Chapter 41 – The Ambitious Plan
Jade’s after-class tuition had grown as the weather turned colder. As the number of people on the streets decreased each day, the newsboys could no longer earn much, so several more children from Jade’s class joined the tuition session to practice their handwriting.
A few days later, Jade managed to obtain blank cards for them – though not in the usual way. Proper card stock was expensive, so she glued several sheets of cheap, plain paper together with starch paste and pressed them flat with a coal-heated iron. The result was crude, but serviceable.
The cards greatly increased the children’s enthusiasm for improving their handwriting. Some of them, however, quickly realised they had little talent for neat cursive and instead focused entirely on producing the cheap blank cards.
While Jade was relieved that her students finally had something to work on, Mr. Anderson – who knew about the after-class tuition – approached her with a request: to allow his own students to join the tuition class as well.
“I would gladly offer my assistance, Miss Jade,” Mr. Anderson said, adjusting his spectacles, “but unfortunately I am too old to continue teaching after the morning class.”
That was true.
He had once been a household servant to a noble family – an honourable servant who now received a modest pension from his former employer. Through recommendation, he had come to the domus for a quieter retirement. Age had forced him to retire; he could no longer stand or work for long hours. That was precisely why the ragged school only held morning lessons – Mr. Anderson, the appointed teacher, simply could not manage more.
“I pity my students,” he continued with a gentle smile. “Many of them return to cold homes with empty stoves now that winter has reduced job opportunities. And you, Miss Jade, are perhaps the most considerate young lady I have ever met. What a thoughtful idea to gather them after class so they may practice penmanship and remain sheltered.”
Jade shook her head slightly.
“I should have planned this before winter arrived,” she admitted. “Taking them into the domus was a rushed decision. I had not prepared a proper class for them.”
“You have done your best, Miss Jade,” Mr. Anderson assured her. “Though I cannot teach longer hours myself, I would still like to help in whatever way I can. What assistance might you require?”
Jade fell into thought.
Mr. Anderson was elderly. She certainly could not ask him to supervise energetic children after a tiring morning class. He could not offer suggestions on baking or any of the other projects either, so Jade was at loss as to what help she could even ask of him.
But he had once been a servant. Jade mused, He could read and write well. Also, he was familiar with the customs and expectations of the upper class…
Jade blinked after a moment as an idea struck her.
“Mr. Anderson,” she asked cautiously, “would you be willing to teach the students proper manners – as servants?”
Mr. Anderson looked surprised. “Proper manners?”
“Well… some of the students wish to enter service someday,” Jade explained. “Perhaps you could teach them posture first? Or how to bow and curtsy properly? Maybe also what employers expect in a household.”
Mr. Anderson adjusted his spectacles again, considering her proposal carefully.
“A very thoughtful suggestion, Miss Jade.” he said at last. “Yes, preparing them for service would indeed be wise. At the very least, good posture alone would make them stand out when seeking employment.”
Suddenly energised, he clapped his hands together. “Please excuse me for now, Miss Jade. I must give serious thought to the proper way to instruct them in manners.”
“Alright, see you later, Mr. Anderson,” Jade replied, waving as the old man departed.
Only after he had gone did she remember something else. “Ah–shoot. I forgot to ask him for a sample of his fancy handwriting!”
Before long, Jade’s tuition class had expanded from thirteen to ninety-seven after absorbing students from Mr. Anderson’s class.
The more talented writers began preparing their own stock of decorative cards. Through Mr. Anderson’s connections, they supplied a local stationer – the son of one of Mr. Anderson’s old acquaintances worked there as an assistant shopkeeper.
Another group of students, those less capable of elegant handwriting or drawing decorative motifs, focused instead on producing the blank cards. The stationer accepted those as well.
However, she still had many students who needed her attention, and she had to figure out something to keep them busy. She managed to get a few of them to learn embroidery alongside her, yet several others were still idle.
Fortunately, she had an apprentice and two older students willing to help scout for usable scraps on his way back to the domus from the stall.
“Sensei, these are the scraps we got today,” Josh announced as he returned with a few large sacks loaded onto the handcart. “Matt and Raymond know a few shops that throw away paper or fabric scraps – nice madams and misters from the better neighborhoods.”
“Great!” Jade rose from her seat to welcome the three lads. “Quick, have some warm water and take a rest.”
She and a few other students helped unload the handcart. They opened the sacks, revealing their contents, and began searching through them for anything useful.
“I think we can make better flowers with this batch of scraps,” Matt said after taking a sip from his cup. He removed the warmer bag he kept inside his jacket and placed it near the fireplace, where several others were already lying, absorbing the heat from the burning wood.
