Chapter 52: Cabinet 3

Chapter 52: The Bookcase 3

"Brother Ning! Are you really not going to the poetry gathering?"

Gu Chaoning shook his head and said firmly, "Really, I'm not going. Brothers, go on ahead and enjoy yourselves—I'll watch the house."

The county town was indeed more bustling than the town.

This time of year, many scholars come to the county seat for examinations, and there were always restaurants and scholars looking to make a name for themselves, organizing poetry gatherings together. They would then find someone to publicize it, and when the scholars taking the exams heard about it, most would be curious and want to go.

Chen Hengdao had gone to buy groceries yesterday and overheard folks talking about the poetry gathering. He got curious, asked around, and found himself wanting to go.

When he returned and told everyone, everyone was excited—except Gu Chaoning.

So today, when it was almost time for the poetry gathering, the four of them asked Gu Chaoning once more before leaving.

Gu Chaoning wasn't interested. With all the fuss, it wouldn't be over in under two hours.

What a hassle.

Seeing that Gu Chaoning truly had no interest, the four of them reminded him a couple of times and left one by one.

Gu Chaoning closed the front door, propped a stone against it, fished out a book from his backpack, and lounged on the bed.

The second he lay down, he laughed.

If anyone at home saw him like this, he'd definitely get an earful.

No proper way of sitting, no proper way of lying down—how could he do desk work on the bed?

Ugh.

Gu Chaoning then broke into a grin.

Anyway, they can't see him now, so he might as well make himself comfortable.

Thinking of home, Gu Chaoning recalled what he'd said to his dad before leaving.

He wondered if his dad had any ideas about the bookcase yet.

If his dad still had no idea by the time he got back, he'd have to drop a few more hints.

Actually, these moisture-proof, bug-proof bookcases were already around in prosperous places like the capital and Jiangnan.

They just hadn't made it to their county or town yet.

So the key was to cash in before the bookcase made it to Dukou Town.

Gu Chaoning then started thinking about how he could gently hint to his dad if he still hadn't figured it out.

After all, his family had its ways—adults do adult things, kids do kid things.

On the other hand, he also wanted to nurture his dad's innovative ideas about woodworking.

Even with past-life memories to help, he was ultimately focused on his studies, so his knowledge was limited.

Better to cultivate his dad, who was already full of fresh ideas.

The county exam was still two days away, and after it was over, they'd have to stay two more days to wait for the results.

If he passed, he'd have to hurry home to get ready for the prefectural exam.

This time, heading to the prefectural city, they'd need to bring plenty of silver.

After the prefectural exam, they'd wait for results as usual—if he failed, he'd go home; if he passed, he'd keep preparing for the academy exam.

In short, there wouldn't be many peaceful days this month.

The family also had to find a tutor for An Geer.

One expense after another—a big chunk of silver.

Thinking about this, Gu Chaoning could only think to himself, hoping his dad would definitely make this moisture-proof, bug-proof bookcase.

Please, please...

"It's done!" Gu Wen shouted in excitement, nearly leaping into the air.

If Chen Youyan were here, he'd definitely grab him and spin him around a couple of times to let out his excitement.

But Chen Youyan wasn't here, so he could only spin in place, all worked up.

After spinning around two or three times, Gu Wen walked back to the bookcase in front of him.

Since it was a test version, the bookcase was on the smaller side.

It only came up to Gu Wen's thigh, and it was only as wide as his arm span.

The whole thing was a pale yellowish-white, with a ring of somewhat crude cloud patterns carved on top.

Tucked into the cloud pattern were ventilation holes you wouldn't notice at first glance.

Worried that bugs might still crawl in through the tiny holes, he'd stuck a mat woven from fine bamboo strips underneath the holes.

Before attaching it, he had boiled the insect-repellent herbs into a pot and soaked the bamboo mat in it overnight.

The four bottom corners also had air holes and treated bamboo mats.

This way, air flowed in from the bottom and out the top, creating circulation that naturally ventilated and dehumidified.

Of course, there were hidden tricks inside as well.

But Gu Wen couldn't wait any longer. He hastily brushed the wood shavings off his clothes and ran to the front courtyard.

At this time of day, only Chen Youyan was home.

Gu Daniu was still at work and hadn't returned, Wang Xiuxiu had taken her sewing basket to a close friend's house for needlework.

Gu Chaoning had gone to the county seat for the exam, Yin Hongxue was at his teacher's house for lessons, and Gu Muan had gone out to play with Wang Xiuxiu.

The weather was getting warmer, and thinking that the children would all be out and about soon, Chen Youyan intended to make each of the three kids a set of spring clothes.

Right now, she was in the room sketching patterns and cutting fabric.

"Yan Geer!"

Gu Wen barged in recklessly, and the "bang" of the door startled Chen Youyan so much she nearly threw the scissors.

Once he got over it, anger flared up inside him.

But seeing Gu Wen so worked up, he swallowed his anger.

Chen Youyan set down the scissors, shuffled over in his slippers, and asked, "What happened?"

Gu Wen excitedly grabbed Chen Youyan's hand and pulled him toward the backyard.

"Yan Geer, I made that cabinet!"

"You made it!?"

Chen Youyan was astonished.

It had only been a day and a night since the blueprint. How could it be done so fast?

