Chapter 188 [VIP]
The next morning, Fourth Uncle and Old Master Liang got up early, and Chen Qingyan and Chen Qinghuai also got ready to go to their shifts. Today was the last day; the Hanlin Academy would be closed for the holiday tomorrow, and work would resume after the Lantern Festival.
Chen Jing watched the two of them get into the carriage, his face full of envy, and said, "Back then, I didn't pass the imperial examination to become a probationary official, nor did I enter the Hanlin Academy. I never served as an official in the capital for even a day. It's truly a pity!"
Liang Boqing chuckled, "Who told you to be so useless back then?"
"You make it sound so easy. If I had had a mentor like you back then, I would definitely be even better than them."
These words made Liang Boqing feel refreshed. "It's all about timing and fate, but they were lucky to catch up with me. Now they've become famous thanks to your nephew." He continued with a smug look on his face, "Do you know how many people have written to me asking me to take their sons and nephews as students? Among them are many prominent families."
"Brother Liang's skills are beyond question, but have you decided which family's apprentice you want to take on?"
Liang Boqing waved his hand, "I'm already halfway to the grave, why would I take on disciples? Am I afraid I'll die too late?"
"Hahahaha, what you're saying."
“We can’t afford to offend any of those powerful families. Rather than taking any of them as disciples, it’s better not to take any at all. That way, we can avoid them causing trouble.”
Chen Jing nodded, "I should also go to the Ministry of Personnel to report on my work today. I don't know where I'll be assigned next year."
Liang Boqing patted his arm and said, "Try to think positively. Whether you can stay in the capital or not, it won't be any worse than Shanzhou."
"yes."
The two turned and went inside. Breakfast was already prepared in the kitchen. Wang Ying had the cook make steamed meat rolls according to Liang Lao's taste. Each of the three children had a bowl of steamed egg custard, along with pickled garlic and salted duck eggs. There was also a stir-fried dish of chives and eggs and a cold tofu salad.
Old Liang swallowed hard when he saw the dishes on the table. "The food made by Xiao Wangying is still the best to my taste. I had no appetite during my time living in Shanzhou."
Wang Ying smiled and said, "Then you can stay in Kyoto, and I'll cook delicious food for you every day from now on."
"Don't complain if you really stay."
"How could I dare? I'm overjoyed! Having an elder in the family is like having a treasure."
Liang Boqing stroked his beard and laughed heartily. Chen Jing also smiled and nodded. The last time he saw Wang Ying, she was just a teenager. Now she looked much more mature.
“I heard from Qinghuai that you’ve been taking care of all the household chores all these years.” Chen Jing looked at the house. “It’s truly remarkable that you’ve managed to arrange everything so well.”
"Fourth Uncle is too kind. It was only with everyone's help that I was able to get started little by little."
Fang Ling asked, "Did you buy this house?"
Wang Ying nodded. Qingyan was to serve in the Hanlin Academy for three years, and it was really inconvenient to keep renting a house. Since she had some money on hand, she decided to just buy it.
“It just so happens that I was also thinking of getting a house for Huai’er. He will be getting married after the New Year, and the Bai family will be coming over then. It’s not good for the young couple to keep living in a place nearby.”
"Sisun wants to buy a house, so I'll accompany you around the city for the next few days."
"Okay, then I'll have to trouble you."
"No trouble at all, we're a family, we don't talk about these things."
Fang Ling smiled and patted his hand. This nephew-in-law was truly exceptional; no wonder her sister-in-law and the children liked him so much.
After dinner, Chen Jing got into his car and left, while Old Liang also went out to visit old friends.
He has no other outstanding qualities than a large number of friends. Over the years, he has made many acquaintances from all over the country. Some of them have risen to prominence and become officials in the capital, such as Lord Liu Yaozhi. Others have fallen into obscurity and been demoted to Lingnan. But he has friends wherever he goes.
Today I am going to visit Lord Liu. Before coming to Kyoto, I wrote a letter to Liu Yaozhi, hoping that he could help take care of my two students.