Raymond nodded in agreement. “Mr. Davidson and Mr. Haywood would like more, but I suggest we find a new place to sell the better ones.”
Mr. Haywood was the shopkeeper of the stationer Mr. Anderson had introduced them to.
“And what do you suggest?” Jade asked as she and the others roughly sorted the scraps by colour.
“Milliners or dressmakers,” Raymond replied. “Those are the places where we got the better scraps, Miss Jade. If we can supply them with nice flowers, I believe they’d gladly take them – they’re extremely busy now.”
“Busy? In winter? Why?” Jade looked at them with a puzzled expression.
“Why, they’re preparing for the Spring Ball in March,” Raymond answered matter-of-factly. In truth, he was rather confused by Jade’s question, as the Spring Ball was the grand event of the year. Everyone talked about it.
Josh added, “Sensei, remember why Lord Ashborne was bored? It’s mainly because most of his acquaintances leave Velport during winter and don’t return until the Spring Ball begins. When it starts, the whole city becomes lively again. There are balls and parties everywhere.”
“Oh, that Spring Ball…” Jade paused, trying to recall what she knew.
A ball was still a foreign concept to her. She had attended many events in her previous life – mostly as the cake decorator sent by her boss to observe the event and collect feedback so the bakery could improve – but none of those events had ever been called a Ball. They were ceremonies, parties, gatherings… never a “Ball”.
For a brief second, when Raymond mentioned the “Spring Ball”, the image that popped into her mind was an elastic spring attached to a ball – one of those toys that cats or dogs might enjoy swatting at.
The image vanished instantly when Josh reminded her what it meant.
Well, one couldn’t entirely blame her. In Chinese, the word for “Ball” in this context translated more directly to something like “Dance Banquet” or “Dance Event”. Her brain processed that far more easily than the English word “Ball”, which usually meant the round thing kids slapped around.
She rubbed her chin thoughtfully. “Tell me more about this Spring Ball… and how it affects the market.”
At first, she had assumed it was simply a series of elegant social events that had nothing to do with her. But once she realised it was essentially a season when young men and women met, court, and got married, the business opportunities immediately became obvious: If you wanted to earn money, target mothers and lovers.
Mothers would buy anything for their child, and lovers would buy anything to please their dates.
However, before she could begin brainstorming ways to lure those love-blinded lovebirds into donating to charity, the boys – who had casually mentioned things they thought might interest her – along with other students who had overheard the conversation, introduced another keyword that caught Jade’s attention.
Valentine’s Day.
Though she was still slightly confused about the timing.
“So Valentine's is in February, but the courting season starts in March?” Jade wasn’t sure what to expect from the change of the pink-bubbly-loveydovey season. Her mind simply hadn't been wired that way in her previous life; as a child who grew up with year-long summer days, her natural sense of months had never been connected to the shifting seasons.
After making a few mental notes, she muttered to herself, “So there are two waves of the lovebird season… But Valentine’s is probably quite different from what I remember, and the Spring Ball is clearly more important… hmm…”
“Students, pause for a moment, please,” Jade said as she stood and reached for her chalk. On the blackboard, she quickly scribbled “Valentine’s” and “Spring Ball”.
Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned their attention to her.
“You guys have a different work schedule from those in the bakehouse,” Jade began. “They’re responsible for supplying part of our meals – pies, biscuits, chips, and perhaps other foods that will need to be baked or deep fried in the future. They also sell what they make to help fund our school. They work everyday, while you here are seasonal part-timers. But, that does not mean you will earn less than they do.”
Students who had initially deflated at her words immediately straightened in their seats as she tapped the words written on the board. “These two events are the best opportunities we can seize. Lovers, couples, future husbands and wives – they all need something to express their feelings. That ‘something’, could be flowers, cards, decorations, accessories, and so on. And we’ve just learned that the dressmakers need flowers to decorate the gowns ladies will wear to the ball – to attract suitors, to give as presents, and to express their affection.”
Jade’s eyes shone with ambition.
“Time is ticking, kids. We have the entire winter to prepare, and we will begin selling one week before Valentine's Day. After that, we will have another month to prepare for the Spring Ball. The best pieces could even be sold at higher prices – perhaps through dressmakers who value our handiwork. Imagine this: one day, an artificial flower you made might be attached to a lady’s gown!”
The children were instantly energized. Some even cheered at the announcement. Jade quickly raised a hand to calm them. “However, because of our limitations – we can only obtain scraps, not brand-new materials – we probably won’t be able to make the finest flowers. But acceptable ones will likely become great products for the working men and women. That will be our main focus: make something attractive, at a price they can afford.”
