Yun smiled. When she first arrived at Apricot Blossom Village, she bought a house from the village head. Song Mingyue was still a little girl then, very lively, and always followed the village head. After buying the house, Yun rarely went out and never saw Song Mingyue again. The little girl from back then had now grown into a graceful young lady.
Song Mingyue, being lively, told Yun and Qi Zhenzhen interesting stories about the village, making Yun chuckle from time to time.
Even Qi Yi, who was focused on writing, was drawn in.
Song Mingyue looked at the characters on the stone slab, her face full of admiration. "Qi Yi, your handwriting is so good, much better than my elder brother's back then."
Qi Yi was humble. "My mother says my handwriting is still far from perfect."
Song Mingyue was not praising him insincerely. When her elder brother first entered school, he was about the same age as Qi Yi, and his handwriting was indeed not as good as Qi Yi's now. Song Mingyue still remembered how her grandfather had tears of joy when her brother wrote the family members' names for the first time.
Later, she learned that her brother carried the hopes of the family, and her grandfather had always wanted to raise a scholar to bring glory to the Song family.
"Don't praise him too much. Children can't handle too much praise. Besides, he's writing with a charcoal pencil now, which is different from writing with a brush. It's not easy to write well with a brush; you can't do it without hard work," Qi Zhenzhen said with a smile. "Our family situation doesn't allow Qi Yi to practice brush calligraphy yet."
Yun also agreed. "Zhenzhen is right. Brush calligraphy is different from charcoal pencil writing. How can Qi Yi compare to your elder brother? He's only thirteen, isn't he? And he's already a Tong Sheng."
Although some young masters from noble families in the capital entered as Tong Sheng at seven or eight, it was due to the guidance of famous teachers since childhood. Song Mingze studied at the town's school, and his tutor was a Xiu Cai who had repeatedly failed the imperial examinations. His achievements were hard-won, and he was undeniably talented in studying.
Song Mingyue beamed with pride. "The tutor at the school says my brother will definitely pass the Xiu Cai exam next spring."
Passing the Xiu Cai exam meant touching the door of the imperial examinations. A young Xiu Cai was very glorious.
"Aunt Qi, can I come to play at your house often in the future?" Song Mingyue asked Yun shyly.
Yun nodded. Song Mingyue was about the same age as Zhenzhen, and they got along well, so Zhenzhen would have someone to talk to. She felt that Zhenzhen had become like a different person lately; her former innocence was gone, and she seemed as mature as an adult who had experienced much. Song Mingyue was lively, and Yun thought that if Zhenzhen spent more time with her, her disposition might gradually become more cheerful.
Qi Zhenzhen could roughly guess Song Mingyue's intentions. When Qi Yi was writing, Song Mingyue almost stared at him without blinking, her longing clearly visible.
This was not a bad thing, so Qi Zhenzhen did not object. Moreover, although Yun repeatedly emphasized that she had come to terms with things, Qi Zhenzhen could hear her sighing sadly several times when she went to sleep at night. If Song Mingyue visited often and kept Yun occupied, she probably wouldn't have so many thoughts to dwell on.
In the evening, Li Shan and his wife arrived, each carrying a large bundle.
This was the cotton, and Qi Zhenzhen hadn't expected it so soon.
"As soon as I got home, I sent your Shanzi brother to my mother's house. Here, I brought it to you as soon as I got back," Li Shan's wife said with a smile. "Take a look, are you satisfied?"
It was soft and fluffy, warm to the touch, and looked like good quality.
Qi Zhenzhen let Yun examine it, and Yun nodded, praising the cotton.
Li Shan's wife had a crisp voice and spoke efficiently. "Sister Qi, I'm not bragging, but my mother's family cultivates cotton meticulously. When merchants come to buy cotton, my mother's cotton always fetches the highest price. If you need more in the future, you can count on me."
Li Shan was a quiet man. After bringing the cotton into the house, he left.
The Qi family had no man of the house, so he didn't want to stay longer and cause gossip.
Zhang Erniu saw him lingering at the door and invited him to sit in the shed for a while. After Li Shan's wife came out, they left together.
"Brother, why aren't we eating yet? I'm so hungry," Zhang Xiaoniu grumbled, holding his stomach with a sulky face.
Zhang Erniu felt a bit embarrassed. This brat really didn't consider himself an outsider; after eating two meals here, he thought he'd be eating here from now on?
Just as he was thinking about how to guide the boy, Qi Zhenzhen called them to eat from the yard.
Zhang Xiaoniu responded with an "Ai" and happily darted into the Qi family's kitchen.
Dinner was simple: steamed buns made with a mixture of white flour and cornmeal, fluffy and sweet with a fragrant aroma. They were cut into square pieces, golden yellow and looking appetizing.
Zhang Xiaoniu had never eaten this before. Seeing Qi Yi take a piece, he also reached out and grabbed one. It was very soft and delicious when he bit into it.
The dish was pickled shredded vegetables mixed with sesame oil and rinsed several times, finely chopped, and sprinkled with shredded scallions. It was very refreshing to eat.
Qi Zhenzhen also made rice porridge. The rice grains had bloomed, and the porridge was fragrant and delicious.
The four of them ate comfortably around the table. After Zhang Xiaoniu was full, he asked Qi Zhenzhen what it was.
"This is cornmeal steamed bun. Is it delicious?" Qi Zhenzhen asked with a smile. She had specifically bought finely ground cornmeal to make steamed buns.
The crops in ancient times were fertilized with organic manure, making them much more fragrant and sweet than those in later generations. Qi Zhenzhen's mindset had calmed down considerably, and she felt that living in ancient times was not bad at all.
After tidying up, Qi Zhenzhen sent Qi Yi out to digest his food, while she herself picked up the stone slab to write and draw. The west room needed a heated brick bed, and she also wanted to dig a cellar in the yard, all of which required careful planning.
Cui Ping Town, the North-South General Store.
Qian Yuanbao sat in a grand armchair with his legs crossed. A line of people stood before him; all the managers of the general store, big and small, were there, heads bowed and trembling as they awaited Qian Yuanbao's questioning.
This was the first time these managers had seen Qian Yuanbao in person, but they were not unfamiliar with his name. The sign of the North-South General Store was embroidered with gold thread in the shape of yuanbao, so they knew he was the owner of the store.
Though young, he was quite capable, and no manager of the general store dared to underestimate him.
Qian Yuanbao silently flipped through the account books, remaining silent, which made the managers increasingly nervous. Some bolder ones secretly looked up to observe Qian Yuanbao—
He wore a bright red robe embroidered with golden patterns, a collar inlaid with gems around his neck, and a jade the size of a baby's fist. When he raised his hand, his wrist was adorned with a bracelet made of colorful gems the size of pigeon eggs. His well-defined, handsome hands were covered in rings.
He was shimmering with colorful light all over. Had he put on all the jewelry from a jewelry store? the manager who was secretly observing thought to himself.