Later that evening, several soldiers from the patrol station moved all the vegetables that the mountain people had brought to the small courtyard. Wu San Niang was dumbfounded when she saw so many fresh and tender vegetables of all kinds.

With so many dishes, it would take several days for everyone in the yard to eat!

Most importantly, these vegetables taste best when they are fresh. If they are left for a few days, they will dry out and won't taste good. It would be a waste to throw them away.

Wu San Niang hurriedly asked someone to find A Mei and explained the situation to her.

Ah Mei then came to report to Min Yueqing.

Upon hearing that all of them had been delivered, Pei Han immediately instructed A Mo, who was standing at the door, "We'll keep one basket for ourselves. Have the rest sent to the communal kitchen so everyone can have a taste."

Amo quickly agreed.

The officers and soldiers of the patrol and inspection office were all overjoyed today. With such a large harvest of autumn grain this year, they could eat rice every day from now on. Just thinking about it made them smile.

Moreover, if things continue like this, they will only receive more and more taxes in the future, and it will be only a matter of time before they live a life of luxury.

That evening, the officers and soldiers ate fresh and tender vegetables that they rarely saw before, and they all thought to themselves that they had finally made it through the ordeal.

Little did they know that the next day, the patrol and inspection department would deliver even more exhilarating news.

The next morning, Pei Han had Wu Dazhuang summon a group of his trusted subordinates, saying that he had important matters to announce.

Upon hearing this, all sorts of speculations arose in everyone's minds.

Some said, "Sir, have you found some new edible food? Could you be the reincarnation of the god of agriculture?"

Others said, "We just harvested so much autumn grain, and now every household is busy tending to the potatoes in the fields. The adults probably didn't call us here for anything related to the grain."

Everyone was talking at once, and no one could convince anyone else.

Once everyone had arrived, Pei Han didn't keep them in suspense and went straight to the point: "I plan to open a school in the county. What are your ideas about the location of the school and the selection of the teacher?"

Upon hearing this, everyone exchanged bewildered glances, finding it hard to believe. However, since Pei Han had personally delivered the news, it couldn't be false, leaving them no choice but to believe it.

Wu Dazhuang asked cautiously, "Sir, do you mean opening a private school in our Sanping County? The kind of school where children can study?"

Pei Han was both amused and exasperated by this question, and he nodded helplessly.

Another person stammered out a question, "But, sir... they don't have the money to send their children to school. How much tuition do you charge for this school?"

Pei Han said, "You don't need to worry about that. As long as the mountain people are unable to pay for the tuition, the children can attend school for free."

Upon hearing this, everyone present could not hide their joy.

The reason is simple: they also have children at home. If this school really opens, wouldn't it mean that all their children can study for free?

They knew that Pei Han was serious about running the school, and their attitude immediately became more enthusiastic.

"Sir, if you're asking where the most suitable place is to set up a school, it's definitely near our patrol station. Can any other place be as safe as this?"

Others chimed in, “Sir, we are conveniently located in the middle of Sanping County. It would be easy for people from any village to come here to set up a school.”

"Yes, sir. If we set up a school in a village, the people in that village will be happy, but the people in other villages will have some objections. It's better to set it up here, then no one will have anything to say."

This idea was basically the same as Pei Han's plan. Seeing that no one had any objections, he made the decision: "Then the location is settled. In the next couple of days, you all go find people to build the building and get the school up and running as soon as possible. Do you have any good suggestions regarding the selection of the teacher?"

For this school to continue operating in the long term, it would be best to find a teacher locally. That way, even if Pei Han is transferred in the future, the school will not be greatly affected.

These officers and soldiers are all locals, and they know the situation of the mountain people in the world. They must know who is both talented and of good character.

Sure enough, as soon as Pei Han asked this question, everyone looked at each other and then started talking about their ideal candidates.

Pei Han noticed that many people mentioned the same name—Wu Wen.

Coincidentally, Pei Han also remembered this person. Pei Han asked, "Is the Wu Wen you mentioned from the nearby Wutong Village?"

Wu Dazhuang was surprised that Pei Han would remember Wu Wen, and hurriedly replied, "Yes, sir! Wu Wen is indeed from Wutong Village, but when he was a child, his father asked someone to take him to Maocheng to live for many years. He didn't return until he was over twenty years old."

Pei Han couldn't help but feel curious about this person.

Pei Han remembered Wu Wen because he had seen Wu Wen carrying his elderly mother to see a doctor.

It was summer, and the weather was extremely hot. Wu Wen carried the person all the way, and his face, neck, and chest were soaked as if he had been washed with water.

But his expression was very calm. As he passed Pei Han, Pei Han could hear him chatting with his elderly mother on his back. His voice was unhurried and showed no signs of fatigue.

Pei Han's first impression was that this man was a truly filial son.

So Pei Han asked the local villagers about his name and family situation, and learned that his name was Wu Wen and that he had an elderly mother with mobility issues.

Everyone in the village knows that Wu Wen is exceptionally filial to his mother. Whenever his mother feels even slightly unwell, Wu Wen immediately carries her across most of the village to see a doctor, so the smell of medicine often wafts from his house.

Pei Han only learned today that Wu Wen was not only a filial son, but also a scholar. He immediately asked, "Wu Wen has studied?"

Wu Dazhuang and the others replied in unison, "We've read it. He even worked as an accountant for a few years when he was in Maocheng! We heard from the villagers who came back with Wu Wen that when Wu Wen wanted to quit his job, the restaurant manager was reluctant to let him go. Later, we heard that the reason Wu Wen wanted to leave was because he had to go home to take care of his sick elderly mother. They had no choice but to let him go."

Seeing that Pei Han showed no impatience listening to them, the others took turns explaining Wu Wen's family affairs.

It turns out that shortly after Wu Wen was born, it was during the worst period of banditry in Wutong Village.

The Wu family parents had only had this one child after five or six years of marriage, and they cherished him like the apple of their eye. The thought that Wu Wen was still so young and could be kidnapped by bandits at any time, or even killed by ruthless bandits, filled the Wu family parents with constant anxiety.

When Wu's parents learned that several well-off families in the county were moving to Maocheng together, and that one of them was an acquaintance from their Wutong Village, Wu's father immediately thought of his older sister, who had married far away to Maocheng.