Traveling Through Those Years Of Farming (Quick Transmigration) - Chapter 33
Dear Readers,
Due to a temporary website issue, starting around April 3, all novels started before January 2025 will be temporarily moved to the drafts folder for approximately 3–4 weeks. Unfortunately, this novel is included in that list.
In the meantime, I will be uploading the latest advance chapters to my Ko-fi account for my supporters. Regular updates will resume as soon as the site allows.
Thank you for your patience and support!
Under Lu Xiuyu’s strong opposition, her engagement with the village chief’s youngest son from the neighboring village ends without resolution.
The man’s temperament is even smaller than Lu Xiuyu had imagined. It is unclear what he tells his mother after returning home, but not long after, rumors begin to spread in the nearby villages that Lu Xiuyu is indecent, engaging in inappropriate behavior with men on the road and sharing a carriage with them.
The rumors grow increasingly widespread, with some claiming Lu Xiuyu has been laughing and chatting with small vendors at her shop, even allowing them to touch her while appearing very happy. Many of the details are so elaborate that it seems as though the gossipers have witnessed these events with their own eyes.
This time, Jiang Bai’e is genuinely angry and begins to realize how foolish she has been; she has nearly pushed her daughter into a fire pit.
Fortunately, the owner of the Tang family’s dessert shop takes the initiative to clarify the situation for Lu Xiuyu, stating that his son encounters her on the road and, seeing that she is carrying a lot of goods, kindly offers her a ride. At the time, his eight-year-old daughter is also in the carriage, negating any implication of impropriety.
After this, Jiang Bai’e and her husband, along with their two sons, visit the village chief’s home again and drag out the chief’s wife, who has been the first to spread the rumors, and give her a beating.
Unfortunately, the person most deserving of punishment is a local scholar, and ordinary citizens cannot lay hands on him. Otherwise, the mother and son would have faced a beating together.
When they arrive to confront the village chief’s wife, Jiang Bai’e shows no restraint, openly repeating the degrading remarks he made to her daughter in front of the gathered villagers, clearly exposing the family’s sinister intentions.
She makes it clear that the gossip circulating about her daughter is fabricated, stemming from the embarrassment and anger of the mother and son after failing to achieve their goals. She warns those tempted to consider this scholar as a son-in-law to be vigilant and discern his true nature.
With a sense of relief, Jiang Bai’e returns home triumphantly with her husband and sons, leaving the village chief’s family to endure the scorn of their neighbors.
It is said that shortly after they leave, the village chief’s older sons begin clamoring for a division of the family. This time, no amount of persuasion from the parents works; they are determined not to live with their troublesome younger brother, fearing the burden of being gossiped about because of him.
As for the rumors about Lu Xiuyu, they gradually fade from memory. When they are mentioned again, it is mostly to express sympathy for her misfortune at being schemed against by such a vicious person.
***
Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, more than half a year passes.
During this time, Lu Xiuyu’s marriage remains the primary concern for the entire family.
However, in recent days, they are a bit too preoccupied with other matters to focus on her, as Tang Dingyuan has passed both the county and prefectural exams and is preparing to head to Lin County for the imperial exam.
Whether the Lu family can produce a scholar hinges on this crucial first exam.
“Let me go with you, Grandma. You can help take care of Yuan Ge’er, and I just happen to have some small business that targets candidates. This will be a good opportunity to earn some money,” Lu Xiuyu suggests during dinner about accompanying Tang Dingyuan for the exam.
The Lu family is particularly invested in Tang Dingyuan’s future. Even Jiang Bai’e and Liu Lanhua have set aside their previous prejudices, knowing that having a scholar with a good reputation would benefit everyone in the family.
The previous county and prefecture exams are held within Yuyuan County, so Tang Dingyuan can stay at the academy, and no one needs to accompany him. However, this time the academy exam is in Lin County, and the Lu family is uneasy about him going alone.
Tang Dingyuan’s father suffers an accident on his way to the provincial examination, which affects his health and ultimately leads to his early death. They do not want the same fate to befall Tang Dingyuan.
