Chapter 73 073 Sixth Rank Judge
The No. 1 Scholar Monument only had an inscription on it and was not completely built. In order to show his respect for Du Qingtang, Fang Honghai ordered people to set off eighteen strings of firecrackers.
The deafening sound of firecrackers attracted villagers from the neighboring village to come and watch.
When they learned that the people of Taoyuan Village had gathered here to write inscriptions for the No. 1 Scholar Monument, they all stood on tiptoe and stretched their necks to look forward.
"So she's the top scholar. She's so handsome. I heard she's not married yet!"
"I'll have to bring my child here to pay my respects tomorrow. Maybe with the blessing of Master Wenquxing, he can get the top score in the imperial examination!"
Everyone laughed.
"When it's fully built, we'll set off thirty-six of them." Fang Honghai said this after the sound of firecrackers stopped.
The villagers nodded in agreement.
"Don't even mention thirty-six, sixty-six is fine too. If Tangge gets the top spot in the exam, we'll be proud too."
Although there was some flattery and fawning in their words, the smiles and pride on their faces did not seem fake.
Taoyuan Village produced a top scholar with a score of six yuan. Girls from all the villages around wanted to marry him, hoping to share his literary talent and have a smart and promising child.
Similarly, people from the surrounding villages all think that Taoyuan Village is a blessed place, and the girls in Taoyuan Village are blessed people. Marrying into their family will definitely bring good luck to their husbands and the whole family.
As a result, the girls and boys in Taoyuan Village became popular.
They are so happy that they don't have time to feel dissatisfied.
Fang Honghai then added: "There is one more thing."
The villagers fell silent and listened attentively.
"Tang Ge'er plans to build a village school in Taoyuan Village. All children in the village, regardless of gender, who are five years old or older, can go there to study."
The crowd was in an uproar.
"No wonder my left eyelid was twitching this morning. It turns out there's something really great waiting for me!"
"My son Tiedan is just five years old. He spends all day climbing trees to rob bird nests and diving into the water to catch crabs. He's just so naughty and mischievous. His father and I are annoyed by him now. I wonder if learning to read and write can help him become more refined."
"What? Girls can also read?"
"If I send Pingjie to school, will she be able to become a teacher in the county like the other girls in the Du family?"
The people in Taoyuan Village were very excited, as were the people in other villages.
"Can people who are not from Taoyuan Village attend the village school?"
"If I go to the village school founded by the top scholar, can I still pass the imperial examination and become a high-ranking official?"
Fang Honghai said loudly: "No matter whether you are a female teacher or a high-ranking official, it is always good to read more books and learn a few more words."
As for whether children from other villages could come to the village school to study, Fang Honghai had not discussed this with Du Qingtang, so he looked at her inquiringly.
Du Qingtang was discussing the examination questions with Liu Tongsheng.
Although Liu Tongsheng failed to pass the college entrance examination, he still remembers the questions on the Four Books, Five Classics, the meaning of classics, and policy essays.
Since he agreed to let Du Qingtang be the village school teacher, he must assume the corresponding responsibilities and must not mislead the students.
By understanding the direction of the imperial examination questions, he can teach more targetedly.
——Although only a small number of children in the village took part in the imperial examinations, even fewer made it to the metropolitan examination.
Receiving Fang Honghai's inquiring gaze, Du Qingtang pondered for a moment and said aloud, "Children from Taoyuan Village can attend school for free, while children from other villages need to pay a tuition fee of one cent per year."
After that, he said to Fang Honghai, "The tuition you receive can be used to buy books, writing brushes, paper, and inkstones. I will also send money back every six months."
In the early years, Yuanshi didn't care about the life and death of Du Qingtang and her sisters. The villagers couldn't bear to see it and would occasionally give them something to eat.
It can be said that Du Qingtang and the other nine grew up eating food from hundreds of families.
Du Qingtang remembered the kindness of the meal and built a village school and donated books as a way of repaying the favor.
As for inviting Liu Tongsheng to be the village school teacher, Du Qingtang was so meticulous that he noticed his strange mood when he called Liu Tongsheng "Teacher" for the first time.
Now that the opportunity was there, she took advantage of it and allowed Liu Tongsheng to realize his dream in his lifetime.
