Chapter 3 003 Qingyuan Academy

"Tang'er, why are you standing there like an idiot? Come over and have dinner."

Du Qingtang took a deep breath, walked into the kitchen, and looked around inconspicuously.

The Du family was very perfunctory in naming their girls, Du Daya, Du Erya...all the way to Du Baya.

Du Qingtang's name was given by Liu Tongsheng from the village at the expense of Du Lao Da. If he had not passed away suddenly, Du Qingtang would most likely have become Du Jiuya like her sisters.

There are nine sisters in the Du family. The eldest to the fourth are already married. Sitting opposite Du Qingtang are Du Wuya and Du Liuya, twins who look exactly like each other. They are obviously lively and are looking at her with a smile. One of them is even clapping on the table and humming an unknown tune.

On Du Qingtang's left is Du Qiya, and on his right is Du Baya.

She had a round face like Yuanshi. Although her skin was sallow, she was a real beauty. Her almond eyes were rolling around, and she looked smart.

The other one had an oval face and beautiful features, and she was eating vegetable cakes with her brows lowered and her eyes looking submissive.

In the first life, it was Du Baya who became his own scapegoat, resulting in his reputation being ruined and him jumping into the river to commit suicide.

"The chattering is so noisy so early in the morning, let's eat quickly!" Yuanshi put half a bowl of pickles next to the vegetable pancake, and there was a "bang" sound.

Du Qingtang didn't even raise his eyelids as he slowly stirred the porridge in the bowl.

The first meal after awakening was very simple. Each person was given a vegetable cake, half a bowl of pickles, and half a bowl of porridge - the rice soup was so clear that only a few grains of rice were at the bottom of the bowl.

Du Liuya stopped humming, grabbed the vegetable pancake and stuffed it into her mouth, then Yuanshi hit her hand with chopsticks.

"Ah!" Du Liuya's eyes suddenly turned red as her fingers felt a burning pain. "Mom, why did you hit me?"

Yuan said angrily, "What are you trying to steal? I didn't deprive you of a single bite of food. You're so rude!"

Du Qiya held her chin up and said, "Yes, Sixth Sister, Mother hasn't deprived you of a single bite of food, why are you so anxious?"

Last night, Yuan Shi was bullied by Zhu Shi and Du Qingtang, and she tossed and turned in bed, feeling aggrieved. She felt relieved when she heard these words: "Qiya is still sensible..."

Unexpectedly, Du Qiya changed the subject: "At most, all the money was sent to my uncle's house. We worked so hard to earn money, but we still had to depend on others for our money."

"Du Qiya!" Yuan threw her chopsticks, "That's your uncle! Your uncle has been in poor health since he was a child and can't do heavy work. I'm his sister, shouldn't I take care of him?"

Du Qiya rolled her eyes and said, "Uncle only eats and sleeps. His belly is almost as big as Lianhua's mother's. Of course, he can't do any heavy work..."

Lianhua's mother is eight months pregnant and is about to give birth.

"Shut up!" Yuan slammed the table and raised her hand as if to teach Du Qiya a lesson.

Du Qiya tilted her head to avoid the attack, ate the cake with a smacking sound, and drank the rice soup with a slurping sound.

Yuan Shi, however, was not going to give up. She kept on rambling on about nothing, complaining about Du Qiya's unfilial behavior and telling about Yuan Ping's difficulties: "Your uncle is weak and has to support not only Sheng'er's studies, but also Tang'er..."

Du Qingtang raised his eyes: "Mother."

Yuanshi met her cold eyes, her heart skipped a beat, and she shut her mouth awkwardly.

Du Qingtang ignored Du Qiya's approving look and ate the pancake and drank the soup by himself.

After being humiliated by Du Qingtang in front of her daughter, Yuan Shi finished her meal without any appetite and went outside to twist straw ropes. Before leaving, she reminded him, "Send the embroidery to the city today and buy half a pound of meat."

Boss Du passed away suddenly, leaving behind ten women in the first house. One can imagine the hardships they went through.

In addition to farming, the girls also make handicrafts such as embroidery, wood carving, and straw raincoats on weekdays and send them to the county town for sale.

Of course, all the money earned went into the Yuan family’s pockets.

"That meat is definitely not bought for us." Du Qiya's chopsticks poked the bottom of the bowl, making a loud noise. She only stopped after being hit on the head by Du Wuya.

Du Baya whispered softly, "Seventh sister, please stop talking. Be careful that mother will hear and get angry again."

Du Qiya put her hands on her hips and said, "I don't care if Mom is angry or not, I'm just going to say it! Mom is biased. She only has eyes for Uncle and doesn't care about our lives at all!"

Yuanshi is a very complicated person. She has feudal ideas, is a bully at home, and is selfish... Many derogatory words can be reflected in her.

