Jiang Sheng did not have foresight or understand how to plan for the future, but she had overheard the village teacher say that in this life, the most reliable way to succeed was to study and pass the imperial exams.
Her eldest brother was very smart. Whenever they delivered copied books to the bookstore, the owner would praise his beautiful calligraphy that had style yet was unpretentious, and say that he must be a man of distinction.
Distinction? Jiang Sheng did not understand what that meant. But she knew that since her eldest brother had this kind of talent, he should develop it instead of wasting it.
Although attending school was expensive, the family had managed to save up a few hundred copper coins recently, plus the seven hundred left over from selling the cart. It could be considered a small nest egg.
She was just worried her eldest brother would not agree.
Sure enough, Xu Mo was silent for a long time before he finally spoke, and it was just two words: "No way."
As the eldest, how could he use his younger siblings' hard-earned money to attend school? He could not do something like this or have the audacity.
"So eldest brother plans to go on like this for the rest of your life and not study anymore?" Jiang Sheng retorted.
Xu Mo fell silent again.
After a long while, he said softly, "I will copy books to earn enough tuition and then attend school."
The hatred from their parents' murder and the pain from his crippled leg always weighed on his heart without fading. How could he possibly not attend school or strive for a future?
"That settles it then," Jiang Sheng sat up. "You earn two copper coins a day copying books. By the time you've saved up enough, your beard will be white. We'll lend you the money for school first. When you become an official, you can pay us back."
"That's right, that's right," Zheng Ruqian also popped his head out. "I heard people say a wise man benefits from the shade of a great tree. In the future we can combine political and business interests, heh heh..."
They were getting more and more unrealistic.
Xu Mo's face darkened, but his heart felt warm.
Jiang Sheng's words were crude but not wrong, but it would be difficult for a proud man to accept money earned through his younger siblings' hardships.
That night, Xu Mo tossed and turned, unable to sleep.
He woke up before dawn, and felt bad just lying there with eyes open, so he got up and started making breakfast.
He was boiling porridge when Chang Yan slowly sat up from the haystack.
This youngest brother, who had the lowest presence at the dilapidated temple yet always managed to surprise them when he acted, stared at the flames licking the pot and spoke softly, "Many can bravely refuse kindness, but few can bravely accept it and firmly engrave it on their hearts."
"The protection of a book-copying laborer is different from that of an official."
Xu Mo's heart shook. He looked up wanting to say something, but saw Chang Yan lying down again.
His heart was in turmoil and he was filled with complex emotions.
By the time breakfast was ready, his younger siblings were waking up yawning.
Xu Mo finally made up his mind. "I'll go to school."
Jiang Sheng was extremely happy. She had even dreamt about persuading her eldest brother last night. She didn't expect him to come around after just one night's sleep, saving her a lot of effort arguing.
"Perfect timing. Since we don't need to deliver vegetables today, we can go look for a suitable school." She clamored.
Logically, it would make more sense to check while they were out delivering vegetables.
But with their cart's limited capacity, once they loaded the vegetables there was no room for people, and once they loaded people there was no room for vegetables.
Luckily none of the six siblings had fully grown yet, so sitting on the cart they did not feel cramped.
The first stop was Shilizhen town, since it was close to home even if not very prosperous.
After circling around, they found only a small private school run by an old tutor teaching three young students.
Xu Mo had attended school before and had a foundation. The tutor even praised him, saying if he studied diligently for a year or two he could test to become a tutor.
Clearly this town could not provide better education.
That left only the county town. Schools were more numerous there with better education, but tuition was also steep.
After casually asking around, they heard fees ranging from three to five taels a year.
This was not terribly expensive, but astronomical for their current circumstances.
Xu Mo's face grew darker, and his newfound resolution began to waver.
Finally, when he heard six taels, Xu Mo stopped and said, "I'm not attending after all."
"Elder brother, have some patience. We started from three taels and now asked up to six," Jiang Sheng was undaunted. "There must be even cheaper schools." Just like there were rich people and poor people everywhere, schools charging six taels must have competitions charging one tael.
It was just like selling cotton coats - some liked expensive quilted coats, some liked plain grey ones, and some liked exquisitely embroidered coats. As long as the customer base existed, so did the market.
Jiang Sheng suddenly realized her thinking had become more sophisticated.
As they happened to pass Carefree Inn, she thought for a bit, then went in and bought a package of pastries for five coins. She scurried happily inside.