Discussion quickly spread among the ragged school children.
“This will also be a step-by-step guide for you,” Jade continued. “Just as I guide those in the bakehouse in baking and cooking skills, I will now guide you in skills such as embroidery, penmanship, making artificial flowers, and crafting simple accessories. When you graduate, you will at least have a skill and a better chance of finding a proper job. Or, if you’re ambitious and adventurous, you might even try starting a small business – just as I started the tiny stall.”
Jade could see the children’s eyes shining. “Divide yourselves into groups. The groups are not fixed; you may form new ones if necessary, or even join multiple groups, as long as you can manage the work. Design something you believe would sell during these two celebrations, and let me know when you are ready. We can experiment as much as we like because we can test the market through our friendly shopkeepers.”
“Miss Jade,” one of the students raised her hand. Jade recognised her as one of Mr. Anderson’s students. “What if we can’t think of anything? I’m not good at the design you said…”
“That’s alright, you can focus on making them,” Jade replied, waving her hand reassuringly. “Designers might not always have the best craftsmanship, while someone who doesn’t design might have excellent hands. We are a team here – a workshop, even, if outsiders were to see us. We can distribute tasks and duties among ourselves. Don’t worry, there will definitely be something you can contribute.”
Seeing the students filled with excitement, Jade felt pleased.
“As for the money earned from selling the products,” she continued, “it will go into your welfare.”
“Welfare?”
Noticing the confusion on the students’ faces, Jade rubbed her chin. “I probably used the wrong term… Alright, let’s call it the ‘Students’ Fund’.”
“The Students’ Fund?” That sounded more reasonable to the children, and some of them had already grasped the general idea.
“Yes – meaning every coin you earn will be pooled into this fund,” Jade explained. “Then Father Rochester or I will use the fund to obtain things for you: books, foods, medicine… I’m also thinking of getting everyone a water bottle, though that can wait for later. Better sewing kits, better materials, better ingredients – so that we can train you properly and give you a better chance of finding decent work. I mean, not dangerous jobs like chimney sweeping… And girls, definitely don’t become match girls. It’s terrible for your health.”
“Food?” one of the students exclaimed.
“Medicine…” Jade heard a faint voice from somewhere near the front.
“Yes, the money will all be used for your benefit,” Jade nodded. “Our patron – the kind wealthy gentleman who often visits – has promised that if things go well here, he will continue supporting us. At the very least, we can ask for his help. But we must first try to stand on our own before asking for assistance. Understood?”
“Understood, Miss Jade.”
“Now, I want to repeat this once more,” Jade said firmly. She could not help worrying about the fate of these children; their circumstances offered them little protection, and the regulations here provided none of the basic safety nets she had known in her previous life. “If you encounter any difficulty or danger, come to the domus. The Sisters and Brothers will gladly help if they receive a desperate request. Mr. Anderson, Father Rochester, and I – and maybe even our generous patron – will do what we can to help you, alright? If your family faces any danger as well, come. Understood?”
“Understood, Miss Jade.” The students replied.
“Good. Back to work. Take your time practicing. Get into groups, discuss among yourselves what you think the ladies might like, and come to me if you have any questions,” Jade instructed before returning to the pile of scraps near the three boys.
Jade glanced at Josh and asked, “What’s with that look? Did I say something funny?”
“Nothing, Sensei,” Josh said with a cheerful grin. “You’re marvelous, the best teacher in the world!”
“Heh, I certainly hope I’m good at teaching,” Jade muttered, scrunching her face as she thought about the teaching materials she had prepared. Just remembering them made her head ache.
Raymond leaned toward Josh and whispered while Jade’s back was turned. “You’re lucky to have Miss Jade as your master.”
“Lucky, and clever,” Matt added quietly. “I heard you’re already improving at piping swirls? Honestly, I’ve never seen a baker’s apprentice doing piping work in their first month.”
Josh replied with a polite smile, still keeping his voice low. “Well, you could always ask Miss Jade to take you as her apprentice too.”
Both boys huffed.
Gazing into the distance, Raymond said, “I’m planning to become a clerk’s apprentice.”
“And I’m hoping to become an accountant’s apprentice,” Matt added in a similar tone. “I will need Miss Jade’s recommendation letter for the application.”
“A bright future for both of you then,” Josh said, winking with a puffed chest. “And one day, you’ll find me making the cake served to you in a restaurant!”
“We’ll see about that.” Raymond glanced at him, and the three boys shared a quiet chuckle.