With Jiang's father in charge, the wind didn't stir up any waves.
The next morning, Mu Yi'an had just finished washing up when her aunt and cousin-in-law from next door arrived at her door.
"Yi'an, have you had breakfast?"
"Aunt, Cousin-in-law, so early. I just got up and haven't had breakfast yet."
“We’re used to it; we wake up on our own when it’s time. There have been so many people around these past few days, and we haven’t had a chance to say more than a few words to you.”
My aunt was carrying a basket containing freshly made pancakes and side dishes.
"How did my aunt know I wanted to eat this? Especially since the pancakes she makes are different from others."
Mu Yi'an happily accepted it, and said she would ask Sister Li to make some soup later, and the meal would be taken care of.
"It's because you don't mind how rough my food is."
"Aunt, what are you complaining about? We're all the same."
Mu Yi'an never considered herself superior to others; they were all from farming families, and no one was inferior to the other.
"Yi'an, I came here to thank you. Because of you, the children's father has a stable income. Now, the children in the family are going to school and can write their own names."
My cousin's wife was so excited that her hands trembled. Her son had also started school.
She dared not dream of becoming a scholar; she would be grateful if she could find a stable job in the county town like Shuwen.
"That's great. The child is still young, so take your time reading. The more books they read, the more opportunities they'll have, even if they don't pursue the imperial examination path in the future."
Mu Yi'an now has a deep understanding of ancient education; it was truly expensive.
Not to mention the cost of the school, the cost of writing brushes, ink, paper and inkstones alone would be quite high for a year.
The three festivals and four rites of Confucius also need to be observed.
The most expensive items are books; they are really expensive.
Unlike today, in ancient times, it was very convenient to buy any book you wanted through bookstores, online, or various other channels.
At that time, many books were in the hands of a few. For example, those from official families, aristocratic clans, and truly scholarly families…
For children from ordinary families, seeing books with annotations by famous scholars and Confucian masters is harder than climbing to heaven.
"I don't even dare to think about the imperial examinations. As long as I can learn a few more characters and do simple accounting, and become as knowledgeable as a scholar in the future, I'll be grateful."
Mu Yi'an could tell from her cousin's chuckle that she genuinely meant it.
Indeed, it's extremely difficult for a family without any resources or wealth to support an academic success.
"Take it slow, the child is just starting out, there's no rush."
"Hmm, no rush, I'm really not in a rush right now."
The economy determines the superstructure; often, having money in your pocket makes you feel less anxious.
This year, many families in Jiangjia Village earned tens of taels of silver or more from growing watermelons.
Because there are many family members and only so much land, most families only cultivate one or two acres. The rest of the land is used to grow grain, which is the most basic necessity.
My aunt and uncle's wife didn't stay long; they chatted for a while and then left.
Knowing that Yi'an's family had just gotten up and had things to do, they tactfully ended the conversation and left.
When Jiang Shuyun and the others got up, the family ate delicious pancakes rolled with scallions and side dishes, and drank hot egg drop soup. A sense of happiness welled up from their hearts.
After tidying up the house, they went to the old house to say goodbye, and the family left in two horse-drawn carriages.
"Wow, the Jiang family has really prospered! They even have two carriages now!"
“Who says otherwise? It hasn’t been that long, and they’ve already moved to the county town and have another village there.”
"I wonder if they'll need long-term workers next year. Have you noticed that the two from the Wang family haven't lost weight, they've actually gotten fatter, after spending more than half a year at the estate?"
"Yes, I noticed that too. Wang Lei and Wang Hu have both gained weight. It's real weight gain, not just bloating."
...
Under the big tree at the village entrance, the women working with needles, thread, and winnowing baskets exchanged envious and complimentary remarks.
Back in the county town, Mu Yi'an and Jiang Qi both breathed a sigh of relief.
Mu Yi'an recommended her child to work for her because she disliked being surrounded by relatives asking all sorts of questions.
Jiang Qi didn't want to see the resentful look in Jiang Lan's eyes, as if everyone had wronged her.
Butler Li and Sister-in-law Fang came over to greet the master, mistress, and aunt.
"Master, Madam, Aunt, the dowry is all ready. Here are the keys and the betrothal gift list."
"Thank you for your hard work, Jiang Qi. Keep the keys and the betrothal gift list. When you have time, familiarize yourself with these things. You need to know what you're doing."
Jiang Qi took the keys and the betrothal gift list. She knew that her second sister-in-law was never one for empty formalities; if she was asked to accept them, it meant she truly meant well.
"I understand, Second Sister-in-law, I will."
Having finished speaking, Jiang Shuyun needed to return to her study to study. Time was pressing; there was less than a year left.
Shao Ming followed his father into the study. He had taken three days off and couldn't afford to delay any longer.
Shao Yun hadn't been to the training ground for several days and was anxious to find his master, so he ran out of the courtyard.
Chuyue followed her aunt to pick fruit.
When Mu Yi'an bought the house last year, she planted many fruit trees in the backyard. They were all mature trees, and they have all blossomed and borne fruit this year.
"Madam, this is the shop's account book for this month. Manager Tong brought it over."
"How's business at the shop?"
Mu Yi'an opened the ledger. Manager Tong had done a good job; the accounts were clear and the profits were good.
“I’ve been there a few times. There are quite a few people coming and going, and almost no one leaves empty-handed.”
Manager Tong contacted several suppliers, and the quality was good. Also, the hens on our farm have started laying eggs, and the roosters are ready for sale.”
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