Chapter 672: Doing Business Again
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Qin Huai was thinking that today, in the Golden Hall, an inner cabinet minister suspected his essay of being fraudulent. In response, he immediately composed a poem titled “Answer to the Essay Doubt of the Associate Minister” in just seven steps, with an air of ease and grace.
The cabinet minister’s face turned pale as he held his chest and panted.
If not for Emperor Minghua gesturing for him not to fall sick from anger, he would have sent him to the Imperial Hospital.
Only then did everyone know that this young man who was only 13 years old couldn’t be underestimated.
In the end, other than the cabinet minister who didn’t want to speak, everyone else recognized his talent. He was undoubtedly chosen as the top scholar.
Today, the Imperial Examination was filled with talents. The 20 people selected were indeed dragons and phoenixes among men, including Wang Chuangui, who happened to be ranked 20th at the bottom but showed no signs of timidity.
Everyone had their own unique insights.
Wang Chuangui, who was born in a farming family, was the oldest, and Qin Huai was the youngest. The two of them were asked the most questions.
Wang Chuangui’s answer was also very appropriate. Qin Huai quoted the scriptures, and Wang Chuangui stood at the bottom of the society. Every word and sentence showed his love for the people, so he received an oral decree.
Before riding the horse and parading the streets, Emperor Minghua secretly sent Eunuch De to ask Qin Huai if he would like to have a marriage arranged with Ah Yu, so that they could bless the common people together.
Qin Huai rejected it.
Before asking All Yu, he would not take matters into his own hands.
He really hated the Empress’s decision. Even if he roughly understood that Empress Qin’s many actions in the past looked harsh because she was actually protecting him, so what?
The cold treatment he had received in the past and his cold heart could no longer be healed.
Therefore, he would do things the way she did.
When his thoughts returned, Qin Huai saw All Yu’s big smile. She was still smiling exceptionally obediently like when they first met.
It was as if there was nothing dirty in the world that could stain her heart.
He really hoped that they would always be like this. She would be the happy Little All Yu, and she would be the Big Brother Ah You she liked.
Qin Huai mouthed at Ah Yu, “Go back.”
The horse-riding parade was only on Three Thoughts Street. Then, they would go to a few specific places in the Imperial City to let the commoners see the appearance of the top scholar and the second grade rankers.
In the end, they had to go to the Teachers’ Temple to carry out a simple sacrificial ritual. The top scholar’s parade of the streets would end after that.
The Imperial City of Great Chang was really huge, so they would not completely circle around. Instead, they set off from the main city gate and finally stopped at the Teachers’ Temple. However, the journey was not short, and there was still food along the way.
At the end of the process, the moon would usually be high in the sky.
Of course, he couldn’t bear to let All Yu wait for him.
Ah Yu also understood a little, so she waved at Qin Huai. “Big Brother Ah You, I’ll help you eat your share!”
Then, she said to Wang Chuangui, “Second Uncle, I’ll help you eat yours too!”
Wang Wulang also shouted, “Second Uncle, I’ll help you eat too!”
Wang Erlang had grown up and couldn’t holler like he used to do in the village, so he gestured to Wang Silang with his eyes. Wang Silang sighed and imitated Ah Yu. He raised his voice and shouted, “Father, don’t worry. I’ll eat well for you.”
Wang Chuangui:”…” Why did these words sound so wrong?
If not for the sudden mention of him, Wang Chuangui would have thought that he had long been forgotten by his family. As a second-grade imperial civil service examination scholar, he did not have any presence at all.
When the people who were watching the top scholar parade heard this, they couldn’t help but laugh loudly, especially when they saw the excited Village Lord Yu. At this moment, they couldn’t help but smile and shake their heads in their hearts. As expected, she was still a child. She spoke with the temperament of a child.
It was these nobles who came from poor families and climbed up step by step that looked more amiable. They were much more pleasing to the eye than those born with their noses high up in the air.
The group of top scholars gradually walked away, but the entrance of Defeng Pavilion was still lively. Seeing that those people were still unsatisfied, Old Madam Wang called Ah Yu over and instructed her.
After Ah Yu finished eating, she went downstairs with a smile and walked up to everyone.
Everyone looked at this little noble and didn’t know what she wanted to do.
Behind Ah Yu stood a servant girl who was taller than her and had a head taller than her. The servant girl was holding a tray covered with red silk. It was unknown what she was holding.
Could it be that because the Village Lord’s fiance had become the top scholar, so she wanted to reward everyone? It was said that the nobles liked this move the most.
