Chapter 29
Fan Sanniang had heard everything about the Lu family from hearsay. Even Jiang Wanning rarely talked to her about family matters. After all, this involved family matters, so she couldn't ask about it proactively.
Even now, she didn't ask them what their specific plans were.
"Alright, Sanniang, just know this. Tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, whenever it's convenient for you, just send Dabao to my house. I'll be leaving first."
"Won't you sit for a while?"
Jiang Wanning shook her head: "No, Lu Shang is still waiting for me by the river."
Speaking of Lu Shang, Fan Sanniang stopped trying to persuade her. She didn't have time to go to the fields to pick fresh peaches, so she packed all the seven or eight peaches in her house for Jiang Wanning.
"Eat this first. I'll bring you fresh peaches when I visit your house in the next couple of days! If you're not afraid of the cold, try throwing the peaches into the well. They're so sweet!"
"Okay, I'll make a note of that."
Jiang Wanning left Fan Sanniang's house and saw Dabao when she went out. The little baby had a chubby face and his black eyes kept rolling around, making him look very smart.
Fan Sanniang called him over and said, "This is Aunt Wanning, calling for help."
"Hello, Auntie." Dabao was not shy at all. He tiptoed and grabbed Jiang Wanning's hand. "Auntie is so beautiful."
Jiang Wanning is not considered a great beauty nowadays, but she has a good foundation after all. In addition, her gentle temperament makes her very popular with children.
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone sitting at the door laughed.
Jiang Wanning felt soft inside and couldn't help but touch his head: "Dabao is also good-looking. You can tell at first glance that he is a good child."
Fan Sanniang said, "I'll take you to my beautiful aunt's house tomorrow. You must listen to her."
"Okay!" Dabao agreed crisply, watching Jiang Wanning leave for a long distance, still muttering, "I'm going to my aunt's house to play!"
Jiang Wanning didn't stay at Fan Sanniang's house for long, but it was more than half an hour. When she came out of her house and looked up at the glaring sun above her head, she suddenly remembered -
Nothing unexpected will happen if we just leave Lu Shang by the river, right?
She suddenly remembered the attack last night and broke out in a cold sweat.
However, when she trotted all the way to the river, she saw that Lu Shang was not only safe and sound, but he had even rolled up his trouser legs, found a branch from somewhere, and was stepping on the water to spear fish.
Lu Shang heard footsteps, looked up to see who was coming, and grinned: "Aning, come quickly, I caught two big fat fish!"
Jiang Wanning looked in the direction his finger pointed and saw two white carps in the grass by the river. One had an injured tail and the other had a punctured belly, but they were still fresh after all, having been caught not long ago.
Lu Shang was not greedy, and he went ashore as soon as Jiang Wanning came back.
He hadn't fished for many years. It was all because there were so many fish in the river that he was lucky enough to catch two.
However, after struggling for so long, his clothes were almost all wet, and there were spots of mud on his neck and face when he was catching fish. From a distance, he looked very dirty.
Jiang Wanning didn't pay attention to these things. She was frightened when she saw Lu Shang walking in the river. She quickly lifted her skirt and pulled him over. Naturally, her hands were covered with water and mud.
When Lu Shang stopped on the shore, their eyes met inadvertently. After a pause, they laughed at the same time.
Lu Shang was a little surprised: "What are you laughing at?"
"Of course it's because Mr. Xiao is so powerful."
"..." Lu Shang was so confused by this direct hit that he really didn't know how to respond. He could only turn his head away and muffledly said, "Stop talking."
Jiang Wanning didn't know what she had done to offend him, but looking at his expression, he didn't look unhappy, so she simply didn't pursue the matter further.
They pulled two grass poles from the river, passed them through the fish's mouths, each carrying one, and returned home with a full harvest.
Lu Shang also took the peaches brought back from Fan Sanniang's house. He rinsed them in the river and took a bite. They were indeed very sweet.
When they returned, Grandma Lu had already gone back to her room to rest. Otherwise, seeing Lu Shang covered in water and mud, she would have been scared again.
As for the others, they might have expressed some concern, but they were immediately attracted by the two white carps. Even Wang Cuilian, who usually had no good things to say, was shocked.
"Oh my goodness, what's going on lately? It's all chicken, duck, and fish. We've had a big meal at home..."
