Chapter 11: Not a Single Penny

"Mother, you're awake. Are you hungry? At noon, Auntie Hua brought over two eggs, and I stewed them for you to help you recover."

As she spoke, Mrs. Du lifted the bowl cover. Inside was a golden, steamed egg custard, likely drizzled with lard, smelling fragrant and appetizing.

Bai Yunxi twitched her nose. Having only had a bowl of porridge at noon, she was already hungry. "Mm. Have the second son and the others returned?"

"Mother, the second brother has been at the edge of the village with the fourth and fifth brothers, repairing the shacks. The fourth brother came back once and said the shacks at the village entrance are in disrepair; some have collapsed, and others have leaking roofs. It’s very difficult to fix them."

As Mrs. Du spoke, she watched her mother-in-law’s expression, but unfortunately, her mother-in-law’s face remained blank, revealing nothing.

*‘I wonder if Mother still has any private savings. If she could take some out to rent a livable house in the village, it would be better than those drafty shacks.’*

Bai Yunxi ate the egg custard in small bites, listening to Mrs. Du’s inner thoughts, and the corner of her mouth twitched.

The original owner truly didn't have a single copper coin left. All their money had been spent on the old scholar’s medical treatment. By the time the funeral was held, there was no money left; it was only because the village head—who was also her uncle—stepped in to help collect some of the overdue tuition fees in exchange for copper coins that they were barely able to manage the arrangements.

In the Song Kingdom, the tuition for a private school followed the "Six Rites": celery, lotus seeds, red beans, dates, longan, and dried meat, each with its own symbolic meaning.

Celery symbolized diligence in one's studies. Lotus seeds symbolized the bitterness of education. Red beans symbolized good fortune. Dates symbolized early success in examinations. Longan symbolized a perfect and complete achievement. Dried meat represented the student's sincerity.

Beyond these six gifts, the tuition fee was two dou of rice per semester, and that was all.

Compared to the private schools in the county seat, the old scholar was truly a man of conscience. Even so, there were still families who couldn't afford to pay the tuition.

For those families who had no money but still wanted their children to study, the old scholar never made things difficult for them; he would simply record it as a debt and allow them to pay when they were able.

It was common for some families to delay payment for a year or two.

The old scholar never urged them, always upholding the sage’s philosophy of "teaching without discrimination." If they had no money, they could owe it, and pay whenever they had it.

Because of this, the original owner had complained more than once, saying that some people were just slippery and were delaying payment on purpose. The old scholar would always just smile and tell her not to judge others with a petty mind.

The old scholar lived in Liushu Bay. Because of his status as a Juren, according to the laws of the Song Kingdom, he was not only exempt from corvée labor but also exempt from taxes on two hundred mu of land. It was precisely because of this that most of the Bai clan’s land was registered under the old scholar’s name.

Now that he was gone and the title of Juren was lost, aside from the Bai clansmen feeling sorry about having to pay taxes on their land again, there were very few who were truly heartbroken.

Seeing her mother-in-law remain silent, Mrs. Du felt uneasy.

"Go on with your work. Just send Yaya in." The little girl had run out earlier, and when Mrs. Du came in, she hadn't followed.

"Alright~"

Mrs. Du paused for a moment, then turned and left. Although she didn't know why her mother-in-law wanted her daughter to come in, she didn't ask.

A moment later, a small figure walked over hesitantly. She looked up at her, then immediately lowered her head, clutching the hem of her shirt.

Bai Yunxi looked at the little girl’s timid appearance and shook her head helplessly.

"Yaya, come here. Eat some egg custard." She had intentionally saved half of it for this little girl.

Upon hearing "egg custard," Yaya looked up instantly. She stared at the golden custard in the bowl, licked her lips, and then timidly shook her head.

"Yaya isn't hungry. Grandma’s head is bleeding, so you need to get your strength back." That was what Grandma Hua had said when she came over.