Just as everyone was looking forward to it, All Yu said, “Actually, the scientific examination tests not only wisdom but also the ability to adapt and remain calm. In my hometown, there is a saying that if you feel anxious and can’t concentrate on studying, you should go to the Puji Temple on the mountain and pray for a calming talisman. With this talisman, your studying will become much more effective. I happen to have a calming talisman given to my family by the former abbot of Puji Temple. My uncle relies on it to sleep peacefully every day. In the examination hall, he can stay calm and focused even with a cold plain bun and a thin blanket, and still have sweet dreams…”
Ah Yu stopped talking. After saying that, everyone’s eyes were already wide open as they looked at the tray in her hands.
They hoped to hear the Village Lord say that she would give it to them for free.
“Our family spent more than a thousand days praying and making these calming talismans. They’re very effective,” Ah Yu said. “If they’re paired with a cup of special calming tea and a calming silk blanket from our hometown, the effect will be even better.”
Someone who was impatient couldn’t help but ask, “Village Lord Yu, just tell us how to obtain these things?”
Ah Yu gestured for Tang Yuan to open the silk cloth. There were dozens of small golden talismans placed on it.
There’s… so many?
“The calming talisman is precious and not abundant, only given to those with fate. Each of you may obtain one based on your examination documents, one person per talisman, and no one else can claim it on your behalf,” A Yu said. “However, the calming tea is specially prepared by my family with great effort. It took my father many years and various efforts to cultivate a few plants, gathering rare ingredients from different places to nurture them. The cost was substantial, so I regret that I cannot distribute it for free.”
“Then how much is the calming tea?”
“500 taels of silver.” After Ah Yu finished speaking, she heard everyone gasp. She continued, “for a tael of tea leaves.”
“Village Lord Yu, isn’t this price a little too high?”
Ah Yu said unhurriedly, “I’m not done yet. For every portion of this calming tea we sell, our Wang Family will donate half of the profit to support the poor. We’ll donate as much as we sell. This money will be handed over to the Xiaoyao Charity Hall under King Xiaoyao’s jurisdiction. If you’re interested, you can check the direction of the money at any time.”
Could it be done like this?
There were many people who did good deeds, but they had never seen anyone donate half of their earnings, let alone with no limits.
After Ah Yu finished speaking, she lowered her head and drank a cup of tea. Tang Yuan understood and continued, “As for the silk blanket, it’s also woven from the silk of spring silkworms specially raised by our Wangbei County. The people who raise the silkworms are all the old, weak, women, and children. Their lives are especially difficult, but their skills are extremely good. The silk can also be pre-ordered from King Xiaoyao Estate. The Wang Estate will help transport it back. The silk blanket is priced at 30 taels of silver a catty. You can make a reservation according to your requirements and preferences.”
“Similarly, for every silk blanket sold, our Wang Family will fork out an additional five taels of silver to support the poor handicraft workshops.”
Now, the price of the silk blankets in the market was usually 5 taels of silver per catty. However, the quality of the silk was uneven. Most of the good ones were monopolized by the aristocratic families.
The silk blankets sold by Village Lord Yu did sound very expensive, but compared to the price of the calming tea, it seemed to be especially cheap. What was going on?
There were people who were tempted to buy it on the spot.
After these people expressed their desire to buy it, Ah Yu said, “I’ll remind everyone here that the calming divine talisman and silk can be reserved according to needs and preferences. However, the calming tea is particular. It’s nurtured from the accumulated kindness of the world and flawless water. It’s beneficial for ordinary people to drink, but if an especially evil person drinks it, they might be in danger of dehydration and diarrhea. If an extremely vicious person drinks it, their lives will be in danger.”
These words were added at the last minute by Ah Yu.
This was because the calming tea plants were originally watered with the Myriad Spirit Water.
It’s not just two plants, but two estates, totaling more than one hundred mu of land.
They were all created by Wang Chuanman in the past few years. He had taken the essence of the tea in the past few years and only wanted to sell them now.
She had only deliberately exaggerated the effect.
On the spot, there were people who prided themselves on being upright. Under the gazes of the others, they braced themselves and said, “Haha, this is not a difficult task. We upright people should drink such tea. Village Lord Yu, reserve five taels for me first.”
That was close. He was used to being extravagant and almost said five catties.
Five catties was more than 20,000 taels of silver.
His legs would probably be broken by his father when he returned if he spent so much money on tea..
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