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

After some discussion, it was finally decided to place Jiang Wenqing's Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) memorial archway in Changshou County.

However, in Puyang, two memorial arches for successful candidates in the imperial examinations will still be erected.

It's quite reasonable that Landlord Jiang was born in Puyang and Jiang Wenqing was born in Changshou Village.

Since the two memorial archways would still be erected in their ancestral home of Puyang, the clan elders were no longer so resistant.

There are still a few members of the Jiang family in my hometown of Puyang, but they are just elderly people who look after the ancestral hall.

Several couples were from collateral branches of the Chiang family. They were assigned to stay and look after the Chiang family ancestral hall, so each family could make a living from the clan's land.

This time, Jiang Changqing brought a group of Jiang clan members back to Puyang with the intention of rebuilding the ancestral hall and arranging for capable people to take care of it.

After all, the original families are almost gone, leaving only the elderly living alone. They've spent their whole lives tending the ancestral hall, and it's time for them to retire and enjoy their remaining years.

"Cousin, let my family pay for the repair of the ancestral hall this time!"

Landlord Jiang revealed his grandson's decision from the previous night, though he didn't understand why his family had to pay for it.

"The ancestral hall belongs to the entire Chiang family. How can one family contribute money?"

Moreover, the clan elders have already agreed that, apart from each family contributing a portion, the rest will be covered by the income from the clan's farmland.

Over the years, the clan has acquired several hundred acres of land and accumulated a considerable amount of silver. Besides subsidizing the clan school, it's also saved for repairing the ancestral hall!

"This is Mingfei's idea. The child still remembers the kindness of studying at the clan school and wants to do his part for the Jiang clan."

When Jiang Changqing refused, Landlord Jiang had no choice but to tell the truth.

“Over the years, the Jiang family has had hundreds of children studying at the clan school. Mingfei also passed the examination to enter the school, so it’s nothing special.”

Landlord Jiang was about to speak when Jiang Changqing stopped him, saying, "Alright, it's settled then. Your family will contribute the same amount as all other families in the clan."

When Landlord Jiang told his grandson about this, Jiang Xiaoqi didn't want to force him. The reason he wanted to spend money was simply to improve the reputation of his grandfather and father.

Since my great-uncle has already made his decision, and the elders have their own considerations, we won't insist.

If all else fails, we'll wait until this matter is settled, and then donate some land to the clan.

For the family to prosper, every member of the Jiang family should contribute. Only when the family has enough wealth can all the children be ensured that they do not have to worry about food and clothing and thus delay their studies.

Jiang Xiaoqi himself had a deep understanding of this. Although he came from a landlord family and was not extremely wealthy, he never neglected his studies for the sake of doing business.

Later, when I did some business, it was purely out of my own consideration and plan.

With his family's wealth, even if he did no business and didn't accidentally acquire the former dynasty princess's treasury, he would still be able to live a life of comfort and ease.

Many of Chiang Kai-shek's collateral relatives had no land, no property, and in that era, they couldn't even be considered "commoners" but were classified as "vagrants" or "outcasts."

Although Jiang Xiaoqi's family had houses, land, and some money, they were not considered "poor families" before, since "poor families" referred to fallen nobles or aristocratic families.

Previously, his family only had two students who had passed the imperial examinations and were able to support the household; no one held an official position, so they could only be considered "commoners."

Now, both Landlord Jiang and Jiang Wenqing have achieved the rank of Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) and are about to be appointed to official positions, so their family has changed their lintel.

The Jiang family nowadays can be considered "humble," as they lack the deep-rooted heritage of a century-old family and are only in their initial stages.

It was also a transitional phase between the people and officials, and between the common people and the scholar-officials.

It is believed that as time goes by, the Jiang family father and son will rise higher and higher in their official positions, and after Jiang Xiaoqi and his brothers-in-law also develop well in the officialdom, the third generation will begin to have a solid foundation.

This is Jiang Xiaoqi's small family, but the larger Jiang clan has already produced its first fourth-rank official. In an era with strong clan values, this was extremely beneficial to Jiang Xiaoqi's family.

