The Xu clan’s establishment of a clan school quickly spread throughout the surrounding villages, with the news continuing to disseminate at an astonishing pace.
While others engaged in widespread discussion—such as the Wang family landowners next to the Xu residence who thought Landlord Xu had gone mad—within the Xu clan itself, this news was nothing short of extraordinary.
An opportunity for education!
Without needing repeated orders from Master Xu, each household conventionally sent one or two children to school. This was because children around ten years old could already generate economic value.
They could gather firewood, herd cattle, feed pigs, work in the fields, or even take on odd jobs to supplement the family income.
For impoverished families, even these small resources couldn’t be overlooked.
Therefore, everyone had their calculations: while schooling was beneficial—offering far better prospects than remaining uneducated, and at the very least enabling them to read and avoid being cheated when seeking work in the city—it wasn’t feasible for all children to attend. Families couldn’t afford it.
Thus, selecting who would become the “lucky one” became a major issue.
Many households immediately erupted in conflict: daughters-in-law quarreling with mothers-in-law in one home, brothers fighting with manure forks and hoes in another.
Xu Yue, who had sparked this chaos, remained unconcerned. In this world, what didn’t require struggle? Having the chance to compete was already fortunate enough.
Surely, no one could blame her for providing the opportunity.
Ding-dong! The system, which usually had low presence, chimed cheerfully:
“Dear host, congratulations on unlocking the hidden mission: Clan Prosperity.”
“[Mission Explanation]: A renowned statesman must cultivate oneself, regulate the family, and govern the world. A harmonious, disciplined, and educated clan will facilitate your advancement in officialdom.”
“[Progress]: 10%.”
“[Reward]: A biography of an outstanding predecessor host. The database is now open. Please make your selection.”
Sitting before her dressing mirror, with Xique combing her hair behind her, Xu Yue’s drowsiness vanished completely, replaced by instant alertness.
An unexpected delight—Xu Yue was absolutely thrilled.
A faint smile appeared on her fair, glowing face. Seeing this, Xique couldn’t help but remark:
“Did you have a pleasant dream last night, Second Young Master? You seem so happy this morning.”
—According to convention, since Li Niang and her son had returned, Yuan Ge’er was older than Xu Yue, and the birth order should have been adjusted. However, Landlord Xu had not issued any instructions, and everyone understood implicitly, continuing to use the original titles without change.
Yuan Ge’er was simply addressed as “Young Master” or “Young Master Yuan.”
“Yes, the dream was wonderful…”
Xu Yue cheerfully agreed with Xique’s assumption as she opened the database. Neatly arranged before her were rows of books.
Upon closer inspection, each featured a person on its cover, all of exceptional demeanor.
There were officials in red robes and jade belts standing with hands behind their backs, a young man against a backdrop of gold, silver, jewels, and sailing fleets, and scholars in white robes seemingly reciting poetry.
The system promptly explained:
“The figures here are all your predecessors, each having excellently completed their missions. Their experiences can serve as references for you.”
Xu Yue’s eyes lit up. Lessons from the past guide the future; these predecessors’ experiences would undoubtedly be of immense help to her.
As a woman entering officialdom, she inherently faced significant disadvantages. What made it even more challenging was the lack of anyone who could guide her.
Although Teacher Feng was good, the circumstances were ultimately different. Xu Yue was crossing the river blindfolded, taking one step at a time, fearing she might be swept away by the waves.
Now, with these “stepping stones in the river,” she could at least have a reference, feeling her way around to avoid hidden currents, whirlpools, and reefs.
“But, are there really no female hosts among them?”
Xu Yue carefully scanned the covers but found no books featuring a woman. Her excitement waned slightly as she raised an eyebrow and asked.
“Well… I told you, your situation is special,” the system stammered in explanation. Finding a female host in ancient society only added unnecessary difficulty.
As for Xu Yue’s case—well, it was a matter of making the best of a mistake, something unavoidable.
“Hmph.”
Xu Yue let out an ambiguous laugh and turned to select a suitable biography. The system eagerly offered suggestions:
“Actually, this one, The Scholar’s Romance: A Path to Renown Starting as a Celebrated Scholar, is quite good. The Jiangnan region admires talented scholars—you could reference his methods.”
Xu Yue glanced at it and understood—ah, a literary plagiarist.
“This one isn’t bad, but it doesn’t align with my current needs. I’ll keep it on hold.”
She had no heavy moral qualms and didn’t oppose using copied poetry to build her reputation. If it benefited her future self, why not do it?
Being constrained by such things was laughable.
After a while, Xu Yue pointed to a book with a cover depicting a man in blue robes smiling as he held a stalk of rice, surrounded by scattered silkworm cocoons, a loom, and piles of various vegetables and grains.
“I choose this senior’s biography.”
The system took a closer look: Immortalized in History: A Journey to Strengthen the Nation Starting with Compost.
“I’m only three years old now, and it’ll be over a decade before I grow up. This isn’t the time to seek the limelight.”
“The Xu family’s main occupation is landowning, so we have a foundation. Farming won’t attract much criticism, and if done well, the benefits are substantial.”
“Another point: agriculture is the foundation of the state. If the Xu family excels at farming, the surrounding villagers will naturally lean toward us. Our foundation will be solid, and the court will likely offer rewards.”
“Before I come of age, the stronger the Xu family becomes, the more benefits I’ll gain.”
Xu Yue genuinely felt this was an excellent choice. She opened the biography of this esteemed figure and found the table of contents as straightforward as an agricultural production guide.
It was comprehensive and dazzling.
The system: …felt something was off and asked with concern:
“But, host, haven’t you considered that the Xu family’s gains aren’t necessarily your gains?”
The Xu family had more than one descendant, and the host was a girl. What if her efforts ended up benefiting others?
Without looking up, Xu Yue’s clear childlike voice echoed in her mind:
“Nothing in this world is perfect. If I worried about all that, I’d never get anything done.”
Her gaze sharpened:
“Besides, if what I give ends up in someone else’s hands, it just means I’m useless.”
“If I can’t outcompete the one or two rivals in the Xu family even with every advantage, what kind of renowned minister would I be? My bones would be picked clean!”
The system paused, suddenly feeling that this epic-level difficult task might actually have hope.
It seemed it could afford to be a bit more proactive too.
…
“Yue Ge’er, I heard your family is starting a clan school?”
In the study.
Teacher Feng hadn’t arrived yet, but all four disciples had come early. He Shun, his fair hands clutching a large meat bun, leaned toward Xu Yue as he ate and asked curiously.
Among the fellow disciples, He Shun came from a merchant family, yet he was remarkably lively and innocent in temperament, treating others with sincerity and studying diligently.
He was five years older than Xu Yue, already an eight-year-old half-grown child, and by all reasoning should not have enjoyed playing with a junior disciple who was only three years old.
But contrary to expectations, since He Shun began his studies, he had made it quite obvious—always trying to strike up conversations with Xu Yue, even addressing him affectionately as Yue Ge’er.
When the others heard He Shun mention this novelty, they all looked up to observe Xu Yue.