Ch 132: The Farmer Ger in the Apocalypse

Thinking that Tieshan and Xiao Miao, the shopkeeper, might also need a place to stay in town in the future, Shen Qing instructed Li Shuming to prepare two additional rooms in the front courtyard. They didn’t need to be lavishly decorated—just clean and tidy, making them convenient for midday rest or temporary lodging whenever necessary.

After giving these instructions, Shen Qing quickly departed, leaving behind a courtyard full of people who were both nervous and apprehensive.

Mudan and Li Shuming, part of the first group of half-grown children Shen Qing had purchased, had been living an almost carefree existence since arriving at the estate. Their daily needs were well provided for, and since their master rarely stayed there, they had enjoyed an unusual level of freedom—so much so that they had nearly forgotten half the etiquette they had learned at the broker’s house. Now, with Shen Qing finally planning to stay over, they were naturally tense.

As for the Jie siblings and the newly purchased servants, having just arrived in an unfamiliar environment, their anxiety was even greater.

Mudan led them to select their rooms, beginning, of course, with the Jie siblings, who were clearly different from the others and likely held the status of concubines or favored attendants.

Not wanting to be separated in this unfamiliar place, the Jie siblings chose a connected suite with one bright outer room and a darker inner chamber. Jie Shiyun stayed in the inner chamber, while Jie Miyun took the outer room’s couch. The two former Jie family maids, though they had been assigned a separate side room, still squeezed into the suite with them for the time being.

These two maidservants had not originally served the Jie siblings. One, named Xianglan, had been a first-class maid serving Jie Miyun’s legitimate mother, while the other, Ruyi, had attended to his grandmother. However, after the family’s misfortune, they managed to reunite here. Even though they had not been particularly close before, their shared past now gave them a unique sense of kinship.

Their grandmother, already elderly, had not lasted long after being imprisoned. As for their legitimate mother and concubines, no one knew where they had been sold off to.

“When I was sent away, I only knew that the eldest young lady and the third young lady were taken to the brothel in the prefectural city. The madam and the concubines were too old for the brothel to take them, so they were taken away elsewhere, but I have no idea where…”

Jie Miyun listened to Xianglan’s tearful recounting. His eldest and third sisters had been the most beautiful among the siblings, and at this moment, he could only be grateful that his own looks were not as striking. Even now, he did not fully understand what crime his father had committed—whether it was deserved or if he had been falsely accused. These were matters between men in the outside world; he had never been involved, nor had he been aware of them. Yet when disaster struck, the women, gers, and children of the household were dragged down with it.

The room was empty, containing only basic furniture and nothing else. Not long after, Mudan arrived with a couple of bedding sets.

Mudan had been a simple village ger, unaccustomed to such grand affairs and with little exposure to the world. He had rarely interacted with Shen Qing himself. Now, faced with individuals like the Jie siblings, he was both curious and awkward. He stole a few glances at them, set down the bedding without a word, and quickly ran off with his head lowered.

Xianglan wiped away her tears and frowned slightly as she watched Mudan’s retreating figure. She muttered, “What kind of household is this? There’s no sense of decorum at all—not even a proper greeting.”

Jie Miyun remained silent for a moment before replying, “Given my current status, how should they address me? How should they serve me?”

He was neither a proper servant nor a concubine. That young master had not introduced him or his sister to the other servants, yet he had arranged for two maidservants to continue attending to them—it was an awkward situation. Under such circumstances, how could they nitpick the behavior of others?

Hearing his response, Xianglan also fell silent. This was no longer the Prefect’s household. Their young master and young lady were no longer noble children.

On the other hand, Ruyi was more pragmatic. She had discreetly inquired about Shen Qing when she was still at the broker’s house and had made sure to stand out when he was selecting people. “I heard that this young master is a merchant from another region who came here to visit and support his aunt, but upon seeing how poorly she was living, he decided to stay longer. That boy just now was also newly bought and doesn’t know the proper etiquette yet. Unlike our household, where new maids had to be trained by a senior maid for a month or two before being allowed to serve their masters. This residence was newly purchased for his aunt as well. From what I can tell, that young master’s family business must be enormous!”

They had all seen the gifts Shen Qing had entrusted to Gold-Tooth to deliver to the magistrate and the clerks—indeed, they were not trivial. They had seen glassware and jade before in the Prefect’s mansion, but the clarity of that glass cup he presented was incomparable. Even back then, only the elderly matriarch, the master, and the madam had their own sets—none of the young masters or young ladies had been permitted to use them!

That young master’s foundation was not even here in this town—he was only visiting relatives, yet he was willing to spend such a fortune. Who knew how vast his wealth truly was?

She glanced at the still-dazed Jie siblings and half-comforted, half-advised, “Our family is already gone; there’s no point dwelling on the past. The young master and young lady should seize this opportunity! If you can win over that young master, you could stay here in Anping County as a secondary spouse, just like a legitimate wife. You could even ask him to redeem the rest of your scattered family members and reunite with them.”