That’s right. First, Grandma Lu paid for the chicken, and then Lu Shang bought the pork.
Before we could eat the pork, Grandpa Pang brought us pork elbows and stir-fried pork. Less than two hours after we finished eating, fresh river fish arrived.
It can be said that the Lu family has been eating meat almost every day these days.
Even though Wang Cuilian scoffed at the idea of a wedding, she still looked at Lu Shang and Jiang Wanning with uncertainty. After they returned to the house, she turned around and muttered to Lu Laoer, "I think Lu Shang has changed a lot these days. He's completely different from before."
"Is it really like what the old Taoist said, that he was reborn after a great disaster? Is Jiang really that powerful?"
Lu Lao Er didn't want to talk about these superstitious things. He glared at her angrily and said, "So much food can't stop you from eating. Why don't you go and clean up the fish!"
"Just go, why are you so fierce..." Wang Cuilian rolled her eyes and looked at the heavy white carp in her hand. Somehow, the thoughts in her mind became stronger and stronger.
After Lu Shang returned to the house and changed his clothes, he estimated that he was in good condition and immediately went out to deal with the pig offal.
Although Jiang Wanning couldn't help much, she followed him out.
The pig offal was hung on the big locust tree on the wall. It smelled terrible and was surrounded by flying insects. Wang Cuilian also hung the processed white carp over there, as well as the pork and other things that were not easy to store, which were basically all hung under the tree.
The big tree has lush branches and leaves, which is a rare shady place in this hot summer. Moreover, it is out of the sun, so some meat can be kept for three or four days.
If it takes any longer, it won’t work.
Lu Shang unhooked the pig and said casually, "Tomorrow when we have time, we'll deal with the remaining fish and meat. Let's see if we can smoke or pickle them. If we leave them any longer, they'll go bad."
"I can smoke fish, and the process isn't complicated. I can make sausages with meat, but I don't know if my mother-in-law and the others have other plans."
"It's okay, I'll ask later."
Lu Shang also felt that the pig offal smelled too strong, so he went to get several basins of water and poured them all over the offal to drive away the mosquitoes circling around.
When he looked up, he saw Jiang Wanning standing far away. It seemed that she wanted to come over, but she couldn't stand the strong smell.
She thought she had concealed it well, but the disdain in her eyes was clearly revealed.
Lu Shang couldn't help laughing: "Go back, go back to your room and rest for a while, I can do this by myself, I'll call you when I'm done."
"...Let me help you." Jiang Wanning said this weakly, even she didn't believe it.
Lu Shang waved his hand: "Go quickly."
"Then... shall I really leave?" Jiang Wanning was really not used to this smell. She hesitated, but finally escaped first.
The village was very quiet in the afternoon. Occasionally there was the sound of footsteps outside the wall, but it only flashed by and soon returned to silence.
Someone saw someone staying in the yard of Lu Laoer's house and wanted to say hello, but when he looked out and saw it was Lu Shang, he quickly shrank back and quickened his pace to leave.
The Lu family members returned to their rooms and waited out the hottest period of midday.
For a moment, Lu Shang was the only one busy in the yard.
Lu Guangzong came out halfway through and screamed when he saw Lu Shang using a cloth to plug his nose while handling the pig offal.
But before he could turn around, Lu Shang drafted him into a soldier.
"Guangzong, come here and fetch me some basins of water. I'll pour it as I say."
Lu Guangzong didn't want to do it at all.
But Lu Guangzong did not dare to refuse.
He hesitated and could not take more than a few steps for a long time. It was not until he was threatened by Lu Shang again that he ran over with a sad face and muttered.
He was too small to carry a whole basin of water, so he had to carry half a basin, using a moderate stream of water to flush the drain that had been brushed. The fishy smell went straight into his nose.
He didn't dare to blame Lu Shang, so he muttered to Jiang Wanning: "Brother, how could you do such a thing? Why don't you ask your sister-in-law to do it?"
But as soon as he finished speaking, he was slapped on the head.
Lu Shang didn't hit him hard, it was mostly meant to intimidate him.
He poked Lu Guangzong's forehead again: "I can't do it just because I can do it with your sister-in-law? Lu Guangzong, what are you thinking about every day?"
Lu Guangzong felt very aggrieved: "What did I say wrong? Grandma and Mom have always done all the housework. When will it be your turn to come with me, big brother?"
