Chapter 32: A grain of rice is as good as gold

Song Yanjin brought the person to the courtyard and left. Old Su had his own servants serving him. When he left, he did not forget to tell the servant to go to the front yard to find Baizhu if he had any business.

Old Su crouched at the moon gate and watched until the little girl walked away, then he returned to the dormitory with relief.

After drinking two glasses of water, Mr. Su finally felt relieved. "Mu Jun, go to the cafeteria and find something to eat first."

Mu Jun, with cracked lips, nodded, "Yes, Master."

Old Su walked to the window, looked up at the sky and sighed. Humans were still too insignificant in the face of natural disasters. There were corpses everywhere outside the city. Master Song's letter was like timely rain. He didn't want to set foot in the capital again, but only here was there a way to survive.

There are several mouths to feed at home, young and old, so I will use the first month’s salary to buy food. I just hope that my family can survive until that time.

Back at Shanzhangyuan, Song Yanjin called Baizhu and Cui Yuanshang, "Baizhu, ask the two cooks to prepare lunch. Make more so that the new servants can have enough to eat. Also prepare two bags of rice and some dried vegetables for Qingmu to carry to Su Laoyuan."

Baizhu nodded, "Yes, Miss."

"Manager Cui, Baizhu has probably told you that you don't need to worry about the students in the front yard for now, but you need to quickly get started with the canteen, the cleaning lady, and the accounting office in the back yard."

Song Yanjin took out five silver notes and handed them to her. "Please keep five hundred taels in the academy's account for the time being. All expenditures will be subject to your approval. Please report any major expenditures to me."

Cui Yuanchang took it with fear. This Principal Song looked younger than her, but she didn't expect him to be so decisive in doing things.

After sending the two people out, Song Yanjin lay comfortably on the bed. Now that he had a manager, he no longer had to worry about these trivial matters and could concentrate on teaching!
In the cafeteria, everyone sat around eating and cried with joy. The snow-white rice was something they only dreamed of, but they didn't expect to get to eat it today.

Cui Yuanshang sat at the table with the two accountants, and while eating, she explained Song Shanzhang's intentions. She observed the habits of the employees for a while, and found that the banknotes were not generously given out.

When Su Lao received the food, he hugged it and burst into tears, and immediately asked Mu Jun to send it out of the city.

Song Yanjin invited Mr. Su to sit in on the afternoon class so that he could adapt to the rhythm first.

After dinner, the two discussed the course content and schedule in the teacher's lounge.

Song Yanjin was writing a self-edited book while chatting with Mr. Su, "Mr. Su, the eleven students in the sprint class all have a good foundation. Once I finish this self-edited book, I will let them memorize it. They will definitely pass the provincial examination next month."

Mr. Su, who was leisurely drinking tea, almost choked, "Little Song Shan is so arrogant!"

Song Yanjin smiled and kept writing, "The provincial examination will not include the drought. I believe the examination paper was prepared three months ago. It will definitely be included in the next spring examination."

The little girl even bet on the topic, and Old Su joked, "There is a severe drought right now. With Xiao Songshan's talent, how can I help your majesty solve the problem?"

It was getting dark, Baizhu came in to light the lamp for the young lady, and when she heard Mr. Su's question, she pricked up her ears curiously.

Song Yanjin put the brush in his hand into the inkstone pool to add ink. Under the candlelight, two dimples appeared on his thin and pale face. "Since Mr. Su asked this, I believe he has already had a plan in mind."

Mr. Su smiled and said nothing, listening quietly to the answer.

There were only Old Su and Xiao Baihua Baizhu in the room. Old Su was a man of noble character and highly respected. He was honest and upright when he was an official in the court. If he met students who stopped him to ask questions, he would stop to give guidance and advice even in urgent matters. After his retirement, all major academies were vying for him.

There is no harm in communicating privately in advance. After the Autumn Examination, the topics discussed in major academies and after meals in teahouses will surely be how to deal with the current drought.

