After getting away from his two spectating brothers, Gu Wenheng took Jin Qianqian straight to Gu Yuanjin.
"When did you two get back?" Gu Yuanjin, who was cleaning the backyard, quickly stopped what he was doing.
"We just got back, but Mom kicked us out," Gu Wenheng said. He looked at the empty yard and couldn’t help but ask, "Where are Eldest Sister-in-law and Le Di?"
"They went to the fields to clear so weeds. They should be back in a little while." Gu Yuanjin noticed that the couple’s clothes and bearing were very different from before, and he couldn’t help but feel a pang of disappointnt.
"Why were you gone so long this ti? The family’s fields need weeding; the grass is already taller than the sprouts."
"We went to see Mom and Dad as soon as we got back," Gu Wenheng replied. "I’ll head over to the fields to take a look in a bit. The thing is, Jin Qianqian and I will be spending most of our ti in the county seat from now on, so we’ll probably have to find soone to help look after the land."
"Why would you stay in the county seat for no reason?" Gu Yuanjin asked. "Food and lodging cost silver. It’s much more practical to stay here in the village."
Gu Wenheng briefly explained that he had enrolled in a school in the county seat. "There’s no other choice. It looks like the imperial examinations might be reinstated, and my teacher wants to use this ti to patch up my weaknesses and see if I can advance further."
"Seventh, you’re going to take the imperial examinations? To beco a Scholar?" Gu Yuanjin asked, jumping to his feet in excitent. "Are you confident?"
In the past, he had been jealous that Seventh was able to study under the old scholar, but at most, he only envied his ability to read and write.
But the imperial examinations were a different matter entirely. If Seventh managed to beco a Scholar, it would bring glory to the entire clan. As his elder brother, he and his own sons would be able to bask in that reflected glory.
"I have to at least try," Gu Wenheng said. "So for the foreseeable future, I’ll have to trouble you, Eldest Brother, to help look after things at ho."
Although each of the brothers had their own selfish considerations, Gu Yuanjin carried himself as the eldest and could sotis be more commanding than even Gu Dashishi.
"It’s good that you’re trying. This is an opportunity, after all. If our village could produce a Scholar, we’d be the first in the area." ’If only Seventh had beco a Scholar all those years ago,’ he thought, ’maybe our entire family wouldn’t have had to flee the famine.’
"And what about your wife? Is she going with you? You’ll be at the academy. Why not let her stay here at ho? The village is full of our clansn; we can certainly look after her."
"That won’t be necessary," Gu Wenheng said. "We’ve bought a small house in the county seat. She’s thinking of selling so food there to help supplent our inco."
Gu Yuanjin was rendered speechless by one revelation after another. ’Looks like I really underestimated the Jin Family,’ he thought. ’They were so quiet about it, but they actually had this much saved up.’
anwhile, Jin Qianqian quietly sized up Gu Yuanjin’s newly renovated house. Aside from the central room, which was made of gray bricks and tiles, the other parts were built from mud bricks and wood. Though it looked a bit motley, it was kept quite tidy.
"Oh, right, Seventh. When you’re in the county seat, if you have any connections, could you help keep an eye out? See if you can find any news about your two nephews.
That youngest one managed to find his way back on his own, but who knows where those two little rascals have run off to?
I’m just worried those two are wandering around cluelessly without their household registration and will get sent back to our old hotown, just like that youngest one described."
These past few days, aside from being vexed by all the trouble the youngest one had stirred up, his heart had also been heavy with worry for his own two sons.
Gu Wenheng briefly relayed the news he’d heard from Chief Li. "As long as the two boys don’t do anything foolish, like getting mixed up with troublemakers, then even if they are sent back, we still have a house and land in our old hotown. Life won’t be too difficult for them.
Later on, when we have the chance, we can ask passing rchants or an escort agency to carry letters for us. That way, our family might be able to reunite one day."
Hearing the best news he’d received in a long ti, Gu Yuanjin repeatedly exclaid, "Good, good! If that’s really the case, then I can rest much easier."
The two brothers chatted for a while longer before Gu Wenheng stood up to take his leave.
"Don’t pay any mind to that youngest one. After you’ve seen Mom and Dad, you two should head back. Le Di and I will find so ti to take care of your fields for you."
"That’s not necessary, Eldest Brother," Gu Wenheng said. "I happen to be on leave for the next two days. It’s a small plot; it won’t take long to clear."
’As for avoiding him,’ Gu Wenheng thought, ’there’s really no need. So people are simply best ignored.’
***
The couple didn’t linger in the village. They returned ho, grabbed so farm tools, and went straight to their fields.
Looking at the flourishing weeds, Jin Qianqian couldn’t help but exclaim, "The soil here is so fertile! It hasn’t been that long, and the weeds are already taller than the vegetable seedlings."
Gu Wenheng stared at the plot of land. "It really is. We don’t even need to irrigate it, which makes it easy to manage."
"Our plot is right at the entrance to the village," Jin Qianqian said. "So many people pass by every day. If we don’t manage it well, people will start calling a lazy wife."
"You’ve got , your lazy husband, to keep you company," Gu Wenheng teased. "Let them say whatever they want.
But you do have a point. We can’t keep coming back to tend this plot, and Mom and Dad are getting too old to look after it.
If it cos to it, we can see if Eldest Brother’s family is interested in taking it over. We won’t even ask for a share of the harvest."
"That could work," Jin Qianqian said. "But will Eldest Brother have the ti to manage it?"
"..."
"Seventh! We heard you were back, and it’s really you!" Gu Kaishan and Liu Heizi approached, each carrying a string of fish of various sizes. "Perfect timing. This is our catch for the day. Take it and have a little extra for dinner."
Gu Wenheng straightened up to look at them. "Finished with your chores already? Are you two still spending all your ti fishing?"
"Hey, let tell you, fishing is way more comfortable than farming," said Gu Kaishan. "Besides, the fish in this river are easy to catch. You’re almost guaranteed a bite every ti.
Now, the two of us finish our fieldwork early so we can go angling by the river. It feels amazing."
Liu Heizi chuckled. "My mother and my wife are so unused to seeing at ho now, they practically push out the door to go fishing. With nourishing fish soup every day, everyone in my family is much healthier.
And we have you to thank for those fishhooks. If you see any hooks and lines for sale, rember to grab so more for us. We’ll pay you in silver, of course."
Gu Wenheng never would have thought that the fishing tackle and small box of hooks he had given them would actually reform the two village loafers.
’I figured they were just amusing themselves for a little while,’ he thought. ’I never expected to actually cultivate two fishing enthusiasts.’
"Sure thing!" Gu Wenheng said. "If I co across any, I’ll bring so back for you. But you really don’t need to give us the fish. Catching them is hard work. You should take them ho for your elders and children to enjoy."
"Hah, we still have plenty at ho," Liu Heizi said. "My mother learned from your wife how to clean and dry the fish, so we’re really not short on food these days.
Speaking of which, we’ve learned so much from you two. I don’t even know how to begin to thank you."
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