"Lu Guangzong, are you embarrassed?" Lu Shang was so angry that he laughed. "Look at yourself. You're like a pig all day long. You eat and drink a lot, but you disappear when it comes to work."
Although he didn't have a good impression of Wang Cuilian, some things could not be influenced by likes and dislikes. It was because Lu Guangzong was still young and his temper was not so bad that he could not help but learn a lesson from him.
"Grandma is old and her legs and feet are not working properly. Second Mother is busy running the house and outside all day long and has no time to stand. Your second sister-in-law is taking care of the children and can't get a full night's sleep. Not to mention your sister-in-law, she is half your age and may not even weigh as much as you. And you can just watch them busy while you do nothing?"
"But, but..." Lu Guangzong stuttered for a long time.
Lu Shang refused to listen to his explanation: "But what but? You are already nine years old! In a few years, you will get married! If you don't take care of your wife, are you still expecting her to serve you?"
Lu Guangzong was still confused, but fortunately he grasped two key points: "Then, then I will help you more in the future?"
"What else?" Lu Shang glanced at him unhappily.
Lu Guangzong rubbed his head: "...Oh."
"No, go get two more basins of water and rinse again."
This time, Lu Guangzong didn't grumble about whether he should do it or not. He honestly helped to flush the drain, waited for Lu Shang to throw it into the kitchen, and helped to light the fire.
Lu Guangzong was spoiled at home, and Lu Shang didn't expect him to change in a day or two. As long as he could be persuaded, there was still room for teaching.
After the first wave of water boiled, Lu Shang kicked his butt and said, "Okay, go back to sleep. I'll leave you a bowl when it's done."
Lu Guangzong had had enough of the smell, and upon hearing this, he shook his head like a dice: "No, no, no, no, I won't eat it!"
Lu Shang ignored him. Whether he would eat it or not would be clear after the food was ready.
While the two brothers were having a "cordial and friendly" exchange, Jiang Wanning, who had returned to his room earlier, was not idle either.
Lu Shang said that Grandpa Pang was very anxious and might send his grandson over again tomorrow.
The girl from the Grand Secretary's Mansion grew up surrounded by books.
With her knowledge, she was more than qualified to teach a child or even a scholar, but since it was her first time teaching someone, she was still a little timid.
After much thought, I decided to make some preparations first.
Jiang Wanning rummaged through the cabinet in the corner and found two inkstones, ten sheets of paper, and two pens that had been accidentally pressed to the bottom of the box and had their bristles bald.
The two brushes were made of pig brown, and perhaps because of the poor craftsmanship, the tips were thick and hard, and if you were not careful, the tips would split.
Lu Shang had been bedridden for several months and hadn't even touched a book, so he naturally had no time to pack up his paper and pen. Jiang Wanning could only temporarily immerse him in warm water to see if there was any chance of saving him.
Since there is no pen to write with, there is no need for paper and ink.
Jiang Wanning didn't necessarily use these. She was just thinking in her mind how to get a five or six-year-old child interested in books.
She can no longer remember the scene of learning to write as a child, but to this day, she still can't forget the scene of her father holding her hand and writing her name stroke by stroke.
Perhaps it was because she had a gentle nature and had rarely had strong likes or dislikes since she was a child. Whether it was reading and writing, playing the piano or painting, if her parents said it was good, she would try to learn it. If she didn't dislike it, she would continue to learn it.
Including needlework, cooking, mathematics, pitching pots... As long as it was popular in the capital, she would basically try it. She may not have mastered many things, but she had a basic understanding of them.
Children are still in the stage of indeterminacy.
Perhaps they have been brainwashed by adults, thinking that they must study hard in order to make a lot of money and become an official, but who knows if this is what they want?
Jiang Wanning rubbed her middle finger unconsciously.
She once wore a jade ring, which was given to her by her mother on her eighth birthday. She wore it for many years, but it was later snatched away by soldiers on the way to exile.
Jiang Wanning's thoughts drifted from the two children who were about to be born, to her own childhood, to her mother, who was seriously ill and whose condition she was uncertain...
I don't know how long it took, but I heard footsteps at the door.
Immediately afterwards, the door was pushed open, and Lu Shang walked in with a rage and a look of despair, and fell directly onto the bed.
