Chapter 51: Chapter 51 Strange Flowers and Fruits_1 Chapter 51: Chapter 51 Strange Flowers and Fruits_1 “Please trouble the two grandpas to go with my grandpa and father to the County Office tomorrow to transfer ownership of the mountain land into my na,” Yang ngchen said, finding the price the two n ntioned quite reasonable. “Secondly, I would like the two grandpas to gather the villagers tomorrow afternoon, as I plan to arrange the cultivation of dry fields and the planting of greenhouse vegetables.”
“Alright,” the two n nodded.
Yang ngchen continued, “Regarding the villagers learning to read, I rember there are a few vacant rooms next to the ancestral hall. I would like the two grandpas to have soone clean them up. Starting from tomorrow, after dinner every day, my brothers will teach everyone to read. All are welco to learn, but everyone must bring their own table and stool.”
“It is a good thing that you are willing to teach everyone to read, and everyone will rember your kindness,” the village head and Lizheng said with surprise and excitent, yet worried when they considered the practical issue, “But paper and pens are so expensive, no one in the village can afford them.”
“The two grandpas don’t need to worry about the paper and pens, I will take care of that,” she reassured them.
Thinking that Yang ngchen was going to pay for the villagers’ paper and pens out of her own pocket, Lizheng quickly tried to stop her, “Jiujiu, we all know you an well for everyone, but you can’t spend money to buy such expensive paper and pens for everyone, it will make us feel uncomfortable!”
“Exactly, you are already teaching everyone to read for free, how can we let you spend more money?” the village head persuaded her.
The villagers had already earned a good amount of money recently from clearing wasteland for dicinal herbs, and from Yang ngchen’s high-price purchases of eggs, glutinous rice, and rapeseed. Now that Jiujiu was also paying for them to develop dry fields and plant greenhouse vegetables, everyone was imnsely grateful to Jiujiu and naturally could not accept more of her kindness.
Apart from the Yang family mbers, the others also agreed with what the village head and Lizheng said.
Xiao Wanxue greatly admired Yang ngchen’s actions and secretly decided that, if Yang ngchen really intended to buy paper and pens, she would fully support her.
Yang ngchen gave a playful smile, “Thank you, two grandpas, for your concern. But even if I wanted to buy paper and pens for everyone, I wouldn’t be able to get that many, right?”
The crowd understood that what she was saying was true, but if they didn’t use paper and pens, how would they write?
“You will find out what to write with tomorrow evening.”
Seeing Yang ngchen’s mysterious expression, the crowd was curious but didn’t press for answers.
“My brothers will start by teaching everyone to read. When I go to town next ti, I’ll ask Uncle Luo and Uncle Xiao if they can invite a few teachers to co teach in the village. Then, the two grandpas will have to find accommodation for the teachers, and I will find another way to deal with the Shuxiu.”
“Wouldn’t that trouble Magistrate Xiao and Doctor Luo too much?”
The people knew that Yang ngchen had a good relationship with Magistrate Xiao and Doctor Luo, especially Doctor Luo who treated Yang ngchen like his own daughter. However, they were still worried, mainly because they feared no teacher would want to co to their impoverished rural village.
Yang ngchen gently reassured everyone, “Don’t worry, I have a plan for this.”
“I can persuade my father to find teachers,” Xiao Wanxue, who had been sitting quietly, suddenly interjected. “And since I can read, I can also teach everyone.”
“Ms. Xiao?” Everyone turned to look at Xiao Wanxue.
Understanding their reservations given her status, Xiao Wanxue took Yang ngchen’s hand, pleading, “I’m idle anyway, Sister ngchen, please let teach everyone to read, alright?”
After a mont’s contemplation, Yang ngchen nodded in agreent.
Seeing Yang ngchen’s agreent, naturally, no one else had any objections.
Taking advantage of a mont when no one was paying attention, Xiao Wanxue quickly took a sneaky glance at Yang Chengrong, thinking that this way she could stay at the Yang family’s house more often and see him every day.
