Chapter 1508: Chapter 1508: Educating Students
Zhulan touched the children’s foreheads. The doctor didn’t find anything wrong. All the children ate the same food, and if it were poisoning, it shouldn’t just affect twenty kids. Since it’s all cooked in one big pot, if there was an issue, it would affect everyone.
The doctor conducted a thorough check and confirmed that the children would be fine after taking medicine and resting for the night.
The women cooking were extremely nervous. They were all from nearby villages, and food shortages were common these days. Working at the estate kitchen meant they could eat until they were about seventy percent full. Though they couldn’t bring food home, their monthly wages were paid in grain. This allowed them to take grain home to feed their families and even earn a little extra. Many villagers envied them.
A few women entered, one of them in charge of the kitchen, cautiously saying, "The food was prepared to ensure everyone eats to seventy percent fullness. It’s the same daily, and we didn’t add anything wrong."
These women were around forty years old, with a lifetime of experience. They wouldn’t mistake wild greens for the wrong ones. They were genuinely baffled by the incident.
Zhulan gestured for Steward Wang to bring people to investigate. The kitchen hadn’t made mistakes, and poisoning seemed unlikely since it didn’t affect everyone. She turned to Qing Xue and instructed, "Go check it out."
Qing Xue nodded and left, coming back shortly. She reported, "Two groups of children gathered some herbs, exchanged them with the doctor for a few copper coins, secretly went to the village to buy potatoes, and roasted them outside. Here are the potatoes found."
Zhulan immediately understood. In ancient times, people ate potatoes without peeling them, washing them briefly to cook with the skin. They wouldn’t waste a thing and even ate sprouted potatoes. Only after repeated poisoning incidents did they learn to be more cautious. Later, they avoided eating sprouted ones or delicately removed the sprouts before thoroughly cooking them.
The children likely undercooked the potatoes and couldn’t bear to waste the spoiled parts, thus causing poisoning.
Steward Wang remarked, "The estate’s food supply has been decent. Though there are frugal orders from within the palace, we’ve never skimmed or withheld food. Why would these kids secretly roast potatoes?"
Zhulan explained pragmatically, "Growing boys can eat their families into poverty. Look at the children in these two groups — they’re all boys around eleven or twelve years old. With no fats in their diet, they eat more but don’t stay full."
Her civilian orphanage couldn’t compare to the Imperial Orphanage, which could afford to serve meat once a month. She had to rely on herself here.
At the beginning, a significant donation in silver coins allowed her to build the estate, leaving some funds aside. If the capital became self-sufficient this year, other provinces could start absorbing orphans gradually.
Everything had to be meticulously calculated.
Zhulan cooked millet and red dates from home into porridge. With so many children, each got a thin bowl of porridge. The leftover millet was reserved for the twenty poisoned children to help them recover.
At dinnertime, Ming Rui arrived—he had ridden over. Zhulan asked, "Why are you here?"
Ming Rui replied, "I was worried about Grandma. After school, I packed up and came over."
Zhulan sighed, "You child, I’m heading back tomorrow, and the kids are fine now."
Ming Rui said, "Still, Grandma, I couldn’t rest easy. Ming Jia and the others wanted to come, but I wouldn’t let them. Grandma, I brought some food for you."
Zhulan gestured at the table, "I’ve already eaten. You hurried over without eating, didn’t you? Keep it for yourself."
She had eaten the same food as the orphanage children—a bowl of thin porridge, a potato pancake, and some wild greens.
Ming Rui spotted the leftovers on the table and said, "Then I’ll eat what Grandma eats."
Zhulan replied, "There’s nothing left. The kitchen pots are empty. Eat the snacks you brought."
Ming Rui had brought plenty of food, including a piece of meat. After asking Qing Xue about Grandma’s dinner, he knew she wouldn’t eat alone. He instructed his young servant to send the meat to the kitchen to be added to tomorrow morning’s porridge, providing some flavor for the children.
At the Marquis Zhou Residence, Zhou Shuren returned to find a letter and hear the news sent back. At least it wasn’t a premeditated incident. He worried his wife wasn’t eating or sleeping well and remembered she didn’t pack anything for herself before leaving. His only comfort was that Ming Rui had been thorough.
Zhulan, however, wasn’t as Zhou Shuren imagined—hungry or sleepless. She had eaten dinner and even visited the children before nightfall. The girls were obedient, and the boys behaved well. Orphans tend to mature early from seeing the cold realities of life, and orphans in ancient times cherished their chance to survive even more.
Perhaps exhausted, Zhulan slept remarkably well that night. The next morning, she awoke to sounds of commotion in the courtyard, spotting Ming Rui commanding some boys to carry rabbits.
Zhulan asked, "Did you catch those this morning?"
Ming Rui replied, "Yes, the young servant and I are skilled. We tried our luck this morning and found some."
Zhulan scolded gently, "You, look at yourself—your clothes are soaked. Go change."
Ming Rui responded, "Okay."
Breakfast included porridge augmented with Ming Rui’s meat. The children ate carefully, savoring every bite with satisfied expressions. Even sick kids sat up to eat. Though only a borrowing of flavor, and not substantial oiliness, the porridge was palatable for them.
After breakfast, the children washed their dishes and prepared for lessons.
That day happened to be serendipitous. Rong Enqing arrived early for class, and Zhulan decided not to rush back home. Accompanied by her grandson, she sat in on the lesson.
Farmhands working outside even gathered at the windows for a chance to learn—being literate was an incredible rarity for commoners.
The blackboard used for teaching was Zhulan’s idea. She had it custom-made—a large board with big characters visible to all.
Rong Enqing didn’t just teach literacy; he also told stories. Zhulan attentively listened, intrigued.
Zhulan turned her head and remarked, "Rong Marquis delivers lessons well."
Her grandson’s eyes unexpectedly sparkled—something she had never seen in Ming Rui before.
Coming back to himself, Ming Rui said, "Grandma, educating and nurturing others is noble."
Zhulan gave a thoughtful "Mm."
She recalled Ming Rui teaching children during his trip out of the capital with the Crown Prince. Could it be an interest taking root?
Meanwhile, at the Ministry of Revenue, Zhou Shuren stared at a stack of Zhezi applications for silver—all requesting funds. The largest claims came from Prince Liang and Rongchuan, both needing silver for construction. Though the nation possessed a mountain of gold, it couldn’t be utilized. With food shortages driving up prices, further silver devaluation would leave the people destitute.
But where could he conjure silver from? Southern provinces affected by last year’s floods hadn’t been able to collect taxes, relying entirely on financial aid from the ministry. Washed-away dikes needed repair—it was relentless demands for funds everywhere.
When all the ministry doctors arrived, Zhou Shuren opened the discussion. "You’re all aware of today’s court meeting. Prince Qin requires the Ministry of Revenue to dispatch someone to the grasslands. Who’s willing to go?"
No one proactively responded; no one wanted the hardship. Some doctors had entered the room avoiding eye contact altogether.
Zhang Jinghong was tempted but hesitated, eventually taking a gamble. "This subordinate is willing to go."
Seeing the relief on everyone else’s faces, Zhou Shuren rolled his eyes inwardly. Addressing Zhang Jinghong, he said, "Noted. You all may leave."
Zhang Jinghong was the last to leave but returned shortly after. "My lord, this subordinate is sincerely willing to go. Please advocate for me."
A father of only one son, he needed to plan for his future and couldn’t afford to miss this opportunity—it was truly rare.