Ji Wei had just finished a new wave of busy work and had only rested for a moment before he couldn’t sit still. He went to the storage place for the cookies, took another box, and carefully packed it to deliver to the Zhang family.
He had previously agreed to deliver every few days, but with how busy he had been recently, he hadn’t been able to go for quite some time.
This time, he planned to make up for it all at once, bringing at least two hundred cookies.
He wasn’t worried that the Zhang family might think it too much, as their large household had many people. When faced with something new and delicious, they would likely consume it quickly.
When Ji Wei arrived at the Zhang residence, Mr. Zhang was just about to leave.
By coincidence, Ji Wei was delivering cookies, which were both delicious and novel. As a gift, they were perfect, and Mr. Zhang took them along with him, instructing Ji Wei to deliver more when possible, and offered extra payment.
Watching Mr. Zhang leave West Second Alley, Ji Wei should have left too. However, he had some lingering questions and followed Zhang Quan for a few steps.
“Why are you following me?” Zhang Quan disliked Ji Wei, although the things Ji Wei made were highly regarded by Mr. Zhang and Young Master Zhang. Zhang Quan saw it as a manipulative tactic and was contemptuous, even though Young Master Zhang reprimanded him for it.
“I just wanted to ask the steward where Mr. Zhang is going,” Ji Wei said with a smile and a hand gesture, but Zhang Quan only cast him a disdainful glance, clearly uninterested.
“This is a matter of our Zhang family and doesn’t concern you.”
“Then how about this: let me take a guess?” Ji Wei said unperturbed, smiling as he began, “Anyone who can make Mr. Zhang visit with gifts must have a notable status. In this town, Mr. Zhang is already a prominent figure, and there are few people he would visit.”
Zhang Quan raised his eyebrows in surprise.
But he was used to maintaining a stern expression, so his reaction wasn’t easily read by Ji Wei.
“I heard that Mr. Zhang has some connections with Magistrate Lu. Could it be that Mr. Zhang is visiting Magistrate Lu?” Ji Wei said, staring directly at Zhang Quan.
Zhang Quan’s face darkened, and he angrily said, “What Mr. Zhang does when he goes out has nothing to do with you. If you don’t leave now, I’ll have someone come out and drive you away!”
“But I am standing outside the Zhang family’s gate. Even though the Zhang family is a large household, it shouldn’t be so unreasonable, should it?” Ji Wei said, putting his hands behind his back and stepping back a few paces, leaving the Zhang family’s premises.
He had learned what he wanted from Zhang Quan’s reaction and did not need to stay and bicker further.
“In that case, steward, I’ll see you in a few days.” Ji Wei gave Zhang Quan another respectful gesture and, regardless of Zhang Quan’s scowls, left leisurely.
“That scoundrel is truly detestable!” Zhang Quan spat at Ji Wei’s receding figure, then turned to see someone peeking from behind the door and immediately took out his frustration.
“What are you standing there for? Don’t you have other work to do?”
“Yes, yes. I was just about to sweep the leaves in front of the door. Please, steward,” the man said.
Zhang Quan snorted and stormed off.
On the other side.
After receiving his instructions from Ji Wei, Wen Xuan hurried to the county school without delay.
The county school, as its name suggests, is where students from nearby towns come to study.
Among these towns, Daxi Town is the most prosperous.
Thus, not only is the county office located there, but also the county school, which is highly sought after by students, is built there.
Although the county school is in Daxi Town, it is not far from Changliu Town.
It takes only about half an hour to walk there.
The county school has dormitories available only for students from more remote towns, and the fees are high. Unless one is wealthy, it’s hard to secure a spot.
Students like Wen Xuan, who come from poor families, have to walk back and forth between the two towns every day, which is very difficult.
But Wen Xuan never found it burdensome.
He felt proud to be able to study at the county school.
Now, he felt fulfilled to be able to do a task for Ji Wei.
Even while walking, he never forgot to review his studies, quietly reciting the “Great Learning” to reinforce his knowledge.
After about half an hour, he finally arrived at the county school.
“Bao Shan, long time no see.”
At the entrance of the county school was a young man in student attire, who was sweeping the ground. Upon seeing him, Wen Xuan immediately called out.
The student looked up, shocked at first, then broke into a big smile and walked over with the broom, clapping Wen Xuan on the shoulder.
“What are you doing here?” Ji Bao Shan was a local from Daxi Town. His family was not wealthy, but compared to Wen Xuan, who had lost his parents, he was better off and could still afford to study at the county school.
The two of them had a mutual understanding due to their similar backgrounds while they were at the academy.
After Wen Xuan left the academy, Ji Bao Shan was saddened for a long time, feeling it was a great loss.
“Have you had a change of heart? Planning to come back?”
Ji Bao Shan was delighted, grabbing Wen Xuan’s arm and leading him inside. “I always said you were so talented, you would eventually become a scholar. How could you leave? I’ll take you to see the headmaster!”
The headmaster was the title for the principal of the academy, and he was one of the most respected people in Wen Xuan’s life, aside from his parents.
Hearing this, Wen Xuan became anxious and quickly shook his head. “Bao Shan, that’s not the case. I’m here today for something else.”
“What could be more important than schooling?”
