Chapter 096 The small class is starting

There were starving people everywhere, people were displaced, their wives and children were separated, and only one in ten survived.

A few simple words in history books hide the bones and blood and tears of hundreds of thousands or even millions of people.

And she is so weak now, and has a family to support. How can she escape the disaster?

Seeing Xu Qingying's face pale slightly, Old Master Fang also knew that his words had frightened the little girl. He sighed softly, "They say that even a centipede is still alive after death. Don't worry, Xu Liu, the imperial court can still survive for a few more decades."

Xu Qingying forced a smile, but she was not as optimistic as Old Master Fang.

The court was on the verge of collapse, and the people still lived a hard life.

Xu Qingying has never had the broad-mindedness of Old Man Xu who "worries about the world before he worries about himself, and is happy about the world after he is happy about himself". She has always been content with a small fortune, but the current situation is: no matter whether she is a small fortune or suddenly rich, she can't be content.

A stable administrative system is the foundation for all development.

The imperial court is almost over, so what can she do even if she is rich and powerful?

"Look at you, stop talking." Old Madam Fang patted Old Man Fang's hand. She comforted Xu Qingying again, "Don't be afraid, girl. We've arrived in Qianzhou. It's a poor and barren place. The imperial court is far away. Even if a war breaks out, it won't spread there."

Old Master Fang obviously disagreed with what his wife said, but he was too weak to argue.

Xu Qingying bowed to Old Master Fang, "Grandpa Fang, thank you for telling me this. Take good care of yourself. They say heroes emerge in troubled times. Who knows, you might even witness a powerful man descend from the sky to bring peace to the world."

Old Master Fang gestured to silence Xu Qingying, but there was a trace of sadness in his eyes. "If that day ever comes, even this old man of mine will have to go down to see the late emperor. I failed to protect this land. I betrayed the late emperor's trust, allowing someone of illegitimate blood to usurp the throne and ruin the Great Zhou Dynasty's centuries-old foundation. I... am the eternal sinner..."

Xu Qingying wanted to say something but stopped herself. After thinking about it, she decided to hold back.

Ancient people attached great importance to integrity, and loyalty to the emperor and patriotism were the integrity of their scholars. When dynasties changed, there was always a lack of scholars who died to defend their country. Although Xu Qingying did not agree with the idea of ​​a small country as a territory, she also knew that she could not change them according to the ideas of modern people.

If she really dared to persuade him, Mr. Fang would probably think she was a monster.

So Xu Qingying could only remain silent.

Old Mrs. Fang whispered a few more words of advice, then squeezed Xu Qingying's hand. Old Mrs. Fang seemed to have aged a lot, and her figure had become much thinner. Her cloudy eyes were no longer as sharp as before, and inexplicably had a bit more friendliness of an old country lady.

"Xu Liu girl, I can see that you have a quick mind, know when to advance and when to retreat, and are methodical in your work. You will definitely have a great future. Today, I'm shamelessly asking for a favor from you."

Xu Qingying was somewhat flattered and said, "Mrs. Fang, you've helped me a lot along the way. It's presumptuous of me to say that, but in my heart, you're almost like my grandmother. If you need anything, just tell me."

Old Madam Fang's eyes sparkled, her rims slightly red. She ignored Old Master Fang's gaze, and only took Xu Qingying's hand with relief, saying, "My dear girl, I wasn't wrong about you. To be honest... I'm afraid our Fang family won't be able to return. We are a large family with children, and each of us grew up in luxury. We can't even carry anything, let alone farm. I'm afraid we haven't even done any heavy work. After we arrive in Qianzhou, we don't know what kind of life we ​​will have. I'm old, so that's not a big deal, but the young ones still have a long way to go..."

Xu Qingying had already guessed what Old Madam Fang was going to say.

Seeing how distracted the Fang family members were yesterday, Xu Qingying roughly guessed that the Fang family's revival was closely related to the downfall of the Secretary of the Central Secretariat.

I'm afraid the Fang family's entire hope rests on this person.

