Chapter 16 - The Cannon Fodder Little Fulang [Quick Transmigration]

Translator's Note:

Hello, I hope you've all been doing well.

Here you go, and I wish you a good read.

And, as I said before, if you wish to read ahead, you can head over to my Patreon to get early access to all the translated chapters.

After Dong fulang's scene, Father Wu no longer felt like inviting the villagers over for a celebration. Despite his years of dedication to village affairs, some people had been quick to believe Dong fulang's baseless accusations, and this left him disheartened.

 

Wu Bai, however, understood that the initial chorus of agreement with Dong fulang was driven by some petty jealousy. Those people never truly believed his words.

 

Scenes like this were all too familiar from his past life. Back then, his husband had also become the first xiucai in their village. Countless people had visited their home, publicly offering congratulations but privately brimming with envy, constantly hinting that his husband would reach no further than the xiucai's rank.

 

Yet, his husband hadn't let their words affect him. Not only did he become a top-ranked scholar*, but he also rose to the position of prime minister, second only to the emperor. As for those who'd once spoken in envy, they had long wished they could dig a hole to disappear into.

 

[T/N: 状元 (zhuàngyuán - "top scholar"): This term denotes the title given to the highest scorer in the Imperial Exam for becoming a jinshi, which was the pinnacle of scholarly achievement in imperial China.

Ranking: 童生 (tóngshēng), 秀才 (xiùcái), 举人 (jùrén), 进士 (jìnshì), and within the 进士 rank, there were further distinctions such as 状元 (zhuàngyuán), 榜眼 (bǎngyǎn), and 探花 (tànhuā), which referred to the top three candidates in the highest imperial exam.]

 

Many had feared he would hold a grudge, but his husband had never stooped to their level. After taking office, he rarely returned to their village—only during the New Year for ancestral rites—leaving those who hoped to curry favor frustrated.

 

Although Dong fulang had dampened the mood, the Wu family still held a private celebration. They prepared a modest meal, inviting only close neighbors and the families of Wu Bai's two sisters-in-law. Together, they enjoyed a cheerful meal.

 

Xingfeng Village had been established by refugees about twenty years ago, so the Wu family had no extended relatives there; the village was a mix of surnames. Father Wu had become the village head back then simply because he could read a few words, and he had remained in that role ever since. This was also why he valued education so much, sending both his sons to school. Now, with his second son passing the xiucai exam, Father Wu felt all the more vindicated in his decision, and after a few celebratory drinks, he even began recounting tales of his youth.

 

It was only then that Wu Bai learned the origins of Xingfeng Village. Because he found no such information inside the memories he received from his body's original host, Wu Bai guessed he shouldn't have known about it either.

 

...

 

On this particular day, Wu Bai was in Wu Kang'an's study, ready to test him to see if his recent success had led to any slack in his studies. Since passing the exam, Wu Kang'an had become quite busy, often called upon by villagers to name a newborn or to craft auspicious couplets for weddings.

 

Just then, the sounds of cheerful voices and the crackling of firecrackers drifted in from outside. Curious about who was celebrating, Wu Bai stepped out of the study to take a look.

 

As he reached the doorway, he was stopped by his second sister-in-law.

 

"Sister*, is something the matter?" Wu Bai asked, puzzled.

 

[T/N: 哥么 can literally be translated to "brother" but is used solely for addressing ger, so I chose to leave it as "sister" to avoid any later confusion.]

Should I have settled to use pinyin instead; "ge" (哥) would be for addressing a male brother, and "geme" (哥么) for addressing a ger brother.]

 

"Bai ger, Mother asked me to keep you inside," Wu Erfulang replied apologetically.

 

"Why? Why can't I go out?"

 

With a complicated expression, Wu Erfulang asked, "Do you know who's getting married today?"

 

Wu Bai shook his head. "No idea. I was just about to go see. It sounds very lively."

 

"It's the Dong family'son."

 

"The Dong family'son? Dong Heng?" Wu Bai's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Do you know who he's marrying?"

 

Wu Erfulang nodded. "He's marrying the young ger of a wealthy family in town, the Ning family. I originally heard that this ger was looking to bring a husband into his own family, but somehow, he agreed to marry into the Dong family instead. You should have seen the dowry—chests upon chests of it…" He trailed off, voice tinged with envy.

 

"Oh, I see," Wu Bai said, satisfied with the answer. No longer interested in the scene outside, he turned back to the study.

 

Seeing him return, Wu Erfulang, having completed the task assigned by Wu fulang, went off to continue his interrupted conversation with Wu Bai's older sister-in-law, still buzzing with curiosity over the day's events.

 

At Dong Heng's wedding, not a single villager attended aside from Father Wu. He hadn't wanted to go either, but as the village head, he couldn't afford to appear petty over some idle gossip. So he made a brief appearance and left after giving his congratulations.

 

Upon his return, Wu Bai intercepted him.

 

"Father, I have something to discuss with you. Please, have a seat," Wu Bai urged him into a chair in the courtyard.

 

Smiling, Father Wu asked, "What's on your mind?"

 

"Father, let's send my second brother to study in the county," Wu Bai suggested.

