Chapter 70: A Full Harvest, Returning to Li Village!

Old Li was about to verify it once more, but Li Feng had already vanished from sight.

Looking at his crippled leg, Old Li let out a sigh. He must have seen things incorrectly.

The Second Son could not possibly have come to the prefectural city, and even less likely to be wearing coarse linen garments!

……

Li Feng arrived at the commercial street, purchased a few modest gifts, and then headed toward the Wen Family Private School to meet up with Erniu and the scholar.

As it happened, just as he arrived, the gates of the Wen residence were open, and two women were looking at Wang Wenzheng with faces full of worry.

The older woman was holding Wang Wenzheng's hand, earnestly exhorting him, "Be careful along the way. Once you arrive at someone else's household, remember not to slack off. Teach their children well, understand?"

"Mother, your son understands!" Wang Wenzheng squeezed the old woman's hand and replied respectfully. Then, turning his gaze to the younger woman beside her, he said, "My wife, I have troubled you during this period!"

"Mm!" Madam Wang nodded and handed the bundle she was holding to her husband.

Her husband was leaving the prefectural city, yet she had not tried to stop him!

It was simply because their household was on the verge of running out of rice for the stove. Her husband clearly possessed great learning, yet he had been framed by others, reducing him to such a desperate plight.

Now that someone had invited her husband to teach, regardless of whose children they were, as long as it involved scholarly pursuits, she could not become a burden to her husband.

"Husband, rest assured. With me at home, I will take good care of Mother."

"Rou'er!" Wang Wenzheng was deeply moved.

One must neither wrong nor fail the companion who has shared both your joys and sorrows.

He owed his wife far too much; once he attained high rank in the imperial examinations in days to come, he would surely make it up to her!

Li Feng had just arrived in time to witness this scene of parting.

He carried the gifts, thought for a moment, and then produced a money pouch, stepping forward.

"Elder Madam, Madam Wang, I have come abruptly and intruded upon you!" he said, offering a formal greeting.

"Father!" Erniu called out.

Li Feng nodded in acknowledgment, then turned his gaze to Wang Wenzheng. "Sir Wang, are you prepared?"

Wang Wenzheng nodded.

"Let us go!"

Upon seeing this, Li Feng handed the items he was holding to the Elder Madam. "These are the betrothal gifts to engage Sir Wang, along with the initial tuition for my children. Please accept them!"

The items he had purchased were all practical goods.

With seven children in his family, he had prepared a few catties of rice, some cured meats, and vegetables like celery. After all, this was not a formal master-disciple initiation ceremony, nor was it entering a formal academy, so there was naturally some difference compared to traditional tuition fees!

"Erniu, help Madam Wang carry these things inside!" Li Feng instructed Erniu.

Erniu nodded, picked up the goods, and prepared to carry them into the courtyard!

"No, absolutely not!" the Elder Madam refused, speaking up. "This is a formal engagement of services, and the stipend is paid month by month. How could it be handled this way?"

Li Feng smiled and nodded. "Master Wang possesses profound scholarship, and I am merely providing a deposit in advance to finalize the matter. If there is anything improper, I beg the Elder Madam to forgive me!"

"This..."

The Elder Madam hesitated, words lingering on her lips.

She knew this was a graceful exit offered by Li Feng.

Yet their family's circumstances were...

So be it!

The old woman bowed slightly, and the young wife followed suit, offering their thanks: "Thank you!"

"Zheng'er!" the Elder Madam called out, and Wang Wenzheng hurried over. "Mother!"

"When teaching your students, you must impart everything without reservation and devote your utmost effort. Do you understand?"

Wang Wenzheng smiled helplessly, cupped his hands in a salute, and replied, "Mother, rest assured. Your son will impart everything without reservation and devote his utmost effort!"

"Mm!"

Erniu, possessing a sharp eye for such matters, carried the items into the courtyard!

Meanwhile, Li Feng handed the money pouch to the Elder Madam. "Elder Madam, I have already made inquiries. The monthly stipend for a private tutor is roughly between eight and twelve taels of silver. This is the remuneration for half a month. Please accept it!"

