Ruo curtsied and replied obediently: "Yes, Third Uncle."

Teacher Jiang looked at Jiang Wan again, his brows furrowing: "How is Wan girl's health?"

"Much better." After thinking for a moment, Du Ruo added: "If there is no board punishment, I think there shouldn't be any problems."

Teacher Jiang: "..."

If she was so precious, why come to study? She should just hide at home and do embroidery.

Originally, he wasn't willing to accept a female student, feeling that female students were delicate and couldn't handle the hardship of studying. Now that he saw her, it was just as he expected.

If she couldn't even handle the board, what great things could she achieve?

Teacher Jiang said with a cold face: "There is a saying that a famous teacher produces great students, and the board produces the top scholar. Although Wan girl doesn't need to be the top scholar, I, Jiang Yan, have always treated everyone equally and won't show mercy just because she is a girl."

He waved his sleeves: "If you can't handle this hardship, you'd better go back early!"

Du Ruo broke into a sweat. This teacher was really strict.

Although Jiang Wan had already taken the fast-acting heart-saving pill and looked okay on the surface, her body was actually weaker than an ordinary person's, so she was afraid the board would...

Just as she was about to say something nice, Jiang Wan suddenly pulled her sleeve: "Sister-in-law, I can do it."

Du Ruo swallowed her words back.

Teacher Jiang's expression looked better: "That's more like it. Only by enduring the bitterness of bitterness can one become a person above others. Even children understand this principle; how can you, a grown person, not understand?"

Du Ruo: "... Third Uncle's lesson is correct."

Worried that Teacher Jiang would continue to lecture her on those life principles, Du Ruo hurriedly stuffed the small bamboo basket and one tael of silver for tuition into his hands: "These are a few mung bean cakes I made, they are for cooling down and relieving heat, an initiation gift for you, Teacher."

Teacher Jiang never accepted gifts and opened his mouth to refuse.

Suddenly, he remembered what his father said, saying that the pastries made by the Du clan were extremely delicious, so good that they couldn't be better, but unfortunately, he wasn't at home yesterday.

He wanted to see just how good this craftsmanship was, to be able to bribe his father, who had always been upright and straight, forcing him to accept a female student.

"Since it is your intention, then I won't be polite."

Teacher Jiang carried the small bamboo basket and walked inside: "Wan girl, come in with me."

Jiang Wan looked up at her sister-in-law, and Du Ruo gave her an encouraging smile: "Go, don't be afraid, Tie Dan will stay here to accompany you. If anyone bullies you, tell Sister-in-law when you get home, and Sister-in-law will stand up for you."

With the dog there, she thought no one would be able to bully Jiang Wan.

Except for the teacher.

After Jiang Wan went in, Du Ruo was still a bit worried, craning her neck to peek inside for a long time, and finally left sheepishly under Teacher Jiang's disgusted gaze.

After returning home, Du Ruo felt restless, just like those parents who send their children to kindergarten for the first time, feeling very uneasy.

But no matter how worried she was, she could only wait. Jiang Wan wouldn't return until evening; to facilitate other children from the village, the school provided lunch.

The food cost wasn't expensive, three wen a day, a conscientious price.

It could be seen that although Teacher Jiang liked to use the board at every turn, he was a man of integrity and not a greedy person.

After finally waiting until sunset, she saw Jiang Wan hugging her small schoolbag, hopping and skipping home under the escort of the dog, her little face filled with excitement that couldn't be hidden.

It looked like she had a good time.

Du Ruo's heart settled for the most part, and she asked what she had learned and if she had been punished with the board.

"I can write my own name now!" The little girl's eyes were bright, looking up and asking for praise.

"Wow, Wan'er is so smart." Children, who doesn't like being praised?

Jiang Wan was indeed even happier, pulling Chunhua into the courtyard and using a branch to write a crooked character on the ground: "This is the word 'Jiang'."

Chunhua followed suit, using a branch to draw a gourd based on the ladle: "Is it like this?"

"Yeah, that's it, isn't it easy? But the word 'Wan' is much harder..."

Saying this, Jiang Wan suddenly had a good idea: "How about this, Chunhua, from now on, whatever I learn at school, I'll teach you when I come back, so you can be like me and learn to read too."