So, the family decides that the old lady will accompany him to the exam. The two will rent a small courtyard, and Lu Miaoshi will take care of his daily needs and meals.
“Then let the eldest girl go with them. She can help Mother with some work,” Jiang Bai’e says, her eyes lighting up. With their girl beside Yuan Ge’er, she might even have the chance to meet other talented young men. Lu Xiuyu’s marriage has become a pressing issue for her; until her daughter finds a suitable husband, Jiang Bai’e can’t sleep well.
“I, I, I, I want to go too!” Lu Baobao exclaims, raising her hand eagerly.
She is already fifteen, and the farthest she has traveled is just Yuyuan County; now she has the chance for a free trip. How could she not seize the opportunity?
Jiang Bai’e’s expression stiffens a bit. She glances at her increasingly beautiful niece and feels a pang in her heart. With this little girl shining so brightly, would those talented young men notice her daughter’s inner virtues?
But her daughter is oblivious to it all, happily watching that girl and completely unaware that with her presence, her own brilliance will be overshadowed.
“Let’s all go,” Jiang Bai’e finally concedes.
Lu Miaoshi smiles and gently pats her second granddaughter’s head, finalizing the decision.
The eldest daughter-in-law is becoming increasingly thoughtless; how could she not bring Lu Baobao along? To outsiders, it will look strange for the unmarried cousin Xiuyu to accompany an old woman to care for Yuan Ge’er.
Those who don’t know the truth might assume Xiuyu is Yuan Ge’er’s fiancée, while those who know will think the eldest branch is trying to snatch the second branch’s son-in-law. It would be quite scandalous if it got out.
Lu Miao hadn’t expected the eldest daughter-in-law to be so shortsighted. Perhaps the pressure of finding a suitable match for her daughter has taken its toll over the past two years. Sometimes, too much anxiety can cloud one’s judgment.
Fortunately, the rest of the main branch are shrewd, and it seems that Baoyin’s wife is also a good match. With the eldest son and several children advising her, there is no need to worry about the eldest daughter-in-law making mistakes.
As for the second branch…
The old lady glances at her second son and his wife as her eyes pass by them. These two lively characters haven’t changed in decades, and she has completely given up on them.
The family of the third son has become much more reliable since the incident involving the third son’s wife, and their two children are well-behaved and sensible.
Lu Miao sighs deeply to herself. She and her husband are getting on in years; how much longer can they manage these three small families?
They have already decided that if Yuan Ge’er passes the scholar exam this time, then the second branch will have some support. While they still hold some prestige, they will divide the family.
No one else in the family guesses the two elders’ intentions; they have never hinted at it either. They have chosen to support the second family, knowing that if Yuan Ge’er doesn’t pass the examination this time, they will have to support this large family for a few more years.
******
Lu Miaoshi finds a housing agent to help rent a small courtyard in Lin County, conveniently located near the examination hall. With the upcoming exams, almost all the vacant houses nearby have been rented by candidates, so the rent is not cheap—two taels of silver for just over half a month, which is enough for an ordinary family’s expenses for a month or two.
Tang Dingyuan originally wants to pay for this himself, but Lu Miaoshi firmly refuses.
The house they rent has space for three candidates. Since the Lu family has the most people accompanying them, they secure the two largest rooms. One room is for Tang Dingyuan, furnished with a desk and bookcase, while the other serves as the bedroom for Lu Miao and her two granddaughters.
The kitchen and toilet are shared among the residents. Lu Xiuyu, being a bit particular, buys two chamber pots without asking for permission—one for each room.
Two other candidates also have family members accompanying them.
The oldest examinee is in his thirties, and he is accompanied by his wife, who looks even older than the scholar.
While chatting with the young woman, Miaoshi learns that they have four children, the youngest of whom is still nursing and can only be cared for by her younger brother and sister-in-law, who are also nursing.
The young woman wears patched clothes, while her husband’s outfit looks brand new, as if it were made from recently purchased fabric. Miaoshi hears that the elderly members of the family are still alive, and her husband relies on his brothers and sisters-in-law for support.
Miaoshi really can’t understand this family’s way of thinking, but she knows better than to criticize someone else’s choices.
