Ch 139: The Farmer Ger in the Apocalypse

Magistrate Lin had heard of this Young Master Shen before.

Even though he didn’t pay much attention to street gossip—let alone which young, handsome man had become the new heartthrob among the town’s women and gers—he had certainly noticed when the registrar had secretly used the county seal last year to sell a small mountain in one of the villages. If he had been completely unaware, he would have been failing as a county magistrate.

Though East Mountain still legally belonged to Miao Shi, Magistrate Lin had at least heard a bit about Shen Qing, the man who had put up the money for it. However, since the price had been fair, the funds had been properly recorded in the county’s public accounts, and the registrar had only acted slightly ahead of schedule—who knew what urgent expenses they had at the time—Magistrate Lin had chosen to turn a blind eye and not pursue the matter.

Now that he was seeing him in person, this Young Master Shen was indeed quite tall and striking. And on top of that, he had played the role of a heroic rescuer. No wonder his own ger had taken an interest.

And to be honest, his ger’s taste was quite similar to his uncle’s—both seemed to favor handsome men. Could this be considered some sort of family tradition?

Even he himself had once fallen for a “flower of the village”—his fulang had been the most beautiful ger in their hometown, and he had been utterly smitten back then.

But Magistrate Lin had already learned his lesson! The last time his younger brother went through a he li, the whole situation had turned into a huge scandal and brought nothing but trouble. Now, his brother had completely changed—he barely left the house, spent all his time raising his child, and no longer spoke or smiled like he used to. Just seeing it made Magistrate Lin’s heart ache.

What kind of person was this young man that his own ger had set his heart on?

And more importantly, Lin Ning had become interested in him just because he had saved him—what if he was already married?

With this in mind, Magistrate Lin quietly summoned a trusted subordinate and instructed him to look into Shen Qing.

If… if this man was truly decent, he might just consider approaching him and creating an opportunity for his ger.

After all, his younger brother had suffered once, but they had learned from that experience. Their family had gained insight into judging people’s character. If his child had already taken a liking to someone, what could he do? He had always been the type to spoil his children!

—

On the other side, Shen Qing had no idea that someone was already setting their sights on him.

He had long since forgotten about that strange uncle from earlier. After finalizing the property contract at the yamen, he shared a meal with Gold-Tooth and the landlord before they all parted ways. With the freshly signed land and house deeds in hand, he made his way back to his home in the northern part of the city.

Yet, when he reached the entrance, he hesitated.

Last night’s incident had left a lingering shadow in his mind. After some thought, he decided it was best to have a proper conversation with the Jie siblings—he couldn’t risk another surprise “midnight service” like that again.

If they were willing to stay and work as teachers for him, that would be ideal. If not… well, given how the school’s construction was already tangled up with Zhao Youdang, who knew how long that would drag on? It was a pity, but he wouldn’t force them to stay if they had their sights set on wealth. He could either send them back to Gold-Tooth to find a new benefactor or release their indenture papers and let them go their own way.

Straightening his clothes, Shen Qing steeled himself, stepped inside, and had someone summon the Jie siblings to the main hall.

—

Jie Miyun was still deeply shaken from last night.

Unlike Lin Ning, he held no romantic affection for Shen Qing. His goal had always been to secure a favored concubine’s position, whisper sweet words at his side, and persuade him to redeem his family. Offering himself was merely a means to that end—his body was his only bargaining chip now.

He was, after all, from a scholarly family. His ancestors had been officials, and his father had been a juren when he was born. He had been raised like a noble ger, educated in all the virtues of refinement and propriety. It had taken him a long, bitter struggle to finally resolve himself to use such a disgraceful method—yet, in the end, he had failed!

He was tormented by both the shame of his actions and the unbearable longing for his scattered family, unsure when or if they would ever reunite.

Now, hearing that Shen Qing wanted to see him and his sister, his anxiety only grew.

Did Shen Qing dislike him so much that he planned to give him away? Or worse—would he trade him for another concubine?

Being a concubine was already miserable. But being one without even a proper title was no better than being treated as a plaything.

Fear of the unknown future made his hands tremble.

When Shen Qing saw Jie Miyun looking so distraught, he felt completely speechless. I should be the one traumatized here, shouldn’t I?

Imagine this—Shen Qing, fearless against wild boars, unshaken by hordes of zombies, yet scared so badly by a young ger that he fled to another world overnight. How ridiculous is that?