Jiang Wanning suddenly came back to her senses from her wandering thoughts. Before she could ask any more questions, Lu Shang spoke first: "No, it's too hot."
A few days ago, he said that Lujia Village was a good place. Even in such a hot summer, it would not be unbearable to burn people. The mountains surrounding it on three sides were finally of some use.
Looking back now, no matter how much shade the mountains provide, their usefulness is limited.
You can't expect summer to not be hot.
Lu Shangcai had been busy outside for an hour, and his whole body was soaked in sweat. When he came back, even his steps were floating, and he could fly up on the spot at any time.
Seeing that he was just overheated and there was nothing serious going on, Jiang Wanning breathed a sigh of relief.
She found it funny and a little distressed, so she quickly poured some boiled water and served it to him, waiting for him to gulp down two large bowls.
Jiang Wanning said, "It's hot this time of year. I hung the peaches I brought from Sanniang's house into the well. We can eat them in the evening."
"If that doesn't work, you could always look for someone selling ice, but icebergs in the summer are incredibly expensive and in short supply, so they're hard to come by."
Lu Shang lay flat on the bed, only thinking about increasing the heat dissipation area. He listened to Jiang Wanning's words intermittently and only remembered the few words he wanted to hear.
"You said ice is valuable?" Lu Shang touched his chin. "I wonder if storing ice in a cellar is really feasible."
Jiang Wanning gave him the answer before he even had to try: "It won't work if you store too much. We've stored ice in the winter before, but it all melted before winter was over."
The reason why icebergs can be sold at such a high price is that they have their own advantages. If anyone can store them, there will naturally be no such thing as a price without demand.
Lu Shang just had a slight thought, but didn't really want to do anything.
He knew that too much is as bad as too little. For now, it was enough for him to do a good job in the cooperation with Guanhe Tower and run the primary school at home.
If you want to get involved in everything, you're afraid that nothing will succeed in the end.
By the time Lu Shang had rested enough, the bed was a mess because of him.
Jiang Wanning took out new sheets from the cabinet and waited for him to leave so that she could replace them.
Lu Shang smiled embarrassedly: "Just leave it alone after you change, I'll wash it later."
As for now, of course he still had to go and take a look at the pork soup he had been tinkering with for half the afternoon.
Jiang Wanning said yes, but after she changed the bed sheets, she picked up a basin at the door, walked to the well in three or two steps, and drew water to wash.
When Lu Shang came back with a happy look on his face, the sheets on her side had been washed and hung out to dry.
Lu Shang grabbed her hand, his face showing joy that was hard to conceal: "Aning, come quickly, the pork soup is ready!"
Three or four pots of hot water were boiling in the kitchen one after another, and the steam was gushing out. You didn't even have to go in, just passing by the door, to feel the hot steam hitting your face.
Lu Shang's clothes were wet and dry, and his trouser legs and sleeves were all rolled up, revealing his skinny and slightly sickly body.
He blocked Jiang Wanning outside and said, "Don't come in. Wait for me to bring it out for you."
In order to make it easier to eat, he first moved out the tables and chairs in the kitchen, and then brought out the pork soup sprinkled with coriander powder.
Coriander powder is made from dried coriander and tastes similar to cilantro. Because it comes from outside the Great Wall, it is very expensive. The last time I bought one penny, I spent more than a hundred coins.
You don't need to add too much coriander powder, just sprinkle a little at the end to enhance the flavor.
Lu Shang was just a little hesitant: "You like...coriander, right?"
"Coriander? Is it a spice from outside the Great Wall?" However, Jiang Wanning had only seen this thing in books and had never tasted it in person, so she couldn't say whether she accepted it or not.
Lu Shang said: "Then try it first. If you don't like it, I'll change it for you. There's still plenty in the pot."
Little did she know that Jiang Wanning was not worried about whether there was coriander or not. She was more afraid of the fishy smell of cooked pig offal, but she didn't know how to eat it.
However, when she really took the bowl of soup, a very strong bone aroma hit her nose. She sniffed hard, but did not smell the familiar fishy smell.
Lu Shang even urged: "Try it?"
Jiang Wanning let out a breath, picked up the chopsticks, and tried the pork offal soup for the first time.
