Chapter 179 Jiang Huai
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Having connections makes things easier. Li Shiyue and his group stayed in the prefectural city for a few more days, made arrangements with the people sent by Jiang Huijun, and rented a small shop in a relatively secluded location near the end of Shuyuan Street in the prefectural city.
The rent for this shop is really not high, at least compared to the area around the prefectural city.
However, it also depends on the location and size of the shop.
This shop may look small, but it has a second floor. The front of the shop can be used to sell goods, and there are three rooms in the back. Now it even has a place for the shop assistants to live and a warehouse.
Anyway, Li Shiyue was quite satisfied with the shop.
She thought that this shop would become their paper mill's base in the prefectural city.
Once this shop opens, having a storefront will make it easier to ship goods out, right?
Moreover, this is Jiang Huijun's family shop. With such a connection, doing business here will at least save them some trouble in the prefectural city.
The matter of setting up the shop was actually completed in less than a day. Of course, they didn't open the shop yet; they were just preparing for it.
Furthermore, the shop needs to be renovated, and the output of the paper mill in Liujiatun also needs to be increased. It will be at least two or three months before the shop can be opened.
The extra few days that Li Shiyue and the others spent in the prefectural city were actually spent waiting for Jiang Huijun to help them find a suitable teacher.
The school in Liujiatun has been built, but it only needs some desks, chairs, and writing materials before classes can start.
Therefore, inviting the gentleman became the most important matter.
Jiang Huijun did not disappoint Li Shiyue. After waiting for three days, Li Shiyue met the scholar named Jiang Huai.
Jiang Huijun summoned both of them to the Yuelai Restaurant, to the same plum blossom private room as last time, and even the tableware was exactly the same as last time.
After exchanging greetings with Jiang Huai, who looked to be only two or three years older than herself, Jiang Huijun asked the two of them to sit down.
"We're all on the same side, so I'll tell you the truth in front of both of you."
Jiang Huijun's temperament was exactly to Li Sanniang's liking; she liked people who spoke their minds.
Or, one could say that Jiang Huijun saw through Li Shiyue's temperament and therefore acted in this way.
Jiang Huijun first said to Li Shiyue, "Jiang Huai, also surnamed Jiang, is a relative of my maternal family."
In October, I'll tell you the truth: Jiang Huai and my family are five degrees of kinship, but this child is resolute and has been quite talented since childhood.
However, his life was full of misfortunes. He lost his father when he was young and his mother when he was a teenager. He was a good student and passed the imperial examination at a young age.
He was only eighteen when he passed the imperial examination and became a scholar, which is rare in my family.
His clan could have sponsored his studies at the prefectural school, but he said he didn't want to take the exams anymore and just wanted to find a way to make a living.
When you mentioned wanting to invite the gentleman, he was the first person I thought of.
After Jiang Huijun finished speaking, Li Shiyue turned to look at Jiang Huai. Jiang Huai cupped his hands in greeting and said, "Madam Li, my situation is just as my aunt said."
I was fortunate enough to spend several years studying alone and even passed the imperial examination to become a Xiucai (a scholar who passed the lowest level of the imperial examinations).
Unfortunately, my aptitude is limited, and even with the support of my clan, it will be difficult for me to pass the imperial examination.
So I thought, why not find a job as soon as possible?
After hearing what my aunt said, I really longed for the job of a schoolteacher that you mentioned.
To be honest, my clan has never mistreated me, but if I fail to pass the imperial examination, I will feel guilty towards my relatives.
Therefore, I still think I should start working as soon as possible, firstly to earn some money to support myself;
Secondly, if there's any surplus, I can give it back to the clan, which will ease my conscience."
Faced with Jiang Huai's hopeful gaze, Li Shiyue returned the greeting with a cupped hand, and then slowly began to speak.
"The young lady's family members are all capable people, especially those who have passed the imperial examinations. If we can get help from Young Master Jiang, it will be a great fortune for our Liu Family Village."
However, Mr. Jiang, I will not lie to you. I suppose you have already heard your wife mention that the school in our village is only the size of two rooms. The purpose of building this school is, firstly, to provide a place for the children of the workers in my paper mill to go.
They are all children under ten years old. It would be a good thing if they could be kept in their care to learn some principles and recognize some characters.
Secondly, I was thinking that during the off-season, I would ask a teacher to help teach the villagers to read documents and do arithmetic. They don't necessarily need to be able to write; just being able to write their own names is enough.
The point is to make sure that when you do business in the future, you don't give people the wrong change.
My uncles and aunts are all from the countryside, not as young and easy to teach as children. Would you still be willing to come, Mr. Jiang?
If Young Master Jiang doesn't mind, this fee is indispensable!
We'll provide two portions, according to the standards of the prefectural city!
Furthermore, our paper mill will supply all of your paper from now on!
If Young Master Jiang doesn't mind, there are suitable courtyards in the village. We can pay for one for him to live in.
If Young Master Jiang is not pleased, it is still not too late to build another one for him at this time of year.
"Why wouldn't I want to?"
When my mother was alive, I taught her to read after I learned it at the clan school!
It just takes a little more effort!
Besides, I only benefited from being part of the clan and was able to study at the clan school from a young age. When my father was alive, he also had to work in the fields. How could I look down on farmers?
What Lady Li said is absolutely right. The old house is enough. I live alone; why would I need to build a new one?
Li Shiyue could tell that Jiang Huai was sincere; after all, words can lie, but eyes and heartbeats cannot.
Li Shiyue possessed exceptional senses; she kept staring at Jiang Huai, and at least for the moment, Jiang Huai was sincere.
If you regret going back to Liujiatun with them, then you should just send them back properly.
Having considered all this, Li Shiyue readily agreed to Jiang Huai's suggestion with a smile.
Thus, this was a meeting that ended happily for everyone.
Li Shiyue and Jiang Huai agreed on a date and time to meet at the city gate of the prefecture. Jiang Huai would then go back to Liujiatun with them.
During her stay in the prefectural city, Li Shiyue not only took care of all the necessary tasks, but also "caught" Liu Shu to do a task, earning 200 points and a chance to win a prize. Li Shiyue truly felt that this trip was worthwhile.
After a shopping spree in the city, Li Shiyue and his companions left the small restaurant by carriage, picked up Jiang Huai outside the city, and made an appointment with Li Wangming, who had come to see them off, for their next visit to the city. The group then headed home on the clatter of horses' hooves.
Meanwhile, Li Shiyang, who had returned from Sanshan County two days earlier, was sitting on the kang (a heated brick bed) trying to reason with Li Youfu, who had a long face.
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