Chapter 130
Since Manager Xu mistook me for Lu Yilin, the person who was looking for me must also be a young man!
Manager Xu looked at Gu Ran with a puzzled look on his face, "Why, didn't he come to find you?"
"I've only been back a few days, and no one's come to visit!" Gu Ran shook his head. "Then, Manager Xu, have you told him about my time in Xiaxi Village?"
"He didn't reveal his identity, and I didn't know his name. He was evasive in his words, and I was afraid of causing trouble for you, so of course I didn't tell you." Manager Xu shook his head.
"Hey, Manager Xu, you're quite a nice person."
"Mrs. Gu, what you said is not right. Ever since Fusheng started doing business with you, when have I ever treated you unfairly? Haven't I always been a nice person?" Manager Xu pretended to be angry.
Gu Ran was so happy that he couldn't help laughing.
"However, just because I don't tell him doesn't mean he can't get the news from other people," Manager Xu reminded.
After all, most people in Jianzhou now know that the person who saved General Qiao and received the saint's generous reward was the lady of the Gu family in Xiaxi Village, the boss Gu who bought the entire Dunzi Island to plant orange trees.
It was precisely because he bought the deserted island that he became General Qiao's savior and turned into such a legend.
So whether Manager Xu said it or not, those who came to look for her would sooner or later find out about Dunzi Island and Xiaxi Village.
Maybe someone had gone to Xiaxi Village some time ago, but we didn't meet him because Gu Er Niang hadn't come back. But now he's back. If he has good intentions, it's fine. But if he has bad intentions, I'm afraid he has bad intentions, so we have to be careful.
"I will pay attention to it. Thank you, Manager Xu." Gu Ran decided to ignore it. Since they wanted to find him, they would naturally come to him.
Whether she is in Jianzhou or the county, she is a figure that cannot be underestimated. She has the support of the Qiao family of Pingze Hou and has been rewarded for bringing back talented generals. Even if someone wants to take action against her, he has to weigh the pros and cons.
No matter the other party's identity or origin, or what their intentions are, we should fight them with our own strength.
However, Gu Ran didn't know that the man who came to her house after the reputation of the Gu family spread was Qin Zhikai, the fourth master of the Qin family, whom she had long forgotten and regarded as unworthy of mention.
Why would Qin Zhikai turn around and look for Gu Ran?
This is a long story.
Thinking back to the place where Qin's family settled down after divorcing Gu Ran, it was a village that was arranged for them to live in after Chen Jieguan made some arrangements. It was in Fengzhou in Fujian, a prefecture under Puzhou, and a large village in the richest county under Fengzhou. It had beautiful mountains and clear waters, and there was no worry about miasma. It was only half an hour's drive from the county. Compared with Xiaxi Village where Gu Ran was sent to: a small village, remote in the mountains, with a miasma forest, and a two-hour donkey cart ride to the county, it was much better.
With the help of Qin Xiang's disciples such as Chen Jie Guan, who also had hidden money on hand, the Qin family bought a large blue brick house as soon as they arrived in Pingtan Village. In the eyes of the villagers of Pingtan Village, the Qin family was a wealthy family with an extraordinary origin.
The Qin family also thinks so.
They felt that being sent to Pingtan Village was only temporary, and that their Qin family would eventually return to the capital, so they might as well leave the imperial capital and spend some time in the south, just as a vacation.
Although they had some complaints about the big house they bought and were extremely uncomfortable with life without slaves, they endured it for the time being and waited. When the third prince came to power and knew about the Qin family's efforts, and when he issued a general amnesty, their Qin family could revive.
While waiting, you still have to live your life.
Now that they are no longer prisoners, they have suffered for more than a year and naturally have to make up for it. They need to buy clothes, food, and accessories and cannot treat themselves badly anymore. Therefore, in the entire Pingtan Village, the family that lives the best is actually this new family.
As for the ten acres of arable land allocated by the government, it was also Mrs. Qin who made the decision to rent it out and divide it into 30% and 70%. When the millet was harvested, the rice could also be used as tax grain.
It can be said that even though the Qin family does not engage in farming and cannot distinguish between the five grains, they are knowledgeable and good at housekeeping. They have seen more of the world than ordinary ladies and husbands. It is impossible that they would really lose their way out just because they were exiled to a wild place and could not farm.