 

Initially, Wu Bai thought that with Dong Heng not marrying him, he wouldn't have the chance to trouble the Wu family further. But hearing that Dong Heng had married into a wealthy family, Wu Bai's perspective changed. With his new in-laws' resources, Dong Heng would likely attend the county academy, eventually taking the provincial exam and potentially securing an official position in the capital.

 

Wu Bai couldn't ignore this possibility. If Dong Heng rose in rank, he might use his newfound power to target the Wu family. Knowing the vengeful nature of Dong Heng and his mother, Wu Bai understood that once they gained some influence, they would never let go of past grudges—especially against the Wu family.

 

So, Wu Bai hoped to convince his father to send Wu Kang'an to the county academy as well. This would give him an edge in next year's provincial exams, as the resources and library of that academy were unmatched. Wu Bai could only broaden Wu Kang'an's thinking, and helping him pass the xiucai's exam was already quite an achievement.

 

Hearing Wu Bai's reasoning, Father Wu agreed without hesitation. The chance to further Wu Kang'an's studies and possibly reach the rank of juren was too good to refuse.

 

He hadn't considered the county academy earlier because Wu Kang'an was already studying at the Nanping Academy, but now that Wu Bai mentioned it, the county academy's advantages were clear.

 

With the family's financial situation stable, thanks to the sixty taels Wu Bai had provided, funding Wu Kang'an's studies was not a concern. Without delay, Father Wu called Wu Kang'an and informed him of the plan to send him to the county academy.

 

Naturally, Wu Kang'an was thrilled; he also felt the county academy would better support his goal of becoming a juren.

 

The next day, Wu Kang'an visited his teacher at Nanping Academy, explaining his decision and intention to study at the county academy. Though saddened, the teacher fully supported Wu Kang'an's choice. After all, if Wu Kang'an achieved the juren rank one day, people would still remember his beginnings at Nanping.

 

With his teacher's blessing, Wu Kang'an quickly packed his belongings and invited him to a farewell dinner at Liuxiang restaurant in town the next evening, as a gesture of gratitude for his mentorship.

 

Just as Wu Bai had anticipated, only a couple of days after Wu Kang'an's departure to the county academy, his second sister-in-law informed him that Dong Heng had also enrolled there, bringing his new fulang along.

 

The county academy's entry requirements weren't particularly stringent; as long as one held a xiucai's title and could pay the fees, admission was possible. While many like Dong Heng, who brought their fulangs, chose to live off-campus, Wu Kang'an opted for the dormitory, finding it more convenient. Since Wu Erfulang hadn't accompanied him, dorm life allowed him to focus entirely on his studies, maximizing his time in the academy's vast library.

 

With Wu Kang'an away, Wu Bai found his surroundings noticeably quieter. Seeking something to occupy himself, he came back to his second plan: establishing a profitable venture for the family. With Wu Kang'an now studying at the county academy, he realized it wouldn't be wise to drain the family's resources without replenishing them.

 

After pondering for some time, Wu Bai decided on a suitable business for the Wu family: selling braised meat*.

 

[T/N: "卖卤肉" (mài lǔ ròu) refers to selling a specific type of seasoned, slow-cooked meat that is typically popular in Chinese cuisine. Lu rou involves simmering meat (often pork) in a mixture of spices, soy sauce, and other flavorings until it becomes richly flavored and tender.

It's often served as a main dish, sliced over rice or noodles, or used as a filling for buns and pancakes. Sometimes served chilled as an appetizer or added to soups and hotpots, its rich, savory taste makes it perfect for a variety of meals, from snacks to main courses.]

 

Without a large farm, they'd need to source meat from the villagers, which would, in turn, boost local farming. This setup meant that the village would benefit from the Wu family's success. Rather than arousing envy, it would encourage villagers to support their business, as the better Wu's braised meat sold, the more meat they'd buy from their neighbors.

 

One day, Wu Bai accompanied Father Wu to town. While his father left him at the bookstore, he slipped over to a nearby spice shop and picked up the seasonings he needed for the braised meat, intentionally including a few extra items to keep the shopkeeper from guessing his recipe.

 

That afternoon, as they headed home, Father Wu noticed the bags Wu Bai was carrying and took some to help him, asking, "Bai ger, what did you buy?"

 

"Just some spices," Wu Bai replied honestly.

 

"Spices! Oh, I remember now—your mother asked us to bring back some spices. Good thing you remembered!" Father Wu exclaimed, almost spilling the spices in his excitement.

 

Wu Bai couldn't help but sigh. I didn't actually remember anything… he thought, unsure if he'd bought the right ones for his mother.

 

Back at home, Father Wu handed the bags over to Wu fulang, who instantly recognized all the spices and seemed surprised. "I only asked you two to bring back some salt and ground pepper. How long is all this supposed to last us?"

 

Wu Bai quickly retrieved the salt and pepper for him, then gathered up the remaining spices and stored them in a corner of the kitchen cabinet. "Mother, these are for something else," he explained.

 

Wu fulang, doting as ever, didn't question him further, thinking that perhaps Wu Bai was growing up and interested in learning some culinary skills. Those spices, he guessed, were probably for his kitchen experiments.

 

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