Brooks Hollow is wealthy. The girls and wives in the village have learned many cooking and handicraft skills from the teacher—how could girls from other villages compare to them? Now that the teacher is engaged to Julie Brooks, doesn’t that mean the other young ladies will have to choose from among our children—（*^＿^*）hee hee... This is what they call “letting the fat water flow into one’s own fields”!

As if to emphasize his point, Adam Brooks, amidst Julie’s joy, added with a meaningful tone, “In that case, tell the other young ladies not to bother the teacher for no reason!”

Henry Clark knew perfectly well that this was directed at him.

He smiled slightly, his smile full of meaning.

After a pause, Adam Brooks added ingratiatingly, “Teacher, just now we discussed among ourselves: from now on, the village’s clan property will be ‘sixty percent private, forty percent public’—sixty percent goes to individuals, forty percent to the public fund. The public fund’s forty percent will be split equally with you, teacher; the clan will use twenty percent for taxes and to support the elderly and orphans, and your share, teacher, you may use as you see fit. What do you think?”

Henry Clark appeared unfazed by either favor or humiliation. He nodded calmly, saying nothing.

The profits Henry Clark originally received were not entirely his own, either. He came from the modern era and was not used to the Song dynasty’s slave-like apprenticeship system. He believed that “paying according to work” was the best way to motivate employees. So, although the children were learning skills from him, he set very detailed quantitative standards and paid them wages based on their labor and achievements.

Precisely because of this foundation, when Adam Brooks proposed giving Henry Clark a twenty percent share of the “clan industry” profits—something akin to a modern “patent law” in an era with no concept of patents—there was no resistance at all. But... Adam Brooks saw it as a generous gift, while from a modern perspective, it was actually a form of exploitation of intellectual labor.

How could Henry Clark respond? He could only keep a blank face.

Such an expression left Adam Brooks unable to read his feelings. He had no concept of “patent fees,” so he felt that after such a big offer, the other party’s mere “oh” was far too indifferent. After waiting a while and still not receiving the expected thanks, he had to continue, “After some time, do you plan to let the children take the imperial exams?”

Henry Clark shook his head.

Right now, the children’s knowledge was nowhere near the level needed for the exams—come on, after two years of study, at best they were at a second-grade elementary school level. The entry-level “tongsheng” exam had been evaluated in the early years of the dynasty—roughly equivalent to “senior elementary” (third grade).

Moreover, Henry Clark taught only practical knowledge. But in the Song dynasty, knowledge was measured by one’s ability to write poetry.

Now, the children of Brooks Hollow had learned a ton of practical skills, and their literacy far surpassed that of local village children, but as for composing couplets... could you expect a modern science student with no clue about poetic forms to produce a group of Li Bais and Du Fus?

※※※

Henry Clark was in no hurry, but Adam Brooks was very anxious. Seeing Henry Clark shake his head, he could no longer keep up the act of the old fox and stammered, “Teacher, my Brooks Hollow The Brooks Clan is a branch of the Jiangxia Cheng clan, and for many years we have lived apart from the main family. Our greatest wish is to return home to honor our ancestors, to let the main Jiangxia branch know that Brooks Hollow has not disgraced the Cheng name.

It’s been 120 years. Long ago, our founding ancestor gave everything for the prosperity of Brooks Hollow, only thinking of continuing the family line in his old age. Since then, every clan leader has remembered the family precepts, and for four generations, all have married late in life—for what reason? Because life in the mountains is hard.

Since the great teacher arrived, heaven has smiled on us, and Brooks Hollow has enjoyed three years of abundance—our clothing and food are sufficient. If we could produce even one tribute scholar—even just one—we could be officially registered and no longer be outsiders. Then, the Chengs of Brooks Hollow could stride proudly to Jiangxia... Teacher, you are the great benefactor of Brooks Hollow, and we will remember your kindness for generations!

Teacher, I know you are very talented, and you haven’t even used half your knowledge yet. Please, lend a hand to my The Brooks Clan! Whatever you want, my The Brooks Clan will grant it to you!”

Henry Clark pondered for a moment and replied, “Alright!”

Henry Clark steeled himself: I refuse to believe that a “modern professional subverter” can’t handle a minor county magistrate from the Song dynasty!

“To take the exam, the most urgent need is to buy books,” Henry Clark only had the Thousand Character Classic, Three Character Classic, and Hundred Family Surnames on hand. But to take the imperial exam, one needed to read the “Great Classics”—the “Yiguan Yi,” “Book of Songs,” “Book of Documents,” “Zhou Rites,” and “Book of Rites”—as well as the “Analects” and “Mencius,” which were all required reading for examinees.

These books could be bought nearby, but Henry Clark also needed a dictionary, and he didn’t know if such a thing existed in the Song dynasty. So he would need to search in a big city.

“These books probably can’t be found in Huangzhou; I’ll have to go—to Yangzhou, or Quanzhou... Quanzhou it is.” Why Quanzhou? Because Henry Clark was not officially registered, but he had heard that the port cities of this era were Quanzhou, Guangzhou, and Mingzhou. Only in such cities, with large populations of outsiders, could someone as unusual as Henry Clark move about freely without standing out.

“As you wish, teacher,” Adam Brooks replied without hesitation.

Next was to confirm the student registration.

Generally, the quota for tribute scholars was one for every eighty candidates. Huangzhou had many tribute scholar slots, which actually made it easier to pull some strings.