Jiapingguan Chronicle

Chapter 2728 Still Vigorous in Old Age 112.0
"Wait a minute!" Xia Jiu interrupted their conversation, pulling Shen Jiu, who was just as uninterested as she was, to her feet. She said, "We really have no interest in these old stories. You two keep talking, we'll be going now."

"Go on!" Chu Han waved his hand. "I just saw you two so bored you were almost asleep. Go and have some fun!"

"Hey, wait for me, you two. I'll come with you." Qi Zhifeng stood up as he saw the two of them about to leave, smiling at everyone. He said, "Actually, I don't like listening to these kinds of stories. They're so dull and tedious, all about scheming and plotting. They're incredibly boring." He walked over to Shen Jiu and Xia Jiu with a smile. "Let's go together. Let's go find Xiao Chengzi to play. We haven't decided who won or lost the game last time. Let's continue."

"it is good."

Xia Jiu responded, then pulled Shen Jiu and Qi Zhifeng to bow to everyone before heading towards Third Master and Old Madam Ning.

As everyone watched the three of them leave hand in hand, they gathered around Third Grandfather and Old Madam Ning, and said something that made the two of them chuckle. They smiled at each other and exchanged a glance.

"They're finally gone." Shen Cha stroked her chin, looked at Shen Haolin, and then at the others. "I was just thinking about what excuse I should come up with to get them to go play with Xiao Chengzi."

“Isn’t this a coincidence?” Xiao Fengqi extended his palm toward her, and the two bumped hands. He said, “I was just thinking about these things. After all, the story I’m about to tell can’t be told in front of these children.”

"Oh, is there anything embarrassing about this story?"

"Don't worry, you'll find out as you listen to the rest."

Chu Han glanced at Shen Haolin and Shen Cha, who seemed lost in thought, raised an eyebrow, and asked, "What are you two thinking about?"

"I'm thinking about what I just said. These children sent to Daxia are all unloved and neglected. Is that really true?" Shen Cha asked, puzzled. "If these are children, once they're sent out, they shouldn't be under their families' control anymore, right?" She looked at the others. "Don't you all think there's anything wrong with that?"

"No problem. No one would really send their precious child out to suffer. They want their favorite and most valued child to stay at home and enjoy a comfortable life. Those who are sent out are either unloved or from a collateral branch of the family. If there are no suitable children in the family who meet the requirements, but they still want to reserve a spot, they will have to choose a suitable one from among their relatives and friends!"

"Huh?" Shen Cha was taken aback. "In the end, this isn't a good thing, so why are people flocking to it?"

"Not a good thing? For them, it's actually a great thing." Xiao Fengqi sighed softly when he saw Shen Cha's still puzzled expression. "Perhaps I didn't explain clearly. This is indeed somewhat similar to the initial nature of Sleep." "You mean, used to consume too many clansmen?"

"To be precise, it's about eliminating potential rivals who could become heirs to the family fortune." Xiao Fengqi smiled at Shen Cha. "Families like ours, the Qi family, and even most of the Yelü family, with their small populations and simple social structures, are actually very rare. Although our regent is not a very good person, there have never been any women in his royal palace. He only has his deceased aunt, the princess, and his only child, Young Master Nan. In the eyes of other families, a family like ours is actually an anomaly."

"If Little Qi were to hear what you said, he would definitely reply, 'They are not outcasts, but they have made a mess of their own lives. They are worried about whether their children are fighting for the position of family head, and they are also thinking about whether to send away the children who are not favored or not to their liking, so as to avoid any future troubles.'"

"Lord Kim is astute, just as he said."

"They live such tiring lives, and they hope others live just as tiring lives as they do." Jin Miaomiao rolled her eyes. "You just mentioned the nature of the Tanuki Project and Mian, and I guessed it. They want harmony and prosperity in the family, so they want to nip any troubles in the bud. That's why the Shi family's plan is exactly what they want, right?"

“I understand.” Shen Cha nodded. “But eliminating the hidden dangers alone probably isn’t enough to excite them so much, is it? There must be some greater interests driving them?”

"Of course!" Xiao Fengqi nodded. "These aristocratic families have always been driven by self-interest. They won't even consider it unless there's a substantial incentive. The Shi family and several other major aristocratic families specifically sent people to Linhuang Prefecture to explain the plan to their relatives. The conditions they offered were extremely tempting. Because my family is also related to the Shi family, my uncles went to listen in and then told their great-aunt about it."

"What's the specific situation?"

“Actually, it was just a pie in the sky. My great-uncle said that no normal person would believe it after hearing it. It’s a pity.” Xiao Fengqi spread his hands. “Those people are not normal.” He poured himself a cup of tea, took two sips slowly to moisten his slightly parched throat, and said, “They said they wanted to build an academy, but it’s a bit too big. Their families’ children are not enough for the academy’s size, so they want to recruit some children from outside.”

"If he said that, wouldn't everyone want to give him their heart?"

"At the time, those people thought the same thing, but what the Shi family said next shattered their idea. The Shi family said that the academy would hire many teachers, both male and female, so both boys and girls could be sent to be students. Moreover, these teachers were all carefully selected, one in a million, and were accomplished in various fields, proficient in classics, history, philosophy, literature, music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Therefore, children sent to their academy would learn many things that ordinary academies could teach, as well as many things that other academies could not teach."

"Things you can't learn?" Jin Miaomiao raised an eyebrow. "Like what?"

"For example, among the teachers in the girls' academy are many very famous singers, dancers, and musicians from Jiangnan." Chu Han took a pastry, took a bite, and chewed slowly as she spoke. "Not only girls from Liao and Jin, but also girls from aristocratic families in Daxia, can enter the girls' academy after passing the examination. They are divided into four classes—spring, summer, autumn, and winter—based on their previous examination results. The spring class is for girls who are good at playing the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting; the summer class is for girls who are good at poetry and prose; and the autumn and winter classes basically cover singing, dancing, and music. The spring and summer classes correspond to the requirements for female officials in the palace and royal residences, while the autumn and winter classes aim for all the dance and music troupes under the jurisdiction of the Jiaofangsi (Imperial Music Bureau)."