Chapter 64 What Does It Mean?

Chapter 64 What Does It Mean?

Xianjin turned her head and saw Chen Jianfang walking steadily, having changed from the simple white robes she wore during the day to a comfortable and warm silk jacket, with an outer layer of a beige straight-collar coat.

Xianjin's gaze fell on the buttons at the collar of the coat.

She must have made a mistake; the buttons were fastened incorrectly.

Could there be some urgent matter?

Xianjin pondered this in her heart but smiled as she spoke, "It did take longer than expected. I had planned to visit five towns and return within five or six days, but when I arrived in Cloud Ridge Town, Master Qin gave me a name card to introduce me to Master Wang in Langqiao Town. Master Wang then gave me another name card to find Master Liu in Peach Blossom Pool Town... One led to another, and that’s why it took so long."

As Xianjin spoke, she stepped aside to make way, "Where are you headed at this late hour?"

Chen Jianfang replied calmly, "I'm going to the Book Collection Pavilion. There's an exam tomorrow, and I want to review the *Commentary on the Four Books* tonight."

Another one cramming at the last minute!

Xianjin laughed.

Chen Jianfang asked, "Is Miss He also going to the Book Collection Pavilion?"

Xianjin nodded with a smile, "There are some awkward phrases in the contract documents that I want to refine further."

Chen Jianfang maintained a warm smile as he walked forward, "Contract documents?"

Xianjin recounted the remarkable series of events involving Boss Shang, and after Chen Jianfang was momentarily stunned, she expressed a deeply felt sentiment, "If one follows the ways of those from half a century ago, their achievements will surely be doubled, only now is this possible... By finding the right methods, one can lead the way and reap great profits..."

Xianjin laughed, "In business, it's all about using your brain—I don't believe there's much difference between Chen's paper and Song Kee's paper. In the end, what matters is who has the most flexible mind, the most accurate information, and the courage to take risks. Those are the ones who make money."

Thinking about how ancient scholars looked down upon commerce, it was partly because the prosperity of trade inevitably reduced agricultural labor, which could impact the nation's foundation of agriculture, forestry, and food supplies.

Furthermore, looking at the stories passed down through generations, people generally admired the arduous efforts of studying for over a decade to achieve success, rather than easily earning wealth through unconventional means. Ultimately, ancient times placed greater value on acquired virtues like "hard work" and "diligence" rather than innate qualities such as "intelligence" and "speculation"...

When it came to innate intelligence, it often ended in a disappointing outcome, like the story of Zhong Yong.

For a moment, they were silent. Chen Jianfang raised the lantern higher, illuminating their path. Soon, they arrived at the Book Collection Pavilion, where three oil lamps with glass lampshades were lit inside.

The dim yellow light was not very bright. Xianjin, suffering from night blindness, leaned against the wooden bookshelf, squinting carefully to read the titles on the books.

The young girl's nose was almost touching the book covers.

Chen Jianfang lifted the lantern as high as possible.

Xianjin could now vaguely see a few words and pulled two books from the shelf, turning to see that Chen Jianfang's hands were empty.

Chen Jianfang explained softly, "I forgot; our family's Book Collection Pavilion doesn’t have the *Commentary on the Four Books*."

Xianjin glanced at the small number of books that could fit on just one shelf…

How many books were there?

How could one forget?

How did she become a candidate for the provincial examination?

Heh, still a hope star!

Recalling her earlier thoughts about the ancient views on diligence and talent, Xianjin secretly concluded:

It seems that the hope star must work extremely hard behind the scenes to appear effortless!

Chen Jianfang couldn't hear Xianjin's inner thoughts and dutifully held up the lantern, following Xianjin out of the Book Collection Pavilion. After taking a few steps outside, Chen Jianfang suddenly raised their head and pointed to a cluster of dark green cherry leaves nearby, "Look, there are still one or two cherry blossoms blooming at the top of the tree."

Xianjin squinted but couldn't see anything. Chen Jianfang lifted the lantern above their head, and Xianjin's vision suddenly brightened. Following Chen Jianfang's gaze, she saw two small, delicate pink-white flowers hidden among the lush tree leaves, and declared confidently, "These two flowers were waiting for my return."

Chen Jianfang laughed more heartily than before, "When the cherries ripen in June, if you're still around, I'll ask Mama Zhang to set aside a small box of them chilled by the well for you."

Xianjin thought for a moment and laughed, "I won’t be leaving until the end of the year! Greed leads to indigestion; we can't even finish the business in our own county, let alone go further!"

