Chapter 89
The victorious young general followed Chen Qing home with great pride and high spirits.
"Little Daddy, I want to eat corn kernels mixed with rice tonight."
The corn kernel rice he mentioned is made by shelling fresh corn into kernels, then stir-frying minced meat with lard, mixing it with the corn kernels, and then mixing it into rice. It's very fragrant.
“Then we’ll have to go to the field and pick corn ourselves.” Chen Qing patted the dirt off his clothes from the fight. “You can’t just start a fight in the future. You have to reason with them first.”
Zhuangzhuang looked at Chen Qing: "But they were unreasonable first, and they just grabbed An'an's purse."
Chen Qing smiled helplessly and found the small face towel he had specially sewn for Zhuangzhuang in the house. He was afraid that Zhuangzhuang would scratch his face when he went to pick corn in the field, so he would put it on him every time they went to the cornfield.
They went to the cornfield on Grandma Sun's mountain. The cornfield was on the mountain, where it received more sunshine every day, so it grew faster than the corn below. Chen Qing and Zhuangzhuang would go there every now and then to pick one or two ears of corn.
Zhuangzhuang didn't want Chen Qing to carry him along the way. He was physically strong and didn't easily complain of being tired. When they arrived at the field, he went to choose the corn himself, while Chen Qing watched from the side.
This has always been Zhou Yuan's educational method for him: to do things by himself if he can do them himself. So, except for when Zhuangzhuang was born and was a little spoiled, he has always been very independent.
A moment later, he broke off two ears of corn and ran to Chen Qing's side, saying, "Little Daddy, let's go home."
"Where did these little thieves come from to steal corn?" Grandma Sun had also come up the mountain to check when it was time to harvest the corn, and she ran into Chen Qing and Zhuangzhuang.
Zhuangzhuang, carrying a handful of corn, ran to Grandma Sun's side and hugged her leg, saying, "Grandma."
Grandma Sun picked him up and weighed him in her arms: "You've gotten a little stronger."
Chen Qing quickly pulled Zhuangzhuang off Grandma Sun, after all, Grandma Sun was an old woman, and Zhuangzhuang was very strong, so he didn't want to hurt Grandma Sun's back.
"In about ten days, we can start harvesting the corn." Grandma Sun walked around in the field. "I'll have Zhou Yuan come back and help me pick the corn then."
Zhuangzhuang quickly chimed in, "Grandma, I can too."
Grandma Sun touched his face through his face mask: "Okay, Zhuangzhuang will come and help out then too."
They found some wild vegetables in the field, and Chen Qing picked them up, intending to take them home and cook them that night.
The three of them went down the mountain together. On the way, they saw Zhou Yuan tying up his horse in the yard. Zhuangzhuang quickly ran over and jumped on him.
Zhou Yuan scooped him up with one hand: "Where have you been?"
"Pick corn with your little daddy." The corn was no longer in his hands; Chen Qing was holding it for him from behind.
Zhou Yuan went out with Qi Shuning this morning. The previous magistrate had helped Zhou Yuan a lot, and since Qi Shuning was succeeding him, today was the day he was leaving. Zhou Yuan and Qi Shuning went to see him off.
"He said he wanted to eat corn rice, so I took him to pick two and brought them back." Chen Qing walked into the yard, still holding two ears of corn in his hand.
"You're only eating corn rice?" Zhou Yuan looked at Zhuangzhuang. "Then the cakes Daddy buys can only be eaten by Little Daddy?"
“Share with Daddy.” Zhuangzhuang got off him and looked at him with his eyes wide open.
Zhuangzhuang is almost a carbon copy of Zhou Yuan, except for his eyes, which are strikingly similar to Chen Qing's.
Zhou Yuan took out an oil paper package containing several kinds of pastries, some of which Chen Qing liked and some of which Zhuangzhuang liked. Zhuangzhuang had been well taught by Zhou Yuan to give the good things to his little daddy first, so he picked out a pastry that Chen Qing liked and went to feed him.
Chen Qing looked at his little hands, which were covered in mud and had left a mark on the pastry. Chen Qing bent down, took a bite out of his hand, and then told him to put the pastry down and wash his hands before letting him sit down and eat the pastry quietly.