From Ruyi’s perspective, Shen Qing was not only immensely wealthy but also tall and handsome. Even before the Jie family’s downfall, marrying a rich merchant like him would not have been considered a poor match for a concubine-born child. The only unfortunate thing was that Jie Miyun could no longer be a legal wife—he would have to settle for a concubine’s status.

Earlier, when Shen Qing selected her and Xianglan, it was not just because they had once served the Jie family. He had carefully asked about their skills. Xianglan, having served the madam, was literate and experienced in managing a household. Ruyi, who had served the elderly matriarch, was also somewhat skilled in management and had excellent embroidery skills. That was why they had been chosen.

Ruyi speculated that this young master intended to establish his own business in Anping County, which was why he had picked skilled people. Merchants often bought properties wherever they traded, so having a literate concubine would be useful in managing affairs. Marrying into his household as a secondary wife and staying in Anping would be far more comfortable than following him back to his hometown as a mere concubine. While a secondary wife was technically still beneath the legal wife, in a place where the legal wife held no sway, there would be no real difference in authority.

This estate only had a few rough and inexperienced servants. If she and Xianglan could leverage their young master’s position, they could easily become trusted head maids.

This was the only path they could take now.

Xianglan listened to her words and also chimed in, “That young master is certainly handsome—it’s far better than… ending up in a brothel.”

Jie Miyun felt turmoil in his heart, lowering his head in silence. Jie Shiyun also had no idea what to do. However, when she thought of their mother and sisters, who had been sold off to unknown fates, Ruyi’s words began to make sense. She tugged at Jie Miyun’s sleeve and murmured, “Ge…”

As they were still struggling with this dilemma, Mudan returned, this time carrying a basin of hot water along with towels and soap for the Jie siblings to wash up.

Ruyi quickly got up to take it from him, noticing that the soap in the box was not the common brownish kind but a pure white block with a faint fragrance, as smooth as jade. This discovery further solidified her belief. She was eager to gather more information about the estate, so she greeted Mudan warmly, “May I ask how to address you? We are new here and will need your guidance in the future.”

Ruyi was attractive and spoke in a gentle, well-mannered tone—very different from anyone Mudan had encountered before. He nervously clutched his clothing and responded softly, “My name is Mudan.”

Everyone in the room: “…”

It was not unusual for maids to be named after flowers—Xianglan, after all, was named for fragrant orchids. However, “Mudan” was not a name commonly given to male servants; it was a name often associated with courtesans in pleasure houses.

Ruyi’s smile stiffened for a moment. Had she misjudged this young master? Could he actually be someone who indulged in such peculiar tastes? “Did the young master give you this name?”

Mudan shook his head. “I chose it myself. The young master is very kind—he lets us choose our own names. If we can’t think of one, he even helps us. If any of you want a different name, you can decide on one and tell the young master next time. He will surely agree!”

In Mudan’s heart, Shen Qing was a great benefactor. He provided them with food and care and, most importantly, had given them the right to name themselves—something he had never had before.

Ruyi was taken aback.

Jie siblings also looked up. Seeing Mudan’s bright expression when speaking about Shen Qing, Jie Miyun suddenly thought that perhaps he truly had been lucky this time. Even though he had fallen into such dire circumstances, maybe he didn’t have to live in disgrace after all.

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When Shen Qing returned to the village, the twenty-some workers at the workshop had kept up with their tasks, but they were all craning their necks, anxiously awaiting news. They were worried that the first batch of starch sausages might not have been made properly and that the esteemed benefactor would be dissatisfied.

But the news they received was that the benefactor was very pleased—the entire batch had been accepted, and the shop in the county would be opening soon. Everyone was overjoyed and became even more motivated to work.

Taking the opportunity, Shen Qing pulled Madam Guixiang and Aunt Yanzi aside and first spoke to Aunt Yanzi about his plan to have Tieshan work in the county.

Aunt Yanzi was a well-respected woman in the village and had a close relationship with Miao Shi. Though not as close as Second Aunt Lian, who had practically grown up with Miao Shi and was also a distant relative, she was still a good friend. In the past, she had even given young Shen Qing food when he was struggling.

Hearing that her own Tieshan had been chosen to work in the county, Aunt Yanzi was overjoyed. “As long as Qing Ge’er doesn’t mind that your Tieshan Ge isn’t the smartest, that’s good enough! If there’s any hard or tiring work, just give it to him—he doesn’t have much else, but he’s got plenty of strength!”

Tieshan lived up to his name—broad-shouldered and towering like a small mountain, with muscles on his arms that seemed as hard as iron. Shen Qing had chosen him precisely because he feared troublemakers might cause issues at the shop. With Tieshan around, any unruly scoundrels would think twice before making trouble.

Though he had already arranged matters with the authorities, there were always ignorant small-time thugs who might try their luck, and where would he go to argue his case then?