What's more, the Qin family has the support of the disciples left by Prime Minister Qin, and they have saved up 3,000 nails from the shipwreck. If the Qin family can find a way out and run the business peacefully, their life will be fine, although it may not be as good as living in a mansion with carved beams and painted rafters in the Prime Minister's Mansion in the capital, where they can live a life of luxury and not worry about food and clothing.
But after being used to the life in the prime minister's mansion where slaves and servants ordered them around, the gap between living like an ordinary commoner with no official status was too big, and many people in the Qin family were unhappy.
They are all waiting for the third prince to ascend to the throne.
When the new emperor ascends the throne, even though the Qin family has not received any credit for following the emperor, they are still meritorious officials. As long as the disciples left by their own Prime Minister Qin in the court whisper a few words to the new emperor, they can be freed from the crime, leave this hellhole and return to the capital.
By then, with the support of Prime Minister Qin's people and the appreciation of the new emperor, will the Qin family still be afraid of losing their foothold in the capital?
They waited and waited, but what they got was the news that the empress had ascended the throne.
"Did I hear correctly? The one sitting on the dragon throne wasn't the Third Prince?"
When the news of the previous emperor's abdication and the new emperor's rise to power reached Pingtan Village, the Qin family was shocked and thought the rumor was false.
"It's not the Third Prince. It is said that the current Saint is the true emperor. The Third Prince has been defeated!"
Mr. Qin Sanye, who is now mainly responsible for walking around outside, said in a gloomy tone with his ears drooping.
"Who said that he is the Son of Heaven? It is obvious that the Third Prince is the one with extraordinary talent and is unparalleled in the world. She is just a woman..." Madam Qin said unwillingly.
"Mother!" Third Master Qin and Fourth Master Qin both stopped Mrs. Qin from continuing.
If such treasonous words were heard by someone with ulterior motives, the Qin family would be in trouble again.
"Isn't it? Obviously your father..."
"Father is dead, and besides, what he said is useless," Third Master Qin said impatiently, "It is the ministers in the court who believe that the current emperor possesses the divine power of a dragon."
When Mrs. Qin heard this, she sat down.
The power of the dragon is bestowed by heaven.
She had of course heard her husband talk about what the Heaven-Bestowed Dragon Power was.
It is the divine power of the Han royal family in power. Only the princess in the royal family with the appearance of an emperor can obtain this divine power. She can control all officials and observe thousands of miles away. No one in the world can match her.
No wonder the Third Prince was defeated by her.
"Then what should our Qin family do?"
"Now that the new emperor has ascended the throne, there will definitely be an amnesty. Father has many people left in the capital, and he will definitely report our names when the time comes."
However, this delusion was shattered soon after.
When the new emperor ascended the throne, he did not grant amnesty to the entire nation. The Qin family's plan to use this as a shortcut to escape punishment and return to the capital was gone.
For a while, everyone in the Qin family was worried and suffering.
If they could not rely on the new emperor's amnesty to restore their status as good citizens, they would be trapped in Minzhou.
They cannot leave the place where they settle down at will, and the government will not let them leave easily. Even if they follow the rules and go to the government to get a pass, it is still difficult.
Are they destined to be farmers in Pingtan Village for the rest of their lives?
"No, since this way doesn't work, then we can only do the second way." After all, it was Mrs. Qin who had endured the hard times with her husband, and the one who recovered the fastest in the Qin family was Mrs. Qin.
"We can't just sit there and wait for death, Shiro. I'm afraid this family can only rely on you."
Qin Zhikai was stunned. When Mr. Qin San heard what Mrs. Qin said, his face showed dissatisfaction, but he still suppressed it.
Grandma Qin San glanced at her husband, bit her lip, and said nothing.
At first, Prime Minister Qin was also a low-ranking official who rose through the ranks and was finally appointed Prime Minister. Since he could not turn his fate around by relying on the new emperor's amnesty, the only thing left for him was to follow the path of Prime Minister Qin again.
The Great Sheng Dynasty did not restrict exiles from taking the imperial examinations. As long as someone had talent and knowledge, they could pass the examination.
Qin Si had a reputation for extraordinary talent when he was in Beijing. Now it seems that he can only pursue studies and become an official.
