Chapter 14 The Ancient Scholar Used as Cannon Fodder (Part Fourteen) The following two...

Over the next two days, the Chu family got busy. Chu Nanfeng went to the homes of acquaintances to inform them about the banquet, Chu Xiaomei helped tidy up the house, and Chu's mother and the aunties and grandmas who came to help processed the ingredients.

Lin You couldn't offer much help, but he told him what he had heard: the Lin family shop had just received fresh mushrooms, Er Mazi from the east end had good luck and caught seven or eight palm-sized crucian carp, and the Chen family had too much fermented rice and was selling it off at a reduced price, etc.

With this information, plus the ingredients given by the neighbors, Chu Nanfeng only spent a little over two taels of silver to put on a respectable feast.

The meal consisted of five meat dishes and four vegetable dishes, including fish and meat, as well as Chen's rice wine. Some families don't even have such a lavish feast during the New Year, and everyone enjoyed it immensely.

Lin You got bored at home and liked to go out for a stroll. After making sure she was safe, Chu Nanfeng didn't interfere and let her play as much as he wanted, except for reading the Records of the Grand Historian for half an hour every day.

However, Lin You didn't forget the important matter and specifically instructed Chu Nanfeng to send Han Qige a message when she appeared.

Han Qige was relatively well-behaved, only showing up once on the day of the banquet, and never showing her face again.

That day, Lin You was listening to storytelling in a small teahouse. The teahouse was not big, and there were seven or eight men sitting together, chatting and gossiping. Their enthusiasm for gossip was no less than that of the aunties and grandmas outside.

These people were discussing Chu Nanfeng, praising him as elegant and approachable. Lin You nodded repeatedly in agreement.

She even wrote these words down, intending to tell Chu Nanfeng about them later; his reaction would surely be quite interesting.

Just as Lin You was listening intently, the sound of chaotic hoofbeats suddenly came from outside the teahouse. The people who were chatting enthusiastically all gathered at the door to see what was going on.

In their small county town, people mostly travel by oxcart or donkey, and horse-drawn carriages are a rare sight, let alone a long line of horse caravans.

Lin Youfei, hovering in mid-air, could clearly see the direction the group of people were heading—towards the county government office.

Taking advantage of her lack of physical form, she followed behind the horse caravan, intending to see what was happening.

She wasn't flying very fast, but because of the crowds in the county town, even riding a horse wouldn't be fast enough, so Lin You didn't have much trouble chasing her.

The group dismounted as they arrived at the yamen gate. The man in the lead was in his thirties, dressed in rich clothes with gold and silver embroidery on his clothes. He wore several large gemstone rings on his hands, gold beads hanging from his headband, and a string of jade pendants and gold rings around his waist.

This was the wealthiest person Lin You had ever seen since coming to this world. Even the prefect at the Deer Banquet was dignified and imposing, but he didn't have this nouveau riche style.

The magistrate treated the nouveau riche quite well. After exchanging a few polite words, someone brought over a young maid, who was the same maid who had gone to the county office with the kidnapper.

"Daddy!" The little girl, who had been timid and hesitant, rushed over to the rich man, hugged his neck, and cried uncontrollably.

This wealthy man was the father of the little girl who had been abducted. He looked his daughter up and down to make sure she was unharmed before he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Please excuse my rudeness, sir." The nouveau riche wiped his eyes and waved for someone to bring up a small wooden box and six bolts of cloth wrapped around it. "It's just a small token of my gratitude, please accept it."

"I didn't do anything, it was mainly that newly appointed scholar Chu Nanfeng who was quick-witted and intelligent. He discovered the suspicious activity and caught the thief, thus averting a disaster." The magistrate stroked his beard and declined to accept the money, even mentioning Chu Nanfeng's name.

"That's all thanks to your excellent governance of the people, sir, that such a capable person has emerged." The local tyrant flattered the magistrate repeatedly, then declined the gifts again before leaving with his child.

Lin You saw that after the person walked away, the magistrate immediately opened the box and revealed a satisfied smile. The box contained twenty silver ingots, each worth five taels.

Upon opening the bundle outside the cloth, Lin You discovered two bolts of silk and four bolts of fine cotton. Calculating the prices, he estimated it was worth about a hundred taels of silver.

Two hundred taels of silver in thanks—this tycoon is really rich. I wonder if he'll send something to the Chu family too.

