Chapter 58
After going through this, Jiang Wanning's mindset had changed slightly. This time, she didn't refuse outright, but thought for a long time: "Please let me think about it again."
"Think about it! It's time to think carefully. Madam, just think about where to build the private school, how many students to enroll, and how much tuition should be!" Madam Feng deliberately misinterpreted her meaning and said excitedly, "Madam, if you have made up your mind, just tell me. I'll handle the trivial matters!"
"Oh no—"
"It's getting late, and I've been at Madam's house for a while already. I won't disturb Madam's dinner. I'll be leaving now and come back in two days."
Madam Feng took two steps and then turned back, took off the bracelet on her hand, and without further ado, handed it to Jiang Wanning. She said kindly, "This is a bracelet I've worn for many years. The style may not be as novel as in recent years, but it's still very beautiful. I hope Madam won't dislike it."
After saying this, she didn't give Jiang Wanning a chance to refute and quickly left the Lu family.
Jiang Wanning looked at the jade bracelet in her hand. The bracelet only had a simple plain ring, but it was transparent throughout and was of the best ice-transparent type. Not only was it expensive, but it was also in short supply. She had seen a pair of earrings made of similar material before, and the two small ones cost two hundred taels. The value of such a jade bracelet was even more difficult to estimate.
It would have been fine if she didn't recognize it, but since she did, she couldn't accept it at all. She had to take it back to the house and return it when they met next time.
We made three dishes and a soup for dinner. One of the dishes was crispy and tender lamb chops dipped in secret spices, which left a lingering fragrance in our mouths.
Lu Shang used the remaining two lamb chops to make a pot of lamb chop soup. He first boiled it with hot water, then added seasoning to remove the fishy smell, and finally simmered it over low heat until all the bones were boiled out and the lamb chop soup became mellow and white. The soup was then considered ready.
It was mentioned earlier that Jiang Wanning prefers spicy dishes. Although the lamb chop soup is delicious, in her eyes it is no different from chicken soup or duck soup, and is far less attractive than fried short ribs.
She seldom spoke while eating, but Lu Shang was always paying attention.
Seeing this, he couldn't help laughing, so he had to take the soup next to her and exchanged his portion of fried short ribs for her, not forgetting to remind her: "Mutton is very hot, so it's better to eat less."
"Hmm..." Jiang Wanning agreed, but her actions did not show any sign of restraint.
Seeing that she really liked it, Lu Shang stopped trying to dissuade her since she didn't often eat fried lamb and it wouldn't be a big deal to indulge herself occasionally.
After dinner, Grandma Lu went out to ask Grandma Tian to make lace. Aunt Jiang also went back to her room early after cleaning up. Only Lu Shang and Jiang Wanning were left in the yard. They found a place out of the sun to sit down and sat together without saying a word.
Lu Shang played with Jiang Wanning's fingers while listening to her talk about the private school mentioned by Madam Feng. He maintained his usual attitude towards it: "A Ning, are you willing?"
Since Jiang Wanning mentioned it, she was moved. She hesitated, "I don't think it's completely impossible. Private schools are not like schools, and these are all sons of wealthy families. It's another way to make money. Besides..."
"Why?" Lu Shang knew that what mattered to her was not just making money.
Sure enough, Jiang Wanning said, "Actually, I also want to see what these families' attitudes are when they find out the teacher is a woman. What if they accept it as well as Mr. and Mrs. Feng? Does that mean that more women will come to teach in the future?"
"Even if they can't go that far, these families alone can think of their women, right? Like Amin, learning a few words and getting more education can be a way out for the future, better than relying solely on their fathers and brothers at home, or on their husbands after marriage."
This was just a passing thought in her mind, and she didn't think about it carefully. It was only in front of Lu Shang that she was willing to say it out loud.
But as her words uttered, her thoughts became clearer. In the end, she found another path, and her heart became more and more firm: "Whether they are the sons of merchants or ignorant women and children, who can say that they will always be at the bottom of the social ladder?"
Just like Feng He, he won the first place in the case by his own ability. When outsiders mentioned him, they never said how hard he worked. They only focused on his family background and belittled the businessmen.
Just like her, because she knew that it was too unorthodox for a woman to teach, she could only enlighten children under the name of Lu Shang, and teach people under the name of an old gentleman. Even if she taught a top case, she could not accept the honor that should belong to her because of her body as a woman.
Lu Shang was really surprised this time.
He turned his head to look at her. Under the dim moonlight, he could only see her dimly bright eyes, like a broken star, tiny but dazzling.
