"His life is not easy now. His wife has passed away and his two children are still young, both of whom are left to be taken care of by his mother. Miao Xiucai is old now and does not have the energy to take care of the school, so most of the things are handed over to him." The village chief sighed.
Miao Xiucai is old. Miao Tongsheng was the most promising scholar of this generation in Shiqu Village. However, he passed the examination for Tongsheng at an early age, but never passed the examination for Xiucai. If he couldn't pass the examination, others would be even less likely to pass. Village chief Miao was also very worried. He was afraid that the village's scholarly tradition would be passed down for generations and finally end with him. But he didn't dare to say much. Miao Tongsheng himself was also upset.
Shen Qing looked inside the room. Miao Tongsheng did not put down his book and come out to greet them just because he saw them. Instead, he scolded those boys who were not paying attention and continued teaching.
"I went out to do business and came across some books that were useful for the imperial examinations. I'll send them back to Uncle Tongsheng." Shen Qing felt that Miao Tongsheng was a good investment target. He now had connections with the county's clerk and chief clerk through the Jin Ya man, but after all, they were separated by the Jin Ya man, and could not be as close as Miao Tongsheng.
It doesn't matter if he has great potential to become an official. It is enough for him to pass the examination to become a scholar, have a decent title, and have a say in front of the officials.
"That's great!" Village Chief Miao was very surprised. Books are precious these days, especially many collections, which can't be bought casually in a bookstore. You have to spend a lot of money and try your luck.
This is also part of the reason for the monopoly of knowledge in this era. The collections of books owned by the scholarly families passed down from generation to generation are unimaginable for the children of poor families, and they are not easily passed on to others. Only by becoming a disciple, becoming a student, and sharing interests with the teacher can one share some of the resources.
The difference in their starting points is not limited to money and connections, but also to the collection of books accumulated by several times more people.
To some extent, it is similar to the principle of a craftsman recruiting apprentices.
Shiqu Village has produced several generations of scholars, and Miao Xiucai's family also has some books, but it is still not comparable to a real scholarly family, otherwise their village would not have produced only scholars for many years, but not a single juren. Although the children's talents are there, the lack of educational resources is also a very important factor.
Although Qing Ge'er is not good at poetry and literature, and does not know the ins and outs of selecting books, perhaps books from other places are somewhat different from those here. Buying books sometimes depends on luck!
After the chapter was finished, Miao Tongsheng let the children read by themselves and walked out of the house to greet the village chief and Shen Qing: "It's been a long time since we last met. Brother Qing has grown up so much that I can't recognize him."
Although Miao Tongsheng had seen that this boy was extraordinary during the divorce, in just six months, Shen Qing had completely changed. In addition, he liked to wear men's clothes, and from a distance he looked no different from a young master. There was no trace of the poor farm boy he once was.
Shen Qing bowed to him, and the village chief beside him talked to Miao Tongsheng about opening a workshop in the village: "Qingge'er is a good child, thinking about family affection! You should also work harder on your end and train a few more smart ones to help Qingge'er!"
The news spread all over Lantang Village that Qing Ge'er had hooked up with a noble from outside the province and was highly valued. Most of the affairs in Anping County were entrusted to Qing Ge'er. The young people in their village were literate and good at accounting. Wasn't this a great opportunity?
"Of course." Miao Tongsheng responded, and then asked: "I wonder what the workshop in our village is making? I heard that the workshop in Lantang Village makes something called flower intestines. My nephew came back from the city and brought some for his family to taste. It was really delicious."
Shen Qing had planned this a long time ago. Shiqu Village is different from Lantang Village. There are more men who can read and do accounting, and many of them go to the city to work as accountants. In modern terms, there are more management talents and fewer cheap laborers.
For example, when Shen Qing built a workshop in Lantang Village and provided money and food, the people in Lantang Village were very happy. But it would not be so easy in Shiqu Village. The men had decent jobs in the county town. Would they quit their jobs and come back to build a workshop to make a few bucks?
So Shen Qing put the gluten workshop he originally planned to open on hold and went back to Xiahe Village. In Shiqu Village, he opened a small and fine workshop for girls and boys.
Shen Qing did not hide it. Sooner or later, everyone in Shiqu Village would know: "I plan to make fried chicken fillets, just like the flower sausage, a fried dough and meat food." It will also be supplied to the flower sausage shop and fried in a pot.
It's called fried chicken steak, but it's actually fried noodles steak. There aren't that many chickens for him to kill all day these days. Plus, the starch sausage workshop uses a lot of meat, so Shen Qing is thinking about cooperating with the Little Chicken Village, getting some modern disinfection and disease prevention measures, and opening a chicken farm.
Crush one pound of chicken into puree, add salt, autumn oil, cooking wine, five-spice powder, pepper, and sugar, beat in an egg, stir evenly, then add one and a half pounds of flour, mix well, knead into dough, divide into equal portions and roll into thin large pieces with a rolling pin.
Shen Qing divided a pound of chicken into fifteen portions, which were fifteen fried noodles.
Steam the steamed buns with three-grain flour overnight, then bake them until golden brown and fragrant, and pound them into crumbs. Coat both sides of the previously rolled dough evenly with the steamed bun bran, fry them in oil, and brush them with sauce.
In the workshop in Lantang Village, Shen Qing taught the craft of making starch sausage to his trusted Aunt Lian Er. In Shiqu Village, this craft will naturally be taught to his own family.
