Chapter 345: Chapter 344: Must Pursue Official Honors

Qin Yao escorted Mrs. Ding home, and just as the school at the ancestral hall let out, she picked up the children, and the five of them returned home together.

“Mother, what do you have there?” Si Niang curiously leaned in, poking at the box on Qin Yao’s knee with her tiny finger, perhaps thinking it was some kind of pastry. She lowered her head and sniffed with her nose.

Qin Yao was amused and slightly exasperated, lifted her little face, and pinched her chubby cheeks, “Didn’t you eat enough lunch today? You’re drooling like this.”

With her face pinched by her mother, Si Niang mumbled, “I smell something really fragrant~”

Qin Yao thought to herself, this is a land deed, how can it not smell fragrantly?

She reached behind herself and brought out osmanthus sugar she bought from the county town. The three, including Da Lang, also gathered around; each had a piece, with Sanlang not forgetting to pass one into his sister’s mouth, which was being pinched, “Heheh,” he giggled foolishly.

Seeing Qin Yao pinching Si Niang’s cheeks seemed fun, he too wanted to pinch, but Da Lang slapped his hand away, “Your grip isn’t gentle, don’t be reckless.”

Sanlang: “Oh.”

The sweet sugar melted in their mouths, with a rich osmanthus aroma lingering around their noses. Si Niang finally realized, it was the sugar that was fragrant, not the box.

Reluctantly, Qin Yao let go of her daughter’s smooth cheek and opened the box that intrigued the children, taking out the land deed and paddy deed and pointing outside, “See that empty plot over there?”

The four siblings immediately stuck their heads out to look. Second Lang turned back and asked, “Is it the plot with the flag standing on it?”

Qin Yao nodded with a smile, saying, “From now on, it’s ours.”

The four siblings were taken aback, exchanged glances, and then, still in disbelief, stretched out their heads to look again before turning back to Qin Yao and asking excitedly in unison, “Really?”

“What do you think?” Qin Yao shook the land deed in her hand, “Come, let me teach you about land deeds and paddy deeds. Though they look the same, there are big differences in the details.”

“Also, do you know what you need to do after buying land?”

Second Lang was the most curious about this and quickly asked, “After buying land and paying the money, isn’t that all?”

Qin Yao nodded, “It’s not over yet; there are many procedures to handle. Otherwise, how would the government know that this land has transferred from the original owner to you? And in the future, if we lease the land out, how can we prove it to the tenant?”

These procedures and intricacies, Qin Yao experienced them today and now was explaining them to the four siblings.

Of course, the main explanation was for Da Lang and Second Lang, as the Dragon and Phoenix Twins were fixated on the osmanthus sugar, their thoughts having long drifted away.

The two were too young. Qin Yao didn’t expect them to remember instantly, letting them be as attentive as they like.

However, Da Lang and Second Lang must listen carefully and learn more about the processes, so that if anything arises in the future, they’ll know what to do and won’t panic.

When it comes to serious matters, Qin Yao never tells the four siblings that they will know when they grow up, she always answers their questions.

As a result, by now, while other children are still playing in the mud and giggling, the four siblings already know how many short-term workers to hire for the family land, how much to pay them, how much grain can be produced per acre, and how much grain tax needs to be paid.

Earlier, after paying the household tax, Da Lang took the opportunity to ask the teacher whether girls needed to pay the household tax, so that the four siblings could share their pocket money fairly.

Upon learning that girls are not counted as people and do not need to pay the household tax, Da Lang instructed Second Lang to set aside Si Niang’s pocket money separately in the future, so as not to use her money.

And because Da Lang proactively asked the teacher about this, although he usually had little presence in class, now he always receives special attention from the teacher—being asked to stand and answer questions.

For Da Lang, this is indeed a sweet torment.

Speaking of which, the family suddenly gained a farmstead, Liu Ji was shocked and couldn’t sleep a wink all night.

This whole night, two voices were warring in his mind.

One said: The family now has a farmstead, do you still need to study hard and pursue fame through examinations? Just lie back and enjoy the good life!

Another said: Are you stupid? That land was bought by the wicked woman, not by you.

One said: But isn’t that land still recorded under your family’s name? You’re the head of the household, the government only recognizes you.

Another responded: The wicked woman has long wanted to become a widow, be cautious!

A sinister image appeared in front of him of Qin Yao wielding a knife, bandit heads falling to the ground, and Liu Ji immediately shivered and sat up.

Gongliang Liao, sleeping lightly on the bed, was woken by the noise, and grunted discontentedly. Liu Ji quickly held his breath, not daring to make a sound until the light snores returned from the bed, and he slowly let out the breath he held.

He must pursue academic distinction.

The family no longer has just ten acres of land; it’s a hundred! Just the taxes paid every year are enough to be daunting.

If the taxes and labor levies could be reduced, it would be beneficial to him and the family.

If the family is well off, the wicked woman will surely be happy.

When she’s happy, even the tiniest bit of profit slipping through her fingers means he’ll enjoy a prosperous life too.

Having figured it out, Liu Ji suddenly felt peaceful and clear-minded, ready to sleep beautifully, and accompany Qin Yao to the county tomorrow to change the household registration information.

“Third.”

A sudden call came from the bed, and Gongliang Liao patted the edge of the bed.

At dinner, Qin Yao, to celebrate the addition of land, poured him a few cups of wine.

The homemade farm wine wasn’t strong, but rather sweet, and he couldn’t resist drinking half a pot.

Now the wine was going through his system, urgently needing relief.

Liu Ji sighed and resignedly got up from the ground, carried the old man on his back, and led him to the latrine to attend to his pressing need.

The master and disciple tussled for a while, returning to the room, settled Gongliang Liao, and only then did Liu Ji lay back down, closing his eyes, immediately falling asleep peacefully.

Gongliang Liao’s lips curled into a smile, and as he listened to the faint bird calls from the woods outside, he felt a sense of nostalgia.

He had strived all his life, experienced both glory and downfall, ultimately fell into the struggles for power and ended up with crippled legs. He hadn’t expected that at the end, he’d have a disciple, resting in this peaceful little mountain village, sleeping soundly.

Gongliang Liao silently mused, “What a rare thing, what a rare thing,” and shortly after, he closed his eyes and fell deeply asleep.

Before dawn, the courtyard resounded with Ah Wang’s early bustle, like a punctual alarm for the household. Liu Ji and Second Lang soon woke up, got dressed, and with their books, headed to the main room.

The two Kings of Quan exchanged a glance, neither willing to lose to the other, snorted at each other, each found a corner, lit the candle stand, and started reading silently.

As the aroma of food wafted from the kitchen, there came sounds again from Qin Yao’s bedroom and the children’s room.

The second batch of early risers got up, hurrying about in their daily frenzy, with Sanlang and Si Niang’s morning routine akin to a squabble, appearing here at the latrine one moment, suddenly crouching beside the water jar the next.

Qin Yao always wakes with a yawn, hair disheveled, eyes barely open, her hands moving swiftly to tie the Dragon and Phoenix Twins’ hair.

If not for the fear of being beaten, Liu Ji would really love to offer Qin Yao a genuine suggestion—considering our family’s current wealth, we could actually hire a maid for combing hair.

She doesn’t have to be overly beautiful, just neat, considerate, with a sweet mouth….

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep