Chapter 295: Silver Silk

At this time, they had a shared secret in their hearts, also a sense of responsibility, and now they also had someone to protect.

No longer was it just the Dean standing before them, invincible.

By now, they could also, by keeping their mouths shut like a sealed bottle, guard the Dean's safety.

They are willing!

"Ning Hanmo, Kang Zi Wei."

The two who were called shouted at once, "Present!"

Ningguang chuckled, "You two, on behalf of everyone, please help distribute the gifts."

"This class, my lesson is over; enjoy the Dean's goodwill."

"Mr. Ningguang, you are too kind."

"Mr. Ningguang, you are amazing."

"Mr. Ningguang, we love you so much."

For a moment, the house filled with flattery, each slap resounding loudly.

Ningguang looked at their smiling faces; in her life she had taught three students: one is the current His Majesty, one is a general of a state, and one is the scholar Ying Mei Zanhua among the Four Great Scholars.

Her life could also be considered complete.

But now, seeing those lively students, she suddenly felt that life could be like this.

Teaching, nurturing.

She clearly recalled Yun chu's words.

"Teaching and nurturing; here, nurturing is forever far more important than teaching."

Her gaze back then, she still remembers to this day.

Looking at those passionate children, they are no longer numb scholars merely studying for study's sake; they are living people, not any teacher's marionette, they have their own thoughts, cognitions, insights, and likewise their own opinions.

They will extrapolate, they will rebut, they will question; regardless of right or wrong, they seek true knowledge.

This is the greatest difference from other scholars.

"Wow, so much." Ning Hanmo stared at the massive parcel, his mouth twitching; only his mother could produce something like that, travel so far, and bring back so much, right?

Sigh!

Apart from Ning Hanmo and Kang Zi Wei moving, though the others were curious, each sat on his own stool, heads not tilted, sitting upright, eyes not glancing aside.

This is their etiquette and upbringing.

Even the two youngest children now wore the look of "I'm not looking, I don't care."

Jiang Yun Hui saw the two children's appearance and couldn't help curling her lips; not bad, today she could praise them and give a little reward.

"These are the girls'."

Ning Hanmo handed a package directly to Kang Zi Wei.

The girls' things, he must not touch.

Jiang Yunchu, for convenience of distribution, had already divided everything and also sorted them into categories.

After Kang Zi Wei took it, she slowly opened the package and saw five full sets of clothing; inside each set was a note, bearing the Dean's most sincere blessings.

"This is Nai Xin's."

"This is Zhiqiu's."

"This is Zhi Chun's."

"This one is mine."

"Little Yue Yue, this one is yours." Kang Zi Wei handed out the clothes according to each person's seat.

Everyone else treasured them, not opening them, but instead reading the notes above.

Only the child‑hearted Yue Yue opened her clothes; for a moment, Ningguang's brows suddenly furrowed.

"Wait a moment."

She spoke quickly, then hurried to Yue Yue's side, and everyone's gaze gathered.

Yue Yue blinked her big eyes, looking at the swiftly approaching Ningguang, "What's wrong?"

Jiang Yun Hui also grew curious, walking behind Ningguang, and together they looked at that garment.

Ningguang moved the garment, then turned it another way, looked at it, and the corner of her mouth twitched slightly, "Your Dean has put a lot of thought into this."

She let out a soft sigh, looking at these girls; they are far luckier than other noble ladies.

Because……

Someone thinks of them, someone is planning their future.

The girls exchanged glances; the garment is very soft, the upper body surely comfortable, the pattern quite distinctive, not the ordinary plum‑orchid‑bamboo‑chrysanthemum, but looks like some cloud motifs?

"Please, Mr. Ningguang, clarify."

Kang Nai Xin rose, bowed slightly toward Ningguang, still somewhat puzzled.

Ningguang smiled and said to Ning Yue Xue, "May I borrow the clothing?"

"Sure."

The little girl's voice was crisp, her face reluctant, yet she handed over the clothing; her pained, careful expression made everyone laugh.

