“Mistress,” Huang Ye’s wife began, “I know you mean well, but today, my husband and I are too ashamed to go in.”

"What kind of talk is that?" Huang Xiaosan was speechless. He bent down, walked up to Huang Ye, and picked him up. "Let's go inside and talk."

When Jiang Nuan heard Huang Ye's purpose, she almost choked on her words, "What did you say? You want to become my disciple?"

“Exactly,” Huang Xiaosan said, equally puzzled, “Why would you think of this?”

Taking one's mother as an apprentice—that's quite a unique and imaginative idea!

This is truly incomprehensible!

"Fifth Aunt," Huang Ye lowered her eyes and head, speaking humbly, "please take me in."

He knew he was disliked for looking like this, but he couldn't give up.

There was no way to retreat; I could only force myself to move forward!

"Huang Ye," Jiang Nuan asked tentatively, "was someone bullying you?"

“No,” Huang Ye paused before speaking, “the villagers aren’t bad to me.”

There was no kicking him when he was down; at most, there was some cold-heartedness. Brothers who used to be so close they were inseparable just stopped visiting.

Not bad? That's a word worth pondering.

Relatively speaking, it's not good either?

Jiang Nuan glanced at Huang Ye with amusement and said with a smile, "I'm just a woman, I don't plan to take on any disciples, and it's not convenient for me to do so. If you really want to become an apprentice, it would be better to go to your third uncle."

“I’m not going,” Huang Ye said stubbornly. “I just want to become Aunt Wu’s apprentice.”

"Why do this?" Jiang Nuan sighed, "Why bother?"

She never thought about taking on any apprentices, let alone expecting anyone to come and ask to become her disciple.

That's really strange, I've been keeping a low profile enough!

"Fifth Aunt," Huang Ye slammed her head on the ground, "I sincerely want to become your disciple, please accept me."

“Mother,” Jin said, looking at the two with sympathy, “why don’t you take them in?”

The couple, dressed in only white, were thin and looked miserable; they appeared quite pitiful.

It makes sense when you think about it. There are no elders in the family to help out, and the breadwinner has broken his leg, leaving only a woman to struggle to support the family. It must be very difficult for her.

"Don't interrupt," Huang Xiaosan said in a low voice, "Let Mother handle this."

Taking on an apprentice is similar to raising a son; it's a matter of great importance, and you can't make a decision lightly just because you're soft-hearted.

Huang Ye used to be a very good person, but three years have passed and he has experienced such a big setback. No one can guarantee what his character will be like now.

"I understand." Jin pursed her lips and stepped back.

“Huang Ye,” Jiang Nuan looked at the two of them and asked in confusion, “Why did you choose me out of so many people in the village?”

This is a really strange question of hers.

I have always advocated the doctrine of the mean, and apart from being a spendthrift, no one in the village should have noticed that.

The fact that this young man had come looking for me with such determination and persistence is truly intriguing.

"Fifth Aunt, you are a very capable person," Huang Ye said with certainty. "From birth to now, I have lived in Huangjiakou for more than 20 years. I have experienced all the joys and sorrows of life here. No one knows this place better than me."

“Life in Huangjiakou had always been mundane and almost tasteless. Everyone was numb and rigid in their struggle to make a living until a month ago, when the village gradually began to come alive.”

"Then, everything started to get better."

"And all of these things, more or less, are related to Fifth Aunt!"

When Huang Yegang came up with these analyses, he himself couldn't believe it.

Huangjiakou has lived in this drought-stricken state for over two hundred years, generation after generation, and any attempt to change it has been extremely difficult.

It's hard to believe that a woman could do something that so many men couldn't.

However, after going through the whole process, he was certain that it was indeed Jiang Nuan.

Although on the surface she only gave some money out of kindness, she completely disrupted the situation in Huangjiakou and made everything develop in a direction that was favorable to her. That's terrifying!

In just one month, this woman not only successfully restored her reputation, but also made her second wife the head of the entire village, which is simply astonishing!

These words caused Jiang Nuan to pause slightly. "What makes you say that? Apart from spending some money, I didn't do anything else?"

After speaking, he looked at the boy scrutinizingly, wanting an answer.

Don't be fooled by Jiang Nuan's tendency to spend money like an idiot; it's because she knows that with Old Man Huang and Huang Shi around, she won't suffer any losses.

However, apart from that, she didn't get involved in anything else.

She won't take the blame for this.

“Whether you admit it or not,” Huang Ye said earnestly, “Huangjiakou was changed because of Aunt Wu. You are a capable person.”

Jiang Nuan remained noncommittal when asked, "If I don't agree, what will you do? Prove your innocence with your death?"

“I will not die,” Huang Ye said excitedly. “I have already been cowardly once, and I will not give up on myself again. If Aunt Wu does not agree, I will keep pestering her day after day until she agrees.”

“One last question,” Jiang Nuan asked, looking intently at Huang Ye, “If one day you could become a person of high status, what would be the one thing you most want to do?”

"To repay my master!"

"Stop with the pleasantries," Jiang Nuan waved her hand. "Be honest and tell me your truest thoughts."

“I want to buy four servants,” Huang Ye said firmly, “one to take care of me, one to take care of my wife, and the other two to keep in reserve for the future, to take care of the children.”

Upon hearing this, Jiang Nuan's expression became somewhat complicated. "Don't you want to look at your own legs?"

"I don't want to," Huang Ye laughed. "If I really had that much money, it would be enough to buy my wife a lot of jewelry and accessories."

“Okay,” Jiang Nuan said, “I’ll have Xiao San teach you fifty characters every day. We’ll test you in seven days. If you can recite them fluently, I’ll agree to your request.”

"Don't worry, Master," Huang Ye assured him happily, "I can definitely do it."

After the two left, Madam Xie asked in confusion, "Mother, I felt you had already agreed in your heart, so why is there this second condition? Is it a test?"

Isn't this a bit too late?

If it was a test, why didn't Brother Huangye refuse when he first called him "Master"?

“It’s not a test,” Jiang Nuan’s eyes flickered slightly. “As you can see, this disciple can’t shirk his responsibility. I did this to see his comprehension and perseverance.”

Fifty words a day may sound like a small amount, but for someone who has never been exposed to books before, it is definitely not that simple.

Not to mention, there's no pinyin available, so you have to rely on rote memorization.

Huang Ye is a very intelligent person. If he has both perseverance and talent, why not nurture him?

“Mother,” Huang Lao Er said in a simple and honest voice, “I think Brother Huang Ye is very smart, but he’s also a little scary.”

"How is he scary?" Jiang Nuan asked with amusement. "Do you think he's a bit difficult to get along with?"

“Yes, yes, yes,” Huang Lao Er nodded repeatedly, “His eyes are like knives, they make people very uncomfortable!”