Unfortunately, this person's head and body were separated, and the court was already dominated by eunuchs and Prime Minister Han. Old Master Fang was old, and there was no outstanding person among his descendants. His road to success was probably cut off from now on.

It’s no wonder that the Fang family felt not only grief but also a little anxious.

Old Master Fang scolded his wife in a hoarse voice, "What nonsense are you talking about? How are our Fang family's children any worse than others? If they can do it, can't our descendants do it? Which of the people in our Great Zhou Dynasty didn't live this way? If they didn't know how to farm, they would learn. Don't tell me they can't even support themselves?"

Seeing the two about to start a quarrel, Xu Qingying quickly stated, "Mr. Fang, Mrs. Fang, I plan to continue my business and I'm really short of staff. To be honest, I've been drooling over your family for a long time. The Fang family has a good family tradition, and all their children are literate, know how to calculate, and know how to behave. They're practically ready-made talent! I'm so grateful that Mrs. Fang thought highly of me and brought this up, which solved my urgent need. I can't thank you enough."

Xu Qingying pretended to glare at Old Master Fang again. "Old Master Fang, I finally managed to capture these strong men. If you let them go, and it delays my ability to make a lot of money, I'll be furious. It's not easy for me to make money. I work in the wind and rain, and I'm worried about not having enough manpower—"

Xu Qingying exaggerated these half-truths. Although Mr. Fang and Mrs. Fang were both very smart people, they could naturally see that Xu Qingying did it on purpose. They just felt that this girl was very flawless in her words and deeds, which made people feel very appropriate.

Having said that, Old Master Fang couldn't refuse. He was most afraid of troubling others in his life, but when he thought of his weak and quiet grandchildren, he really couldn't refuse Xu Qingying for the sake of his own face.

The eldest wife has two daughters, each one more delicate than the other.

The second wife has only one son. The child is quiet and doesn't like to talk. He is even more shameless than a girl.

If I reject Xu Qingying, will I really let a few kids carry hoes and go to the fields to farm?

He let out a long sigh, as if he had accepted his fate. "Girl, consider this an old man's debt to you... If you need anything in the future, I'll be happy to help you with this old bone."

Xu Qingying was finally relieved to see that Old Master Fang's complexion had improved. What an old man feared most was being immersed in grief all the time. Traditional Chinese medicine says that depression in the chest can cause great damage to the internal organs.

Mr. Fang is so old and not in good health. If he continues to be depressed, it may shorten his lifespan.

We can’t let Mr. Fang have any time to spare.

"Come to think of it, I do have something to trouble you, old man." Xu Qingying smiled slightly. "The people under my command are of varying quality, and many can only recognize a few characters. We have a long way to go, so why not ask Old Man Fang to give us some lessons? We don't ask for the top or third place in the imperial examinations, but just hope that we can learn to read and understand things, and not be empty-headed people."

Old Master Fang had many disciples throughout his life, and all of them were at least scholars and juren. But now he has fallen to the point of teaching a group of exiled prisoners.

Although Fang Ningmo had no problem with these people, he was afraid that his grandfather would feel uncomfortable, so he deliberately said, "Xu Liu, my grandfather was a two-time imperial teacher with many disciples. And you let him be a teacher for these prisoners under your command?"

"There is no distinction between people in education." Xu Qingying was not annoyed. People in ancient times paid attention to status and hierarchy, and respected their teachers. Disciples were like their own sons. Once they recognized their teacher, they automatically assumed that they were a group with common interests, and they would prosper and suffer together.

Therefore, becoming an apprentice is a very important matter. A great man like Mr. Fang has refused the request of many scholars to be his teacher, but now he wants to teach this ragtag group of people, which is tantamount to lowering his status.

"Teaching is about educating people, so how can we distinguish between high and low? Confucius said that there is no distinction between nobles and commoners, no boundaries or nationalities. As long as you are willing to learn, you can enroll and learn. Besides, exile is a long journey, so why not give a lecture? Even if it only helps one person escape from the chaos, isn't it a merit?"