In Lu Shang's eyes, many of Dazhao's folk customs are extremely backward and ignorant, but the overall environment is like this, and he does not feel that he has the power to change it. Even when facing Jiang Wanning, apart from taking more care of her, he did not think about changing her cognition.
An ignorant person living in an ignorant era may not realize that anything is wrong, but if his thoughts are ahead of the times and he is unable to change, that is painful.
Lu Shang didn't want Jiang Wanning to fall into such pain, but he didn't know what touched her and made her take this step on her own.
"Aning..."
"Husband, I want to open a private school." Jiang Wanning's voice was still light, but her tone was firm.
Whether from an emotional or rational point of view, Lu Shang was unwilling to let her embark on such a difficult road. This road was destined to be bumpy regardless of success or failure, but——
He took Jiang Wanning's hand in his own, a dull laugh emanating from his chest. After a long while, he said, "As long as you want, Aning, just do it. No matter what, I will always be behind you."
…
Two days later, Mrs. Feng came to visit again. She only brought two rolls of silk, but just like the jade bracelet, they looked insignificant, but they were actually rare treasures. Even if they were sold, she could get a considerable reward.
Jiang Wanning invited her to the academy and returned the jade bracelet she had given her the day before: "Madam, there is no need to do this."
Mrs. Feng thought that she was rejecting the previous proposal, and a look of disappointment appeared on her face.
The next moment, Jiang Wanning said, "I've carefully considered the private school you mentioned earlier and I think it has potential."
"Madam, what are you thinking about?" Madam Feng was stunned. "Madam, do you agree?"
Jiang Wanning nodded slightly.
The matter of the private school was a serious one, and Jiang Wanning did not want to act rashly, so she only talked to Mrs. Feng and decided to discuss it in detail after the thank-you banquet.
Whether it is the next academy examination or the provincial examination, it will be two or three years later, so one or two months will not make a difference. As long as Jiang Wanning can be persuaded to teach, nothing else matters. Mrs. Feng did not dare to urge her, and just nodded in agreement.
The Feng family's thank-you banquet for teachers was delayed again and again. Whether it was waiting to congratulate or to explore the secrets of high school, many business partners who were on good terms with his family had already inquired and urged them. Finally, in mid-April, the banquet was held.
The teacher appreciation banquet was held twice in total.
A banquet was arranged in Tang Town. Not only the Lu family and the Feng family's friends and business partners, but also the people in the entire Wuming Alley were invited. A buffet was set up in Wuming Alley. At the banquet, Mr. Feng and Feng He personally admitted that they were able to pass the exam because of the teachings of Master Jiang.
This was the first time that Jiang Wanning was not addressed as Mrs. Lu. Without her husband's family, she was alone.
Putting aside the shock of others, the first reaction of the neighbors in the alley after learning about it was one of secret joy. They were all happy to send their children to school. They had clearly just followed the crowd at first, but now they had become discerning people.
"I told you! I knew Master Jiang was a jerk, that's why he sent my eldest son here!"
"My goodness, Master Feng has only been here for less than a year and he's already passed the imperial examination. If our child studies with Master Jiang for eight or ten years, he could become a juren!"
"What do you mean, Mr. Juren? Broaden your horizons and become the top scholar in the imperial examination to live up to Master Jiang's reputation!"
"Hahaha……"
Some of those who were thoughtful immediately thought of asking their children to become his disciples. However, after further inquiries, they found out that Master Jiang only accepted Pang Liang as a young apprentice, and the rest, such as Xiang Min and Feng He, were only registered as such.
Jiang Wanning declined politely: "It's the same in school. We treat everyone the same. There's no difference."
If the path of becoming a disciple doesn't work, there is another way: send the girl to school!
Madam Xiang was far-sighted enough to send her daughter here so early. Not only did she waive the tuition, but she also got a promise from Master Jiang himself that after she finished her studies, she would work at a letter-writing stall. No matter how much she earned, at least she would have a stable livelihood.
In addition to the neighbors in the alley, some other families in the town who were attending the banquet also began to worry. They were only concerned about Jiang Wanning's gender and age and could not make up their minds for a while. But there were always those who had no taboos and wanted to seize the opportunity after the teacher appreciation banquet was over.
After the buffet in Tang Town ended, the Lu family was very popular for several days.
Jiang Wanning was unable to handle so many people, so she had to stop attending school and follow Lu Shang to the provincial capital to take refuge for a few days.
