Country Maiden: Fields and Fortune

Chapter 617: Chapter 617, Cherish the Opportunity (3 updates)

Genuine sincerity, in the end, skipped like a stone across the water.

"Let them be. After all, they are to be pitied. If I were to seek return on every investment, that would be too dull!" Xie Zhinuan smiled.

As she raised her eyes to the blue sky and white clouds, she whispered softly and faintly, "I’m not short on money!"

She merely thought that a reward would be best, but it didn’t matter if there wasn’t one.

She simply didn’t want her life to be lived in vain.

"This notice has been posted for several days; how come no scholars have come to apply?" Xie Zhinuan wondered.

"That is strange indeed!" Aunt Chen replied.

To think, back in Fengping County, it wasn’t long after posting the notice that people came forward, and Xie Zhinuan had carefully selected a teacher.

But now several days had passed...

Could there be some trickery at play here?

Xie Zhinuan called for a guard and sent him to check the place where the notice was posted.

Soon, the guard returned, reporting that he had not seen the notice at all.

"Was it covered by other postings?" Xie Zhinuan asked.

"No, it seems to have been torn down!"

"..."

Xie Zhinuan’s brow furrowed.

Torn down?

She personally wrote a few more notices, instructing the man not to post them, but rather to stand in bustling areas, shouting out the message so that word of mouth would do its work.

Within half an hour, two scholars arrived.

Xie Zhinuan met with them.

As soon as they opened their mouths, they spoke with airs of righteousness and morality, quoting classics, putting on the appearance of being highly learned. Yet as Xie Zhinuan spoke with them, there was a hint of condescension towards women.

She served them tea as a polite way of sending them off.

Such self-righteous individuals were not suitable for teaching and nurturing others.

Xie Zhinuan tactfully declined their offer.

Both were somewhat surprised, "Miss Xie, won’t you reconsider?"

"No need to consider further. The two scholars’ talent would be wasted on a humble family like mine, teaching just a few children. I daren’t delay such eminent scholars!"

The refusal was polite yet tinged with irony.

Red in the face with anger, the two stormed off.

After leaving, they spread the word that Xie Zhinuan was very particular; a common scholar could not meet her standards.

Those who were thinking of trying hesitated.

To come or not? If truly found wanting by Xie Zhinuan, it would be truly embarrassing.

Especially since the monthly stipend was unknown, they watched and were unwilling to come forward.

Xie Zhinuan had no idea that rumors were circulating about her being too discerning, seeking a teacher, yet being fussy.

After the children took their deworming medicine, they had stomachaches at night, queuing up for the latrines. They felt a bit of diarrhea, but in the morning, emptying the chamber pots and seeing the ascarides within, their little faces turned pale with fright.

"Brother Shitou..."

Shitou was silent.

Even the normally brave Shitou was taken aback at the sight of these long, thin worms.

"No, no problem, it’s good that they’re out!"

Indeed it was true; after expelling these worms, they felt hungrier, their appetite better, yearning more for meat and food.

And the food in this residence was truly delicious.

The meat was very fragrant too.

"Brother Shitou, are we really going to give our lives to serve Miss Xie?"

Shitou looked at the brothers before him and asked, "Is the food tasty?"

"Tasty!"

"Are the clothes warm to wear?" Shitou asked again.

"Warm, and comfortable!"

"How about the kang bed, is it comfortable to sleep on?" Shitou continued.

"Comfortable, and the quilts smell so good!"

Shitou smiled, "All these things require silver to have, and she has no kin or reason to spend silver on us for nothing."

"Remember this, when there’s a chance to eat well, do so heartily, and when there’s a chance to learn to read or practice martial arts, do it seriously. After we’ve served Miss Xie, when we leave, we can live better lives!"