General, your wife has gone to deliver another calf for your horse.

Dean Yue sighed softly, "What kind of workers are these? They have to study all the time and can't stay with the innkeepers. When there are minor exams, they naturally can't work. And scholars are a bit too proud to do that. Apart from carrying sacks at the docks and getting paid once a day, where else can you find such a high wage?"

As he spoke, his eyes lit up, and he turned to look at Jiang Nuanzhi: "Doctor Jiang, are you saying that there is a job that can earn twenty coins a day?"

Jiang Nuanzhi immediately nodded with a smile: "There really is one, who came to my house to do chores."

As she spoke, she rolled up her sleeves and said, "Well, since it's time today anyway, I'll cook at the academy and we can eat here together. That way, we can talk about this in detail."

Dean Yue looked at her in utter surprise: "Dr. Jiang, don't try to fool me. Although my academy has few people, there are about ten of these rascals. If you really use them, the daily expenses will be quite high. I know you're building a house at home and need more help. If you're really too busy, I'll ask a few of them to help you. There's no need to worry about money."

Jiang Nuanzhi smiled and raised an eyebrow: "Why would I lie to you? Besides, you're almost starving, and you want to help me? What will everyone else eat then?"

Upon hearing this, Dean Yue coughed awkwardly and said, "If they go to help, I'd also trouble Dr. Jiang to treat them to a meal."

Speaking of this, Dean Yue sighed slowly: "I've always said that half-grown boys can eat their fathers out of house and home. I have more than a dozen half-grown boys in my family. You have no idea what it's like when we eat."

While talking to Dean Yue, Jiang Nuanzhi went into the kitchen, scooped out some flour, put it in a bowl, and started mixing the batter. She then said:
"My newly built residence may be larger than the dean imagined, and we are indeed short-handed. To be honest with the dean, I am currently hiring villagers at a rate of twenty coins per person per day. It's better to let the dean and the students earn that money since others are also earning it anyway."

Another thing, as you know, my husband Li Rong has gone out. He's been overseeing the house construction all along; I only need to provide him with a blueprint, and he doesn't need to be with me every day.

But now that Li Rong isn't home, the older folks in the village can't understand the blueprints, so the construction has been delayed. To be honest, things are chaotic these days, and my family is quite large; the house is really too small. It's a problem just to keep out the wind and rain, let alone shelter people during a famine. Because things are so chaotic, I'm thinking of getting the new house finished in the next two months, so we can move in by the end of winter. That's why I wanted to discuss this with you.”

Upon hearing this, Dean Yue suddenly slapped his thigh: "Dr. Jiang! Are you serious? If you really need people, they can definitely understand blueprints. Let alone reading blueprints, they can even draw them!"

"Let's build the house. Although they're inexperienced and a bit young, they're all strong, so don't worry, they definitely won't slack off. When the time comes, Master Jin, Lao San, and I will go and supervise their work. We three won't take any wages, we'll just be there to keep an eye on things for you!"

As he finished speaking, he rubbed his hands together, a hint of arrogance on his face: "I'm not bragging, but back in the day, my house in Kyoto was so ornately decorated that everyone who visited would marvel at its exquisite craftsmanship. If you entrust the house to me, you can rest assured. I'll make sure it's done beautifully for you."

As he spoke, he added with a touch of wistfulness, "You know what, it's been so long since I've looked into houses, I'm actually quite excited."

Jiang Nuanzhi couldn't help but laugh: "Then I'll have to trouble the dean? I'm naturally at ease leaving this to you. Would you like to come back with me sometime? Let's take a closer look at the blueprints for the house?"

"Okay, okay! I'll go in a bit!"

Dean Yue responded repeatedly, his voice tinged with emotion: "This has solved our immediate problem. If all goes well, we'll get through this winter. Once the new year comes and they have their junior high exams, they'll be able to focus on their studies without having to travel around."

Normally, copying letters for others could earn some money, but his Panshi Academy had a bad reputation and could never compete with the students of Gu Kui Academy. So he had to do dirty and tiring work, at least he could get paid on the same day.

During evening classes, seeing his students exhausted, Dean Yue felt a pang of sadness. Hearing this news, he was momentarily overcome with emotion, his nose tingling slightly. Seeing Ping'er enter, he immediately hugged him and planted a kiss on the forehead: "My good student, you're truly my lucky star!"

Then, he immediately bowed to Jiang Nuanzhi and said, "Doctor Jiang, I am deeply grateful and will remember this kindness!"

With that, he rushed out the door and shouted, "Jin Wushuang! Come here! I have some great news to tell you!"

Ping'er frowned as she watched Dean Yue run off happily, and subconsciously wiped her forehead: "Anuan, my master seems to have gone mad."

Jiang Nuanzhi smiled and poked his forehead: "You, hurry up and help with the fire."

It wasn't just Dean Yue who was happy; Jiang Nuanzhi was even happier.

The farmers she had hired before, while honest and hardworking, weren't skilled in fine craftsmanship. There were some details about her house that needed careful discussion, and Jiang Nuanzhi also needed to make medicine; it would be too tiring for her to oversee the house as well. Besides, building a house wouldn't take a day or two, at least several months, and if she were constantly watching over it, she wouldn't be able to do anything else. Now that it's been handed over to Dean Yue, it's wonderful. She herself breathed a sigh of relief.

