Chapter 43: Visiting Elder Jiang, the Scholar

Wang Bairui’s wife took a sip of tea and said leisurely, “Ah, as long as there’s money, even the best academy in the capital—Boyan Academy—our children can attend!”

Boyan Academy?

Madam Su couldn’t recall such an academy. She peeled two chestnuts for Wang Bairui’s wife and handed them over. “Sister-in-law, you must be right, but this old woman has just arrived in these parts, didn’t get much schooling, so I don’t know what makes this academy so good?”

As she ate the chestnuts, Wang Bairui’s wife explained, “Most people send their children to either the county school or private academies. The former, as you probably know, is government-run and cheaper. The latter is ten times more expensive, but the environment, the number of books, and the quality of the teachers are a hundred times better.

Take Boyan Academy, for example—it’s privately run, but the dean is the famous scholar Dong Wenzhao, who is said to be a Hanlin Academician. Every year, people flock there just because of his reputation. But those who are actually admitted are all either from prominent families or are incredibly gifted prodigies. Occasionally, they accept a few children from humble families like ours, but only if they’re the best of their peers.

In the last imperial exam, fifty people in the capital passed the county-level exam to become xiucai. Out of those, thirty came from Boyan Academy. People now say that studying at Boyan Academy is like stepping one foot into an official career ahead of time!”

At this, Wang Bairui’s wife couldn’t help smacking her lips. “If you want to send your child to the county school, that’s easier—just get a recommendation letter from the old scholar in our village. But if you want them to go to Boyan Academy, you’d likely need a recommendation from a titled scholar in the city.”

Madam Su took note of this.

Getting a recommendation from the old scholar makes entering the county school easy. But getting one from a titled scholar doesn’t guarantee entry to Boyan Academy—meaning even with that recommendation, there’s no certainty.

She thanked Sister Wang, chatted with her a bit longer, and then saw her out.

That evening, Zhang Xiaolan made a soup with the radishes and pork bones Sister Wang had brought and served it with a pot of hand-pulled noodles. After the family finished their meal, Madam Su shared the conversation she had with Sister Wang.

Su Second and Su Third volunteered immediately. “Mother, let us join the ancestral association. Fourth and Fifth are strong and agile—they can stay home and keep watch. We’ll feel better that way.”

Madam Su looked to Wu Chunhe and Zhang Xiaolan. “Second daughter-in-law, third daughter-in-law, what about you two?”

Zhang Xiaolan had no objections. Wu Chunhe raised her hand. “Mother, can I also join the association?”

Su Fourth objected. “Mother, Third Brother and Third Sister-in-law make the best food. They’ve always cooked for the family. If Third Brother goes to the association, who will fill in for him? Better if Second Brother and I go, and Third Brother and Fifth stay behind.”

Su Fifth nodded, and Li Sumei also thought it was a good idea. So it was settled—Su Second and Su Fourth would join the association.

As for Wu Chunhe’s request, Madam Su scolded her playfully, “No matter how competitive you are, this isn’t the way. You’re a woman—aren’t you afraid of suffering losses in there? That association is full of men. When spring comes, are you going to fight with a bunch of men over water?”

Wu Chunhe realized she had a point and reluctantly gave up the idea.

Then Madam Su brought up a second matter. “Our public funds are out. Right now, we only have fifteen taels of silver for buying grain and a hundred taels set aside for the children’s education. Besides farming and stockpiling grain, we need to revive our old ways of earning money. With the mountain snowed in and enough firewood at home, I’m no longer comfortable with Fourth and Fifth going up the mountain to hunt.

Earlier, Sumei bought a hundred catties of soybeans. I plan to keep making tofu or soybean pudding to sell in town. We’ll also visit nearby villages and the town to find work helping out at weddings and funerals. Other than Fourth daughter-in-law, who will stay home for needlework and childcare, the rest of us will go out and work. What do you all think?”

In the cradle, little Su Huan, wearing her hood and playing with a cloth tiger toy, raised her head in surprise. “Yiya?”

In such cold weather, Grandma was going out with all the uncles, aunts, fathers, and mothers to make money?

She raised her hands in dismay.

It was a pity that even though her mustard seed space was packed with goods, it could only be used for emergencies—it couldn’t magically produce silver for the household.

Silver…

Right! There was still that Seven-Treasure Necklace!

Little Su Huan immediately took off the necklace from around her neck, held it in both hands, and eagerly passed it to Madam Su. “Yiya yiya~”

The Su family thought Madam Su’s plan was a good one. Zhang Xiaolan also suggested buying more soybeans, honey, cabbage, and pickling salt. Since the weather was cold, they could prepare a larger batch of pickled vegetables. They could also mix the over a hundred catties of chestnuts with soybeans to make a chestnut-soybean sauce. Come spring, it would be delicious as a dressing for wild vegetables, noodles, or steamed buns.

Everyone started drooling just thinking about it.

Madam Su happily agreed. When she heard the sound from the cradle, she told the others to continue discussing while she went to comfort little Su Huan. Then she put the necklace back around her granddaughter’s neck and secured it. “Good girl, Grandma will play with you after finishing the talk.”

After that, she set Su Huan down again.

But Su Huan quickly grabbed her hand, pointed at the necklace, then pointed at Madam Su.

Madam Su gradually understood and was both surprised and touched. She couldn’t help but kiss the little one’s hand. “Sweet baby, this was a gift from your Auntie Wang. No matter how poor our family gets, we won’t think of selling it. Ever since you came to us, our luck has turned around. Don’t worry—Grandma, your parents, uncles, and aunts will definitely earn money!”

Hearing this, little Su Huan gave up her plan of handing over the necklace to be sold and instead raised her tiny fist to cheer on Madam Su. “Yiya!”

Madam Su couldn’t help but laugh. She put her back in the cradle, handed her a teething stick, and called Yan Xing to keep her company. Then she returned to the table to finalize the matter of sending the children to the county school before dismissing everyone to wash up and rest.

Early the next morning, the Su family ate millet buns with stewed pig head meat. Then Madam Su took Yan Jia, Yan He, Yan Qi, and Yan Xing, along with a basket full of meat, eggs, tea, and twenty catties of white flour, to visit the old scholar living at the end of the village.

The old scholar’s surname was Jiang. His wife had passed away early, and his daughter was already married off. He lived alone, teaching children how to read each year and farming a few mu of thin land. He managed well on his own.

Madam Su entered the thatched house, set down the gifts, exchanged a few pleasantries with Elder Jiang, then explained her purpose.

Elder Jiang looked at the table full of gifts and beamed. “You came to the right person! Around these parts, anyone wanting to go to the county school comes to me for a recommendation letter. Though I’m not as prestigious as those titled scholars in the city, I do have an official rank. With my letter, there’s no problem getting into the county school! However, I can’t write one for just anyone. If you don’t mind, I’ll need to test your four children first.”