When Qiao Jinniang went back home, her mind was still full of those poor children. Just as the chief said, those children were really pitiful.
If it was a time of war and turmoil, everyone was in danger, and they could only blame bad luck.
But these children were born in times of peace but ended up with such a tragic fate. Just wearing new clothes could even bring them disasters.
“What are you thinking about?” Lu Chen walked to Qiao Jinniang and asked, “Why are you ignoring me? It is rumored that I gave you 10,000 taels of silver to buy a golden tuinga. I heard that Censor Tong impeached you today, but you don’t have to take it seriously. I’ll donate some money to the Foundling Home in your name.”
Qiao Jinniang sighed. “I went to the Foundling Home to donate some money to repair my reputation, but after I saw those poor children, I felt really sad.”
Lu Chen said, “There are always some poor people in this world. Even in times of peace, it is inevitable. Now that the government has allocated money to the Foundling Home, they should be able to be fed and clothed.”
Qiao Jinniang whispered, “I think of Ruyi. Do you still remember her?”
Lu Chen said, “I don’t remember any other woman”‘
Qiao Jinniang said, “Ruyi is my childhood friend. We played together until my parents sent me to school when I was four years old.
“She wanted to go to school too, but she couldn’t afford pens and paper, so she could only ask me to teach her to read and write. At that time, I was too young and didn’t want to touch pens when I got home, so I just asked her to play with me.
“And later, she and I grew distant from each other. And because she was illiterate, she was tricked by a man into signing a contract to sell herself, and she had to serve as a maid.
“If she weren’t illiterate, she wouldn’t have ended up as a poor maid. Maybe literacy is not a big deal, but it can at least save her from a disaster.”
“I remember this matter. The prefect punished that man severely later, right?” Lu Chen asked.
Qiao Jinniang said, “Yeah, but she was once a servant after all, so it was very difficult for her to find a husband. I think it would be nice if I could set up a school for the children in the Foundling Home.
“It will cost at least 50,000 taels of silver to set up a school, and after it’s set up, it will still cost more than 10,000 taels of silver every year.
“I can afford this money, but I wonder if it’s worth it… Wouldn’t it be bad if they still become slaves and maids after they learn how to read and write?’
Lu Chen said, “Even if they become servants and maids, it will be easier to become higher-ranking ones if they are literate.
“Besides, the school can teach not only reading and writing, but also chess, calligraphy, painting and embroidery etc… But if you want to run the school for the long term, it will be more laborious, and this is not something that can be solved just by spending money.
“You have to consider the teachers and so many children’s food, clothing and shelter. If anything bad happens in the school, the reputation of the entire school may also be ruined.”
Qiao Jinniang said, “You’re right. By the way, I heard that after female officials and mammies leave the imperial palace, they will be hired by nobles and wealthy families to teach their daughters. Is it true?”
Lu Chen said, “Yes.”
Qiao Jinniang smiled and said, “Aren’t they ready-made teachers? Those noble and wealthy families only hire them for a period of time, but if I set up a school, those female officials and mammies can live in the school even after their retirement.
“Since they can be female officials in the imperial palace, they must be very good teachers. In terms of their salary, I think I can afford hiring them.”
Seeing Qiao Jinniang so enthusiastic about this, Lu Chen smiled. “Where did you get so much money?”
“Now the daily income of Myriad Taste and Tasty Pavilion is about a thousand taels of silver, and tens of thousands taels for Jewelry Pavilion. I can’t spend so much money alone. Just as mentioned in the novels, the rich should help the poor!”
Lu Chen was startled. “How long has your Jewelry Pavilion been open? Tens of thousands of taels of silver a day?”
Qiao Jinniang nodded. “Yes, if you don’t believe me, you can check the ledger..
Lu Chen flipped through the ledger and clenched his hands, saying angrily, “The daughter of a mere Deputy Minister of Revenue can spend 5,000 taels of silver to buy jewelry> How can it be possible if her father isn’t corrupt? ‘
Qiao Jinniang said, ‘Oh, you are not allowed to read the ledger anymore. Do you want to confiscate all my customers’ properties and put them in jail?”
Lu Chen took the account book from Qiao Jinniang’s hand, held her in his arms and said. “Think about it. If I arrest these corrupt officials, you can still earn the money, and the jewelry will be charged to the state treasury. Isn’t the jewelry still all yours?”
Qiao Jinniang snorted. “But those jewelry have to be picked by the people in the imperial palace first.”
Lu Chen smiled. “Don’t worry. I will intercept all the jewelry from my father’s side.” Qiao Jinniang whispered, “Why do I think it’s not good to do this? It’s a bit like fraud.” Lu Chen smiled and said, “In your account book, most of your customers are from aristocratic families. I will only catch a few big corrupt officials. It will definitely not damage the reputation of your Jewelry Pavilion.”
Qiao Jinniang said, “That’s good.”
After deciding to set up a school, she went to the outskirts of Chang’an to find a manor, which was suitable to build a school.
After Qiao Jinniang bought the manor, she went to find the chief in the Foundling Home and told her about the school.
The chiefs eyes turned red. “County Mistress… running a school will cost a lot. It’s not something that can be done overnight. Even if you spend hundreds of thousands of taels of silver, you may not get anything in return.”
Qiao Jinniang said, Il l don’t want anything in return. I just want to help those poor children. Besides, I’m not short of money. I want to ask you to be the principal of the school, and I will hire many teachers to teach the children to read, write, cook and embroider and other skills.
“There are fish ponds, fruit forests and several acres of fields in the manor, and the children can also cultivate by themselves.
“If you want to give me something in return, after some of them learn how to cook and make pastries, you can ask them to work in my Myriad Taste and Tasty Pavilion.”
The chief knelt down to Qiao Jinniang and said, “County Mistress, thank you for your grace! I don’t know how these children should repay you!”
Qiao Jinniang hurriedly helped the chief up and said, “We are all women. Even in times of peace, women’s lives are still difficult. Since I can help, I must help them as much as I can.’
The chief called over all the children in the Foundling Home and had them kowtow to Qiao Jinniang. “County Mistress, thank you.”
Qiao Jinniang said, “Get up quickly. If you really want to thank me, then you should study skills well so that you can have a better future.”
The winter hunt was imminent, and the small jewelry shop named Jewelry Pavilion opposite the Myriad Taste almost saw its threshold stepped flat by customers.
Fulu pulled Qiao Jinniang inside and said, “Why didn’t you tell me about the Jewelry Pavilion when you bought the tuinga? Do you know we’ll lose face if we don’t wear the jewelry from the Jewelry Pavilion during the winter hunt?!”
Qiao Jinniang chuckled and said, “Princess, you can wear jewelry made by the Shanggong Bureau in the imperial palace, which is better than the jewelry made in the Jewelry Pavilion.”
“Although the jewelry made by the Shanggong Bureau is exquisite, it’s not as chic and novel as that in the Jewelry Pavilion!” Fulu said, “Do you know now everyone is trying to find out who is the Jewelry Pavilion’s boss and wants to establish a relationship with him!”
As soon as Princess Fulu said so, a sarcastic voice was heard.
“County Mistress, I can’t believe you’re still in the mood to shop in the Jewelry Pavilion. Can’t you see that your former relatives are about to freeze to death by the roadside! I’m really disgusted by you!”
A woman Qiao Jinniang had never seen before walked up to her and said.
Tong Xuan, who was beside that woman, suddenly slapped the woman in the face. “How dare you speak to County Mistress Jia’an like that?!”
