Transmigrated into the role of the matriarch, I ensured my family had enough to eat and wear during

After the eighty students finished their exams, they left one after another. Tang Chengyu and Lu Hao stayed in the school to calculate scores and assign classes.

The two worked for most of the hour, dividing the students into two classes, A and B, with forty students in each class, and posting the list on the classroom door.

The students rushed forward to watch, all of them excited.

Yang Xiaobao was first in Class A, Yang Gousheng was second, and Yang Zhimao was third.

Yang Dafu ranked first in Class B, and Deng Xiaomao ranked second.

Tang Chengyu announced the reward rules in public: the top three students in Class A and Class B will receive a reward, and those who show the most significant improvement will also receive a reward.

Yang Gousheng immediately protested, frowning as he said, "There were only three abacus problems this time. I didn't get to use my strengths at all. It's not fair!"

Pointing to the list, he said firmly, "I will definitely take first place back next time!"

Yang Xiaobao, not to be outdone, immediately challenged him: "I won't let you surpass me!"

Looking at the lively scene, Tang Chengyu reflected on his own actions.

The imperial examinations did not emphasize arithmetic, but most of the village children went to school not for the purpose of taking the imperial examinations.

Being able to do arithmetic means you can become an apprentice in a shop, which is much better than farming.

He promised on the spot that the number of arithmetic questions would be increased in the next assessment.

Back home, he quietly made up his mind to study the "Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art" again. As a teacher, he needed to have solid knowledge in order to convince his students.

Before long, a group of village women carrying grain sacks and other items poured into the school.

They came to pay the tuition fees they owed Tang Chengyu. White rice, millet, eggs, white flour, cloth, firewood, vegetarian buns, and pork were piled up all over the ground.

After putting down their things, the village women, fearing that Tang Chengyu wouldn't accept them, turned and ran away.

Tang Susu helped to count: 70 catties of white rice, 130 catties of millet, 30 eggs, 2 catties of pork, and 9 pieces of linen cloth, which, when converted, were worth about one tael of silver.

Tang Chengyu, however, planned to sell these items and give the money to the village head to build a school.

He said he could earn four hundred coins a month by copying books, which was enough for his travel expenses to take the imperial examination.

Tang Susu quickly advised, "The village head is organizing the whole village to build a mud-brick school, so this little bit of money isn't a problem. You're going to take the imperial examination, and your travel expenses, food, lodging, and writing materials will be substantial. You should keep this for yourself."

Tang Chengyu insisted on refusing, and Tang Susu admired his selflessness.

Meanwhile, construction on the Tang family's new house is progressing at an astonishing speed.

Nearly fifty workers worked day and night to complete the foundation and deliver the bluestone bricks.

The foundation was built with bluestone bricks, and then an earthen brick wall was built on top. The entire wall was completed in three days.

The new house is a large enclosed courtyard with four rooms on each of the east and west sides, plus four more rooms in front, for a total of sixteen rooms, each of which is spacious and bright.

The rear section also includes a kitchen, outhouse, and bathhouse, far exceeding the villagers' expectations.

When asked why she built such a large house, Tang Susu smiled and explained, "As the children grow up, they will get married and have more children in the future, so the population will only increase. Therefore, the house must be built in one go."

Just then, Granny Zheng walked over and said in a sarcastic tone, "Miss Su is really particular. She even built a separate bathroom and toilet for her house. What a waste of money."

Tang Susu didn't even lift her eyelids, and retorted directly: "It's better to be decent than to invite a wolf into the house. Young Master Song and Young Master Jin were living comfortably at the village head's house, but someone invited them to their home, and in the end, they lost both their money and their loved ones."

As soon as these words were spoken, all the villagers' eyes fell on Granny Zheng, and murmurs arose.

Mrs. Zheng was both angry and aggrieved, but she dared not reveal the truth—she had deliberately asked Luo Cuiju to seduce Song Zhifeng, and then kick down the door to force him into marriage.

Who knew that Song Zhifeng would get dressed, take his entourage, and flee overnight, denying everything?

Now Luo Cuiju is constantly crying and making a scene at home, and she has become the laughing stock of the whole village.

Granny Zheng's face turned ashen, and she declared, "Tomorrow I'll go to Qianjiang Town and cause trouble, I'll make sure the Song family loses face!"

Tang Susu ignored her and turned to discuss the details of the earthen bed with Yang Feicheng.

She pointed to the blueprints and explained: The earthen kang has smoke and fire channels inside, so it is essential to prevent smoke leakage. Windbreak walls and wind-facing walls should be added to the stove and chimney.

Many villagers gathered around out of curiosity, all thinking it was a new type of earthen bed.

Tang Susu patiently explained: This is a traditional earthen kang (heated brick bed), with a fire inside for ventilation and smoke extraction, specifically for heating in winter.

She laughed and said that she was afraid of the cold, so she built it first, and other villagers could follow suit if they wanted to.

Grandma Deng chimed in, saying, "It's good for the back of the elderly to sleep on a hard kang (heated brick bed), it's warm and comfortable."