Chapter 7: The Ownership of a Cabbage

Listening to the Master, Cheng Tong responded without hesitation

He paused in silence for a moment and involuntarily nodded his head

Generally speaking, the quota for the candidates is at a ratio of 80 to 1. In Huangzhou, where the quota for candidates is larger, it is easier to manipulate the process.

Why does she oppose it

Next is the confirmation of student status

It is precisely because of this foundation that, in the Song Dynasty, which lacked a sense of patent awareness, when Cheng Tong proposed to give Zhao Xing a 20% share of the profits from the "family industry," this proposal, which is close to modern "patent law," encountered no obstacles whatsoever. However, Cheng Tong regarded it as a gift, while from a modern perspective, it is actually a form of deprivation of intellectual labor.

The shop assistant in the city is Cheng Azhu's intended husband, indeed! However, this is merely a marriage arranged by parental decree. The shop assistant's willingness to marry a "non-registered" mountain girl is primarily driven by his desire for beauty, yet deep down, he harbors a sense of disdain for the girl from the mountains.

However, Zhao Xing had no choice but to accept—arriving in this unfamiliar world, Chengjia'ao was the only place he was familiar with, and he had to rely on Chengjia'ao for his development. Chengjia'ao is now his only "root," so he could only nod in agreement

He smiled faintly, the smile carrying profound meaning

Cheng Azhuz usually had not seen Wang Xiaosan much, but in their brief encounters, she could sense Wang Xiaosan's disdain for her and her daughter. Although she was confident that she could win affection with her beauty, having been cherished by the boys in the village since childhood, she couldn't help but feel a bit indignant.

In fact, it is not only Cheng Azhuz who is infatuated with him in the entire village; those young girls and wives come daily to cook for him, not without ulterior motives. However, Zhao Xing has always been taciturn, which makes him appear very reclusive, to the extent that those women do not dare to approach him casually. Therefore, most women can only seek closeness through bringing meals and cooking.

At this moment, Zhao Xing fully understood, yet he still did not realize that it was a fool

These books can be purchased nearby, but Zhao Xing still needs to find a dictionary. He is unsure whether dictionaries existed during the Song Dynasty. Therefore, he needs to search in a big city.

A few elderly men squatting at the door nodded in agreement with Cheng Tong's decision, and Cheng Lao Qi looked at him with eager eyes. As for Cheng A Zhu? This young woman seemed to have no objection to others deciding her fate

The Master will take that riverboat to Huangzhou. The boatman said: "This boat has no sail, making it quite inconvenient to navigate upstream. However, this boat is very stable, making it perfectly suitable for ferrying in Huangzhou. I plan to sell the boat in Huangzhou, and with the additional funds from my family, I will buy two larger boats. After that, when the Master travels to and from Huangzhou, he will no longer need to take the mountain roads"

At present, the children's knowledge has not yet reached the level required to participate in the imperial examination—this is a joke. A child who has studied for two years is at most at the second grade level of elementary school. The level of the Tongsheng examination was assessed during the early establishment of the national dynasty—equivalent to "higher elementary school" (that is, third grade of elementary school)

It has been two generations. In the past, my ancestors exerted great effort for the prosperity of Chengjiaao, and only in their later years did they consider passing on the family line. Since then, each successive clan leader has diligently adhered to the clan's teachings, with four consecutive generations marrying only in their later years. What is the reason for this? Life in the mountains is not easy

Zhao Xing was unsure whether there was such a custom in the Song Dynasty—where engaged couples could live together. Perhaps this was merely a violation of regulations by Cheng Tong. He lifted his eyelids slightly and unconsciously said: "Too young! ... ... It would be best to wait a few years!"

Then Zhao Xing arrived. Without comparison, one cannot understand what excellence is. Zhao Xing speaks little, but treats others with warmth, exuding a temperament that is entirely different from that of the villagers in his every gesture. The 14-year-old girl, at the age of budding romance, has never left the mountains, and Zhao Xing, who is so close at hand, is like a prince in her eyes. His calm demeanor, stemming from modern society, is far beyond what a shopkeeper from the Song Dynasty could compare to. It is easy to imagine what thoughts a girl in the throes of first love might have. His calm demeanor, stemming from modern society, is far beyond what a shopkeeper from the Song Dynasty could compare to. It is easy to imagine what thoughts a girl in the throes of first love might have.