After saying goodbye to the village head and Lizheng, Yang ngchen told Grandpa Yang and Yang Chaoyi to go ho first, while she went with her eldest brother, fourth brother, Xiao Wanxue, and her servant to visit the Zhao family’s porcelain factory.
The Lan family, hidden behind closed doors, held their breath without daring to make a sound as they heard the laughter of Yang ngchen and her companions passing by.
They had sold all their valuables, and so far, they had managed to apologize and compensate only about twenty households in the village; nearly a hundred more were left, but their ho was already empty.
A couple of days ago, they went to town to borrow money from their brother-in-law, only to be harshly scolded by him. He also blad them for causing him to fall out of favor with Doctor Luo, and as a result, they didn’t get a single wen.
Since they hadn’t t Ninth Sister Yang’s conditions, they naturally didn’t dare to ask her for the antidote. Now that Ninth Sister Yang was in good terms with the Magistrate’s Daughter, they could only avoid her.
Not far away, at the Zhang family’s slightly ajar main gate, Zhang Lianhua stared intently at the fading figures of the departing people, her eyes filled with deep-seated jealousy and venomous hatred.
As Yang ngchen and the others arrived, Old Master Zhao and Zhao Chunping put down their work to greet them, “You’ve arrived,” they said as they led them to a table to sit. “What brings Ninth Sister to us today?”
“I rember you have listone here.” Yang ngchen had seen it by chance the last ti.
Old Master Zhao nodded, “Chunping, quickly go bring so for Ninth Sister.”
“Bring about three large buckets in barrels,” Yang ngchen reminded tily.
“Alright.” Zhao Chunping agreed with a smile.
Initially, they had wanted to burn bricks and tiles, but unfortunately, it was unsuccessful. They later switched to making bowls and dishes, and those materials had been piled up in the empty rooms of the porcelain factory ever since.
Soon, Zhao Chunping and Zhao Xiaodong arrived with three full buckets of listone, “Ninth Sister, whatever you want to do, just tell us, and we’ll do it, so you don’t have to tire yourself.”
“Today, I’ll teach you how to do it, and the next ti, you’ll do it yourselves.”
Yang ngchen took one of the buckets of listone and mixed it with water. She then split a piece of thin bamboo in half with a knife and poured the listone mixture into the two halves of the bamboo.
Zhao Chunping and Zhao Xiaodong followed suit, ticulously copying Yang ngchen’s steps.
“Leave these bamboos to dry inside the house, and I’ll co for them tomorrow.”
The Zhao family, spanning three generations, naturally complied.
After leaving the Zhao family, the group headed to a familiar mountain. Just as they reached the mid-slope, a flash of white light dashed straight towards Yang ngchen.
“A, a tiger…”
When they realized the white light was actually a little white tiger, Zi Jin trembled in fear, yet stood resolutely in front of her young lady.
Xiao Wanxue instinctively moved closer to Yang Chengrong. Her once rosy face turned pale in an instant.
“Sister Wanxue, don’t be afraid, its na is Xiao Guai, it’s one of our family mbers,” Yang ngchen affectionately hugged Xiao Guai’s neck, and Xiao Guai nuzzled against her while begging for attention, “Xiao Guai, this is Sister Wanxue and Zi Jin, they’re all family; greet them in your way.”
Xiao Guai blinked adorably, causing Xiao Wanxue and Zi Jin to feel both amazed and delighted, instantly dissipating their fear.
Just as Yang ngchen was about to call Xiao Guai to go back down the mountain, Xiao Guai suddenly turned and ran up the mountain, prompting the group to follow it.
After a short distance, they found a wild boar, two roe deer, three deer, about seven wild chickens, and four hares on the ground—clearly the prey that Xiao Guai had caught.
Yang Chengrong and Yang Chengyou made a makeshift wooden sled with tree branches and vines, while Xiao Wanxue and her servants also lent a hand.
And Xiao Guai led Yang ngchen to a big tree nearby, which bore a single golden fruit, while beneath it grew a strange flower with nine purple petals in full bloom.
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