Zhu had a tough attitude and a hot temper, so Yuan was humble and tried to please her in every way.

Du Qingtang refused to put on the dress and threatened her on the spot, so Yuanshi began to fear her. Just now, Du Qingtang shouted to stop her, and although Yuanshi was dissatisfied, she still kept her mouth shut.

On the other hand, she vented her negative emotions on her daughters, including but not limited to verbal scolding and corporal punishment.

It is really unfortunate for the girl from the Du family to have such a mother.

"Fifth sister, when are you leaving?" Du Qingtang put down the bowl, "I'll go with you."

Du Wuya said, "I'll leave right away."

Before leaving, Yuan Shi called Du Qingtang and said, "Tang Jie'er, I've been thinking about it all night, and I think you made a mistake."

"Your aunt will definitely complain to Sheng Ge'er when she goes back. Sheng Ge'er is the only pillar of the family. You will depend on him for the rest of your life. You must not leave any bad impression on him."

"Go to the Yuan family with your mother now and apologize to your aunt..."

Du Qingtang interrupted her: "Shut up."

Yuan was stunned: "What?"

Du Qingtang said impatiently: "If you don't know how to speak, then don't speak. I don't like what you said. Don't say it again in the future."

Yuan's eyes instantly turned red, she beat her chest and stamped her feet, her face filled with grief: "Her father, look at this unfilial daughter, she is going to piss me off to death!"

"Tang Ge'er, let's go." Du Wuya shouted from not far away.

Du Qingtang walked around Yuanshi: "Here I come."

After walking a distance, Du Wuya asked, "What happened to Mom?"

"Nothing, I just missed my dad and cried a little." Du Qingtang didn't give Du Wuya a chance to ask, "Fifth sister, when you sell the embroidery, remember to give me the money."

Du Wuya was confused: "What do I give it to you? Do you want to buy a book?"

Du Qingtang: "The silver is in my hands, mother doesn't dare to take it by force." So it will not fall into the pockets of the Yuan family.

Du Wuya was a little tempted, and Du Qingtang struck while the iron was hot: "Now that we have money in our hands, we don't have to look at the Yuan family's face anymore. Not only will I have money to study, but it will also improve our family's food. Fifth sister, you are too thin, you need to eat something good to replenish your body."

"Well... well then." Du Wuya completely changed sides, raised her hand to touch Du Qingtang's hair, and smiled with her eyes curved, "Tang'er has grown up and knows how to care for his sister."

The two of them traveled quickly and entered the city an hour later. They agreed on when and where to meet, and then went their separate ways.

Du Qingtang came to the private school where she used to study and went to visit the only teacher in the school.

......

"You want to leave the private school?" Mr. Li was very surprised when he learned of Du Qingtang's request. "Why would you leave the private school for no reason? What happened?"

Du Qingtang said softly, "My family is in financial difficulty and cannot afford to support the students to continue their studies."

Mr. Li frowned, and after a while he sighed, "Forget it, you can go now. I will also return the tuition fee you paid in June."

Du Qingtang bowed: "Thank you, sir."

The annual tuition fee for the private school was five taels of silver. It was now late October and the year was not even half over, so Mr. Li returned three taels of silver to her.

"Next month, Qingyuan Academy will be recruiting students. The top five candidates will receive a set of the Four Treasures of the Study and will be exempted from tuition fees. If you are determined to study, you can give it a try."

Qingyuan Academy, as the name suggests, is an academy located in Qingyuan County.

It is one of the most famous academies in the country, and its president is Yao Xuan, one of the top three scholars in the previous emperor's time.

Yao Xuan became famous at a young age. Although he had the opportunity to become an official in the court and reach the highest position, he resolutely returned to his hometown and became a teacher at Qingyuan Academy, where he has been for 32 years.

Later, when Emperor Qingyuan ascended the throne, he appointed Yao Xuan as the principal of Qingyuan Academy because he was widely respected and loved by scholars all over the world.

In addition to Yao Xuan, the academy also had many famous professors and teachers, attracting scholars from all over the country.

Information about Qingyuan Academy came to mind, and Du Qingtang thanked him again: "Thank you for the information, sir. I am willing to give it a try."

In fact, she did not leave because her family was in financial difficulty, but because she recalled her past life and found that Mr. Li's gentle teaching method was not suitable for her.

And she needed money to do something.

After leaving the private school, Du Qingtang walked aimlessly on the street.

The streets are lined with quaint houses, shops, wine flags flying, the hawking sounds rising and falling, and the place is bustling with people.

In a shack on the corner of the street lay a disheveled, ragged man and woman, looking weather-beaten as if they had fled from another place.

Du Qingtang covered his face with a cloth and stepped forward, saying, "I want to discuss a deal with you."