Chapter 63: Eternal Fame

Zhang Zheng arrived at the intersection of Peach Blossom Village and Plum Blossom Village, momentarily forgetting which road led to Peach Blossom Village. This official road had too many village entrances: Plum Blossom Village, Peach Blossom Village, Apricot Blossom Village, and Lotus Flower Village all had entrances here, and there were no signs.

He saw a horse-drawn carriage entering the village, so he stopped it. “Excuse me, is this Peach Blossom Village?”

The carriage driver shook his head and said, “No, this is Plum Blossom Village.”

“Then which entrance should I take to get to Peach Blossom Village? Is it the one ahead or the one behind?”

Before the carriage driver could answer, Shen Mingzhu impatiently lifted the curtain of the carriage. Seeing that the young man asking the question had a handsome appearance and refined temperament, unlike those from poor families, she immediately gave a faint smile and said softly, “Turn ahead, and the first intersection is the entrance to Peach Blossom Village.”

Zhang Zheng cupped his hands and bowed slightly. “Thank you, Miss, for your help.”

As he bowed, Shen Mingzhu’s gaze involuntarily fell on the back basket on his back.

Above the thick layer of thatch, several exquisite porcelain pieces were faintly visible.

Born into wealth and believing herself to be of noble birth, she loved to study exquisite things. At a glance, she could tell that these porcelain pieces were extraordinary!

But what were these porcelain pieces in this shape used for?

Curious, she asked, “The porcelain in your basket is quite unique, what is it? I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Zhang Zheng: “These are oil-saving lamps.”

He had worked day and night to make them, and had come over the mountain early in the morning to deliver them to Miss Shen.

Oil-saving lamps? There were lamps made of porcelain? Shen Mingzhu became even more curious: “May I have a look?”

Zhang Zheng thought that he had asked for directions, and the other party had kindly answered. Her curiosity to see wasn’t an unreasonable request, so he put down the basket, took one out, and handed it to her.

The oil-saving lamp was made of Yingqing glaze, depicting a lifelike image of a golden boy holding a jade plate in his hands.

Shen Mingzhu saw a hole in the edge of the “jade plate” and quickly understood why it was called an oil-saving lamp.

It was quite ingenious and innovative.

Most importantly, it was exquisite and made of rare Yingqing glaze, which was difficult to fire, making it even more precious.

Shen Mingzhu couldn’t help but ask, “Could you sell me one of these oil-saving lamps?”

Zhang Zheng shook his head. “I’m sorry, these were custom-made for someone else. I can’t sell them.”

Shen Mingzhu thought that he was going to Peach Blossom Village. Who in Peach Blossom Village had the money to commission such high-quality porcelain?

There was a whole basket of oil lamps, each with its own unique design, all made of high-quality porcelain. How much silver would that cost?

She couldn’t help but ask, “Did a villager from Peach Blossom Village commission these oil lamps? Could you tell me who it was? I know the villagers in Peach Blossom Village, and I’d like to go and buy one from them.”

Zhang Zheng thought that people from neighboring villages usually did know each other, so he said, “Miss Shen, at the end of Peach Blossom Village.”

Shen Mingzhu was stunned. Miss Shen, at the end of Peach Blossom Village?

There was no one surnamed Shen in Peach Blossom Village, and living at the end of the village, who else could it be but that bastard’s family who had just moved to Peach Blossom Village?

She smiled. “Miss Shen, at the end of Peach Blossom Village, happens to be my cousin. I can ask her for one. Give me one, and I’ll let her know.”

Zhang Zheng didn’t expect it to be such a coincidence, but he shook his head and said, “If you want one, you can ask Miss Shen for it. I have to rush home. I’ll take my leave!”

Each of these oil-saving lamps was made with his heart, and he wanted to show each one to Sister Shen.

Shen Mingzhu was secretly annoyed that he was so unaccommodating, but she smiled and said, “Take care, young master.”

Zhang Zheng left with the back basket on his back. He couldn’t wait to show Sister Shen how beautiful his oil-saving lamps were.

He had made more than a dozen different styles in one go, much prettier than the simple bowl that Sister Shen had drawn.

Even for a bowl-shaped oil lamp, he had added beautiful patterns.

He was a man who pursued exquisite perfection!

Shen Mingzhu angrily put down the curtain.

The carriage driver drove the carriage into the village.

Thinking that these were oil-saving lamps commissioned by Xingnong, Shen Mingzhu’s face showed a hint of disdain: “Oil-saving lamps? As expected, only a pauper would think of such a thing!”