Everyone in the Qin family understood what Mrs. Qin meant, and although they had some objections, they kept silent when they thought that if Qin Si could really be like Prime Minister Qin and revive the family, they would all prosper together.
Even Qin San and his wife, who had many complaints, had to swallow their anger.
Qin Zhikai, who had always been a bastard's son and had never been valued like this, felt quite proud.
Yes, my eldest brother died saving my grandmother. In the entire Qin family, the most capable and promising one is me. If I don’t rely on him, who else can I rely on?
Qin Zhikai had a beautiful dream that night. He made great progress in his studies and became a disciple of the emperor. Like his father, he had a successful career and became an important official of the new emperor again. He was respected by all officials and restored the Qin family.
He is a rare talent in the capital. In this wild and desolate place of Minzhou, people are poorly educated and there are no famous teachers. Who can compare with his erudition?
Even compared with the local students, he has read many more books of sages. Wouldn't it be easy for him to compete with them for a place in Shenglin Academy in Damao City?
That’s right, Qin Zhikai decided to take the qualification test held by Fengzhou Prefecture to select students for Shenglin Academy.
If the Imperial College in the capital is the highest institution of learning for the powerful and aristocratic families in the capital area, then the Shenglin Academy in Damao City is the highest institution of learning for all scholars in the world. Like the students of the Imperial College, the students of Shenglin Academy are also disciples of the emperor. As long as they perform well and are recommended by teachers and famous scholars, they can be sent directly to the capital to serve as officials without having to go through the imperial examination.
Qin Si didn't get into the Imperial College to study in the capital. Is it because he is not good enough?
Of course not, he just doesn't want to and there is no need.
To put it another way, even if he cannot compare with those students in the capital, he was born in the capital after all and has a wide range of knowledge. How can he not compare with the scholars in Minzhou?
Qin Zhikai was full of enthusiasm and decided to take part in the Fengzhou examination that year. Everyone in the Qin family also had high hopes for him, but they did not expect that Qin Zhikai was really not up to the mark.
After the list of candidates for Fengzhou's college entrance examination was released, Qin Zhikai was not selected.
Qin Zhikai was stunned, and the Qin family panicked.
The hope for the Qin family's revival lies with Qin Zhikai, how can he fail?
After repeated confirmation, when Qin Zhikai failed to pass the entrance examination to Shenglin Academy, the Qin family fell into despair again.
Qin Zhikai recovered from his disappointment and muttered, "The case files in the capital are different from those in Fengzhou, and the examiner is also unusual. I haven't adapted to them, so I didn't perform well, so..."
Mrs. Qin glared at him fiercely: This useless guy, if her eldest son hadn't been gone, would she have counted on him? If she had known that he was a good-for-nothing, she should have stopped her eldest son from saving the old grandmother when they were exiled.
"Mother, Third Brother, let me try again!"
Since there were too many rivals in the Fengzhou exam, which led to his poor performance and also used up the only chance for a person to take the exam, then it should be okay for him to start from the lower level and take the county exam, right?
He just didn't believe that he wouldn't be able to pass the exam and become a scholar!
But this time, Qin San and his wife had something to say.
After living in Pingtan Village for more than a year, Qin Zhikai had a tight budget for food, clothing, housing and transportation, but the expenses for his studies accounted for the largest portion.
They are both sons of the Qin family, and Qin San is the biological son of Mrs. Qin. Why should they continue to support Qin Si, a bastard?
It would be a different story if he could get into Shenglin Academy, but now it seems that he is just an ordinary person. It seems that they were deceived by the fourth brother before. Since he is a nobody, why should they still count on him?
The Qin family didn't have much money left originally, and Qin Si still wanted to take the county school entrance exam, but didn't he know that it would be a waste of money?
"Mother, we have such a large family to support. Lately, I've been thinking about going out to make a living and not just sitting around eating up all the money I earn. But if the money I earn has to be used to support my fourth brother's education, I absolutely don't want that."
"Sanlang, I know you're angry. If you could be as talented in studying as he is, Mother would definitely support you in your studies." Madam Qin sighed. "But, you know the situation at home. If our Qin family wants to make a name for itself, we can only rely on your fourth brother..."