Little did he know, Gu Wen had been so excited since the moment he drew the blueprint that he couldn't sleep day or night.

He couldn't rest until it was done, and he had no energy for anything else.

The couple arrived in the backyard, and Chen Youyan saw the rather small bookcase.

Gu Wen cleared his throat and earnestly introduced the bookcase to Chen Youyan.

The hidden yet elegant ventilation holes;

The bottom drawer that could be pulled out completely, for storing dehumidifying charcoal and insect-repelling herbs;

The interlocking tongue-and-groove joints between each removable drawer and the cabinet frame.

As he pulled out each drawer, Gu Wen happily pointed out the nested fittings on the inside of the cabinet door frame.

"Here, I put felt strips soaked in tung oil. When the door closes, the panel presses against the felt, sealing it tight."

He came up with this idea because he felt something was missing. While leaning against the cabinet to close the door, he accidentally caught his own clothes in it.

The door had closed tightly then, and that gave him the idea to put felt strips inside the door frame.

Gu Wen explained the whole cabinet to Chen Youyan in one breath, then looked at him with sparkling eyes.

Chen Youyan didn't have time to look at him. He bent over and circled the newly crafted, exquisite cabinet several times.

Finally, he grabbed Gu Wen's hand and said, "Wen Ge, you're incredible!"

Gu Wen was taken aback.

Chen Youyan looked up at him, eyes dark as ink, bright as stars.

Gu Wen's heart thumped like a drum.

...

After Gu Wen crafted such an exquisite cabinet, he gave Wang Xiuxiu and Gu Muan a detailed explanation when they returned.

Then, when Yin Hongxue returned, he gave him a detailed explanation.

Finally, when Gu Daniu returned, he gave him a detailed explanation.

Everyone in the Gu family who saw the cabinet couldn't help but circle it joyfully a few times, then look at Gu Wen's hands.

Yep, skilled hands, alright.

But besides that, there was more good news.

Gu Daniu was so delighted he nearly threw his head back and laughed: "I found a doctor willing to take on an apprentice!"

This news was different from the cabinet news, but the Gu family was just as surprised and overjoyed.

Gu Muan hopped in place, his cheeks jiggling: "Really, Grandpa!?"

"Of course it's true!"

Actually, this was all thanks to Yin Hongxue's master, Cen Yuanju.

Originally, Gu Daniu and Gu Wen had planned for Gu Muan to apprentice at the Peace Medical Hall under Doctor Liu.

But after discreetly asking around, they learned that Doctor Liu already had two apprentices and didn't have the energy to take on more.

Besides Doctor Liu, the Peace Medical Hall had two other doctors.

However, both were in their prime and had no intention of taking apprentices.

Gu Daniu was at a loss and was thinking about asking the Know-It-All or the errand runner for more info when he ran into Cen Yuanju.

With his tip and introduction, Gu Daniu learned that a doctor named Ding Jiashi at the Hall of Benevolence was willing to take on an apprentice.

Gu Daniu went to ask and got confirmation.

"Huichun Hall?"

Chen Youyan muttered under his breath.

None of them had ever been there, only hearing about an incident where they suppressed prices for herb gatherers.

But there had also been cases where a doctor cured a tough patient and was thanked for it.

Chen Youyan felt a little uneasy.

Gu Wen had a different question: "How old is Doctor Ding? Why is he willing to take on an apprentice?"

Gu Daniu coughed lightly: "He's not old—should be about thirty-seven or thirty-eight this year."

"I heard his mother is sick and he's in urgent need of money, so he wants to take on an apprentice. The tuition for one apprentice is eight taels."

Eight taels!? Everyone present felt their heart skip a beat.

Though they were surprised by the steep tuition, hearing the reason put Gu Wen and Chen Youyan somewhat at ease.

After all, teaching an apprentice could starve the master. A young master without special circumstances usually wouldn't want to take on apprentices.

Now that there was a reason, they didn't have to worry about it being a trap.

Over the next two days, Chen Youyan and Gu Wen made a special trip to Huichun Hall to discreetly ask around. Only after getting confirmation did they leave happily.

After leaving Huichun Hall, they didn't go straight home. Instead, they went shopping for the items needed for the apprenticeship ceremony before heading back.

That night, the Gu family got everything together, and Chen Youyan and Gu Wen reluctantly took eight taels of silver out of their savings.

Early the next morning, the family drove the mule cart into town for the apprenticeship ceremony.

Eight taels really was a lot. Gu Daniu and Wang Xiuxiu had originally wanted to cover half the cost for Gu Wen and Chen Youyan, but the two refused.

Father and mother were getting older by the year, and they already put little into the family pot—how could they have the nerve to ask money back from it?

When the villagers of Xiaohe Village saw the specially wrapped gifts on the Gu family's mule cart, the whole family turning out, all spruced up, they knew—Gu Muan was going to officially become an apprentice to a master.

People exchanged a few words with the Gu family, watching the mule cart recede into the distance, each lost in their own thoughts.

Xu Xiaoqing clicked his tongue twice and said to Wang Guihua beside him, "Ah, I don't know how they do it—same daily life, but how come the Gu family's life turns out so good and prosperous?"

He said with a sigh of admiration.

"All three kids in the family have taken on masters. I reckon from now on, they'll shake off the mud-legged peasant identity and become proper town folk."