Wang Wenzheng appeared extraordinary; since he could be suppressed by the prefect, this man was easily worth such a price!

Fortunately, Wang Wenzheng was still a licentiate. If he had attained the status of a provincial graduate and taught classical texts, the cost would have been even higher!

In that case, charges would no longer be calculated by the month, but by the lecture.

Given this man's reputation, coupled with the scarcity of provincial graduates in Qinghe Prefecture, a single lecture of his would be worth at least three taels of silver—a truly astronomical sum!

The Elder Madam glanced at Wang Wenzheng, and upon seeing her son nod, she finally accepted the money pouch and offered her thanks once more!

Bidding farewell to his family, Wang Wenzheng accompanied Li Feng toward the city gates!

Along the way, Wang Wenzheng remained very quiet, carrying all his belongings in his own hands. Erniu tried to help, but never found the opportunity!

Seeing this, Li Feng did not force the matter.

Instead, he took Erniu to purchase a few items while simultaneously guiding him on how to converse properly with others.

By the time they exited the city gates, Li Feng was already holding a pile of goods.

Erniu was even pushing a flatbed cart!

Aside from brush pens, ink, paper, and inkstones, the other items were quite inexpensive. An entire cartload of goods had cost less than two taels of silver!

It even contained several bolts of cloth!

Yet all of that combined had come to less than two taels of silver!

On the other hand, the scholarly supplies alone added up to nearly twenty taels.

His father had said the tutor's monthly stipend was eight taels, which meant that even if they did not eat or drink, they had to set aside eight taels for the tutor first!

He had lived this long without ever laying eyes on eight taels of silver. As for the thirty taels given by the Fuyun Restaurant, he had not even dared to look at it.

He had walked the entire way with utmost caution, constantly feeling as though someone might snatch his silver away!

Only after reaching his father's side and handing the silver over to him did he finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Yet who would have thought that by the time he handed the items to his father, he was already drenched in sweat, his back completely soaked.

For the first time, seeing so much money spent in a single day, Li Erniu felt that silver truly did not last long.

Filled with anxiety, he pushed the cartload of goods toward the outskirts of the city.

At the city gates, Li Dafafan was still waiting.

Upon seeing Li Feng emerge, Li Dafafa was shocked, his eyes sweeping back and forth between Li Feng and Erniu's hands. "Second Son Li, are you even planning to live your life properly?!"

"First those books, and now all these large and small bundles."

"Buying so much all at once—do you not plan to find wives for Dagou and Erniu?"

"Hehe, Uncle Dafa, I'm not in a hurry!" Dagou scratched his head and hastily spoke up.

"What do you know? You're just a blockhead!" Li Dafafa glared at Li Dagou, then turned back to Li Feng with an earnest and well-meaning expression. "You've just split the household, and you don't have much farmland. If you don't plan carefully for the future, why are you spending money so lavishly?"

Li Feng: "..."

Though he knew the man meant well, those words simply did not sound pleasant to the ear!

"Brother Dafa!" Li Feng interrupted his endless nagging and said, "I made a small profit when I went into the city today, so I figured I'd improve the children's living conditions a bit!"

"This is a guest I have invited. Let's head back to Li Family Village!"

Only then did Li Dafafa look toward Wang Wenzheng.

He had actually noticed him earlier, but simply hadn't thought in that direction.

He wouldn't even dare to think about it.

People from the city and people like them belonged to two entirely different worlds.

This Second Son of the Li family...

Just by making a single trip into the city, he had already befriended a townsman.

This capability was by no means inferior to the eldest or third sons of the Old Li family. If the Old Li family found out, they would likely regret it deeply!

Unable to ask any further questions, he could only nod, steady the ox cart, and prepare to make the return journey!

Along the way, Wang Wenzheng sat with such upright posture that neither Dagou nor Erniu dared to breathe a single heavy breath. They sat rigidly straight, not daring to slouch even slightly.

Li Feng, by contrast, was much more relaxed, sitting however felt natural.