After considering for a moment, Shen Qing sat down at the head seat. Without wasting time, he got straight to the point.

“I have already married elsewhere and have no intention of taking concubines. Gold-Tooth didn’t inform me about this before sending you here.”

Jie Miyun’s heart sank further and further.

“I’m also not someone who lusts after beauty,” Shen Qing continued.

As he spoke, the image of Song Kaiji’s striking face flashed through his mind, making him feel slightly guilty. He hurriedly added, “I have no plans to take concubines. So you won’t be becoming my concubine, and I hope last night’s incident never happens again.”

Hearing this outright rejection made Jie Miyun’s face turn crimson with embarrassment, his shame unbearable.

Jie Shijun also anxiously lifted her head to look at Shen Qing. If they couldn’t be concubines, then what were they supposed to do? Become mere servants? Or would he send them away to someone else?

Ever since their home had been confiscated, the siblings had truly come to understand what it meant to be as rootless as floating duckweed.

“But there is another path for you here,” Shen Qing said.

“You should already know that my household runs several businesses. We are short on staff, especially managers and accountants. I also plan to open a school in one of the villages to train people in literacy and bookkeeping, and the children in my household will need to learn as well.

“You both come from a scholarly background and are well-educated. If you’re willing to stay as teachers, I will treat you fairly. I’ll speak to Gold-Tooth—if it’s possible, in a few years, I’ll arrange for your release from indenture. If not, then at least you’ll have a respectable position here as instructors, with the dignity and respect that comes with it.”

These two were the family members of a convicted official and had been sold off as punishment. Their situation was different from Mudan and the others. Shen Qing wasn’t sure if he could legally free them. If he couldn’t, he was still willing to keep them in his household for a lifetime, offering them the best possible treatment.

“But if you’re unwilling and have other plans…” Shen Qing continued, “I can’t help you here, but I can send you back to Gold-Tooth and ask him to find you a good household.”

Some people would rather be a rich man’s concubine than a poor man’s wife. To Shen Qing, there was no right or wrong in that—just different personal aspirations. In certain situations, becoming a concubine was one of the few ways for someone to rise above their social class and live a life of wealth. People often said being a concubine was bitter, but wasn’t it just as bitter, if not worse, to marry a man like Shen Zhigao, who couldn’t even provide enough food and beat his wife every few days?

Life was never without suffering—each path came with its hardships. It all depended on what one sought. If the Jie siblings still wished to become concubines, he wouldn’t look down on them. It simply meant they weren’t fated to stay with him, and he would entrust Gold-Tooth to find them a good and wealthy household.

The Jie siblings were stunned.

Becoming teachers? But they were only a ger and a woman. They had no scholarly titles—how could they teach?

Then, they remembered their childhood. Their father had once hired a female tutor to teach them at home. She hadn’t just taught reading and arithmetic but also the etiquette expected of women and gers, including cooking and embroidery.

If that female tutor could do it, why couldn’t they?

The only difference was a shift in teaching content.

And the best part—there was no need to sell themselves. No need to degrade their dignity. On top of that, this young master was even willing to inquire about securing their release in the future. Even if it was just empty promises, at this moment, the siblings were deeply moved.

“We’re willing! Thank you, Young Master, for your great kindness! Thank you for giving us a way to survive!”

They immediately knelt in gratitude, but Shen Qing quickly dodged and signaled for a maid to help them up. He then turned to the nearby servants and maids, pointing at the Jie siblings.

“From now on, these two will be your teachers. In this household, whether you are a maid, a ger, or a young boy working outside, you must learn to read. From today onward, you will study under them, and you must respect them as you would any teacher.”

Since the siblings had agreed, Shen Qing finally felt relieved. It was always best to retain educated individuals. Otherwise, if he had to hire a scholar or tongsheng to teach, not only would it be costly, but there was no guarantee they would be as open-minded as Scholar Miao from Shiqu Village, who was willing to teach women and gers.

The young maids and servants blinked in confusion but nodded anyway.

Teacher’s respect? They had no idea what that entailed, but treating them with respect should be enough.

Shen Qing turned back to the Jie siblings. “Most of them come from the village and have weak foundations. You must be patient while teaching. I don’t expect them to be highly literate, but they should at least recognize common characters and understand simple arithmetic. I don’t expect them to keep account books, but they should at least know how to count money without getting cheated.”

This requirement was both simple and difficult.

