Medicine Master Disciple’s Cultivation Notes

Chapter 83: The Inner Household Expert, Governess Zhang

"Can't she learn all of it?"

Sister Zhang smiled without reply.

Boss Tang's expression became awkward.

He realized he had asked a rather foolish question.

Did he not know perfectly well what his own daughter was like?

Boss Tang cleared his throat and said, "I've made Sister Zhang laugh. Truth be told, I haven't thought that far ahead. I'm not counting on her to rise to great heights or attach herself to powerful families. I just want her to learn some basic manners and common sense, so she doesn't go out and make a spectacle of herself and get looked down on. Beyond that, reading more books to broaden her horizons, so she can't be easily taken in and deceived by people."

Sister Zhang nodded, appearing to be turning this over in her mind.

When the client set their sights too low, that wasn't always a good thing. You couldn't find an excuse to negotiate a higher price.

"In that case... ten taels a month is sufficient for me. If the master of the house is not satisfied within three months, I will return every coin."

That was actually quite a high price to name. The women Li Qiuchen had hired at the labor market for heavy housework were each paid only a hundred and twenty wen a month.Sister Zhang had great confidence in her own abilities, but her understanding of the employer's financial resources was not yet deep enough.

"There's no need for that. Sister Zhang has come from the capital, and in terms of experience and perspective alone, you surpass those of us from the countryside a hundredfold. That is something money simply cannot buy."

Boss Tang settled the matter on the spot, "From now on, you will be the governess of the inner household. I will start you at twenty taels a month, increasing year by year. I leave my daughter's affairs entirely in the hands of Governess Zhang and Manager Li. I'll say it again as I said before, I have no great ambitions for her. As long as she doesn't suffer unfair treatment and doesn't embarrass herself, that is enough."

Zhang Shaoyao was overjoyed and rose to bow in gratitude.

Li Qiuchen understood completely what she must be feeling at that moment.

Compared to that Young Master Tu who neither spoke like a normal person nor possessed a shred of human feeling, Boss Tang's manner of conducting himself was practically worthy of a sage.

Who wouldn't like a boss like that?

Zhang Shaoyao had arrived with her bedding rolled up and tucked under her arm, fully confident she would be staying. Even so, she hadn't anticipated that the back courtyard of the Tang residence would be quite so... spacious and empty.

"The young miss is the only one living in the back courtyard at the moment. You may choose whichever room you like."

"Surely with Master Tang's means, he can't be so short on funds that he can't even hire a maid or two?"

"It's mainly that we've only just arrived and don't know anyone here yet. We weren't sure where to go to find people."

"Alright, leave that matter to me. You don't need to worry about it."

Zhang Shaoyao followed Li Qiuchen on a circuit of the courtyard, nodding in approval as she looked around, and then couldn't help her curiosity, "The young miss's birth mother, did she not come with Master Tang?"

"I'm not entirely clear on that myself. From what I've heard, Rakshasa ghost women hold very high standing. The young miss's birth mother is said to be a camp chief of some kind over there. The way I understand it, that would be similar to the position of a tribal chieftain."

"I see. So now that Master Tang has returned... has he not considered taking a concubine on this side?"

Women were born with a natural love of gossip.

Li Qiuchen glanced at her and said without changing his expression, "That is the master's private affair. It wouldn't be appropriate for us to inquire."

"For you it's a private affair. For me it's part of the job. These things must be asked clearly."

Zhang Shaoyao pointed to the rooms in the back courtyard and said, "The affairs of the inner household are far more complicated than you might think. Since the mistress of the house is still living, whether she comes here or not, a proper sleeping chamber must be prepared and kept ready for her."

"If Master Tang wishes to take a concubine in the future, she cannot be housed in the same courtyard as the young miss. Having them too close together will breed trouble."

