Chapter 6: Unaware of One's Blessings While in the Midst of Them

Guan Yunniang's words struck like two great hammers, one after the other, pounding on Li Si's forehead

Of course, we must repay kindness, but we also need to be able to afford it. This year... even if it means our family exerts its last bit of strength

Guan Fengsheng snorted and did not speak further

Last year, my uncle took on the first round of the crop rotation, and in order to secure the grain, he sold all the rice fields. This year, my father is in charge of the first round, but apart from the grain fields and the homestead, there is nothing left to sell. To preserve the ten acres of rice fields your family has, my father has been so worried that he turned gray overnight! When my mother took my second sister away early in the morning, he didn't say a word. Li Si, you are still a man, at least say something!

Do not entertain the idea of touching the grain fields; without those fields, we won't even have food to eat, and they won't fetch much silver either. Old Lady Liu mentioned to me before that Master Zhong has seen foreign devils and quite likes a face like Second Sister's. If Second Sister were to be sent out, not only could we gain some silver, but Master Zhong could also instruct Lai Yipin to collect less of the miscellaneous fees.

No!

I never expected that the original 'me' would have the same aesthetic sense as the true me

It ultimately comes down to one word: money

What is the use of changing again? After a decade of relentless pressure, it has ultimately come around to our family.

Li Si replied blankly with a question.

"Second sister? She is our own daughter!"

Guan Feng was so angry that she could hardly contain herself; her palm rose, ready to strike Guan Tian's face.

I did not misjudge you; you, Li Si, are indeed a scholar, completely unaware of the mundane world. But do you truly not know, or are you pretending not to know? Over the past few years, your farmland and silver, along with various miscellaneous expenses, have all been shared by my family and my uncle's family together

Shall I continue reading?

As soon as he spoke, Guantian let out a terrified whisper.

Guan Yunniang's appearance can only be described as slightly more than just proper and refined; due to her hurried pace, a flush spread across her face, giving her an added hint of elegance. However, Li Si lacked an appreciation for beauty, as Guan Yunniang wore an expression of alarm, as if something significant had occurred.

Li Si then wrote the character "金" on the paper, his gaze flickering for quite a while, before striking it out once again

Complete the grain

Fourth brother has changed quite a bit, this dish hasn't been touched much, you all should eat some too

As the saying goes, "A common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime." Moreover, gold mines require a large workforce to extract gold. For someone as impoverished as he is now, the gold mine is like the moon in the sky—he can only look up at it, but cannot reach it.

Uncle Guan and Uncle Tian have been helping him with this matter for three years, and this kindness is truly immense. However, just to help him fulfill his grain obligations, it has come to the point of selling daughters. Li Si suspects that Guan Yun'ang is exaggerating. How much tax could one person possibly owe?

No, that won't do! Fourth Brother is very fond of Second Sister, and this action does not align with his wishes

Guan Yunniang called his name without any courtesy, and this made Li Si raise his eyebrows. Second sister? What happened to her?

Guan Fengsheng was agitated; if there had been a table in front of him, it would likely have been smashed to pieces by his slap.

In order to provide you with food, my mother intends to sell my second sister to Old Master Zhong, and she took her to Liu Village early this morning to find Old Woman Liu

Mr. Guantian finally could not hold back his tears

On the bed made of hay, Guan Yunniang wiped her tears and said this to her sister, Guan Erjie, who was beside her

The mere thought of the term "Dazi" filled Li Si with a sense of boldness, shattering all his doubts and fears.

Fourth brother is not your sibling; he is your biological father

Mr. Guantian spoke these words with great difficulty, appearing evasive and weary.

It seems that I still need to wield my golden finger, but I wonder if it is truly possible to live comfortably and as desired in this Qing dynasty.

The two sisters in the outer room sensed something was amiss, quickly finished their meal in a few bites, tidied up quietly, and retreated back into their small room

Li Si sighed, having determined his direction, yet he was always plagued by a subtle sense of unease. This was not the Song or Ming dynasties; the court was that of the Tartars, which held an additional layer of vigilance against the common people. Once he activated his golden finger, in this era, it would be akin to being a troublemaker, and the kind of trouble that might ensue was beyond his anticipation

Mr. Guantian gritted his teeth and made a concession

Guan Fengsheng spoke to his wife in a hushed voice

He has no money, but in the end, fate has not been too unkind to him; he possesses a gold mine

With a restless mind and a sleepless night, Li Si only realized the dawn had broken when he was awakened by the crowing of a rooster outside the window

No! Once you get involved with Lord Zhong's affairs, you will be trapped for life! How did the Wu family and the Jia family end up in their current predicament? It is not just a matter of money!

Guan Fengsheng cast a cold glance to stop his wife, allowing their two daughters to eat, and then pulled Guan Tianshi into the inner room

Guan Tian's face was stubborn, refusing to avoid that hand. Guan Fengsheng gritted his teeth, his palm falling dejectedly. His gaze flickered uncertainly, as if he were seriously contemplating this choice, but in the end, he still shook his head.

Sister Guan Er spoke softly, as the moonlight streamed through the gaps in the roof, casting a shimmering halo upon her deep-set eyes

Three years? What are three years? I will protect him for the rest of my life! My survival is entirely due to Brother Li's benevolence! Back then, he raised me as if I were his own son; if it weren't for me, how could the three brothers above Fourth Brother have died young? Brother Li is just like my father! Fourth Brother is my brother! Even if I were sold, I could never repay this kindness!

What does m.hetushu.com mean by protecting him this year? Since Brother Li left, haven't you been the one protecting him for the past three years? Our family's rice fields have all been lost, leaving only three acres of grain fields. We rely on your work at the mine; how else can you protect him

"It is! It is your brother! Not only do you have to promise Yun Niang to him, but you also have to compensate him with our entire family! My brother sold the land last year to help him with his grain, and how long do we have to repay the Li family's kindness? Why is my life so bitter..."

