Chapter 595: De Ge'er earns money for Sun Shan to go to Beijing for the exam
Sun Shan felt that Sun Boming and the Su family were better off because he was the only child and all the family property belonged to him. He didn't have to worry about his sons turning against each other in order to get a larger share of the family property.
Now Sun Boming and Su are only worried about Sun Shan getting married and having children, and they don’t need to think about other things.
Sun Shan looked at De Ge'er. He used to be careless, but now that he had a wife, he began to have worries.
It's hard for him. Someone like De Ge'er would definitely not be impatient with these things.
De Geer continued, "Shanzi, you should arrange for me to work by your side. I don't want to stay in Huangyang County. There is no future here. My father and mother restrict me from doing anything. It's really annoying."
Sun Shan found it funny, shook his head and said with a smile: "Brother De, you are making things difficult for me. Don't look at me as a scholar, I am actually worse than you. I still have to eat my parents' food, and I have no income to bring home. Tell me, what is the point of arranging you to live with me? If my family is big and prosperous, it would be fine to let you be a housekeeper, but I have nothing and can't even afford to pay you wages."
De Ge'er looked at Sun Shan in silence, thought about it, and felt that Sun Shan was right.
Now Sun Shan is even worse than him. He has nothing to do and does no work. He just studies and takes exams to gain fame.
And I have to ask my parents for money.
I heard from my uncle that in order to marry a girl from a wealthy family, he spent all of his uncle's property. He is a real spendthrift.
Although my uncle and aunt looked prosperous on the outside, they were actually suffering deeply. They were reluctant to even butcher a chicken to eat.
They took them to the market to sell secretly. If they sold them openly, people would laugh at them and say that the old man and the old lady couldn't even afford a chicken.
De Ge'er sighed and secretly glanced at Sun Shan. He had been full of hope when he went to Beijing to take the exam, but in the end he didn't even get into the examination room and had to turn back halfway.
Poor Shanzi, he is so unlucky.
It seems that my uncle and aunt will still have to worry about the travel expenses in two years. I heard that the travel expenses to Beijing for the imperial examination are sky-high. The money for one trip can buy a two-courtyard house in Huangyang County.
De Ge'er heard from his father-in-law's brother Huang Xiucai that when he was young, he went to the provincial government to take part in the provincial examinations, and every time he did so he had to spend all the family savings and had to borrow money.
After going there several times, Huang Xiucai changed his mind and decided not to take the exam again. After that, his family gradually became wealthy.
It costs so much to go to the provincial capital to take the exam, let alone going to the capital, which is an astronomical figure.
Only people with a little assets like his uncle could support it.
As for asking a young lady from a wealthy family to provide sponsorship, De Ge'er thought that Sun Shan was not a "giant rice man" and could not live off of him.
Besides, a real man should not live off women, otherwise he will be laughed at.
Thinking of this, De Ge'er decided to stay in the county school to work and earn more money to support Sun Shan to go to Beijing for the exam.
After he got married, his father and mother no longer asked him for money. They also said that he married the daughter of a scholar in the city to bring honor to them, and they rewarded him with 5 taels of silver.
The house in the county was bought by my parents, so I don’t have to pay rent. The food in the county is brought from home, so I don’t have to buy it.
He doesn't spend much money in a month, not to mention that he and his wife often go back to her parents' home to eat and drink, which costs him an unknown amount of money.
De Ge'er glanced at Sun Shan stealthily again.
Sun Shan looked at him in confusion and asked, "Brother De, if you have something to say, just say it. We are so familiar with each other, there is no need to beat around the bush."
Could it be that De Ge'er has come up with some new idea and needs his help?
De Ge'er coughed a few times, straightened his chest and raised his head and said, "Shanzi, I didn't expect your life to be so difficult. Is it very expensive to study? I still have 10 taels here, you can take it first. As for the cost of taking the exam, don't worry, I will find a way with my uncle and aunt."
Sun Shan didn't know why De Ge'er said that, but he was very moved.
So he asked, "Brother De, where did you get the 10 taels? Is it your wife's dowry? As men, we can't use women's dowry. We will be laughed at if we do."
In fact, if others use their daughter-in-law's dowry, they will use it for the right purpose.
But De Ge'er is unreliable and Sun Shan doesn't trust him.
Sun Shan was afraid that De Ge'er would use his beauty and sweet words to cheat all of Huang's dowry and spend his wife's money lavishly.
He loves playing and eating the most. Maybe he spends all his wife's money on eating, drinking and having fun.
De Geer immediately retorted, "Shan Zi, am I that kind of person? Why do you think of me like that?"
Sun Shan believed in people like him.
So he asked, "Then tell me how you got the 10 taels? Even if you don't eat or drink, you can't save 10 taels from your wages."
At the beginning, De Ge’er’s salary was 500 Wen. After so many years, I wonder if he has received a salary increase?
Even if there is a salary increase, it won't be that high. The prices in Huangyang County are very stable, so the wages should also be very stable.
Even if De Ge'er doesn't eat or drink, he can still make six or seven taels a year. With some rewards from running errands, he might make eight or nine taels.
All the wages earned over the years had to be handed over to his uncle and aunt, so how could De Ge'er save ten taels?
Apart from his wife's dowry, Sun Shan couldn't think of where to find it.
De Geer patted his chest and said proudly: "Shanzi, you underestimate me. I still have the ability to make money. A mere 10 taels is nothing."
Sun Shan glared at De Ge'er with his triangular eyes raised high, without saying a word, looking coldly at him.
De Ge'er's heart was pounding.
I knew Sun Shan was scary when I was little, and when I grew up, Sun Shan became even scarier.
That look was as vicious as a mountain peak, which made people tremble with fear and dare not brag in front of him.
Since passing the imperial examination, Sun Shan has become more dignified. This time when he came back from Nanjing, his temperament is developing more towards that of a county school instructor.
And I was just like the student in the county school who had done something wrong, and I saw my instructor trembling and shaking all over.
De Ge'er wondered if Sun Shan would come to the county school to be a teacher if he failed the imperial examination.
If so, wouldn't I be his subordinate? Working for him in disguise?
After De Ge'er had some random thoughts, he unknowingly explained the whole story of the 10 taels.
In fact, the bulk of the money came from the five taels of silver that Uncle Sun and Aunt Sun gave him as a reward for marrying the daughter of a scholar in the city.
As well as the money I save from my wages when I usually eat and drink at my father-in-law's house without spending any money.
Adding the usual rewards, I have 10 taels in total.
As for why he didn't give money to Huang, De Ge'er said confidently: "My wife is virtuous, gentle and generous. She never asks me for money. She is afraid that I don't have enough money, so she gives me money from time to time. But as a man, how can I take my wife's money?"
Huang fell in love with De Ge'er at first sight because of his handsomeness.
After getting married, she was dazzled by De Ge'er's handsome appearance and sweet words. She used all her dowry to subsidize De Ge'er. She was a complete love-brained person.
The kind of person who is sold like a piglet and still counts the money.
Sun Shan looked at De Ge'er with admiration and said approvingly, "De Ge'er, good job!"
Then he changed the subject: "De Ge'er, thank you. Keep the 10 taels in your pocket and continue to work hard in the county school to earn money. I will continue to go to the capital in two years, and you must support me then."
De Geer glanced at Sun Shan and promised, "Shanzi, don't worry. I will work hard and save money for you to go to Beijing for the exam. But you must remember my kindness. When you pass the exam and become a high-ranking official, you must hire me as your housekeeper."