The Eldest Daughter Is Beautiful and Saucy
Chapter 687: Exceeding the norm
Chapter 687: Beyond the Rules
“Has Shuoyang been safe during my absence?” Bai Qingyan asked.
Bai Qingping nodded: “Shuoyang is fine, is Sister injured?”
“It’s not a big deal!” Bai Qingyan said, “How is the military camp?”
“Recently, many people have joined the military camp because they heard that they can learn to read in the military camp. Many people have sent their children here, including those from neighboring counties! After all, ordinary people… can’t afford tuition, and there are few academies. It is extremely valuable for a village to have a literate person. Now that the military camp allows soldiers to learn to read, many people will come.”
The status of scholars is different. Who doesn’t want to have a literate person in their family? Even if the person can’t pass the examination to become a scholar, he can still make a living by knowing a few words and writing letters.
“In my opinion, Shen Yancong is an expert at managing the army. Most of the time, he can manage everything in an orderly manner without me having to worry about it.”
“The governor and Magistrate Zhou are waiting for my sister at the tea stall at the city gate. If my sister is not feeling well, I will go up to tell the two adults first, and the carriage will not stop and go directly back to the Bai Mansion.”
“No hurry, say hello before you go!” Bai Qingyan asked Bai Qingping, “Mr. Cai Ziyuan from Dadu, how is his teaching the people to learn Chinese characters in the army?”
“I was just about to tell my elder sister about this.” Bai Qingping did not hide his fondness for Mr. Cai. “This Mr. Cai is very knowledgeable and generous. Father has talked with Mr. Cai several times and found that he is very knowledgeable and insightful. He intends to have Mr. Cai teach in our Bai family school, but father does not know Mr. Cai’s background, and I dare not say much. Father plans to discuss this with elder sister after she comes back. What do you think?”
“Is Mr. Cai honest in the army? Has he sent any letters to anyone, or shown any signs of wanting to leave?” Bai Qingyan asked.
Bai Qingping shook his head: “Not really. Mr. Cai seems to like teaching. He is always patient with soldiers who are willing to learn. The soldiers also like Mr. Cai very much.”
“In two days, bring this Mr. Cai to Bai’s house so I can meet him.”
“Yes!” Bai Qingping responded.
After talking about Cai Ziyuan, Bai Qingyan asked Bai Qingping again: “I asked you to secretly find out the origins of the governor’s family from Shen Yan. Did you find out everything?”
“Qingping was just about to apologize to my elder sister for this matter!” Bai Qingping frowned, “I was trying to find out from Shen Yancong, but somehow I was exposed. The prefect Shen came to me personally and told me… The Shen family’s origins are clean, but Shen Yancong doesn’t know anything about him. If the Bai family is interested, the prefect will come to my house after my elder sister returns to Shuoyang and explain the whole story of the Shen family to my elder sister!”
Bai Qingyan could see that this Prefect Shen was no simple person.
There was a saying in Shuoyang before: the county magistrate changes with time, but the governor remains forever…
That is to say, although the magistrates in Shuoyang County changed like flowing water, the position of the prefect has always been held by Lord Shen and has never been replaced.
No one knows whether he offended some high-ranking official in the court and was not allowed to be promoted, or whether his performance was really mediocre during his tenure and he had no achievements to be promoted.
“You don’t have to blame yourself for this. Governor Shen is a man of great talent, and you are still young… naturally you are no match for him. Wait for Governor Shen to come to Bai Mansion himself and tell me! It will save us the effort.” Bai Qingyan comforted Bai Qingping.
After all, Bai Qingping is still young, and she can help Bai Jinzhi to take charge of Shuoyang. She knows the deployment of personnel well. It is rare that she has managed to guard Shuoyang so well during her absence.
Bai Qingping nodded, and then said to Bai Qing, “Yesterday, the great scholar of Wei State, Mr. Min Qianqiu, came to Shuoyang City and asked to see Madam. His purpose… was to write a biography for the Bai family. He heard that my sister would return to Shuoyang today, so he stayed in the inn in Shuoyang City. He wanted to see my sister. Do you want to see me?”
“Mr. Min!” Bai Qingyan’s palms tightened. Mr. Min Qianqiu wanted to write a biography for the Bai family!
In this world… those who can be called great scholars include Bai Qingyan’s mentor Mr. Guan Yongchong, Mr. Cui Yanshi, and Mr. Min Qianqiu.
Mr. Min loved history all his life. He traveled to many countries and wrote countless books. The most famous of them is “Records of the Warring States” and the now widely circulated “Gongsun Shi”.
Many noble families and even the royal family wanted to ask Mr. Min to write books and biographies for them, but Mr. Min had his own pride as a scholar, he was noble and stubborn, he wrote books and biographies according to his heart, he never succumbed to power, nor was he tempted by money.
Bai Qingyan sat upright and said solemnly to Bai Qingping, “Call Xiao Si over!”
Bai Qingping responded and rode forward quickly, calling over Bai Jinzhi, who was leading the way in front.
Bai Jinzhi rode over quickly, turned his horse’s head and approached the carriage, walked close to the carriage, bent down and called out to the inside of the carriage: “Eldest sister, I’m here…”
Bai Qingyan raised his hand to open the carriage curtain and lowered his voice to say, “Mr. Min, a great scholar of Wei State, is now staying at the inn in Shuoyang City. You and Bai Qingping will go there in person and tell Mr. Min that I have returned to Shuoyang, but I am seriously injured and cannot go to see him in person. If he does not mind… I hope you can stay at the Bai Mansion. Bai Qingyan is looking forward to it.”
“Don’t worry, elder sister. I will go into the city soon!” Bai Jinzhi responded.
“Go back and change your clothes before going, so as not to make Mr. Min think you are impolite.” Bai Qingyan reminded.
Seeing Bai Jinzhi nod, Bai Qingping, who was following Bai Jinzhi, spoke up: “This old Mr. Min is very famous and has a cold personality. After he settled in Shuoyang, the governor and County Magistrate Zhou went to visit him with valuable gifts, but the students around Mr. Min turned the two adults away and refused to accept any gifts.”
“Mr. Min is a man of integrity and upright character. He is not an ordinary person.” Bai Qingyan clenched his fists and reminded the two of them, “When you go to invite Mr. Min to stay at the Bai Mansion, remember to be fully polite.”
“Don’t worry, elder sister!” Bai Jinzhi cupped his hands. “Mr. Min is a literary giant who is as famous as Mr. Guan Yongchong and Mr. Cui Yanshi. Xiao Si will definitely be respectful and will never dare to act rashly in front of the old man.”
Bai Qingyan nodded and looked at the prefect and Magistrate Zhou who had already come out of the tea shed.
Bai Jinzhi understood and rode forward quickly, asking the convoy to stop for a while at the city gate.
Governor Shen and Magistrate Zhou stepped forward to greet Bai Qingyan, saying, “Greetings, Princess Zhenguo.”
Chuntao lowered her eyebrows and lifted the curtain for Bai Qingyan.
In front of outsiders, Bai Qingyan pressed his chest and coughed gently a few times, looking weak.
The dazzling sunlight at noon illuminated Bai Qingyan’s pale face, while his delicate facial features became increasingly distinct. Although the person in front of him was a beauty with a skin as white as ice and bones as jade, her deep and quiet eyes made people feel awe and they did not dare to overstep the line.
First update, last day! If you can maintain the third place, there will be more updates!