Liu Yue'e and Li Yanzi also have to take care of their own tofu workshop. They are very excited about the big event of opening a workshop in the village, but their own business is also serious and profitable, and they can't give up a bit. Especially Shen Qing's flower sausage shop has started to fry vegetarian dishes. In addition to vegetables, it can also fry bean curd skin, fried tofu, vegetarian chicken, and dried tofu. With a workshop opened by their uncle, who else can place orders? They have made a lot of money these days. But people are greedy. They want both, but they can't do it in two places, and they are anxious.
Shen Qing looked at her with amusement: "What's the big deal? Qiao Niang and Xue Niang are so old now, why don't I just teach these two sisters this craft?" These two cousins are a few years older than Mudan and Feicui. Those two kids are already running their own shops in the city, so what can't they learn?
Qiao Niang and Xue Niang's eyes lit up immediately, and they surrounded Shen Qing. Liu Yue'e and Li Yanzi waved their hands, "How can this be possible? They are already grown-up girls. Some time ago, someone even tried to persuade me to get married. After all, they are just girls. In three to five years, they will become someone else's family. If we take this skill with us, won't we become someone else's family?"
The general idea nowadays is that a married woman is no longer part of the family, but the daughter-in-law is the family member. If there are so many skills, why pass them on to the daughter-in-law instead of the daughter?
Qiao Niang and Xue Niang's eyes dimmed again. It's not that Liu Yue'e and Li Yanzi didn't love their own daughter, but everyone in this world is like this, so they naturally think so. Even Qiao Niang and Xue Niang, although disappointed, didn't think there was anything wrong.
Shen Qingcai didn't think so: "What do you mean by other people's family? If you think about it, then my mother isn't my family either."
"How can your mother be the same?" Your mother is divorced.
Shen Qing felt that he couldn't make sense with them, so he thought about it and simply followed their line of thought: "What my aunt said makes sense, but is it possible that the two sisters don't get married and stay at home to recruit sons-in-law? Then wouldn't we still be one family?"
"Marrying a son-in-law?" Liu Yue'e and Li Yanzi looked at each other. They had never thought of this before. Isn't it only those who don't have a son in the family who do this? How can they marry a son-in-law when they already have a son? "I have never seen a family like this in the surrounding area."
Shen Qing shook his head: "I haven't seen it, because I'm poor." The biggest difference between a woman marrying a man and marrying a man is that, in addition to inheriting the family line, there is also the division of property. In ancient times, women did not have the right to inherit property, but the property they received was not inherited after their parents died, but inherited when they got married, and the dowry was the property they received.
Of course, dowries can be large or small. Poor peasants give little, most of which will not exceed the value of the betrothal gift. But it is not the case for wealthy families. In some extravagant dynasties, officials and even royal family members would even borrow money to make up a generous dowry in order to marry off their daughters in a decent manner.
And if girls and boys do not get married, but stay at home to marry a son-in-law, it will be fine for only girls and boys, but those who have brothers will divide the family property among their brothers. Which man would be happy with that?
"But our family is different now." Shen Qing said, "Now our family is in the rising stage of development, and we really need people. Brother Miao Ren will manage the workshop in the future, Miao Yu is the patrol leader in Lantang Village, Miao Shan is still young, and my uncle and aunt are busy making and selling tofu. Where can we find people to learn this craft? Isn't it because of the lack of manpower that we are delayed in making big money?"
Shen Qing's words touched Liu Yue'e and Li Yanzi's hearts. Farmers all love to have many children. The more people who can work at home, the more prosperous the family will be! But this is a big deal, and they dare not make the decision easily. They just look at Miao Xingmiaowang and say, "Master, what do you think?"
Miao Xing and Miao Wang thought for a long time, but their minds were still a little confused. However, they said, "Just listen to Qing Ge'er. Can Qing Ge'er harm us?"
What kind of life did their family live before? Since Qing Ge'er helped them, what kind of life do they live now? They have left the whole village behind! If it weren't for Qing Ge'er, they wouldn't even dare to think about this life. Qing Ge'er is smarter and more knowledgeable than them. It's right to listen to Qing Ge'er!
As for the division of the family property...Miao Xing glanced at Miao Ren who was standing aside.
Miao Ren immediately stepped forward and said, "Dad, we are all blood relatives, I will never argue with my sister about this. Now that our family is rich, my sister can live a more comfortable life by marrying a son-in-law and staying at home. I am willing."
Who would be willing to leave their home and live in someone else's home? How could it be as comfortable as living in their own home? Besides, his family is no longer what it used to be. With Qing'er taking care of him, and his two sisters learning this good craft, the money they earn can far exceed their original family property. Qiao Niang and Xue Niang are both young. As long as the family does not split up, they will be the second and youngest sons in the family. They can never surpass the eldest brother. The man they recruit has someone above them, so he can't cause any trouble.
Hearing his eldest son say this, Miao Ren nodded with satisfaction.
"Then it's settled. Let's kill a chicken today. I'll teach the two girls how to cook it first." Shen Qing felt in his purse and casually took out a handful of change and handed it to Miao Shan. "Go, go buy a chicken from someone you know."
Li Yanzi stopped him quickly: "What are you talking about? We already have chickens at home, why do we need to buy one outside? We should kill one to entertain the guest when Qing Ge'er comes, and you are asked to pay for it. How can this be ridiculous!" Qing Ge'er, who is extremely rich, has been handed to their family, how can she be stingy with this chicken?
The two were arguing when they suddenly heard a woman's voice outside the door: "Are you having chicken for lunch? I love braised chicken! Why don't you invite me to join you when you have such a good thing? I have a ready-made helper. We are all real relatives."
Upon hearing the words, Li Yanzi and Shen Qing paused in their attempts to refuse, and their faces turned cold along with Liu Yue'e behind them.
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