Lin You then found the inn where the wealthy man was staying, and after hearing some specific details, she returned home to report to Chu Nanfeng:

"...The abducted girl's father has come looking for her. His surname is Qian, he's in his thirties, dressed in glittering gold, and he gave the county magistrate one hundred taels of silver and six bolts of cloth. He's preparing a gift for you."

After listening to Lin You's description, Chu Nanfeng nodded. "It should be the Qian family in Luocheng, which is not far from here. They are in the cloth business, and I heard that their business is very large and they have dealings with high-ranking officials and nobles in the capital."

Chu Nanfeng thought for a moment, then continued, "What my sister said is so rustic... rich people. Judging by age, it should be the young master of the Qian family."

"Will he come and give us money? If he gives us a hundred taels, we won't have to worry about the travel expenses to take the exam." Lin You's tone was full of anticipation.

Chu Nanfeng shook his head: "I can't accept money from his family. His business is somewhat irregular, and having financial ties with his family is not a good thing."

"Oh, then let's not do it." Lin You instantly lost interest.

Hearing her dejected tone, Chu Nanfeng couldn't help but chuckle. This older sister really was a bit of a money-grubber.

“If he really accepts this favor, we can go to the capital with the Qian family’s caravan. We can look out for each other on the way.”

Hearing him say that, Lin You became happy again. After all, safety on the road was more important than money. Chu Nanfeng also planned to take his godmother and younger sister with him, and it would be much more convenient to travel with a caravan than on his own.

The next day, Chu Nanfeng indeed received a visiting card from the Qian family. Lin You saw him holding the card, head down, seemingly lost in thought, and didn't move for a long time.

After Chu Nanfeng came to his senses, he went to the yard and dug up two jars of osmanthus wine. After carefully wiping the dirt off the jars, he sent a letter to Han Qige.

Han Qige quickly skipped over, still as lively and innocent as ever. Before she even reached him, her voice came first, "Brother Chu, I thought you forgot about treating me to drinks."

"This wine was originally brewed for you, how could I forget you?" Chu Nanfeng opened the wine jar and poured him a cup. "Try it, is it still the taste you like?"

The osmanthus wine has a strong aroma, and a lot of honey was added during the brewing process, making it too sweet. Chu Nanfeng didn't like to drink it.

Han Qige, however, prefers sweet flavors. Therefore, every year when the osmanthus flowers are in full bloom, Chu Nanfeng would brew two jars of osmanthus wine, and then meet up with his friends the following autumn to drink wine and admire the flowers together.

The orange-red wine was served in a white porcelain cup, crystal clear and fragrant. Han Qige picked it up and downed it in one gulp. The sweet fragrance of osmanthus mixed with the savory taste of the wine went down her throat, smooth and delicate, leaving a lingering fragrance on her lips and teeth.

"Brother Chu's brewing skills are still unparalleled!" Han Qige drank three cups in a row before reluctantly putting down his cup.

"That's hardly the pinnacle. If you really like it, you can take another jar with you when you leave." Chu Nanfeng poured himself a glass of wine, took a small sip, and set it aside.

Lin You noticed that he was in a bad mood, so she obediently squatted down beside him and watched without making a sound to disturb him.

"Brother Chu, why have you suddenly become so generous this year? Before, I could only drink here with you." Han Qige filled his glass and savored the wine.

As expected of the famous Chu Gong wine, which has left its mark on history, none of the wines he has tasted in modern times have tasted like this.

"Back then, you were young, and we were afraid you would drink too much and harm your health. Now, Qige has reached adulthood and is a grown man. He doesn't need anyone to take care of him anymore." Chu Nanfeng's gaze towards Han Qige became increasingly deep, but the slightly tipsy boy was completely unaware.

"There is one more thing. I plan to participate in next year's spring imperial examination. I'm afraid I'll have to leave for the capital in a few days. I've been very busy lately, so I won't have time to brew wine this year."

"Next year's imperial examination?" Han Qige immediately came to her senses. In history, didn't Chu Nanfeng only pass the imperial examination four years later? Some unofficial historical records from later generations also say that he was originally going to be the top scholar, but unfortunately, because of his outstanding appearance, he was personally selected by the emperor to be the third-ranked scholar.

"Brother Chu's scholarship is so impressive, he will surely pass the imperial examination with flying colors!" Han Qige filled his wine glass again, picked it up and drank it all in one gulp, his tone very sincere.