"Mother, do you really think so?"
"That's right. Your father and your second uncle went through life in the past. Mother remembers that when she married into the Qin family, the whole family..." Mrs. Qin started to talk about the same old things as before. She talked about the past when Prime Minister Qin's family supported her husband alone, and her husband worked hard to study and make progress, while her second uncle Qin helped her husband solve problems and relieve his worries behind the scenes.
"Mother, please be more clear-headed. Fourth brother is not father, and I am not second uncle." Mr. Qin San interrupted his mother and said coldly, "Besides, father and second uncle are brothers after all. I am fourth brother and I, right?"
"Sanlang, you?"
"Mother, you are partial to my fourth brother and not to me. So who is your biological son, my fourth brother or am I?"
"Sanlang, you can't say that..."
"What else can I say?" Third Master Qin said impatiently. "Anyway, it's not that I don't agree with what you mean, mother. We have already given Fourth Brother a chance. He is incompetent. Given that, we will never allow him to squander our family's money any longer."
"Sanlang, you are so outrageous."
"Wake up, mother. Look at our family. My eldest sister-in-law has a pair of children to support. Brother Lu is already eleven years old. He should have learned to read and write long ago. But because we gave all the money to my fourth brother, we can't even afford to send him to school."
"Don't you have your sister-in-law to help teach? She comes from a family of scholars, so wouldn't she be better at teaching a boy than some unknown teacher from out there?"
"And my brother Bao..."
"Bao Ge'er is only four years old, there's no rush."
Qin San looked at his mother for a long while, then took a deep breath. "Okay, mother, if you want to continue sending my fourth brother to school, go ahead. We, the third branch, will not get involved. Let's just live separately."
"What did you say?"
"I say, our third branch wants to split up," said Mr. Qin Sanye. "Mother, please give us all the money that should be divided among our third branch. We will move out and start our own family. You can support our fourth brother as long as you like."
"Qin Zhirui, you rebellious son! Mother is still alive. How dare you divide the family?"
"Why wouldn't I dare?" Mr. Qin glanced back at Grandma Qin, who was standing silently by the side. "Call the eldest sister-in-law in and ask her if she's willing to share."
"You guys?" Mrs. Qin was so angry that she couldn't speak when she saw Qin San's wife walking out quickly.
Soon, Grandma Qin also came in. Seeing that Mrs. Qin was on the verge of a fight with Qin San and his wife, she didn't understand what they meant for a moment. When Qin San said that he wanted to divide the family, she was stunned, and then she remembered her son.
Grandma Qin was originally the wife of a Hanlin scholar and married to Prime Minister Qin's legitimate son. They were originally in harmony with each other, but unexpectedly, Prime Minister Qin secretly sided with the third prince and committed the crime of treason. Her husband even lost his life while saving the old lady of the Qin family during exile.
Grandma Qin was filled with pain and hatred, but her pain was barely relieved until she finally arrived at Pingtan Village and saw that her two children were safe.
However, when her beloved son reached the age to go to school, he was not only unable to hire a famous teacher and enter an academy like other young men in Beijing, he was not even allowed to go to an ordinary private school. This was because all the family money had been moved to Qin Si. Now that she saw Qin Si failed the exam and heard that Mrs. Qin had to support him to go to the county school, she felt unfair.
If her husband were still alive, when would it be their turn to mobilize the entire family to send Qin Si to take the imperial examination?
My husband is not like this empty-headed Qin Si. He has real talent and knowledge. It's a pity... why did he choose to save the dying old lady?
He clearly has a wife and children to take care of. If he were here, how could they lose their backbone and allow their mother-in-law to act recklessly?
"Rong'er, do you want to divide the family too?" Mrs. Qin asked her eldest daughter-in-law with a pleasant expression.
Her eldest daughter-in-law comes from a scholarly family and is well-educated and well-mannered. She will definitely stand on her side.
"Mother-in-law, if you can avoid dividing it, it's better not to do so. But there are also advantages to dividing it," said Grandma Qin.
"What did you say?"
"Mother-in-law, if you agree to send our Lu'er to a private school and treat him the same as Fourth Uncle, then we can leave our eldest son's family as is." Grandma Qin said, "If you don't agree and only send Fourth Uncle to school while keeping our Lu'er at home, then we can also separate our eldest son's family."
