Do you know: I, a commoner prime minister

Chapter 4 The Instructor's Expectations

The Zhou family wasn't exactly poor; they owned a hundred acres of land and were considered a middle-class family in Youyang Town.

A hundred acres of farmland sounds like a lot, but the income is actually not high.

If rented out, the rent for a hundred acres of land would be equivalent to thirty or forty taels of silver.

On average, it only amounted to a few taels of silver a month.

After deducting normal household expenses, they also had to support Zhou An's education, so life was naturally difficult.

Therefore, Zhou Li and Hao Shi would keep 20 mu for themselves to cultivate, and rent out the other 80 mu.

Only in this way can the house feel a little more spacious.

But after a year, not much is left.

Sheng Wei is a businessman; he can estimate these things.

Zhou An told his parents his guess. Zhou Li and Hao Shi were already very satisfied with the marriage, and they were even more satisfied to hear that their future in-laws had considered everything so thoroughly.

"We still have some money at home; we can use that money for the betrothal gifts!"

Madam Hao said, "The money and land deed given by Master Sheng will be used as betrothal gifts!"

Even if you include the family's hundred acres of land, the dowry is still considered meager by the Sheng family.

However, Zhou An didn't say anything, since Shulan's dowry would definitely be quite substantial.

Once the marriage is settled, my parents won't have to work so hard anymore.

Zhou An has plenty of ways to make money, but he doesn't dare to.

Without Sheng Hong, even if Sheng Wei were as intelligent as he is, it would be very difficult for him to expand his business beyond Youyang.

Although Youyang is a small town, it is a necessary route for people from another nearby county to Qinghe County, so there are usually quite a few merchants and travelers passing through.

When Zhou An was young, two inns in the town got into a fight over a business dispute. Not long after, one of the inns caught fire, and the whole family died in the fire.

Although the final investigation result was unexpected, Zhou An didn't think so.

Many people in the town went to put out the fire, and Zhou An also watched the excitement from a distance.

If it were just an accident, the fire should have started from one direction, and someone should have escaped by now.

But when they heard the noise and rushed over, the fire had already engulfed the entire house, and the fire was so intense that it couldn't be extinguished in a short time.

Later, rumors circulated in town that it was the owner of another inn who did it.

But the authorities said it was an accident, and since no one else had any evidence, the matter was dropped.

Later, there was only one inn in the town, and within a few years, the innkeeper moved to the county town.

If something like this can happen at just an inn, how can their family protect it if Zhou An manages to come up with some kind of profitable business?

That experience also made Zhou An determined to study and take the imperial examination.

In feudal societies with vast class differences, one had to become a member of a class to live a good life.

Because the higher one's social class, the more likely they are to follow certain rules when doing things.

Otherwise, you never know when you might be targeted by someone.

Of course, the premise is that one should not possess wealth exceeding that of one's social class.

In the afternoon, some wealthy families in the town came to offer their congratulations and present a gift.

The gifts weren't particularly valuable, mostly ranging from a few taels to a dozen taels of silver.

Moreover, many of these items are unnecessary, and they would be sold at a significant discount.

After everyone left and no one came to visit again, the family took stock of what they could use and kept what they could not, taking it to the county town the next day to sell for money.

The next morning, Zhou Li went to the village and brought back the cow from the tenant farmer who rented his land.

The Zhou family owns a cow, which is usually cared for in rotation by several families who rent their land.

After the Zhou family finished cultivating their reserved land, the other families who rented the land could take turns using it.

The price is that the cattle are raised in rotation the rest of the time.

Zhou Li brought the ox back, and after having breakfast, he hitched it to the cart and drove his family to the county town.

Yu Jie'er was very excited. She was only six years old this year, and it had been two years since she last went to the county town. She had long forgotten what the county town was like.

He looked around all the way, asking Zhou An about everything he saw with curiosity.

When they arrived in the county town, she couldn't take it all in, and Zhou An was overwhelmed by his questions.

It was only after Hao scolded her that she calmed down.

I found a pawnshop and disposed of the useless items I received yesterday, earning a little over forty-six taels of silver.

Then go to buy the things needed for the marriage proposal. There is no need to prepare anything expensive for the marriage proposal, just formalities.

For a family of Zhou's social standing, finding a suitable match and preparing gifts with a few taels of silver during the marriage proposal would be enough.

However, considering the Sheng family's social standing, Zhou Li and Hao Shi gritted their teeth and spent nearly twenty taels of silver to buy the gift.

After buying everything, the family had a meal in the county town and then went to the county school.

Zhou An left his parents waiting outside and went into the academy alone.

Classes had already started at the academy, and I didn't run into anyone.

Zhou An arrived at the instructor's residence and knocked on the door.

"Come in!"

Zhou An received permission, pushed open the door, and went inside.

"Your Excellency!" Zhou An bowed respectfully.

Lu Wang, who was reading, looked up and saw Zhou An, somewhat surprised, and said, "Didn't I give you three days off? Why are you back today!"

"Reporting to Your Excellency, my student's parents have arranged a marriage for him and are preparing to propose tomorrow. They would like Your Excellency to help them make a good impression," Zhou An said.

"Proposing marriage?"

Lu Wang frowned slightly and asked, "Whose daughter have your parents taken a liking to?"

"She is the eldest daughter of the Sheng family of Youyang," Zhou An replied.

Upon hearing this, Lu Wang's brows relaxed. He thought highly of Zhou An and was worried that Zhou An's parents lacked foresight and had hastily arranged a marriage for him.

For men, the imperial examination and marriage were almost the only two opportunities to change their fate.

The combination of the two yields even better results.

Although the Sheng family were merchants, they produced two Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations), which was quite remarkable.

"Huai De!"

Lu Wang said with a serious expression, "Your most important task now is to prepare for next year's provincial examination. I have high hopes for you and think you have a great chance of passing the provincial examination."

Do you remember when you came to ask for leave before, I told you to come see me when you returned?

"The student remembers!" Zhou An nodded.

"I was born in the same year as the Jiangning Prefectural School, and I originally intended to recommend you to study in Jinling for a year."

Lu Wang sighed, "Qinghe County is still too small."

The instructor was the principal of the county school, a position of the eighth rank.

The Xuezheng was the principal of the state-run school, a position of the seventh rank.

Although the official rank may not seem high, these positions are all prestigious and prestigious. Jiangning Prefecture is the capital of Jiangnan East Circuit, so its status is one level higher.

Therefore, the head of the school in Jiangning Prefecture was a sixth-rank official.

Zhou An was somewhat surprised, not expecting that Instructor Lu had this connection.

"Have you thought this through? This is a rare opportunity!" Lu Wang reminded him.

"Thank you for your kindness, Your Excellency!"

Zhou An bowed and thanked him, saying, "I can arrange the marriage now, postpone the wedding, go to Jinling to study first, and return to get married during the New Year!"

"That works too!"

Lu Wang nodded upon hearing this, as he knew about Zhou An's family situation.

As the only son in the family, his parents wanted him to get married as soon as possible, which was also a matter of filial piety.

Moreover, the marriage was quite good, so he couldn't very well persuade Zhou An to give up the marriage.

"In that case, I will go to Youyang first thing tomorrow morning!" Lu Wang said.

"Thank you for your help, Instructor!" Zhou An bowed and said.

Lu Wang said, "If you really want to thank me, then pass the imperial examination and become a Jinshi. I have been teaching in Qinghe County for nearly ten years, and I am about to retire. If I cannot train a Jinshi, I will truly be ashamed before the imperial court, and even more so before the elders and folks of Qinghe County!"

Zhou An forced a smile and said, "I will do my best!"