Zhao Xing shook his head

The Song Dynasty was an era that greatly esteemed literature and knowledge— in other words, it was a time of talented scholars and beautiful women

The clan has decided: A Zhu will henceforth attend to the master's daily needs. A Zhu's husband—that young man from the city—we will give him 15 guan to break off the engagement. Cheng Tongping said this as if he were not determining a person's fate, but rather deciding the ownership of a cabbage

Why happiness

Zhao Xing appeared unperturbed by honor or disgrace, calmly nodding his head without uttering a word

Thus... children, come in and pay your respects to Lady Zhu (in the Song Dynasty, the term "Lady" was used to refer to the wives of low-ranking officials, and it is also used as a term of respect in the community). From now on, A Zhu will be the teacher's wife, so do not confuse the hierarchy

Currently, the children in Chengjiacao have learned a great deal of practical skills, and their literacy levels are undoubtedly superior to those of the current enrolled preschoolers. However, when it comes to the ability to compose couplets... can you expect a modern science student, who knows nothing about the rules of poetry and verse, to teach a group of Li Bai and Du Fu?

Cheng Tong raised his hand and called out to Cheng Lao Qi at the door: "Lao Qi, come in and talk."

To take the examination, the most urgent need is to buy books. Zhao Xing only has the Thousand Character Classic, the Three Character Classic, and the Hundred Family Surnames. However, the required texts for candidates include the "Book of Changes," "Book of Songs," "Book of Documents," "Rites of Zhou," and "Book of Rites," which are referred to as the Great Classics. The "Analects" and "Mencius" are known as the Secondary Classics, essential reading for those preparing for the examination

Zhao Xing pondered for a moment and replied, "Alright"

Old Cheng Qi entered the courtyard with a mix of surprise and joy, carefully walking behind the crowd, then squatting down at the entrance of the house

In fact, only Zhao Xing in the village was oblivious to the women's pursuit; all the other men were acutely aware of it. They could not help but feel a twinge of jealousy, yet Zhao Xing was always easygoing with others. The mountain dwellers generally benefited significantly from his presence, which left them with no grounds for complaint. This time, Cheng Tong set his sights on Cheng A Zhu, and the rest naturally felt a sense of secret delight.

In a manner reminiscent of the website, Buddha emphasized his tone, and Cheng, amidst A Zhu's joy, added meaningfully: "Thus, inform the other young ladies, do not disturb the teacher without reason"

Master, I know you possess great talent; you have yet to unleash even half of your vast knowledge. Please extend a helping hand to the Cheng clan! Whatever you desire, the Cheng clan will grant you!

These books are probably not available in Huangzhou; one must go to Yangzhou or Quanzhou... Let's choose Quanzhou. Why Quanzhou? Because Zhao Xing has not obtained citizenship, but he inquired and learned that the port cities of this era are Quanzhou, Guangzhou, and Mingzhou. Only in densely populated cities with similar foreign populations can individuals like Zhao Xing, who are particularly atypical, breathe freely without drawing attention.

"Alright, then let's say before the New Year's Day... on the 20th of the twelfth month," Zhao Xing casually flipped through a book and replied淡淡地.

Zhao Xing means: At such a young age, if A Zhu marries hastily, it could pose dangers during childbirth. The high rate of difficult births and the low survival rate of infants in ancient times are closely related to the young age at which women married. However, this reasoning is difficult to explain to the people of the Song dynasty.

Zhao Xingheng steeled himself: I refuse to believe that a "modern professional corruptor" cannot handle a small county magistrate from the Song Dynasty

Zhao Xing knew that these words were clearly directed at him

This text appears to be incomplete or consists solely of symbols. Please provide a complete sentence or text for translation.

Since the arrival of the esteemed scholar, heaven has opened its eyes, and our Cheng Family Ditch has enjoyed three consecutive years of prosperity, achieving a state of 'sufficient clothing and food.' If we could produce just one scholar—even if it is only one—we would be able to register as citizens and no longer be considered outsiders. At that time, the Cheng family from Cheng Family Ditch could proudly head to Jiangxia. Esteemed scholar, you are the great benefactor of our Cheng Family Ditch, and we will forever remember your immense kindness across generations.

Such an expression left Cheng Tong unable to discern any joy or anger. He had no concept of "royalties" in his mind, so he felt that such a significant contribution deserved more than just a simple "oh" in response; that reaction was too bland. After waiting for a while without receiving the anticipated gratitude, he had no choice but to continue speaking: "In a while, do you plan to have the children participate in the imperial examination?"