The Feng family’s second thank-you banquet for teachers was arranged at their main home in the provincial capital.
There were fewer guests at this teacher appreciation banquet. They were all from merchant families of similar background to the Feng family, or business partners who had cooperated for many years. It would not be an exaggeration to say that these people knew the Feng family inside and out.
This time the teacher appreciation banquet was much more formal. The Feng family prepared valuable gifts, which they presented to their teacher first, and then Feng He kowtowed to express his gratitude.
The people below were waiting to see the famous teacher's true face, but when they saw that the person Feng He was thanking was a young girl, they wondered if they were blind.
However, the three members of the Feng family insisted: "That's right, He'er was lucky enough to get the first place in the exam because of Master Jiang's teachings."
After thanking the teacher, Mrs. Feng stayed with Jiang Wanning and introduced her nephews and nieces from her natal family, as well as some other women. These people were either themselves or their relatives who were interested in taking the imperial examinations. Regardless of whether they believed in her or not, it was better to establish good relationships with them first, just in case.
Jiang Wanning was surrounded by mostly female relatives, so Lu Shang was not with her. However, he went elsewhere and took advantage of the situation. He also got to know several masters and young men, and verbally agreed to cooperate with more than a dozen of them.
After these two thank-you banquets for teachers, thanks to the Feng family's instructions and requests, the attendees knew exactly what to say and what not to say, and there was no rumor outside. However, many people also knew how Feng He got the first place in the case.
Many families were troubled by this female teacher, but Jiang Wanning, who was at the center of the limelight, went to school as usual and wrote letters as usual. It was only after Lu Shang fell ill due to overwork that he stayed indoors for half a month.
After Lu Shang returned from the provincial capital, he took the opportunity to visit the logistics team, checked the accounts of the past few months with Lu Qi, and personally checked the homes of each supplier farmer. He continued to cooperate with those who met the requirements, and cancelled the cooperation with the other two farmers whose pork did not meet the standards.
The farmhands should be rewarded or punished as they deserved. They all worked together, and whoever worked diligently and whoever liked to slack off would be punished because so many people were watching.
In addition, during the few months he was away, the logistics team often went in and out of the town, delivering goods to restaurants every day, which made other businesses see the convenience. Several small restaurants approached Lu Qi and asked if they could also have their goods delivered.
Lu Qi said, "I only took note of these few places. I didn't dare to agree to it when Brother Lu was not around. I just asked them about the price. I can follow the Guanhe Tower's price, but the quantity is too small. A month's quantity is not as much as a big restaurant's in a day."
Lu Shang thought for a moment and said, "Okay, I can take it. I'm thinking of dividing the farmhands into groups. Some will be responsible for driving, and some will be responsible for loading the goods. Once we get to the town, we'll replace them with the next group of people and then deliver them to the corresponding merchants. It will probably be divided into four or five groups."
This is equivalent to adding a transfer point and having dedicated pickup and delivery personnel. Each person is responsible for the same task for a long time, which can not only increase proficiency but also maximize efficiency.
After Lu Shang explained it carefully, Lu Qi also understood.
Lu Shang added, "However, the workload for picking up and delivering goods, and pulling carts, varies, so naturally the wages are also different. Picking up and delivering goods is more tiring, so the wages are a bit higher. Pulling a cart doesn't require much effort, so it's only three or five cents a day. You can ask later to see if there are any candidates, so I can have a rough idea of the pay."
"In addition to this short-distance delivery within a town, there are also long-distance deliveries like those in Lingnan. When we have more business cooperation, we will change it to dedicated personnel. The pickup staff will only be responsible for pickup, the delivery staff will only be responsible for delivery, and the escort staff will only be responsible for escort."
"Business isn't very strong right now, but when it picks up in the future, these hundred or so people definitely won't be enough. Even if these people don't want to work for lower wages like pulling carts, that's fine. We can slowly recruit more people later. You can also try to train some smart ones. You have to look at the big picture, but the two parts of picking up and delivering goods still need their own managers, even if they are minor managers."
Lu Qi understood, but felt a little uneasy: "Brother Lu, I'm looking at the overall situation, what about you? Brother Lu, don't you care about us anymore?"
"What are you thinking!" Lu Shang scolded with a smile, "Of course I still care, but just like this trip to Lingnan, I've been away for half a year. Is this going to paralyze the logistics team?"
"Oh, that's good, that's good. Then I feel relieved." Lu Qi smiled foolishly.
A few days later, Hunter Zhan returned from Lingnan with the remaining men.
