The Chen family members were stunned.
What does "father" mean?
Chen Xian remained calm.
“Dazhu and Erzhu, you are still young. Your father wants you to study and take the imperial examinations in the future. Even if one of you eventually becomes a Xiucai (a successful candidate in the lowest level of the imperial examinations), you will still be a Xiucai’s family member and pay less tax. If our family offends any powerful figures, people will remember that we were Xiucai.”
I had some prior knowledge of this era.
Civil officials wielded more power than military officials.
If one could pass the imperial examination at the county level (xiucai), one would essentially escape the peasant class and achieve a small upward social mobility.
They could not kneel before officials, could call themselves students, could pay less tax for farming, and cultivate connections, thus becoming known as gentry in the surrounding villages.
Instead of engaging in production, one could find a teaching job, where the annual tuition would be several times better than farming.
Dazhu said awkwardly, "Dad, I'm already eighteen or nineteen. Can I still go to school now?"
Chen Xian chuckled: "Even if you can't become scholars, it's still good that you can read and write and do accounting. Even if no one comes to cause trouble, I've decided to let you learn to read and write."
Erzhu's expression was resolute. "Father, I want to give it a try."
Si Niu pleaded, "Yes, I want to study too. I see Dad writing at his desk every day, and I really want to learn those characters."
San Niu was very excited to see everyone. If she wasn't excited and wasn't interested in learning to read and write, wouldn't that be inappropriate? Would it make her seem too lazy?
So she pleaded, "Father, I also want to learn to read. I want to write my own name."
Cuihua pursed her lips.
I also want to learn to read.
But she dared not say, what would a peasant woman do with such knowledge?
Li Niang looked somber. When she was little, she used to collect cow dung on her way to school and heard the sound of students reading aloud coming from inside.
I'm a little envious.
Unfortunately, I am not born a man, but a beautiful woman.
Shuangshuang lowered her head. "I think so too," she often wondered. "Does the book really contain stories of gods and ghosts? Does it really contain the idea of bad luck being passed on? Has the book ever explained why my cousin and I were accused by others?"
Chen Xian glanced at the thoughts of his family.
He said calmly, "The whole family must learn to read and write. Our business will definitely grow bigger in the future. If we can't read, how can Dazhu, Erzhu and I manage to keep up with the accounts when it comes to checking them?"
The room fell silent upon hearing this.
Cuihua shook her head and said, "Do we need to hire a teacher specifically? Since we plan to let my second brother participate in the imperial examination, we should at least hire a scholar as a teacher. The tuition for one person is more than one tael of silver a year. I won't study. You can study."
Li Niang pursed her lips: "I won't learn anymore. If my husband has time, could you teach me to write my own name? There's so much work to do at home, someone has to do it."
Shuangshuang: "Me too..."
Chen Xian waved his hand to interrupt.
"The whole family must be together. Forget about our business. Don't worry about money. Even if the business doesn't do well, I'll still be writing stories."
"No need to say anything more. After this experience, the Chen family must not let others hold their destiny by the throat."
The tone was firm.
Li Niang hesitated for a moment, then tentatively asked, "Husband's idea is good, but do school teachers accept us women for our studies? It seems like such things are rare."
Chen Xian: "..."
This matter needs to be discussed properly with Lao Li.
Chen Xian: "Then add more money."
"Any more questions?"
The whole family: "It's gone."
After cleaning up, the old man who made sesame cakes watched the farce unfold.
He whispered to Chen Xian, "Brother, you shouldn't come tomorrow. Set up your stall somewhere else. That man is the owner of Taoranju Restaurant. His restaurant is one of the top three in town. He'll always find a way to get anything he sets his sights on."
Chen Xian was taken aback.
"Is he the one who bought red chili peppers at the city gate back then?"
I vaguely remember the old man who made the sesame seed cakes.
"I think so, but I don't remember very clearly."
"Brother, which restaurant in town can rival Taoranju?"
The old man selling sesame cakes said, "There's also Baiweilou. The two have always been competitors. Whenever one of them comes up with a new dish, the other will always try to steal it and then start a price war to see who can offer the cheapest option. Their practices have already ruined many businesses."
Hearing the familiar recipe.
The old man selling sesame cakes said, "I heard that the owner of Baiweilou Restaurant is a very kind-hearted person. He would give the leftover food he couldn't finish to beggars on the street."
Chen Xian: "Thank you."
He fell into deep thought.
Regardless of whether the owner of Baiweilou is a true gentleman or a hypocrite, many things are judged by actions, not intentions.
He decided to meet this person.
All done.
The Chen family went straight to Baiweilou Restaurant.
Baiweilou is almost closed.
Once inside, the waiter saw the man covered in patches and was about to chase him away.
"Hurry up, hurry up."
Chen Xian: "Brother, I have an ancestral recipe to sell to your restaurant. I'll wait at the door for fifteen minutes."
After saying that, he ignored her.
He went straight out the door.
These guys are shameless; they fawn over the powerful and belittle the weak.
Not long after.
The shopkeeper was a little puzzled. He noticed that although the other person was dressed in patched clothes, he had a calm demeanor. Perhaps the other person's family had fallen on hard times.
Hurry up and go inside to call the shopkeeper.
"Manager, there's an old man outside who says he wants to sell a recipe to our restaurant."
Manager Jiang asked in confusion, "Who is it?"
"I don't know, but he was dressed in patched, coarse clothes and looked very confident and composed."
After hearing this, Manager Jiang went out to look for the Chen family.
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