Quick Transmigration: Underdog Turns out to be Untouchable

Chapter 1215: Chapter 1125: The Female Prime Minister 63

Yin Shuangshuang, disguised as a frail scholar, had been living in this small mountain village with everyone for half a month when Yan Qi, Yan Ba, and Yan Jiu, whom she had sent out to gather information, finally returned.

The news they brought back was grim. There was an ambush on the only road back to the Capital City, and returning would be even more difficult as, for some unknown reason, the government was conducting a bandit suppression campaign, with soldiers scouring the hills in search of bandits.

There had never been reports of large-scale banditry in that area, so what bandits were they really after?

Even if it were bandit suppression, it wouldn’t require such a display of force. It was clear that the intent was not truly about the bandits; local bandit suppression didn’t need to be reported to the court. The official leading the campaign was undoubtedly someone from the Fifth Prince’s faction.

Bandit suppression, indeed, Yin Shuangshuang mused for a moment. That particular spot was precisely where she had been forcibly taken by Wei Yingnan to see a doctor during her previous trip to the Capital City.

That route was unavoidable for Yin Shuangshuang. If she wanted to pass through, she would inevitably encounter the officials and soldiers conducting the bandit suppression.

Rubbing her forehead in frustration, she thought about how persistent this Fifth Prince was. Given Wang Zhongxuan’s current situation, there seemed to be no chance for a comeback in this lifetime. It wasn’t a life-or-death feud, so why was there a need for such relentless pursuit?

Yin Shuangshuang began to recall the information she had gathered on her previous visit to the Capital City.

She remembered that while recovering in a county inn, she had, out of boredom, sent people to gather a lot of information.

One of the pieces of information said that the county magistrate in this county was particularly lecherous, to the point where he even divorced his wife just to frequent the red-light district.

The county magistrate was in charge of overseeing the soldiers, meaning he would undoubtedly be leading the troops in the bandit suppression.

”Lecherous, indeed—what a fine habit,” Yin Shuangshuang murmured to herself with an ambiguous smile on her lips.

”Yan Yi.”

Yin Shuangshuang called out softly to Yan Yi, who had always stayed by her side, tasked with protecting her.

Yan Yi stepped forward respectfully and responded, ”Miss, what are your orders?”

Yin Shuangshuang lowered her voice, ”Take two people with you, bring a considerable amount of Silver, head to the nearest county town, acquire a set of fine clothes, and pose as a young master on a pleasure trip to the Capital City. Help me with something...”

Speaking in such a low tone that only Yan Yi beside her could hear, Yin Shuangshuang assigned him a task, and he swiftly left with two others.

With Yan Yi’s departure, what remained was to wait. Neither Yin Shuangshuang nor Wang Zhongxuan was accustomed to idleness, so they took turns giving introductory lessons to the village children.

Wang Zhongxuan’s teaching methods had a distinct flavor of the era, starting with reading the texts repeatedly. While the ancient teaching methods couldn’t be called unscientific, they were indeed taxing for beginners, requiring a certain level of comprehension.

In contrast, modern teaching methods are more scientific, making it easier for people to understand and recognize characters.

Yin Shuangshuang removed some of the teaching methods unsuitable for the times, directly teaching the children to recognize the simplest characters first, aiming to enable them to learn as many characters as possible.

The village was backward and impoverished, and the children had little chance of attending school, so it was better to teach them quickly and have them recognize as many characters as possible so what they learned during this time could be of use in the future.

The village children were well-behaved, cherishing this rare opportunity to learn. Yin Shuangshuang and Wang Zhongxuan taught them every morning and afternoon.

Whether or not the children understood entirely, they diligently attended and listened. The children’s parents often brought vegetables from their own fields as a token of gratitude.

The villagers were poor and couldn’t afford pen and ink, so Yin Shuangshuang made sand trays for each child. She shaped branches into brush-like tools for the children to use for writing in the sand trays.

Among all the children, there was one named Zi Yixuan who was the brightest. He could comprehend everything Yin Shuangshuang taught. It was said that his grandfather had fled war in the past, which was why his surname differed from those in the village.

If other children studied diligently because learning opportunities were rare, Zi Yixuan learned because he enjoyed the process of learning and found joy in it.

Today, after teaching the other children, Yin Shuangshuang gave Zi Yixuan a special, private lesson.

It wasn’t that Yin Shuangshuang was biased and unwilling to teach the other children; it was just that the other children had a learning limit.

If Yin Shuangshuang taught too much, it wouldn’t stick, and the children might find learning so arduous that they would grow to resent it.

Zi Yixuan loved learning, so considering his future, Yin Shuangshuang chose to teach him systematically according to the methods of this era.

After class, before leaving, Zi Yixuan looked up and asked Yin Shuangshuang, ”Little teacher, can you stay in the village a bit longer?”

Zi Yixuan was small and thin, with malnutrition turning his hair dry and his skin rough. But he had incredibly beautiful eyes, which he fixed on Yin Shuangshuang with eager longing, bright as stars.

Yin Shuangshuang couldn’t bear to disappoint him, but she also didn’t want to lie, ”We are just passing through and won’t stay long.”

Zi Yixuan’s beautiful eyes dimmed. He let out a dull ”hmm,” his small face filled with sadness.

He liked the old teacher and especially the little teacher whose lessons were so engaging, but he knew the teachers wouldn’t stay long in their poor little village.

”You don’t need to be so sad. Since you love learning so much, the little teacher will gift you a set of books.

As long as you thoroughly study these books and take the imperial exams in the future, you can leave this village and see a broader world.

That way, you won’t be sad over a brief parting, because the world is so exciting, you won’t have the time to be sad.”

Ah, the outside world. A look of yearning flashed in Zi Yixuan’s eyes. Yin Shuangshuang had told him many things about the world beyond.

It was a fantastical, colorful world that he longed to see.

”If I study hard and take the imperial exams to leave this village, will I be able to see you again, little teacher?”

Yin Shuangshuang smiled and nodded, and Zi Yixuan’s face showed a determined expression, ”Little teacher, don’t worry, I will study hard.”

After expressing his resolve, Zi Yixuan hurried back home, lest he miss the meal.

Watching the child’s small, leaping figure disappear into the distance, Wang Zhongxuan stroked his beard and sighed to Yin Shuangshuang, ”Truly a talent, a gem, but alas, born in this remote mountain village. The future is uncertain.”

If it weren’t for his current troubles, Wang Zhongxuan truly considered taking him as a disciple and teaching him personally.

Yin Shuangshuang shook her head, remaining noncommittal about Wang Zhongxuan’s remarks. That child had a resilience about him; even born in such a place, perhaps one day he could make something of himself.