"We may be a modest household and can't compare to the great mansions of the capital, but the necessary staff must be in place. When you go to the labor market to recruit, absolutely do not hire single individuals. Only recruit local farming families with household members to support. The men can work in the front courtyard, pulling carts and keeping the gate. The women can cook, wash, and clean in the back courtyard. Families with children are ideal. Boys can serve as attendants following the master of the house, and girls can be placed in the back courtyard as maids..."

Now that was what you called professionalism.

Li Qiuchen listened with cold sweat breaking out. Things he had found entirely overwhelming to even begin tackling, Governess Zhang laid out clearly and completely in just a few sentences.

"Has the young miss studied before?"

"She has not."

"Does she know how to read?"

"She does not."

Zhang Shaoyao looked at Wulala, whose large eyes blinked with clear and lively brightness, and after a few silent seconds shook her head and said, "Then there's no need to rush finding a private tutor just yet. Elementary literacy first, then we'll see. I'll draw up a reading list for you. Go to the bookshop and bring back the books. Start with the Three Character Classic and the Thousand Character Text. I can teach her these foundational things myself. Otherwise it wouldn't be worth the salary the master is paying me."

Wulala chewed on her finger and muttered quietly, "I don't want to study..."

Li Qiuchen coaxed her, "I'll study with you. If you recite your lessons well, there will be rewards."

"Alright then."

Seeing that her young miss was not the sort of incorrigibly willful and unmanageable personality she had feared, Zhang Shaoyao quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

Of course it wasn't only about studying. I'm also counting on her as a stepping stone.

Li Qiuchen asked in an offhand tone, "I've heard that the county school has some outstanding teachers?"

Zhang Shaoyao replied, at a loss for words, "With the young miss at her current level, what difference does the teacher make?"

"Could it be that the county school doesn't accept female students? As you heard the master say just now, he has no great expectations of how much the young miss learns. Going to the county school to absorb the atmosphere of study and broaden her horizons would be more than enough."

"That's not the issue. As long as a student is sufficiently accomplished, they won't turn away female pupils."

Zhang Shaoyao glanced at Wulala and said, "The county school is divided into an outer hall and an inner hall. The outer hall is no different from any other private school. As for the inner hall, without passing the children's examination first, even if you pay your way in, you may not be able to follow what the teachers are saying. The young miss... there's no need to be in such a rush. Forcing her in before she's ready might breed a resentment toward learning, which would be a poor outcome."

The unspoken meaning was clear: your young miss simply isn't the material for that, so let her learn to read properly before going any further.

Li Qiuchen thought to himself that whether she was the material or not was beside the point. What mattered was that his own needs were pressing.

The children's examination was held each year after the start of spring. He had made no preparations for this year and would almost certainly miss it. He had originally planned to use Boss Tang's financial power to get himself admitted, but had overlooked the problem of Wulala having absolutely no foundation whatsoever.

What kind of parents raised their child so freely that she was approaching ten years old with a mind still completely blank?

Truly untroubled hearts.

With the matter of study settled, Zhang Shaoyao had also chosen her room, right next to Wulala's bedchamber.

Li Qiuchen was just about to ask if she needed any household items, when he watched her undo her small bundle, reach inside, and produce a spirit tablet, which she set down on the table with great reverence.

On the tablet were carved the words, "Compassionate Medicine Master, Immortal Ancestor of Eternal Life..."

Li Qiuchen stared in silence.

His blood pressure was becoming somewhat difficult to control.

Sister, are you really doing this without even trying to hide it?

Zhang Shaoyao pressed her palms together and bowed three times before the tablet. When she turned around and saw Li Qiuchen backing toward the doorway, she smiled and said, "I came in quite a hurry this time and didn't bring incense. Could I trouble little Manager Li to buy some sandalwood incense for me tomorrow?"

Li Qiuchen was screaming internally. I knew there had to be a reason Tu Feiyun had his eye on you!

"Sister, the thing you're worshipping..."

"Don't worry. Burning incense and kneeling in prayer isn't against the law."

So you yourself know perfectly well this is something out of the ordinary?

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