Chapter 81: Ji Liantang’s Good News

Chapter 81: Chapter 81: Ji Liantang’s Good News

Ji Xuechan was sitting by the window in the west wing, learning embroidery from Tian Jiao, who had come over for a visit.

Ever since Tian Jiao and Ji Huan had a falling out, these two had surprisingly become the best of friends, telling each other everything.

The uproar in the Ji Family today, as it turned out, was partly related to Tian Jiao.

Ji Huan’s house-building had already cast a dark cloud over the family. When Tian Jiao came over today and was greeting Aunt Kang, she accidentally let it slip that Ji Huan was spending money to hire help.

She even mentioned that the Hu Family might be working for Ji Huan. To top it off, she said with an envious look that since Ji Huan had earned so much money, she must have given Aunt Kang a hefty sum out of filial piety.

Aunt Kang’s face fell instantly. Afterward, the main hall doors were closed, and an earth-shattering argument broke out.

Tian Jiao sat fidgeting in Ji Xuechan’s room, unable to sit still.

"It’s all my fault. If I could just keep my big mouth shut, this wouldn’t have..."

"That’s just how you are, how could this be your fault? You were just telling the truth. That bitch struck it rich and doesn’t give a damn about the Ji Family, acting like we brothers and sisters don’t even exist. Not like you. You always think of me whenever you get something nice."

The new hair flower she was wearing had just been gifted to her by Tian Jiao.

Tian Jiao smiled. Seeing her friend constantly admiring herself in the mirror, she teased, "If you don’t hurry up and find a husband, who are you getting all dolled up for?"

Ji Xuechan’s face immediately turned red.

"You think I don’t want to? It’s my mother. She insists I wait, and wait..."

She was also fifteen this year, the same age as Tian Jiao and Ji Huan, and even a few months older.

Never mind that jinx Ji Huan, who was destined to never marry. But Tian Jiao was already married, yet Mrs. Zhu still wouldn’t budge on her own daughter’s engagement.

Mrs. Zhu was counting on Ji Liantang to pass the exam and become a Scholar. Their branch of the family would rise with the tide, and then Ji Xuechan could marry into, if not a wealthy and prominent household, at least one with land and a shop.

If she were to be betrothed now, who else was there to choose from but those mud-legged peasants in the village? Her whole life would be ruined.

Although Ji Xuechan was anxious, she could only suppress her impatience and wait.

Tian Jiao herself had married one of these so-called "mud-legged peasants," so she felt a pang of discomfort at the words. Still, she pretended it was nothing and chided her, "And you say your mother plays favorites? Isn’t she planning everything out for your benefit?"

Ji Xuechan sneered, "You think she’s really planning this for me? She just wants to sell me off for a good price so there will be someone to pull strings for her precious son in the future."

"Either way, you still benefit. No wonder your fourth uncle isn’t married yet, even though he’s in his twenties. Is he also hoping to become a Scholar and marry the rich daughter of a wealthy family?"

"Of course! My little uncle has high standards. The only daughter of a landlord in West Village took a liking to him, and her dowry alone included over a hundred mu of land. The matchmakers they sent nearly wore our doorstep flat, but my grandma turned them all away every time. As if just anyone can marry into our family!"

Tian Jiao gave a dry laugh. "Of course, the Ji Family’s status is so high..."

Just as she spoke, she caught a glimpse of someone entering the courtyard out of the corner of her eye, followed immediately by the sound of Ji Xuechan calling out, "Fourth Uncle."

In the past, Ji Liantang usually ignored his nieces and nephews, speaking to them with a blank, stony face. But today, he actually smiled at Ji Xuechan and even complimented her on her pretty hair flower.

Ji Xuechan was both surprised and delighted. She lifted her skirts and ran out of the west wing, following Ji Liantang into the main hall.

Tian Jiao, forgotten and left behind, looked around for a moment before following them.

Inside the main hall, the tense, confrontational atmosphere from moments before vanished without a trace at the sound of "Fourth Uncle."

Aunt Kang pulled Ji Liantang over and looked him up and down, then hastily ordered Mrs. Zhu and Yang to go kill a chicken.

For the first time ever, Ji Liantang stopped them. "Father, Mother, don’t worry about dinner just yet. I came back today to tell you some wonderful news."