Song Yanjin wrote as he gave his own humble suggestions, "The wealthy landlords and the noble families have already made a lot of money. The neighboring countries in the south have not suffered from severe droughts and the weather has been good. Your Majesty should show the grace of heaven to the merchants and let them voluntarily open up their granaries to help the suffering people.

At the same time, we should send envoys to other countries to discuss cooperation and buy relief grain. If local officials are governed by law, the whole country will work together to overcome this difficulty. In fact, the most difficult time is the coming of winter. "

After finishing the last part, Song Yanjin flipped through it with satisfaction, "Finally it's done. Next, I'll waste my time on the students."

She seemed to have heard Gu Jiajing's wailing in her ears!
The cup in Su Lao's hand slipped onto the tea table, and he stared at the excited little girl opposite him without blinking. He knew from the letter that she was very talented, but he didn't expect that she could say such generous words.
Song Yanjin came over with her own book, and Baizhu had already poured tea for her. "Miss."

He handed it to Mr. Su and took the tea. "Look, Mr. Su, with this secret book, even a loser can pass the imperial examination."

Hearing the little girl's boast, Su Lao took it in disbelief, "Let me see."

The girl’s handwriting is as arrogant as her personality, with thin and sloppy characters. I wonder which Yan style it is?

The difficulty of the test questions made him frown, but as he read on, he found the article had unique insights and the more he read, the more fascinated he became.

Old Su wiped the nonexistent saliva from the corner of his mouth with his sleeves. He was too possessive of this unique copy. "Girl, can you let me copy one for you?"

Song Yanjin snatched it from his hand with a smile, "Mr. Su, you can copy my secret book, but you have to sign an agreement not to pass it on to others first. If you breach the agreement, I will pay you 100,000 taels!"

Su Lao laughed angrily, "You girl."

Bai Zhu went to the desk to get the agreement and a pen.

"Even the agreement is ready," Su Laowei was surprised, but he signed without hesitation.

However, Song Yanjin did not give it to Mr. Su for the time being. He would copy it for Xia Yange and Shen Muzhou tomorrow, and then pass it on to every student.

The next morning's class was taught by Mr. Su. Song Yanjin went to the backyard of the cafeteria and prepared to find a few wooden boards to use as writing whiteboards.

Cui Yuanchang followed her to report the work arrangements of the servants, and the accountant's concerns were also dispelled.

The two chefs in the backyard looked curiously at what their master was going to do, but when they saw Steward Cui glaring at them, they immediately retracted their heads and went back to work in the kitchen.

Qingmu found two bed boards and asked, "Miss, is this okay?"

He is the coachman. Since the young lady doesn't go out, he has nothing to do. But he will appear wherever the young lady needs him.

Song Yanjin nodded to Qingmu, then turned around and looked at Cui Yuanchang with admiration, "Not bad, Manager Cui, it's better to be careful. The situation is not peaceful now. Who knows if he will not care about the indenture and take the money and run away."

Cui Yuanchang's cold face flushed slightly, and she felt a little embarrassed by the lady's sudden compliment.

Song Yanjin didn't notice and told Baizhu beside him, "Remember the small wooden board you made at Lishan Academy? Tie it to a larger piece of green wood, and then find a bracket to place it in the Master's Resting Courtyard."

"Yes, Miss," Bai Zhu, who had been autistic for a while, was suddenly called and nodded wildly with joy. The lady still had her in her heart.

There's no way. The new sister Cui is too capable. She is good for nothing except eating and following the young lady around.

Cui Yuanchang went out to the yard and asked the cleaning servant to come and help, and a white board was quickly made.

Before leaving, Song Yanjin picked up a few pieces of charcoal from under the stove and took them away.

In the teacher's resting yard, Qingmu and the servant quickly set up the whiteboard and turned to leave.

The height was just right. Song Yan was drawing a grid on the white board using charcoal wrapped in brocade paper. Cui Yuanchang, who was standing behind him, was confused.

Without thinking about anything else, Cui Yuanchang continued, "Miss, I suggest you lock up the warehouse in the backyard of the cafeteria. A grain of rice is as precious as gold. We don't need to worry about thieves stealing it, but we need to worry about thieves thinking about it."

(End of this chapter)