Life in Xie Village was peaceful yet lively.
As the saying goes, three sisters-in-law make a whole drama troupe - and the three Xie wives with clashing personalities and constant feuds were putting on endless performances.
One day it was the second wife skipping chores and leaving chicken droppings uncleaned in the yard. The next day the third wife would be caught hoarding precious household items—namely eggs. Then the eldest wife would secretly take supplies back to her maiden family.
In short, An Ning witnessed how even the most trivial village matters could spark half-day shouting matches. And this was with some restraint shown for the sake of the siblings studying indoors—otherwise the household would have been even noisier.
By now, An Ning could predict the entire script just from the opening lines. There was Aunt Xie the instigator who loved stirring trouble to assert herself; the perpetually wronged second aunt who lacked a son's support and wilted like an oppressed cabbage; and her own mother who had evolved into a professional shit-stirrer, constantly trying to crush the second family branch underfoot.
Occasionally there was also Second Ya returning from town to champion her mother's cause, battling the entire household with spirited arguments. While no major incidents occurred in the Xie family, there was never any shortage of entertainment.
For An Ning, these occasional dramas became rare amusements in her dull life.
Everything changed three years later when An Ning's first hand-copied edition of the Analects sold for 600 wen at Qingxi Bookstore, the largest in the county. This bombshell news exploded through the normally quiet Xie household.
"What? Da Chengzi, what did you say? Six hundred wen? For just one book?" Grandfather Xie nearly dropped his tobacco roll, while Second Uncle Xie didn't even notice the hoe slipping from his hands toward his feet.
Ignoring their shock, Xie Youcheng smiled warmly: "Fourth Uncle, ordinary books don't fetch this price. But our Siya's work is exceptional—the bookstore owner said he'll buy all she can produce at this quality."
Of course this was exaggeration. Taohua County was small, with barely a handful of households wealthy enough to afford hand-copied books when cheaper printed editions were available. In Great Zhou where printing was widespread, most books cost under 200 wen unless specially commissioned.
But Xie Youcheng wasn't lying about one thing—not all handwritten copies commanded such prices. An Ning's value came from deliberately mimicking a famous calligrapher's style she'd seen at the bookstore. Though her ten-year-old hand could only capture 20-30% of the master's essence, it was still the finest work their small county had seen.
Naturally, the farming Xie family understood none of this. They only saw Xie Youcheng enthusiastically speaking with Siya before departure, pressing upon her a palm-sized parcel wrapped in oiled paper—the distinctive red stamp still visible with "Fengxiang Tower" characters.
Even illiterate, they recognized that seal from the county's most expensive pastry shop. That single package must have cost a small fortune—no casual expense even for Xie Youcheng as a county accountant with the village chief as father.
Elder Xie hurried forward with his cane: "Da Chengzi, you shouldn't be giving gifts after making this trip for us! Especially not such expensive ones."
Dressed in refined black robes unlike any villager, Xie Youcheng maintained his gracious smile without a trace of his usual subtle arrogance toward country folk: "Fourth Uncle, you're too kind. Stone's progress these years owes much to An Ning—what are some pastries compared to that?"
Stone was Chubby Boy's childhood name. For this alone, Xie Youcheng would happily pay additional tuition. Moreover, without Siya, how could a mere accountant like him have connected with Qingxi Bookstore's owner?
"An Ning, just tell me if you need anything from town—I'm there regularly," he added before leaving.
"Understood, thank you Uncle Youcheng!"
"Oh, since you're here Uncle—these are the annotations I promised for Stone." Accepting the pastries, An Ning cheerfully produced a sheaf of neatly annotated papers from her small bag: "Please remind him this is just the first part—the next installment requires me to finish studying that Commentary on the Great Learning at the bookstore..."
The not-yet-ten-year-old girl delivered these instructions with composed grace and cultured diction utterly unlike a farm girl's speech.
Xie Youcheng showed no surprise, knowing her "studying" meant memorizing entire texts verbatim. Such terrifying talent—given education and exposure, her growth potential was limitless.
When his son first raved about her, he'd suspected the beatings from studying had addled the boy's brain. Only Stone's dramatic improvement convinced him this farming family could produce such genius.
Treasure in hand, Xie Youcheng returned home still smiling—his son truly had fortune's favor.
Back at the Xie homestead, the family (minus children) gathered dazedly in the main hall after seeing Xie Youcheng off. The unprecedented situation left them momentarily speechless until Aunt Xie broke the silence:
"Father, about that money Da Chengzi mentioned..." Her heart itched recalling the 600 wen—her husband's entire yearly earnings.
But before she could finish, Elder Xie cut her off harshly: "Shameless greedy wretch! That money isn't for your grasping hands!" His glare swept the room, lingering on the eldest son's family: "I'm warning everyone—this money stays for the siblings' education. Anyone who touches it will answer to me!"
For once, First Uncle Xie didn't remain silent or side with his wife. Slowly, he said: "Father, we wouldn't dare. But...since Sanwa's studying now, shouldn't our eldest grandson Daw at least learn his characters?" His pleading gaze held ancestral weight.
Elder Xie nearly wavered—eldest grandsons carried real status. But ultimately he shook his head: "Eldest, it's not that I favor Sanwa over Daw. But splitting our limited resources achieves nothing."
The unspoken truth was that Sanwa shared blood with the brilliant Siya—even if he couldn't match his sister, he'd surely surpass others. Firming his voice, Elder Xie declared: "When Sanwa succeeds, he'll naturally support his elder brother."
After a long silence, First Uncle Xie nodded reluctantly.