Chapter 134 A Century-Old Ginseng as a Gift
Seeing Jiang Ling looking over, Fu Chengze stepped forward and bowed to her, saying, "Miss Jiang."
Jiang Ling smiled and waved her hand, "Young Master Fu, we are about the same age, so let's skip these formalities and just relax."
Upon hearing this, Fu Chengze's tense shoulders relaxed slightly, a smile appeared on his lips, and his eyes softened:
“The day before yesterday, I went home with my uncle and told my parents about the glasses. When they heard that I could see the words again and could continue to prepare for the imperial examination, they immediately teared up, hugged me and cried for a long time, and insisted on coming over immediately to kowtow and thank you.”
Upon hearing this, Jiang Ling's words of refusal were already on the tip of her tongue.
He paused, then added, "It was my uncle who said that Miss Jiang prefers quiet and doesn't like noise. If our whole family came over in a big group, it would only cause you trouble, so my parents reluctantly gave up the idea."
Jiang Ling finally breathed a sigh of relief.
I was just about to say, "No need to be so formal."
After all, she didn't give it away for nothing; she also gave Xiao Ran another opportunity to study.
Before he could finish speaking, Fu Chengze pulled a small package tightly wrapped in oil paper from his pocket and handed it to him.
“But such a great kindness cannot be left unresolved. My family is poor and has nothing to repay it with, except for this century-old ginseng. It was originally intended to nourish my body, but my parents said that no matter how good the tonic is, it is not as important as my regaining my sight, and they made me bring it to you.”
Opening a corner of the oil paper package revealed an old wild ginseng with thick ginseng roots, exuding a faint medicinal fragrance.
Jiang Ling quickly waved her hand and pushed the package back.
"Young Master Fu, this is unacceptable! We already agreed that you would teach Xiao Ran for three months, and these glasses would be your payment. How can you accept something so valuable?"
"Besides, those glasses aren't anything rare or precious to me. I'm happy that they can help you and make the most of them."
A pair of secondhand glasses that cost zero money is hardly worth such a heavy gift.
Although she runs a shop and does business, she's not a shrewd businesswoman!
Seeing that she refused to accept it, Fu Chengze became anxious and pushed the package forward again.
“Miss Jiang, this is no ordinary item! Without it, I would still be half-blind, unable to even read, let alone have the chance to take the imperial examinations. You must accept this ginseng! It is a token of our family's goodwill!”
Jiang Ling's attitude was firm, "Really, there's no need. We already agreed that you would train my shop assistant for three months, and these glasses would be your payment. Now that the deal is done, how can I accept such a generous gift? It's against the rules, and if word gets out, wouldn't it put me in an unjust position?"
Jiang Ling's serious tone immediately stunned Fu Chengze.
He pondered for a moment, then seemed to suddenly realize: "...It was Chengze who hadn't considered things thoroughly."
Scholars value benevolence, righteousness, and integrity above all else; he nearly harmed Miss Jiang.
Seeing Jiang Ling's determined gaze, he had no choice but to silently put the wooden box back into his bosom.
To ease the tension, Jiang Ling naturally changed the subject.
"Young Master Fu, how is Xiao Ran's studies these past two days? His foundation isn't very strong, but I hope he hasn't caused you any trouble?"
It's been two days since Xiao Ran officially started learning to read and write with Fu Chengze.
It's a pity she wasn't there for those two days.
Mentioning this, Fu Chengze smiled with satisfaction and pushed up his glasses, saying:
"Xiao Ran is very diligent. He completes his homework quickly and well every day. He studied for two years before and knows a lot of characters. His foundation is more solid than I thought, so teaching him is not difficult at all. Sometimes I only need to explain it once, and he can remember it. He will also ask questions on his own initiative. He is a good student."
"Then I'll trouble you to take care of things, Young Master Fu." Jiang Ling nodded with a smile, and then instructed Xiao Ran.
"Listen carefully to your teacher and study hard. Do you understand?"
Xiao Ran immediately puffed out her chest and loudly promised, "Don't worry, Sister Jiang! I will definitely study hard! Moreover, every time I come home from school, I will teach Xiao Qi what I learned that day again, so that I can help him and also consolidate my own knowledge!"
Jiang Ling listened and nodded in satisfaction, "That's a good idea!"
Just then, the sound of clear hoofbeats came from afar, growing louder as they approached.
The group looked in the direction of the sound and saw two fast horses heading towards the general store, arriving in the blink of an eye.
The people on horseback pulled on the reins; it was Lu Qian and Li Hong, whom they hadn't seen for many days.
The two men dismounted swiftly.
Lu Qian stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over the carriage beside him before settling on Fu Chengze. A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, but he didn't ask any further questions, only smiling and saying...
"Miss Jiang."
Lu Qian only glanced at him, but Li Hong behind him kept his eyes fixed on him, as if he wanted to see him clearly from the inside out and from top to bottom.
Seeing that Jiang Ling had guests, Fu Chengze decided not to bother her any longer. "Since Miss Jiang has guests, then Chengze will take his leave."
Jiang Ling nodded: "Alright, I'll trouble Young Master Fu to take good care of Xiao Ran in the future."
"Chengze will do his utmost."
After seeing Fu Chengze off, Jiang Ling led the two of them into the shop.
Xiao Ran stepped forward to serve tea.
As intelligent as Lu Qian was, he understood their relationship from just a few words.
"Was that young master you hired for Xiaoran?"
"Yes, Young Master Fu is very learned; he is probably the most educated person in our village nowadays."
Lu Qian nodded without saying anything more, but his gaze darkened slightly, as if he were thinking about something.
Jiang Ling looked at the empty space outside, where the stalls had already closed, and asked with some confusion:
"The stalls outside have almost all been packed up, why are you here at this hour, Young Master Lu?"
Lu Qian took a sip of tea, his voice tinged with exhaustion: "I just came from the capital."
Jiang Ling keenly sensed that he was in low spirits and seemed to be preoccupied, but she didn't want to ask him directly why: "Is the branch in Beijing too busy?"
Lu Qian had never revealed his real name or his princely status to her, and now he could only shake his head.
Today in the court, more and more people are urging him to lead the troops into battle. Although his father has not issued a formal decree, Lu Qian senses that it is about time.
Lu Qian put down his teacup, a helpless smile playing on his lips: "It's not about the shop."
"However, the problem of refugees has become increasingly serious recently, and war in the northern border is on the verge of breaking out again. The Great Yu Dynasty is now beset by internal and external troubles, and business will probably be difficult in the future."
He paused, his tone growing even more somber. "A cousin of mine is serving in the military and may be deployed to participate in this battle. The disparity between us and the enemy is immense, and our logistical support is severely lacking. I fear the odds are against us."
Jiang Ling had also heard about recent national events and knew that the Great Yu Dynasty was facing a significant problem.
She sighed softly, "With the country in turmoil, as citizens of the Great Yu Dynasty, it is only natural to step forward. There is no other way."
As the saying goes, "An army is raised for a thousand days, but used for only one."
As soldiers, our duty is naturally to charge into battle.
Lu Qian looked up at Jiang Ling, his eyes filled with a hint of inquiry.
"Miss Jiang, in your opinion, if a country is suffering from famine in the north and its people are destitute, and its border troops are at war with neighboring countries, should it prioritize solving the internal problems or the external threats?"
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