The pig offal that Lu Shang bought contained many internal organs such as the heart, liver, spleen, lungs, intestines, etc. It looked bloody before being processed, but after being rinsed carefully, the previous dirtiness was gone.
Jiang Wanning tasted a little bit and found the problem.
Whether it was the braised food last time or the pork offal soup this time, she found that Lu Shang was very good at using spices in his cooking. Even when he was stir-frying a dish on weekdays, others would just sprinkle a little salt at most, but he would add three or four kinds of spices.
It can’t be said that it tastes bad. On the contrary, even Jiang Wanning, who usually has a light taste, couldn’t find any fault with it. It’s just a matter of getting used to it.
The same goes for this bowl of pork offal soup. I don’t know how many spices Lu Shang added to it. The soup base is almost entirely filled with spices, but the pork offal still retains its original freshness.
Lu Shang was inexplicably nervous: "How?"
Jiang Wanning tasted the pig lung again and said, "It's delicious."
"I told you so!" At this moment, Lu Shang's sense of pride was simply unparalleled.
He couldn't tease Jiang Wanning, so he brought up Lu Guangzong who was hiding in the house: "That kid Guangzong was so disgusted just now, and now he has to beg me to give him any."
"Aning, you don't know that this pork offal soup should be accompanied by steamed dough pancakes. Break the freshly-cooked pancakes apart and dip them in the soup, then eat them together. That's so delicious!"
"But it's still a little hot in the summer. I'll make it for you when it gets cooler. I'll definitely let you experience what heaven on earth is like."
Lu Shang doesn't taste good, but he knows how to eat.
Compared to Jiang Wanning's exquisite and elegant food, he is better at home-cooked dishes. The more common the food is, the more thoroughly he has studied it.
Just like now, he can make a delicious dish out of the cheap pig offal that no one wants.
Jiang Wanning smiled without saying anything, silently watching him talk happily, as if he was born to be a culinary artist, rather than studying hard for ten years to take the imperial examinations.
With such a big pot of pork soup, not only was there food for dinner that night, but there was also some left over the next morning. Except for Ma who really couldn't get used to it, everyone else in the family praised it highly.
It was just that Lu Guangzong couldn't stand the taste of coriander, which made Lu Shang feel a little regretful: "Are you really not going to try it? Just put a little bit in it, you might like it."
Lu Guangzong took the bowl and ran away without arguing with him.
It is worth mentioning that after dinner that night, Lu Guangzong did not put down his bowl and go out to have fun. Instead, he rushed into the kitchen in a fierce voice and drove out Wang Cuilian and Ma who were cleaning the dishes. He did not say what he was doing, but started to wash them.
Wang Cuilian was stunned for a moment, then came to her senses again and said dissatisfiedly: "Why are you doing this as a boy? Go quickly and call Xiaoxiao and the others."
Of course Lu Guangzong was unwilling to do it, as his friends were still waiting for him at the village entrance.
Just remembering the lesson from his elder brother in the afternoon, he couldn't move his feet. He just quickened his hands and quickly rinsed the dishes. He ran out and shouted, "I'm done!" Then he turned around and rushed out of the house.
Regardless of whether he washes the clothes cleanly or not, at least he is willing to share some housework.
——
Just as Lu Shang expected, Grandpa Pang was so eager to see his grandson Chenglong that he couldn't wait even a day. Early the next morning, he took advantage of the time it took to drive the ox cart to send his little grandson over.
At that time, Lu Shang had just finished two sets of fitness gymnastics with Jiang Wanning. Looking at Jiang Wanning's relaxed appearance, he felt nothing but tiredness and was very discouraged.
Jiang Wanning had no choice but to comfort him, "Maybe it's because your husband has been ill for a long time, so the effect is not so fast. Just hold on for a few more days and see, maybe it will be cured."
Lu Shang didn't necessarily need to ask a little girl who was several years younger than him for comfort, but it was nice to have someone pay attention to and care about you all the time.
As he was speaking, Uncle Pang's hearty laughter came from the door.
This time he didn't even hold his little grandson's hand. His hands were full of gifts. Even Pang Liang, who was following behind him, had a big package in his arms. The package blocked most of his vision. He could only stop after taking a step to determine the next step before continuing forward.
