Chapter 246: Reception

Chapter 246: Reception

Is there anything more refreshing than eating a bowl of cold treat in summer? Meng Wan finished one bowl but wasn't satisfied, so he returned the bowl and had another bowl with Song Tingzhou.

The two of them felt cool and refreshed all over, so they walked around the streets for a while longer. Song Tingzhou sighed, "Actually, when I first arrived in Heshan to take up my post, seeing the dilapidated city gate and the drowsy old soldier, I was quite uneasy."

Song Tingzhou gave outsiders the impression of being cold, steady, and reliable, but when he faced difficulties upon first arriving in Lingnan, he was just a young man who had just stepped into officialdom.

Facing powerful officials, he endured and then struck them down with one fatal blow. While resolving Heshan's predicament, he also had to consider what stance to take before the imperial court.

At that time, he pushed himself forward step by step; who would have thought he would actually reach the point he is at today?

"I know that when you can't settle down, you write things. At home, I've collected all the papers you've written and bound them into books," Meng Wan said. How could he not understand Song Tingzhou? At least Meng Wan had Song Tingzhou backing him up, but Song Tingzhou had to bear the weight of the whole family alone.

"Fortunately, my husband is capable. In the future, there will be countless county magistrates in Heshan, but it was Wan'er who built the first sugar workshop and Songyun College," Song Tingzhou said, his eyes full of tender affection for Meng Wan. Amidst the ups and downs of his official career, his husband had helped him, lifting him to great heights. He understood him better than a confidant, he offered him more than any friend would; how could he not love him?

"Speaking of the academy, have you seen the literacy primer I wrote? Are there any common characters that need to be added?" Meng Wan recalled the important matter at hand. The Songyun College in Heshan was completed. For the Wisdom Class teachers, he had found one young woman and one young man from He Niang's group in the lotus root workshop who were the most literate to serve as tutors, which would suffice for now.

The entire county school needed far more books than Meng Wan's Songyun College. Song Tingzhou had recently been searching through the articles and books he had read for the imperial examinations, and had already reviewed the booklets Meng Wan prepared. "It has already summarized most of the commonly used characters in the Yu Kingdom. If they learn them all, it will be sufficient. But I suggest you also compile the specialized characters related to your five categories of the Wisdom Class, so that the women and young men who have advanced to the Wisdom Class can study those characters as well."

Meng Wan understood immediately. "You're right, especially the arithmetic in Wisdom Level One and the pharmacology in Wisdom Level Five. For medical studies, there are some obscure herbal names that even I don't know. For arithmetic, I was planning to write a few more books anyway. They will likely be assigned as supervisors at the sugar workshop, lotus root workshop, or Zhen Guan Workshop, so they should learn some business-related characters."

"Write a few more books on arithmetic? Like the Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art?" Song Tingzhou asked, puzzled.

Meng Wan felt a bit embarrassed. "Ahem, no. It's something I learned before, and I want to teach it to others." He had studied accounting for four years in university, and it had come in handy over the years. By simplifying and organizing the useful parts into a book, he would be benefiting the nation and its people.

"Stone flower jelly is a great summer refreshment. Why not ask that couple if they have any relatives or friends who know how to make it, and open a branch in the prefectural city?" Not wanting to pry further into Meng Wan's past, Song Tingzhou changed the subject.

Meng Wan teased him, "My husband is not only brilliant at studying, but he also understands business. Impressive, impressive."

Song Tingzhou chuckled softly. "Not even half as good as my husband."

Exchanging playful banter, the two strolled through the familiar yet unfamiliar streets of Heshan for half a day. After staying a few days to handle matters at the county, they returned together to the prefectural city.

Unexpectedly, when they entered the city, they saw a long, unending line of carriages entering West Wu Prefecture one by one.

Xue Sheng stopped the carriage behind them. "Lord, Master, it seems some big merchant caravan has come to West Wu Prefecture."

Blocked behind the line and unable to enter the city for the moment, Song Tingzhou carried Meng Wan down from the carriage. The two looked at the long line ahead, growing more suspicious.

"Husband, don't those two young lads look familiar?" Meng Wan muttered.

Song Tingzhou also looked uncertain. "The matron sitting on the rear axle of the carriage—could it be Granny Gui of Teacher Nie's household?"

Just as the couple were speaking, Granny Gui had already spotted them.

"Lord Song! Master Meng, what are you doing outside the city!" Granny Gui was overjoyed. She hurriedly got off the carriage and came over to call them. Not only her, but also Mother Geng, who had heard the commotion.

"Wan'er! Son-in-law!"

Mother Geng was Xiang Yun's personal attendant. Meng Wan immediately trotted over. "Mother Geng? Why are you here? Are my master and Master Nie in the carriage?"