"Qige wishes Brother Chu great success and a bright future."

Lin You pursed her lips, but couldn't help saying, "Chu Nanfeng, he can only say so many nice things because he thinks you won't pass the exam next year!"

Chu Nanfeng smiled, but instead of picking up the wine glass, he took a box of snacks from the side and handed it to Han Qige, saying, "Have something to eat to fill your stomach. Although this is not strong liquor, it is not good to drink too much on an empty stomach."

Han Qige took the box without hesitation, rummaged through it, picked out his favorite peach blossom pastry, and just as he took a bite, he suddenly saw a very exquisite visiting card where the pastry box had been placed before.

The paper used for the invitation was engraved with subtle patterns, sprinkled with gold powder, and even the four corners were wrapped with silver corner buckles. It looked like a gift from a wealthy family, and the attitude was very solemn.

Han Qige reached out and picked it up out of curiosity, opening it before Chu Nanfeng could speak. "Brother Chu, do people in our county use this kind of paper to make invitations? Are these buttons really made of silver?"

Upon seeing this, Chu Nanfeng immediately frowned and admonished, "Qige, you are not a child anymore. Why are you still so reckless? You can't just flip through the host's invitation. When you go to someone else's house, you can't be so impolite."

Han Qige smiled ingratiatingly at him, "I'm here with Brother Chu, of course I wouldn't do this elsewhere."

Chu Nanfeng softened his expression and explained to him, "He is the young master of the Qian family in Luocheng. A few days ago, I accidentally discovered a kidnapper and rescued several children, including his family's children. That's why he sent an invitation to visit tomorrow."

"The Qian family? The Qian family that runs a particularly large fabric business?" Han Qige's eyes lit up instantly.

He's been thinking about starting a business lately, but he has too little capital and can't make much money by doing small-scale operations, so he wants to find a large merchant to cooperate with.

With his modern knowledge, he'll surely earn a lot of money. At that time, who would care about a poor, pedantic scholar?

Seeing his interest, Chu Nanfeng pretended to advise him: "Why are you suddenly asking about this again? Do you want to do business too? Scholars, artisans, farmers, and merchants, doing business is not the right path."

You're still young. You should study hard and try to pass the imperial examinations to become a Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial-level imperial examinations). There are plenty of scholars in their fifties or sixties who still take the exams. You're so young; it's not too late even if you try for twenty or thirty years.

Han Qige couldn't help but secretly roll her eyes. The ancients' thinking was really stubborn and inflexible. Even famous figures throughout history were just as pedantic.

Even if he studies until he's over forty and manages to pass the imperial examination, what good will it do? He'll have wasted the best years of his life.

Besides, what good is it for Chu Nanfeng to pass the imperial examination and become a scholar? Without power or influence, he still can't become an official, and he still has to continue studying every day.

I didn't see him as wealthy, having servants at his beck and call, or a beautiful woman to keep him company. He still lived in a small, dilapidated house, no different from when he was a scholar.

These old fogies have been brainwashed by the education of feudal society. No matter what era it is, money is the most important thing.

"Brother Chu, I'll come over tomorrow to play too, and see what the Qian family looks like, okay?" Han Qige smiled sweetly and even tugged at Chu Nanfeng's sleeve in a coquettish manner.

The plot summary already states that in his previous life, he was an actor who played Chu Nanfeng, portraying his life story from youth to middle age and then to old age. He must have been a mature and steady actor, at least in his thirties.

Lin You couldn't help but rub her arms and complain to Chu Nanfeng, "If you count his age from his previous life, he's probably over fifty by now, but he still acts like a baby who hasn't been weaned!"

Chu Nanfeng hurriedly flicked his sleeve, turned around so Han Qige wouldn't see his almost bursting smile, and pretended to be angry, saying:

"Don't even think about using me to get close to the Qian family. I will not introduce you to them, and I will absolutely not watch you go down that crooked path!"

Han Qige was kicked out just like that. Before leaving, he was given a wine jar, which was the osmanthus wine he had been longing for.

He knew it; Chu Nanfeng still cared about him. Even if he couldn't become a high-ranking official, having a friend who was one was still a good thing.

Although she didn't get what she wanted today, she was certain of Chu Nanfeng's attitude towards her. Han Qige happily hugged the wine jar and bounced it around before turning around to find someone to inquire about the Qian family.

A note from the author:

----------------------