CHAPTER 256: CHAPTER 251: SKIPPING CLASS

Although iron woks are expensive, the trend of luxury prevails, and there are plenty of wealthy families willing to spend money to buy them, as long as they captivate their hearts.

Nobles who have tasted stir-fried beef slices find the iron wok truly impressive, so many have stepped forward to purchase from Zhu Chuan.

Zhu Chuan immediately raised the price by one hundred thousand coins, then refused to sell after selling three woks.

Initially, he bought these woks to take back to Shu, but they were unexpectedly expensive, causing his funds to fall short; otherwise, he wouldn’t have resorted to selling iron woks here.

After the New Year, when spring arrives, he plans to take people back to Shu.

Besides iron woks, the most valuable thing he’s taking back is the information from here.

Upon hearing he refused to sell after three woks, Zhao Hanzhang decided to put a wok on the shelves at Treasure Pavilion and added, "After selling one, wait a day before putting another up."

The shopkeeper agreed and asked, "Should we raise the price?"

"No increase, but if someone bids, naturally, the highest bidder wins. However, pay attention," Zhao Hanzhang said, "there must be a first-come, first-served basis. Business must be conducted with integrity."

The shopkeeper understood; if the price wasn’t fixed and guests bid simultaneously, the highest bidder wins.

Zhao Hanzhang quickly put this matter behind her and gathered the village chiefs in the county town to officially announce the details of the holiday reward activities.

With only a few days until the minor New Year, Zhao Hanzhang temporarily organized a soybean product making university at Yushan Hall, where cooks taught villagers brought by the village chiefs to make these soybean products.

They were mostly derivatives of tofu.

Such as soy milk, tofu pudding, dried tofu, tofu puffs, and similar items.

As for bean sprouts, now in Xiping County, elderly women up to eighty years old and children as young as five can make them; it’s the most important vegetable on the dining tables in Xiping County this year.

Most children at Yushan Hall need to attend school, but this doesn’t prevent their eagerness to learn these crafts. As soon as school ends, some children rush from the neighboring school to Yushan Hall, watching the cooks teach the villagers.

There are even a few big kids skipping classes to watch the cooks teach from early in the morning.

One reason Zhao Hanzhang chose to teach at Yushan Hall is because its courtyard is large enough to accommodate many people; also, it has plenty of kitchen utensils, allowing the apprentices’ creations to be consumed at Yushan Hall; additionally, she doesn’t mind if the children at Yushan Hall learn this craft, hoping they master it.

Therefore, when Zhao Cheng came over to accuse, or rather reprimand her, she didn’t dare to argue and silently endured it.

After venting at her, Zhao Cheng drank some water before continuing, "If they don’t want to study, then they shouldn’t. I’ve never seen such delinquent children; having a poor memory is one thing, but daring to skip class is utterly disrespectful, do you understand?"

"Yes, yes, yes," Zhao Hanzhang humbly admitted fault, "It’s all their fault. Uncle, don’t be angry; upsetting yourself isn’t worth it. Wait, I’ll go reprimand them shortly."

Zhao Cheng, seeing her indifferent expression, feared she might overly chastise them. If she expelled them from Yushan Hall in anger, it would be bad, so he amended, "Even though they’re delinquent, it’s not like they have no redeeming qualities."

After thinking for a moment, Zhao Cheng said, "They’re fairly filial; in the school, they often boil water and make tea for the teachers. I heard they also frequently take care of younger children in Yushan Hall."

Zhao Hanzhang solemnly said, "But that doesn’t cover up their mistakes. Uncle, rest assured, I won’t go easy on them."

"Rewards and punishments must be appropriate."

"Don’t worry, I’ll punish them severely!"

"Punish, punish, punish; is that how you teach children?" Zhao Cheng, seeing her so dim-witted that she didn’t grasp his meaning, couldn’t help but angrily berate her, "It’s the parents’ fault for not teaching; you’re their guardian, it’s your fault, do you understand?"

"How do you plan to punish them? Even if you expel them from Yushan Hall, they’re still your citizens. What’s the use of only punishing them? You need to teach, do you understand?"

"Understood, understood," Zhao Hanzhang nodded repeatedly, "I’ll teach them when I get back, Uncle, rest assured."

Only then did Zhao Cheng let out a heavy sigh, nodded at Fu Tinghan sitting at another desk, and got up to leave.

Zhao Hanzhang wiped her forehead, breathed a sigh of relief, and Fu Tinghan, closing his half-open mouth, asked, "Why do you deliberately provoke him?"

Zhao Hanzhang sighed, "I have no choice; Zhao Zheng has been running to me these past two days, saying that Seventh Ancestor is now ambitious and wants to arrange a marriage for Uncle Cheng."

"Uncle Cheng was so angry, he couldn’t sleep all night, literally fumed himself to the point of vomiting. I thought of devising a plan to let him vent his anger, otherwise, he’d surely implode."

Zhao Hanzhang rubbed her chin, "Unexpectedly, at such a coincidence, my plan hadn’t come up, and he was already angry."

So, of course, she needed to let him vent more anger.

Zhao Hanzhang immediately decided, "I’m going to reward those kids who skipped class."

She decided to personally meet these daring children.

Jia Shan was the lead among them, already twelve years old, according to county government regulations, children who turn thirteen must leave Yushan Hall.

He could still stay at Yushan Hall for seven more months until he turned thirteen.

He had seen Zhao Hanzhang, not just once. She occasionally visited Yushan Hall, but her attention mostly focused on the young, sick, and elderly. With so many people in Yushan Hall, he thought she surely didn’t remember him.

She often went to the school to deliver paper and ink to the kids studying inside, especially nice, but he wasn’t good at studying, so he didn’t dare approach.

He didn’t expect Zhao Hanzhang to specifically name them for a meeting.

The children, including Jia Shan, were apprehensive, so nervous their limbs were weak, hearts thumping almost out of their chests.

They knew they were wrong; they shouldn’t have skipped class.

While waiting in the county government yard to be seen, several children had red-rimmed eyes, looking down at the tips of their shoes.

These were new shoes this year, given by the lady. When hall master Chen Si Niang managed to invite her to Yushan Hall for an inspection, shortly after entering the courtyard, a mischievous child happened upon her by crawling in and out of a dog hole to play.

She saw the barefoot child, without even straw sandals, and it was already winter.

Zhao Hanzhang then picked up the small child and called all the children in Yushan Hall to come out for inspection.

Everyone lined up in front of her, and Zhao Hanzhang walked by them one by one, seeing some wearing straw sandals, others in tattered cloth shoes, and many barefoot.

Zhao Hanzhang couldn’t help but sigh; then the first batch of shoes and bedding in the county town was given to Yushan Hall, followed by those outside seeking refuge.

Jia Shan and his companions’ shoes were issued this year, and thinking about possibly being expelled from Yushan Hall filled their hearts with anxiety.