Transmigrating to the Qi Family - Chapter 24

“Brother Jiang, I want to order eight baskets of longevity peaches for tomorrow’s noon banquet. Can you manage?”

“Sure, come pick them up yourself tomorrow morning!”

“Here’s a deposit. Keep it for now. I’ll send someone with a receipt to collect them tomorrow.”

“Alright, make sure to keep the receipt safe. I trust receipts, not people!” Jiang Miao clarifies beforehand to avoid any confusion where his people might pick up one batch and someone else might claim another with the receipt.

“Don’t worry, I know your rules.” The customer pockets the receipt Jiang Miao gives him and hurries away.

Jiang Miao weighs the coins in his hand, then picks up his basket and goes to buy ingredients.

Since Zhao Xing helped him advertise a few days ago, Jiang Miao has received several orders sporadically over the past few days. The volume isn’t huge, but it’s quite profitable, definitely more than what he earns from selling at his stall. Indeed, in this world, everything seems to hinge on appearances—even good-looking buns fetch higher prices.

Thinking about appearances, Jiang Miao suddenly recalls the most handsome face he has seen here. He mutters a curse under his breath, unsure if he is cursing himself or that Pei gentleman.

After making the rounds and gathering all the necessary ingredients, he returns to the courtyard.

“Little Jiang, you’re back!”

As soon as Jiang Miao enters the courtyard, Grandma Liu, who is washing vegetables in the yard, calls out to him.

“Grandma Liu, it’s almost noon, why haven’t you sent your Yijie to the private school today?” Jiang Miao spots a fair-skinned young boy sitting at the gate, holding a book and reading.

In the past, when he returned from his stall, Grandma Liu had already sent her grandson to the private school. Today, however, it’s already late and he is still at home.

“His tutor had some matters to attend to today and went out again. His wife only said they should come home and review their lessons on their own!” Grandma Liu replies with a hint of displeasure. “This tutor always has something come up two or three days a month. Every time, he sends them back home to study on their own.”

“He went out again? Hasn’t he been out several times this month already?” Jiang Miao has been here for less than a month, but he has already heard about it happening several times. The elementary school students here have it tough—they don’t have weekends off like others, and aside from the first and fifteenth of each month, they go to school almost every day.

Grandma Liu can’t hold back her complaints once Jiang Miao engages in conversation with her: “Exactly! We pay five hundred wen per month! It’s almost twenty wen a day, and this month his tutor has been out three times, making an easy fifty or sixty wen! If it weren’t for this private school being the closest and everyone around knowing them, I’d have already switched him to another!”

“Yeah, yesterday my son Jingyu came back and said the same. This Master Liang doesn’t teach properly. He makes them read the same passage every day. Half a month ago, it was ‘Heaven, Earth, and Man’, and he’s still on it!” Aunt Bai joins in, hearing their conversation as she comes out to fetch water. Her other son, Wenyu, is older and attends a more distant academy, where the tutors are more responsible.

“Why don’t you go to their private school and report this tutor’s behavior? At least let someone oversee him,” Jiang Miao suggests, only to receive strange looks from Grandma Liu and Aunt Bai.

“That Mrs. Liang is known for her fiery temper. Anyone who goes to complain to her is sure to get an earful. She won’t bother about Master Liang; she might even secretly enjoy it!” Aunt Bai clearly has some grievances toward her.

Jiang Miao finally understands. He had mistakenly applied modern school concepts to ancient times, assuming there were principals and such. However, he hadn’t realized that these small private schools scattered around the streets were all operated by a single person. There were no principals or teachers in the traditional sense.

“In that case, you should consider changing to another private school. Isn’t it misleading the children?” Jiang Miao points out, realizing the environment has a significant impact. After all, why are modern prestigious school districts so expensive? It’s all about the educational facilities and quality of teachers.

“You’re right. After finishing this month, I’ll make sure Yijie doesn’t go there next year!” Grandma Liu finally makes up her mind, persuaded by Jiang Miao.

“Me too. I’d rather go a bit farther than waste copper coins and time!” Aunt Bai agrees, deciding that when Wenyu returns in the evening, she will ask him to go to the academy and inquire whether they accept children aged seven or eight.

“Brother!” A young boy runs out from inside the house. Grandma Liu and Aunt Bai had only known that Jiang Miao had brought a child home these days but hadn’t paid much attention. Now that he calls out, they stare, making the boy nervous as he quickly hides behind Jiang Miao.

“Auntie, this is my younger brother Jiang Lei, nicknamed Xiao Shitou. He’s quite shy and usually doesn’t like going out.” After the introduction, Jiang Miao pulls Xiao Shitou out from behind him. “Don’t be afraid, this is Grandma Liu and Auntie Bai. Say hello.”

“Hello, Grandma Liu. Hello, Aunt Bai.” Xiao Shitou’s face is thin, making his eyes look unusually large. Both women can’t help but feel a sense of pity as they glance at his watery eyes.

“How old is this child?”

“He’s six years old. He’ll be seven after the New Year.”

“Next year he can go to school too. Let me tell you, it’s a good thing if a child can recognize a few characters. Nowadays, those who recruit labor outside all prefer people who can read!” Grandma Liu says earnestly, proud as always to have a scholar in the family.

