Zhang Zhaoci set up a classroom in the backyard, where the ten Bai family members would attend classes every day. After dinner, Bai Wei and two others would have evening self-study sessions in this classroom to organize their notes from the day's learning.
In the evenings, Zhang Zhaoci would also read some books in the classroom. If the three of them didn't understand something, they would ask Zhang Zhaoci for help, just like when they were in school and had a teacher for evening self-study.
Before Bai Zhi arrived, Bai Wei saw that Zhang Zhaoci was already sitting at a table at the front of the classroom reading a book, so she went over and whispered, "Madam, Sister Bai Zhi has been acting a little differently these past two days."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Zhaoci asked curiously, "How is it different?"
Bai Wei frowned and said, "I can't quite put my finger on it, but I feel that Sister Bai Zhi's ideas are a bit different from before. Before, Sister Bai Zhi was like me, thinking about learning skills from Madam and becoming a person like Madam. But this afternoon, Sister Bai Zhi actually said that learning these things is useless, and sooner or later you will have to get married."
Zhang Zhaoci was speechless. They were just kids in their early teens, how could they be thinking about getting married? In modern times, what would a teenager know? They wouldn't know anything at all.
Zhang Zhaoci nodded and said, "I'll go back and investigate carefully to see who Bai Zhi has been in contact with in the last few days."
Back in his room that evening, Zhang Zhaoci told Xu Rao about it. Some of the people in the mansion were hired locally. Although their backgrounds had been investigated, it was hard to guarantee that they wouldn't be bribed with a large sum of money.
For safety's sake, Xu Rao conducted a thorough inspection and indeed discovered some issues.
Besides the people serving in the inner courtyard, the mansion also hired several old women to work the night shift and several craftsmen to repair flowers and trees. One of the old women was a distant relative of Bai Zhi. After seeing Bai Zhi, the two recognized each other. Bai Zhi had a monthly allowance of one string of cash, and she would take out half of it every month and ask this distant relative to send it home.
This old woman told Bai Zhi to save money, saying that when Bai Zhi got older, she could redeem herself and marry into a good family, either as the principal wife of a wealthy family or as a concubine of an official, so that she could enjoy a life of happiness.
Bai Zhi was sold by her family. She was neither the eldest nor the youngest child in the family, and was not favored by her parents. Two years ago, there was a major flood, and the crops in the fields failed to be harvested. In order to get some food for the family, Bai Zhi's parents sold her to someone else.
Bai Zhi naturally didn't want to be sold, but it was her parents' decision. Her two older sisters were already married, and Bai Zhi was the third child. She had a younger brother and a very young sister. Her brother couldn't be sold, and her sister wouldn't fetch much money. Since her sister was too young to eat much, the only option was to sell Bai Zhi.
Bai Zhi harbored resentment towards her parents after being sold, but the family was destined to starve to death if they stayed together like that. Selling herself would allow her to earn some food for her family and find another way out, which could be considered a way out.
Bai Zhi never expected to run into this distant relative. She never expected that just by asking about her family, she would be pressured by her family to give them money.
Bai Zhi, having been neglected by her parents since childhood, longed for their attention. Although Xu Rao's arrival brought many beneficial policies for the people, the flood caused many to lose their life's work, leaving them with only a few acres of land. Bai Zhi's parents learned that their daughter, who had been sold, was working for the prefect and receiving a monthly allowance of one string of cash. They asked a relative to deliver a message to Bai Zhi, asking her to give half of her monthly allowance home.
Bai Zhi gave her family her money every month, hoping to gain their favor. But to her surprise, her family wanted her to be redeemed.
Bai Zhi, having been with several other Bai people, had learned a lot of tricks from them. Naturally, she knew that her family wanted her to redeem herself and then sell her again.
Bai Zhi felt that she would not be able to escape her family's control in the future, so she thought that learning these things would be useless. How precocious could a child of ten years old be?
After hearing the whole story, Zhang Zhaoci was extremely surprised and said, "We ten Bai are all bound by a death pact. From now on, we will have the final say. Aren't Bai Zhi's parents interfering too much?"
Xu Rao said, "We've been meddling a bit too much. This matter can't be left like this. We should kick that old woman out. As for Bai Zhi, ask her what she wants. If she's willing to leave, we'll give her a contract of indenture so she can go home. If she wants to stay in our house, she shouldn't have any wild ideas. She shouldn't contact her family anymore. At such a critical time, who knows if the floods in the capital will reach us? Besides, we still have a prince hiding in our house."
Zhang Zhaoci said, "Then let me ask her. If she doesn't want to go home, send her to the village. Whether it's in Hexi or the capital, we can find her a place to stay. If we just send her back to her parents like this, she can be sold a second time after being sold once."
Xu Rao said, "During special times, we should be aware of potential crises and not wait until they become a means for others to control us."
Zhang Zhaoci nodded, and the next day he found an excuse to drive the old woman away. Then he had a good talk with Bai Zhi. Bai Zhi saw the choices Zhang Zhaoci presented to her, cried for a long time, and finally chose to go to the estate.
After Bai Zhi left, Bai Wei and Bai Mi remained silent for several days. Zhang Zhaoci didn't say anything either. It was all her own choice, and since she had made the choice, she had to be responsible for her future. Even Zhang Zhaoci couldn't say much about Bai Zhi's choice.
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