"How's the nitrate mine going? What's the progress of mining?"
Xu Zheng felt that his daughter's mind had been a bit off lately. Was it because the feng shui of the brothel was bad? Why was she talking business with a five-year-old?
She's so young, what could she possibly understand?
Seeing the two children sitting in the room, Xu Zheng took a deep breath. Out of sight, out of mind, he decided to go and pay a visit to the Hou family.
"Everything went smoothly, it should arrive here tomorrow," Huo Xiaolong said.
"Can you tell me what to do tomorrow?" Miss Xu asked.
"no problem!"
Xu Qiushui then said...
"Do you know the Wang family of Biancheng, specifically Wang Buyou?"
“I know,” Huo Xiaolong replied.
“He’s been so attentive these past few days. I can’t even bear to look at the owner of Huaxuetang. He’s been so solicitous and concerned.”
"What? Does he even like my Aunt He?"
The almond-eyed girl nodded in reply.
"Anyone can see that they're all circling around her."
Huo Xiaolong curled his lips and said
"My aunt He hasn't gotten married in the last few years."
"What's wrong? The Wang family, the Wang family of Biancheng. My Xu family is withdrawing from the imperial merchant election next year, so the Wang family has the best chance. Even so, your aunt doesn't agree?"
The little dumpling nodded.
"I definitely won't agree. It's not about whether we're good enough or not. My Aunt He has big ambitions. You might say that if she married Wang Buyou, she could become the richest woman in Great Yan. A royal merchant? Tsk tsk tsk."
Huo Xiaolong shook his finger as he spoke, indicating that she felt it wasn't going to work.
He Qingzhu doesn't seem like someone who's blinded by love; her goal is the stars and the sea.
"Long'er, the sword is here for you!" The maid's voice rang out from outside the door. Huo Xiaolong said goodbye to Xu Qiushui and went out to greet his little sister.
“Miss Huo,” Li Jian greeted her.
The little girl looked at Huo Pan's sharp sword and became happier and happier. It was as if she were a flower she had planted herself, now blooming in its season. The little girl standing there was the epitome of composure and depth.
"Are you thinking of picking up someone back lately?"
Huo Xiaolong understood her. With the migration of refugees and the war in Pingyang County, a large number of orphans and beggars had appeared. As the former leader of the little beggars, Huo Panlijian probably couldn't hold back, but he was afraid of causing trouble for himself, so he probably put them in the dilapidated temple again.
The little dumpling heard from the teacher that Li Jian was very hardworking, using his spare time to copy books and sell them, and the money he earned was probably all used to support those little beggars.
The little girl blushed and nodded. She wasn't a great philanthropist, but she just couldn't bear to see people starving to death. Now that the weather was warmer, there shouldn't be any people freezing to death.
She remembered that she had promised Grandpa Whitebeard that she would fulfill Miss Huo's wish, and she tried her best to do so.
"Give."
Huo Xiaolong stuffed a large silver ingot into Li Jian's hand.
The little girl quickly refused, waving her hand.
“No need, Miss Huo, I… I can support them.”
"We can't just rely on raising them; we need to give them something to do."
The saltpeter mine was never just for Huo Xiaolong's personal desires; she wanted to ensure that everyone in the world had enough to eat and wear, and this was something she truly cared about.
"Take them to tidy up, and bring them over tomorrow night. I have work for them to do."
"They want to earn their own money and support themselves."
"We can't rely on you all the time!"
Seeing the little bundle of joy reaching his chest utter these words, Huo Pan tightened his grip on the silver ingot in his hand and bowed to her.
"A sharp sword will never fail in its mission."
I want everyone to know that it was Miss Huo who gave them hope for survival. Only she... only her.
They were just as uneasy as the little beggars in the dilapidated temple back then, Huo Xiaolong said, standing in front of them.
“Starting today, you can come and work every night. You will earn five coins a day, including dinner. During the day, someone will take you to classes and reading. If you don’t want to stay, you can leave.”
She had already asked Huo Panlijian to ask Aunt Hua for a few tutors. Although the tutors' knowledge was not as advanced as that of the county school students, it would be enough for them to teach.
The government pays for the teachers and the school, but they have to earn their own living expenses. Huo Xiaolong gave them this opportunity.
The work wasn't hard or tiring; all I had to do was mix saltpeter every day and then push the molds into the ice cellar.
"We read books?" a child asked.
They didn't get to go to school when they had parents, so why are they studying now?
“Yes, reading,” Huo Xiaolong replied.
"Reading helps us understand things and gain knowledge. Both men and women should read."
"What do men study for? Wealth, power, and status. You can study for those things too, for yourselves."
The children, especially the girls, didn't understand, but they did understand one thing: they could study just like the boys, and study for themselves.
Studying for wealth and status.
After reading the book, Huo Panlijian learned that the Great Yan Dynasty was quite unfair to women. Even in border villages, for example, she would be abandoned by her parents because she was a girl.
Women are not allowed to participate in scientific research.
But she never doubted Huo Xiaolong's words.
She said that if women can wield power and influence, then so be it.
Before coming here, she asked the gentleman, who was the wife of the prefect, Hua Luan.
"Master, how can I make these people understand that they are indebted to Miss Huo and that they should be loyal to her from now on?"
The woman put down her book, smiled, and replied.
"Giving kindness doesn't necessarily mean expecting anything in return. There are plenty of venomous snakes in this world, and you might get bitten in return. The key is people's hearts. Where are their hearts? To whom do their hearts lean?"
"You can't let them forget the hard times they had. People are naturally competitive, and environments need to be compared. There will always be beggars in this world, and there will always be people who are worse off than them. Do you understand what I mean?"
After digesting the information for a while, Li Jian said...
"Understood, sir."
Yes, there's a constant stream of beggars. Right now it's just Pingyang County, but there are also Biancheng, Yucheng, and Beining. There will always be beggars, and every now and then we need to bring one back so they can remember the hardships they endured and appreciate the present.
Wherever you go in the future, wherever you are, remember that without Huo Xiaolong, you would be just like them.
Helpless and alone...
Although this is not very honorable, and even not very gentlemanly.
But Huo Panli didn't care.
She didn't know what Huo Xiaolong was going to do or what he would do in the future, but she figured he wouldn't just spend his whole life in the inner quarters.
If she wants to be the richest woman, then I will be her housekeeper.
If she wants to be a marshal, then I am her best strategist.
If she wants to become a regional overlord, then I am her strategist.
Anyway, she's sticking with her now.
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