Chapter 153: Du Yongning 1/2

Jin Xiaoye set off for the provincial capital this time from the new wharf.

She was riding on a much larger boat brought back by Chang Zhan from Linhu County than the one she used to row before. Besides Li Damao and Li Ermao, Jin Xiaoshu and Jin Sangshu were also going to the provincial capital with her.

Li Laogen dared not go to the provincial capital, so she didn’t bring anyone with her, letting Li Laogen take Zhao Xiaodou back to Miaoqian Village to stay for a few days.

Zhao Xiaodou hadn’t been home for a long time. He could reunite with his family during the Mid-Autumn Festival.

As for Jin Xiaoshu and Jin Sangshu… after they escorted her to the provincial capital and stayed overnight, they would return to Chongcheng County by boat tomorrow.

Jin Xiaoshu’s boat business had already started, and Jin Sangshu joined the boat business with Yao Shao’s boat.

This time, they would row for a long time to get to the provincial capital, and since the boat was relatively large, Jin Xiaoshu brought Jin Sangshu along to row with him.

Li Damao and Li Ermao have taken many boat rides, but they have never been to the provincial capital before, so they are very excited now, chatting incessantly.

But after riding the boat for a while, they got a little bored. “Mom, when will we arrive?” asked Li Ermao.

“It’s still a long way off,” said Jin Xiaoye.

“Mom, can you tell us a story?” Li Ermao coaxed.

Jin Xiaoye couldn’t tell a story, so she thought for a moment and brought out a set of Go for them. “You can play Go.”

Alright… Li Damao and Li Ermao started playing Go.

As for Jin Xiaoye, she chatted with Jin Xiaoshu and Jin Sangshu.

She has been quite busy lately and hasn’t had a chance to chat with anyone for a long time.

Jin Xiaoshu talked about some of his experiences sailing, while as for Jin Sangshu…  Jin Sangshu used to be quiet, but since he started sailing and interacting with various guests, he became talkative.

He told Jin Xiaoye a lot about the things happening in Miaoqian Village.

For example, everyone was curious about the vegetables planted by Li Qingzhi. Some even sneaked in and picked some leaves to take home.

As a result, not only was that person chased out by Zhao Laosan for several miles, but Zhao Laosan also took away a lot of their vegetables.

“Li Qing’s vegetables, planted by Zhao Laosan, are okay to eat, but not particularly delicious… That person who picked the vegetable leaves is regretting it now,” said Jin Sangshu.

Jin Xiaoye felt a bit helpless. “Those vegetables… are not meant to eat the leaves.”

 Jin Sangshu was stunned.

Jin Xiaoye continued, “Did they get diarrhea from eating those vegetable leaves? It seems like the leaves weren’t poisonous.”

 Jin Sangshu: “…”

Neither Jin Xiaoye nor Li Qingzhi were sure if the vegetable leaves were poisonous or not? Fortunately, they weren’t, otherwise, that person who stole the leaves wouldn’t know what would have happened to them by now.

 Jin Sangshu mentioned a few other things, such as a family in Miaoqian Village who had been setting up stalls at the night market of the new pier, earning quite a bit of money and recently starting to build a house. Also, because they could pay less grain tax, this year when the village was busy with farming, every household bought meat to eat, so the price of meat this year was much higher.

The prices of chickens and ducks also went up because Jiawei Zhai kept buying chickens and ducks!

“After paying less grain tax, every household has surplus grain, so recently everyone has been buying chicks and ducklings to raise. I don’t know how many more chickens and ducks there are in the village now,” Jin Sangshu said with a smile. “Our family is raising twenty chickens!”

As he spoke, Jin Sangshu also mentioned his younger brother, Jin Zaoshu. Although Jin Zaoshu was lazy, because the Jin family had money, his “market” was still pretty good, and many girls were willing to marry him.

But he insisted on comparing himself to Jin Xiaoshu and wanted to marry a girl from the city… Where would a city girl look at him? He’s still single now.

Jin Xiaoye: “…”

Jin Zaoshu really set his sights too high.

Finally, there’s Jin Moli.

After Jin Moli stopped selling rice, she stayed at home every day, and occasionally quarreled with Yao Zhenfu and Yao’s mother.

“She’s quite strange… she wasn’t like this before,” Jin Sangshu said, looking puzzled.

Before Jin Moli got married, she was very delicate and didn’t do anything, but after marriage, she suddenly became diligent, and now… she’s lazy again.

 Jin Sangshu found Jin Moli very strange and uncomfortable now.

Li Laogen has returned to the village!

Li Laogen returned to the village, and now Mr. Yao’s family has come as well. He has been bragging in front of Mr. Yao for half a day.

He brags about how he eats the delicious food from Jiawei Zhai every day.

He brags about having meals with Governor Zhang together with Gou Tongzhi.

He brags about having over ten wen of pocket money every day, which he can spend however he wants…

Li Laogen keeps going on and on about these trivial matters.

Jin Moli is utterly disgusted by him!

If it weren’t for him gambling away so much money after Li Qingzhi disappeared in the previous life, she might not have remarried.

If she hadn’t remarried, when Li Qingzhi returned, she might have given him money for medical treatment, and then her life would have been better and better…

But now? What kind of life is she living!