Chen Qing took a bowl from the kitchen, sat in the yard and shelled corn kernels, saying as he did so, "Zhuangzhuang got into a fight again today."
Zhou Yuan raised an eyebrow upon hearing this: "Who stole his things this time, or who bullied Xiaodou?"
Meng Xiaodou is Qin Xia and Meng Shuanzi's child. He has followed Zhuangzhuang around since he was little, and Zhuangzhuang, as the older brother, naturally protects him.
“No, someone stole An An Ning Ning’s things.” Chen Qing sighed. “I told him to explain himself before taking action, but he said they were the ones who started it by being unreasonable.”
“A little man should do this, protecting his two older brothers. He did the right thing.” Zhou Yuan took an ear of corn from Chen Qing’s hand and helped him peel it. However, his hands were too rough, and fresh corn was not easy to peel. He crushed the originally plump corn kernels into pieces.
Chen Qing rolled his eyes at him: "Go buy some meat and chop it into minced meat. Don't ruin the corn."
Zhou Yuan stood up, called out to Zhuangzhuang, and the father and son went to the butcher's house to buy meat, hand in hand. Chen Qing watched the backs of the two figures, one big and one small, and a smile appeared on his lips.
For dinner, Chen Qing made stir-fried corn kernels with pork for Zhuangzhuang. Zhou Yuan bought a piece of pork shoulder, which Chen Qing sliced thinly, pan-fried, and dipped in some Yunxi Town seasoning. He also stir-fried an egg with some wild vegetables he had picked, made a sauerkraut soup, steamed rice for Zhuangzhuang, and the two of them ate mixed grain steamed buns.
Zhuangzhuang was very focused during the meal, and Zhou Yuan talked to Chen Qing about Zhuangzhuang's future.
“Zhuangzhuang will be five years old soon, and I’m thinking of sending him to school.” Zhou Yuan put some food on Chen Qing’s plate. “I don’t expect him to pass the imperial examinations like Shuning, but at least he should be able to read and write.”
Chen Qing turned his head to look at Zhuangzhuang eating next to him. He felt that time had passed too quickly. It seemed like only a few days ago he was crying loudly in Zhou Yuan's arms, and now it was time to leave home to study elsewhere.
There is no school in Luohe Village, so Zhuangzhuang can only go to school in the town or county.
Their family is not short of money now. Zhou Yuan bought a house with a courtyard in the county town two years ago, but Chen Qing is used to living in the village, so the house is just sitting there. Now that Zhuangzhuang is going to school, it will be more convenient for them to live in the county town.
But Chen Qing couldn't let go of his vegetable garden, and he couldn't let go of Aunt Sun; they raised another pig this year...
“You can come back often.” Zhou Yuan knew he was reluctant to leave. “I’ll take Zhuangzhuang to the school in a couple of days to see if the teacher will accept him.”
Chen Qing didn't like hearing this, so he stomped on his foot under the table.
On the third day, Zhou Yuan was going to take Zhuangzhuang to the county town early in the morning. Knowing that he would be riding horses with his father, Zhuangzhuang was no longer sleepy. He washed up early and sat at the door waiting for Zhou Yuan.
Chen Qing made breakfast for them. After the family of three finished eating, Chen Qing watched them leave. Zhuangzhuang especially loved riding horses and was always very happy whenever he rode horses with Zhou Yuan.
After tidying up his house, Chen Qing went to Li Xin's house. He didn't take the children to live in the county town with Qi Shuning, but chose to stay at his own home. Firstly, he wanted to spend more time with Li the blacksmith and Zhang Yin, and secondly, he felt more comfortable at home.
Chen Qing told him about their idea of sending Zhuangzhuang to school. Li Xin thought about it and realized that An'an and Ningning were even stronger than Zhuangzhuang, and neither of them had gone to school yet. It seemed that they needed to discuss it with Qi Shuning. There was no reason why their father could pass the imperial examination but their child was illiterate.
It just so happens that Qi Shuning is off tomorrow, so Li Xin is taking the children to the county town. Li Xin also invited them to come along. Since he has been back for so many days, the two families haven't had a proper get-together yet, so why don't they all go to the county town tomorrow and have a casual meal at a restaurant there?
They arrived in town around noon. Qi Shuning had already arranged for a table to be reserved, so the food could be served as soon as they arrived.