"How dare you! This is how you behave as a wife?" Mrs. Qin was both embarrassed and annoyed.
"Mother-in-law, you have to look at yourself. Is this how you behave...Grandma?" Grandma Qin asked back.
"You...you two, are rebelling against the heavens." Mrs. Qin was extremely angry.
"Mother-in-law, my Lu'er is the grandson of your eldest son, the eldest legitimate grandson. As his mother, you know my husband's character and talent best. Lu'er has inherited my husband's intelligence and is quite talented in studying. In my humble opinion, if you don't want to place your unrealistic expectations on one person, it would be better to support Lu'er than to support Fourth Uncle." Grandma Qin said, "When my husband died, I almost died with him. It was for the sake of Lu'er and Yun'er. If you can't provide a good life for us mother and son, then it would be better for us to separate!"
"You really want to split up the family?" Grandma Qin found it amusing. "Do you think you're the third wife, with a husband to support the family? How can you, a woman with two young children, survive?"
"Most families in Minzhou who have established a daughter-in-law household are living well. Even the current emperor is from a family of women. If they can do it, why can't I?"
For some reason, Grandma Qin thought of Gu, who had beaten the thief half to death in Quzhou Prison in order to gain a chance of survival.
She was touched at that moment.
Gu was penniless and had no one to rely on, yet she dared to divorce Qin Si in a wild land. What was wrong with her setting up her own family for the sake of her two children?
"Well, since you think so highly of yourself..." Mrs. Qin felt a chill in her heart, but under their pressure, she gradually calmed down and finally stopped what she had blurted out.
"I'll think about this again."
After all, she was also afraid that she would be alienated from her own flesh and blood because of Qin Si.
In the end, the division of the family was not completed. Mrs. Qin called Qin Si and explained what everyone had said: "The money I gave you in the end was given according to the previous rules of the Qin Mansion. Whether you want to continue your studies or do something else to make a living is up to you."
Qin Zhikai was confused.
After he came to Pingtan Village, he was still lazy and ignorant of the five grains, and only focused on studying. Now he heard from Mrs. Qin that she would not support his education. If he still wanted to study, he would have to make up the money himself.
But where would he get the extra money to make up for the rent?
Are there also pens, ink, paper, and inkstone, and interpersonal relationships?
"Mother, please believe me again, I can definitely do it." Qin Zhikai pleaded.
"You should know that we didn't have much money when we left the capital, and now most of it has been spent on sending you to school. It's not that we don't want to give you a chance, but we really can't afford the gamble!" Mrs. Qin became much more rational after she came to her senses.
After arriving in Pingtan Village, the remaining assets of the Qin family were in her hands. Yesterday, after being forced by Qin's eldest daughter-in-law and third son, she counted the remaining money and realized that it was only half a hundred. Only then did she wake up and break out in a cold sweat.
She is still the head of the Qin family. She doesn't have to work and has Qin San's wife and Qin Si Niang to serve her. That's why she lives such a comfortable life. If she loses her money and becomes enemies with her own son and grandson, it's not worth it.
Otherwise, who will serve me?
"I see quite a few scholars out there, some of whom are working to earn money while studying. You should go and see what kind of business they can take to earn some money."
Asking him, a scholar, to make money?
Qin Zhikai laughed angrily: "Well, you two all look down on me, just wait and see what happens to me if I pass the exam and become successful."
You can make big promises, but you still lack money.
Originally, because of his status, he could receive a small monthly salary in the Qin Mansion. Now, because his family was financially destitute, the only money he could get was, two taels of silver?
Are you sending away beggars? Qin Zhikai was angry.
But, he had to call her mother no matter what. The money was in her hands. If she said she didn't want to give it to him, could he say no?
After returning to his room, he began to find out all the money he had saved, counted it, and frowned.
Because his whole family had supported his education, he had a very high opinion of himself, so whenever he got money, he spent it lavishly.
Now his family no longer gave him money, and he had not saved much money. The cash he had on hand was only a little over one or two taels, plus the two taels he had just received, which made it just over three taels.
He was really puzzled as to how he could go to school with only three taels of silver.
what to do?
Qin Zhikai set his sights on his younger sister Qin Sanniang.
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