By then, the people at the front of the caravan had also stopped. To avoid blocking others from entering the city, the escort led the carriages to the side.

Meng Wan helped Xiang Yun down from the carriage, half-complaining, half-pleased. "Master, why didn't you and Master Nie send me a letter? We almost missed receiving you."

Fortunately, Yangzhou was not as far as Changping, and Xiang Yun had traveled the whole way by water. Nevertheless, the elderly couple were thoroughly exhausted. For the first time, they didn't put on airs in front of their junior, and said shakily, "I'm not riding in that awful carriage anymore. Wan'er, you have to walk with me and Master Nie into the city."

"Alright, alright, no more riding. We'll walk in." Fortunately, it was a cloudy day, so although the air was humid, it wasn't too sunny.

Meng Wan supported his master on his left and her husband on his right, standing under a tree with them for a while, waiting for Song Tingzhou to finish speaking with Teacher Nie and the others.

Song Tingzhou never expected Teacher Nie to come all this way. After talking for a while, all the scholars on the carriages got down and came to pay their respects to Song Tingzhou.

A large group of them included the Song family from Sanquan Village, people Teacher Nie had gathered from Changping Prefecture, and disciples that Lin Yi had called upon through his connections.

Among them were four provincial graduates, twelve county candidates, and the remaining forty were prefectural candidates. They were old and young, some had traveled with their families, and the farthest had taken half a year to travel to West Wu Prefecture.

Song Tingzhou looked at the shadows before him, feeling a surge of heat rise from the bottom of his heart to the crown of his head. Admiration and respect surged through his veins, his throat tightened, and his voice became hoarse.

"Everyone knows the hardships of this journey. This journey is over a thousand miles! Yet you are still willing to bring your families and come, lending strength to West Wu Prefecture. Your noble act, gentlemen, I, as your magistrate of West Wu Prefecture, will keep forever in my heart. Please allow me, as your student, to bow to you!"

Disregarding everyone's attempts to stop him, Song Tingzhou knelt down and sincerely kowtowed to the scholars before him, calming the emotions that were about to boil over.

He, as the local magistrate and a fourth-rank official appointed by the imperial court, actually went to such lengths. Everyone present was stunned. But soon, a feeling stronger than shock swept over them.

Yes, this was the breadth of mind and spirit an official should have. Wasn't the purpose of all their years of study to dedicate their life's learning to the people of the world?

All fifty-six scholars, regardless of rank, knelt down in unison with the same neat motion and performed a grand salute to Song Tingzhou.

"May we, with our meager strength, help the thousands of students of West Wu Prefecture soar to great heights, living up to your grand ambition, Lord Song!"

Since Lord Song could kneel before them—ordinary scholars without rank—for the sake of the people of West Wu Prefecture, why should they continue to hesitate and fear the hardships of coming to Lingnan?

Lord Song has suffered a hundred times more than they have!

With burning passion, they no longer felt repulsed by Lingnan. Even if conditions were harsh, they could sleep with the sages' books beneath their pillows!

Meng Wan welcomed his master and Song Tingzhou's teacher into their home, and then the couple immediately began settling the remaining people.

Song Tingzhou first planned how to assign these scholars. Since the prefectural school was almost empty, he boldly chose to assign the four provincial graduates to the four counties, and then transfer them back to the prefectural school after three years.

The remaining county and prefectural candidates were all scattered. After drawing lots, they were evenly distributed among the four county schools.

The county schools were only halfway renovated. Meng Wan and Song Tingzhou had just returned from Heshan County, but without even entering their home, they took the one provincial graduate, three county candidates, and ten prefectural candidates assigned to Heshan and went back there.

"The county school has dormitories prepared for teachers, but since you all trusted my husband and came with your families, living there wouldn't be suitable," Meng Wan said sincerely, his words full of gratitude. While Song Tingzhou took the scholars to the county school, Meng Wan arranged lodging for their families outside the school.

"Please take a look. This street was specially approved by the local government as a residential area for you teachers, with sixteen small courtyard houses already completed." Meng Wan led them to the nearest street outside the county school. The street—and the one behind it—lined with sixteen identical square courtyard houses of the same size, but unfortunately, six at the back were still unfinished.

To be honest, Meng Wan hadn't expected so many scholars to come at once; his preparations were indeed insufficient. He had planned to build eight courtyards, but then thought that since the land was already allocated, leaving it empty would be a waste. Even if not used as dormitories for future teachers, they could be rented cheaply to students at the county school. As it turned out, it was fortuitous.

Meng Wan pushed open the gate of the first courtyard. The courtyard was three zhang deep and four zhang wide, roughly 120 square meters by modern standards.

There was a small room just inside the gate, and facing the gate was the main building with three rooms. On the east side of the yard were two side rooms. The west side had a thatched shed for livestock or firewood.

