Chapter 78

Chapter 78

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, the villagers, young and old, spontaneously gathered to pay their respects at the manor household.

In previous years, the manor owners celebrated the New Year in town, too far for the villagers to visit conveniently. Instead, the village head, Chen Xi, would bring New Year's gifts to town to extend greetings on their behalf. This year, with the owners celebrating at the side courtyard, it was only natural for the villagers to come and pay their respects in person.

The gate of the side courtyard swung open. The yellow dog barked a couple of times, then, seeing its owners warmly welcome the guests, wagged its tail and retreated to its kennel for a much-needed nap. The incessant firecrackers the night before had kept it awake all night.

Wang Ying had prepared an abundance of melon seeds and candies. As each child arrived, he would scoop a handful into their pockets, much to the delight of the little ones.

Sugar was a luxury, and even during the New Year, families in the manor couldn't afford to buy much. They would typically purchase just a few pieces to sweeten their mouths, which the children would devour before they'd had their fill.

The villagers who came to pay their respects were earnest. They bowed directly, showering everyone with a torrent of auspicious greetings, filling the air with joy and laughter.

The stream of visitors continued until noon before finally subsiding. Li Shi, feeling quite weary, took Yuanbao to the backyard for a nap.

Meanwhile, Wang Ying stayed in the front room with the children, playing cards. Last year, the children had lost money and were too wary to gamble again. This year, Wang Ying introduced a game where they tore rough paper into small strips, and whoever lost had a strip stuck on their face.

After a couple of rounds, Wang Ying had the worst luck, his face practically covered in paper slips.

When Chen Qingyan entered, he burst out laughing. "What on earth are you all doing?"

"Perfect timing! Come help me play a few rounds. These three kids are ganging up on me!"

Qing Yun laughed so hard she nearly toppled over. "Brother, you can’t take them off! We agreed they stay on until the game is over."

Wang Ying blew at the strip on his forehead. "I won’t take them off. Just wait until your elder brother deals with you later."

However, Chen Qingyan’s card skills proved no better, and he soon found his face similarly adorned with paper strips. The couple exchanged glances and couldn't help but burst into laughter, tears streaming down their faces.

After a joyous Spring Festival, they returned to their busy and intense studies.

Once Yuanbao’s first birthday had passed, the weather gradually warmed, and Liang Boqing planned to take the three young men on an educational journey.

As the saying goes, "Traveling ten thousand miles is better than reading ten thousand books." Many things in books cannot be fully conveyed through words alone; one must experience them personally to grasp their deeper meaning.

Elder Liang’s planned itinerary was to first travel by carriage to Jizhou Prefecture to visit a few old friends, then head back to Laizhou.

He had lived in Laizhou for seven or eight years and still owned a property there. This trip would also allow him to check on the property and arrange for its upkeep, preventing it from falling into disrepair over time.

He had many friends in Laizhou, most of whom were familiar with the instructors at the prefectural school. The headmaster was even a disciple of one of his friends, a connection he could leverage to enroll the three students for a few months, allowing them to immerse themselves in the academic atmosphere of a prefectural school.

Around June or July, they would take a boat back to his hometown in Yangzhou, giving the students a chance to observe how scholars in the south studied. Finally, they would return before the end of the year to prepare for the upcoming county exam.

When Li Shi learned that her two sons would be away for a year, she was deeply worried and reluctant to see them go. However, she also understood that this was a rare opportunity. Without Elder Liang as their guide, the three young men would never have the chance to travel so far in their lifetime.

Two days before their departure, Wang Ying meticulously prepared a large pile of clothes for Chen Qingyan—thin ones, thick ones, all sorts—fearing he might suffer from heat or cold on the journey.

Although they could communicate daily through the experimental field, Wang Ying remained anxious.

Ancient times were vastly different from the modern era. Transportation and communication were rudimentary, bandits roamed the backroads, and even a common cold could prove fatal. He couldn’t help but feel a profound sense of unease.

Chen Qingyan noticed his concern and took his hand. "Don’t worry. We’ll be traveling on government roads, and we can meet in the experimental field every night. Nothing will happen."

"But the experimental field can’t be opened every day. What if you’re sleeping in a carriage or an inn and it’s inconvenient?"

"On those occasions, I’ll make time to leave you a note in the field to let you know I’m safe."

Wang Ying murmured in agreement, his nose stinging with emotion.

Chen Qingyan gently lifted his face. "Why are you crying, brother?"

"I’m not crying."

Seeing his expression, Chen Qingyan couldn’t resist pulling him into an embrace. "While I’m away this year, I’m entrusting the household to your care."

Wang Ying mumbled, "Just take care of yourself. Don’t get sick on the road."

"I know."

Both understood that this temporary separation was for the sake of a brighter future, so Wang Ying offered his full support.

Wiping his tears, Wang Ying began listing reminders. "When you reach the south, don’t forget to look for fruit trees for me—oranges, lychees, yangmei, loquats… I want them all. If you find any tasty local dishes, leave some in the experimental field too."

"Alright, I’ve noted them all down."

"If you can’t find the trees, it’s fine. Just save the seeds, and I can try cultivating them." The variety of fruits in the north was too limited, and with ancient transportation being so inefficient, southern fruits were hard to come by.

"Sure, I’ll also pick some beautiful flowers and plants for you and place them in the experimental field."

Wang Ying nodded. The two looked at each other, their hearts stirred, and they embraced once more, truly reluctant to part.

"By the time you return, Yuanbao will already be talking."

"Will he forget me? If only our son could enter the experimental field too."

Wang Ying didn’t dare to try it lightly. He still remembered the incident when he first brought a cricket into the field and it was flattened into two dimensions. Without the system’s guidance, he wouldn’t risk bringing Yuanbao in.

Early the next morning, Chen Qingyan went to the backyard to see his son.

Since he was leaving the next day, he took advantage of the free time to take Yuanbao out for a stroll.

Although it was still cold outside, the snow had begun to melt. Bundling the child up in extra layers would keep him warm.

Chen Qingyan hoisted his son onto his shoulders and first took him to see the little dog and cat.

"This is Wangwang, our family’s little dog."

"Xiao dou…" Yuanbao was starting to talk, but his speech was still unclear, his tongue still clumsy.

The yellow dog sat on the ground, tongue lolling, tilting its head as it watched the father and son.

"Wangwang, this is your young master. You must protect him well from now on."

As if understanding, the dog obediently lay down, emitting a content rumble from its throat.

"Up there is the cat, our family’s li cat."

Yuanbao stared wide-eyed, curiously examining the orange cat.

Usually, this cat was aloof and ignored everyone, but today, perhaps in a good mood, it leaped over and rubbed against Chen Qingyan’s legs, meowing softly.

"Meow meow, meow meow!" Yuanbao was thrilled, reaching out to touch the kitten.

Afraid the cat might scratch him, Chen Qingyan didn’t dare put the child down. Instead, he carried Yuanbao on his shoulders and headed out, following the path into the village.

Along the way, they encountered many people who came forward to greet them. "The manor head is out! Is this the young master? He’s so handsome!"

"Fair and plump—he looks fortune-blessed, like a little divinity from the temples."

Little Yuanbao wasn't shy at all, waving and greeting everyone with a cheerful smile—his cute little face was so adorable.

"This is a big tree, this is a sparrow, this is a mule..."

Chen Qingyan taught his son about all sorts of new things. Since they were about to leave, it felt as though he wanted to teach the boy everything at once.

However, the young child soon grew tired after a short while and began sucking on his fingers while pressed against his head.

When they arrived at Chen Xi’s house, they came upon the family helping Er Shun pack his belongings. The Chen family was also worried, as he'd be gone for a year.

Seeing Chen Qingyan approach, Chen Xi quickly came out to greet him. "Good to see you, Master, Young Master. It’s cold outside—please come inside."

It was Yuanbao’s first time visiting someone else’s home, and everything was new and interesting to him.

Chen Xi’s family didn't have any snacks for a child, so his wife hurriedly stoked the fire to boil two eggs. Once they were cooked and cooled in water, she peeled them and gave them to Yuanbao.

"Did you say thank you to Auntie?"

Yuanbao raised his chubby little hands and made a little gesture of thanks, making everyone laugh with delight.

"Oh, please, don't mention it. As long as the Young Master is happy."

"This trip will take a year, so I’m giving Er Shun’s wages in advance so he doesn't waste it on the road," Chen Qingyan said, taking ten taels of silver from inside his clothes and setting it down.

"We can't possibly accept this much, Master!"

"Take it. It's a long journey, and hiring someone else would cost money anyway. It’s better to have Er Shun by my side for convenience."

Ten taels of silver was no small sum—enough for them to buy a mule for farming. Chen Xi was even more sure of his master's kindness and that his son was in good hands.

Turning to his son, he advised, "Use your head and be diligent in your words and actions while you’re away. Don't go making trouble for the Master."

"Yes, I understand."

February 16th was an auspicious day for travel.

Early in the morning, the servants loaded the packed luggage and books onto a cart at the back, covering them with oilcloth to protect against rain.

After one last breakfast, Liang Boqing got them ready to set off.

Originally, Uncle Chen had planned to accompany them, but Chen Qingyan didn't want to leave the house empty, so only Er Shun went along. Together with the attendants previously sent by Fourth Uncle, the party of six departed.

They took two carts—one carriage for the passengers and a mule cart behind for the luggage, in case a cart got stuck, it would be easier to deal with.

Chen Qingyan hugged Yuanbao and kissed him several times. "Papa has to go now. Be good at home and listen to your father and grandmother."

Little Yuanbao, unaware that they would be separated for a long time, giggled from the kisses. "Daddy prickly, beard prickly."

Li Shi quietly wiped away a tear and handed him a hundred-tael silver banknote from her pocket. "Keep this safe for emergencies, in case you run into difficulties."

"Alright," Chen Qingyan replied without refusing. Although there was plenty of silver in the experimental field, it might not always be accessible while traveling.

Li Shi turned to Qing Huai and her younger son, Qing Song. "Both of you, listen to your elder brother while you’re away. Especially you, Qing Song—no more mischief, understand? The outside world isn’t like home. If you encounter someone with a bad temper, you could get hurt with no one to back you up."

Qing Song nodded in agreement.

Qing Yun gave each of the three a scented sachet. "These contain protective charms to keep you safe and ensure a smooth journey."

Finally, it was Wang Ying’s turn. He hadn’t prepared anything but reached out to adjust Chen Qingyan’s hair crown. "Don’t pick fights with anyone while you’re away, and take good care of yourself."

"Mm."

In the carriage, Liang Boqing had long grown impatient. He pulled back the carriage curtain and called out, "Are we leaving or not? Should we wait until after lunch?"

The three quickly boarded the carriage, and everyone saw them off outside the courtyard, their faces filled with reluctance.

When Yuanbao realized his father was gone, he stretched out his arms anxiously, crying, "Daddy, Daddy..."

Wang Ying held his son tightly and comforted him, "Daddy has gone out to work. He’ll be back soon."

"Waaah—" Little Yuanbao burst into tears, overwhelmed with distress.

Inside the carriage, Chen Qingyan’s eyes reddened at the sound. He lowered his head to hide his tears, already feeling the pain of separation before they had even gone far.

Parting is as difficult as meeting—it would be a year before they saw each other again.