Xie Yin stood by the window. "Did she really say that? A woman's chastity isn't determined by her body?"
“Yes, Miss.” Xie Zhong stood behind her. “Manager Qin always says surprising things. I heard that last year a businessman named Qian Sheng tried to ruin Manager Qin’s reputation, but she beat him up.”
Xie Yin frowned, still unwilling to give up, "Do you think Lu Yunfeng is afraid of Qin Xiaozhou, which is why he doesn't dare to marry me?"
Xie Zhong shook his head. "Miss, a letter from Madam."
Xie Yin opened the letter, her mind filled with rebuke from Madam Xie for her eccentric behavior, and she was told to return to Jizhou within half a month.
"Uncle Zhong, did you say something to Mother?"
Xie Zhong lowered his head. "Miss acts without considering the consequences. Madam is already arranging a marriage for you, but you keep thinking about Lu Yunfeng. I'm doing this all for Miss's own good."
"No, I'm going to go and ask Lu Yunfeng. If he's willing to marry me, I'll defy my mother."
Xie Zhong sighed, but ultimately did not stop him.
Xie Yin knocked on the Qin residence's gate and rushed in despite the gatekeeper's attempts to stop her, shouting, "Lu Yunfeng, Lu Yunfeng, come out here!"
Lu Yunfeng walked out of the flower hall and stood five steps away from Xie Yin. "Miss Xie, is there something you need?"
As the sun set and the sky was filled with its afterglow, Xie Yin looked at the man who had been distant from her from beginning to end, as if rescuing her from the water was the most ordinary thing in the world.
"If Qin Xiaozhou weren't around, would you have married me?"
Lu Yan tilted her head and stood under the eaves of the flower hall. "But without your sister-in-law, there's only Lu Yunfeng from Wangjia Village. You don't even have a chance to get to know each other."
Xie Yin was taken aback, then suddenly laughed, "In your eyes, am I the kind of person who snobs and loves the rich?"
Lu Yan thought for a moment, "No, it's Lu Yunfeng from Wangjia Village who works under the sun and wind every day, carrying water and chopping wood. His skin is rough and his muscles are tough. He's no different from those men in patched clothes you see on the street. There are plenty of men like that in the village. You might not like the soul hidden behind such an appearance."
She continued, "The Lu Yunfeng you see today is the result of my sister-in-law's meticulous crafting and polishing. Because my sister-in-law is a woman, the soul she has shaped is what will fascinate you."
Xie Yin took a step back, still looking at Lu Yunfeng with unwavering determination, "If it weren't for Qin Xiaozhou, would you have married me?"
Lu Yunfeng shook his head, "No."
"Lu Yunfeng from Wangjia Village is struggling to make a living and cannot satisfy Miss's romantic desires. We are not on the same path, so naturally we cannot be together."
Qin Xiaozhou leaned against a pillar in the flower hall. "Miss Xie, please don't covet other people's things, including your husband."
Xie Yin lowered her eyelashes, concealing all her sadness and sorrow, and bowed to Lu Yunfeng from afar, "Young Master Lu, Xie Yin of the Xie family takes her leave."
She turned and walked out of the Qin residence, never looking back.
Xie Zhong sighed as he followed behind her, “Miss, you are as bright as the moon in the sky, why be sad for a merchant? The marriage that Madam arranged for you is the second son of the Li family in Longxi, a handsome and talented man, a thousand times better than the merchant.”
Xie Yin held back her tears, "Lu Yunfeng is the best in the world, and no one will ever be better than him."
“He’s not good to you; he’s not a good person to you,” Xie Zhong advised.
Seeing that the woman was truly heartbroken, he compromised and said, "If Miss really likes it, why not kill that Qin family girl and keep Lu Yunfeng by your side?"
Xie Yin wiped away her tears. "It might be feasible in Jizhou, but this is Fenggu County, under Zhu Bingwen's jurisdiction. The Zhu family and our Xie family are at odds, so the chances of success are too low. I can't risk my family's life."
Xie Zhong was gratified; after all, the young lady belonged to the same family. "The boat is ready; it's time for the young lady to set off."
"Let's go. We probably won't have another chance to come here again."
Half an hour later, as darkness fell, Qiu Shi returned from the dock, excitedly reporting, "Master, Miss Xie has already boarded the ship with her entourage and departed."
Qin Xiaozhou let out a deep breath. If Xie Yin had insisted on her, she would have already planned how to ask Zhu Xian and Gu Yunyao for help. Fortunately, Xie Yin gave up on Lu Yunfeng in the end, saving her trouble.
By the end of May, the busy farming season in the village was over, and the rice paddies were lush and green. The school on Lanyue Mountain had been built, and Lu Yunfeng had consulted someone to choose an auspicious date, which was set for May 20th.
There are five classrooms in the school, each with thirty desks and chairs, and a sand tray the size of a washbasin on each desk.
In ancient times, paper was expensive, so using a sand tray was the most cost-effective way for beginners to learn to read and write. They didn't care about wasting paper or making mistakes; they just wanted to write boldly and be able to read.
On the morning of May 20th, Lanyue Mountain was crowded with people, with as many as 187 seven- or eight-year-old girls coming to enroll.
Lu Yan stood on the steps at the entrance of the academy and shouted at the top of her lungs, "Line up, line up, one by one, don't cut in line or push!"
Unfortunately, the little girl's voice was drowned out by the crowd, and no one could hear what she was saying even after she shouted until her throat was hoarse!
Those behind couldn't hear clearly, so they pushed even harder forward, shouting, "What did they say? I didn't hear you!"
"I don't know, it's too far away, let's squeeze in a little!"
...
The two registration tables at the entrance of the academy were almost overturned. Lu Yan had a headache, earache, and throat pain! She covered her face, feeling utterly hopeless!
Suddenly, the sound of a gong came from the foot of the mountain. Officer Li banged the gong and shouted, "Don't push! Don't push! Line up! One by one! All of you, line up properly!"
Not wanting to provoke the government officials, everyone obediently lined up.
Lu Yan finally breathed a sigh of relief and picked up her pen to register, "What's your name?"
"Sanya," the woman said with a fawning smile.
Just as Lu Yan was about to write, Tian Xiaohua, who was grinding ink on the side, said, "Don't write yet."
Lu Yan looked up. "What's wrong?"
Tian Xiaohua didn't answer, but shouted to the group, "Tell Sanya to raise her hand."
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