Chapter 187
Every winter when farm work slowed down, the village school would open, and wild boys from nearby villages were sent to study. Most families could only afford to send their boys after selling their autumn harvest.
Shen Xuanqing carried a bamboo basket to the neighboring village to buy tofu. It was almost noon, and early that morning, Lu Gu had mentioned craving cabbage stewed with tofu. The rest of the family was busy, and since Lu Gu had to tend to the child, he was the one who had to go.
The tofu shop wasn’t far from the school, and the sound of children reciting classical texts could be heard. The school had been built years ago with pooled funds from eight villages to educate their boys. Both he and Shen Yaoqing had studied there for a few years.
Though Shen Yaoqing was talkative and fond of joking, he had been respectful and diligent in his studies, rarely causing trouble. Shen Xuanqing, on the other hand, appeared quiet and dull but had been one of the most troublesome students alongside Da Chen. Skipping class to play was the least of it, sometimes they even got into fights. Every time the old teacher found out, they’d inevitably get their palms struck with a ruler.
Since Shen Yaoqing was five years older, during Shen Xuanqing’s first year or two of school, the teacher would often huff and puff while striking his palm, comparing the two brothers - how could the younger one be so unruly when they were blood-related?
Shen Xuanqing learned quickly and retained knowledge well. Whether reciting texts, writing, or composing poetry, even if he didn’t take first place, he never fell behind. Because of this, the teacher couldn’t help but favor him a little, striking his palm less harshly than others.
"Three catties, exactly." The tofu seller’s wife weighed it out, packed it into the bamboo basket, and handed it over with a smile. "Hold it steady, don’t shake it. I haven’t seen your mother around lately."
"There’s a lot of work at home, and she has to help care for the baby, so she doesn’t visit much anymore." Shen Xuanqing chatted idly while fishing out copper coins and taking the basket.
"Still raising rabbits?" the tofu seller’s wife asked.
Shen Xuanqing nodded. "Yes, Auntie. Want one?"
She adjusted the cloth covering the tofu and looked up. "How much for one?"
"For you, Auntie, skinned and cleaned, just the meat is twenty copper coins. A live one is thirty-two copper coins. That’s the price for our village. Outsiders can’t buy at this rate."
She understood his meaning and quickly said, "Don’t worry, I won’t go blabbing."
After a moment’s thought, she added, "If I don’t want the fur, will you slaughter it for me?"
It was just for a meal, and buying one rabbit wouldn’t yield enough fur for anything useful anyway.
"Of course. I’ll skin it, clean the innards, and keep the edible parts like the heart and liver. You won’t have to bother with the butchering," Shen Xuanqing replied.
Satisfied, she said, "Alright, slaughter one for me. Your Uncle Douban isn’t home, and I can’t leave the stall unattended."
"I’ll prepare it and bring it over," Shen Xuanqing assured her.
"Good, good." She nodded repeatedly. "And don’t throw away the offal, I’ll use it to feed the dog."
"Understood, Auntie. I’ll head back now and bring it over shortly." With that, he took the basket and left.
Aside from selling rabbits in town, nearby villagers sometimes bought from them. As neighbors, they sold them a few copper coins cheaper than in town. Since Shen Xuanqing wanted to save up furs to make fur coats for the family to keep warm in winter, he came up with this method - selling only the meat, not the fur. Lowering the price slightly also attracted more buyers.
Unlike fatty pork, rabbit meat was lean and didn’t appeal as much to those craving rich flavors. Still, as long as they sold them, it was profit. There was no reason not to sell.
As he walked home with the bamboo basket, the sound of children reciting faded behind him.
Sooner or later, both Zhao’er and Lingjun would have to attend school. The thought of the two little ones studying brought a faint smile to Shen Xuanqing’s face.
But then he frowned. Zhao’er was fine, but Lingjun was a shuang’er, he couldn’t study in a school full of boys. In the countryside, just being able to afford schooling was an achievement. Few families sent girls or shuang’er to study, so there weren’t enough students to justify separate classes. They’d have to send Lingjun to a school in town, like the one in Fenggu Town taught by a female instructor.
Few rural shuang’er received an education, but Shen Xuanqing refused to let his shuang’er grow up illiterate. The town school offered boarding for a yearly fee, or they could arrange lodging with relatives.
Shen Yutao and Shen Yuxi often stayed in Fenggu Town, but given the eldest branch’s snobbish tendencies, there was no way they’d let Lingjun stay with them. A child so young shouldn’t suffer the indignity of living on others’ mercy, what if he was bullied or corrupted? By then, regret would be useless.
Boarding at the school meant poor food and lodging. Having family nearby would ensure the child wasn’t bullied. Moreover, being away for ten to fifteen days at a time would weigh on not just Lu Gu but Shen Xuanqing as well.
Considering this, he began to think about renting a place in town when the time came, just so the child could study a few more years. Academic success wasn't the goal, he only wanted his children to become literate, sensible people, and that would suffice.
Little Lingjun wasn’t even six months old yet, schooling was years away. No need to rush.
Lu Gu was in the room amusing the baby when he heard Shen Xuanqing's voice came from outside, announcing the tofu’s arrival.
"You hold him, then. I’ll chop the vegetables and tofu. Sister-in-law and Mother aren’t back yet." With that, he handed the child over.
Little Lingjun had just finished nursing. Swaddled thickly, he waved Lu Gu’s handkerchief in his tiny fist, babbling until drool dribbled out.
Shen Xuanqing sat by the bed with the baby, trying to retrieve the handkerchief to wipe the drool, but Lingjun clutched it tightly. A slight tug provoked a displeased squeal, so he let go and grabbed a fresh one from the bedside.
As Lu Gu stepped outside, a cold wind hit him. He tightened the badger-fur collar around his neck. The clay stove held a pot of simmering water, so he tossed in a couple of thin sticks before ladling water to wash the vegetables.
No comments:
Post a Comment