“As long as it doesn’t interfere with your family’s farmwork, that’s all that matters,” Shen Qing said with a smile. He was always willing to lend a hand to those who had helped him before. “The benefactor had some urgent matters and left for another region today. The county shop is now entirely under my charge. Tomorrow, Tieshan, you’ll come with me to the county town to get familiar with the place. Your wages will be the same as Shi ge’s—everyone gets paid equally.”

Aunt Yanzi was so overjoyed that she didn’t know what to say. “Our land isn’t that big; it won’t be a problem! If necessary, I’ll ask my brother to come and help. You just take Tieshan with you!”

Madam Guixiang was slightly surprised. “The benefactor left?”

“Yes, that’s right,” Shen Qing replied, feeling like most of his mental energy these days was spent coming up with excuses. Every day, he had to wrack his brain. Since Tieshan and Xiao Miao, the shopkeeper, would be stationed in the county town permanently, it would be strange if they never once saw the so-called benefactor. “Something came up at home, and they couldn’t make it for the shop’s opening. They also took their people with them, so everything is left for me to handle. That’s why I’m rushing to bring Tieshan over.”

This created the perfect illusion that the benefactor’s departure was sudden and unexpected, and that Tieshan had just happened to be in the right place at the right time.

Sure enough, Madam Guixiang and Aunt Yanzi’s attention shifted. Aunt Yanzi even patted her chest, feeling fortunate. “Thank the heavens! The benefactor left at just the right time!”

Shen Qing chuckled and then turned to Madam Guixiang. “I was thinking… there are still too few capable people in our village. If we had more who could read and do arithmetic, I wouldn’t have to hire shopkeepers and managers from outside. We could keep all the benefits within our own village. So, I want to discuss with Uncle Youdang about setting aside some land to build a school, just like in Shiqu Village. I’m not expecting to produce scholars, but at the very least, everyone should learn to read and do basic math. If nothing else, they could manage accounts or handle business affairs.”

Madam Guixiang immediately slapped her thigh in agreement. “Isn’t that the truth! Why is Shiqu Village so prosperous? Because they had a scholar early on, who helped the whole village get rich! Other villages have been envious for years, but the problem is, their kids either aren’t that bright, or they can’t afford to build a school like Shiqu did. Not everyone can just hire a teacher!”

After all, the Miao family’s scholar in Shiqu Village only charged a symbolic tuition fee to help his own people. But if kids from other villages wanted to attend, it was expensive!

Moreover, in these times, scholars were often arrogant. Many teachers refused to accept students unless they had the potential for the imperial exams. The Miao scholar’s willingness to teach practical skills like math and accounting was a rarity. Madam Guixiang’s late father-in-law had once considered starting a school in their village, but after being mocked by several scholars for tainting education with “vulgar money matters,” he had given up on the idea.

Shen Qing continued, “Finding a teacher is my responsibility. You just need to discuss with Uncle Youdang about allocating the land and constructing the building. I’ll handle everything else. But I have one condition—once the school is built, it won’t just be for the boys in the village. The girls and the gers must also be allowed to attend.”

Madam Yanzi was puzzled. “Why should gers and girls go to school? What’s the point?”

“I’m not opening this school for the sake of the imperial exams,” Shen Qing explained. “Of course, if a bright kid in the village wants to take the exams, I won’t stop them. But my main goal is for everyone to learn how to read and do basic math, just like in Shiqu Village. That way, they can find better-paying and easier jobs in town.”

“If it’s just for work, then think about it—most of the workers in our village’s workshop are women and gers. If they learn math and literacy, they can manage operations. At the very least, someone needs to record how many sausages we make each day, how much meat and sweet potatoes we use. Wouldn’t that be useful?”

Shen Qing knew well that the restrictions placed on gers and women in this world were still significant. Even he had to disguise himself as a man to move freely and do business without trouble. He planned to train upright and intelligent men to handle external affairs and negotiations, while gers and women could manage his workshops and shops. In his businesses, they would always be prioritized and well-compensated.

Seeing Aunt Yanzi nod in contemplation, Shen Qing turned back to Madam Guixiang and added, “I’m making this clear now—if any family only sends their sons to school while keeping their gers and daughters at home to work, then their sons won’t be allowed to attend either. And in the future, they won’t be able to work in my workshop.”

“Don’t worry! This is such a great opportunity, as soon as I bring it up, your uncle will definitely agree!” Madam Guixiang was grinning from ear to ear. With this school, her own son, Zhao Shi, could also get an education. Who knew—maybe he’d turn out to be a scholar!

However, that night, when she excitedly told Zhao Youdang about the school, his reaction caught her off guard. At first, he was thrilled, but then he gradually fell silent, puffing on his pipe with a serious expression.

“What’s wrong? You don’t have to spend a single coin. All you need to do is set aside some public land, and Qing Ge’er will handle everything else. This is like a blessing from the heavens! Why are you hesitating?” Madam Guixiang hadn’t expected this reaction.

Zhao Youdang took deep, slow puffs from his pipe, filling the room with smoke. After a long silence, he finally let out a heavy sigh.

“I think Qing Ge’er is planning to turn the world upside down.”

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