In modern times, there were structured literacy programs and compulsory education. Even special methods had been developed for adult literacy. But in this era, literacy was a rare skill, not just due to the lack of educational resources but also because traditional characters were far more complex than simplified ones. Writing was even harder. As for arithmetic, most people could only handle basic addition and subtraction within ten—anything beyond that would confuse them.

But since Shen Qing was offering them such a respectable position, no matter how difficult it was, the Jie siblings were determined to rise to the challenge.

Shen Qing then instructed Jie Miyun to compile a book list for teaching the household children and servants. “I’ve bought a two-entry courtyard behind the yamen. It’s closer to the yamen and safer. In a few days, you two will move there and start your teaching.”

That house still lacked some furniture. Over the next few days, Shen Qing planned to roam the county and buy whatever was needed before the siblings moved in.

—

Ruyi stood behind Jie Miyun, her lips trembling as if she wanted to speak but didn’t dare. She was anxious, clutching her handkerchief tightly.

Shen Qing had already noticed her.

Ever since he returned home, even Haitang and Manao had become more disciplined in their work. They had begun to develop the proper instincts for serving a master—hot water was always ready, and his teacup was immediately refilled when emptied. These were details they had never paid attention to before.

Although Haitang and Manao had always been obedient, they previously only followed direct orders. If Shen Qing didn’t instruct them, they would simply stand by idly.

Now, it made sense why noble families always had senior maids train their new servants before they were put to work—this was the awareness they were being taught.

And Ruyi, despite being here for only a few days, had already adapted incredibly well.

What was even more interesting was that Haitang and Manao, despite being the original senior maids of the household, had unknowingly ceded authority to Ruyi without even realizing it.

Even more impressively, Ruyi had begun inserting herself into the shop’s affairs.

Now that she had managed to establish herself in the northern residence, there was no way she would willingly leave.

Shen Qing studied Ruyi for a long moment until she noticed his gaze and became visibly uneasy. She feared he had seen through her intentions and would dislike her for it.

But instead, Shen Qing said, “Ruyi, you will stay here. No need to move.”

Ruyi was momentarily stunned, then quickly nodded.

Shen Qing smiled. “Ambition is a good thing. I have never rejected ambitious people—as long as you have the ability, intelligence, and loyalty to match.”

People naturally sought higher positions, just as water flowed downward. Shen Qing himself was ambitious—even greedy. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have ventured into another world or continued seeking wealth despite already securing his first fortune.

Without ambition, there would be no Shen Qing today.

So he didn’t mind dealing with ambitious people. If someone came to work for him and wanted to rise in rank, what was wrong with that? As long as they had the ability, they deserved it.

He stepped closer to Ruyi and said, “If you have thoughts about the household, or even the shop, you can tell me directly. If your ideas are good, I will approve them—and reward you.

Your clever mind should be used for more than just scheming. It should be used for openly pursuing what you want.

If you want to be a steward, there is nothing shameful about that. If you desire it, compete for it fair and square.”

Ruyi stared at Shen Qing in shock.

She wasn’t surprised that he had seen through her—it was the fact that he had actually encouraged her to compete and seize opportunities.

The old madam she had once served at the Jie household had despised “restless” individuals, valuing only quiet, obedient girls who knew their place. She had always preached about harmony and contentment.

Ruyi had long suspected that the old madam had seen through her ambitions, which was why she had never been promoted to a top-ranking personal maid.

But now, Shen Qing’s words completely shattered her previous understanding.

A steward wasn’t born into a position—they had to fight for it.

She had always wanted this, but if she had to say it out loud herself, she wouldn’t have dared.

Why?

Her thoughts were in turmoil, but deep down, she knew—this was the right way. This was her best chance to carve out a future for herself.

Steadying herself, Ruyi gracefully knelt and bowed deeply. “Thank you, Young Master!”

—

And so, the northern residence was entrusted to Ruyi, who also occasionally assisted at the shop. As its newly appointed steward, she handled affairs swiftly and efficiently, displaying a sharp ambition.

Meanwhile, at the small courtyard behind the southern yamen, the Jie siblings moved in with the household’s gers and young girls, with Xianglan temporarily overseeing things. Only Mudan and Jade remained working at the sausage shop, while Haitang stayed behind to tend to the northern house.

One cart after another delivered furniture and supplies to the courtyard.

Following behind them, two sedan chairs carried the Jie siblings.

From across the street, within the yamen’s walls, a certain ger had been secretly watching this new household. Seeing the sedan chairs, he bit his lip—and his heart quietly shattered.

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