Just consider it as a reward for your teaching six years ago and for setting questions without asking anything in return for two years.
The villagers of Taoyuan Village were all smiling happily, and the villagers of other villages breathed a sigh of relief and laughed too.
"One penny of tuition isn't expensive. You can save that by working a few more days. A private school in the city costs at least five taels of silver."
"That would be great. When the village school is completed, Village Chief Fang, please let us know."
Fang Honghai agreed readily.
The crowd chatted and laughed in front of the No. 1 Scholar Monument for a while, then quickly dispersed, carrying their farm tools to go to the fields to work.
After the crowd dispersed, Fang Honghai instructed his two sons to move the books on the donkey cart into the house and send them over after the village school was built for people to borrow.
Aunt Du Er and Aunt Du San stood at the door of their house, looking at the piles of books with envy.
"If my family hadn't fallen out with the eldest brother, all these books would belong to us."
"Du Dahong is a coward, how come his son is so promising? I don't know who he takes after."
"I heard that Du Qingtang is an even higher official than the county magistrate. When Da Niu and Er Niu grow up, if they want to become officials, won't it just take her a word?"
Aunt Du Er and Aunt Du San were a little tempted, but then shook their heads.
"Du Qingtang is so cruel. She doesn't even care about Yuan Ruyi, so how can she care about Da Niu and Er Niu?"
"Let's go, there are still a lot of things waiting for us in the fields."
As they turned around, they were all thinking, if they had known this would happen, they would have established a good relationship with the first wife.
Unfortunately, there is no medicine for regret in the world. They and their children are destined to stay in Taoyuan Village for the rest of their lives, facing the loess and back to the sky, and living in poverty all their lives.
Half an hour later, Du Qingtang was at Liu's house, having a pleasant conversation with Liu Tongsheng.
Topics include but are not limited to imperial examination questions, scenery of Xiajing, and future plans.
Before leaving, Liu Tongsheng said solemnly, "Du family boy, corrupt officials will not have a good end. You must be a good official."
However, the reality is that the harm caused by corrupt officials lasts for thousands of years, and they often live longer and more comfortably than honest officials.
Du Qingtang was secretly dissatisfied, but he did not show it on his face. He bowed deeply and said, "I will definitely remember your teachings, sir."
Liu Tongsheng twirled his beard and chuckled, watching Du Qingtang leave.
Liu Tongsheng's wife, Mrs. Hu, came out from the west room and sat beside him, sewing shoe soles.
"Happy?"
"......Um."
"Du Jiatang is a good kid, she will definitely be blessed."
"Um."
The warm summer breeze blew on his face, and Liu Tongsheng fell asleep under the shade of a tree.
Every wrinkle on his face relaxed, as if he was dreaming a beautiful dream from his youth.
-
Xiajing, on the moat.
The guards of the Duke of Changguo's Mansion stood on the boat and salvaged along the river.
The shore was crowded with people watching the excitement.
"What day is this?"
"It's been about half a month, right?"
"The water in the moat is deep and fast. Madam Qi has lived a life of luxury for years and is so weak that she has no chance of survival if she fell in. She would have been swept downstream long ago."
"Life is so unpredictable. Who could have imagined that Madam Qi would be spending the day in the suburbs enjoying the summer heat, and something bad would happen at night?"
"Why are you going out at night?"
"It is said that she was worried about the seriously ill Second Young Master Qi, so she brought her niece and the maids back to the capital overnight."
"Alas, things are unpredictable."
"She deserves this lifespan. Otherwise, if she had fallen into the river, Miss Xue would have been found more than ten days ago, but Madam Qi still hasn't even been found."
The second young master Qi stood on the shore accompanied by his servants and guards, listening to the people's undisguised bad words, his face was undisguisedly gloomy.
"Ahem."
Qi Heming put his fist to his lips and coughed hard.
"Sir, the wind is strong on the shore and you haven't recovered yet. You'd better go back early. I will stay here." The servant beside him advised.
Qi Heming gathered his cloak around his shoulders and remained silent.
It was the height of summer, but at this moment his hands and feet were cold, his face was as pale as paper, and he looked like he was barely alive and would not live long.
And all this is thanks to Du Qingtang.