Leaving at the end of the year was to collect materials, a common practice, and making two trips a year was already quite satisfactory!

Xianjin was immensely grateful for the enlightened attitude of Old Madam Qu of the Chen family, Chen Fu vouching for her, the shop assistants' ability to hold things together, and Boss Shang's willingness to endure twenty rounds of drinking in ten days... Without any one of these, she wouldn't be able to leave the shop even for a step.

This trip was primarily to enter the market for red-ink copies, but Xianjin also deepened her understanding and acceptance of this era through her travels—such as realizing that scholars could write heart-wrenching novels, that there were people who encouraged and those who dodged during business drinking sessions, and that there were jesters and straight men, and that the ferry boats in Jing County were green Songjiang boats while those in Taiping Prefecture across the river were open-mouthed elm wood boats...

Xianjin took the initiative to slowly unfold the authentic scroll named "Great Wei" before her eyes.

The sense of reality that initially felt about seven or eight parts became nine or ten parts.

Xianjin pursed her lips, unaware that Chen Jianfang silently sighed in relief upon hearing her answer.

For three consecutive days, he had gone to the shop to give lectures but hadn't seen Xianjin.

He indirectly asked Mama Zhang, who simply said that Xianjin had left on business. When he asked Manager Dong, the manager's sharp gaze directly met his with a smiling response, "It's common for the shopkeeper to leave on business. Is there something urgent you need from Miss Jin?"

He was the eldest son of the main branch, while she belonged to the third branch. He was studying, while she managed the shop. His future lay in passing the imperial examinations and entering government service, while hers was uncertain...

Their only intersection was living under the same roof.

Beyond that, there were no other points of connection.

He didn't have the right to question Xianjin's whereabouts.

Chen Jianfang felt as though even the three hairs on Manager Dong's head were suspicious of him, so she casually evaded the topic and dared not bring it up again in front of Manager Dong.

In the end, it was Third Uncle Chen Fu who spilled the beans.

One morning during breakfast, Third Uncle Chen Fu drank bird's nest soup listlessly and worriedly remarked, "I wonder if Little Jin is eating well? Many towns don't have inns. I wonder if they’re smart enough to rent a small farmstead for a short time to rest properly..."

He now knew that Xianjin had followed Mr. Shang, the boss of the printing shop at the eastern entrance of Shuixi Street, to sell calligraphy practice books in the towns around Jing County.

He finally heaved a sigh of relief.

He had originally thought that his grandmother had recalled Xianjin back to Xuanzhou...

Taking advantage of the darkness, Chen Jianfang's gaze circled Xianjin's face. The girl still looked spirited, but there was something different about her... She seemed more broad-minded... relaxed... and brighter...

In the darkness, Chen Jianfang curled the corner of his lips and whispered, "Reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles. Next time Miss He goes on a long journey, she should bring more people along..."

Xianjin nodded vigorously. "I was just thinking that! Next time I go out, I'll bring Master Li and Mama Zhang with me! And Third Uncle too—he has a dog's nose and is best at finding delicious food!"

Chen Jianfang: "…"

He had actually lost to Third Uncle.

Because of a nose.

Chen Jianfang silently raised the lantern high, smiling all the way as he escorted the girl to her narrow porch without a word.

The next morning, Xianjin slept in, finally getting rid of the fatigue from several days of travel. Just as she sat up groggily, she heard Mama Zhang calling out from the outer room, "Who did this! Why leave the book at the porch! What if it rains at night!"

Xianjin rubbed her eyes.

Mama Zhang entered, chattering away.

Xianjin took the thick book from Mama Zhang. On the cover were the clear words "Laws of Great Wei."

There was something inside the book.

Xianjin opened it and found a delicate, pink-white, slim and clean cherry blossom pressed flower inside.

This page talked about regulations in the law regarding business ethics, such as "Those who do not agree on the terms of trade or vendors who create confusion and take advantage by bidding prices up and down shall be punished with forty lashes."

What better reference for writing contracts than the law?

Xianjin took out the dried flower and gently sniffed it at her nose. There was still a faint scent of charcoal.

Was it... newly made last night after being roasted at high temperatures with charcoal?

Xianjin looked at Mama Zhang with a somewhat flustered expression.

Mama Zhang frowned and asked, "What's wrong?"

Xianjin paused before blurting out, "What does it mean when someone gives a girl flowers in our Great Wei?"

It couldn't be what she was thinking, could it?