Uncle Pang also sensed some of Lu Shang's temperament. Without waiting for him to stop him, he had already slipped into the courtyard and put the bags in his hands on the ground. "I just took some worthless things from home. Mr. Lu, please don't refuse."
"I've sent my little grandson here. If you're willing to take him in, and he's all good enough for you to teach him, I'll give you a salary and the apprenticeship gift. It's all up to you, Mr. Lu!"
"I--"
"That's fine! I'll leave my grandson with you, Mr. Lu. I'll take the villagers to town now and pick him up when I come back in the evening!"
From the moment Grandpa Pang walked in until he left, Lu Shang was unable to utter a single word. When he came to his senses, a little kid was already standing in front of him.
The little kid strained his neck and said, "Uncle, this is something my mother asked me to bring to my sister."
The sister here obviously refers to Jiang Wanning.
Lu Shang no longer knew whether to pursue the title or the gift. He waved his hand tiredly: "Forget it, forget it. You go in first."
Such a large pile of gifts obviously cannot be just thrown on the ground.
But after Lu Shang and Jiang Wanning discussed it, they decided that there was no point in packing so many things right away, so they decided to move them to the kitchen for the time being and bring them back to Grandpa Pang when he came in the evening.
Lu Shang was sweating all over. It had been hot these past two days, and he couldn't stand it any longer. He said goodbye to Jiang Wanning and went out to find a place to take a shower.
Pang Liang was left to Jiang Wanning.
Coincidentally, they had just returned to the room when they heard someone coming outside the yard.
It was Fan Sanniang who brought her eldest son, Dabao, here.
Jiang Wanning smiled and said, "What a coincidence! Pang Liang just arrived and has only been in the house for a short while. That's perfect, let the two children get to know each other first."
Fan Sanniang asked, "Can I accompany you?"
"No need, Sanniang, you go back. I'll take him home after this is over." Jiang Wanning knew the temperament of children very well. They would probably be completely different when their parents were around and when they were not.
Fan Sanniang also trusted her, and only gave Dabao one final warning: "You must listen to your aunt. If I find out you're being naughty, I'll make sure your butt is broken!"
Dabao giggled and turned his head to run over and hold Pang Liang's hand.
"Hey, my name is Dabao, what's your name? Look, I'm taller than you, so you should call me brother. Don't be afraid, I'll protect you from now on..."
Although Dabao is one year younger than Pang Liang, he is raised strong by his family. He usually runs around in the village and is taller than his peers.
In contrast, Pang Liang is thin and small. When he meets strangers, he will hunch his back, which naturally makes him look a little shorter.
Fan Sanniang, who hadn't walked far yet, burst out laughing when she heard this. She turned around and shouted, "Don't talk nonsense. He's older than you, you should call him brother!"
After saying that, she left the Lu family quickly without paying any attention to Dabao who looked suspicious.
Jiang Wanning found it quite funny. She went over, patted their shoulders, took one of them by the hand, and led them all into the house.
Last night, she and Lu Shang cleared a space by the window, which was just big enough to fit three or four small stools and was perfect for chatting.
She waited until the two children started talking, then guided them by asking, "Does Dabao have a name?"
"What's your name?" Dabao was puzzled.
"Besides Dabao, what else can you call him? Look, Liangliang's family members call him Liangliang, but when he's out, people around him call him Pangliang."
"I know!" Dabao raised his hands high. "My name is Lu Xi! When Mom is angry, she calls me Lu Xi and chases me with a broom."
“…” Jiang Wanning endured for a long time, but finally laughed out loud.
Pang Liang clutched his hands and whispered, "Your mother is really fierce."
Dabao was unhappy: "Isn't your mother fierce?"
Pang Liang shook his head: "Mother is not fierce. Even if she is very angry, she will not chase me with a broom. She will only make me kneel in the corner and reflect on my mistakes."
"Then you can't move?"
"No, if you move my mother, she'll be even angrier. You'll have to kneel all night and won't even be able to sleep."
Dabao was still frightened. "Then I'd better ask Mom to chase me with a broom. Even if she catches me, it will only hurt a little. It would be very sad if she kept me unable to move for a long time."
Fortunately, Fan Sanniang couldn't hear what he said, otherwise she would definitely let him know what true sadness was.
Jiang Wanning couldn't comment on other people's educational methods, but at least for her, corporal punishment was something she never advocated.
