Chapter 46: CH 46

When the three arrived at the gate of the Zhao family’s house, people were already waiting, and a lot of people gathered to watch the fun.

Mrs. Liang stepped forward with a smile and said loudly, “The second daughter of the Mo family of Chenzhong Village, Mo Yan, has come to acknowledge her master. We hope Mr. Zhao will accept this disciple.”

The people outside were saying, “Accept her! Accept her!”

They entered the courtyard and saw the old gentleman sitting upright in a chair.

Mrs. Liang stepped forward and greeted the old man, “Chenzhong Village’s Mrs. Mo-Liang is here to see Sir Zhao.”

He returned the greeting, and Mrs. Liang brought Mo Yan forward, “This is my second daughter, Mo Yan. She wants to learn from your esteemed self and learn the art of storytelling. I hope you will accept this girl as your disciple.”

The people around them said again, “Accept her! Accept her!”

Mo Yan held the tray and kowtowed, “Disciple Mo Yan, here to see my master.”

Someone took the tray over and helped Mo Yan up, who said, “Master, your disciple is poor, and I can’t properly pay respects to the teacher. I only prepared a small story, which I want to tell you and everyone here. Would it be fine with you, Master?”

“Okay!” The old gentleman smiled happily.

Everyone applauded, and she stood up and started to tell a story. She told a story from the Warring States Period, the one where Guan Zhongjian shot Duke Huan of Qi.

On that day, the old gentleman’s work was taken by Mo Yan because the people grew bored while he was telling this story.

This was initially a story that was quite obtuse and hard to understand, but it was changed by Mo Yan to make it simple and concise, and everyone liked it.

After finishing, Mo Yan cupped her hands and bowed to the crowd, and the old gentleman slapped his hand on the armrest of the chair and stood up, “You have very clearly surpassed me. There’s no doubt I’ve accepted you as an apprentice correctly.”

The old man stretched out his hand to the side, and someone handed something to him.Mo Yan took a look, isn’t this the old man’s piece of wood? [1]

The old gentleman took it and handed it to Mo Yan, “This has been with your master all his life. Now that I’m old, I’m officially passing it on to you today.”

Mo Yan went over to pick it up and thanked her master. The ceremony was considered a success. After all, it was just a trade, and not something passed along for generations.

The Zhao family was respectable in this village. Therefore, the old Mr. Zhao accepting the disciples had to be a dignified affair as well.

Mr. Zhao had already instructed his family to prepare a banquet, and also invited his brother’s family to come over to congratulate him.

The old man was overjoyed today, and even praised Mo Yan, saying she was exceptionally intelligent. At the banquet, Mrs. Liang naturally complimented him, and said his children and grandchildren were very filial.

The old gentleman said, “Speaking of which, our Zhao family is quite prosperous, with two sons and five grandsons, but I don’t have a single granddaughter. Yan’er is a very precocious child. Since we’ve done the master-disciple ceremony today, In the future, we’ll be a family and we’ll have to talk to each other more often.”

After the banquet, the old gentleman took Mo Yan to his room and gave her a stack of books: “Yan’er, I heard that you can read?”

Mo Yan nodded, “I can recognize some characters, I’m not very good at writing.”

“Then these books are all yours.”

“That’s…a lot of books.”

The old Mr. Zhao fiddled his beard and said with a chuckle, “I’ve been telling stories all my life! This is what I’ve collected from all that time.”

“Then are you willing to give them away?”

“I’m old, and I can’t tell stories anymore. If someone treats my books well, I can pass to the afterlife with peace of mind!”

“Master, you’re healthy and will definitely live a long life. I will come to greet you every year during major festivals in the future.”

The six ingredients were replaced by a tray full of books. Along the way, Mo Yan turned the piece of wood in her hand over and over again. The piece of wood was smooth and shiny, and was dark red. She didn’t know what material it was made of, but it was fairly weighty.

When she went storytelling again in the evening, Mo Yan brought the piece of wood with her, and the governing official recognised it as the old gentleman’s.

Mo Yan bowed to the crowd and said, “Now I have officially worshipped Mr. Zhao as my teacher, and he gave me this.”

Now that she had a famous teacher, Mo Yan was more confident, and even told stories better.

Their business was delayed for one day, but it couldn’t be delayed any more. Tonight, Mo Ling didn’t go to the threshing field, but made tea eggs at home. After listening to Mo Yan’s words, she wanted to learn how to make all of Mrs. Liang’s dishes.

When they were done, Mrs. Liang went to get the shoe soles again, and Mo Ling went to embroider her waistband. Most of it was finished, and she held it in her hand and looked at it carefully, imagining how beautiful it would look around Mr. Tian’s waist.

Mrs. Liang was coughing outside, and she quickly hid the waistband under the quilt, and picked up a handkerchief from the needle and thread basket to sew.

The next day was market day again. Zhong Cheng came to deliver duck eggs once more. Mo Ling expressed her gratitude and apology for what happened last time, and made him an egg and meat wrap.

“Brother Zhong, not all of the duck eggs were broken last time. There were still 30 to 40 eggs that were in good condition. We should at least repay you for those. Besides, it was our misfortune and shouldn’t be borne by you.”

Zhong Cheng took a large bite out of his wrap and said, “It doesn’t matter, the duck eggs are all laid by our own ducks anyway.”

This person was really nice, but it was a bit too much, and it was getting annoying.

While tending to the fire, Mo Yan said, “Sis, we’ll be working together for a long time. There’s no need to rush to repay him.”

Zhong Cheng smiled again, “The wraps you make are so delicious, and your business will definitely get better and better. But you’re the only ones running it, so be careful.”

Mo Yan stood up and pointed at the business document propped up, “We have a business document now, so we aren’t afraid of them.”

Zhong Cheng stared at the document for a while: “Are you from Chenzong Village”

It seems that he was literate! Although he looked silly, he wasn’t stupid.

Mo Ling nodded, “Yes, we’re the only Mo family there.”

“I can send the duck eggs to your home directly. If they are broken, you won’t have to pay. If I send them here, you will have to take them back by yourself, and they might break.”

Mo Ling looked at Mo Yan, who was nodding at her, “Okay, my family lives in the southwest corner of the village. Enter the village from the west, and it’s just around the corner.”

When someone came to buy something, Zhong Cheng left. This time, his cart was not loaded with duck eggs, but a cart of melons. He brought two melons over and placed them in front of Mo Yan. “We grew these. They aren’t worth much, take them and eat them.”

The melons exuded a fragrant and sweet smell, and it smelled very good. Mo Yan wiped the melon clean with a handkerchief, cut it in half, deseeded it, and handed half to Mo Ling.

“Sis, look, other’s fields not only grow grains, but also melons. They must sell for more money than grain.”

“I heard that Xiahe Village had fertile soil, due to being close to the river. There wasn’t much barren and unused farmland.”

So those with a lot of hands at home could open up more farmland. She heard that the Zhang family opposite them had tilled several acres of land. However, it would take a long time.

Post-edit notes: Have you noticed that Mrs. Liang has been working on those shoe soles since Day 1?

[1] You know, the one he used to rap on the table? That one?