As for Jin Xiaoye… at this time in the previous life, Jin Xiaoye hadn’t opened a shop in the county town yet. She used to cook braised meat at home and sell it in the county town after cooking.

It wasn’t until the end of this year that she rented a shop in the county town.

But now? Jiawei Zhai has already moved to the capital city, and it’s said that the neighboring Linhu County has also opened a Jiawei Zhai.

And Jin Xiaoshu, in the previous life at this time, Jin Xiaoshu was still helping Jin Xiaoye with odd jobs, but now he has actually started his own boat business!

Jin Moli rolls her eyes at Li Laogen.

Li Laogen sees this and becomes even more enthusiastic in his storytelling.

Other people in the village also gather at Mr. Yao’s house, listening to Li Laogen talk about having meals with the governor, their faces filled with amazement.

At the same time, in the provincial capital…

The gathering Li Qingzhi is attending this time is a reading club hosted by Du Yongning of Yonghe Mansion, held in a lakeside restaurant in the provincial capital.

Du Yongning has invited many famous scholars, and the book they are reading happens to be “Records of a Wronged Man”.

After Li Qingzhi arrived, he received a copy of “Records of a Wronged Man”, and besides that, some scholars also brought out their own poetry collections or essays to give away.

Seeing those beautifully printed poetry collections, Li Qingzhi’s first impression was… these scholars are quite wealthy.

Du Yongning handed a poetry collection to Li Qingzhi and wrote “For Li Zixiao” on the first page on the spot, followed by the time and place, and stamped it.

Speaking of which, giving away poetry collections is also one of the ways for literati to gain reputation at this time.

“Do you have any poetry collections, Brother Li?” After finishing writing, Du Yongning smiled and asked Li Qingzhi.

Li Qingzhi replied, “Sorry, I don’t write much poetry.”

Li Qingzhi could feel that Du Yongning didn’t like him, and even seemed to dislike him a bit.

This reading club is somewhat similar to the banquet held by Hong Hui during last year’s Mid-Autumn Festival—he is not favored by the hosts both times.

But he doesn’t mind.

Not only can he eat and drink for free, but he can also receive other people’s books and poetry collections for free… What does he have to worry about?

“That’s truly a shame! Brother Li writes so well, his poetry must be equally impressive,” Du Yongning expressed his regret, though he felt a bit disdainful inside.

This Li Qingzhi must surely be lacking money, hence the absence of a poetry collection!

He had already investigated; Li Qingzhi was originally just an ordinary farmer, extremely impoverished.

However, his scholarly abilities were indeed commendable, to the point that he gained the favor of Zhou Shanchang from Chongwen Academy. Zhou Shanchang even helped him revise his articles, enabling them to be published in the “Anjiang Collection”.

If only he had known, he would have also found a well-known figure to assist him in revising his articles!

If he had someone refine his articles a bit more, Li Qingzhi wouldn’t have the ability to steal the limelight.

Since ancient times, literati have looked down upon each other, but most people, in front of others, wouldn’t speak ill; they would only praise incessantly.

Those who had presented poetry collections to others heard all the praises.

In such an environment, Li Qingzhi was even more at ease. He lavished praise on everyone around him, and everyone was delighted, some even treating him as a confidant.

There was a reason for this; his praise was sincere, with substance.

This sincerity definitely came from his heart. These young scholars harbored some emotions when facing him, not particularly fond of him, but they didn’t utter a single disrespectful word from start to finish… How admirable!

For instance, Du Yongning, despite finding him disagreeable, was always very warm towards him, even allowing him to have more snacks.

Li Qingzhi sincerely expressed his gratitude.

Du Yongning, who had been cursing Li Qingzhi inwardly, felt a bit ashamed.

But soon, he pushed aside his dissatisfaction. Li Qingzhi had Zhou Shanchang revise his articles; it must have been because of his flattery, right?

All because of Li Qingzhi, the path he had laid out for himself couldn’t be followed, and the silver he had given to Anjiang Academy had been squandered.

The reading club soon commenced.

Du Yongning remarked, “I recently came across a remarkable book and invited everyone here to read it together, to appreciate it together.”

Everyone responded enthusiastically. Those who had read “Records of a Wronged Man” began praising its quality, while those who hadn’t started flipping through it right then and there.

Eventually, the theme of the reading club was further elevated.

Du Yongning mentioned that this book had enlightened him about the hardships faced by the common people, and not long ago, his superior had given him a question related to people’s livelihoods. Today, they could write articles together and then discuss them.

It was quite common for several scholars to gather, propose questions to each other, and collaboratively write articles.

In the past, there had even been instances of someone getting lucky with exam questions, resulting in him and his friends performing exceptionally well in the exams.

Hence, no one found it strange when Du Yongning said so.

However, when Li Qingzhi pondered Du Yongning’s deliberate glance at him after posing the question… Could it be that Du Yongning wanted to test him?

The question Du Yongning posed was unusual, and Li Qingzhi had never written about it.

Nevertheless, as the saying goes, practice makes perfect.

And with his remarkable memory, he was much better at adapting than others!

“Gentlemen, there’s no need to write lengthy articles, a few hundred words will suffice. This way, after finishing, we’ll still have time for mutual discussion,” Du Yongning smiled as he spoke, instructing servants to distribute paper and ink.

He also took a set for himself.