Jiang Wan was displeased to learn that the family had given twenty taels of silver to the Su family.
"Mother, why did we give them money? Once this money is gone, don't expect to get it back."
Chen Yuezhi looked at her youngest daughter's pouting lips and chuckled, reaching out to pinch them. "I'll have your brother go cut two jin of meat to hang up later."
Jiang Wan quickly turned her head away, covering her mouth with her hand.
Chen Yuezhi laughed, amused by her. "In the past, let alone twenty taels, I wouldn't have given even two taels. But now, with their family of over a dozen people having nothing, as their in-laws, we can't just stand by and do nothing."
"Besides, your sister-in-law is involved. If we don't help, the Su family will pester her endlessly. If it affects the child she's carrying, that would be losing the bigger picture for the smaller one."
"Consider this twenty taels as buying peace and quiet, and buying your sister-in-law peace of mind."
Thinking about the origin of that money, Chen Yuezhi felt somewhat apologetic to Jiang Wan. "Wanwan, your father and I have discussed it. The remaining silver in the house, no one is allowed to touch it. It's all to be kept for your dowry."
Jiang Wan was shocked. "Mother, I'm only five years old!"
Already thinking about dowry?
It seemed a bit too early.
Chen Yuezhi smiled and said, "Daughters of wealthy families have their dowries prepared from birth. Besides, this silver was originally obtained because of you, so it should be kept for you."
Jiang Wan was torn between laughter and tears. "Mother, spend the money as you need to. Don't make yourselves uncomfortable to save money. I'm still young, and it's many years before I get married. We can't stop eating and drinking just because of this."
Besides, she hadn't even considered marriage.
Chen Yuezhi said earnestly, "You don't need to worry about the family's affairs. Your father and I have discussed it. The family has three carts. After the wasteland is all cultivated, your father and eldest and second brothers will go to the county to haul goods for people. In a month, they can earn some spending money."
Hearing this arrangement, Jiang Wan couldn't hold back her emotions.
"Mother, my eldest and second brothers are only teenagers. Are we going to let them live such a monotonous life?"
Chen Yuezhi looked at her with some confusion. "Isn't this kind of life good? Isn't it quite stable? And the carts are already available at home, with no risk. Many people envy it but can't get it."
Jiang Wan was a bit helpless. "Mother, this kind of life is indeed stable and risk-free, as you said. But it also means no ambition. Let alone my eldest and second brothers, even if my father did this, I would consider it a waste of talent."
Chen Yuezhi was somewhat bewildered. "But besides this, what else can your father do? Or, should your eldest and second brothers go to the county to be shop assistants?"
Jiang Wan was even more speechless. "Mother, would you bear to let them do that kind of subservient work?"
Chen Yuezhi certainly wouldn't, but for the family to live, there must be income.
Jiang Wan was helpless. Her family members lacked insight, so they couldn't think of ways to change their lives, or perhaps they didn't even have the idea of changing their lives.
"Mother, our family's conditions have already improved. If we continue to hold onto our old ideas, then our family's generation will just be like this."
"We came from a small mountain village to here without roots or background. If there's any upheaval in the future, our family won't even have a way to protect ourselves."
"Therefore, my brothers can't just think about doing the stable jobs you see. If our Jiang family wants to change our destiny, we must let them learn more things."
Chen Yuezhi was stunned. "Change destiny?"
Jiang Wan nodded heavily. "Yes, starting from our generation, we work hard, and each generation is stronger than the last. I can guarantee that as long as we are willing to work hard and strive, we won't even need three generations. In our generation, we can make the Jiang family stand above a large portion of people!"
Because the times were not peaceful.
And turbulent times were more likely to create legends.
"But... how do we change it?"
She felt that what Jiang Wan said made sense, but she didn't understand how to do it at all.
Jiang Wan said, "Of course, by letting Father and my brothers do what they are good at."
This made Chen Yuezhi even more bewildered. "But besides farming, my eldest brother knows nothing. Your second brother... he just likes to fiddle with swords and staffs. As for your youngest brother, he was still wetting the bed a couple of years ago."
Jiang Wan: ...
She stood with her hands behind her back, thinking for a long time. "Mother, let the youngest brother study. Our family doesn't lack money now, we can afford a scholar. If the second brother is willing, let him go too."
Fearing Chen Yuezhi would be stingy with money, she added, "Mother, if the second and youngest brothers can achieve something through their studies, then I can marry into a higher family in the future. With them as my backing, who would dare bully me?"
Chen Yuezhi immediately agreed.
Yes, if both sons became successful, their daughter could be more assertive in her in-laws' home.
So she clapped her hands. "This is a good idea. Tomorrow I'll go into town to ask your Aunt Cheng to help find a school!"
Jiang Wan smiled wryly. If she had known that using herself as a guarantee would be so effective in persuading her mother, why would she have talked about changing destiny!
During dinner that evening, Chen Yuezhi announced the plan to send Er Lang and San Lang to school. San Lang, suppressing his overwhelming joy, said, "Studying requires a lot of money. Can the family afford it?"
Jiang Pan said, "You don't need to worry about the money. Just study with all your might."
"I don't want to go."
Er Lang said with a look of panic, "My head spins when I see those characters. Let San Lang study."
He hadn't spoken up earlier because he was stunned by his mother's words.
Studying?
That was too frightening!
"I'm not going, I'm not going, no matter what! I'd rather herd cattle and sheep than go to school!"
Chen Yuezhi was so angry she slapped him. "Look at your ambition!"
Jiang Pan knew he couldn't count on Er Lang, so he turned to Da Lang and said, "Then go with San Lang."
Da Lang, suddenly called upon, was startled. "I... I can't. I'm about to become a father, and study with a bunch of children..."
The thought of that scene was quite daunting.
"Let San Lang go. I... I'll stay home and farm. There's so much land, you and Mother definitely won't be able to handle it."
Jiang Wan said from the side, "Big Brother, it's never too late to study. As long as you're willing to study, you can still gain knowledge even at eighty."
Da Lang shook his head like a rattle drum. "No, I definitely can't."
Fearing that the family would really force him to go, he pointed to Su Shi's belly. "When my son is born, let him go to school! If he doesn't go, I'll break his legs!"
Su Shi: ...
Her son wasn't even born yet, and he was already being targeted?
However, studying was a good thing, so why would she refuse.
Jiang Pan looked at his two unpromising sons, his anger rising. "I was hoping you two would achieve something in the future to support your sister, but look at you all, you have so little ambition!"
Er Lang, risking a beating, said, "There are many ways to achieve success, and it's not just through studying! If you don't believe me, just wait and see. I will definitely make Wanwan proud of me, her second brother!"