They were in no hurry to travel, and after delivering the goods, they stayed in Lingnan Prefecture for two more days. Because of the wages Lu Shang had paid them in advance, they were also able to bring back some local specialties from a foreign land.
Lu Shang asked Hunter Zhan in detail about the return journey and was relieved to learn that everything went smoothly. Then, as agreed, he gave these farmhands a full half-month vacation.
Afterwards, he met with the eldest son of the Li family, received the deserved compensation, agreed on the delivery time for the next batch of timber, and signed the contract in advance.
The eldest young master of the Li family had also heard about Feng He studying under a female tutor, and he became even more curious about Lu Shang. He even said bluntly: "Actually, I have a question. Was it Boss Lu who passed the imperial examination under the guidance of your wife, or was it your wife who gained this talent under the guidance of Boss Lu?"
Lu Shang was stunned for a moment, then burst out laughing: "Can't it be that they are unrelated? But my talent and knowledge are far inferior to yours, that's beyond doubt."
The eldest son of the Li family looked at him with even more surprise: "I rarely see someone who would so frankly admit that he is not as good as his wife at home."
In response, Lu Shang just smiled and said nothing.
After saying goodbye to the eldest son of the Li family, Lu Shang made a special trip to Pingshan Village. This trip was for the long-dormant herbal medicine business. That is, the clinic had a fixed source of herbs, and the amount of bulk goods was not very important. Otherwise, if it was delayed for half a year, he would probably miss out on something big.
After arriving at Pingshan Village, Lu Shang was surprised again.
It turned out that the two brothers of the Cai family and the village chief Cai gathered all the villagers, went up the mountain in the spring, and picked all the herbs from the outer grasslands. They also made reservations in advance with the nearby villages, and asked them to collect almost all the herbs picked by farmers in the surrounding area.
Lu Shang didn't know the value of these herbs, but he could recognize the wild ginseng and Ganoderma lucidum among them. He was amazed for a long time and made a decision on the spot: "No matter how much these herbs are worth, after deducting the cost, I will split the surplus with you in half."
"From now on, Cai Qin and Cai Mian, you two will only be responsible for the herbs. You will be responsible for everything from receiving to delivering them. If you can maintain perfect quality control without any problems within a year, I will only take 10% of the profit the following year, and the rest will be yours."
"Go to the town to find the carriages for delivery and collection. Lu Qi will arrange it."
Lu Shang really couldn't help much with the medicinal herbs matter, and most of them were trivial, so it would be better to let him go and consider it a favor.
The Cai family was flattered and regarded Lu Shang as the God of Wealth, and wanted to worship him at home!
There's the logistics team, the Li family, and the herbs involved. It sounds like not much to do, but when it really starts, it keeps people busy and dizzy.
After delivering the herbs to the clinic and settling the payment, the busy schedule of more than half a month finally came to an end. But that very night, Lu Shang suddenly developed a high fever in the middle of the night.
Jiang Wanning stayed with him for half the night but the high fever did not subside, so she had to quickly call a doctor. After diagnosis, she found out that the disease was caused by overwork, and because of his poor physical condition, it suddenly broke out.
Lu Shang had a high fever for several days and became confused. He was awake for no more than two hours a day. He would often fall asleep again after being fed porridge and without waiting for medicine.
Because of this, Grandma Lu was so worried that she couldn't sleep all night. Jiang Wanning lived in the same room with him to take care of him. One day, when she saw Lu Shang's emotionless eyes, she had nightmares for two consecutive days.
——In the dream, Lu Shang did not resurrect from the mourning hall. After she had been keeping vigil for her husband for seven days, she was dragged back home by Wang. She could only sleep for one hour a day, and the rest of the time she had to do endless housework. Wang also took on a laundry job in the town. Every day, there were more than a dozen basins of dirty clothes, and she had to wash them all from morning to night. If she was late occasionally, she would be beaten.
Later, Wang Zhanxian became addicted to gambling. After failing to make money anywhere, he set his sights on Jiang Wanning. She became the second Wang Shi and was sold to a wealthy businessman as a concubine. She was driven crazy in the woodshed and was unable to reunite with her family until her death.
Such a tragic ending made Jiang Wanning's face pale. After forcing herself to change Lu Shang's clothes, she couldn't help but bury her head in his palm, tears streaming down her face.
At this moment, Lu Shang moved his fingers, gently brushed the corners of her eyes with his fingertips, and a hoarse voice came out of his throat: "Don't cry, Aning..."
