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Next, Big Brother was probably about to take out all of the IOUs that had been accumulating over the years. After carefully calculating it, it would add up to 41 and 3/10ths taels of silver.

“Here are all the IOUs from all the times you have borrowed money over the years. I did some calculations last night and it comes to 41 and 3/10ths taels of silver.”

Sun Yixi said as he looked at Sun Yiming.

“Second Brother, if I asked for the money back now, how would you repay me?”

“…”

Sun Yiming was silent.

Now he seemed to understand why Han Qiao wanted to sell his books and force him to do copying work.

Sun Yixi looked at his bruised and swollen younger brother and saw that his entire face was filled with astonishment and dispirited. He was no longer the high-spirited man he was in his youth.

For some reason, he took intense pleasure in that.

“Big Brother, I don’t have a single cent to my name now.”

That was, indeed, his current situation.

He was penniless and owned nothing.

He couldn’t stand on his own two feet. All his food and clothing came from the hands of the women at home.

Sun Yiming jolted to his feet, then slowly sat down again.

“Big Brother, give me a few days. I will get the money to you as soon as I can,” Sun Yiming’s voice was very soft.

He did not have enough confidence. His words were limpid, and so was his spine.

“Second Brother, that’s not what I meant. All I’m saying is that you need to work a little harder to achieve your goals in life. I’ve been talking with someone. Turns out, there is a very good academy in Songyang City. You ought to go there to study, and hopefully then you can retake the imperial examination.”

Sun Yixi paused for a moment after he finished speaking. He looked at Sun Yiming and saw that his dull eyes were full of disbelief. There was also imbibed with an indescribable melancholy.

That look in his eyes was very, very strange, as it also contained fear and hatred.

“Second Brother, my family is getting very large. We, too, need to put food on the table. Guangzong and Yaozu also need money for their schooling. You have already moved out. You are no longer a three-year-old child. There is no reason why you can’t take care of yourself now, don’t you think?”

“If you are willing to go to Songyang City to study, I will lend you another ten taels of silver.”

Sun Yiming slowly stood up.

The amount of silver was spot on. Exactly the same as the dream. Even the name “Songyang City.”

Every word he said was exactly the same as in the dream.

Was it really all just a dream?

Oh right, in the dream, there had been another family that was wiped out: that of Procuress Jiang.

Procuress Jiang…

“Big Brother, give me half a month. I’ll return the money in half a month.”

After saying that, Sun Yiming quickly walked out of the grocery store.

He was eager to go find out if Procuress Jiang had visited the store in recent days.

If she had…

His legs were weak. He reached out to hold the wall, but he couldn’t walk.

Should I go home?

Sun Yiming really didn’t want to go back there. If everything in the dream was real, how could he face his wife and children?

Sun Yixi chased him out the grocery store, but he could only watch as Sun Yiming left.

He knew there was no way Sun Yiming could save enough money to pay off his debt in half a month.

He believed that Sun Yiming would acquiesce eventually.

Ninghe town was only so big, so there was only one bookstore. Sun Yiming stood in front of it. He hesitated for a long time before entering.

His body was very dirty, and the smell of alcohol made the surrounding people nauseous.

Then they saw how his face was bruised and swollen. He looked like he had just been in a fight.

Shopkeeper Xie frowned. “You…”

“Shopkeeper, my handwriting is very good. Do you have any copying work for me to do?” Sun Yiming asked.

He let out a sigh of relief and continued, “Two days earlier, someone brought in some copies of Thousand Character Classic to sell. Those were all done by me.”

“…” Shopkeeper Xie was a little surprised.

“To be honest, shopkeeper, I have been living life like an utter fool these past few years. I am too ashamed to face my wife, daughter and parents. Now I have a home, yet I cannot return there. I was wondering if you would be willing to provide a little room for me to stay in and three square meals a day. You can deduct the expenses from the money I earn copying. If you would be so kind, I will be in debt.”

After saying that, Sun Yiming cupped his fists and saluted him.

Shopkeeper Xie was a bookseller. His opinion of scholars was very high.