Lord Liu lived up to expectations, taking good care of the two children during the exam period. To repay this favor, he specially brought a jar of local specialty Jiuliang wine from Shanzhou. This wine is brewed by the locals using nine kinds of grains and stored in a cellar after brewing.
The older the vintage, the more valuable it is. Thirty-year-old Jiuliang liquor is worth a hundred strings of cash. Although this jar is not the best, it is still more than ten years old. He himself has not been willing to drink it, but brought it to Liu Yaozhi from so far away.
*
On the other side, Wang Ying finished packing and took her fourth aunt to the city to look at houses.
With Qinghuai's wedding approaching, they must hurry up and settle on a house, otherwise the two of them will have to rent a place to live after the wedding.
I went to the brokerage firm where I bought the house to look at properties.
As soon as he entered, the shopkeeper recognized him. "Long time no see, Mr. Chen!" According to the customs of the Wu Dynasty, women and men would take their husbands' surnames after marriage. However, there were not so many rules in Jizhou, and the common people could address each other however they wanted.
Wang Ying cupped her hands in greeting to him, saying, "May Manager Zheng's business prosper!"
"Thanks to you, are you getting used to living in that house?"
"It's quite nice to live here." When she first bought it, Wang Ying thought it was too expensive, but after asking around among her neighbors, she found out that they had all spent between eight and nine thousand taels of silver to buy it. In fact, Manager Zheng had really given her a discount.
"I brought my aunt to look at the house today."
"Please come in! May I ask how big a house you'd like to buy, sir? Do you have a preferred location in mind? I'll help you choose one."
Fang Ling said, "The house should have two or three courtyards, and the best location would be near Qinglong Street."
Shopkeeper Zheng stroked his short mustache and pondered for a moment before saying, "There are indeed a few. Let me show them to you two."
Before long, the shopkeeper brought over four or five house plans from Qinglong Street. "These three houses are two-courtyard houses, one on Changping Road and two on Changle Road. The two next to them are three-courtyard houses. This one is not far from Chen Fulang's house; it's about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea to walk there."
Fang Ling picked it up and examined it carefully. The three-courtyard house was quite nice. It was located to the side and behind Wang Ying's house. It looked very spacious with many rooms, so they would have enough room when they came to stay.
How much does this courtyard cost?
Manager Zheng smiled and said, "Since we're all acquaintances, I won't charge a high price. Others would pay at least 14,000 taels of silver, but I'll give you 13,000 taels. If you think it's too expensive, you can go out and ask around. Other brokerages don't offer this price."
Wang Ying asked her fourth aunt, "What do you think?"
Fang Ling nodded. Before coming, she had prepared 20,000 taels of silver, which was all her savings over the years and her dowry. She didn't expect it to be much cheaper than she had estimated.
"When are you free? I'd like to take you two to see the house."
Fang Ling said, "Tomorrow morning, I can come and see by myself, so as not to bother you."
"It's alright, I'm just idling at home anyway. Thank you very much, Manager Zheng. We'll come again tomorrow."
After leaving the pharmacy, Fang Ling bought a lot of food and toys on the street. She had been in such a hurry that she had forgotten to buy anything for the child.
Back home, the three children were building a snowman in the yard. Qinglan and Qingying were only a few years older than Yuanbao, but they were a generation older. It was quite amusing to see Yuanbao chasing after the two of them, calling them "little uncle" and "little aunt".
As soon as they entered the house, Ma Qianzi came over. The mountain he had asked her to find had been settled. Seeing that he had important business to attend to, Fourth Aunt went to the west wing to pack her things.
"We found out that the mountain is the ancestral home of a family surnamed Yuan in the city. It is located twenty miles west of the city, with no other villages or people around. The rent is five strings of cash a year, or fifty strings of cash for ten years."
Wang Ying said, "The price isn't expensive."
