The Supporting Female Character Refuses to be Cannon Fodder Chapter 43

Speaking of this, she sighed with regret: “Why are you just like your father? So young yet always wearing such a stern face?”

Jiang Chan helplessly remembered that in the modern era, she experienced too little joy, but here, her mood improved a lot because she gained a lot. Not only the genuine affection from Lin Shi and Jiang Sen but also friendships and more.

Jiang Sen came over and heard Lin Shi complaining about his seriousness, and he cleared his throat uncomfortably, “Alright, if Xiao Chan is fine, we should also start heading back. It will get cold if we return any later. You are already very weak.”

Lin Shi glanced at Jiang Sen and said nothing. She was eager to leave the village, especially knowing that the people who had mistreated Jiang Chan lived just next door made her particularly uncomfortable.

At home, Lin Shi was the authority; Jiang Sen and Jiang Chan naturally had to listen to her, and they were also growing impatient staying here. According to Jiang Chan, they might as well spend this time at home reading more books.

Just after helping Lin Shi into the carriage, Wang Shi’s loud voice could be heard from the neighboring courtyard.

“Xing’er, tell mom, who bullied you? I’ll go and argue it out with her.”

“Mom, it’s nothing, elder sister didn’t mean it,” Jiang Xing’s timid voice responded, unaware that there existed a particularly disgusting creature in this world known as the ‘white lotus.’

Lin Shi heard everything clearly inside the carriage. Seeing her about to step down, Jiang Chan patted her arm, “Why bother with them? Just pretend they don’t exist, and let’s do what we need to do.”

Jiang Sen stroked his beard and smiled, “Right, we should head back. If my sister-in-law is really upset, she can come to town to find us, no need to say more.”

With the reassurances from father and daughter, Lin Shi settled down, and Uncle Zhong drove the carriage out of the village. Meanwhile, Wang Shi continued to argue loudly from behind the courtyard wall, occasionally exacerbated by Jiang Xing’s embellishments.

Jiang Hai snorted and went back to his room for a nap, while Jiang He continued his work in the corner of the courtyard, carving a piece of wood that was slowly taking the shape of a rabbit.

Zhou Xing, a young girl with a fierce personality, had driven the cart over herself in the morning. The afternoon sun was just right, and Jiang Chan, growing impatient sitting alone inside the carriage, chose to sit outside alongside Zhou Xing.

Enjoying herself, Jiang Chan even took a turn at driving the cart. Unlike the constraints typically placed on young ladies, she was free to do as she pleased, especially since Lin Shi and Jiang Sen did not restrain her.

Lin Shi opened the carriage curtain to take a look and saw Jiang Chan relaxed, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth. It seemed that Jiang Chan was indeed happier staying with them.

Embarrassed by Jiang Chan’s words, Jiang Xing cried and returned to her own home, even forgetting what she had wanted to talk to Jiang Chan about. By the time she decided to seek out Jiang Chan, she learned that Jiang Sen’s family had already rushed back to town.

Frustrated, Jiang Xing stomped her feet at the entrance of the Jiang family home, seeing Jiang He carving wood in the yard and couldn’t help but yell, “Jiang He, why didn’t you call me?”

Jiang He paused, “Why should I call you? Who are you to me?”

He was not one for tolerating nonsense, and Jiang Xing, so presumptuous, had clearly been spoiled by his little aunt.

Jiang He shook his head and ignored Jiang Xing, who was still stomping at the door, and continued with his work. As he carved, a small rabbit began to take shape in his hands, softening his expression.

Jiang Chan sat on the shaft of the cart, listening to Zhou Xing’s clear and melodious tunes. Although this season didn’t offer much in terms of scenery, Jiang Chan felt extremely comfortable, so everything she saw seemed beautiful to her.

As the carriage was about half an hour from home, Lin Shi suddenly lifted the curtain and said to Jiang Chan, “Xiao Chan, there is a temple in the outskirts. Shall we go there to worship tomorrow?”

“Sure, do we need to prepare anything?”

“Not really, just some donation for the temple oil will suffice.” Lin Shi smiled, “Though it’s called a temple, it actually serves as a Ji Bing Fang¹.”

“Ji Bing Fang?” Jiang Chan repeated, this was the first time she had heard this term.

“Indeed, the so-called ‘Ji Bing Fang’ is a place established by the current emperor to provide relief for the sick and poor, and to care for the elderly and the sick. Men and women are separated in residence, and these places are usually set up within temples.”

Jiang Sen explained, and Jiang Chan understood. Isn’t this “Ji Bing Fang” just the prototype of today’s orphanage? It’s just that today’s orphanages only adopt orphans and don’t have the nature of nursing homes.

“Ji Bing Fang,” Jiang Chan’s eyes became a bit dazed. “So how does it normally operate?”

Today’s orphanages mainly rely on donations from compassionate people in society. But what about ancient times? Just now Lin Shi mentioned “oil money,” which should be equivalent to donations nowadays.

“A part of it is oil money, and another part is arranged by the county for provisions. Usually, money and rice are delivered once a week.”

Jiang Sen knew more about it and explained in detail the origin of “Ji Bing Fang” to Jiang Chan.

Lin Shi also realized after passing through here that it had been a long time since she had come to visit. In the past, she used to come here every month. One reason was to pray for blessings, and the other was to do good deeds.

“We’ll go tomorrow,” Jiang Chan decided firmly. The original owner of her memories did not know of the Ji Bing Fang, perhaps because she had seen too little of the world.

Since they had planned to visit, Jiang Chan began preparations upon returning home. When she was at the orphanage, its conditions were not great, barely managing to have enough food and clothing.

Putting herself in their shoes, Jiang Chan guessed the charity hospital might also lack resources. By the afternoon, after returning home, she started planning what to bring to the charity hospital, but unfortunately, the shops in town were already closed, and Jiang Chan had no place to buy anything.

Lin Shi suggested, “Just donate more money for the temple oil, with the money they can buy rice themselves.”

Jiang Chan then gave up the idea and returned to her room, shaking her money box, the sound of silver ingots clinking inside. Opening it, she found it full of silver ingots, with a few paper banknotes underneath.

The banknotes came from her continuous sales of recipes to the Mingyue Tower, and the silver ingots were the earnings from the snack shop she owned. Despite its small size, the shop was like a golden goose. Jiang Chan’s little box was now full.

Jiang Chan pulled out a few banknotes and picked out two silver ingots, estimating them to be about five taels in total. She tucked them into her purse, readying the donation for tomorrow’s visit.

1. Ji Bing Fang translates to charity hospital or hospital for the destitute. I’ll be using the term ‘charity hospital’ in subsequent chapters. ↩︎