Chapter 2502: Chapter 2499: Chu Jiang, Born Merchant
Chapter 2502: Chapter 2499: Chu Jiang, Born Merchant
The students in Class A were more learned; though some were quite young, his first requirement was learning, for if they couldn’t even read, how could they serve all those high officials and Noble?
If you want to earn money from the rich, the proper grade of attendants can’t be lacking.
“Everyone, I have come today to recruit workers.”
“Soon, a shop will be opened to sell a new kind of utensil. Your monthly salary will be determined by how many you sell. Of course, there will also be a basic monthly salary of a tael of silver.”
“In other words, you only need to sell five units in a month to get a tael. The more you sell, the higher your monthly salary will naturally be.”
“I am here today at the lady’s instruction, to say that if anyone doesn’t want to follow the path of the imperial examinations, or is not good at reading, this recruitment is another choice for you. As the saying goes, every trade produces its own top scholar; you don’t have to cling stubbornly to the examinations. To give a concrete example: how many students in this world study all their lives and still never pass as first place in the examination or in the imperial examination?”
“Another example: the Second Master of the Chu Family also entered the Ministry of Works by his craftsmanship.”
“Manager Gao, you’re telling us that studying for the exams isn’t the only way out, but we’re spending so much silver from our families now, and we’re being supported here at the residence by our aunts. If we don’t achieve results in our studies, won’t we be letting everyone down?”
“I already said earlier: if someone truly excels at it and is firm in wanting to take the imperial examinations, then of course he should continue his studies.”
“This recruitment is only to give those who are not good at studying another option.”
“But if I don’t at least sit for the exam once, how can I be reconciled?” a young boy said in a low voice.
“That’s exactly why you just need to hold fast to your own idea. But perhaps there are indeed some who find studying extremely difficult—take the Second Master, for instance. If he had been forced to study, he might well have remained a mere scholar his whole life till death, let alone become an official. Would such foolish filial obedience really be right?”
“This…” Several students showed hesitant expressions.
“Let me say something plain: whatever you do, you ought to do your best, rather than clearly seeing there is no road before the mountain and still gritting your teeth to endure. Aside from losing your life, there’s nothing you can’t live through.”
“Maybe if you change paths, you’ll find willows shading the path and bright flowers opening to a new village.”
“Manager Gao, you actually know poetry.” A student exclaimed in admiration.
Gao Yunli gave a light cough and looked at the little fellow before him who was not yet ten. “Though I do not walk the official road, I have also read extensively. Otherwise, when talking with people, wouldn’t I understand nothing and unconsciously give myself away?”
“In any line of work, showing your ignorance is a major taboo.”
“So you can still read even if you don’t sit for the examinations.” A youth suddenly saw the light.
Gao Yunli’s mouth twitched. “Isn’t that nonsense? As long as you have silver, if you want to read, you buy books; if you want to write, you pick up the brush. Reading has never restricted anyone’s status.”
“You’re right, Manager Gao. I want to go work.” A young boy stood up. His figure was thin and frail, but his gaze was very firm.
“What is your name? What have you read, and how many characters do you know?” Seeing that he had finally persuaded someone, Gao Yunli secretly breathed a sigh of relief. If he hadn’t come to ask, he wouldn’t even have known that these Chu family relatives actually had hidden tensions among them.
With a single bit of guidance you can reduce a few fools heading straight to a dead end; gain one more talent and the conflicts will also lessen—naturally, it’s worth it.
“My name is Chu Jiang. I’ve read the Four Books and Five Classics and know a thousand characters. Ordinary social interaction is not a problem; it’s just that my handwriting has yet to gain any strength of style—at best it’s barely neat and legible.”
“Chu Jiang… your grades should be pretty good. Why choose to work instead of taking the imperial examinations?” Gao Yunli asked curiously.