“Yes, I will send him next year. I will ask Jingyu and Yijie to help me keep an eye on him. With the three of them together they will not be easily bullied.” Jiang Miao pats Xiao Shitou’s head. To him, all children should study, not to become officials or get rich, but simply to understand more principles without waiting until they experience the hardships of life.

“Absolutely right! If they go out together from our courtyard, they can’t let others bully them.” Grandma Liu asserts. With her grandson having two companions, she feels more confident about sending him elsewhere to study.

After returning to the house with the basket, Jiang Miao starts cooking. Xiao Shitou sits by the stove, helping to build the fire. He glances up at Jiang Miao from time to time, as if wanting to ask something but hesitating to speak.

After hesitating for a while, he finally speaks up, “Brother…”

“What’s the matter?”

“Brother, are you really… going to send me to school?” Xiao Shitou gathers his courage to ask, then quickly lowers his head, afraid to see Jiang Miao’s disapproving gaze. He had heard about people studying outside the village before, and his parents had talked about it. They said those families were wasting money on education, and what good was it for a farm boy to study? It would be better to spend the money on good food and drink.

He didn’t know what good studying would do, but secretly he envied those who could read and write. If he could learn a few characters, he could ask someone to send a letter to his brother and ask him to come back and visit him.

Now that his brother had brought him back, he felt a bit greedy even thinking about studying.

“Of course, why do you ask?” Jiang Miao is somewhat surprised. Could this child be reluctant to study?

“Studying costs a lot of money. A lot, much more than what was spent to buy him!”

“Don’t worry. Didn’t you go out and earn money with your brother last time? And these days, you’ve been helping me make peach cakes. You’ve earned so much money! Are you still worried about not being able to go to school?” Jiang Miao chuckles. Those dozen or so taels of silver are carefully stashed under the bed’s bricks, and the rest of the copper coins are still kept in the jar.

“That money is for my brother to marry a wife!”

Jiang Miao laughs, “Your brother is still young. There’s no rush to get married now. I can still get married when you grow up.”

“But…” Xiao Shitou wants to argue. In the village, many boys his brother’s age have already gotten married.

“Stop it already. Come and eat. I’ve made your favorite stir-fried pork.” Jiang Miao doesn’t want to entertain any more marriage requests from his younger brother, so he quickly interrupts him, attempting to shut him up with food.

…

“Ache, what are you holding there?” Han Qin sits on the railing of the pavilion, looking down and immediately spotting something in Pei Che’s hands that looks like a scroll or a painting. He jumps down and reaches out to grab it.

Pei Che swiftly turns, hiding the painting behind him, evading Han Qin’s clutches.

“Don’t let people see it! Could it be… you’ve painted a portrait of a beauty?” His peach blossom eyes flicker with a mischievous gleam, clearly imagining something scandalous.

“Tsk!”

On the other side of the railing, a man dressed in dark robes emits a mocking laugh.

“Hey, Su Jin, what do you mean by that?” Han Qin glares fiercely at him.

“Besides you, who else talks about beauties all day long? Just think about it casually, and you’ll know Pei Che couldn’t have painted a portrait of a beauty.” Su Jin ignores Han Qin and instead, He Chen, sitting on a bench in the pavilion, takes over the conversation to explain on his behalf.

“You guys don’t understand anything. It’s just jealousy because I am favored by those beauties the most. I won’t stoop to your level.” Seeing them gang up against him, Han Qin feels he can’t compete and quickly redirects the topic to the original subject.

“Ache, what exactly did you paint?”

“Just look and you’ll know.” Pei Che walks over, placing the scroll on the stone table and unfolding it. “Take a look, does this painting differ from the previous ones?”

His words carry a hidden expectation. Having known each other since childhood, they naturally sense his anticipation, instantly piquing their curiosity as they gather around the table to carefully admire.

The painting depicts a snowy day with snowflakes falling gently from the sky. Not far away stands a snow-covered mountain with several plum trees gracefully extending their branches, adorned with a few red plum blossoms. Amidst the icy landscape, it exudes vibrant vitality, prompting exclamations of admiration from those who behold it.

However, what exactly sets this painting apart from his previous works? It certainly isn’t the scenery. Han Qin and Su Jin scrutinize it closely but can’t discern any significant differences from Pei Che’s earlier paintings.

Among the four, He Chen has the highest accomplishment in painting. After looking at it for a long time, he points to a spot and says, “Ache, is this what you mean by the difference?”

The spot he points to is beneath several plum trees, where the snow seems less dense compared to other areas. One can faintly discern the shape of the trees, as if shadows left by the plum trees after being illuminated, making the plum trees in the entire painting appear more vibrant, as if they’re standing out from the painting.

“Not bad!” Pei Che gives him an appreciative look. The faint sense of satisfaction emanating from him makes everyone feel quite refreshed.

“What are you all talking about? Why can’t I see any difference?” Han Qin widens his peach blossom eyes into almond shapes, still unable to spot any difference. After He Chen explains it to him, he suddenly realizes.

“Ache, impressive! No wonder you’ve been holed up at home these days. Turns out you’ve mastered a new skill!”

“It’s not that I mastered it myself, but rather, I was guided by someone.”

“Who’s so talented? Is it that artist who used to paint for you before? What’s his name again?” Han Qin jokes.

Pei Che glares at him and says, “His name is Jiang Xiaoge, not some master.”

Jiang Xiaoge?

The three fall silent for a moment. What kind of strange name is that?