【Quick Wear】My Years as a Mother-in-law

Chapter 203 Grandmother Jia 5

January of the third year of Yong'an.

The Jia family's mourning period ended and a banquet was held to celebrate the end of mourning.

Wang became pregnant in March of the same year and gave birth to Yuanchun on the first day of the next Lunar New Year. In February of the next year, Zhang gave birth to Jia Lian. She gave birth one child after another. However, how many children she gave birth to is not important. What is important is that many of them survive.

Jia Hu is more than one year older than Jia Zhu. The three years of mourning are actually twenty-seven months, so Jia Hu is four years older than Yuanchun and Jia Lian.

After the drizzle, the spring breeze comes unexpectedly.

Yun Xi strolled in the Rongguo Mansion, followed by four maids, with lowered brows and a submissive look. In the huge mansion, there were no exotic flowers or parrots, only some ordinary trees and flowers, which swayed gracefully in the spring breeze, full of vitality.

In the back garden, willows hang down golden threads, peaches bloom red clouds, and behind the rocks, there is a large apricot tree. The flowers have returned to the soil, the leaves are dense and green, and small apricots the size of beans hang on the branches.

The maids, servants, and servants in the garden, all dressed in uniform, plain cotton clothes, moved in a hurry, each doing their job with perfect etiquette. Not a single one was seen joking or laughing, or chatting while cracking melon seeds. When they saw their master passing by, they immediately stopped what they were doing and bowed to greet him...

Zhang managed the mansion very well, Yun Xi thought, but everyone was trapped in this feudal cage and couldn't get much freedom, both the servants and the masters.

Jia Hu is just six years old this year. He was taught by Zhang at home, but he will have to go to school to study seriously eventually. However, the school of the Jia family is, well, difficult to evaluate.

Before they knew it, they had reached the border of the two prefectures, separated by a wall from the Jia Family Charity School. The Jia Family Charity School was originally founded by the ancestor, so that those children in the family who were poor and unable to find a teacher could study there. All the officials in the family provided silver, according to the amount of their salary. They also selected the most promising and elderly people to serve as tutors, specifically to teach the children.

The Rongguo Mansion contributed the most money. After all, Jia She's title was higher than his neighbor, so his salary was naturally higher as well.

Thinking of this, Yun Xi stepped in. The school was bustling with activity. The four maids behind her couldn't help but frown. Yun Xi remained expressionless until she reached the school door and looked inside. The teacher was nowhere to be seen. The children were playing and fighting, having a great time.

Yun Xi, with a dark face, waited outside the door for a long time but the teacher did not come. She was filled with anger and whispered, "Lili, go find the clan leader."

Glass responded and ran away quickly. A few minutes later, Jia Jing hurried over and understood everything in the school.

"Sister-in-law, Uncle Dairu may be too busy preparing for the exam at home. My brother doesn't know many people there. She'er is my uncle, and Zhang is the daughter of the Crown Prince's tutor. It would be great if we could invite a strict teacher."

At this time, Jia Jing no longer wanted to care about it. He just wanted to cultivate immortality as soon as possible. There was no hope for his official career.

Yun Xi's face was solemn. "I'll go back and ask. No one in the family practices martial arts anymore. If the school is also like this, what future will the Jia family have?"

After returning home, Yun Xi called Jia She. Jia She shook his head and said embarrassedly, "Mother, I dare not get to know any literati." All the people he knew were related to the former crown prince. The former crown prince and a group of princes had been imprisoned by the current emperor. How dare he offend them?

Yun Xi understood that the Jia family was in an awkward situation. Although the new emperor was good to Jia She, there was no guarantee that he would remember to eliminate the four kings and eight dukes one day, so the Jia family should keep a low profile.

"During the Spring Examination this year, you can ask some of the failed candidates. If their families are not well-off, ask them sternly if they are willing. Generally, they are willing." Yun Xi thought for a moment, "First, ask the failed scholars. Few of the successful candidates are poor, but the scholars are not that wealthy. They are willing to pay ten taels of silver a month, and the successful candidates are willing to pay twenty taels of silver a month. The annual festival gifts are not small."

Jia She was reluctant and said with a sullen face, "Mother, isn't it too much? There isn't much money in the school account."

"This concerns the future of the Jia family. You still care about money? Do you want Hu'er to be an ignorant and idle playboy in the future?" Yun Xi rolled her eyes at him. "Hurry up and do it. The scholar must be well-educated and have good character. The juren must have a stern personality. As for Jia Dairu, he will no longer be used in the future."

"Okay, okay, son, I'll do it right away."

Three days later, Jia She brought two people. One of them was nearly thirty years old, with a slightly long face, probably because he often frowned. There were two faint vertical lines between his eyebrows, narrow eyes, a pointed nose and thick lips. Although his face was handsome, he was wearing a black silk gown, giving him the feeling of a headmaster.

The other man was a little younger, about seventeen or eighteen years old. He was wearing a cotton gown that had been washed to a pale color. His facial features were soft, and his lips were dry and chapped. If he could clean himself up a bit, he could be a handsome young man.

"Mother, this scholar is Zhen Ming, from the north, and the scholar next to him is Qi Yanzhou, from near the capital."

"Zhen Ming (Yan Zhou) has met the old lady."

Yun Xi smiled and said, "No need to be so polite, Mr. Juren and Mr. Xiucai, please take a seat. You two are both so young and have already achieved great success. It is true that heroes emerge from youth. You will surely have great careers in the future."

"Thank you, madam."

The two sat aside, and Yun Xi discovered through their conversation that they were both upright people. Although Zhen Ming was a little angry, he knew how to conceal it. He was not pedantic and was very knowledgeable. When Yun Xi talked about the Four Books and Five Classics, he could answer them fluently.

Qi Yanzhou is approachable and has a solid foundation in the Four Books and Five Classics. Some of his interpretations don't make sense, his vision is limited, and he has a slight inferiority complex. I believe he will gain something from following Zhen Ming in the future.

Zhen Ming and Qi Yanzhou also felt that this first-rank imperial edict old lady had a mild temper, was gentle and elegant, and had great vision. Whether the three of them were talking about high-brow literature or rural matters, Mrs. Jia could always talk freely without bias or slander. The confidence and tolerance in her words were eye-catching.

Zhen Ming bowed and said, "Madam, you are extremely talented. I admire you."

"It's just that I was reading a few books while my grandson was studying. I've shown off a lot, so please don't laugh at me." Yun Xi said modestly, looking at the glass. "Take out the gifts I prepared. I hope you can do your best for the children in the school. The Jia family will be grateful."

Boli brought Zhenzhu back to the inner room. They each took out a set of writing brush, ink, paper and inkstone, handed them to the servant beside them, and then stood back. The servant stepped forward and handed the gifts to the two of them.

"Hiss~ It's actually the finest Xuan brush, Hui ink, Xuan paper, and Duan inkstone. Old Madam, Uncle, this gift is too valuable. I can't accept it."

Zhen Ming was a connoisseur of valuables. Although the items inside were not top-notch, they were worth at least two hundred taels in total. They were too valuable. Qi Yanzhou's hands trembled. He was too narrow-minded. He only stared at the snow-white rice paper and did not recognize that the other three were also treasures.

Yun Xi said sincerely, "Mr. Zhen, Mr. Qi, please accept it quickly. Good things and good people complement each other. No matter how good a thing is, it is worth it if it meets someone who understands it."

Seeing her resolute attitude, Zhen Ming bowed and said, "Thank you, old lady. I will be honored to accept your invitation."