Mr. Fang was moved by what she said, and then he thought of his favorite student who had just been beheaded. He felt depressed for a moment and said, "Let's talk about it later."

"Okay, I'll wait for your letter then."

Xu Qingying got off the carriage, and Fang Ningmo wiped her tears as she came to see her off. "Sixth Miss Xu, please don't mind me. I was just worried that Grandfather would feel too disappointed, so I said that on purpose."

"I'm fine. It's just that Mr. Fang is old and needs to find something to do, otherwise he'll be depressed and that won't be good. You should also try to persuade him more. If you need any herbs, come to me. I need everything except money and supplies."

Fang Ningmo was very touched and held her hand. "Xu Liu, I understand your feelings. In fact, let alone grandfather, I am also afraid."

"What are you afraid of?"

"I'm afraid... This time I really can't go back to Bianjing. I'm terrified... I prided myself on my skills as a maid, poetry, and literature, and my knowledge of everything. But after exile, I realized that the talent and knowledge I once prided myself on couldn't even keep me and my family fed and clothed. When I finally arrived in Qianzhou, I was left with nothing but a roof over my head, poverty-stricken. My father was obsessed with mathematics, and my mother was weak-willed. I was completely in the dark about what we would eat and drink, whether we would be bullied, how to farm, and how to till the land. I had no idea. And precisely because I didn't know, I was even more afraid..."

These words reminded Xu Qingying of the first two days after she traveled through time.

Like Fang Ningmo, she was full of confusion about life. Unknown things always make people afraid, not to mention that people in ancient times never left their hometowns for their entire lives. Fang Ningmo had lived in Bianjing City for more than ten years, and suddenly had to change to a completely new and unfamiliar environment. Everything was unknown, so how could she not be afraid?

"I understand." Xu Qingying didn't know what to say to comfort Fang Ningmo. Comforting people had never been her strong point. "When I was first exiled, I was just like you. I was confused and scared, and I didn't know what I wanted to do in the future. So I came up with a solution. Don't dwell on things you can't solve. The road ahead is so long. I let myself think as I walked, and slowly, I figured it out."

"So what do you want to do in the future?" Fang Ningmo asked curiously. She was eager to find her own path from the fate of similar people.

"What I'm thinking about now is that when I come to Qianzhou to do business, I'll set a small goal first, which is to become the richest man in Qianzhou."

Fang Ningmo chuckled upon hearing this, his sadness and uneasiness gone. He agreed, "You're so capable, you can definitely do it. You can earn a hundred thousand taels a day. No one can make more money than you."

"So don't be afraid. There's a saying that goes, 'Everything will work itself out when the time comes.' Give yourself some time and think it over slowly. You'll always be able to figure it out. Besides, don't you still have me? Don't worry, I'm still very good at making money. It's worth it if you follow me and become a big boss!"

After her few words of teasing, Fang Ningmo's expression looked much better. She looked at Xu Qingying, a face that was about the same age as hers. Unlike her sad face, Xu Qingying's face was full of vigor and vitality. Her eyes were bright and there was a smile on her lips. When people saw her, they felt that all the haze in their hearts had dissipated.

Yes, she will learn more from Xu Qingying in the future. If Xu Qingying can do it, she must be able to do it too!

November was over, and it had been almost two months since Xu Qingying came to the Great Zhou Dynasty. After selling all the soap, the climate was no longer suitable for continuing business. The further southwest she went, the sparsely populated she became. It was all in the mountains, and she might not see a single person even after walking for several days.

What's worse is that there was heavy snow in November. Everyone was hoping that December would be better, but who knew that the first winter in the Zhou Dynasty would be so cold.

The snow kept coming in heavy. The snow gradually accumulated from a shallow layer to over the ankles, and finally to the knees. The crowd's pace was getting slower and slower, and more and more people were getting sick. Xu Qingying couldn't bear to watch the people around her lack food and clothes. In addition, she had money on hand, so she sorted out the supplies in her own carriage and used every horse she could to help the people in the team.