"Okay, Nuan, what are we doing today?" Ping'er followed behind Jiang Nuan and assisted her.

How about the egg pancakes?

"Okay, it's been a long time since I've had this. Ah Nuan's egg pancakes are the best." Li Junping also found it hard to suppress his smile today.

As soon as Ping'er went into the kitchen, the children stopped playing and all gathered around her.

Jiang Nuanzhi glanced around briefly. She had three children of her own, and the director's family had five, making a total of eight. All eight little heads were tilting up at her, eager to help her.

There wasn't much food in the dean's kitchen, so Jiang Nuanzhi just made a batter. Then she cracked the last two eggs into the batter, added some chopped wild vegetables, stirred it well, adjusted the seasoning, and then started frying egg pancakes in oil. Since there were many people, she made two large bowls of batter. She figured she could make plenty of egg pancakes so there wouldn't be any leftovers; the other children could eat them when they came home that evening.

We had all the radishes and cabbages we needed, and plenty of helpers to prepare them. We made a big pot of radish soup, stir-fried bok choy with vinegar, and quick-fried shredded potatoes. We also kneaded dough, rolled out some noodles, and fried some scallion oil. Unfortunately, we didn't have any meat, so we had to make something with staple foods.

The noodles were ready, and it was time to call everyone to eat.

"Can I eat this?" Little Bean swallowed hard, staring longingly at the golden-yellow egg pancake with specks of green on the table.

“Of course,” Jiang Nuanzhi even rolled some shredded potatoes into an egg pancake and handed it to him.

Xiao Douzi didn't take it. She wiped her hands on her clothes again and again before carefully looking at Jiang Nuanzhi with her hands in her hands.

Jiang Nuan was taken aback. Afraid that he would burn his hand, she took a cabbage leaf and placed it in his hand.

Little Bean glanced at Jiang Nuanzhi while holding the egg pancake, and seeing her smiling at him, he tentatively took a small bite. Immediately, his little eyes narrowed into slits: "Wow, so delicious!"

As he said this, he turned around and handed the pancake to Dean Yue's mouth: "Dean, you have to try it, it's especially delicious, the pancakes made by Brother Ping'er's mother are super delicious!"

"No need, you eat first."

"No, Dean, eat, eat quickly."

As Xiaodouzi spoke, his mouth watered uncontrollably, but his little hand stubbornly held the pancake to Dean Yue's mouth.

Dean Yue couldn't refuse him, so she took a bite from his hand and immediately nodded, "Delicious!"

"What are you all waiting for? Let's eat!"

At Dean Yue's command, the children swarmed to the table and began to devour their food in a whirlwind.

Jiang Nuanzhi hadn't seen such a horrific scene in a long time. So much so that after the meal, looking at the several gleaming large basins, she couldn't help but look suspiciously at Dean Yue, who was sprawled in a chair, rubbing his stomach.

Dean Yue instantly understood Jiang Nuanzhi's meaning, and his eyes widened immediately: "I always make sure they're well-fed! Really! Today was just an accident, an accident!"

Jiang Nuanzhi: "."

She had hoped that the other children could have something to eat when they came back in the evening, but there wasn't a single thing left.

Now I understand why Dean Yue's money was always insufficient. So, it was simply because he was being eaten into poverty?

"Your Highness, please have a bite. You haven't eaten much these past two days."

On the way to the imperial estate, they took a short break. An Dehai immediately brought the food to Xuan Ting and said with a smile, "Didn't you say you wanted to eat sweet and sour pork? The chef made it today, would you like to try it?"

Xuan Ting took the food, absentmindedly brought it to his mouth, and then spat it out the next second, his little brows furrowing into a knot: "What is this? It's neither sour nor sweet, it doesn't taste good at all!"

"Oh? Isn't this the sweet and sour pork you ordered?"

Xuan Ting frowned deeply: "This isn't sweet and sour pork! Aunt Nuan's sweet and sour pork isn't like this at all!"

An Dehai was also confused: "This isn't what you said, fried meat, sour, with sweet filling."

"No, that's not how it is." Xuan Ting sighed, peeled the meat aside, took a couple of bites of rice, then tossed the bowl aside: "Where's the package Aunt Nuan gave me? Give it to me!"

An Dehai handed over the package, then couldn't help but add, "Your Highness, are you eating this again? This isn't a proper meal."

"What do you mean it's not food? That's because I couldn't bear to eat instant noodles! Today, I'll teach you a lesson!" Xuan Ting suddenly became energetic when he said this, and immediately ordered, "Go and get a bowl and some hot water."

After busily preparing the instant noodles and putting the lid on, Xiao Xuanting stared at the bowl, rubbing his hands together expectantly.

An Dehai, Seventeen, and the guards beside him looked on in bewilderment.

Little Xuan Ting suddenly seemed to remember something and clapped his hands: "By the way, has Father Emperor woken up yet? How is his health today? Did Physician Que say that Father Emperor will be able to eat something today?" (End of this chapter)