After being reborn as a man, the woman improved her family's fortunes through education.

As expected, Jiang Changshou returned to Xinghe Prefecture two days later, along with Jiang Wenqing, who was studying at the prefectural school.

Now the two of them have undergone a complete transformation. They are not only well-educated, but also among the most knowledgeable scholars they have ever studied.

It wasn't that the two were particularly talented; it was simply that the dozens of boxes left behind by Jiang Xiaoqi were incredibly useful.

To this day, neither of them has actually finished reading all the materials; there are still some obscure contents that they haven't had a chance to look at.

But I won't just leave it to gather dust. There's still a year and a half left, right? If I put in the effort, I can still finish all the remaining books and materials.

Now the two no longer need such a laborious method as hanging their heads from the rafters; they can simply dedicate six hours each day to focused study.

After all, a person's attention cannot be focused indefinitely. If you concentrate for an hour, it is best to rest for half an hour.

This will improve efficiency and achieve twice the result with half the effort. This discovery is an experience summarized by the father and son through long-term and unremitting observation and experimentation.

The two of them are now masters of time management when it comes to reading, and they can now handle many problems that were difficult to solve in the past with ease.

There was a subtle rivalry between the father and son. Jiang Wenqing wanted to surpass his father's ranking in next year's provincial examination, while Jiang the landlord wanted to maintain his authority as a father.

Seeing how motivated the two were, Jiang Xiaoqi was very pleased and took out the awards he had received in the Northern Territory to share with them at the family banquet.

The landlord Jiang and his son, one took the dagger and the other the hidden dagger, both dumbfounded.

But seeing their grandson/son looking at them expectantly, they had no choice but to pretend to really love the gift.

"Good, good, good. My dear grandson knows how to care for his grandfather. This hidden arrow is very ingenious. I will take it with me for self-defense when I take the provincial examination next year."

After saying that, he winked at his son, and Jiang Wenqing immediately understood: "This dagger is also very beautiful, with several gemstones inlaid on it. It looks very valuable!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than he was met with a glare from his father.

Jiang Wenqing: Did I say something wrong again? Humph, sure enough, once the grandson comes back, the son is worthless again!

Jiang Xiaoqi watched from the side, unable to help but chuckle. Her father and grandfather's way of getting along hadn't changed at all; she really missed it.

Li Haisheng and his apprentice Ouyang Zheng, as guests, were also seated at the men's table. Seeing the three generations of the Jiang family enjoying themselves so happily, they couldn't help but feel envious.

Although he also has a small family consisting of a group of brothers and sisters, he feels something is missing because there are no elders in the family.

He didn't know what he was lacking, but it was completely different from his junior brother's family.

Dong Jin was naturally at this table as well. If you count carefully, there were five scholars sitting around this table, and the remaining one was a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) from the previous dynasty.

Perhaps before long, there will be five successful candidates in the imperial examinations.

Jiang Xiaoqi also asked the system why her senior brother Li Haisheng couldn't be bound as a subordinate system, and the system's answer was—

The relationship between fellow students cannot be bound; they must be "family," "relatives," or "kinsmen."

Jiang Xiaoqi: Forget it! I can't possibly sell my older sister for a few points!

After several rounds of drinks and dishes, Jiang Xiaoqi finally switched from alcohol to tea—and got his grandfather and father drunk!

Hehehe, I'm dizzy, let's get down to business!

Jiang Xiaoqi subtly steered the conversation toward the scenery of Yunqing Mountain. Without Jiang Xiaoqi needing to give any prior notice, Li Haisheng unconsciously became the best assistant.

"I don't know if we'll be able to catch the spring bamboo shoot harvest. The dried bamboo shoots we made before were all made from winter bamboo shoots, and they don't taste as good as spring bamboo shoots."

"Yes, yes, I really miss the stir-fried bamboo shoots with cured pork that my junior brother used to make. I'll dig up more bamboo shoots this time; they'll definitely taste even better when stir-fried with spring bamboo shoots!"

"Yes, if we head back now, we can still catch the season for digging bamboo shoots. We can then make some dried bamboo shoots so we won't lack food in the summer."

