Chapter 877: Scumbag Brother and Scumbag Father, Get Lost (23)

Chapter 877: Chapter 877: Scumbag Brother and Scumbag Father, Get Lost (23)

In the afternoon, Qiann Yan went up the mountain again, picking some medicinal herbs and wild vegetables, planning to take them to the county town to sell the next day.

Going to the county town tomorrow would definitely take a whole day; she had to think about how to make money.

The next day, at first light, Qiann Yan borrowed the village ox cart and headed toward the county town with Xu Yunniang.

Because Qiann Yan had become famous in one stroke, the villagers all treated her with respect, so borrowing the ox cart was very easy.

She could feel that the villagers were also a little afraid of her.

After all, someone who could calmly watch her own eldest brother’s fingers get chopped off—people would be abnormal if they didn’t fear her.

"Sister-in-law, have you been to the county town before?"

Xu Yunniang thought back a little. "I’ve been there a few times before." By "before," she meant before marrying into the Meng Family.

"If sister-in-law is willing, you can go often in the future."

Xu Yunniang couldn’t help but smile; this was the happiest day she’d had since coming to the Meng Family.

She felt that having her young sister-in-law manage the household was very good. As for this husband, Meng Wengan, she didn’t have much feeling for him; whatever she might have had at the beginning had long been worn away by him.

After arriving in the county town, Qiann Yan sold off all the herbs and wild vegetables she had collected from the mountain yesterday.

Only then did she go to the academy.

To call it an academy, in truth it was just a private school; there was more than one in the county town, mostly run by Scholars who had failed the examinations.

The two of them arrived at an unfortunate time—it was the teacher’s midday rest. Inside the hall there were only some students shaking their heads as they recited.

They were reciting very earnestly, but Qiann Yan’s attention was on a young boy leaning on the windowsill.

The boy’s eyes were bright as he stared at the students in the hall, his expression full of envy.

His clothes were very worn; with conditions like his, it was clearly impossible for him to study.

Qiann Yan noticed that when these students saw the boy, they didn’t show any odd expressions, so she understood that they knew him.

"That line is wrong...that’s not how sir taught it yesterday." It was the boy’s voice from the window; though he spoke very softly, someone still heard him.

The student inside was unconvinced and came out to argue with him.

What Qiann Yan saw next was the boy calmly and logically pointing out their mistakes; when he finished speaking, the teacher appeared as well and even agreed with the boy’s words.

He walked into the schoolroom, and at this moment he noticed Qiann Yan.

Qiann Yan stepped forward to greet him and stated her purpose for coming.

The matter of Meng Wengan had long been the talk of the town; the teacher, Jiao Rongchang, did not ask much and led Qiann Yan to pack up Meng Wengan’s things.

"That’s for the best." Jiao Rongchang said this one line, clearly also feeling that Meng Wengan was not suited to study.

Qiann Yan and Xu Yunniang came out carrying the things. Jiao Rongchang had already walked back into the hall, clearly about to begin class.

She had to pass that spot to leave.

She noticed that the boy from before was still outside the window; Jiao Rongchang had no intention of driving him away, obviously a favor granted to him.

She also heard Jiao Rongchang give a light sigh. As a Scholar, he could manage to get a few passes at each county-level exam. As for this year’s provincial exam, he wondered if two more scholars could emerge among his students. To achieve any ranking at the Imperial Examination was even harder; if he could produce even one successful candidate each time, it would already be a stroke of fortune.

Qiann Yan immediately realized that in these times, learned men were rare: first, the teaching system was backward; second, books were scarce and expensive, and ordinary households simply couldn’t obtain them.

The books among Meng Wengan’s things were pitifully few, and many were copied excerpts.

She did not leave immediately, but stood outside the window, her gaze falling on that boy. His earlier performance already showed that he was very intelligent.

Studying cost a lot of money; even if teacher Jiao Rongchang felt pity for him, he couldn’t afford to support him.

The boy sensed a particular gaze. He looked up and saw that the one staring at him was actually a pretty little girl, and with such a serious look in her eyes that his face flushed red at once.

This girl was staring at him—could she possibly have some thoughts about him?

His home was bare of anything of value; he would probably end up failing her deep affection.

"Do you want to sit for the examinations and gain a title?"

The boy paused for a moment, then hurriedly nodded. Could it be...she wanted to settle an engagement first and wait for him to gain a title before coming back to marry her? That might not be a good idea; he himself wasn’t sure he could pass, and his family had no extra silver to support his studies.

Qiann Yan noticed the regret in the boy’s eyes and thought he was regretting that he couldn’t enter the school to study.

"I can help you."

She was going to become a teacher to earn silver.

She would teach outstanding students and have them all go sit for the imperial examinations.

That way she would have status, be respected, and make money as well; in the future, when her students were spread across the realm, with that many scholars governing the country, there would be no fear of chaotic times.

This boy would be the first person through whom she made her name.