It is often said that ancient people regarded women as commodities, but I did not expect it to be so casually stated.

As they were speaking, Cheng Xia led a few classmates in with cheerful smiles, carrying Cheng Azhu's cage, which contained her dowry. The classmates stood at the door, half-smiling and unsure of how to proceed. Zhao Xing maintained a calm expression, sitting steadily on the stool and leisurely sipping tea. Cheng Azhu, at his feet, was pouring tea, her ears as red as cherries, not daring to lift her eyelids.

Upon witnessing this scene, Cheng Tong cleared his throat and said: "Master, is it settled regarding A Zhu? ... ... I wonder when you plan to get married, so I can have the clan prepare for it"

In the past, Cheng Azhu did not have the opportunity to deliver meals, so she could only watch from a distance as other women flattered and sought to please. Meanwhile, she stayed at home, quietly studying etiquette. During her studies, she often fantasized that the recipient of her tea offerings was her teacher, and that the person she served was also her teacher. This allowed her to maintain a smile on her lips throughout her learning process, which left her instructor quite astonished

Zhao Xing originally did not fully retain the profits allocated to him. Coming from modern times, he was not accustomed to the slave-like apprenticeship system of the Song Dynasty. He believed that "paying according to labor" could maximize employees' enthusiasm for work. Therefore, although the children were learning skills from him, he established detailed quantitative indicators and paid them wages based on the amount of labor and their performance.

Huangzhou, so be it, my Cheng family originally was not registered here, this time it will benefit Huangzhou. Cheng Tong immediately made a decision and then said: "We will register in the city of Huangzhou, and consider this place as our mountain residence (a rural estate belonging to the gentry)."

Zhao Xing is not in a hurry, but Cheng Tong is very anxious. Seeing Zhao Xing shake his head, he can no longer pretend to be the old fox and stammers: "Master, I, Cheng from Chengjia'ao, a branch of the Cheng family from Jiangxia, have been living separately from our clan for many years. Our family's greatest wish is to return to our hometown to pay respects to our ancestors, so that the long branch of the Jiangxia Cheng family knows that Chengjia'ao has not tarnished the name of the Jiangxia Cheng family.

Zhao Xing took in the reactions of those around him one by one. He understood that Cheng Tong hoped he would settle in Chengjia'ao, and for this purpose, he was willing to offer the most beautiful woman in the clan to win him over

Chengjia'ao is quite prosperous, and the young women in the village have learned a lot of cooking and household skills from the teacher. How can the other girls in the neighboring villages compare to them? ... The teacher has now chosen Cheng Azhu, which means that the other young ladies will surely select from among our children ... This can be considered as "the rich water does not flow to outsiders"

How can Zhao Xingneng express himself? He can only remain expressionless

This habit may have been inherited from Cheng Tong's ancestors, whose forebears were accustomed to using maids and concubines to win over guests in the large family. Thus, Cheng Tong inherited this set of customs

Moreover, Zhao Xingjiao taught only practical knowledge. However, during the Song Dynasty, the standard for measuring knowledge was the ability to compose poetry

Today, at this moment, all the etiquette she has learned has come into play, and she has achieved her wish; how could she not be overjoyed

Zhao Xing cast a glance at Cheng Azhuz, who suddenly looked up and met his gaze, her eyes filled with eagerness. However, she quickly lowered her eyelids again, focusing intently on the tea utensils in her hands

After a brief pause, Cheng Tong added in a flattering manner: "Master, we just discussed this: from now on, the village's clan property will be divided as 'six for private, four for public'—private individuals will receive sixty percent, and the 'public' will take forty percent. The forty percent from the 'public' will be shared equally with you, and the clan will use twenty percent for taxes and to support the orphans and the elderly. As for your share, it will be at your discretion, how does that sound?"

Cheng Tong tentatively asked: "What about next spring? A Zhu originally planned to get married next spring. I think, if the master gets married next spring, he will still be able to participate in the spring festival.

The meaning of Cheng Tong is that it would be best for Zhao Xing to marry A Zhu before the Spring Festival next year, so that he can participate in the Jiangxia ancestral worship as a son-in-law of the Cheng family. Of course, all of this is contingent upon Zhao Xing successfully completing the provincial examination this autumn