Everyone quickly got up and headed towards the communal canteen.
Indeed, on the large stove in the canteen, steaming porridge was simmering, emitting a tempting aroma, while the smell of fried meat patties wafted through the air.
The children were once again on the verge of tears from hunger.
Seeing the scene before her, Gui Xiang's chest swelled with emotion.
She remembered how her husband had always painted a rosy picture for her and the children, telling them that once they reached the south, the weather would be warm, and they would even have meat patties to eat.
She never expected this "pie in the sky" to come true in Phoenix Village after they were mercilessly rejected by Wangchun City.
Every new villager received a bowl of porridge, a meat patty, and a dish of pickled radishes. They ate their breakfast messily.
Because the weather was cool, the hot porridge, once served, quickly became lukewarm, so it didn't burn their mouths.
Although it was porridge, it was thick, almost as substantial as rice, and there wasn't a single wild vegetable in it.
These people hadn't eaten such thick plain white rice porridge in years.
"Even if Village Chief Dai makes me work from dawn till dusk, I'd be willing, as long as I can eat porridge like this."
"Ah, these pickled radishes are too delicious, so crisp and salty."
Some people had been lacking salt for a long time, and eating pickled radishes at this moment was like being injected with adrenaline, instantly invigorating them.
Not to mention the meat patties; as soon as you took a bite, the fat in the minced meat oozed out, making them incredibly fragrant in the mouth.
Xiao Jun ate with his mouth full of grease, devouring it greedily. Several times, he almost choked, but Gui Xiang quickly made him drink some porridge, helping him to swallow the stubborn meat patty.
After breakfast, Gui Xiang thought they would have to start working. To her surprise, they were told to go to the village's public bathhouse at the entrance.
They knew what a public bathhouse was, but what were they going there for?
Upon arriving, they discovered they were there to bathe and get rid of parasites.
Well, they were indebted to the villagers for the food, and their hands were softened by their generosity. At this point, they could only obediently comply.
What surprised them even more was yet to come. After deworming and bathing, they would receive a set of new cotton clothes and a brand-new set of bedding.
Happiness had come too suddenly!
As the new villagers bathed in the public bathhouse, Gu Qingcheng casually measured their loyalty. He found that all of them scored above the acceptable 80 points, with some even reaching the excellent score of 60 points.
In these times, it wasn't difficult to gain loyalty; as long as they were fed well and housed comfortably, it was enough.
From the child-eating they had witnessed along the way to being able to eat their fill now, it was as if they had gone from hell to heaven. How could they not be devoted to Phoenix Village?
Gui Xiang, holding her son Xiao Jun, thanked Gu Qingcheng.
Looking at the frail mother and son, Gu Qingcheng felt a surge of emotion and asked,
"How did you manage to persevere on your journey?"
Gui Xiang wiped away tears and said, "My husband was a scholar. Before we left our hometown, he converted all our family's assets into silver. Half was tied to me, and half to him. On the road, he encountered bandits, and to save us, he unfortunately died.
We had no choice but to continue fleeing famine. We spent the silver as we walked, and by the time we reached Wangchun City, all our silver was gone.
Fortunately, we were taken in by Phoenix Village.
Young Master Gu, we will never forget your great kindness."
Seeing that the woman spoke with refinement, Gu Qingcheng asked,
"Since your husband was a scholar, are you literate?"
"I am literate as well. My father was also a scholar, and my husband was his student. From childhood, I listened to their lectures together. My father often said it was a pity I wasn't born a boy; my knowledge was no less than his students', and I could have participated in the imperial examinations and wouldn't have lost to his disciples."
"I see. It seems you are a sensible person." Gu Qingcheng was pleased and said, "After you and your son have bathed and changed, please come and find me at my place."
"Yes."
Upon hearing Gu Qingcheng's words, Gui Xiang felt a little uneasy, but observing his demeanor, he did not seem wicked, nor did his tone suggest any ill intentions.
Gui Xiang and the others bathed, enjoyed the fragrant shampoo and body wash, and then changed into new cotton clothes.
At this moment, Gui Xiang finally felt like the scholar's wife she used to be.
Looking at her son, who was also fragrant and emanating the scent of body wash, with his skin smooth and clean, she couldn't help but kiss him a few times.
Her son giggled shyly.
The mother and son then held hands and went to find Gu Qingcheng.
Gu Qingcheng hadn't told her where he lived, but Gui Xiang wasn't foolish; she knew how to ask for directions.
Indeed, Young Master Gu was known to everyone in the village. As soon as she asked for directions, someone pointed her towards Gu Qingcheng's residence.
Gu Qingcheng's house, like the wooden houses of the villagers, was not large but was exquisite, with four rooms. Upon entering, there was a hall furnished with a desk made of bamboo and wood.
On the desk was a tea set, and beside it, a charcoal stove. Gu Qingcheng was boiling water, clearly preparing to make tea.
Seeing Gui Xiang and her son enter, he invited them to sit down, then stoked the charcoal fire, making the water in the tea kettle emit white steam faster.
Gu Qingcheng didn't say much. He simply handed Gui Xiang a set of writing implements and asked her to write out a passage from the "Disciples' Way" from memory.
When Gui Xiang saw this, she realized Gu Qingcheng was testing her. She diligently wrote out the "Disciples' Way."
Gu Qingcheng was very satisfied with her elegant and graceful handwriting and the absence of errors in the content. He said,
"The situation is this: our village is planning to establish an academy. We already have a dean, a scholar named Huang Wenming. However, some villagers worry that male and female students mingling might affect each other, so I plan to set up a male academy and a female academy.
I've been lacking a teacher for the female academy, and you've arrived just in time. Would you be willing to be this teacher?"
"I fear I may not be up to the task."
Gui Xiang hadn't expected Gu Qingcheng to want to employ her, and she was overwhelmed with flattered surprise, but she genuinely worried about not being able to teach well.
"Our purpose in setting up the academy is not to have the students participate in the imperial examinations. You just need to teach them to recognize characters and be able to read.
Besides the 20 jin of rice distributed to all villagers, the teacher will receive a monthly salary of two taels of silver, an additional two pieces of preserved meat, and holiday subsidies. What do you think?"
Gui Xiang was both surprised and delighted. She never imagined that her past studies would be useful at this moment. It was truly a silver lining, a way out of her predicament.
She had already mentally prepared herself to work on the farm, and although farming was hard work for her, she was willing to endure any hardship for her son.
She never expected that this way, she wouldn't have to work and could earn a high salary simply by using her knowledge.
"No problem, I'm willing."
Gui Xiang quickly agreed.
To refuse further would be to be affected by false modesty.
"Excellent. I hope the children will no longer be illiterate, and that both boys and girls will be able to read and write.
Please settle in. The village is working hard to build wooden houses. If the wooden houses for your group are good, I will let you and your son be among the first to move in."