The white-bearded owner was checking the books. Seeing her, he smiled, "Didn't you just deliver vegetables yesterday?"
"I saw the freshly baked pastries and wanted to bring some for Uncle White," Jiang Sheng's mouth flowed sweet as honey. "Oh, I also wanted to ask Uncle White if there are any cheaper schools or private tutoring in the county. I want my elder brother to attend school."
"You little rascal." Uncle White laughed. "There's a small private school west of the city. Go take a look. And keep the pastries for yourselves."
"I can't do that. Giving them to Uncle White means they're Uncle White's now." Jiang Sheng righteously insisted.
After speaking, she put down the pastries and dashed out.
Passing the inn gates, she even greeted the younger waiter weighing goods.
Clearly a regular here.
Returning to the donkey cart, Jiang Sheng pointed west, "Let's go!"
Fang Heng's donkey cart steering skills were increasingly proficient. The six siblings asked around as they walked, and finally found the cheapest private school in the city tucked away in a small alley in the west.
One tael a year.
Although not exactly cheap, it was the most suitable. Many students studied there immersed and focused.
"Or I could just self-study," Xu Mo still struggled.
Jiang Sheng ignored him and ran to the tuition window clutching copper coins.
Based on one tael equaling one thousand copper coins, she took out a large handful and carefully counted.
"Nine hundred ninety-nine, one thousand." The little girl pushed over a big pile of coins, and her bulging purse instantly deflated.
The tutor in charge of collecting tuition was surprised. Although they were the cheapest school, most families paid in ingots of one or two taels, rarely lugging over a huge pile of copper coins like this.
But looking at the children's tattered shoes and ill-fitting cotton coats, he suddenly understood.
Another impoverished scholar, the whole family scraping together funds to support one's education.
"Name and home town?" The tutor readied his brush.
Jiang Sheng tiptoed, "Xu Mo, Dazu Kingdom Anshui County Shiyan Town Shilipu Village, eleven years old this year."
While waiting for him to finish recording, she couldn't resist displaying her gift of gab gained from struggling to survive. "Sir, have you had any successful candidates in the imperial exams?"
In little Jiang Sheng's mind, passing the county-level exam already made one an impressive official.
The tutor smiled proudly, "Not just at the county-level. We've also produced provincial-level graduates. Our tuition is cheap to benefit poor scholars, not because our schooling is lacking."
As he spoke, he split the registration sheet and stamped it, representing this year's tuition as received.
Jiang Sheng accepted it with a smile and tucked it inside her clothes, extremely satisfied.
"Come to class starting tomorrow. Remember to prepare brush, ink, paper and inkstone." The tutor instructed.
Jiang Sheng nodded eagerly like a chick pecking rice. "You can expect him for sure tomorrow!"
The die was cast.
When they left the school, Xu Mo still felt somewhat dizzy.
Jiang Sheng pulled him to the stationery store to buy supplies.
Xu Mo quickly stopped his sister. "No need, what I used for copying books is good enough."
He clearly saw his sister's purse already deflated by more than half and could not let her waste more on him.
"You still need to buy books at least." Jiang Sheng said.
Xu Mo still refused. "I can copy my own."
He could not, and did not have the face to continue squandering the family's silver.
Unable to change his mind, and wanting to preserve some dignity for her elder brother, Jiang Sheng conceded, "Then let's buy some food and drinks to bring home, and think about what else we can do business in."
The cotton coat market in Shilizhen was nearly saturated, and she had bought up the county's stockpile. Time to switch to a new business. But before they could think of a new money-making idea, their donkey cart passed the county magistrate's office and was startled by a bloody man suddenly tossed outside.
A few intimidating yamen runners arrogantly shouted, "We'll break your legs if you dare petition for justice again!"
As she spoke, she looked around provocatively.
These yamen runners looked somewhat familiar, as if they were the same ones who had taken the coroner and his wife away back then.
Wen Zhiyun's eyes reddened instantly. He grabbed his medicine box to rush over, but was held back firmly by Zheng Ruqian.
Xu Mo turned his head sideways, covering his face with his sleeve.
Fang Heng pursed his lips, lowering his eyelashes. Chang Yan reached out a hand to cover the lower half of his face.
Only Jiang Sheng stared wide-eyed as the bloodied man raised his head, revealing a familiar face.
It was Zhang Qiquan, the eldest son of the Zhang family, the fellow villager who had snatched her cotton wadding business!
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