On the day of the Lu Ming Banquet, the knife Du Qingtang stabbed him in the heart. The wound had not fully healed and he had to travel day and night, which left a root of illness in his body. Whenever it was cloudy and rainy, he would feel unbearable pain in his heart.
In April, Du Qingtang stabbed him three more times.
Although the guards sent him to another hospital in time and invited a doctor for treatment, his old illness was triggered and he almost died at the age of 25.
Qi Heming was very clear about his physical condition and knew that these four knife wounds had affected his lifespan.
But he doesn't regret it.
Every time Atang stabbed him, his hatred for him would diminish a little.
As long as he stabs her six more times, all the past grudges will be wiped out and Atang will come back to him.
As his thoughts raced, the guards on the ship shouted, "Second Young Master, we've found the Second Madam!"
Qi Heming was cheered up and strode forward.
The guards have already salvaged the female corpse suspected to be Xue's and laid it flat on the shore.
It was hot in the summer, and the corpses decomposed quickly, making the stench even stronger, forcing the onlookers to cover their mouths and noses and step back.
Qi Heming pushed through the crowd and saw the female corpse at a glance.
After soaking in the moat for an unknown amount of time and being eaten by fish and shrimp, the female corpse had already been completely disfigured and her original appearance could no longer be seen.
But Qi Heming recognized her at a glance; this was Xue.
This was because the scarlet short shirt and long skirt on the female corpse was her mother Xue's favorite.
Before this, Qi Heming had always been hoping for luck, hoping that Xue would be rescued after falling into the water.
Until this moment, with the corpse in front of him, he could no longer deceive himself.
Thinking about how Xue Yishu woke up and cried, saying that Xue had returned to Beijing overnight just to see him, but her horse suddenly went mad on the way and dragged them into the moat.
Qi Heming closed his eyes tightly, his tense jaw trembled, and veins on his clenched fists bulged.
"Someone, come and tidy up Second Aunt's appearance."
A maid came forward and tidied up Xue's face, which had no good flesh left, and then placed her in the coffin prepared early in the morning and transported her back to the Duke of Changguo's Mansion.
Qi Heming personally carried the coffin, and the group returned to the city in a grand procession.
"aunt!"
As soon as the coffin landed on the ground, a white figure rushed over.
When he looked closely, it was Xue Yishu, who looked pale and had the appearance of being seriously ill.
"Aunt, it's all Sister Shu'er's fault. If I had known...Sister Shu would have stopped you and not let you return to the city overnight."
"Aunt, please open your eyes and look at Sister Shu!"
Xue Yishu knelt in front of Xue's coffin. Her white dress made her look like a willow swaying in the wind. She cried and sobbed, and it seemed that she was about to faint from crying.
"lady!"
The fat, big-eared and pot-bellied Master Qi II rolled into the room like a ball.
He knelt in front of the coffin, calling her "Madam" over and over again, covering his face and crying bitterly.
Those who don't know the inside story might really think that the relationship between this wealthy couple is very deep.
However, the fact was that Master Qi II faintly exuded the scent of alcohol and cosmetics.
Based on this, it can be inferred that not long ago, Master Qi was having a happy affair with his concubine. When he learned that Xue was found, he hurriedly washed and changed his clothes, and rushed to perform a drama of deep love between husband and wife.
Qi Heming watched coldly, feeling indescribable irony in his heart.
......
Now that Xue's death had been confirmed, the servants of the Duke of Changguo's Mansion prepared for the funeral in an orderly manner.
Xue Yishu knelt in front of the coffin and cried bitterly throughout the whole process.
The dignitaries in the capital came to pay their respects, and seeing her like this, they all felt that Xue’s love for this niece was not in vain.
Xue's brothers from her natal family also came. Second Madam Xue lit three incense sticks without even looking at Xue Yishu. She led her children to the side and stayed with her sisters-in-law.
No one doubted the cause of Xue's death.
Firstly, the coroner had already performed an autopsy on the horse and did not find any drugs that could cause it to go crazy.
Secondly, the skin on Xue's face, hands and feet had been eaten by fish and shrimps, and there was no sign of death from poisoning.