The young lady is kind and friendly, and Lu Miao gets along well with her. After knowing each other for two or three days, they quickly bond over shopping for vegetables and cooking together, as well as visiting temples to burn incense and pray.
The other candidate is only a few years older than Tang Dingyuan. His widowed mother comes to accompany him, and when she sees that Lu Miao lives in the courtyard with her two granddaughters, her expression immediately sours. Without greeting anyone, she pulls her son back into their room and slams the door.
Since their first meeting, Miaoshi has barely seen the examinee come out of his room. His meals and bathing water are all brought in by the widow, who always carefully checks the courtyard when she opens the door. Whenever Lu Baobao and Lu Xiuyu are outside, her movements become particularly quick and agile when opening and closing the door.
Gradually, Lu Miao realizes that the woman treats her granddaughters as if they are thieves. The thought makes Lu Miao both angry and amused, so she stops trying to win the widow over. Instead, she focuses on caring for her own family.
Since Xiao Yuan is preparing for his exams, Lu Baobao doesn’t disturb him and goes out to set up a stall with her cousin every day.
Recently, Lu Xiuyu has perfected her instant noodle recipe. These days, she cooks noodles over a stove near the examination hall, relying on the enticing aroma to attract nearby candidates.
Lu Baobao can’t help much, so she spends her time wandering around the shops near the stall.
Numerous bookstores and shops selling the Four Treasures of Study are located near the examination hall. Lu Baobao enters the largest bookstore and begins searching for interesting books.
She swears that she is definitely not deliberately looking for the book about the widow and the blacksmith that has left a lasting impression on her.
“Little girl, what book are you looking for?”
A young assistant from the bookstore approaches her enthusiastically.
Lu Baobao blushes; some things are really hard to say out loud.
“Do you have any new storybooks here?”
Since there is a county town between them, she doesn’t have to worry about being recognized.
“Yes, we have plenty,” the young assistant replies, not surprised at all. Many young women come to their bookstore every day to buy storybooks—some for themselves and some for the young ladies and madams at home.
“I recommend this book, The Legend of Sword and Fairy. It sold very well when the first volume was published last year. You’re lucky, Miss. The second volume just came out last month and sold out on the same day! Our library printed more copies, and they just arrived this morning,” the young assistant says enthusiastically.
Lu Baobao feels disappointed. How could The Widow and the Blacksmith fall so quickly from grace? It has dropped off the bestseller list in just half a year. What is this Legend of Sword and Fairy? The title sounds boring and lacks depth. Ugh.
“Just give me this book, Sword and Fairy.”
She figures something is better than nothing and is curious to see what the bestsellers of this era are like.
“Okay, that’ll be two books in total—five taels for both.”
This price shocks Lu Baobao. How could she have forgotten that books in ancient times aren’t cheap? Otherwise, how would common people struggle to support a scholar?
But now that she has said it, and being thin-skinned, she feels embarrassed to refuse, so she can only buy the two books with tears in her eyes.
******
“Puff puff puff—”
“Chi chi chi—”
fter saying goodbye to her cousin, Lu Baobao slips back to the rented courtyard early. Yuan Ge’er is studying in his room, while his grandmother and the young wife from the same courtyard have gone to a nearby temple to burn incense. She is alone in the side room.
It turns out that ancient times can be so thrilling! Lu Baobao feels that electrifying rush that makes her scalp tingle.
When she reaches the exciting parts of the story, she can’t help but roll over on the kang.
The author of this storybook is undeniably talented—his style is extraordinarily captivating. By the time she has read only half of it, the muscles at the corners of Lu Baobao’s mouth are already sore.
However, the main character’s name sounds familiar: Lu Dingyuan. And that little demon girl from the demonic sect who has just appeared and is likely the female lead, Tang Bao—why do they always give her such a strange feeling?
Storyteller Valeraverucaviolet's Words
Dear Readers,
Due to a temporary website issue, starting around April 3, all novels started before January 2025 will be temporarily moved to the drafts folder for approximately 3–4 weeks. Unfortunately, this novel is included in that list.
In the meantime, I will be uploading the latest advance chapters to my Ko-fi account for my supporte