Chapter 109: Meeting Shopkeeper Fan Again
After checking in, Qin Yao took Liu Ji to the street to buy a lot of daily necessities and paper.
They brought all the pens, ink, paper and inkstone from home. They had the usual paper, but they bought more this time so that Liu Ji could record the county exam questions from previous years. Qin Yao planned to use them to do mock exam papers.
Liu Ji didn't understand what she wanted to do with these past imperial examination questions, but he didn't dare to resist and just did as she said.
"It would be even better if you could know the answers of those who passed the imperial examinations. Remember to write them all down and bring them back to me every fifteen days of rest," Qin Yao reminded.
Liu Ji frowned and said, "How can it be so easy? How can a scholar like me talk about these things to a commoner like me?"
Qin Yao stopped and asked with her arms folded, "How much more silver do you want?"
When she mentioned the word "money", his eyes seemed to be shining, and he immediately changed his positive look, counting on his fingers:
"We have to treat the scholars to some good wine and food. You have been to the county restaurant before, and the cheapest table costs five or six coins. Add in the private interpersonal relationships, and you have to be considerate. You have to advance the book rental fee and pay for the meat buns."
"My lady, if you give me one ounce of silver a month, that will be enough."
After he said this number, he was ready for her to cut it in half, or even to 10%.
He never expected that Qin Yao would actually take out a silver coin from her purse and throw it to him.
"Next time I take a break, I want to see what I want."
The corners of her mouth curled up into a cruel grin, "If you can't get these things back, you'd better not go home, wander around the world, or you will definitely die under my knife!"
After giving this one tael, plus the five cents of silver he had just used to buy daily necessities and paper, and one year's tuition and accommodation fees, half of the money he earned from making the waterwheel in June was spent.
Now there is only 14.2 taels left, of which 3 taels are owed to the public account of the water mill.
It can be seen that studying for a good imperial examination is a very distant thing for ordinary people whose annual net income is only two to four taels.
Qin Yao sent Liu Ji, who was shocked by the silver, to the gate of the academy, handed him the daily necessities and paper he had bought, and said, "The rice harvest will start in the middle of the month. You and Mu Xiu should take two more days off and come back after the rice harvest with me."
"Ah? I have to go downstairs again?" Liu Ji came to his senses immediately and widened his eyes in disbelief.
Qin Yao didn't answer, but the meaning was already very clear: Do you think you don't have to go to the fields to study?
Before he passed the imperial examination, Liu Ji was still a peasant who should have worked in the fields.
"Madam, what if the teacher doesn't allow me to take a vacation?" Liu Ji held on to the last glimmer of hope.
Qin Yao directly cut off his hope, "During the busy farming season and autumn harvest, if students need to go home to help, the academy will grant them two extra days of vacation."
Liu Ji asked in disbelief: "How do you know?"
Qin Yao glanced at him with contempt. "I can see that you didn't listen to the supervisor when you checked in just now. Go ask again later. I'm leaving now."
When Liu Ji heard that she was leaving, he should have been very happy, but he felt uneasy for some reason, as if his confidence had been taken away all of a sudden. He took two steps forward and asked anxiously:
"Where are you going, my lady? It's getting dark, you can't go back today, right?"
Qin Yao looked up at the dusk in the sky and waved her hand, "I have my own place to go. Don't worry about me. Just read your book."
Liu Ji had to stop and watch her walk away like an abandoned stray dog until she disappeared from sight. Then he walked into the academy gate with a bunch of things in his arms and a nervous mood.
When he thought of the task pressing upon him, he had no desire for entertainment at all.
Half a month, half a month, why does the academy have to have a half-month break instead of a month?
However, when he saw several roommates making fire and brewing tea under the eaves, he immediately became energetic.
It's my nature. I can't think too much and just want to enjoy myself in the moment.
Forget the exam questions of previous years. There is still half a month left. He finally got away from that evil woman and gained some freedom. Let him enjoy himself for a few days first!
Liu Ji, after a few words, blended into the middle of his classmates and drank tea with them while watching the moon.
Qin Yao is still looking for a place to stay overnight.
There is no curfew in the city, but during non-holiday periods, people go home to eat and rest, and there are not many pedestrians on the streets.
Qin Yao walked and walked until she arrived in front of the restaurant.
When he raised his eyes, the shopkeeper who was using an abacus in the hall also looked up. The two met each other. The other showed a puzzled look at first, then rubbed his eyes, made sure he was not dazzled, and walked out excitedly.
"But Madam Qin?" Shopkeeper Fan asked in disbelief.
Seeing Qin Yao nodded, she smiled and called him, "Manager Fan, long time no see."
It's been a long time, almost a year!
Qin Yao didn't expect that Manager Fan could recognize her and told her that he knew she had done something big at the beginning of the year.
"What?" Qin Yao herself didn't know.
There were only two tables of guests in the hall, making it a little quiet, but this was normal. After all, it wasn't every day that one would receive something as rare as a blind bear.
Shopkeeper Fan pulled out a stool and asked Qin Yao to sit down at an empty table in the corner. He first asked her what she wanted to eat, and then asked the waiter to bring it to her.
He poured her a cup of tea himself, then sat down opposite her with a smile and said, "You killed that bandit leader, didn't you?"
This matter was not specifically publicized, so Qin Yao curiously asked, "How did you know this, Manager Fan?"
Shopkeeper Fan smiled mysteriously, "On New Year's Eve, when someone came to report to the police, as soon as I heard that they were going to Liujia Village under Jinshi Town, I guessed it must be your village. Then the police came back and forth several times, saying that Liujia Village was fine after encountering horse bandits, and someone in the village shot and killed the fleeing horse bandit leader. Then I thought, except for you, no one else has such a skill!"
"Am I right?" Shopkeeper Fan asked confidently.
Qin Yao nodded, and the waiter brought her white flour buns and a large bowl of mutton soup, and also gave her a plate of sour pickled cucumbers, which whetted her appetite.
Qin Yao picked up the food and started eating. Manager Fan talked to her and said that she should have come to the county town to claim the reward.
There is a law in Sheng State that states that if the common people encounter robbers on the road and kill them, they will not be guilty, and they can also report the robbers to the government and receive a reward.
Killing a thief would earn you one tael of silver, killing a bandit would earn you two taels of silver. If you killed a group of bandits, in addition to the silver, you could also stay in the county government and get a job as a minor official.
Although this kind of position does not involve an official title, the holders still receive government salary, which is unattainable for ordinary people.
It is said that the King of Hell is easy to meet but the little ghosts are difficult to deal with. These petty officials often have to give in to even the county magistrate.
After all, the county magistrate comes and goes, but the clerks remain. The county magistrate is replaced every three years, but the clerks in the yamen are always there.
Five more chapters tomorrow, last two days to ask for monthly votes!
(End of this chapter)