Chapter 164: Ambition knows no age

However, she discovered that these ornaments had changed, even appearing somewhat clumsy, with the carving a bit messy; it was obvious he was hiding himself.

Jiang Yunchu smiled; it seemed her previous question had still aroused his suspicion.

"Let's start with the first one." Zhang Luo had thought for a long time; he had already implicated too many people.

He couldn't implicate her any further.

"Good." Jiang Yunchu merely nodded; in fact, her original purpose was simply to reveal her identity and then have him help make some molds.

"These are the reason I came this time." Jiang Yunchu placed the drawings in front of him.

Zhang Luo picked up those papers and, through the window light, examined them carefully.

"Is this a mold?" The craftsmanship was simple, but the pattern was novel.

But these weren't what amazed him most; surprisingly, it was the mechanism.

On this drawing, several mechanisms were fully illustrated; just move the wooden stick and the mold can be released immediately.

It was indeed quite novel.

"Regarding the mold." Jiang Yunchu nodded; she had taken a liking to his craftsmanship, she could give him the silver he needed, and they could cooperate fairly and justly.

"Aren't you afraid I'll release the drawings?" Zhang Luo closed the papers and once again sized up the woman opposite him.

Regent's Consort!

"Release them?"

Jiang Yunchu let out a scoff: "My things can only be given by me; no one can take them from my hands."

Her words carried both obsession and domineering aura.

Her whole face bore confidence.

Did Zhang Luo believe her?

He, believed!

"According to this craft, the wood has special requirements; otherwise this effect can't be achieved." Zhang Luo made the request, which also signified that he had taken on the job.

Jiang Yunchu responded: "List everything you need, and I'll have it sent over."

"Good!" Zhang Luo replied.

"Upon completion, ten taels of silver." Jiang Yunchu stated directly.

"Also, don't forget I ordered two hundred candied haws today; I'll have someone come pick them up the day after tomorrow." After saying that, she took the list Zhang Luo had written and left the house directly.

"She's gone."

"Yes." Zi Su and Bai Zhi followed behind Jiang Yunchu; just as they stepped out, they happened to run into the old woman and old man returning.

Seeing her heading out, the old woman immediately looked puzzled and called out, "Miss, you don't want the candied haws?"

Jiang Yunchu smiled: "It's too late now; I'll come pick them up the day after tomorrow."

"Okay, okay, that's fine, that's fine." The old woman laughed and immediately agreed.

The hawthorns have already been gathered; don't let them go to waste.

Even if they're smashed in hand, they're still worth some silver.

After Jiang Yunchu left, Zhang Lao San remained dazed for a long time, his whole spirit somewhat depressed.

But he usually wasn't talkative, so nobody noticed.

"That young lady said she'll come pick them up the day after tomorrow; rest these two days, and the day after tomorrow I and the old man will pack up the stall and come help you."

The old woman warmly suggested, and this time it was just luck; otherwise, whether Zhang Lao San could still be alive is unknown!

"Good." Zhang Lao San gave a bitter laugh.

Watching the old woman shout "miss" over and over, he couldn't bring himself to correct her.

However, looking at the Princess Consort's attitude, she didn't seem to mind much.

Jiang Yunchu returned to the Regent Prince's Manor; the fine molds had already been set up, and the molds she drew were of myriad magnolia blossoms—side views, frontal views, buds about to bloom, and flowers in full bloom.

Each posture was lifelike, requiring a master of superb carving; that reminded her of Zhang Luo.

If not for today's visit, a generation's master carver would have just faded away.

Just thinking about it is lamentable.

That day, Qing Feng Da Ru came to the academy and sought out Jiang Yunchu.

"I've taken care of the joint examination matter."

After sitting down, he hastily drank a cup of tea, having rushed over, extremely thirsty.

Jiang Yunchu's expression didn't change, but she was delighted inside; with the joint examination qualification, those children would see a wider world.

Having comparisons among the academies and the children's rankings can spur them to improve.

But……

"You never thought the children might do poorly and become discouraged?" Seeing her expression, Qing Feng found it somewhat surprising.

Doing well or poorly is quite normal.

Moreover, the children of Chun Hua Xue Yuan are all young; they can't even pass the entry-level exam, and he had exhausted himself talking for this, yet this time he managed to settle it.

By the way, he also sold two of his own calligraphy pieces; just thinking about it makes him heartbroken, for those were his two most satisfying works.

"Discouraged? Them?"

Jiang Yunchu let out a scoff, pointing at the academy's location, looking at Qing Feng Da Ru with disbelief.

Qing Feng, seeing her expression, slightly furrowed his brows: "They're young, their hearts unsettled; entering early isn't a good thing."

Only seeing the person opposite nod, saying: "They're young, but……"

"Ambition knows no age."

"You don't even give them a chance—how can you just say no?"

Qing Feng Da Ru corrected: "It's not that I won't let them try; they can wait another year, study another year. All told, they've only studied half a year so far, and those three newcomers have only studied a few days."

"Are exams really useful for them?"

He has taught and nurtured people for several decades; the story of ruining a prodigy has long been told to the world.

But seeing Jiang Yunchu's expression, it seems she doesn't care.

That stubborn nature is actually just like Kang Ying's; what he should say has already been said, and the things she asked herself to do, she has done herself.

Now...

Wanting to change is not easy either!

"Useful." Jiang Yunchu put down her teacup and nodded firmly.

"Great Scholar, do you know? They are not ordinary children; you cannot treat them as ordinary children."

"Each of them needs the courage to fall and get back up."

"The first time, perhaps they cannot, but..."

"They need to know their own gap; sitting in a well and watching the sky, they see only that patch above them."

Speaking to this point, her slender fingers gently rubbed the teacup a few times, a smile on her face.

"Although, I never hoped they would become famous and pass the exam in one attempt."

"But..."

"Who says they can't?"

When she said the last sentence, Jiang Yunchu looked up at Qing Feng Da Ru, her face full of smile, her eyes full of confidence.

This is not for herself, but rather for those children.

Actually, Qing Feng Da Ru disagrees with many of Jiang Yunchu's views, but he has always been advising himself that facts will make Jiang Yunchu honest and bring the children back onto the right path.

The reason he is so actively promoting the Joint Examination is precisely to make her stop delaying the children's studies.

Make her give up those strange ideas; those children's talent and spiritual aura are not comparable to ordinary people.