Chapter 370: A Share of the Pie

"The wife of Magistrate Hu of Wu County is virtuous and kind, generous and kind-hearted, and a role model for women in Lingnan. She is given the title of 'County Lady'!" the emperor said again.

Hu Erlang was stunned. Is there anything else?

"Why don't you bow down and thank His Majesty for His Grace!" Fu Zhong whispered.

"Thank you, Lord!" Hu Erlang came back to his senses and said happily.

In ancient times, each dynasty would confer a title on the mother or wife of a high-ranking official, calling her the Lady of Imperial Concubine.

Officials of the first to fifth ranks used imperial edicts, called imperial decrees; officials of the sixth to ninth ranks used imperial edicts, called imperial decrees.

In the Tang Dynasty, the regulations for the mothers and wives of officials to be given titles as women of other ranks were that the wife and mother of a first-rank official was called "Lady of the State", those of the third rank and above were called "Lady of the County", those of the fourth rank were called "Lord of the County", and those of the fifth rank were called "Lord of the County".

The difference between mother and wife is adding the word "Tai" to the title.

Below the title of "County Lady", the title of "County Lady" was also set up for the wives and mothers of fourth-rank honorary officials (officials outside the imperial court).

"How many official schools are there in Wuzhou?" The emperor was in a good mood and asked a few more questions.

"Your Majesty, it's an official school in the provincial capital," Hu Erlang replied.

"There is only one official school in the entire state? What about the county schools and village schools?" The emperor was surprised.

"Your Majesty, Lingnan is remote and wild, with a vast territory and a sparse population. Han and Li people live together, and disputes often arise over resources, and there is no interaction between them.

Last year, Wu County popularized vermicelli making, tea oil pressing and beekeeping, which greatly eased the relationship and promoted interaction between Chinese and English speakers.

There were very few literate people in the countryside, the county government was poor, and there was no source of salary for the yamen runners, so there was no money to run an official school.

For more than ten years, the money the student's mother earned from running a shop has been used to subsidize his father's expenses in the county government.

"Thanks to Manager Fu's help in bringing his students into business, the Hu family caravan has finally been revived!" said Hu Erlang.

"So poor?" It was the first time that the emperor heard the voices of the grassroots in Lingnan.

"In just one year, Wu County has changed dramatically, and people's lives have gradually improved. Last year, several sons of the Su family established a village school.

Children from Huanggou Village and Jinfengzhai all go to school. In addition to the Four Books and Five Classics, law, calligraphy, mathematics and abacus are learned.

To broaden my horizons, I traveled with the caravan and have now arrived in Chang'an!"

"Oh? The Su family in Huanggou Village, isn't that Su Qing's family?" The emperor became interested.

"Your Majesty, that's right! The team will be led by Lord Su Erlang and Ah Hei from the Golden Wind Stronghold."

"Where are they? They actually walked from Lingnan to Chang'an. Their courage is commendable!" The emperor wanted to see the Lingnan village school and the children of Lingnan.

"Your Majesty, they followed Su Erlang to the Su Mansion and said they were in Changshoufang." Hu Erlang said.

"Xu Zhi, go to the Su Mansion and call Su Erlang, Ah Hei, and the other kids over to see how the Lingnan kids are doing on this study tour!"

The emperor felt a sense of pride in his heart. Thousands of miles away, a group of children traveled thousands of miles to Chang'an to study.

This courage and perseverance alone is admirable!

"Yes!" Eunuch Xu Zhi hurried to Su Mansion to announce the emperor's oral order.

"Grandpa, let's live in the East Hall!" Su Shiyan and Su Chenyan persuaded Qin Fangcheng.

Su Zhongyan asked them to choose a place to live in either the East or West Hall, but Qin Fangcheng was not happy about it because he didn't want to squeeze in with the other children.

I like the north hall that Su Bucheng left for the old lady. It has a good orientation and long hours of sunlight, and it is a separate residence for the old lady to live out her retirement.

"Oh, didn't you say you were going to live in the old lady's house? It turns out you were just lying to me, an old man!" Qin Fangcheng sighed.

In order to coax them to come to Chang'an, the two good grandsons promised to live in the old lady's house.

Now I can only live in the East and West Halls, and I feel so depressed.

