Reborn as a Landlord-Chapter 1694 - 864: Kai Ming Academy (Part 2)
In the evening, the eldest of the Lu family personally came over to invite the Wu family and Lian Manman’s family to dinner. When tenant farmers hold events, they typically have a main meal at noon, and in the evening, they invite a few more tables to continue the celebration. The guests at these tables are usually very close and important people, as well as those who have put in a lot of effort and provided a lot of help. Apart from celebrating, it’s also to express gratitude.
Lian Manman’s family and the Wu family were, of course, among the invited. This time, Lian Zhizhi also came along. The evening had fewer people, unlike the noisy noon, and since they were all family, it didn’t matter if Lian Zhizhi, even though she was pregnant, came to sit for a while.
Moreover, since Zhang Caiyun was getting married, Lian Zhizhi, no matter what, had to come and see the Lu family.
After the banquet, when it started getting dark, Lian Manman and Lady Zhang took Xiao Qi home first. As for Lian Shouxin and Wu Lang, since the male guests wanted to drink, they only left and went home around lighting time.
For the evening’s bridal chamber revelry, Lian Manman and the others, being close relatives, naturally wouldn’t attend.
"...Just this one precious girl, married into a good family, her grandparents can finally feel at ease..." Lady Zhang sighed with emotion.
Three days after Zhang Caiyun and Lu Bingwu returned to their parents’ home, after visiting Burner Pot Village, the next day, the Lu family prepared four gifts, and the young couple went to Thirty Mile Camp to kowtow to Lian Shouxin and Lady Zhang.
This is not part of the custom. The Lu family doing this naturally shows their value and respect for this relationship/marriage.
Lian Shouxin and Lady Zhang were very happy, gave the young couple a red envelope, and prepared a sumptuous meal to entertain them, just like when Lian Zhizhi returned home, and only let the young couple leave in the evening.
After organizing Zhang Caiyun’s wedding, suddenly, it was the opening day for Kai Ming Academy.
The opening of Kai Ming Academy was set for the twelfth of February.
The academy had already been renovated with rows of brand-new desks and chairs. The classrooms were also equipped with heated walls and a coal stove installed to ensure "neither the teachers nor the children would freeze."
Originally, Lian Manman’s family planned to keep it quiet, without much fanfare; the classrooms would be tidied up, the teachers invited, and as soon as the students arrived, they would start classes. But in the end, things didn’t go as planned.
Lian Manman’s family was doing such a great charitable act, and neighboring gentry and officials all expressed their desire to participate.
The first to arrive was Scholar Wang, who presented two envelopes of silver, telling Lian Shouxin and Wu Lang that he wanted to contribute to the academy. Lian Manman had long made a budget for starting this academy, and with the strength of her family alone, it was already sufficient. However, since Scholar Wang wanted to contribute, it could not be refused.
Frankly speaking, if they refused Scholar Wang, from then on, they and Scholar Wang’s family, and possibly the entire Wang Family Clan, would become enemies.
Living in the same land, among neighbors, a great charitable act like this should involve everyone, even though it was first initiated by Lian Manman’s family, they couldn’t hog it all.
’Having accepted from Scholar Wang, it couldn’t be refused from those who followed.’
Lian Manman specially prepared a merit book to record everyone’s donations. This merit book also served as an account book, meticulously and truthfully recording where each donation was spent, not missing a single cent.
This merit book was also public; anyone who contributed could review it.
Besides hiring Master Qu as the enlightenment teacher, Kai Ming Academy also invited an old accountant by the surname Liu to teach arithmetic. Lian Manman handed this account book to Liu the Accountant to keep records on.
"In the future, let’s mark where the money is spent as well. For instance, if we build a pavilion in the academy using the donations, we will engrave the donors’ names on it then," said Lian Manman.
Although there are these donations, the main funding and the total management power of the academy remained in the hands of Lian Manman’s family.
Especially the latter, Lian Manman had never intended to compromise on. Naturally, no one really proposed to meddle in the academy’s specific affairs. Having taken a step back on donations, Lian Manman’s family gave everyone sufficient respect. No one would be so tactless as to upset them in return.
With the participation of these people, the opening ceremony of Kai Ming Academy turned lively.
According to the customs of Jinyang County, an event of such magnitude should have a bit of pomp and circumstance. Lian Manman and Wu Lang discussed and decided to hire a Yangko dance team simply. The opening of the academy was itself an exciting affair, with many officials and gentry present, so not only were there students’ parents, but each village also sent quite a few people to witness the event.
Men, women, children, young girls, and young wives surrounded the academy three deep inside and outside.
Wang Youheng rushed back from Jinyang County Town, representing the entire Imperial Doctor Wang’s family and donating silver coins. In recent years, due to some family matters, Wang Youheng had rarely stayed in town. However, his relationship with Lian Manman’s family had not diminished because of it.
Since today’s occasion was to participate in the academy’s grand opening, Wang Youheng dressed very formally, wearing a stone-blue long robe, which made him look even more graceful.
Everyone was growing up, and Wang Youheng had also become more mature.
Old Jin also came. He donated silver taels and sent his two grandsons, aged six or seven, who were about to be enlightened, to the academy, saying they should "learn a couple of characters" there.
Xiao Long and Xiao Hu were sent two days earlier by Zhang Qingshan and Lady Li from Burner Pot Village. To help the two children not miss home as much and quickly adapt to life at Lian Manman’s, Lady Zhang even kept Lady Li to stay for a few days before sending her back.
Lian Shouxin didn’t forget his promise, sending someone to the old house to bring Liulang to the academy.
... 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂
Seeking a pinky promise. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendation tickets and monthly tickets, as your support is my biggest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)
