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Will they meet their end at the hands of their parents?
Both individuals have younger siblings to support through schooling. Apart from cotton farming, their families had pinned all hopes on them.
If they hadn’t committed this foolish act, they would still be receiving two taels of silver each month.
Reflecting on the meager sum of silver they had foolishly accepted that jeopardized everything, one of them couldn’t help but feel regret.
Why did she allow herself to be so foolish?
Now, they were at a loss on how to explain things to their parents upon returning home.
The attendants escorted them back and detailed to their families the insults and betrayal directed towards Wang Jinhe.
As the individuals lay there, the atmosphere grew tense upon hearing the attendants’ words.
“We sincerely appreciate your trouble, sirs,” the family members acknowledged.
“Not to be impolite, but we must emphasize that the Princess is kind-hearted. If she had truly taken offense, your entire family would be in deep trouble. Reflect on this carefully,” the attendants advised sternly.
“Indeed, your daughter’s insults towards the Princess could bring repercussions upon your family as well,” they continued.
After the attendants spoke, a middle-aged man nodded, “Rest assured, we will handle this matter appropriately.”
“Very well.”
Once the attendants departed, the man swiftly slapped his daughter as she stood up, causing her to fall to the ground.
“We scrimped and saved to send you to school, with hopes that you would work in the Princess’s workshop in the future. And now, what have you done?” The man was truly exasperated.
Despite her, giving money every month, they only took half back, letting her keep the rest.
“Last time when you mentioned betraying the Princess, we warned you that if you dared to do so, you wouldn’t be our daughter anymore,” the man stared at her sternly.
The Princess had provided them with a comfortable life, ensuring they lacked for nothing. Yet, his daughter had joined others in insulting and plotting against her, making him feel ashamed.
“Dad, I know I was wrong,” his daughter pleaded.
“I’m not your dad; you’re not my real daughter.”
“From now on, don’t bother about her. Let her face the consequences on her own. She’s not welcome in this house anymore.” They were unsure how to express their gratitude to the Princess for the comfortable life they enjoyed today, but their daughter’s actions had left them deeply disheartened.
Despite causing trouble, it was great that their whole family wasn’t implicated, they were extremely thankful.
A similar incident occurred in another household, but the situation was somewhat better there. The attendants informed Wang Jinhe about these events upon their return.
Wang Jinhe, upon hearing this, maintained a calm smile. This matter didn’t concern her much; their actions were their own choices.
The county magistrate, observing Wang Jinhe’s nonchalant demeanor, shook their head in resignation.
Sometimes, the Princess could truly contain anything within her generous heart.
“How is the workshop faring now, Your Highness?” the county magistrate smoothly shifted the conversation.
Wang Jinhe was quite content with the workshop’s progress.
“The workshop is doing well. The people working here are all very capable,” excluding the two individuals from before, of course.
Having disguised herself and visited the workshop incognito, she had observed and interacted, finding everyone relaxed and motivated to earn money. This contented atmosphere pleased her.
Later, when she brought up a request for assistance, everyone suddenly ignored her, their gazes wary, as if she might catch them off guard. Wang Jinhe found this reaction somewhat bemusing but remained satisfied with the overall situation.
At that moment, she instructed Manager Lin to distribute a red envelope of two hundred wen to everyone. After handing over the money to Manager Lin, she considered her part done, leaving the rest to him.
“That’s good to hear. Will Your Highness be visiting the academy later on?” The identities of the teachers at the academy were now known, attracting many affluent families who wished to enroll their children there. However, the limited space at the academy posed a challenge.
“Previously, many inquired about the expansion of the academy. If Your Highness declines, they are willing to fund the expansion themselves. As long as they can send their children to study alongside the teachers, they are content.” The county magistrate, suppressing a smile, informed Wang Jinhe of the situation.
Wang Jinhe looked at the county magistrate with a mix of amusement and bewilderment, surprised by the turn of events.
“Aren’t there other good academies available?” she inquired.
“Well, the issue is that the backgrounds of the teachers at your academy are quite impressive; they are all renowned educators,” the county magistrate explained.
If his children weren’t already grown, he would have considered sending them to the academy to keep an eye on those mischievous boys.
“I’ll discuss the expansion plans with Su Yu when I return. He has more expertise in this area. Additionally, expanding the academy will require more teachers, a matter Su Yu’s team handles. Without the necessary personnel, we’ll have to hold off on the expansion,” Wang Jinhe remarked, feeling somewhat resigned.
Securing excellent teachers wasn’t an easy task.
“Very well,” the county magistrate agreed.
Wang Jinhe stayed at an inn overnight and visited the academy the next day.
She first visited the girls’ academy, where the young women were earnestly studying under female teachers, their thirst for knowledge evident in their attentive demeanor.
Observing quietly for a while, Wang Jinhe left discreetly, as if she had never been there.
After visiting the girls’ academy, she proceeded to the boys’ academy.
Every classroom was full, with more students present, even in the top classes.
The sheer number of students took Wang Jinhe by surprise. Despite mentally preparing herself after the county magistrate’s briefing, the actual sight still astonished her.
It seemed that discussions with Su Yu about expanding the academy and recruiting more teachers were indeed necessary.
After a brief tour, Wang Jinhe prepared to head back home.
On their way back, Yanxi and Yanchen stumbled towards Wang Jinhe. Yanxi was impulsive, almost tripping over before she could steady herself, only saved from falling by Yanchen’s grip.
Wang Jinhe approached, observing Yanxi’s near mishap before calmly advising, “Take your time, make sure to stand firm before walking. What if you fall?”
“Mommy, carry,” Yanxi requested.
“If it weren’t for your brother holding you, you would have fallen. Why do you insist on saying that?” Wang Jinhe gently chided.
“Little Brother,” Yanxi called out.
Wang Jinhe felt a headache coming on. Ever since Yanxi started speaking clearly, she loved calling Yanchen ” Little brother.”
Each time, Yanchen would gaze straight at her, causing Yanxi to retreat, only to reluctantly call him “brother” after a while. Yet, Yan Xi somehow managed to forget each time, resulting in her begrudgingly calling him “brother” repeatedly.
“Mommy.”
Wang Jinhe lifted the two children up, asking, “Where’s your father?”
“Ran.”
“Flew.”
Wang Jinhe was a bit puzzled. Did he run away, or did he fly away?