"Grandfather, you also heard Zhongyan say that it was for grandmother! The East and West Halls are not bad either, they are bigger than grandmother's house in Changshoufang!" Su Chenyan persuaded softly.

"Look! You're just like your father, believing everything! You're always being led by the nose by the eldest wife!

They are just looking for an excuse to warn your second branch and tell you that this is the mansion of their first branch.

You guys are still young! In this world, besides your own brothers, who else can you count on for sincerity? " Qin Fangcheng scolded the brothers with his hands behind his back.

"Grandfather, don't you like the Su family?" Su Zhaoyan asked suddenly from behind.

Qin Fangcheng stopped talking and turned around, only to see his little grandson staring at him, as if he could see through his thoughts.

"How can it be bad for the residence of the Shaoyin of Jingzhao Prefecture? My grandfather is just a commoner. I feel uneasy about marrying into such a high position!" Qin Fangcheng said with some flattery.

This little grandson is from the Su family and is not easy to fool.

"If Grandpa feels uneasy, I can rent a house for him so he can be free and quiet and enjoy the peace and quiet all by himself. Is that okay?"

Su Zhaoyan stared at Qin Fangcheng and smiled meaningfully.

"Grandpa only has you a few grandchildren, and I feel uneasy if I don't look after you. Forget it, just live in the East Hall!" Qin Fangcheng didn't want to leave the Su Mansion.

Xu Zhi came to the Su Mansion, where it was noisy.

A group of children in orange vests were working and playing, which was dazzling to watch.

The Su family did not hire any servants, so Su Bucheng was the only one who worked there. He had meals at the yamen and the construction site every day, and spent most of his time on duty at the yamen.

I have little time to go back home and have no time to go to the pawnshop to hire servants.

"Ouch!" Hu Zi turned around and bumped into Xu Zhi.

"Ouch!" Xu Zhi took two steps back. This little guy was really strong.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Uncle, are you okay?" Hu Zi stepped forward and supported Xu Zhi.

"No problem, no problem!" Xu Zhi smiled. "Where is Mr. Su Erlang?"

"Wait a minute!" Hu Zi shouted inside, "Sir, there's an old man looking for you!"

Su Zhongyan came out of a room, with his sleeves rolled up and his robe tucked into his waist. It seemed he was working.

Seeing that it was a strange face, he stepped forward and saluted, "Zhong Yan greets the old man, may I know what's the matter?"

"I am Xu Zhi, the Imperial Attendant. I have come to announce the Emperor's order!" Xu Zhi asked, "Second Master Su, where is Ah Hei?"

"?" Su Zhongyan thought he had misheard and looked at Xu Zhi.

"Brother, come quickly, I'm calling you!" Ah Niu pulled Ah Hei over.

"Uncle, this is Ah Hei!" Su Zhongyan introduced.

"Well, are you a Li people?" Xu Zhi saw that Ah Hei and Ah Niu were dressed differently from Han people, and several other children were like that.

"Yes!" Ah Hei was wearing a Liberal costume with very ethnic characteristics, and an orange vest on the outside.

"Su Erlang, Ahei, and all the students studying abroad, listen to my orders!" Xu Zhi dragged out his voice.

Su Zhongyan, Ah Hei, and the other children all knelt down.

"The emperor has ordered that Su Erlang, Ah Hei, and the other children be summoned to see how the children from Lingnan are doing on their study tour." Xu Zhi said in his original words.

After delivering the instruction, he smiled and said, "Master Su Erlang, please come in!"

"Please wait a moment, sir! Children, please pack up and take your abacus with you!" said Su Zhongyan.

"No problem!" Xu Zhi smiled.

"Everyone, bring your abacus, dress neatly, and follow the adults into the palace!" Su Zhongyan said to the children.

"Yes, sir!" The children tidied each other up, then lined up with their abacus.

Su Shiyan and Su Chenyan watched enviously as Su Zhongyan took the children and followed Xu Zhi out of the house.

"Go quickly! What are you standing there for?" Qin Fangcheng pushed his two grandsons.

"Grandfather, we were not summoned!" Su Shiyan did not move and went into the palace to see the emperor. No one was allowed to enter without an imperial decree.

"Idiot! Aren't you also the teachers of these kids? Why can't you go? Hurry up and catch up, so you can get a share of the rewards!" Qin Fangcheng pushed hard.