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The mule cart arrived at the entrance of Baicaotang, and Sun Sichen quickly led them to the courtyard.
“Is this your cousin Erqiang? Hmm, not bad, quite spirited.”
Sun Sichen went inside and soon came out with two pouches, one green and one blue.
“Ping’an, since you’ve decided to come, you are my disciple. Here’s a red envelope for you. Once we arrive in the prefecture, I’ll hold a small apprenticeship ceremony.” He then removed the jade pendant hanging from his waist. “This is for you too. Don’t lose it.”
This jade pendant was of high quality and he had worn it for several years.
This first gift to his disciple was of special significance, hence the better gift.
Ping’an looked at his parents.
Wan Changsheng said, “Young Master, Ping’an can just take the red envelope; he can’t accept the jade pendant.”
“Take it, take it. This is the first gift your master gives you.”
Ping’an knelt down, bowed, and then accepted the pouch and jade pendant with both hands.
“Erqiang, this is for you. Learn your skills well. I don’t keep those who are not diligent or ambitious. Also, learn from Jixiang and Ruyi; observe and learn. Don’t casually tell outsiders about Ping’an or Baicaotang.”
Erqiang also knelt down and kowtowed respectfully. “Young Master, I understand.”
“Get up. This is your envelope. Your monthly stipend is five hundred wen, paid around the middle of each month. If you perform well, there will be a bonus at the end of the year.”
Erqiang accepted the green pouch with both hands, his heart pounding.
The pouch felt heavy and substantial to the touch. It wasn’t copper coins or broken silver. Heavens, how much was in there?
The pouch was also smooth and a beautiful green. It was the first real pouch he’d ever owned.
He had brought his own pouch, sewn from an old piece of cloth by his mother, containing one hundred copper coins—his grandfather’s requirement.
“Wan Xiong[1]Brother Wan, we can’t leave today. I’ll have Jixiang take you to get your road pass, then he’ll take you to the Yingbin Inn. If you’re free in the afternoon, you can go for a walk in the city. We’ll have dinner together.”
“Thank you, Young Master.”
“Wan Xiong, Di-mei[2]Sister-in-law, Ping’an is my disciple, and we are family. Just relax.”
“Jixiang, come in.” Sun Sichen called for Jixiang. “Take them to get their road pass, then take them to the Yingbin Inn. Order dinner early; I’ll be there in the evening, and we’ll stay there. Tell Ruyi to prepare for our departure tomorrow.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
With someone familiar to lead the way, they obtained the road pass quickly. The road pass in the Great Zhou Dynasty was valid for up to three years before needing renewal.
Jixiang took them directly to the inn, booked three superior rooms and one standard room, and ordered lunch and dinner before returning to report to the Young Master.
Erqiang looked at the exquisite rooms, unsure where to put his feet.
“Heavens, is the floor made of wooden planks? It’s so extravagant! Ping’an, it’s just the two of us staying here tonight? Half this size would be enough; what do we need the outer room for?”
Ping’an ignored him and let him ramble on.
It was a suite, with an outer room for guests and an inner room for sleeping, separated by a washroom and a toilet.
“Ping’an, I overheard— a superior room costs three hundred wen a night! My father, a laborer, works from dawn to dusk for ten days to earn that much. The prices in the city are so high.”
Eleven-year-old Erqiang was tall and thin, and Ping’an wondered if his slender neck could support that large head.
“Second Cousin, haven’t you looked at the envelope?”
“Envelope? Oh, oh, I forgot.” Erqiang hastily opened the pouch and froze.
For a while.
“Ping’an, guess how much? Heavens, my master gave me enough for a bride price.”
He took out two five-tael silver ingots from the pouch, shining and heavy.
“In the countryside, a bride price is only seven or eight taels, maybe ten at most. Ping’an, I’ll use this to help my elder brother marry a wife.” After a pause, he added, “I’ll give it to my aunt for safekeeping. I’m afraid I’ll lose so much silver.”
Ping’an lay on the kang, checking his own pouch. He had two five-tael silver ingots and four fifty-tael bank notes.
His master’s gifts were indeed generous.
The jade pendant alone was worth quite a bit.
He hid everything in his cloth bag. This time, he had drawn a design for his mother to make him a backpack for carrying things.
Erqiang dashed to his aunt’s room. He felt uneasy carrying so much silver and was anxious to go downstairs for dinner, worried about where to hide it.
Ping’an estimated it was almost lunchtime and calmly went out. He would give some money to his parents, but he had to think about how much.
Adding his previous earnings, he had two hundred and thirty-eight taels, enough to buy a decent house in the county.
Erqiang was reluctantly handing over his red envelope to his aunt.
Ping’an said, “I’ll give some to you later.”
Wan Changsheng said, “Ping’an, keep your red envelopes from now on. You can give them to your mother to keep; we don’t need your money.”
Erqiang felt a little envious. He didn’t have to hand over his red envelopes? It was his pocket money? Ping’an had it so good.
However, he hadn’t asked how much Ping’an had received; it wasn’t his place to ask.
He was here to take care of Ping’an, his employer. No employee would ask their employer how much money they had.
Lunch was ordered by Jixiang—three dishes and one soup, and a large bowl of rice for the four of them.
“Eat up,” Wan Changsheng put a piece of braised pork in his son’s bowl and then in Erqiang’s. “Eat more; if you don’t finish it, it will go to waste.”
“Waste?” Erqiang’s eyes widened. After his aunt and others had finished eating, he would finish all the food. It would only go into his stomach.
Ping’an and his mother had eaten well at the Wan family, so they were not particularly hungry.
Meiniang felt sorry for her husband. At home, he always put the best food into her and her son’s bowls. She picked up her chopsticks and put plenty of meat into his bowl.
The couple exchanged a knowing smile.
Ping’an thought, this marriage was indeed right. Regardless of whether that person was still alive, his mother had done what she should have; there was no reason for her to remain a widow at such a young age.
“Let’s go for a walk in the afternoon, you two can go together. Erqiang doesn’t have any travel clothes. There isn’t time to make them now, so let’s buy a set.”
“Aunt, can I use my money?”
Meiniang smiled. “I’m your aunt; of course, I’ll buy you a new set of clothes. We had a hard time in the past and couldn’t buy you clothes or shoes. We’ll also buy a pair of shoes and any remaining money I will buy cloth to make clothes and a backpack for Ping’an, and one for Erqiang as well.”
“Mother, I won’t go. I want to stay in the room to read. If my master checks up on me and I can’t answer his questions, it won’t be good.”
Meiniang quickly nodded. Studying was more important than going out for a walk.
In the evening, Ping’an gave ten taels of silver to his mother. “Mother, use this for the family. I want to save some money to buy a house for the family later, so I won’t give you all of it for now.”
Meiniang happily accepted it. She would accept whatever her son gave her. If he didn’t give it to her, she wouldn’t ask.
Her husband had already agreed that Ping’an didn’t need to hand over his red envelopes. Receiving it and giving it were different matters.
She wondered how much his master had given him—sixty taels? Eighty taels?
After giving him the jade pendant, he wouldn’t give him that much silver again, would he?