I could only sigh at the impermanence of life. At the beginning of the month, I was happily arranging the engagement for the eldest son of the eldest wife, but in the blink of an eye, he was lying in the coffin, lifeless.
After seeing off a group of guests, Master Qi Er and Master Qi San walked side by side on the corridor.
"Second brother, the niece of the Shaoqing of the Guanglu Temple is extremely beautiful, but she is a little older, already twenty-one this year. She has been in mourning for her parents, which has delayed her until today. The Shaoqing of the Guanglu Temple just revealed this to me. What do you think..."
"Your second sister-in-law passed away suddenly, and the concubines and illegitimate children in the backyard need someone to take care of them. After your second sister-in-law passes away on the seventh day, I will talk to father about remarrying."
The servants were all working in the front, and since there was no one around, the two of them did not hide their conversation.
Just at this moment, a person walked out from behind the rockery.
Master Qi Er was startled. After seeing who was coming, he thought about his conversation with his brother and became angry. He scolded, "Why are you hiding here instead of entertaining the guests in front?"
"Second uncle, third uncle." Qi Heming bowed.
The front yard was too noisy, which made him upset, so he went to the pond alone to get some fresh air. Unexpectedly, he heard this conversation.
To be honest, Qi Heming was not surprised at all that Master Qi II was so eager to remarry before Xue's body was even cold.
Just a pair of resentful couple.
Just like in his previous life, he and his wife who came from a noble family.
"Nephew will go right away."
After saying that, Qi Heming turned and left.
Master Qi Er still looked a little embarrassed and snorted coldly.
Seeing this, Master Qi San, who was standing by, winked and said, "My younger brother got a beautiful bride a few days ago, but he hasn't had time to enjoy her yet. Today, I'm giving her to my second brother. With a beautiful woman in his arms and a beautiful woman on his sleeves, how happy he is!"
Only then did Mr. Qi Er feel happy and walked away with a smile.
On the other side, Qi Heming was halfway along when he heard a voice calling from the side path: "Second cousin."
Qi Heming looked in the direction of the voice and saw Xue Yishu.
She was dressed in plain clothes, her eyes were swollen like peaches, she pursed her lips slightly, and walked forward with a pitiful attitude: "Second cousin, I have something to discuss with you."
Qi Heming narrowed his eyes slightly: "What's the matter?"
Xue Yishu lowered her head and wiped away her tears, choking with sobs as she said, "My aunt treated me like a treasure when she was alive. I plan to observe three years of mourning for her."
At the latest next year, she would find an opportunity to cancel the marriage between the two families and regain her freedom on the grounds that she could not delay her second cousin.
If Du Qingtang had not married at that time, she would marry Du Qingtang no matter what.
If you already have a wife...
Just kill him.
As long as she can be with Du Qingtang, Xue Yishu doesn't mind marrying her second wife.
Qi Heming looked down at Xue Yishu, whose eyes were full of calculation. The anger that had been suppressed for half a month finally broke out and poured out like a flood.
"ah!"
Xue Yishu only felt a pain in her throat, and the next moment, her whole body fell heavily against the screen wall, and all the bones in her body were almost broken.
"Bitch!" Qi Heming pinched Xue Yishu's neck, his fingers tightening, his eyes filled with undisguised viciousness, "I should have killed you long ago!"
Feeling suffocated, Xue Yishu opened her eyes wide in pain, struggled hard, and slapped Qi Heming's arms.
"I haven't freed up my hands to deal with you yet, how dare you come to me?"
"Do you really think you did it perfectly?"
The surging murderous intent, along with the cold words, poured into his ears.
Xue Yishu looked up and met Qi Heming's eyes, which were full of disgust and all-knowing.
She was stunned for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter: "What do you mean by that, second cousin? Yishu doesn't understand."
"My aunt drowned. Wasn't it because of you?"
"Because my second cousin is frail and ill, and will not live long, my aunt is worried about you, so she rushed back to the capital overnight."
"To be honest, you, second cousin, are the unlucky one who killed my aunt."
Xue Yishu's face, heavily powdered, was full of smiles, both a happy smile and a malicious smile.
"Second cousin, my aunt was killed by you."
Qi Heming sneered: "Don't pretend in front of me. Even if Second Aunt hadn't brought you and me together, Du Qingtang would never like a bitch like you."
