"… Sheng Lengshuang, you can't do this to me."
My wife is so scary right now!
Sheng Lengshuang slapped a pile of medicinal powder onto the small table. "How have I treated Prince Mingrui? Please clarify. If you can't, then I'll have to proceed according to my rules."
Mo Lingxi swallowed and dared not say more. "Sheng Lengshuang, look, let's discuss how to deal with the Black Hand, shall we?"
Sheng Lengshuang put away the medicinal powder. "Dealing with the Black Hand is not easy. Moreover, the most urgent matter now is to resolve the alliance of several countries and prevent them from having the opportunity to attack the Eastern Jin Dynasty."
Mo Lingxi put on a serious face. "This matter is not easy to resolve, but it's not too difficult. I'm already making arrangements."
Sheng Lengshuang still wondered, "You said, why is the Black Hand doing so many things?"
Mo Lingxi couldn't say for sure. "It's hard to say for now, but it's definitely not for a good cause. Wife, thinking too much about this now is useless. It's better to first find out who the Black Hand is."
Sheng Lengshuang knew this, but she had a vague bad feeling, as if something bad was happening in secret, and it was targeting her.
What kind of person would target her for what purpose, and not leave any trace?
…
The day before the Crown Prince's enthronement, Sheng Lengshuang, accompanied by Mo Lingxi, brought Xiao Feng to the Sheng family's pharmacy.
The shopkeeper hurried forward, smiling and bowing. "Greetings to Your Highness Prince Mingrui, Eldest Miss, and Young Master Mo. Eldest Miss, the matter you instructed has been handled. I just don't know if the people hired are to your liking."
Sheng Lengshuang asked the shopkeeper to bring the people over. As she and Mo Lingxi were about to head to the backyard with their son, she overheard a conversation between several customers in the pharmacy.
"Look, even without the grain from the Northern Yuan Dynasty, our lives are gradually getting better, thanks to the grain bought by Prince Mingrui."
"Yes, yes. And the Crown Prince's series of measures have greatly helped us common people. Recently, I've seen fewer disaster victims, and many people's lives have improved considerably."
"Indeed. Before, we couldn't buy rice and flour, or we had to buy them at high prices. Now, they are basically available. Thanks to the Crown Prince and Prince Mingrui."
Hearing this, Sheng Lengshuang glanced at Mo Lingxi. It seemed the disaster had eased considerably, and now it was time to proceed according to the plan.
After Sheng Lengshuang finished hiring people, she and Mo Lingxi, along with their son, went to the location of the school.
Upon arriving at the school, Sheng Lengshuang saw five or six carriages parked at the entrance. She asked, "Are these public carriages?"
Mo Lingxi nodded. "This is the first batch. The court intends to test their effectiveness first. If the effect is good, they will buy another batch later."
Sheng Lengshuang looked at the public carriages. The horses were very strong, and the carriage frames were large, able to accommodate about eight or nine people. Inside, there were two rows of long benches, which could seat quite a few people.
"This is really good. What price did you set?"
Mo Lingxi replied, "It depends on the length of the journey and whether goods are being carried. The prices range from a few copper coins to a few taels of silver."
Sheng Lengshuang was very satisfied. "This is excellent. For example, some people can get home for a few copper coins, which is very cost-effective."
For farmers and the poor, they were reluctant to spend a few copper coins to ride a carriage. However, for ordinary people who couldn't afford a carriage, being able to ride one for a few or a dozen copper coins was a cause for great joy.
After viewing the carriages, she and Mo Lingxi, along with their son, entered the school.
As soon as they entered the school, Xiao Feng ran off like a runaway pony, exclaiming happily, "Mommy, Mommy, how much longer until the school opens? Xiao Feng can't wait to come to school."
Once at school, the teacher wouldn't have to focus only on him; there were many little friends here.
Sheng Lengshuang knew her son's little thoughts and shook her head with a smile. "The school won't open for some time. Whether you can come to school then is not up to your father and me. It depends on whether you have the ability to get in."
Xiao Feng's body stiffened, and he widened his eyes in disbelief. "Don't you just come to school if you want to?"
Sheng Lengshuang patted his head. "This school is not an ordinary school. It won't follow the usual rules. You have to test in yourself. If you pass, you can study; if you don't, you can only study at home."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Feng's little face quickly dimmed, and he hugged his mother's leg, crying. "Don't do this!"
He thought he could casually attend this school, but the reality dealt him a heavy blow.
Sheng Lengshuang chuckled. "Then Xiao Feng must work hard. Only with hard work will you have a chance to enter this school. Without hard work, you won't be able to enter."
Xiao Feng perked up again. He nodded vigorously. "Mommy, Xiao Feng will work very, very hard to get into the school."
Sheng Lengshuang smiled and said nothing more. It was good for a child to have a direction to strive for; she didn't need to discourage Xiao Feng.
After finishing the tour of the school, Sheng Lengshuang spoke to Mo Lingxi about the school's enrollment. "When do you plan to enroll students?"
Mo Lingxi replied, "Probably in the next couple of days. Zi Cheng and I have discussed it, and we will proceed according to your wishes. This school is mainly for children who cannot read and write or learn a trade. I hope they can become pillars of the state in the future."
Sheng Lengshuang said, "Then post the notices, select the candidates, and recruit teachers as well."
Mo Lingxi informed her that they had been recruiting teachers all along. He and Zi Cheng wanted to promote teachers who were capable and truly dedicated to teaching, but such teachers were hard to find.
Sheng Lengshuang knew this too. Holding Xiao Feng's hand, she walked out with Mo Lingxi, chatting as they went.
As the three of them just stepped out of the school gate, Sheng Lengshuang saw Sima Min and her servant, raising her eyebrows slightly in surprise.
"Greetings to Prince Mingrui, Young Master Mo, and Eldest Miss Sheng."
Sima Min curtsied with a faint smile. "What a coincidence, meeting the three of you here. I came to see if there was anything I could help with at the school."
Sheng Lengshuang responded with a faint "Oh," her attitude distant. "Miss Sima is indeed kind-hearted."
Sima Min tightened her grip on her embroidered handkerchief with a little force, her smile unchanged. "You make Eldest Miss Sheng laugh. I am also planning for myself. If my reputation is better, my marriage prospects will also improve."
Sheng Lengshuang said "Oh" again, losing interest in continuing the conversation. "We won't disturb Miss Sima any further."
"Please wait, Eldest Miss Sheng," Sima Min said. "I have something I'd like to discuss with Eldest Miss Sheng. I wonder if it would be convenient for you."
Sheng Lengshuang indicated for Sima Min to speak directly.
Sima Min glanced at Mo Lingxi and said to Sheng Lengshuang, "I wonder if I could speak with Eldest Miss Sheng alone? This matter is not convenient for others to hear."