Qi Shuning has changed a lot over the years. Perhaps it's because he has been an official for a long time and needs to be serious. His appearance has become dignified and imposing. But in front of his closest family members, he is still the same scholar he used to be. He is very approachable with the children and hugged the three children one by one.
“I’ve looked into the schools in the county town. The previous magistrate always upheld the educational philosophy of 'education for all,' so regardless of gender, anyone who could afford the tuition could attend school.” After hugging the children, Qi Shuning started talking to them about the children’s schooling.
He looked at An'an and Ningning: "An'an and Ningning, would you like to go to school?"
The two children looked at each other but did not answer him.
Zhuangzhuang patted his chest: "Brother, it's okay, I will protect you."
So the three children sat together, Chen Qing served them rice, and then the adults could finally have a proper chat.
"In the county town's schools, classes aren't divided into boys, girls, or 'brothers.' Everyone attends the same class. After a year, classes are reassigned; those suited for academics go to the literature class, while those more skilled in martial arts go to the martial arts class." Qi Shuning, being in the county town, knew more about this.
“Two years ago, the imperial court enacted a law that made both civil and military examinations the means for the court to select officials, which will give children more options in the future.” He looked at Zhuangzhuang and said, “Zhuangzhuang’s physique is good enough for him to take the military examination route.”
Chen Qing hadn't thought too far ahead; he only hoped that Zhuangzhuang could grow up safely.
Chen Qing looked at Zhou Yuan. In fact, Zhou Yuan had the same idea as him. With the family's current conditions, as long as Zhuangzhuang didn't squander the family's wealth, it would be enough for him to live out his days in peace and comfort.
"Let's see what kind of life the child wants to live in the future. First, let's go to school to learn to read." Zhou Yuanshen knew how troublesome it would be if the child couldn't read, so he still hoped that Zhuangzhuang could read and write.
In early May, Zhuangzhuang celebrated his fifth birthday at home. The next day, he was going to school in the county town. When he left, Grandma Sun cried with tears in her eyes. Zhuangzhuang was five years old and had never left home before. The grandmother and grandson hugged and cried, which made Chen Qing feel a little reluctant to part with him.
No matter how hard it was to accept separation, they had no choice but to part. Zhuangzhuang used his handkerchief to wipe away the tears on Grandma Sun's face: "Don't cry, don't cry, Grandma, I'll be back after I finish school."
Chen Qing and Zhou Yuan moved Zhuangzhuang's belongings to their house in the county town. Zhuangzhuang adapted very well, happily twirling around with the satchel Chen Qing had sewn for him on his back.
Chen Qing tossed and turned, unable to sleep that night. He nestled against Zhou Yuan's chest and asked, "Is anyone at school bullying Zhuangzhuang?"
Chen Qing couldn't even imagine how Zhuangzhuang, such a small child, could adapt to being suddenly taken to a place full of strangers.
Zhou Yuan patted him on the back: "He's the king of the kids in the village, and he'll be just as popular at the academy."
With a heavy heart, Chen Qing rejected Zhou Yuan's attempt to get close to him. Zhuangzhuang had been sleeping alone since he was four years old.
The next morning, when Chen Qing got up to take Zhuangzhuang to school, his anxiety became even more pronounced. He even considered hiding Zhuangzhuang's schoolbag.
Li Xin went with them, but Qi Shuning couldn't show up, so she asked Zhou Yuan to take care of them.
Seeing that there was really no other way, Chen Qing could only silently follow behind them. As the academy drew closer, Chen Qing looked around and saw that there were other people bringing their children to the academy, but those children clung to their parents' legs and refused to let go. Only his Zhuangzhuang followed An'an and Ningning into the academy without looking back.
Zhou Yuan had already paid the tuition fee and knew that he would pick up the child from school at the end of Shen Shi (3-5 PM) every day.
Li Xin noticed Chen Qing's anxiety, so she strolled around the county town with him. Li Xin now lives in a house behind the county government office, which will make it easier to pick up and drop off the children in the future.
“Aqing, since we’ll be living in the county town from now on, I’m thinking of opening a blacksmith shop on the outskirts of the town.”
Chen Qing's eyes widened: "You haven't given up on blacksmithing yet?"