This touched Xue Yishu's sore spot. Her smile froze on her face, and she stared at Qi Heming with her eyes. She shouted angrily, "Shut up!"
"Who said Qingtang doesn't like me?"
"That day in Qionglin Garden, she was so gentle to me. If it weren't for my aunt's pressure, Qingtang would never have handed me over to my aunt and done such a shameful thing with you!"
"Qingtang told me herself that she had no choice but to do it. This shows that she likes me... Ugh!"
Before he could finish his words, the hand around his throat suddenly tightened.
"What did you say? Du Qingtang said she had no choice but to do it?"
"That's right!" Xue Yishu was eager to prove that Du Qingtang also had feelings for her, and she spoke incoherently, "Her hand was on the back of my neck, and her breath was against my ear. She was so gentle and affectionate..."
Unfortunately, Qi Heming didn't hear a word he said.
His mind is now full of "Du Qingtang said herself that she had no choice but to do it."
Why did Atang say this ambiguous statement to Xue Yishu?
It's impossible for her not to know about Xue Yishu's illness and madness, unless she wanted to use Xue Yishu——
Realizing a possibility, Qi Heming's eyes were bloodshot.
The image of Xue, whose face was swollen and unrecognizable after being soaked in the river water, and the image of Du Qingtang in her previous life, who drank poison and died, lying in the coffin without breathing, appeared in front of him one after another.
Qi Heming suddenly burst into laughter: "Retribution! It's all retribution!"
In his previous life, he knew that his grandfather and mother were dissatisfied with Du Qingtang, but he still locked Du Qingtang up in a villa outside Beijing, leaving only Qi Ping, who was full of hostility towards Du Qingtang, to guard the villa, and left Beijing alone to do his business.
He knew that it was his mother who revealed Du Qingtang's true gender, causing the crazy woman Xue Yishu to turn love into hate and poison Du Qingtang with a pot of poisoned wine. However, because of the grace of giving birth to her, he could not bear to pursue the matter and let the murderer go unpunished.
He himself married and had children, and had many descendants.
In this life, Du Qingtang first used Mu Tingyu to massacre hundreds of people from the Qi family, and then seriously injured him several times, ending his official career.
Now, he even took advantage of Xue Yishu's madness to poison and kill Xue, his mother.
But he still couldn't do anything.
Because he owed Du Qingtang a life, he wanted to reconcile with Du Qingtang.
So even though Du Qingtang left him scarred and made him lose his mother, he couldn't bear to hold her accountable.
Cause and effect, retribution.
retribution!
It’s all retribution!
Xue Yishu was frightened by Qi Heming's bloodshot eyes, his crazy laughter and shouting of retribution. She broke free from his grip and ran away without looking back.
The slender figure walked away, and Qi Heming staggered to catch up, muttering: "Atang, don't leave me..."
But no matter how he called, the figure left without looking back.
Qi Heming was so angry that he felt a fishy and sweet taste in his throat. He vomited blood on the spot and fainted.
-
On the first day of June, Du Qingzhu returned home from Du Ji Snacks and brought back a piece of news.
"My aunt came to the shop this morning and told me that the words on the top scholar's stele had been carved, and the village chief had people set off thirty-six strings of firecrackers."
"Children from the village and beyond were led by their parents to line up and pay homage to the number one scholar monument. It was a lively scene."
"I ran into my second and third sisters when the shop was closing. They both said they would bring Cheng and Quan to pay their respects tomorrow."
Cheng'er is the son of the second sister Du Qingqi, and Quan'er is the son of the third sister Du Qingshu.
Both children are studying in Li's private school. After another three to five years, they will be allowed to take the entrance exam for Qingyuan Academy.
With their uncle Du Qingtang who scored the highest score in the imperial examination, they naturally had to take the imperial examination as well.
Du Qingju was grinding ink nearby. Upon hearing this, she chuckled and said, "Cheng and Quan are both smart kids. As long as they study hard, passing the exam won't be a problem."
The two sisters were chatting and laughing, while Du Qingtang was slowly flipping through a book, looking relaxed and comfortable.
Not long after, Ruan Ran returned from Qiong English Society.
