The carriage was very steady. Xie Liangchen initially thought of chatting more with her grandmother on the carriage, but right after talking about Zigeng and Mr. Dongli’s studies, she fell asleep again.
Mrs. Gao looked at Xie Liangchen, who was sleeping soundly against the side of the carriage, and couldn’t help but say, "I always thought I’d feel sleepy hearing about reading. Miss Chen is the sa. Next ti, I’ll talk about sothing else."
After the autumn harvest, not only Chen Zigeng, but also Hei Dan and the others would return after this trip to continue their studies.
As soon as they put down their farming tools, they had to pick up paper and pen. In Zhenzhou Village, everyone had earned so silver coins and slowly invited teachers to co.
From gathering herbs, familiarizing with dicine, to now making thread tassels and pink wax paper, the governnt office often had notices posted. There was also a book pavilion in the county, where drawings of dicinal herbs by Xie Liangchen and others were displayed. These drawings contained much information on the properties of the herbs, easily understood by those who could read.
The thods of familiar dicines in the Familiar dicine Institute were also freely available to anyone to study; those who could read could learn much faster than others.
In the past, it was said that studying was for becoming an official. But how many officials could a county produce? Poor children didn’t even dare to think about it. Now they truly understood that the benefits of literacy were nurous, far beyond just becoming an official. To go far, one must be knowledgeable.
Doing business, discussing prices, accounting, and making spinning wheels—none of these could be done without reading.
Zhenzhou set this example, and Zhaozhou and Dingzhou followed suit. The North had many paper workshops, with the less well-made paper sold to the village for children’s studies due to its affordable price.
Mrs. Gao once heard a sister-in-law from a neighbor’s house scolding a child in the village: "Where else could you find such a good opportunity? The village bought a teacher and paper for you, and you still don’t study hard. Who are you letting down?"
Feeling deeply about it, she went ho and gave Hei Dan, who was running around wildly, a beating. The money for reading and writing in the village was saved diligently; where did such a life co from?
Wasn’t it because the Liao people were driven away, and the adults worked hard to earn money?
Even Gouzi, who can’t see, was more diligent than her own son.
The more she thought about it, the angrier she beca. The small wooden stick made a "whoosh-whoosh" sound, sweeping out the dust accumulated behind Hei Dan.
Every household in Chen Family Village now had a common worry: they gathered to discuss how their children were doing in their studies, who was scolded by the teacher in school, and then went ho to face a chase and beating by their parents.
Who would have thought, in the past, that one would see such a scene in Chen Family Village?
Mrs. Gao, lost in her thoughts, realized that Old Mrs. Chen hadn’t spoken at all.
Just as Mrs. Gao was about to move closer to speak a few words, Old Mrs. Chen gestured for her to keep quiet, lest she wake Liangchen. Beside them, Chen Yuyu was quietly doing her needlework, occasionally covering Xie Liangchen’s falling blanket on her legs.
Xie Liangchen slept so deeply that she almost forgot she was in a carriage.
It had been like this for several consecutive days, from Lu State to Xingzhou.
Xie Liangchen vaguely knew that they’d passed Xingzhou City. When the carriage stopped, it was already dark outside. Just as she wanted to ask where they were, she noticed her grandmother, Mrs. Gao, and Yuyu had already gotten off the carriage.
The curtain of the carriage lifted, and soone walked in. Xie Liangchen rubbed her eyes and saw Song Xian.
The two of them locked eyes, and Xie Liangchen was montarily stunned before she spoke, "Why are you here? Where have we arrived? Surely we haven’t gone back to Zhenzhou?"
As Xie Liangchen wanted to get up, Song Xian grabbed her: "Co out slowly, it’s narrow here—I’ll carry you out."
"No need," Xie Liangchen said, "I’m not tired. I’ve been sleeping for several days."
"I know. Grandmother had Chang Yue send a ssage."
Xie Liangchen didn’t imdiately catch on, wondering why... why did grandmother tell Song Xian about this? Or perhaps she misunderstood, and grandmother ntioned sothing else and just ntioned it in passing?
As Xie Liangchen was about to jump off the carriage, Song Xian scooped her up steadily in his arms.
The housekeeper ca forward with a lantern, and they walked into the post house.
Xie Liangchen craned her neck to look at this familiar post house; it was near Zhao County.
Xie Liangchen said, "Put down! What if soone sees us?"
"What does it matter?" Song Xian said softly, "We’re already married."
Does being married give them the right to act recklessly in public?
Song Xian said, "If you’re embarrassed, just lean in. If they can’t see us, it’s fine."
Xie Liangchen looked up at Song Xian: "Does that an I won’t see others, or others won’t see my face?"
Song Xian laughed, "Either way."
"I’m not stupid."
Not seeing others won’t stop her from embarrassnt? Not seeing her face doesn’t an people don’t know it’s Song Jiedu holding her.
Song Xian chuckled, "It’s okay to be a little silly; I don’t mind."
Nevertheless, Xie Liangchen rested her head on Song Xian, not because she thought "out of sight, out of mind," but because it felt comfortable.
Inside, she was placed on the bed, and Song Xian picked up a blanket to cover her.
"Wait," Xie Liangchen glanced outside, "where did grandmother go? Where are Auntie and Yuyu? Didn’t Hei Dan and the others co? I haven’t freshened up yet..."
Before Xie Liangchen finished speaking, her stomach growled.
Song Xian looked at her, his face full of smiles: "I’ve prepared dinner; we’ll eat a bit later."
Just as Xie Liangchen was about to get up, Song Xian stopped her: "Mr. Xu ca with too, let him take a look at you first."
"The teacher is here too?" Xie Liangchen imdiately sensed sothing unusual, "Why would teacher need to check my pulse?"
Song Xian adjusted the blanket again and gently took Xie Liangchen’s hand: "It’s nothing serious, don’t worry, I’ll go get Mr. Xu."
Song Xian got up and went out, and shortly after, Xu Tingzhen entered the room.
Xie Liangchen was utterly confused, not knowing what was going on.
Xu Tingzhen sat down and reached for Xie Liangchen’s hand.
Xie Liangchen looked at Mr. Xu, then at Song Xian standing beside him. Song Xian seed a bit tense, with brows slightly furrowed.
The atmosphere was quite peculiar.
After a while, Mr. Xu released her hand and looked at Xie Liangchen with a smile in his eyes: "I always told you to practice feeling the pulse more, but you wouldn’t listen. Otherwise, I’d not need to be called for this."
Before Xie Liangchen could reply, Song Xian said, "It’s all my fault. I just brought my mother back, then it was the autumn harvest, and Lu State needed to accommodate refugees. It was indeed too much for her, leaving no ti to study dical books."
"Alright," Xu Tingzhen said, "I didn’t say anything, and you’re already defending her?"
Song Xian’s eyes revealed a hint of joy, like a ray of sunshine breaking through the clouds: "Teacher, what about Liangchen’s pulse?"
Xu Tingzhen nodded, "Old Mrs. Chen guessed correctly; it’s such a blessing to have an elder by your side."
Xie Liangchen seed to have guessed sothing but was still not very sure: "Is the teacher saying I..."
Xu Tingzhen said, "You, ah, are now carrying another life."
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