"No matter how wonderful the news is, you still have to eat. Look at you, you’ve gotten so thin again..." Aunt Kang fretted, her heart aching for him.

Ji Qingshan caught something in his son’s beaming expression and waved his hand to interrupt Aunt Kang. "Fourth Son, hurry up and tell us! What’s the good news?"

Ji Liantang clasped his hands behind his back, cleared his throat, and slowly dropped a bombshell: "Starting tomorrow, I can enroll in the county school as an affiliated student."

"What?" Aunt Kang, Mrs. Zhu, and the others exchanged confused glances. ’What’s so good about that news?’

Only Ji Qingshan understood. He sat up halfway and pressed, "Is it true?"

"Of course, it’s true." Ji Liantang tried his best to maintain his composure but couldn’t stop a smug look from spreading across his face. "Mr. Tan put in a good word for me, and his elder brother, Teacher Tan, personally vouched for me. How could it not succeed?"

Aunt Kang was completely baffled. She looked from one person to another. "Husband, what’s going on? Hurry up and tell me!"

Ji Qingshan’s wrinkled face was blooming with a wide smile. "The county school isn’t a place just anyone can get into. Nine out of ten of the students there have already passed the exam to become Scholars. For a child student to enroll as an affiliate, you need connections..."

"Oh my heavens!" Aunt Kang clapped her hands and exclaimed in astonishment, "Does that mean our son is a Scholar now?!"

Ji Liantang frowned. ’Not only is my mother crude,’ he thought, ’but how can she not even understand something so basic?’

But since he was in a rare good mood today, he patiently explained it to her.

Getting into the county school didn’t mean he was a Scholar yet. He still had to pass next year’s academy examination to be formally enrolled.

By getting in a step ahead, not only could he build his network, but he could also gain other advantages.

Aunt Kang only half-understood, but she grasped one thing clearly: her fourth son was better than everyone else!

"What’s the difference! My son is amazing, that’s what matters. He’s already in the county school, so he’s practically a Scholar already. What’s to fear about getting the other foot in? This will show all those old hags who the most capable person in the Ji Family really is!"

Ji Liantang liked hearing that, so he didn’t mind her vulgar language.

For a moment, the main hall was filled with continuous laughter.

In the first branch of the family, aside from Ji Mingfang, whose expression grew increasingly dark, both Ji Liansong and Yang were happy for him.

The third branch of the family crowded around Ji Liantang, calling him "Fourth Brother" and "Fourth Uncle," taking over the task of patting the dust off his clothes that Aunt Kang used to do.

Mrs. Zhu took the opportunity to complain, "Fourth Brother, you have no idea. It’s a good thing you’ve become so successful. Otherwise, our family would be bullied to death!"

Ji Liantang frowned. "Who dares to bully our family?"

Aunt Kang pushed Mrs. Zhu aside, pulled her son down to sit next to her on the edge of the kang bed, and launched into the story of how Ji Huan was earning money, building a house, and making them the laughingstock of the village.

She finished by grinding her teeth and saying hatefully, "Now that my son is about to become a Scholar, let’s see that jinx act so smug!"

Ji Liantang, however, wasn’t surprised after hearing this. "No wonder they set up a stall in town. So they were making money by selling food..."

"What did you say?" Aunt Kang’s ears were sharp, and her voice was even sharper. "They set up a stall in town?!"

Ji Liantang nodded. "They’re selling some ’golden combo’ of hot and spicy soup and fried dough sticks. It’s quite famous in town. I hear business is very good."

Aunt Kang immediately started gasping with rage. "How come that jinx and the Hu Family get all the good luck?"

Mrs. Zhu, also dying of envy, squeezed in and asked, "That hot and spicy soup and fried dough sticks thing, who did they learn it from? How much money do they make a day? How did that bitch get so lucky? Ever since she got involved with the Hu Family, she’s been living the good life."

In the end, whether it was Aunt Kang or the other members of the Ji family, they were simply furious that Ji Huan had money and was building a house. The better that jinx’s life became, the more the old Ji family would be singled out for comparison.

As for the claim that the food stall was Ji Huan’s business and the Hu Family were just helping out, nobody really believed it.

’What could a young slip of a girl like her possibly accomplish on her own?’

’The Hu Family must have stumbled into some bizarre stroke of luck, and that jinx was just along for the ride.’