Everyone was there and was about to have dinner when there was a knock on the door.
Du Qingzhu called out from the kitchen: "Sister Ran, go open the door."
Ruan Ran put the ladle back into the tub, wiped the water off his hands, and ran to open the door.
The door opened and two men and one woman stood outside.
Ruan Ran looked up at them, his eyes filled with vigilance: "Who are you looking for?"
One of the men asked with a smile, "Is this Mr. Du's home?"
Ruan Ran shook his head: "No, you got the wrong one."
The man believed it and left.
The woman sneered, pushed Ruan Ran aside, and walked in directly: "Where is that unfilial son Du Qingtang?"
Ruan Ran was pushed to the ground by her. The little girl had never suffered any injustice since she was four years old, and her eyes turned red in an instant.
Du Qingzhu heard the voice and came out. She was startled when she saw Yuanshi. Then she found Ruan Ran sitting on the ground with tears in her eyes. She rushed forward in two steps and helped the aggrieved little girl up. "What's going on?"
Ruan Ran quickly glanced at the woman who had taken over the mantle and walked into the main hall, pouring tea and sobbing, "They knocked on the door and asked if this was Mr. Du's home. I saw they had bad intentions, so I said no, and then I was pushed by this old woman."
Du Qingtang came out of the house and heard these words. His eyes turned cold. He didn't even glance at Hu Lao Da and Hu Lao Er. He walked into the main hall and said, "It seems that you have forgotten the pain now that the scar has healed."
The last time I saw Yuanshi, she was pregnant and came to me with confidence to ask for the shop.
In a few years, Yuanshi looked twenty years older.
Her pretty face was covered with wrinkles, her cloudy eyes were filled with haggardness and fatigue, and her temples were originally only frosted with white hair, but now her hair was completely white.
It seems that without her child and being abused by Old Lady Hu and the eldest and second sons Hu, Yuanshi's life in the Hu family is very difficult.
When she was not having a good time, Du Qingtang felt comfortable.
When Yuanshi thought of the warning Du Qingtang gave her last time, she couldn't help but think of her Yaozu who died before he was born. She was overwhelmed with grief and her eyes turned red.
If Yaozu were still alive, she would be a mother of a son.
“Ahem—”
A cough was heard in the yard, and Yuan shuddered reflexively.
Du Qingtang turned her head and saw the eldest and second Hu standing awkwardly against the wall. When they saw her looking at them, they immediately put on a flattering and ingratiating smile.
Yuan glanced at Hu Lao Da and Hu Lao Er, swallowed her saliva, and when she looked at Du Qingtang again, she became righteous and aggressive again.
"I heard you passed the imperial examination and became a high-ranking official. I am your mother. I carried you for ten months and raised you with all my heart. You haven't shown any sign of loyalty since I came back. Be careful or I will report you to the government for being disobedient and unfilial!"
Du Qingtang was too lazy to pay attention to Yuanshi.
The reason why she stayed in Yuanshi until now was simply because she had to observe three years of mourning for her biological mother's death.
Whether it is the imperial examination or becoming an official, three years is tantamount to chronic suicide, and she cannot wait that long.
"Seventh sister, eighth sister, take her to the kitchen."
At Du Qingtang's command, Du Qingzhu rushed forward, grabbed Yuan's arm and walked out.
Yuan Shi refused to do so. She came to the Du family today just to get some benefits from them.
If she didn't get anything, she would definitely be beaten up by Boss Hu and Second Hu when she returned.
"I won't leave. If you don't give me an explanation today, I'll go to the government and sue you!"
Du Qingzhu was already furious because Ruan Ran was pushed down, and when he saw Yuanshi still complaining, he became even more furious and dragged her out.
"Come in."
At Du Qingtang's command, Big Hu and Second Hu looked at each other and walked into the main room with smiles on their faces.
They were standing and sitting with Du Qingtang, but Du Qingtang had the upper hand over them. His sharp eyes looked like a slow slicing of flesh when they fell on him.
"Tell me what you want."
Hu Lao Da and Hu Lao Er's hearts skipped a beat and they quickly shook their heads: "We don't want anything, it's the third brother's wife who insisted..."
