Thus, it was essential to keep up appearances, but just because Master Wang put on a good front didn’t mean he wasn’t proud to the core. The Wang Family had been royal merchants for over a decade, so in his eyes, there was no family in this small suburb of Lian’an Town that he considered a match.
Let alone a mere peasant.
Of course, he had no desire to meet such a man, but he also had to be careful not to make it too obvious, after all, winning over the public would serve as a protective shield for himself.
Especially since the New Emperor’s ascension, the previous princes’ faction members were not in his favor. While the Wang family had returned to the countryside to downplay their status, it didn’t mean the Emperor would turn a blind eye. If they were to remember them and decide to take action, it would be disastrous.
Lady Wang sighed, "Back then, our Wang Family was so powerful, but now we have to suppress ourselves like this, dear, you must be feeling wronged."
"No matter. After all, we have Lord Marquis has our protector and he has never abandoned old friendships. Also, our sons, Song Song and Ahzhao, hold positions at court, and the emperor hasn’t meddled with them either. Our current plight isn’t that desperate; we just have to be cautious. At this point, we can’t draw attention to ourselves. Please let everyone in our household know that they should keep a low profile!"
Lady Wang nodded, "Yes."
Whilst speaking, the old steward walks in and, with a smile, greets Master Wang, "Master, here is the ledger detailing all the earnings of our shops in Lian’an Town. Please, have a look."
Master Wang took it and casually flipped through it, not too concerned. The shops in Lian’an Town were once their economical lifeline, but after becoming royal merchants for over a decade, these businesses were no longer of interest to Master Wang.
The old steward noticed the lack of interest on Master Wang’s face and mentioned, "As I came in just now, I saw two men at the gate. One of them seems to be the man who stopped your carriage yesterday, begging for silver."
Master Wang didn’t even look up, "Hmm."
The steward chuckled, "Speaking of which, it’s a coincidence. After yesterday’s incident, I casually asked around. It turns out that his wife, who he mentioned was a former wet nurse in our household, had died several years ago. He remarried, and his children from the first marriage were driven away penniless several months ago. The money from his former wife was spent down to the last cent, and he seems to be happily living with his new wife and her family."
Master Wang raised an eyebrow, glancing at him: "Oh?"
"Yesterday, when that man was begging, he did not mention any of this, did he?"
Master Wang impassively tossed the account book aside, "Why do we care about the matters of other people’s households? Just dismiss him."
Even if he were to give him money, it wouldn’t be out of sympathy or obligation, just a show public goodwill. After all, he was just a chess piece in the game, insignificant to whether his wife was the actual servant of his household.
Lady Wang waved irritably: "In the future, don’t even mention these shameless people."
"Yes." The steward quickly retreated.
However, they really underestimated Lady Ding, who, after being politely "asked" to leave by the young servant, took it as a show of respect from the Wang family. With a smile, she thanked them, promising to return.
Initially, they thought it was just a casual remark, but who knows what Lady Ding is capable of? Sure enough, she returned the next morning.
The young gatekeeper of the Wang family managed to dismiss her politely, in the same manner as before.
However, Lady Ding’s persistence was unwavering. She came back every day, bothering the gatekeeper who, although annoyed, did not dare to directly drive her away.
People like Lady Ding seemed to thrive under any bit of attention, and she had pinned her hopes on the Wang family, dutifully visiting daily under the guise of expressing her sincerity.
Ji Dashan, who cared about face, stopped her from visiting again, "What are you doing? You’ve been turned away time and again. It’s clear they are reluctant to meet, so why do you insist on going and embarrassing yourself? Do we even stand a chance to be associated with such a family?"
Lady Ding sneered, "Just because they are reluctant, you wouldn’t go? You value your face too much. Can you eat face? Have you ever thought about it, the Wangs are royal merchants! We could potentially be affiliated with such a wealthy family and if we do, our lives will turn for the better! Such a golden opportunity is within our grasp. If you don’t seize it, do you wish to remain a manual labourer for the rest of your life, earning a few copper coins? Have you lost your mind?"
Speechless, Ji Dashan angrily stormed out of the house.
Lady Ding scowled at his retreating figure, muttering under her breath, "Useless man."
——
Tonight, Ji Xinhe cooked a large bone broth. At dinner, Xiao Bei was the first to receive a generous bowl of soup, "Here, have some soup first, our little scholar."
Ji Dong laughed, "Looks like Xiao Bei’s school entrance exam went well, huh?"
Ji Xinhe proudly nodded, "Indeed, when I took Xiao Bei to register, the teacher asked him five questions. Xiao Bei could answer three. The teacher even praised Xiao Bei for his intelligence. Initially, I wasn’t sure if he’d get accepted. But today, we received a letter from the academy saying that Xiao Bei can start school."
"Xiao Bei is talented! It seems our family does have scholarly potential." Ji Dong smiled as he tousled Xiao Bei’s hair.
"Actually, Xiao Bei managed to answer only three questions and it’s not remarkable. But for the other two questions he couldn’t answer, he admitted he did not know and even asked the teacher about them. The teacher said, the boy is humble and keen to learn. The wise, indeed, are aware of what they know and what they do not know. The teacher accepted him because he saw this in Xiao Bei." Ji Xinhe said with a proud smile, patting Xiao Bei’s head.
Xiao Bei chuckled with embarrassment, "Brother Mu Chu taught me that. Be sincere, make a good impression and never pretend to know something I don’t."
Mu Houchu’s lips curled at the corners, "Xiao Bei hasn’t studied for as long as other kids, so he can’t compete with them yet. That is to be expected. When Chongde Academy selects students, they don’t necessarily demand extensive knowledge, after all, they are there to teach not select talents. Attitude is the priority."
Ji Xinhe giggled, "So our Xiao Bei is indeed lucky, here, have some bone broth soup to reward you too, our pre-school teacher."
Mu Houchu laughed, "You should eat it yourself, look at your skinny body."
While speaking, his eyes involuntarily rested on her chest, hm, it seemed a bit fuller than before.
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