Li Xin nodded: "This is a family heirloom craft, of course I will pass it down. I'll see if An'an or Ningning will take over my job in the future, or if one of them will find a son-in-law to learn blacksmithing from me."
Chen Qing admired him because he always knew what he wanted, unlike himself, who seemed to have always been living in a daze.
Li Xin looked at him and said, "Aqing, actually many people envy your life. You suffered so much before, so life should be easy for you."
On the first day of school, Chen Qing picked up Zhuangzhuang and found that he was not uncomfortable at all. He even told Zhuangzhuang about what he had seen and heard at school that day.
After realizing that he was the only one feeling anxious, Chen Qing gradually relaxed.
Li Xin was very proactive. The next day, after dropping off the child, she started looking for a location with Li the blacksmith. Five days later, she started helping Li the blacksmith set up the shop. Chen Qing had work to do and felt more at ease.
On the fifth day of school, the teacher called Chen Qing and Zhou Yuan into the school and said that Zhuangzhuang had hit someone.
Chen Qing: ...
After that, during the time Zhuangzhuang was attending school, he and Zhou Yuan would be invited to the school every now and then, always because Zhuangzhuang was hitting people.
If it weren't for someone bullying An An Ning Ning, or someone bullying the weak, it wasn't for his own sake. He was loyal and good at fighting, so he quickly became the leader of a small group.
Later, a legend spread in the school: don't mess with the twin brothers in the school, or their younger brother will come knocking on your door.
Zhuangzhuang protected An'an and Ningning until they successfully completed their studies at school.
Later, Zhuangzhuang was assigned to the martial arts class. Zhou Yuan and Chen Qing were no longer invited to the school, but when Zhuangzhuang returned, he had more or less injuries on his body. Zhuangzhuang said it was because he was in the martial arts class and would be frequently trained.
As Zhuangzhuang grew older, the amount of activity in school was no longer enough for him, so after school he would go to the martial arts gym with Zhou Yuan to release the excess energy he had at his age.
After learning to read, An'an and Ningning stopped going to school. An'an wanted to learn to make porcelain with Niu Niu, while Ningning had already said she wanted to learn blacksmithing from Li Xin.
After completing his term in Luohe Village, Qi Shuning was promoted to Prefect of the prefecture. After serving as Prefect of the prefecture for five years, Qi Shuning went to the capital to report on his duties. He brought his whole family with him on a trip to the capital, and he also wanted to take Zhuangzhuang to the capital to participate in the military examination.
Qi Shuning went to the capital to report on his duties. Due to his outstanding political achievements during his tenure, he was promoted to the position of Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, a fourth-rank official, and remained in the capital. His superior was Fu Zeyang, the son of his former mentor, Dean Fu.
In the same year, Zhuangzhuang won the martial arts examination and became the youngest martial arts champion.
After Zhuangzhuang became the top martial arts champion, he joined the Western Expeditionary Army and followed the path his father had taken.
Zhou Yuan's Zhenwei Escort Agency opened in the capital. When he was unable to go to the capital, he handed over the affairs of the capital to Li Xin, who was idle in the capital.
Ningning stayed by Li Xin's side, and after she stopped blacksmithing, she followed Li Xin to learn how to manage the escort agency.
An'an and Niu Niu have been learning to make porcelain. After Niu Niu completed his apprenticeship, he continued to teach An'an. Now, the porcelain made by Niu Niu can sell for exorbitant prices and is sought after by dignitaries and nobles.
Meng Qi and Meng Shuanzi each took charge of a branch of Zhenwei Escort Agency. From then on, Zhenwei Escort Agency became the largest escort agency. No matter where you went, they had connections, making escorting goods easier than before.
After everything settled down, Zhou Yuan took Chen Qing back to Luohe Village and back to their little courtyard.
Chen Qing hugged Zhou Yuan's waist: "It's so quiet."
Zhou Yuan kissed his head: "I've always been by your side."
A note from the author:
That's pretty much the end of the main storyline. I didn't want to write about birth, aging, sickness, and death, so some of the characters weren't explored in detail. There's also an "what if" scenario, which is what I mentioned before: what if Zhou Yuan and Chen Qing had met earlier if the grandmother hadn't passed away.
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