When she was at home, even if she made a mistake, she would only be scolded by her father and mother. As for being beaten or made to kneel, she had only seen that happen to her brother, and never to her.
Now, the two children are well-behaved, so she doesn't need to talk about rewards or punishments.
After the two had talked enough, Jiang Wanning said, "Have you ever thought about how to write your own name?"
This time, the two people had different answers.
Dabao scratched his head: "No, I can't write yet."
Pang Liang said, "I can do it. My mother spent a lot of money to hire someone in town to write my name. She also made me practice for many days. My hands were sore from practicing, but I finally learned it."
Perhaps because there were friends of the same age around him, Pang Liang gradually gained courage.
He was a little reluctant: "Sister, are you going to ask us to write? Can I not write? I don't like writing, and I don't like studying... But I want to take the exam to become a scholar."
If Lu Shang were here, he would definitely scold him for being a "bullshit".
Jiang Wanning was even more confused and embarrassed: "But if you don't write and study, how are you going to answer the questions in the exam? If you don't answer the questions, you won't get a grade, and if you don't get a grade, you won't be able to pass the exam."
Pang Liang looked embarrassed: "I, I have only learned a little bit, can I pass the exam to become a scholar?"
Jiang Wanning didn't respond directly, but asked Dabao: "Dabao, do you want to learn calligraphy?"
Dabao didn't care: "I don't know... Mom didn't tell me. She just told me not to be naughty. But if Pang Liang doesn't want to learn, then I won't learn either."
Since the two of them met, Jiang Wanning has always been there.
She was really surprised to hear this. She had no idea when the two of them had established their friendship. They had only met for a short while and they were already able to stand together.
but--
"Okay then." Jiang Wanning smiled, "Then we won't learn it."
"How about I take you to the yard to paint?"
As long as he doesn't write, Pang Liang is fine with anything he does, and Dabao has no objection either. He just does whatever his friends do.
There was no one at home at this time, and Grandma Lu was still resting in the house.
Jiang Wanning took them under the big locust tree and smoothed out a piece of ground with her hands, leaving three small square pieces, just enough for each person.
Without even wiping her hands, she stood up and broke off a few branches from the tree. After dividing them between the two children, she patiently asked, "Can you draw by yourselves?"
Children aged five or six will be very excited as long as they are asked to draw by themselves. It doesn’t matter whether their drawings are good or not, as long as they are themselves, it is good.
Jiang Wanning saw the two of them huddled together but didn't disturb them. She just kept drawing on her own piece of land.
After an unknown amount of time, I heard a scream of "Wow Wow" coming from above my head.
Jiang Wanning smiled and revealed the area in front of her. Two children of the same size jumped up.
Pang Liang wanted to touch it, but was afraid of breaking it, so he even stepped back a little before saying, "Sister, is that me and Dabao? This is me, and this is Dabao."
He couldn't understand how someone could draw so realistically, even more realistic than on paper.
Look at what he and Dabao drew. One was a mess of lines, with no discernible shape at all. The other was a crooked little chicken with a head bigger than its body.
At such a young age, Pang Liang understood for the first time what it meant to feel ashamed of himself.
Jiang Wanning asked, "Do you want to learn?"
Pang Liang nodded vigorously, his eyes sparkling: "I want to!"
"Then I want to too! Auntie, teach me too!" Dabao was unwilling to fall behind.
Jiang Wanning said in embarrassment: "I can teach you, but Uncle Pang sent you here to study. If he knew that you didn't learn anything here, he would definitely not be willing to send you here. If you want to learn painting..."
Pang Liang understood immediately: "Then I will study first, and then paint after I finish my studies, okay?"
Dabao is a smart scholar. As soon as Pang Liang finished speaking, he started shouting too.
Jiang Wanning discussed with them: "How about this, from now on, we can paint in the morning and learn calligraphy in the afternoon?"
"Okay!" the two children said in unison.
Half of the morning had passed, and only half of the time was left for drawing. However, the two children did not feel discouraged at all. Especially after they drew beautiful flowers, they were so happy that they ate half an extra bowl of lunch that day.
Lu Shang came back from showering, his hair hanging messily at the back. He didn't tie it up until he entered the room, but his technique was obviously unfamiliar, which made Jiang Wanning's eyebrows twitch.