Leaving aside the material, it feels soft to the touch; it is Jiangnan's special silver silk, and this silver silk is a tribute, with annual output not exceeding five bolts, and in all of Da Ning only the Zhuang Clan possesses it.

Silver silk is the silk spit out by a kind called silver silkworm; the silver silkworm requires a special environment and special feeding, and is hard to keep alive.

Back then, when she took her three students on a tour of Da Ning, she had seen this silver silkworm; setting aside the environment, even a slight mismatch would likely cause its extinction.

The silver silkworm diminishes yearly; one can see how scarce this silver silk's quantity has become.

"It is said that silver silkworm silk cannot be found in ordinary shops; only some auction houses and black markets have it, yet a bolt can be worth a hundred gold."

As Ningguang's words fell, each girl finally realized that the garment in her hands, thin as a cicada's wing, felt as heavy as a thousand jin.

"More importantly, the cloth woven from silkworm silk is as thin as a cicada's wing, and wearing it in summer has a cooling effect."

"Ningguang and everyone laughed, lightly shook their heads, but Yun chu was willing."

"\"So precious. \" The young ladies, each holding the clothes, suddenly dared not move."

"While they felt moved in their hearts, they also kept asking themselves in their hearts, \"Do we deserve this? \""

"\"Precious, but it can only belong to you. \" The words that Ningguang and everyone said next directly left the young ladies even more puzzled."

"Ningguang directly opened Yue Yue's garment, then had Jiang Yun Hui help, she lightly pointed at the collar's position, saying, \"I remember, I taught you ancient literature, and I also taught you this phrase. Although your dean made some changes on the picture for better appearance, if you are careful, you can still see it. \""

"\"Peace, joy, health, growth. \""

"Ning Hanmo looked at those patterns, word by word, he strove to recognize them, then suddenly understood."

"Ningguang and everyone nodded, \"Yes, on the collar, these are those beautiful blessings. \""

"\"Now let's look at the sleeves of the clothing. \""

"\"You don't understand these, but I can tell you. \""

"She also saw the sleeves of the clothing, and only then did she notice that the fine patterns, resembling cloud patterns, actually all carried deep meaning."

"\"May you be free of worries. \""

"\"May your future be as splendid as brocade. \""

"After Ningguang and everyone finished reading, several young ladies looked at their own clothes; whether collar or sleeves, everyone's patterns were consistent."

"\"Let's take a look over here. \""

"\"The pattern here runs from front to back; you are the same—although each person's pattern differs, the design varies, but the words are the same. \""

"Ningguang and everyone handed the clothing to Jiang Yun Hui, then she went to the front and wrote a passage of ancient literature on the board."

"\"This ancient text is Chun Hua Xue Yuan. \""

"\"Each of your handwritings differs, each of your patterns differs, drawn by your dean into different colors, but the names are all the same. \""

"\"Come down, look at your hems. \""

"Ningguang gradually guided the young ladies; each lady's heart was shocked beyond words—what exactly did the dean do for them during these days of absence?"

"\"Your hems have different embroidered patterns, because that pattern is your name in the ancient text. \""

"Ningguang and everyone looked at them, she lightly laughed, \"Young ladies, your dean is telling you through concrete actions. \""

"\"You deserve the best things. \""

"Yes, she said before, \"My child, naturally I will dote on you. \""

"And she, toward these children, has done it to the utmost."

"What Ningguang and everyone didn't know was that the clothing was not only these; the other garments, lacking these embroidered patterns, were simply made as innerwear and have already been sent to various places."

"And she also has one."

"Jiang Yunchu improved the silkworm's environmental problems, and even provided a theory for the silkworm's reproduction issues."

"Although it hasn't been improved yet, the Zhuang Clan trusts her, and has always done so."

"Besides the tribute silk cloth, the accumulated silk cloth over the years were all handed over to Jiang Yunchu."

"It is trust, and even more, affection."