Xinghe Prefecture certainly had a small amount of bamboo, but it was mostly for ornamental purposes. Few people ate bamboo shoots. A small number of high-ranking officials and nobles would eat them, and they were all transported from other places.

Ouyang Zheng watched his two apprentices singing in unison, but didn't say much. He was just curious about what they were up to.

Finally, the true intentions were revealed. Jiang Xiaoqi once again steered the conversation, suggesting that her grandfather and father travel south for further studies.

Landlord Jiang, in a daze, only heard things like "going south" and "bamboo shoots." Jiang Wenqing wasn't much better; he deliberately put on a brave face, not wanting to lose face in front of his guests.

"Study abroad? Well, that would take several months round trip. What if it interferes with my preparation for the provincial examination?"

"Yes, yes, it's better to go after the provincial examination, then I'll feel more at ease."

Jiang Wenqing tried hard to straighten his tongue, and his words were fairly fluent. He silently gave himself a thumbs up in his heart.

Thankfully, I managed to pretend to be sober very well. My son's master and senior brother would never realize that I was about to collapse.

Ouyang Zheng & Li Haisheng: No, we can see that!

"Alas~ Father and grandfather are right. I was mistaken. I just wanted my family to be by my side. Now I realize I was too naive..."

My child is away from home, and whenever he thinks of the food at home, he loses his appetite, finds food tasteless, and chews it like cardboard. It's only since he came home that he's managed to gain a little weight back.

Sigh~ Never mind, Mingfei is already a nine-year-old big kid, she can't act like a seven or eight-year-old anymore.

Even if I miss home, I will persevere in my studies and strive tirelessly to bring glory to the Chiang family!

Two days later, I set off south with my master and fellow disciples. This parting is uncertain, and I don't know when we'll meet again. I only hope that my grandfather and father will take care of their health and not let the provincial examination wear them down!

Li Haisheng: ? Didn't you lose weight from fighting enemies in the North? Never mind, don't embarrass your junior brother. He's still just a kid.

Ouyang Zheng: I roughly know what this kid is planning. It's certainly quite roundabout...

Jiang Xiaoqi's eyes were filled with melancholy; she had successfully transformed from Jiang Mingfei into a drama queen.

After hearing his beloved grandson's words, Landlord Jiang sobered up halfway. Oh dear, they've hurt the child!

Yes, yes, no matter how smart the child is, he is only nine years old. It is perfectly normal for him to rely on his family and elders.

It was because Mingfei's behavior far exceeded his age that gave them the illusion that the child didn't need them.

My child has been away from home for over two years, and I wonder how much he misses home! But we have to cherish this hard-won opportunity to follow Daru.

What should I do if my husband gets angry and actually sends me back home because I always say I miss home?

The child is really suffering. He probably goes to sleep with tears in his eyes every night. If he heard correctly, he has to cook for himself.

It's so bitter, so incredibly bitter!

However, it was indeed inappropriate for them to go along. The family's business had multiplied several times over, and it would be unsafe without Landlord Jiang in charge.

Just like this time, when Landlord Jiang was away for more than a month, he didn't just return to Changshou County, but also to several nearby counties.

After all, the Jiang family's land holdings have now increased to more than 3,000 mu, and they own land in almost every county of Xinghe Prefecture.

The richer you are, the richer you become; the more land you own, the more land you own. This is the norm in this era, and it may remain so for hundreds of years to come.

The poor have no resources or means of production, so they can only make a living by working like cattle, selling their labor, selling their skills, or even selling their brains.

Upward mobility? It's still too difficult!

Seeing that his grandfather and father were silent, Jiang Xiaoqi was not in a hurry. He continued to serve his master and senior brothers, and did not forget his brother-in-law who had always been a nobody.

Dong Jin felt that his brother-in-law was acting strangely today, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. He decided to keep quiet, because what if his brother-in-law asked him to go on a "study tour" too?

Wenniang is still pregnant! He's not going anywhere!

The quick-witted brother-in-law ate his food without paying attention, hoping not to attract his brother-in-law's attention or favor.