Today, the Chiang family enjoys the protection of high-ranking officials in Beijing, has a group of diligent descendants, and also has pillars of strength in the middle.

When members of a clan help and support each other, it is truly a sign of prosperity.

A few days later, the craftsmen arranged by the clan elders arrived, and the construction of the Jinshi Memorial Archway and the reconstruction of the ancestral hall proceeded simultaneously.

The local gentry in Puyang sprang into action upon hearing the news, with those who had money contributing money and those who had strength contributing their labor.

Jiang Changqing couldn't refuse them all, so he could only pick those with some ancestral connection, including the Xue family of Puyang.

Ever since the day the eldest son of the Xue family learned that Xue Xu had passed the imperial examination, he had been restless.

He felt a pang of regret; he should have intervened when the second son's family bullied the third son's family. Sigh...

It's too late to say anything now; we should first try to ease tensions with the third brother's family.

"Master, why are you still up so late?"

Madam Xue brought the ginseng soup into Master Xue's study, where Master Xue was holding an abacus and doing accounts.

"Oh, it's Madam. Ah, as you know, the Jiang family recently returned to their hometown, and this year two members of the Jiang family passed the imperial examinations."

"So what if the Jiang family passed the imperial examination? What does it have to do with us? We don't have any scholars in our family..."

Wait, isn't your nephew also going to the capital for the imperial examination? Did he pass? He probably didn't. With his frail and sickly body, he might not have made it to the capital.

"Watch your words!" Old Master Xue slammed his hand on the table, causing the ginseng soup to spill all over the floor, with shards of porcelain scattered at Madam Xue's feet.

"Oh, sir! What are you doing?"

Madam Xue often berated Xue Xu, and today she just let it slip. She never expected that her husband, who had never stopped her before, would react so strongly today.

"Watch your mouth from now on. Your third brother's son is a different person now." Old Master Xue casually wiped the desk to make sure the account books were intact.

"What?! Sir, you mean... Xue Xu?"

"Yes, he not only passed the imperial examination, but he also ranked third in the first class!"

"Why! It's just an illness—no, no, sir, what about Xue Xu? Could he have it?"

Madam Xue quickly covered her mouth; she had almost blurted out the words "sickly child" again.

"No, he now has fame, status, and official position, and he will cherish his reputation and will not act recklessly."

However, we also need to change our attitude and absolutely cannot let them find fault with us again.

Fortunately, there is the second brother's family as a contrast, whose family has bullied the orphan and widow left behind by the third brother even more over the years.

Compared to them, we are not so conspicuous. If we repair our relationship, Xue Xu is a kind and gentle child and should not hold a grudge.

Besides, none of the things we did were made public, so Xue Xu and her son might not know about them and could very well think that it was all done by the second son's family.

As for our family, at most we just stood by and did nothing, it's none of our business. Is that some great sin?

Mr. Xue shared his judgment with his wife, and after thinking about it, Mrs. Xue felt relieved.

Xue Xu, who was on the mind of Mr. and Mrs. Xue, returned to Puyang with his future father-in-law and his family.

Jiang Changqing was extremely satisfied with Xue Xu and Li Haisheng; his cousin's family really knew how to arrange marriages.

Look at these talented young people, they are truly the envy of everyone!

Madam Xue was anxious, and after returning home, she didn't care about the Jinshi Archway anymore, entrusting everything to the local county magistrate and the Jiang family.

He was only focused on speeding up the wedding process between the Jiang and Xue families, hoping to complete all the steps before the wedding procession went to the capital.

Once Miss Jiang's second sister gets married this year, their family's marriage can be put on the agenda.

She didn't want to delay such a good marriage, and besides, as a mother, she could see how anxious her son was.

Madam Xue put down the betrothal letter and picked up her pen again. She wanted to add some more to the betrothal gifts for the Jiang family's daughter.

After all, back then they were preparing for the daughter of a Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial civil service examination), but now she is the daughter of a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examination), so the status needs to be raised.

"Madam, Madam, guess who's here!"

Just as Madame Chiang was about to put down her pen, her personal maid rushed in to report.

"Who is it that's making you so excited?"