Chapter 43: I Can Help You

Wei Jin is not even a student, not to mention the examination of Xiucai, Jurchen, and Jinshi.

Never even took the test.

Although he is an unfavored commoner son, if he wants to take the exam, Wei Mingting and Yun should agree, right? If he passes the exam, it will be an honor for the family.

“Once upon a time the ambition was not here.” Wei Jin also replied.

“Once upon a time?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Changed nowadays?”

“There’s been a slight change.”

“So it’s wanting to take the test?” Wei Ruo asked.

Wei Jinya is only sixteen now, so if he starts to take the exams, although it’s a bit later than Wei Yichen and the others, it’s not too late in this era of lifelong examinations for the imperial examinations for readers.

Wei Jin also didn’t pick up on this, but asked about Wei Ruo, “I heard that mother is arranging for you to go to the governor’s mansion to attend classes.”

“Yeah, let’s hope she schedules it slow.”

“You don’t want to go?” Wei Jin also asked.

“Well, don’t want to go.” Wei Ruo flattened her mouth and sighed somewhat helplessly.

“Is it because you don’t want to go to class or you don’t want to go to the governor’s mansion?” Wei Jin also asked again.

“Although I don’t really want to go to class either, in comparison, I still don’t want to go to class with Wei Qingwan a bit more.” Wei Ruo replied.

Probably because of the life-long friendship, Wei Ruo was a lot less defensive towards Wei Jin Yi, and some of the things she couldn’t say to the rest of the Wei family would be said to Wei Jin Yi.

Moreover, Wei Jin also knew about what happened last time.

Wei Ruo said, “Actually, I wanted to find another female gentleman on my own, but it was vetoed, so I don’t know how much longer I can delay it now with the matter of the wasteland south of the city.”

In fact, Wei Ruo himself has the financial strength to afford to hire a female teacher’s tuition, and also has the means to hire a fairly decent female teacher, just have to let the school captain’s office nod without exposing themselves is a bit of a problem, and at present Wei Ruo hasn’t thought of a suitable solution to the problem.

Wei Jin also gazed at Wei Ruo, who was a bit fretful, and said, “I can help you hire a reputable female gentleman.”

“You can hire a reputable female gentleman?” Wei Ruo looked at Wei Jin Yi suspiciously.

Reputable female gentlemen are not easy to hire, not just for the money.

“My birth mother was born into a scholarly family and has some connections in this area, I still have some contacts with people on my birth mother’s side, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to help you hire a female gentleman.” Wei Jin also explained.

Wei Ruo didn’t know much about Wei Jin Yi’s birth mother’s situation, but looking at Wei Jin Yi’s serious expression, she knew that he was sincere in wanting to help her, and was also certain that he could do it for her.

Then Wei Ruo wouldn’t be polite to him.

“If it’s a reputable female gentleman, perhaps I’ll have a way to take care of this matter and get them to agree that I won’t be studying with Wei Qingwan.” Wei Ruo had an idea in her heart all of a sudden.

Wei Jin also looked at Wei Ruo’s rising corners of her mouth and her eyes, which were lively and cunning, and vaguely looked forward to her next arrangement in this matter.

After Wei Ruo and Wei Jin Yi chatted for a while, Xiu Mei and Xiao Bei returned with the prepared dishes.

Three dishes and one soup, hot and full of flavor.

Wei Ruo told Xiu Mei to sit down and eat together, and Wei Jin also called out Xiao Bei to the table.

Neither of them were stereotypical people, and with no bystanders present today, there was no need to distinguish between master and subordinate so clearly.

Four people were seated at the small stone table in the octagonal pavilion, and three of the four dishes in this round were free of pungent flavors.

Wei Ruo informed Wei Jin Yi in advance that the plate of fried chicken mash would choke just like the last seafood hot pot, and told him not to touch it and to drink more chicken soup.

It was true that Wei Jin Yi did not touch the chicken mince initially, but after tasting the remaining three dishes, Wei Jin Yi went ahead and tasted the chicken mince.

After his last choking experience, this time he took very small bites and chewed slowly.

It seemed to be trying to figure out why this exciting flavor was so appealing to Wei Ruo.

Wei Ruo saw him try again and looked at him curiously.

Seeing that he wasn’t choking like the last time, he asked, “How’s it going?”

“It doesn’t feel delicious, nor is it hard to swallow.” Wei Jin also commented.

“Then maybe you’ll love the flavor when you get a chance to eat it a few more times in the future.”

“Uh-huh.”

Because it was inconvenient to move, Wei Ruo stayed inside the pavilion of Yingzhu Yuan all afternoon, and Xiu Mei helped her bring over some account books.

She and Wei Jin also one side, he looked at him, she looked at her, do not disturb each other, during the period also do not speak, get along very quiet.

In the middle of the journey, Wei Jin also caught a glimpse of Wei Ruo’s writing on the paper, her handwriting was childish and tender, as if she had just practiced writing not long ago, and the only person in the house who could compare with her writing might be the seven-year-old Wei Yi Lin.

In the evening and ate a dinner together, Wei Ruocai in the Xiu Mei’s support, jumping back to listen to the pine garden.

After Wei Ruo left, Wei Jin also wrote a letter and handed it over to Xiao Bei to send out of the house.

When he returned Xiao Bei brought a reply, saying that they would definitely accomplish what the young master had explained.

###

After the mango, the temperature warms up, but this is still a bit cooler than in previous years.

Some old farmers are already worried about this year’s harvest, according to this situation, this year’s harvest is still not good, and may even be worse than the past two years.

After recuperating for a few days, Wei Ruo’s body completely recovered, so he once again went to the wasteland south of the city.

The ground selected for her experiments had been weeded out and the first batch of chaff residue and humus, which had been hydrolyzed by sealed fermentation, had been placed.

These present an acidic nature, and are well able to neutralize the alkalinity of the saline soil, making it suitable for ordinary crops.

Wei Ruo arranged for the long laborers to carry out the second filling of humus today.

The two eldest workers and Sister Zhang didn’t quite understand Wei Ruo’s arrangement, but the work was well done.

Today, Wei Ruo wanted to go down to the ground and work for a while, but she was persuaded by Sister Zhang to stay in the carriage, and if there was anything she wanted to do, she could just order it to them.

Wei Ruo could only lean inside the carriage and arrange to direct the work of the two eldest workers and Sister Zhang.

By noon, Wei Ruo sat down to rest under the balsam camphor tree next to the test field, with Xiu Mei on her left and Sister Zhang on her right. And the two elder workers were at the farther side of the creek.

Xiu Mei took out the lunch she had prepared before she left home: braised pork over rice with a stack of blanched choy sum.

For the same lunch, Wei Ruo also prepared a portion for the traveling companion, Sister Zhang, and the two eldest workers, each in a separate food box.

Xiu Mei gave one of the food boxes to Sister Zhang before walking over to the creek to give the other two to Gui and Hachi.

Sister Zhang and the two elders who got the food box froze.

Missy actually prepared one for all of them, the subordinates!

“Don’t just look, hurry up and eat. It’s already this time of the day, if you don’t eat a full meal, you won’t have the strength to work.” Wei Ruo said to the three men.

The three of them came back to their senses and hurriedly put down the nest egg they had brought with them and opened the food box Wei Ruo had given them.

There’s meat! Big chunks of meat!

The eyes of both Sister Zhang and the two elders erupted with an excited light.