Who from a wealthy family would care whether an oil lamp saved oil or not?

She herself kept an oil lamp burning in her room until dawn.

The corridors of the mansion were also brightly lit.

She never considered whether it wasted oil or not!

The maid nodded. “Oil is so expensive! Oil lamps consume a lot of oil, and poor families usually can’t afford to use them. Apart from our mansion, many families can’t afford to keep the lights on until dawn. I’ve even seen some poor scholars who can’t afford to light lamps at night to read, going to read under the windows of their neighbors to borrow light! I wonder how much oil those oil-saving lamps can save. If they save a lot, maybe poor families will be able to afford oil lamps in the future. That would be a good thing, but it’s probably impossible.”

✿✿✿

A good thing? Shen Mingzhu’s heart stirred at these words. If those oil-saving lamps really saved oil, wouldn’t many poor scholars and families be able to afford oil lamps?

Poor scholars, since they had the money to study, wouldn’t be too poor, but compared to wealthy families, they were called poor scholars. If those oil lamps could really save oil, for the sake of passing the imperial examinations, those poor scholars wouldn’t have to be reluctant to use oil lamps, and then they would have more time at night to read, wouldn’t their chances of passing the exams be greater!

She suddenly realized that these oil-saving lamps were extremely useful. If they were promoted among poor scholars, she would have done a great deed!

In the future, if one of these scholars wrote a poem praising the oil-saving lamp and praising her, she would have a good reputation!

If a talented poor scholar passed the imperial examination and became the top scorer because of this, she could even become eternally famous!

Shen Mingzhu shouted, “Back to the city! Hurry back to the city!”

The carriage driver and the maid were both startled, not understanding what had happened to her.

“Hurry!”

The carriage driver quickly turned around and galloped back to the city.

~

At the foot of the mountain, Xingnong used her thoughts to collect more than a dozen strawberries, then picked a few tender ears of corn and put them in her back basket before walking home.

Many white butterflies were flying in the vegetable patch in the courtyard, and Xingqing and Shen Ruoxi were catching insects in the patch.

These white butterflies were cabbage white butterflies. Their eggs would hatch into small caterpillars, which would then damage the vegetable leaves in the field.

At this time of year, children from every household had to go to the vegetable patches to catch insects.

Xingnong walked in with her back basket, and the two of them said happily, “Xingnong is back!”

“Sister, aren’t you learning skills on the mountain? Why are you back so soon?”

Xingnong nodded. “Today was just for handing out books. Where’s Grandma?”

“Grandma and the village chief went to the river to pick up stones. The village chief said he would help us rebuild our courtyard wall with stone, to prevent wild animals from coming down from the mountain.”

Xingnong nodded. They had been in a hurry to move in, and the courtyard wall hadn’t been rebuilt yet. It was still made of bamboo fencing.

She would also go and carry stones tomorrow when she had time. In the afternoon, she still had to go to the city.

Xingnong went back to her room to put away the book, then took out some strawberries and corn cobs. She washed the strawberries and gave them to Shen Ruoxi and Xingqing to eat, then put a few tender sweet corn cobs in the pot to steam.

In her previous life, there were many varieties of corn, and she liked to eat tender sweet corn the most.

As Xingnong was in the kitchen lighting the fire to steam the corn, she vaguely heard someone asking, “Excuse me, does Miss Shen live here?”

In the courtyard,

Seeing the unfamiliar man, Shen Ruoxi subconsciously hid behind Xingqing.

Zhang Zheng: “…”

Was he that scary?

Xingqing held Shen Ruoxi’s hand and asked, “I am Miss Shen, but there are several Miss Shens in our family. Which one are you looking for?”

Xingnong came out at this time.

Zhang Zheng’s eyes lit up when he saw Xingnong: “Sister Shen!”

Xingqing: “…”

After her sister inexplicably gained two masters, did she also gain a younger brother?

Were there any other siblings, elders, relatives, or friends of her sister that she didn’t know about?

Xingnong said to Shen Ruoxi and Xingqing, “Mother, Xingqing, this is someone I know. I asked him to help me make something before.”

Shen Ruoxi nodded, trying hard to overcome her fear and stepped forward, smiling at Zhang Zheng.

Xingqing smiled. “So that’s how it is! Please come in! Auntie and I will go make tea.”

Saying this, she thoughtfully pulled Shen Ruoxi back into the house.