Moreover, Sun Yiming’s handwriting was very good indeed.

Since he was willing to copy books, he must have finally turned over a new leaf.

A prodigal son never changes his ways. Today, he was in dire straits. But tomorrow, he could really distinguish himself in government service.

“Follow me.”

Shopkeeper Xie prepared a room for Sun Yiming. He also gave him a pair of clean used clothes for him to change into after bathing. When Sun Yiming came out of the bathroom, a servant had already prepared breakfast.

Steamed buns, porridge and a plate of pickled vegetables.

If it had been under any other circumstances, he might have despised it. But after everything he had gone through, his body and mind were in ruins.

He suddenly became very motivated. He was determined to pay off his debt first, then get back the deeds to the house and land.

He wasn’t about to let that dream become reality.

So, Sun Yiming decided to calm down and concentrate on copying books at Shopkeeper Xie’s place.

Shopkeeper Xie was a kind man. He told Sun Yiming how much he would be earning for each copy. He even let Sun Yiming pick which books he wanted to copy.

Meanwhile at the Sun house, Han Qiao got up early and tidied up the house and yard. She even tidied up the study. She packed all of Sun Yiming’s things into a box. As long as you never opened that box, there was no evidence he had ever lived there.

Soon the kids got up and began cleaning, too. Sun Xiu asked Han Qiao, “Mom, what should we cook for breakfast?”

“We’re going to go out and eat wontons in the morning”

When the third child heard that they were going out to eat, their eyes lit up.

Han Qiao grabbed the remaining ten books and went to the bookstore. Shopkeeper Xie looked at Han Qiao and wanted to say something but hesitated. In the end, he kept his mouth shut and conducted business with her as usual.

“Shopkeeper, this will be the last batch of books. I’m done with the copying work.”

Shopkeeper Xie nodded.

Anyone who wrote books was okay, in his book.

He watched Han Qiao leave with the three children.

At that moment he thought Sun Yiming a very lucky man. His wife was beautiful, gentle and, on top of that, capable. Furthermore, their kids were well-behaved and lovely.

Now that he was back on his feet, it was only a matter of time before he made a name for himself.

Han Qiao took the three children to a wonton restaurant to eat wontons. She even asked for a few meat buns.

The meat buns were very thick, but had little meat. Each bite was mostly bread and very little stuffing. Even so, the three children relished every bite.

Han Qiao lowered her eyes and smiled.

After breakfast, she took them out to buy vegetables and flour. She planned to make them meat buns for lunch. When her eldest and second brothers came, she could take some home.

“Mom, are we still selling steamed buns today?”Sun Xiu asked.

“…”

Han Qiao hesitated.

If they were going to keep making steamed buns, she would have to buy a steamer. Otherwise, it would just be a waste of time. And more importantly, once the divorce was finalized in the future, she wouldn’t be able to take it with her.

However, unless she made money, they wouldn’t be able to spend this much everyday.

Han Qiao couldn’t make up her mind. In the end she decided to buy a steamer.

Fortunately, the steamer was cheaper than expected. She bought a five-layered steamer and got an extra pot ring. It was only 320 cash coins, and the seller even promised to help deliver it to her home.

After making that agreement with the seller and handing over the money, Han Qiao took the three kids out to buy pork, pig intestines, pig stomach and pig liver. They also bought flour, mung beans, sugar, onion, ginger and garlic. After that they went to the apothecary to buy fennel, star anise, fragrant leaves, and strong wine. They even bought an old hen–quite an extravagant purchase–intending to make chicken soup out of it. She would make a bowl or two for her brothers, too.

Sun Xiu, Sun Yi and Sun Ke carried their things and obediently followed behind Han Qiao. They were happy, but also a little worried. They spent a lot of money that day.

“Mother, does pig taste good when it’s cooked?” Sun Xiu couldn’t help but ask.

In the past, their family rarely ate meat and didn’t raise pigs. They had never had the chance to eat cooked pig before. Although, Sun Xiu knew, while these things may be cheap, very few people buy them.

Their family, for one, never had.