After this day, Lu Shang's condition improved. Under the meticulous care of Jiang Wanning and Grandma Lu, he finally recovered after seven days.
Jiang Wanning learned her lesson and went to the clinic to make an appointment for a consultation. From then on, a doctor would come to her home every month, and he would take the pulse of all three members of the family so that any problems could be discovered early.
Even if Lu Shang recovered completely, Jiang Wanning would not let him go out, insisting that he should rest for a full month and wait until he was as strong as an ox before going out.
Lu Shang didn't know whether to laugh or cry, but he didn't insist on going out.
He followed Jiang Wanning's schedule, going to bed early and getting up early, doing two sets of exercises a day, and taking a half-hour walk after dinner. The rest of the time he would sweep the yard, fetch water, read books and write, and when he felt like it, he would cook a large table of delicious food.
After persisting in this way for a month, not only did his sentiments improve, but his body also became much stronger.
When Lu Shang entered and exited the kitchen, he discovered that the door frame seemed to be a little lower. When he measured it again, he found that it had grown taller, and a thin layer of muscle had appeared on his chest and upper arms.
Not only him, but Jiang Wanning also grew taller and became more graceful.
Summer came in the blink of an eye, and Grandma Lu finally couldn't help but mention that she wanted to go back to Lujia Village. No matter who said it, no one could change her mind about going back.
Lu Shang and Jiang Wanning looked at each other and agreed reluctantly.
The next day, the family borrowed Grandpa Pang's ox cart. Grandma Lu packed the package, but when she got on the cart, she was deceived by Lu Shang. When they left Tang Town, they found that the package had been left at home.
Lu Shang said with a nonchalant look: "If you insist on coming to Lujia Village, then come. We will take you back home tonight anyway. Houtang Town is your home."
"You--" Grandma Lu was so angry with him that she looked at Jiang Wanning for help. Unexpectedly, the filial and capable granddaughter-in-law in her eyes also agreed with her eldest grandson.
Jiang Wanning said gently, "My husband will be going to Lingnan again in two months. Grandma, can you bear to leave me alone at home?"
"... Isn't there Aunt Jiang?" Grandma Lu retorted hesitantly.
"But Aunt Jiang is an outsider." Jiang Wanning lowered her eyes and sighed softly, "It's okay, grandma, if you don't want me to stay in the town, then I'm not afraid."
“…” Grandma Lu was completely speechless.
After more than half a year, several people returned to Lujia Village.
Everything was going on as usual in the Lu family. The second son of the Lu family went to the fields with his son, while Ma took the two girls to wash clothes and cook at home. However, in such a sparse and ordinary scene, there was a sense of death.
Lu Lao Er looked much older. When he saw Lu Shang and the others, he just snorted heavily. He ignored Grandma Lu and went back to his room and slammed the door.
Soon, Grandma Lu learned everything that happened at home from Lu Xian.
Lu Shang also just found out that as early as last winter, Wang Zhanxian used the money from selling his sister to pay off his gambling debts, and invested the remaining money into the gambling house. Without a doubt, he lost all his money, and then borrowed again and lost again, falling into a vicious cycle.
His wife, whom he had married for only two years, ran away with another man and stole all the copper coins in the house. Wang Zhanxian was blinded in his other eye by the gambling house because he failed to pay off his gambling debts. Less than half a month later, his limbs were broken and he could no longer leave his bed.
His eighty-year-old mother died due to the shock. His father couldn't even take care of himself, let alone this useless son. After burying his wife, he left Lujia Village.
Less than half a month later, Wang Zhanxian was found dead at home by villagers, and even his body was smelly.
The three of them had a meal at Lu's house. Lu Shang saw Lu Qi's daughter, who was confirmed to be blind. Somehow, he suddenly thought of Wang Zhanxian, who was born blind in one eye.
Lu Shang was silent for a long time, then said, "I'll send someone to pick you up in a couple of days. You can go to the town with me to work. While the child is still young, we can see if he can be cured."
Lu Xian and Ma looked over at the same time, surprised and then grateful.
The Lu family no longer has their own house. The house that originally belonged to Lu Shang and Grandma Lu was used as a storage room. Not only was it full of dust, but it was also piled with all kinds of miscellaneous things.
The last few people did not spend the night in Lujia Village and returned to the town before dark.
After coming back, Grandma Lu was silent for several days. It was not until Lu Xian was sent over by the logistics team and asked to help Lu Shang that she managed to regain some spirits.
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