Forced to marry, I picked up a young powerful official

Chapter 249: An Orphan Girl

Zhang Qiongsi was interrupted by her words and forgot what she was going to say until the next day when she went to the house in Deshui Lane to copy the assessment regulations, then she remembered it again.

"Sister Nankui, when I mentioned the matter of the Master yesterday, I actually wanted to introduce someone to you."

Shen Nankui asked: "Who is it?"

Zhang Qiong thought: "The person I'm talking about is named Jian Ying, and she should also be called a female teacher."

Shen Nankui became interested, "Oh, are there female teachers in Yongzhou as well?"

Zhang Qiongsi shook his head and said, "It counts, and it doesn't count."

Shen Nankui glanced at her and said, "Don't keep me in suspense. Why don't you tell me now?"

Zhang Qiongsi chuckled and said, "This Jian Ying is from Taoyuan Town. Her father is an old scholar. To make a living, he opened a private school in the town. She grew up in the private school and learned most of her father's knowledge. Jian Ying's mother died early. When she grew up and was about to get married, her father also fell seriously ill and passed away, leaving only the private school for her."

"After the old scholar died, Jian Ying took over the private school and recruited some school-age children to teach them and live on a meager tuition. The villagers in Taoyuan Town knew the character of the old scholar and his daughter, so they felt relieved to send their children to Jian Ying for instruction. Even if they didn't learn anything in the end, having Jian Ying teach them to read and learn to read was better than playing in the mud at home."

"Jian Ying managed the private school very well, and she lived peacefully. If nothing unexpected happened, she would have recruited a learned son-in-law with the help of her fellow villagers to run the private school together. However, things often don't go as planned."

Zhang Qiongsi sighed deeply.

"Jian Ying was an orphan with no one to rely on in the world. She was also a young woman in her prime, so it was inevitable that she was targeted by someone with ulterior motives. The town's hooligans had been coveting her for a long time. One time, when she was drunk, they tried to break into the private school and do something indecent to her. Although they were later discovered and chased away by the villagers, they failed to succeed. However, Jian Ying's disheveled appearance was seen by everyone, and rumors gradually spread in the town."

"Gradually, no one sent their children to the private school anymore. Everyone was afraid that their children would be corrupted by Jian Ying. Without students, the private school would inevitably close down. Jian Ying lost her income and had to get married hastily."

"If she had met a good man and lived a good life, it would have been fine, but the world is so unfair. Jian Ying had been married to her husband for just over a year when he had an accident, leaving her and her infant daughter behind. Jian Ying's in-laws hated her for killing her husband and giving birth to a girl who could not carry on the family line, so they drove the mother and daughter out of the house."

Shen Nankui had remained silent the entire time, but upon hearing this, he couldn't help but feel a tightness in his heart.

He asked, "What happened to them later?"

Zhang Qiongsi sighed, "Jian Ying was desperate and had no one to turn to for help. She fainted from hunger on the roadside holding her child. It was the nun from Baiyun Temple who found them when she was out begging for alms. She brought the mother and daughter back to the temple and kindly took them in."

"The reason why I know what happened to her is that I was in poor health when I was a child and often suffered from many illnesses. My mother, after receiving guidance from a master, asked me to become a disciple of the abbot of Baiyun Temple and become her lay disciple. I lived in Baiyun Temple for nearly a month every year, and that's how I got to know Sister Jian."

She smiled, "To be honest, there are only two women in this world that I admire. The first is naturally Sister Nankui, and the second is Sister Jian. She doesn't eat and drink for free in the temple. She almost takes care of all the work. Even the Buddhist scriptures in the temple were copied by her. These Buddhist scriptures are offered in front of the Buddha for a long time and will be taken away by pilgrims with predestined relationships. I have a few copies at home. Dad has seen Sister Jian's handwriting and praised her for her good writing!"

Shen Nankui asked: "So, you want her to be the teacher of the academy?"

"That's right, what do you think, Sister Nankui?"

Shen Nankui said: "This Miss Jian has a strong character and a grateful heart. Moreover, she has taught students before. If she can pass the assessment and work in the academy, it would be great. I just don't know if she is willing to do so."

Zhang Qiongsi said, "I haven't been to Baiyun Temple for a long time, and I haven't told her about the Women's Academy, but I guess she should be willing."

"Before, she took over the private school of the old scholar, but because of some rumors, she was forced to close the private school and get married. She was unable to inherit her father's hard work. This has always been a regret in her heart. If she can pass on the knowledge she learned from her father through our women's academy, wouldn't it be a good thing?"

Shen Nankui smiled and said, "Okay, let's go visit her some other day."

Zhang Qiongsi said happily: "I knew you would agree!"

"This is the best of both worlds. Why shouldn't I do this?"

"What if you dislike her background..."

"Who am I?"

"Of course not!" Zhang Qiongsi laughed, "Qiongsi is just being mean, but——"

She hesitated for a moment before asking again, "Sister Nankui, you didn't say much when I was talking about Jian Ying just now. Did you think of something bothering you?"

Shen Nankui shook his head. "You may not know that Jian Ying and I have had similar experiences. However, for me, those are all things of the past and cannot affect me."

Zhang Qiongsi was slightly startled, but when he saw her calm expression, he felt relieved.

……

Taoyuan Town is more than 60 miles away from Yongzhou, and Baiyun Temple is another four or five miles away from the town, so it is even farther away. It takes more than two hours to travel on the road by car, so Shen Nankui and Zhang Qiongsi set out at dawn.

After leaving the city and driving eastward, the group finally arrived at Baiyun Temple in the morning.

Zhang Qiongsi first sent Shen Nankui to the meditation room to rest before going to pay a visit to the master. As soon as he met the abbot, he went to look for Jian Ying.

But after a while, Zhang Qiongsi came back dejected.

"Sister Nankui, Master said that Jian Ying moved out of the nunnery two months ago. I'm sorry that you came to nothing today..."

Shen Nankui smiled and said, "Why are we talking about this between you and me? Where is she now?"

"It seems that he rented a house in Taoyuan Town and did some other work. He would deliver the copied Buddhist scriptures to the temple every half a month."

Shen Nankui stood up and said, "Good wine needs no bush. Taoyuan Town is not far away. Let's go find her."

Zhang Qiongsi held her back and said, "Don't worry, sister. It's already noon. I've asked the kitchen for some vegetarian food. It won't be too late for us to leave after we have our meal."

"fair enough."

After having a vegetarian meal at Baiyun Temple and taking a short rest, they rushed to Taoyuan Town.