Du Qingtang said in a deep voice: "I don't want to say it a second time."
Boss Hu choked, hesitated for a moment, and rubbed his hands and said, "Third brother's wife is your mother. Now that you are going to Xiajing to become a high official, you must take her to Xiajing to enjoy a good life, right?"
Du Qingtang's gaze fell into the void, and she spoke slowly: "Once a woman of the Hu family, she will be a woman of the Hu family until she dies."
Hu Lao Er nodded: "That's natural, so I thought, when the time comes, my third sister-in-law will go to Xiajing with you to enjoy the good life, and we will follow..."
Du Qingtang blinked, his eyes fell on Hu Laoer, and he said calmly: "Don't be too greedy."
Hearing the warning, the elder Hu and the younger Hu became speechless with froze faces.
They even had to address ordinary yamen runners as "official" and flatter them in various ways, not to mention Du Qingtang, whose official position was higher than that of the county magistrate.
They dare not offend, let alone afford to offend.
Du Qingtang pondered for a moment, then said in a tone that brooked no argument: "Fifty taels a year, take her back, keep an eye on her, and don't let her go anywhere."
Yuanshi is the key to her regaining her identity as a woman, and she must play the greatest role at the most appropriate time.
Before this, Du Qingtang would never allow Yuanshi to escape her control.
The eldest Hu and the second Hu looked at each other, and the eldest Hu grinned and said, "Don't worry, the second Hu and I will definitely take good care of the third brother's wife."
If it were four years ago, fifty taels would not be worth their attention.
But now, since they were forced to undergo castration and turned into a hermaphroditic thing, their bodies are not as good as before, so they can't earn much money.
Fifty taels was enough for them to live comfortably for a whole year.
Du Qingtang put a silver ingot worth fifty taels on the table. Hu Laoda took it, took a bite, put it in his arms with a smile, and winked at Hu Laoer. The two brothers went to the kitchen to catch the man.
"I'm not going back!"
"I want to go to Xiajing with Tang Ge'er and enjoy wealth and glory!"
Yuan Shi was not willing to go back to the Hu family like this. She screamed and dodged. She caught a glimpse of Du Qingtang coming out of the main hall. He rushed towards her at the fastest speed in his life and grabbed her sleeve tightly.
"If you don't take me with you, I'll reveal your identity!"
Facing Yuan's threat, Du Qingtang chuckled and pried her hands apart: "That also requires you to leave Baoding Prefecture, go to Xiajing, and see His Majesty."
"But before that, I will kill you first to eliminate the trouble forever."
Yuanshi heard the cruelty in her tone and shuddered.
It was because of this moment of distraction that he was caught by Boss Hu.
"Let me go!"
Yuan screamed, and Boss Hu slapped her in the face as usual.
He regretted it after the beating, but seeing that Du Qingtang was not angry, his heart fell back into his stomach, and he left the Du family with the dumbfounded Yuan.
Du Qingzhu, Du Qingju and Ruan Ran were in the yard, all looking unhappy.
Du Qingtang waved to Ruan Ran and brushed away the nonexistent dust on her shoulders: "Does it still hurt?"
The little girl pouted and cried, "It doesn't hurt, but she's too much."
Du Qingtang wiped away the tears from her eyes and said soothingly, "She won't come again. I'll go book shopping with you tomorrow, okay?"
Only then did Ruan Ran burst into laughter.
Du Qingtang looked at Zhu Ju and the others again: "What did she say to you?"
He had been smiling brightly, but now the corners of his mouth were drooping.
Du Qingzhu was furious. "She said I was always showing up in public and was not a good wife, so she asked me to give her the shop."
Du Qingju lowered her eyebrows and said, "That's about the same. Tell me not to hang out with men and find a man to marry as soon as possible."
"I won't!" Du Qingzhu kicked the door sill and snorted, "Not only will I not get married, I'm going to open a restaurant and support a man in the future!"
Du Qingju nodded and agreed: "Be a female doctor and support a man!"
Du Qingtang: “…”
On the other side, it was not until she walked out of the Du family that Yuanshi regained consciousness after being slapped by Boss Hu.
Hu Laoer's rough hands grabbed her wrists, causing a dull pain. Yuan Shi struggled but couldn't get free. Her voice trembled and her body trembled: "Let me go, I want to go back."
