“Have you had lunch? Let me make some dumplings for you to eat. Today I chopped some meat stuffing. I was going to make dumplings, but now I can make dumplings very quickly.” Liao Shi said.

“I just ate at Su Ji.”

Ren Jianbai put his bag on the table, “Mom, you don’t have to work anymore.”

“Just eat it.” Liao Shi said with a smile on his face, “This time how many days will you stay at home?”

“I think I can stay for two days.”

Liao Shi paused slightly as she took out the clothes for Ren Jianbo to change from her bag, “Just two days?”

“I was already nervous about county school homework. I passed the test this year and will compete next year. My teachers also take it very seriously and urge me to study hard every day.”

Ren Jianbai said, “Originally, I also wanted to stay in the county school and not come back. It’s just that the weather is getting colder and I’m worried that you don’t have enough money here, so I came back.”

“This is the subsidy silver issued by the county school, plus the money I earned from copying books and writing poems. Mom will take it as a gift first and keep it for home expenditure.”

A small bag of broken silver weighing about ten taels was taken out.

Liao Shi waved her hands repeatedly, “I still have money to spend at home. Normally I am alone and don’t eat or drink much. You should keep it.”

Studying requires a lot of money.

Although Ren Jianbai often ranked among the best in the county school because of his diligent study and talent, he not only did not have to pay the required fee in the academy but also received government subsidy money every month. Plus his master loved him, and books and ink were often given to him.

Therefore, Ren Jianbai did not spend much money on studying.

However, within the county school, besides studying, there were often some necessary social engagements, such as drinking tea and alcohol. Moreover, as a scholar, his attire couldn’t be too casual.

In short, money was needed everywhere.

“I still have some here, enough for my daily needs.” Ren Jianbai put the silver into Liao Shi’s hand, “Master said that the weather is getting colder this month, and he is planning to apply for more subsidy silver to be distributed by the county school every month.”

“In addition, Master Lu wanted to ask me to teach his grandson to read. I only need to go once every three days. I agreed. From now on, I can earn another six taels of silver every month.”

“Mother, don’t fuss over my food and clothing. Otherwise, if others notice and think I’m neglecting my duties as a son, it might tarnish my reputation as well.”

“I understand.” Liao Shi nodded and then took the money.

She took out the clothes for changing from the bag and carried them to the courtyard for washing. While washing, Liao Shi added some soapberry liquid that she had prepared herself.

In this way, clothes could be washed cleanly.

Ren Jianbai packed up his pen and ink books and placed the small square table in a well-lit area in the corridor.

He didn’t read or practice calligraphy. Instead, he sat at the table and meditated on a piece of rice paper for a long time. Then he took the brush next to him, dipped enough ink in the inkstone, and put pen to paper.

In addition to studying, Ren Jianbai was also very good at chess and painting.

At this time, with just a few strokes, a delicate and graceful image appeared on the paper.

It was just that the person in the painting had a beautiful face, raised eyebrows, and a sweet smile on the corners of her lips. The movement of holding flowers was even more charming, but the only place where the eyes should be was still blank.

Ren Jianbai’s hand holding the brush paused again and again, but he still couldn’t finish painting.

Such a pair of eyes as deep as a pool of water and as bright as stars, he couldn’t draw them well…

Ren Jianbai sighed and finally put the brush aside.

Liao Shi rubbed the clothes in the basin with gentle movements.

——

Su Yujin has been a little troubled these days.

Because she wandered around the county town for several days and found no suitable business opportunities.

Su Yujin felt heartbroken when she thought that the hundreds of taels of silver lying quietly in her dowry box could not be invested and that she was losing money by leaving it there.

As a result of the heartache, Su Yujin started retaliatory consumption; going to the grocery store to buy various seasonings suitable for cooking and handy kitchen utensils.

No, not some, many.

There were so many that Ai Cao felt very strenuous when carrying the bamboo basket in her hand.

However, she refused to show her incompetence in front of Miss. She just gritted her teeth, held the bamboo basket, and followed Su Yujin step by step.

Su Yujin suddenly stopped.

Ai Cao, who was carrying a bamboo basket, almost hit her.

“Miss, why did you stop?”

“There seems to be someone making trouble in front of us.”

Su Yujin looked around and, upon seeing the signboard hanging high above the shop, exclaimed, “It seems to be Madame Zhou’s medicinal herbs shop.”

As soon as the words fell, Su Yujin saw Li Shi’s figure in the crowd. Through the gaps in the crowd, one could perceive the anxiety and forced composure on her face.

Someone was causing trouble in the medicinal materials store. Was it because the medicinal materials were of poor quality?

Su Yujin thought for a while and walked a few steps quickly, “Let’s go and take a look.”

“Miss, wait for me.” Ai Cao picked up the things and started running hard.

The two of them arrived at the door of Zhou Ji one after another and saw a middle-aged woman sitting in the open space surrounded by the crowd with a teenage girl.

The little girl’s face was flushed, her eyes were closed, and she was sitting slumped in the woman’s arms. On such a cold day, her forehead was sweating, and her hair was sticking to her skin.

The woman, in an agitated state, cried loudly while shouting at Li Shi, “My daughter, after taking the herbs from your medicinal herbs shop, turned into this state. She’s in a worse condition than before, and now she has fainted.”

“The doctor next to this prescription has also seen it and only said that there is nothing wrong. A few days ago, I grabbed a medicine from a nearby place, and I was worried that the medicinal properties of the medicine in the small pharmacy were not as good as those in Zhou Ji. It was so good that I grabbed the second piece of medicine from Zhou Ji, but something happened after eating it. I dare you to say that it is not the problem of your Zhou Ji medicinal materials store?”

“It must be that the quality of the herbs you sell is poor. You sold us ordinary folks those herbs that have lost their medicinal properties or have gone moldy, and that’s why this happened!”

“Your Zhouji Medicinal Materials Store is a complete black shop!”

After the woman yelled, she covered her face again and cried bitterly.

The little girl in her arms was probably awakened by the woman’s roar and crying. She opened her eyes faintly, opened her chapped and pale lips again and again, and uttered a few words with difficulty, “Mom, I, am I going to die?”

“You won’t die, you won’t die. My Baozhu will definitely not die.” The woman pressed her chin against the girl’s forehead, her voice filled with tears.

Everyone around them couldn’t help but wipe away tears.

“It’s really pitiful.”

“A child carried for ten months, brought into the world with all one’s might, and now, because of a dose of medicine, her life is hanging by a thread…”

“If you ask me, this Zhou Ji Medicinal Herbs Shop is truly despicable. Using spoiled herbs, isn’t that causing harm to people’s lives?”

“A healer should have a compassionate heart. Those who sell medicinal herbs should be responsible. This Zhou Ji, truly despicable!”

“…”

Li Shi’s face gradually became a little darker amidst the indignation of the people around her.

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