"What?!" Widow Zhang's eyes widened in surprise.
She shifted her hips, feeling very uncomfortable, as if there were thorns on the oxcart that made it impossible for her to sit down.
If Maruko's mother isn't going to the mine anymore, doesn't that mean there's an empty position there? I wonder when that position became available.
No, she must come back with the oxcart after she enters the city today and ask Erhua's mother at the end of the village for information.
The oxcart slowly entered the city, and after the people got off, they went about their own business.
Zhao Yanniang escorted her son all the way to the entrance of Bailu Academy, and only felt relieved after watching him enter the academy.
He Tiantian did not go to Hong Erniang's Yunshui Shop first, but followed her to Bailu Academy.
She was just curious and wanted to see what schools were like in ancient times.
After all, she was a college student, and she hadn't even finished her college life before she was transported to this godforsaken place.
Aunt Zhao watched her son's departing figure with tears streaming down her face. "Sigh, he's only been home for a few days and he's leaving again." Outsiders envy her for having a son who is good at studying, but only she knows the bitterness of being separated from her son so often.
He Tiantian was never good at handling such a somber atmosphere, so she comforted her, "Auntie, don't be sad. When you came, you said you didn't want Zhao Yan to take a day off. Once Zhao Yan passes the imperial examination and leaves this place, you'll see each other even less."
Aunt Zhao was stunned by these words. She felt both comforted and uncomfortably so.
At the entrance of Bailu Academy, students coming and going were all dressed in blue and white striped clothes, wearing blue hats on their heads, and carrying a book box on their backs.
These students, full of vigor and youthful spirit, walked together in twos and threes.
He Tiantian could occasionally hear them discussing the classical Chinese topics that Confucius taught.
"Aunt Zhao, how many students are there in this academy in total?" He Tiantian asked curiously.
Aunt Zhao thought for a moment, "I heard Yan'er say it was around two thousand."
"That's a lot..." He Tiantian thought to herself.
It seems there are quite a few wealthy people in Changning County, otherwise, where would so many students come from who can afford the tuition fees?
"You don't know, Bailu Academy is famous throughout Quanzhou. Quanzhou is so big, with dozens of counties, hundreds of towns, and thousands of villages... all the scholars come here." Aunt Zhao said excitedly. Back when her son Yan'er was admitted to Bailu Academy, she was so excited that she couldn't sleep for three days.
I see……
Isn't this equivalent to a top modern university? A college filled with students from all over the world.
However, He Tiantian's attention was always on making money, and she suddenly came up with a great idea to make money.
Back when she was admitted to university and filled out her application, her first concern was whether the school cafeteria food was good, and her second concern was whether the school's internet speed was good.
Now, here in this place, you say there are more than two thousand students and hundreds of teachers. Don't they eat?
"Where does Zhao Yan usually eat?" He Tiantian asked.
Aunt Zhao was clearly dissatisfied when she heard this. "Don't say that. Such a big academy doesn't even have a place to eat. I usually bring food to Yan'er every week. It's good that it's spring now, but in the winter, we couldn't get out of the village or go in. The child had no food and could only go to the street to drink a bowl of hot soup."
“Those with money can eat out every day, but we poor kids suffer. Yan’er has lost a lot of weight this winter,” Aunt Zhao said, wiping away tears.
Looking at her child's thin body, she, as a mother, felt both guilty and heartbroken.
He Tiantian wandered around Bailu Academy and found that there were many shops and food stalls on the street nearby.
These people saw this business opportunity and that's why they all came together.
After selling the ten cross-stitch embroidery sets she had, He Tiantian had one hundred taels of silver. Adding this to her previous savings, He Tiantian now had nearly three hundred taels of silver in her pocket.
She wondered if three hundred taels of silver would be enough to build a canteen at Bailu Academy.
Moreover, she didn't know who the dean of Bailu Academy was, nor did she have anyone she knew who could introduce her.
He Tiantian had left Hong Erniang's Yunshui Shop, but after walking a short distance, she turned back.
"Second Aunt, I want to ask you something."
Hong Erniang was stunned and hadn't reacted yet.
"You know Bailu Academy, right? I know you know a lot of people in Changning County. But do you know who the academy's headmaster is?" He Tiantian asked.
Hong Erniang smiled, realizing that was what she was asking.
"Who doesn't know that the Dean of Bailu Academy, Scholar Shang, was a top scholar who was all the rage back then?" Hong Erniang said with great pride, as if Scholar Shang were a relative of hers.
Later, He Tiantian learned that Scholar Shang's hometown was Changning County. After passing the imperial examination with top honors, he served as an official in the imperial court for several years. Later, he resigned from his official post and founded Bailu Academy with a group of like-minded friends.
Throughout Changning County, from local officials to ordinary citizens, everyone spoke highly of Scholar Shang and took pride in him.
Despite his pride, nobody knew this Scholar Shang, and nobody could make any connections.
After hearing this, He Tiantian could only give up. Oh well, she'd see if there was another chance to talk about it later.
If all else fails, she'd like to buy a shop in Changning County and open a breakfast stall. During the off-season, she can come to the city to run the shop, and during the busy season, she can go back to the village to work. Wouldn't that be wonderful!
Having finally made it to the city, He Tiantian naturally wanted to buy some more meat. Perhaps because of her pregnancy, she was even more craving food than her four children.
I wish I could grab a pork knuckle and devour it.
Arriving at the pork stall, He Tiantian chopped off four more pig trotters and bought ten jin of pork belly.
Pig's trotters can be braised or stewed in soup, and pork belly is used to make dumplings. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water.
It's already mid-April, and the variety of vegetables at the market has increased since the start of spring.
He Tiantian was so surprised to find chives inside that she quickly bought a large bunch! As she walked a little further, a middle-aged man dressed in clothes from outside the Great Wall called out to He Tiantian.
"Hey young lady, wanna buy some persimmon seedlings?" The middle-aged man grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth.
This appearance really startled He Tiantian.
She didn't even know what these foreign persimmons were. Curious, she looked down and saw that they were just a few bunches of green vegetable roots tied together.
"Young lady, you have to grow these yourself after you buy them. The fruit that grows is bright red, sweet and sour, and very delicious. It's very popular outside the Great Wall," the middle-aged man enthusiastically introduced.
He Tiantian couldn't help but take another look; it did seem somewhat familiar. She held it in her hand and smelled it—this scent…it was so familiar!
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