Chapter 175 The day Meng Chun left the world...

Chapter 175 The day Meng Chun left the world...

On the afternoon of the day Meng Chun left, Meng Qing and her family packed their bags and left Luoyang, heading straight for Heqing County.

Two days later at noon, the two horse-drawn carriages arrived at Xingjiaofang in Heqing County.

Aunt Li and her two daughters-in-law had already packed up all their belongings, leaving only four geese and a horse roaming freely in the front yard.

"My lady, on the second day after you went to Luoyang, we received a letter from Huai Prefecture. It was brought by the carts transporting paper, and the writer is Chief Secretary Du." After the family finished eating, Sister-in-law Wang took out the letter.

Meng Qing took the letter, paused as she opened it, and said to Du Li, "Guess what's written in the letter?"

"They're urging us to hurry over." Du Li folded a handkerchief and tucked it into her bosom, saying, "I'll contact the caravan, and we'll set off tomorrow?"

Meng Qing looked at her parents and asked, "Father, Mother, should we set off tomorrow, or rest for two or three days before we leave?"

"Tomorrow," said Meng's father. "Sitting in the carriage isn't tiring; your mother and I can handle it."

Meng's mother nodded, "Go as soon as possible, settle down as soon as possible, and start preparing for Wangchuan's first birthday banquet as soon as possible."

“Then we’ll set off tomorrow,” Meng Qing said to Du Li. She had also opened the letter, which was filled with Du Min’s urging words.

"Sister-in-law Wang, go and contact the broker. The house can be transferred this afternoon," Meng Qing instructed. Then she turned to Wang Zhou and said, "Can you handle the transfer at the yamen by yourself? I won't go with you; you know that place well."

Wang Zhou nodded, "I'll also say goodbye to my classmates while I'm at it."

“I’ll give you a backup gift; you can take it to your teacher,” Meng Qing said. “Do you want to treat your classmates to a meal? Go to a restaurant and book a table. You’ll be in charge of the hospitality yourself. Your father and I won’t show up. We’ll have Uncle Li drive outside and wait for you after the meal. He’ll also take your guests home.”

Wang Zhou was tempted; why didn't he become the host himself?

Meng's father and mother watched quietly. The old couple could see that Meng Qing was cultivating Wangzhou's ability to socialize outside, and at the same time, she was letting go, allowing Wangzhou to enjoy the rights that ordinary people only have after they get married and have children at the age of eight.

“I have money, I’ll use my own savings to treat my classmates to a meal,” Wang Zhou said excitedly.

Meng Qing readily agreed, “You have your own plans for managing money, so the 600 guan from the sale of the house is yours. You can keep it yourself. In addition, I will give you two guan a month, and the bluebird will also have two guan for fodder. You are its master, so you will keep it for it. You will be responsible for buying its fodder in the future.”

Wang Zhou was both surprised and delighted, "Do I get the money from selling the house too?"

“This house was originally a gift from your uncle and me. The money from its sale is naturally yours. We won’t interfere with how you use it.” Meng Qing gazed at Wang Zhou and said gently, “In another six months or so, you’ll be nine years old. As you grow up, you’ll develop friendships that are independent of your father and me. As you get older, your social circle will expand, and you’ll need to entertain guests like adults. You’ll also have needs for meals, hiking, and sightseeing, all of which require money to maintain.”

Wang Zhou leaped up, quickly walked behind Meng Qing, bent down, hugged her neck, and swayed her from side to side. "Mother, you are so good! You are the best mother in the world."

Meng Qing was sitting on the bench, and with his embrace, she was almost leaning back. She patted him and said, "Let go quickly, don't drop your dearest mother."

"No, I'm watching out." Wang Zhou helped her sit up straight and then earnestly massaged her shoulders.

Mencius' mother smiled and nodded at Wangzhou, "It's rare to see you act like a child."

Wang Zhou grinned.

Wangchuan sat on his father's lap, reaching out and making noises, wanting to go to his mother's arms as well.

"Call me Mother," Meng Qing teased him.

Wang Chuan was so anxious that he kept grabbing with both hands, struggling to get down and crawl over.

Meng's father wouldn't let go, saying, "Your brother and mother are arguing for a while, and you're already envious? Sit still."

Meng Qing smiled, looked away, and looked up at Wang Zhou, saying, "Let's make a deal. I won't interfere with your social life, but you have to let me know what you're doing. If you disappear without a word, you'll be in for a beating."

"I understand," Wang Zhou replied.

"Don't go to places you shouldn't go, don't touch things you shouldn't touch, don't drink alcohol if you're under fifteen, and never enter brothels," Meng Qing added.

Wang Zhou blushed, and he playfully punched her, "Mom! What are you saying? I'm still so young!"

Seeing this, Meng Qing stopped talking and slapped him with her hand, saying, "Are you trying to beat your mother to death?"

Wang Zhou snorted and went over to give her his wrinkled-faced younger brother. "You should comfort him. I'm going to change my clothes."

"Pick one bolt each of Wu silk and Shu brocade that you brought back from Luoyang and give them to the teacher. Also, buy four kinds of gifts on the way there," Meng Qing instructed.

Wang Zhou exclaimed "Hey!" and ran off joyfully.

"That's wonderful." Meng's mother couldn't help but sigh. "Back then, we didn't know anything about raising children. It's fortunate that you've been so independent since you were little, and that Meng Chun has been disciplined by you. If I had raised her, she would probably be just like me, timid as a sparrow when she reaches marriageable age."

Meng Qing pinched Wang Chuan's cheek and said, "It will be alright, each generation will be better than the last."

Wang Chuan grinned and, mimicking Wang Zhou, pounded Meng Qing's shoulders with his fists.

"You're so cunning." Meng Qing slapped his bottom. "Come on, come back to my room and sleep for a while."