Chunhua was full of surprise: "Is that really okay?"

She hurriedly looked toward Du Ruo, and Du Ruo smiled and agreed: "Of course, Wan'er, you have to study hard. Whether Chunhua can learn to read depends entirely on you."

This was a good thing. With this responsibility, Jiang Wan would study more diligently, and Chunhua could also benefit from it, killing two birds with one stone.

Having solved the matter of Jiang Wan's schooling, Du Ruo's heart was settled.

She began to focus on the ghost-supervising-post. Now the seedlings were growing taller and taller, and attracting more and more attention, so she had to keep an eye on them at all times.

If someone sabotaged or stole them, she wouldn't even have a place to cry.

The next day, Du Ruo prepared to go to the sandy land to take a look, but who knew that just as she reached the courtyard gate, she almost bumped into Jiang Cheng.

Jiang Cheng's footsteps were unsteady, his face as white as a ghost.

Seeing Du Ruo, he suddenly wailed: "Sister-in-law, I, I've committed a big crime!"

Du Ruo was startled by him: "Did you kill someone?"

Jiang Cheng choked: "Not that..."

That was good, that was good. Du Ruo breathed a sigh of relief: "Tell me, what exactly happened?"

The teenager wiped away his tears and told the story from beginning to end.

This matter was a bit absurd.

Jiang Cheng's master, Doctor Gu, had always been stingy, especially stingy to Jiang Cheng, his apprentice. He had learned medicine from him for so long, running errands, and even helping to manage the few mu of land at home, but in the end, Jiang Cheng hadn't received a single cent of reward.

Recently, for some reason, Doctor Gu and his wife had suddenly become much more enthusiastic toward Jiang Cheng, calling him "Third Young Master" this and "Third Young Master" that, asking if he was hungry or thirsty, and often keeping him for meals, which made him feel flattered.

Today, Doctor Gu kept Jiang Cheng for a meal again.

Jiang Cheng's mistress, Song Shi, even brought out a pot of wine, saying it was Doctor Gu's birthday and the family should have a lively time.

As a result, after two cups of wine, Jiang Cheng lost consciousness.

When he woke up, he found himself lying on the bed in Doctor Gu's house, with a girl sleeping beside him!

The girl screamed, and Doctor Gu and Song Shi rushed in, cursing Jiang Cheng, calling him a beast in human skin, ungrateful, and accusing him of defiling his niece while drunk...

"Did you really do it?" Du Ruo wouldn't believe it even if she died.

Jiang Cheng wasn't even fourteen yet, his hair hadn't even grown out, and he hadn't even been enlightened, silly and dull; how could he possibly force himself on a girl?

There was probably some misunderstanding.

Jiang Cheng shook his head: "I don't know, I was drunk."

Du Ruo was speechless. He must have been dead drunk not to remember what he had done. "What do your master and mistress say now?"

Jiang Cheng wanted to cry again: "They gave me two paths: either marry Zhuniang, or report me to the officials..."

Du Ruo glanced at him: "Marry if you want, why are you crying?"

Fourteen was a bit early, but there were plenty of people who got married at this age, so it wasn't a big deal.

Jiang Cheng's face flushed red: "But she, she is a fool!"

So that was it. Du Ruo suddenly realized.

That made sense. It wasn't that she was defending Jiang Cheng, but the matter itself was full of doubts. The previous abnormality of the Gu couple had already aroused Du Ruo's suspicion, and it turned out they were waiting here.

Since that was the case, she would go and see.

If it was really her own child who made a mistake, she would never shirk responsibility; it would be whatever it should be.

But if someone was deliberately scheming, then don't blame her for not showing mercy!

To be honest, Du Ruo had long disliked that Doctor Gu. Being greedy and stingy was one thing, but cheating patients out of money was a moral corruption. Such a person was not qualified to practice medicine.

Du Ruo tucked a kitchen knife into her bosom: "Let's go, to your master's house!"

Jiang Cheng's jaw dropped, his eyes filled with fear as he looked at her: "Sister-in-law, you, what are you doing with a knife?" ===== CHAPTER 64 =====