It was late at night, and Guan Fengsheng called to his wife and daughter. Tian Dayou and Li Si had already said their goodbyes, leaving in the house one man and three women.

Guan Yunniang was so anxious that her words became unclear, but Li Si was able to discern much more from it

The official path during the Qing Dynasty was not an easy one, especially for the lowest rank of scholar, the Xiucai. The provincial examinations were held twice every three years, and passing meant becoming a Xiucai. However, on average, there were only about ten successful candidates per county per session nationwide. As for the examination content, it was the eight-legged essay, which was not something one could easily study in a calm manner.

I still have a way; regarding the matter that Lord Zhong mentioned before, as long as I agree, it will yield several hundred taels of silver.

You also know that this is a matter of life and death every ten years. Brother Li's family has now been reduced to just the fourth son as the sole heir. This year it is my turn to take the lead, and I must protect him and ensure that his family's property is preserved

Outside the house, two figures stealthily retreated and returned to another small earthen dwelling

With a loud slap, Guan Tian's palm struck Guan Fengsheng's face

Hesitating and being overly cautious will not lead to great achievements

Then, should we go directly to ... ...

Mr. Guantian's words are filled with frustration

One must possess a certain level of strength in order to exploit that gold mine. Therefore, the question circles back to how to start with the library. Following this line of thought, that gold mine is no longer something of great importance.

However, Li Si did not expect that someone else shared a similar aesthetic perspective as his own and had long been coveting Guan Erjie.

Guan Yunniang was extremely sarcastic, causing Li Si to nearly slap the desk in frustration. It wasn't that he was angry at Guan Yunniang's sharp tongue, but rather that he suddenly realized why he had felt something was off when calculating his own finances. Despite counting and recounting, he had never felt too much pressure. It turned out he had forgotten about the "imperial grain and national taxes"!

Elder Brother Si has treated me so well; it is time for me to repay him

Aren't you supposed to repay your kindness? How is it that you are even reluctant to part with your daughter

Guan Fengsheng muttered something under his breath, and it seemed he truly had such intentions. After some thought, he ultimately decided to give up. Losing the grain fields was one thing, but losing the homestead meant that their family would be ruined. Even if they disregarded his family, after this year, they would be powerless to protect Li Si, let alone discuss marrying off their daughter

I can no longer rely on my brother. For the other villagers, it is already good enough if they are not pressured to repay their debts. In our family, apart from this piece of land, we only have those three acres of grain fields. How else can you protect it? Are you suggesting that my mother and I go to live with my brother, so that you can sell this house and the dry fields?

Your fourth brother is really that good, so please ask him to spare our family

Ah, if this were placed in the Ming Dynasty, it would truly lead to the ruin of a family

During the Kangxi era, the sale of official positions had not yet become normalized. Kangxi only temporarily opened donations, previously for the pacification of the Three Feudatories, and later for flood control and disaster relief. During this period, he also dispatched troops against Galdan, selling small official positions such as county magistrates. A more systematic approach was the "donation for status," which allowed one to obtain the qualification of a monitor student. His landlord, Lord Zhong, owned dozens of acres of land and several mountain ranges, and he also donated to become a monitor student, yet he had never attended school, let alone take the imperial examination. What he sought was merely the status of a monitor student.

After tidying up the chaotic papers, Li Si lamented that the brush was truly not a suitable writing tool. Suddenly, hurried footsteps sounded from outside the door. Before he could react, the dilapidated wooden door was pushed open with a bang, revealing a face wrapped in the morning light—it was Guan Yunniang.

Li Si pulled back his thoughts, pondered for a moment, and crossed out the character "官" on the paper

If I remember correctly, the Jiguanshan Gold Mine, which was visited for an interview, was undiscovered by anyone during the Qing Dynasty, whether in the front mountain or the back mountain

Mr. Guantian sighed deeply with sorrow

More importantly, if he were to pursue a career in the officialdom, he could not guarantee that he could conceal his true nature. He is a journalist, and temporarily disguising himself for the sake of infiltration is manageable, but to engage in that kind of long-term deception, akin to a 'dead zone' lasting for ten years, is simply not in his character. Perhaps when he was summoned to meet the emperor in the Forbidden City, he would have been unable to resist rushing forward to directly strangle that barbarian emperor.

Li Si, if you truly care for Second Sister, then hurry and lend her a hand

At night, lighting an oil lamp, Li Si was both sketching on paper with a brush and lost in thought, while more fragments of memories of the charming little face of Sister Guan surfaced. The young girl was exceptionally beautiful, and since childhood, she had been referred to as "Little Fan Girl." It was Li Si who had protected her the most, not only preventing others from bullying her but also encouraging her to read and write. No wonder the young girl regarded him as her closest kin. The young girl was exceptionally beautiful, and since childhood, she had been referred to as "Little Fan Girl." It was Li Si who had protected her the most, not only preventing others from bullying her but also encouraging her to read and write. No wonder the young girl regarded him as her closest kin

The official path during the Qing Dynasty was also quite accessible, with clear and fixed prices. In the thirty-ninth year of Qianlong's reign, the price for a fifth-rank official in the capital was 9,600 taels, while a seventh-rank county magistrate was 4,620 taels. In the twenty-sixth year of Guangxu's reign, the price for a fifth-rank official in the capital was 2,073 taels, and a seventh-rank county magistrate was 999 taels. Look, it was still at a promotional price. Of course, this is just for official positions; purchasing vacancies is another matter altogether.

Mr. Guantian vented his frustrations and then calmed down