Shen Qinghe stared at Meng Zhao, his expression quite serious. "You wrote that workbook, didn't you?"
Meng Zhao felt a little uncomfortable under his gaze, so she turned her head slightly and lowered her voice: "Well... I did write the booklet, but I just wanted to give Qingze something to do. I didn't expect it to turn into this." After saying that, she lowered her head slightly and muttered softly, "Besides, they made money and didn't give me any. I didn't benefit from it. They shouldn't come looking for trouble with me now that something has happened."
Where no one could see, Shen Qinghe's lips curled up slightly, but quickly tightened into a straight line. "You still want a share of the money? Not long after the incident, the dean ordered them to return the silver."
After hearing this, Meng Zhao turned her head and glanced at the two instigators, sighing inwardly: They are really useless. They have been busy for so long and have not gained any benefit. Instead, they have been confined to their homes and scolded, and they have even implicated her, an innocent person.
The two children lowered their heads even further when she looked at them like that. Meng Zhao said helplessly, "Then what am I supposed to do? Go to the academy and apologize to the headmaster?"
Although she had good grades since childhood and was well-liked by her teachers, she still had a natural fear of teachers, just like many students. The thought of facing the dean made her feel a little scared.
Seeing her like this, Shen Qinghe softened his tone slightly: "No need for that. Although the dean is angry, he won't punish everyone involved. He's just very interested in the questions inside and asked about it. Hearing that you wrote it, he said several times that he wanted to ask you for advice. Before, when you weren't in the capital, he could only discuss it with me. Now that you're here, do you expect me to finish it for you?"
When Shen Qinghe spoke, there was a hint of resentment in his tone, suggesting that he was extremely annoyed by the dean, but could not refuse due to his status.
Meng Zhao breathed a sigh of relief. As long as she wasn't going to get scolded, that was fine. So she generously said, "Okay, then after I'm settled, I'll go to the academy and meet with the dean."
After the matter was settled, the atmosphere in the room relaxed a bit. While the others were tidying up the things on the carriage, Meng Zhao pulled Shen Qingze and Shen Qingyu aside and asked in a low voice, "You two, tell me, why are you selling answers in the academy? Are you short of money?"
They grew up in a small town. Meng Zhao used to give them some pocket money, but the amount was not large. Now that they have come to the capital, Shen Qinghe is busy with official duties, and Gu Shi has always been frugal. When the two children see the prosperity of the capital and the wealth of their classmates, they will inevitably feel a sense of disparity. Selling answers may seem like a small matter, but it would be bad if they really went astray.
Shen Qingze shook his head. "No, we eat and live at home. My mother and second brother also give us pocket money, so we don't lack money."
Why is that?
Shen Qingyu said softly, "Didn't my sister say before that she wanted to open a shop in the capital? But shops in the capital are very expensive. We also want to help save some money so that when my sister comes, we can help you too."
"It's a pity that Ji Huai ruined it in the end! When I get to the academy, I'll make him pay." Shen Qingze said through gritted teeth.
At first, Meng Zhao was deeply moved by their words, never expecting that these two children would think of her so much. But when she heard Shen Qingze's next words, her heart sank.
In the original book, the two were orphans from a young age, and their only older brother did not take good care of them, which led to them growing up unruly. Shen Qingyu was weak and uncompetitive, while Shen Qingze was reckless and willful. In the book, he died young because he accidentally injured someone in a fight.
Although there may be a reason for fighting with others, accidentally injuring someone is entirely avoidable. Seeing his stubbornness, Meng Zhao was also a little angry, and her tone was somewhat stern: "What, you dare to retaliate? This matter is your fault. If you hadn't sold the answers, why would the teacher have confined you to your homes? Now you've done something wrong, and you still want to blame others?"
Meng Zhao was usually gentle and rarely spoke in such a serious tone. Shen Qingze was stunned by her words and lowered his head, not daring to utter a sound.
Seeing this, Shen Qingyu explained in a low voice, "Sister, Qingze didn't do it on purpose. We know we were wrong and we won't do it again."
Meng Zhao sighed, her tone softening slightly: "Do you still remember the days when we set up a stall together?"
The two nodded, and Meng Zhao continued, "The reason our stall did so well back then was because we had large quantities, were clean, and used fresh ingredients. Those who used inferior products or shortchanged customers, none of them lasted long. And that Zhao's Braised Pork, who added opium to the braised meat, ended up in jail."
She paused, her tone becoming even more serious: "A gentleman loves money, but he earns it in a proper way. Selling answers may make money in the short term, but it will be discovered sooner or later. Then you'll end up like this, not only having worked for nothing, but also being scolded. Moreover, because you sold the answers, your classmates will not only fail to learn anything, but will also develop a bad habit of thinking that everything can be bought with money. This is completely a lose-lose situation."
After hearing Meng Zhao's words, Shen Qingze's eyes reddened, and he nodded: "I know I was wrong, sister. When I get back to the academy, I will apologize to Ji Huai."
Meng Zhao's expression softened a bit, and she gently patted his shoulder: "There's no need to apologize. He bought the answer, so he was also wrong. You don't need to be too responsible for others. Just know that you shouldn't do such things in the future."
The two children nodded obediently, and Meng Zhao continued gently, "Although selling the answers was wrong, I appreciate your concern for my help, and I'm very touched. I also want to thank you. But in the future, if you have any ideas, you must remember to discuss them with me or your mother and second brother, okay?"
Shen Qingze and Shen Qingyu, their eyes red, said, "We understand."
Meng Zhao then smiled and said, "Alright, don't be sad. Look at this." With that, she opened the oil paper package that she had taken when she came into the house.
Upon seeing a whole bag of fried cakes, the two children burst into laughter through their tears: "Fried cakes? Sister, how did you know we love their fried cakes?"
"I heard it from your second brother, but it's been so long, it's probably cold by now. How about I heat it up for you to eat?"
Shen Qingyu shook her head, eagerly picked up a piece of fried cake, and held it to Meng Zhao's lips: "No need, their fried cakes are delicious even when they're cold, sister, you should try some."
Meng Zhao smiled and took a bite. Sure enough, even though it was a little cold, the outer layer of the sugar cake was still crispy and not hard at all, but very soft. The brown sugar filling inside was sweet and delicious, with a hint of sesame aroma. Meng Zhao nodded and praised, "Mmm, it's really delicious."
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