With Lu Shang around, it wasn't surprising to see two children when everyone came back at noon.
Even Wang Cuilian complained about their eating at home: "We don't have enough rice and flour at home, and if we have two more mouths to feed, they'll be taking advantage of everything."
Lu Shang ignored her and only gave each of the two children an egg with his chopsticks: "Eat more. Only by eating more can you grow tall and strong."
But Wang Cuilian was very angry.
During dinner, Grandma Lu mentioned the extra stuff in the kitchen: "I don't know what's in it, so I just dump it all in the kitchen and leave it there."
Lu Shang casually explained a few words, and then, not knowing what he was thinking, he added: "Those are still to be taken back to Uncle Pang, so don't open them yet."
Wang Cuilian secretly curled her lips and disagreed with this.
Considering the two children and that they are still young, I still need to take a break at noon.
However, there was no space at home, so they had to take them back. The two children occupied the only bed in the room, leaving no room for Jiang Wanning and Lu Shang.
Lu Shang had been taking naps for the past few days, and it was a little hard for him to adapt to the sudden interruption.
The idea of making money to buy a new house once again emerged in my mind.
Before going to bed, Pang Liang finally took off the small bag he had been carrying all morning. He treasured his small bag so much that he refused to take it off even when eating.
Even when he handed the small package to Jiang Wanning, he said solemnly: "Mother said that the things inside are very valuable and can only be shown to the teacher. Sister, take a look."
Jiang Wanning was worried that there might be something valuable inside and didn't want to open it.
But Pang Liang took out the things in no time. It was not the valuable items she had imagined, but just a slightly yellowed book.
Pang Liang said, "Sister, I'll give it to you. Mother said this book is so hard to buy. If I can have this book, I will definitely pass the exam and become a scholar!"
Lu Shang, who was listening along, had a sudden thought: "Is this the thing Uncle Pang mentioned last time... 'On Current Affairs'?"
Pang Liang shook his head, not sure.
But Jiang Wanning turned the book over and replied in a low voice: "Exactly."
Lu Shang only took a quick look and quickly lost interest. He was illiterate, so he didn't recognize the editor on the title page of the book.
The source of ginger.
What Pang Liang said was not false. This book was indeed a must-read for the imperial examinations, but it was not used only when taking the examination for the scholar. Instead, it was an excellent reference book that would be used from the examination for the scholar level to the examination for the Jinshi level.
It was compiled by the Grand Secretary's Office and the Hanlin Academy eight years ago, and was personally reviewed by the late emperor. Many of the judgments on current affairs can be found in it.
However, a year ago, the Grand Secretary's Mansion was convicted, and this book edited by Grand Secretary Jiang became taboo. Many bookstores no longer sold it publicly, but instead sold it at exorbitant prices privately.
Although the students did not dare to purchase it openly, they asked around in private. After all, the top three Jinshi in the previous two sessions had all studied this book carefully.
The original body asked Grandpa Pang to buy "Current Affairs", but it was fake to enlighten the child. It was mostly for him to read himself. It was just a coincidence that the book fell into Jiang Wanning's hands.
Jiang Wanning didn't dare to read any more and hurriedly stuffed the book back into her bag.
She turned her head to the side, and after adjusting her expression to make sure Lu Shang couldn't see any clues, she said, "You won't be using this book for now. You can take it home later and keep it at home. I'll tell you when you need it."
"If your family asks you why, just say it was Mr. Lu who said that."
Pang Liang responded obediently: "Okay."
However, after Pang Liang climbed onto the bed and lay down side by side with Dabao, Lu Shang suddenly touched Jiang Wanning's hand. There was a puzzled look on his face: "Are you... unhappy?"
He didn't know what made Jiang Wanning unhappy, but at a certain moment, he suddenly noticed her low mood.
After finally waiting for the two little ones to fall asleep, he couldn't help but express his concern.
Jiang Wanning turned her head in shock and suddenly met Lu Shang's eyes full of worry.
She wanted to say "It's okay", but as soon as she opened her mouth, she felt a pain in her nose, tears welled up in her eyes, and her words were full of sadness.
She grabbed Lu Shang's hand and murmured, "Lu Shang, I miss my parents."
As soon as she finished speaking, her eyes could no longer hold back the tears, which meandered down and fell on the back of Lu Shang's hand.
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