Chapter 101: Sold Out 1/2

Sister Wang didn’t think that buying something from their embroidery workshop would help her son gain talent just by touching it.

She stayed at the embroidery workshop every day, held Li Damao and Li Ermao, and even kissed the little faces of the two children. But her son still couldn’t learn what the master taught.

But she really didn’t expect Li Qingzhi to be able to pass the examination in the first place.

The two old ladies who came to collect the shoes’ soles were even more surprised: “Shoopkeeper Jin’s husband actually topped the list in our county? That’s really impressive!”

Li Qingzhi even moved a bamboo chair and sat beside them yesterday, helping to tidy up the fabric while chatting with them.

“Yes, he really is an unassuming genius!” Sister Wang sighed. Qu Yunqing mentioned that Li Qingzhi knows the magistrate of Gou County, so the county exam should be no problem, but it’s still remarkable that Li Qingzhi topped the list. Moreover, according to the people present, Li Qingzhi relies on his genuine abilities.

Indeed, there was no indication of it.

“Captain Li is not simple! He has memorized all the books required for the imperial examinations!”

“The scholars from the capital praise his calligraphy!”

“His essays are excellent too!”

…

Those who came to gain some talent started speaking one after another.

Recently, Jin Xiaoye hadn’t taken on any big orders, but she had made a lot of odds and ends, all of which were practical and innovative.

These people started picking them out.

Seeing this, Sister Wang said, “These designs were personally drawn by Li Qingzhi. If you want to gain some talent, you must buy more!”

Upon hearing this, their eyes lit up, and they immediately started buying.

The two old ladies who came to collect the shoes’ soles also said, “Before, when I collected the soles, Li Qingzhi helped me pick up scraps of cloth.”

“He helped me too!” Was there even such a thing? Then some soles could also be bought!

Anyway, the things here weren’t expensive.

As everyone bought, they also inquired about Li Qingzhi’s situation. From these people’s mouths, Sister Wang and the others learned about what happened at the county office today.

As they talked more, they became more familiar. At this moment, Li Laogen returned from outside, joyfully saying, “Li Qingzhi is my son!”

Li Laogen knew today was the day the county exam results were released, but he didn’t think Li Qingzhi would top the list, so he didn’t go to the county office but went to the teahouse instead.

He now lived in the county town; not in a hurry to go home, he stayed in the teahouse for a while longer, and then someone told him that his son got the top spot!

Li Laogen found it unbelievable, but he still boasted to others, “I’ve always said my son is very intelligent.”

“He studies very hard, gets up early in the morning to read, and even when the cold wind is blowing into the house in the dead of winter, he still keeps the door open to read and write.”

“Even with his right arm broken, he still writes with his left arm!”

“My son will definitely become a high-ranking official in the future!”

…

After boasting outside for a while, when he returned home, he found many people there. Li Laogen continued to boast.

Those who came to gain talent were willing to listen to his boast, and from time to time, they complimented him, “Your son is really hardworking!”

“With such a son, you’re really lucky!”

“Li Qingzhi might even become the top scholar in the future. By then, you’ll be the father of the top scholar!”

…

At these words, Li Laogen laughed so much that his eyes narrowed.

The news spread to Jin Xiaoye Embroidery Workshop not long after, and then to the area near the new pier.

Now there are fewer people working on this side of the new pier, only a few hundred, and some staff in the mess have also been reduced, but Jin Dajiang still works here.

At first, because he was Li Qingzhi’s father-in-law, the people in the mess were very polite to him. But Jin Dajiang wasn’t temperamental, and he even volunteered to work. Over time, the politeness disappeared.

There were people with backgrounds in their mess hall, not just Jin Dajiang. The other two helpers also had backgrounds.

They weren’t afraid of Jin Dajiang to begin with. Seeing him as easy to bully, they even started pushing their own tasks onto Jin Dajiang.

Jin Dajiang didn’t refuse and indeed took on the tasks.

At this moment, these two went off to slack, leaving Jin Dajiang alone to work.

At this time of year, the lettuce had grown, and today’s meal was lettuce. Jin Dajiang sat on a small stool, peeling the lettuce with a knife.

They still ate two meals a day here, with the morning meal consisting of tofu stewed with lettuce leaves, with oil residue added, and the upcoming meal being lettuce slices boiled with meat.

“Why are you the only one working?” Chef Zhou frowned upon seeing only Jin Dajiang.

“They have something else to attend to,” Jin Dajiang said.

“What else could they possibly have? They just want to slack off, and you’re too easy to bully!” Chef Zhou sighed helplessly.

“It’s not much work anyway; I can handle it,” Jin Dajiang said. He not only ate well while working here but also earned two taels of silver a month. Not doing a bit more work made him feel uncomfortable.

“You!” Chef Zhou sighed as he entered the mess hall, only to see the two idle men sneaking meat into the kitchen.

As mess hall workers, it was normal for them to serve themselves more good dishes after cooking. Everyone did that.

But these two were eating the cooked meat early and even trying to hide it in their clothes, which was too much!

This wasn’t the first time, either! Chef Zhou frowned and said, “What are you doing? Not only are you not working, but you’re also stealing!”

Chef Zhou scolded the two of them and made them go outside to peel the lettuce.

These two didn’t think they were wrong at all. When they came outside and saw Jin Dajiang, they thought Jin Dajiang had snitched on them, which was why Chef Zhou was so rude. They immediately started speaking ill of Jin Dajiang in a sarcastic tone.

Jin Dajiang ignored them and continued to work hard.

Seeing him as easy to bully and the two of them not working again at this moment, several minor officials hurried over in their direction.

These two had backgrounds, and their backgrounds were actually the minor officials in charge of this area.

Now, all the minor officials assigned to work here by the Magistrate of Gou County were coming towards them. Their backstage naturally lay within.

The two of them greeted them with smiles. “Cousin…”

“Brother-in-law…”

However, their backstage staff didn’t pay them any attention at all. Instead, they looked at Jin Dajiang with smiles on their faces. “Old Jin! We’ve got good news for you!”

“What is it?” Jin Dajiang asked, puzzled.

“Your son-in-law has been appointed as the top scorer by the magistrate!” one of the minor officials said.

After Jin Xiaoye and Li Qingzhi moved to the county town, Jin Dajiang didn’t know much about his daughter and son-in-law’s affairs.

Well, even when his daughter and son-in-law lived in Miaoqian Village, he didn’t know much.

His daughter was quite independent, always making decisions on her own and not bothering to tell them anything.

Therefore, Jin Dajiang only knew that his son-in-law went to participate in the county exam, but he knew nothing about the specifics and didn’t even know today was the day the results were released.

He didn’t even know what “top scorer” meant. “What is a top scorer?”

“A top scorer is the first place in our county!”

“Old Jin, your son-in-law is so knowledgeable; why haven’t you mentioned it before?”

“I heard he can memorize any book after just reading it once; that’s too impressive!”

“Old Jin, you’re really lucky to have such a son-in-law!”

…

According to the information they received, Li Qingzhi was particularly knowledgeable, and he should be able to proceed smoothly on the path of the imperial examinations in the future.

Such a person couldn’t be offended!

These minor officials congratulated Jin Dajiang enthusiastically and said they had already sent someone to buy wine and food. When it was time for dinner, they wanted to celebrate Jin Dajiang.

Jin Dajiang looked bewildered, while the other people in the mess hall envied him.

The minor officials talked for a long time before leaving. Before leaving, the two minor officials who had relatives working in the mess hall grabbed their relatives and reminded them earnestly, “You must take good care of Old Jin in the future!”