Meng's parents also fell asleep, and the two elders followed Meng Qing to the backyard.

Half an incense stick later, Wang Zhou came to the front yard with two strings of copper coins. He went to the carriage and picked out two bolts of brocade. He asked Uncle Li to drive the carriage that his maternal grandparents had been riding in to take him to the yamen.

Halfway there, Wang Zhou got off the carriage to buy gifts for the bride's return. Once everything was ready, he excitedly headed to the yamen (government office).

"Young master, you're back from Luoyang? When did you get back?" The yamen runner recognized the carriage and warmly greeted him from the yamen.

"They arrived a little over an hour ago." Wang Zhou handed the gifts and two bolts of brocade to the coachman, then jumped down and asked, "Has the teacher arrived yet? Has class started?"

"What's going on here..." The yamen runner's face showed interest. He shook his head and said, "Your servant came to the yamen a few days ago to tell you that you would no longer come to the government office to study. Two days later, Teacher Wang also resigned, and the primary school in the government office was also disbanded."

Wang Zhou was stunned. "Why did Master Wang resign? After he resigned, didn't Magistrate Sun hire another master?"

The constable shook his head. "I don't know. Magistrate Sun is in the Clerk's Office. Why don't you go ask him?"

“No need.” Wang Zhou understood. Master Wang was “invited” by his third uncle years ago through a scheme, or rather, coerced. Now that his third uncle had gone to Huaizhou, he, the student surnamed Du, was also leaving. With the huge rock removed from Master Wang's head, he would naturally flee as well. As for disbanding the primary school, it was probably because Magistrate Sun's salary was insufficient to support a teacher.

"Isn't this Wang Zhou? You've returned from Luoyang?" Magistrate Sun walked out of the yamen and paused when he saw Wang Zhou, his gaze sweeping over the things the coachman was carrying.

"Yes, I just got back today. My mother sent me to the yamen to wait for the broker to come. The house under my name is going to change owners." Wang Zhou glanced down at the basket of Xiu Li, whose clothes were covered with cloth, so he couldn't see what was inside.

“Uncle Sun, I’ve come to say goodbye. My third uncle left Heqing County for Huaizhou in the first month of the lunar calendar. In the following months, thanks to your help, I was able to come and go freely in the government office.” Wang Zhou took the two bolts of brocade from the coachman and instructed the horseman, “Wait here, I’ll be out in a bit.”

The coachman looked surprised, but then understood what Wangzhou meant. He put the gifts from the basket back on the carriage shaft.

“Uncle Sun, my mother met a fellow villager from Wu County in Luoyang. He gave us several bolts of Wu silk. I’d like to give you one of them. It’s definitely no less beautiful than Shu brocade.” Wang Zhou walked toward Magistrate Sun carrying two bolts of brocade. Since Master Wang believed that the relationship between master and disciple was only based on coercion, he wouldn’t be appreciated for giving a farewell gift. He might as well give it to someone else.

Magistrate Sun was surprised, "Give it to me? Do your parents know?"

"I know, my mother arranged for me to come. She was worried that if she came in person, you would have to prepare a feast to entertain her." Wang Zhou chuckled. "I'm here on behalf of my parents to say goodbye to you. Please don't look down on me because I'm young."

"No, no." Magistrate Sun laughed heartily, took the brocade, and said, "Young master, please go and sit in the government office."

Wang Zhou followed him inside, and only went to the clerk's office to sign the deed to the house after the broker brought the buyer.

The buyer took the property deed and left. The broker took his seventy strings of cash, and Wangzhou and the coachman, with the help of the yamen runners, carried the remaining six hundred strings of cash onto the carriage.

Back home, Wangzhou handed the gifts in the bamboo basket to Aunt Li's grandchildren, saying, "You can eat them."

"Why did you bring it back?" Meng Qing asked.

Wang Zhou told me about Wang Fuzi's resignation, "When I met Magistrate Sun, I gave him the brocade. We both overlooked one thing: Magistrate Sun's salary is not much. He has no extra income and cannot afford to support a teacher who costs two strings of cash a month. But because I am still studying at the government office, he extended the life of the primary school for another three months. I should thank him."

Meng Qing frowned. She was the one who paid the teacher's monthly allowance, and Du Li was in charge of giving him the money.

"Okay, I understand." Meng Qing didn't say anything else. "Have you made plans with your classmate? When are you going out?"

"Forget it, let's not have a get-together." Wang Zhou waved his hand. "If I leave, the elementary school will be disbanded, which only proves that the elementary school was started because of me. I have a better place to go, while others have lost a place to study for free. The difference between the two is huge, and I can't guarantee that some people will say something sarcastic. It would be a thankless task for me to treat everyone out of my own pocket."

“It’s right not to gather. If you get involved with someone like your third uncle, you’ll be in trouble.” Du Li came in from outside.

Wangzhou: ...

Meng Qing smiled. She found an excuse to send Wang Zhou away so that he wouldn't be unhappy again.

"Have you given Master Wang his monthly allowance this year?" she asked.

“Yes, I gave him the money. I deliver it to him on time at the beginning of each month. What’s wrong?” Du Li asked.

When Meng Qing mentioned Wang Zhou's misunderstanding, he said, "He thought it was given to him by Magistrate Sun."

"Does he think that his third uncle has been paying for it all these years?" Du Li asked warily. "I need to go and talk to him about it."

"No need. He knows that Magistrate Sun can't afford to support a tutor, which means Du Min can't either." Meng Qing stopped him. "As for the rest, let him misunderstand. He took it upon himself to give a gift today and even changed the recipient halfway through. He's probably basking in his cleverness right now, feeling quite pleased with himself. Don't spoil his fun."

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Author's Note: There will be another update at 12 o'clock.