Wen Xuan felt a pang in his heart but forced a smile. “To earn money to return to school, isn’t that a very important thing?”
Ji Bao Shan was relieved upon hearing this.
“You’re right. Our family isn’t as well-off as others. Understandably, you have a harder time, and I should be more understanding,” Ji Bao Shan said, understanding their situations well. Seeing Wen Xuan carrying a large bundle of square packages, he was curious.
“What’s in your hand? Can I see?”
“It’s food, called butter cookies. I’ll let you try it in a bit.” Wen Xuan took a few steps and suddenly remembered something. He pulled out the stack of flyers from under his arm and handed half of them to Ji Bao Shan.
“Bao Shan, when you see people later, please give them one of these.”
“What’s this?” Ji Bao Shan took a flyer, unfolded it, and quickly scanned it, murmuring to himself.
“Your taste is truly unique.”
“Why haven’t I heard of this before?” Ji Bao Shan looked at the flyer with intense curiosity.
“It might be a rare item only seen in wealthy households,” Wen Xuan was also unsure.
“Well then, how can I help you? What will you give me in return?”
“I’ll treat you to a few cookies. They’re so fragrant,” Wen Xuan remembered the irresistible aroma from when he arrived at Ji Wei’s place that morning, and his stomach rumbled since he hadn’t eaten anything yet.
“You haven’t eaten yet? No way, I brought two steamed buns today and haven’t eaten them. I’ll give you one.”
“No, let’s focus on work first; earning tuition is more important.”
“Alright then.”
Before long, a lecture at the academy concluded.
Wen Xuan and Ji Bao Shan seized the opportunity. They set up a table and chairs outside the lecture hall and waited for people to come out. As soon as the crowd emerged, Ji Bao Shan approached and began handing out flyers.
“Hey, Bao Shan, what are you doing here?”
“Mr. Liu’s lecture on the classics is such a loss for you not to attend!”
“What can I do? If I didn’t sweep, I’d probably be kicked out like his friend, haha.”
Some were curious, while others mocked.
Ji Bao Shan was used to this and ignored the bothersome faces, maintaining a friendly smile as he stepped forward and handed out the flyers.
“Take a look at this. If you’re interested, you can even try it for free!” Though Ji Bao Shan was slim, his voice was clear and strong, cutting through the chatter.
Dozens of people who had just spent an hour in the lecture were already feeling hungry. Many were planning to grab a bite, and when they heard Ji Bao Shan offering free samples, they eagerly rushed over to inquire.
They soon noticed Wen Xuan sitting nearby.
“Wen Xuan, what are you doing here?”
“What’s this? It looks so strange. I’ve never seen anything like it before.”
“Can I try it?”
The first person in line was a young man, short but with a round, fair face, looking like a big white bun. When he spoke, his face lit up with a friendly smile, making him quite likable.
He saw Wen Xuan nod and reached for two cookies. He took small bites at first, but once he tasted the flavor, he quickly stuffed the whole cookie into his mouth. Chewing and swallowing, he eagerly reached for more but was stopped by Wen Xuan.
“Ah Tai, you can only take one cookie. You’ve already taken more than allowed,” Wen Xuan gently reminded him.
Ah Tai looked at Wen Xuan with a pitiful expression, saying, “It’s so delicious. If you won’t let me have more, you might as well not let me have any at all.”
Ah Tai’s family ran a food shop and was well-off. Fearing that he might run away with all the samples, Wen Xuan quickly explained.
“It’s not that. This is just for everyone to sample. If you like it, you can place an order with me, and I’ll deliver it next time.”
“In that case, I’ll write it down quickly!” Ah Tai’s eyes were fixed on the brush Wen Xuan held.
“You can just tell me what you want.”
“Then I’ll order five pounds!”
“Ah?” Wen Xuan was startled.
“Ah Tai, the cookies are priced by piece. Two cookies cost one penny. How many pieces do you want?”
“Hmm, let me think.” Ah Tai looked up at the sky, while the other students watched him closely.
Soon, he smiled and clapped his hands, saying, “I’ll order half a tael of silver worth!” He had just received his monthly allowance from his father and was feeling generous.
Wen Xuan quickly wrote it down, worried that Ah Tai might change his mind.
Ah Tai, satisfied with Wen Xuan’s writing, flashed a big smile, “Wen Xuan, your handwriting is still so beautiful.”
“Thank you.” Wen Xuan’s cheeks flushed slightly, and his voice was soft.
With his order placed, Ah Tai hummed a tune and pushed through the crowd.
With Ah Tai being the first to make a purchase, others also began reaching out for the sample cookies.
If Wen Xuan hadn’t kept a close watch, the cookies would have likely been snatched up in no time.
A crowd of people started chattering and placing orders. However, most of them were ordinary students with limited means, ordering only a few pieces or so, unlike Ah Tai’s lavish order.
“Why is there such a commotion here?”
Just as Wen Xuan was sweating from the busy task, a slightly hoarse teenage voice called out from a distance.
The students, who had been noisy just moments before, suddenly fell silent and turned to look behind them.
A young man of medium height, dressed in a brocade robe with fair skin, was walking towards them.
Those standing in front moved aside to create a narrow path for him to pass through.
wannaberecluse On SRTT Chapter 50.1