"One of the side rooms has been converted into a kitchen, with a stove already installed. You just need to buy some bowls and chopsticks, ladies. The backyard is small and has only an outhouse. The layout and size of all these courtyards are identical. You can make additions or changes later. For now, please feel free to look around."

After Meng Wan finished speaking, two women went into the kitchen together. They saw that, as Meng Wan had said, the stove was already built, and even the iron wok had been fitted.

Entering the main building, the furniture was sparse but sufficient. The two rooms each had a bed and a wardrobe, while the central hall had a square table and four chairs.

These women had come because they couldn't persuade their husbands not to face hardship here; some didn't even bring their children, leaving them behind with their mothers-in-law. Now, aside from everything else, the accommodation was truly impeccable.

"Did Master Meng prepare all this?"

Meng Wan smiled. "I had my stewards arrange for the construction. I hope you don't find it beneath you, ladies."

"No, no, not at all. Oh my, it's even cleaner and more orderly than my own home." The prefectural candidates were of lower status, and not all county candidates were wealthy. This small courtyard had far exceeded their expectations. They had thought that after arriving in Lingnan, they would first have to stay in an inn and then slowly search for a place to live!

Someone asked cautiously, "May I ask, Meng Fulang, how is the rent for these residences calculated?"

Meng Wan led them out of the small courtyard to find the foreman overseeing the construction. "Rest assured, ladies and lords, the annual rent for the courtyard is five taels of silver, which can be deducted from the teachers' annual salary. If the teachers can remain here and serve for ten full years, then after ten years, the courtyard will be transferred to your names."

"You mean we don’t have to pay now, and if we stay ten years, we get it for free?" someone exclaimed.

Meng Wan hadn’t heard a northern accent in a long time, and felt a sense of warmth. He patiently explained, "Not exactly for free—over ten years, it adds up to fifty taels of silver, which already covers the cost of building the courtyard."

The other wives laughed. "Meng Fulang is a straightforward person."

Meng Wan asked the foreman a few questions, and upon learning that the remaining courtyards would be completed in half a month, he said to the group, "I truly apologize—six more courtyards will need another half month before you can move in. For today, we can only draw lots for the ten finished courtyards. As for the remaining four families, I’ll accompany you to a nearby inn for the time being."

The wife of the provincial graduate stepped forward to speak for everyone. "Meng Fulang, you need not be so polite. We sisters and brothers have already become acquainted on the road. Since the courtyards all have side rooms, those who don’t win in the draw can borrow a place for a few nights without any problem. There’s no need to trouble yourself further."

The others echoed her sentiment.

Meng Wan exchanged a few more pleasantries and agreed. He called for Huang Ye to write down the courtyard numbers in front of everyone, along with six blank slips. The slips were rolled into balls and tossed into a cloth bag, and everyone took turns drawing.

Afterward, the wife of one xiucai and the spouses of five student candidates drew blank slips. The student candidates' spouses took it in stride, but the xiucai's wife’s expression darkened, no longer as pleasant as before.

Meng Wan, being the shrewd person he was, noticed at once. "Once the remaining six courtyards are built, I will have the carpenters add a few extra pieces of furniture as a token of congratulations on your new homes."

The provincial graduate’s wife secretly shot the xiucai’s wife a sharp glance before turning to Meng Wan with a bright smile. "Meng Fulang, why be so polite? You have already troubled yourself with so much for us—there’s no need for this."

"Yes, Meng Fulang, we are already deeply indebted to your kindness. Please don’t go to any further trouble." Having been glared at, the xiucai's wife also realized her mistake. The person before her was the Prefect's Lord, a genuine fourth-rank official. Their husbands had not even obtained an official position. How could she let his courtesy make her forget her place?

After settling the family matters, Meng Wan let them return to their homes and rest. He also heaved a sigh of relief.

Next, he would need to accompany Song Tingzhou on an inspection tour of the other counties, ensuring that the many teachers who had traveled from afar were properly settled.

Meng Wan then sent Huang Ye to buy two bowls of agar jelly. His mouth was dry from all the talking.

Huang Ye took their own bowls from the carriage and bought the jelly. By the time Song Tingzhou led the group of scholars out of the county school, Meng Wan was already on his second bowl.

"Here, eat quickly, or it won’t be cool anymore." Meng Wan handed a bowl to Song Tingzhou. Huang Ye and Xue Sheng also sat on the carriage shafts, eating.

Song Tingzhou finished quickly, put down the bowl, and said to Meng Wan, "Let’s stay one more night in Heshan. Tomorrow noon, we’ll host a banquet for these scholars, and then in the afternoon, we’ll depart for Heiye County."

Meng Wan fanned himself with a round fan. "Alright, then tonight we’ll go home and pack a few more changes of clothes."