Hu Lao Er slapped him in the face: "Shut up! Go back quickly, mom is still waiting for you to cook!"
The three figures walked away with low sobs, and the women in the alley appeared one after another.
They eavesdropped on the entire process, from Yuanshi knocking on the door to Yuanshi being beaten and crying loudly.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk, that's miserable."
"I knew it wouldn't work."
"Those people in the Du family are so cruel. They don't care about their own mother and are not afraid of being criticized."
"Tsk—you seem to be talking without any worries. If you ask me, feeling sorry for someone like that will bring you bad luck for the rest of your life!"
"You are such a bad luck, you old woman Liu!"
"It's all my own fault, I can't blame anyone else."
"Oh, how pitiful and hateful!"
-
Yuan's arrival did not leave any trace in the hearts of the girls of the Du family. After a good sleep, Du Qingzhu and Du Qingju were fully revived and rushed to Du's Snacks and Huimin Medical Clinic in the morning sun.
In the afternoon, Du Qingtang took Ruan Ran to a bookstore and bought two books she liked. The little girl forgot the hurt that Yuan Shi had brought her and read the books with great interest.
In the evening, Fu Ci rushed into the Du family courtyard.
“Qingtang Qingtang Qingtang!”
Du Qingtang was sitting under the eaves, fanning himself with a palm-leaf fan and reading a book, and responded nonchalantly.
"News has come from Xiajing: the imperial court will hold a special examination for the Empress Dowager's birthday. The provincial examination will be in August, the metropolitan examination will be in the first month of next year, and the palace examination will be in February!"
Du Qingtang raised his eyes: "There are still two months left, are you ready?"
"I'm ready!" Fu Ci answered forcefully, dancing with joy. "Qingtang Qingtang Qingtang, I'll be able to go to Xiajing to find you next year!"
Du Qingtang raised his eyebrows slightly. "That's great. How about doing a few math problems to celebrate?"
Fu Ci screamed, "Qingtang, you are absolutely crazy!"
Du Qingtang laughed and raised his hand to make a gesture: "Come here."
Although embarrassed and annoyed, Fu Ci still came forward obediently, squatted down and looked up at his friend's delicate and cold face.
Du Qingtang patted her shoulder lightly and said in a clear voice, "Okay, I'll give you half of my luck now."
Fu Ci was startled, then smiled with his eyes curved.
......
In the next two months, Fu Ci entered a tense sprint preparation state.
Wen Boqing and Du Qingtang took turns to give her special lessons, including the Four Books, the Five Classics, policy essays, and eight-legged essays. She worked on them every day until she was exhausted. It was a mixture of pain and joy.
In June, the top scholar monument and the village school were completed one after another.
Du Qingtang took time to go back twice. The rest of the time he either read books at home and taught the girls to read, or went to Yao's house and played chess with Yao Xuan. It was a leisurely and comfortable time.
On July 25, Du Qingtang and Yao Jingzhou set off for Beijing to take up their posts.
Just like before, we took a horse carriage to Zhending County, then took the water route to Shuntian Prefecture, and then took the land route to Xiajing.
Du Qingtang did not continue to live in Yao's house, but moved into a second courtyard house in the same alley as Yao's house.
After resting for two days, Du Qingtang and Yao Jingzhou went to the Ministry of Rites to receive the appointment documents.
Officials of Daxia, from the first rank to the ninth rank, were required to produce documents of appointment when taking office, otherwise they would not be recognized.
The two men went to the Ministry of Revenue, found the clerk who distributed the appointment documents, and explained their purpose.
The clerk, about thirty years old, greeted them with a smile: "Please tell me your names, ages, and places of origin so that I can verify them."
Du Qingtang and Yao Jingzhou reported the relevant information, and the clerk went to the bookshelf at the back to look for the corresponding appointment documents.
"Yao Jingzhou, seventh-rank editor of the Hanlin Academy."
Yao Jingzhou took the document and thanked him gently.
The clerk went to look for Du Qingtang again, but after a while he turned back and handed a document to Du Qingtang.
"Du Qingtang, a sixth-rank judge in Runing Prefecture, Henan Province."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