The main reason was that the mountain was a rocky mountain, and the surrounding land was very barren and yielded little harvest. It had been abandoned for many years. When the Yuan family heard that someone wanted to rent it, they were quite curious and went up the mountain to take a look. However, they found nothing and agreed to rent it out.
"The ice cellar has also been found. It's located not far from the mountain, but the seller only sells it, not rents it. I bought it for 170 strings of cash."
This price is a bit high. "Let's negotiate the price of the ice cellar down to around 150 guan and buy it directly. The hilltop can be rented directly. Make sure the other party signs the contract and puts their fingerprint on it."
"Understood!"
Wang Ying took out a silver note from the box, handed it to him, gave him a few instructions, and then told him to go and do it.
It has to be said that Ma Zhandong is indeed a talented guy. He's quick-witted, perceptive, and has a sweet tongue. People like him are popular wherever they go, and it saves a lot of trouble to entrust things to him.
This year, I can't do vegetable business, but next spring I'll find a way to quietly move the experimental fields to that mountain. In the summer, the ice cellar can also be used, so this time I won't have to worry about running out of resources.
*
Meanwhile, in Jizhou, preparations for the New Year were underway. In previous years, Wang Ying was in charge of these matters, and no one else needed to get involved. However, this year, with Wang Ying absent and Li Shi unable to take charge, Lin Sui had to take over.
In October, Chen Rong and his group arrived in Fucheng. Cao Kun rented a shop on Zhenghe Street and officially moved his business to Fucheng.
When the shop first opened, it inevitably encountered a lot of troublemakers, but thanks to the Marquis of Wuping's connections, the business gradually took off.
Now the family has bought a house and settled down in the city. The house is not far from the Chen family home. Every day after breakfast, Chen Rong takes her two grandchildren to her sister-in-law's house for a stroll. They also have to have lunch there. They don't return home until evening.
Li was bored at home, and with Chen Rong around, she didn't miss her grandson in the capital as much.
This morning, after finishing breakfast, Chen Rong brought Xiaomai and Erbao to the Chen family home. Upon entering the house, they saw Lin Sui discussing New Year's supplies with Li Shi.
"Mom, you're here."
Li beckoned, "Come and sit down, and give me your advice."
What is this for?
"We need to prepare some New Year's goods in advance. In previous years, Ah Ying would buy them, and we didn't know how much to prepare."
Looking at the list, Chen Rong said, "We've prepared too much meat. Qingyan and Aying aren't here this year. If we buy so much meat, it won't keep well once the weather warms up after the first month of the lunar calendar."
"Then buy half a pig and a sheep, and keep the chicken and fish the same."
Chen Rong said, "We can prepare more peanuts and melon seeds. Adults and children will need them for the New Year. Qingyun and Changyi will also be coming over. Twenty catties might not be enough."
Lin Sui crossed out the numbers on the list and rewrote it. After listing them, she handed the list and the money to Er Shun and asked him to go to the street to buy them.
Li said, "When Qingyun and the others come over later, let's see if these two little darlings have gotten any fatter." Li couldn't stop smiling when she talked about her two grandsons; the two identical little babies were so cute to look at.
Around 9:00 AM, Liu Changyi and Chen Qingyun returned with their wet nurse and old woman, carrying two babies. The two boys were over three months old and at the age when they were very precious to people. Their little faces were white and chubby, like babies in a New Year's painting.
The old woman placed the two children on the kang (a heated brick bed), unwrapped the layers of blankets, and finally saw the babies inside.
Chen Rong picked one up and exclaimed, "This child is really handsome; he looks a bit like Qingyan!"
Li picked up the other one and said, "The nephew resembles his uncle; they must look alike."
Liu Changyi laughed and said, "It's good to be like my elder brother. I hope you'll become the top scholar in the imperial examination someday!"
Everyone burst into laughter, except for Lin Sui, who sat to the side, who looked somewhat troubled.
A few days ago, he received a letter from Kyoto saying that the Emperor had bestowed upon him the title of Marquis and wanted him to stay and guard the border. He had been worrying about what would become of the two of them in the future…
A note from the author:
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