Quick Transmigration: Underdog Turns out to be Untouchable

Chapter 66: Chapter 66: The Crime of Gender 66

The middle-aged man looked very scholarly and refined, but his body was very frail. He lay lightly on the ground, his loose clothes flapping in the wind, looking as if he could be blown away at any moment.

A small child, with two little ponytails, looking no older than six or seven, lay on the man’s body, crying loudly.

Beside the child, there was also a middle-aged woman who was equally frail, with a pale complexion that could not hide her beauty, crying incessantly along with the child! Scattered around the three people were several large and small bundles!

Qin Shuangshuang got closer to listen and learned that the man was walking along the road when he suddenly fell headfirst in front of Uncle He’s ox cart and fainted!

As soon as the man fainted, the woman and the small child with him threw themselves onto him, calling out ”Husband” and ”Dad” several times, but he did not wake up. In their panic, they started crying!

The crowd was gathering around the man not to watch the commotion but to discuss whether they should help and try to save him. The people of Qin Family Village were kind-hearted; during past disasters, they couldn’t help the victims due to unavoidable circumstances.

Now that they had come out of difficulty, no one was lacking in food or money, and their kind nature resurged. Seeing someone in trouble on the road, they thought about pooling together a few Copper Coins to call for a doctor to have a look. It’s tough being away from home; if they could help, they would.

At that time, the village chief was discussing with some clan elders how much each family should contribute to call a doctor. Qin Shuangshuang thought it wasn’t a bad idea, so she stepped forward to take charge of the matter.

Since she wasn’t short on money, she decided not to ask the others to contribute. Even though thirty taels of household silver was substantial, spending it frivolously wasn’t wise, especially considering how many expenses there would be once they reached the border city.

The woman, seeing someone willing to help, quickly knelt down and kowtowed in thanks, ”Thank you! Thank you, kind people! Thank you so much...”

Realizing that her father could be saved, the sobbing child, understanding the situation, wiped away tears, stopped crying, and joined his mother in thanking everyone.

A few people went forward to move the man to the side. Qin Shuangshuang looked around and saw a large open space next to a forest not far from the main road. She suggested to everyone that they might as well set up camp there for the night.

This way, they could quickly free up an ox cart, and she could take the man back to the county to see a doctor.

Since they had already decided to help the man, resting early and taking fewer steps was a small price to pay, so naturally, no one objected.

Uncle He’s ox cart was soon freed up. With Qin Shuangshuang’s help, the man got onto the cart, and naturally, his wife and son followed along.

Uncle He cracked his whip towards the sky, and the big yellow ox pulling the cart started moving on its own. Soon, the group arrived at the county, and after asking around briefly, Qin Shuangshuang found a rather reputable medical clinic.

The resident doctor at the clinic was a middle-aged man in his forties. He came over, examined the man carefully from top to bottom, took his pulse for a while, and then nonchalantly said, ”Nothing’s wrong, he’s just overly hungry. Feed him and have him eat a few full meals, and he’ll be fine!”

It turned out to be a false alarm. The man’s wife visibly relaxed, and the worry on her face diminished significantly. Although still concerned, she no longer discreetly wiped away tears.

Qin Shuangshuang, having decided to do a good deed to the end, went out and bought a large amount of food, including porridge, soup, vegetables, and rice. She even brought back a big portion of high-quality feed for Uncle He’s big yellow ox as a reward for the extra trip.

Inside the house, the man’s wife fed him, while outside, Qin Shuangshuang and Uncle He fed the ox. Qin Shuangshuang was particularly fond of this spiritually intelligent big yellow ox from Uncle He’s family.

The ox was not only smart on its own but also helped manage the other oxen. During the journey, it always led the way, ensuring the convoy traveled smoothly, a contribution for which the big yellow ox deserved much credit.

After feeding the ox, the man, who had fainted from hunger, gained back some energy after being fed two bowls of porridge by his wife. He felt some strength returning to his body, and his legs were no longer as heavy or shaky, allowing him to stand and walk.

The first thing the man did was come out to thank Qin Shuangshuang, who naturally didn’t mind.

Originally, Qin Shuangshuang hadn’t planned to inquire about who the man was or where he was going; she just intended to give him a few taels of silver and be done with it. Perhaps because Qin Shuangshuang saved him, the man voluntarily shared his identity and background with her.

This man’s background was remarkable. His name was Min Tiancheng, the somewhat beautiful middle-aged woman was his wife, Mrs. Li, and the child was his son, Min Baolai!

Min Tiancheng was born into an aristocratic family dedicated to both farming and studying. Although it sounded impressive, it was similar to Qin Family Village, where everyone shared the same surname, with most people farming and a few studying.

What was remarkable about Min Tiancheng wasn’t his family background but his prowess in academics. From the age of twelve, he passed exams starting from a child student to Advanced Scholar. After the palace examination, he became a Second Class and was exceptionally admitted to the Imperial Censorate, basking in glory.

However, he wasn’t vigilant enough as an official and was banished by the Emperor to serve as a tutor in a remote border city. Min Tiancheng only briefly mentioned the reason for his demotion without elaborating, and Qin Shuangshuang sensibly did not press for details.

Even though she didn’t ask in person, Qin Shuangshuang was extremely curious about why a distinguished Advanced Scholar and Second Class Imperial Censor was disgraced and sent to a border city as a mere tutor, to the point of being so destitute that he fainted from hunger. This situation couldn’t be explained merely by ”being inept as an official.”

The responsibility of a tutor was to oversee the county school and instruct county students in their studies, as well as conduct annual assessments of the scholars to qualify them as recipients of state support.

This position was already considered a notable official post among ordinary people, being elegant and allowing for social connections, but for someone with Min Tiancheng’s Advanced Scholar background, it was an underutilization of talent. Typically, tutors were selected from scholars since scholars sufficed to instruct other scholars in their studies!

It seemed he had either been falsely accused or had crossed some powerful political enemies. Although this was her thinking, Qin Shuangshuang was already scheming about what she could do with this respected scholar.

Qin Shuangshuang was considering Min Tiancheng being sent to the border city, which aligned with her own destination. She wondered if she could persuade this Advanced Scholar to come to Qin Family Village and perhaps teach both her and Qin Miao and Fang Yao to read.

The main focus was on teaching Qin Miao and Fang Yao. Qin Shuangshuang was already literate and reasonably learned.

In her past life, Qin Shuangshuang had been traded countless times because of her beauty. A certain merchant intended to present her to an official, who was a refined gentleman, demanding his concubine, possessed of red sleeves and fragrance, to be educated. Under the intensive training of seven to eight tutors, Qin Shuangshuang quickly learned poetry and prose.

However, what she learned back then was directed at appeasing men. Now, Qin Shuangshuang aspired to learn genuinely useful knowledge. As for whether Min Tiancheng had any enemies or whether they posed a risk to her, Qin Shuangshuang wasn’t concerned.

In any case, she had no plans to mingle in the Capital City. Even if Min Tiancheng’s enemy were the highest-ranked minister, his influence wouldn’t reach the border city. She had no worries.