Even so, Xu Qingying managed to keep her schedule packed. In the mornings, she studied with Old Master Fang, beginning with the Book of Documents, a classic of Chinese feudal political philosophy. In the afternoons, she hurried along, and in the evenings, she taught her first cadre group how to read.

Now, Qian Zhenniang, Feng'er, Fang Huiming, Xu Yinxi and others have become proficient in addition, subtraction, multiplication and division within 100, so Xu Qingying decided to make it a little more difficult, such as chickens and rabbits in the same cage, chasing and meeting, sailing on flowing water, filling and draining water, etc.

At first, there were only a few people listening, but later, somehow, the number of people increased. Later, Ming Xiaoshuang, Zhao Bantou, Han Ruqing, Liu Dazhuang, and even Fang Ningmo's father Fang Huaimin ran over with a notebook and squatted in the corner to listen to the class.

Before I knew it, there were more than a dozen students.

Everyone was also surprised that in this exile team, there were escorts and prisoners taking classes together. This was probably an unprecedented scene.

Even the innkeeper was surprised and asked a random woman, "What's going on with your team? Why are there so many people listening to a little girl's lecture?"

"What little girl? That's the reincarnation of a fairy lady," the man said mysteriously. "You've never seen the dead resurrected, have you? She blew a breath of fairy air and brought a drowned man back to life. Isn't that amazing?"

"That's right! They say it's teaching everyone magical skills. They say it's called some kind of scientific religion, and if you believe it, you'll become smarter. I asked my child to go and listen for two days, and behold, his brain really got smarter. He can even do math!"

"Scientology? What kind of religion is that?"

The man couldn't say anything, and he stammered, "Anyway, it's just listening to classes, drawing talismans, etc."

"Draw a talisman?" The shopkeeper stopped what he was doing and suddenly became alert. "Then I have to ask the fairy to draw a few talismans. This post station is located in the wilderness, and there are rarely many people in the store. I need a talisman to bless it."

After Xu Qingying finishes a class, there are always people who are eager to learn and ask for advice.

Ming Xiaoshuang was writing on the snow, patting his head and thinking hard: "Girl, please take a look, how did I calculate this to be 2.4 people?"

The people around him tried to hold back their laughter. Feng Er pointed at a certain step in his calculation process and said, "You don't need me to show you, I can see it. 2+3 equals 6. Did you mistake addition for multiplication?"

Someone else said, "Miss, I calculated it according to your method, but why is the speed always wrong?"

"You're sailing against the current, so you have to take into account the speed of the water! And if the sum exceeds 10, you have to move forward one place. You forgot again!"

"Miss Xu, Miss Xu, look at this—" Xu Qingying thought the voice sounded familiar. She looked up and saw it was Fang Huaimin. She smiled helplessly, "Master Fang, why are you here to join in the fun?"

"Girl, don't worry about it. Just tell me why you draw this auxiliary line to calculate the area."

Xu Qingying pointed to the drawing on the ground and helped him draw the auxiliary lines. "The purpose of drawing auxiliary lines is to transform complex shapes into simple ones, and then use known formulas to calculate the area, and then add them up. Currently, the only known shapes that can use formulas to calculate the area are triangles, squares, circles, sectors, etc. When encountering irregular polygons, drawing auxiliary lines is the best method."

Fang Huaimin suddenly realized something. Looking at the suddenly clear image before him, he couldn't help but sigh, "It really is like this! This is much simpler than the previous algorithm!"

Xu Qingying winked at Fang Ningmo who was standing beside her.

Fang Ningmo was also helpless. She shrugged her shoulders, indicating that she had no way to deal with her old father.

Speaking of which, Fang Huaimin was really a strange person. He had the best teachers since he was a child and passed the imperial examination smoothly. However, he failed to pass the imperial examination once, which was a blow to him. He then became obsessed with mathematics and never touched the imperial examination again.

In his own words, he studied to gain knowledge, not to become an official. He knew that his free-spirited personality and unfettered nature made him ill-suited to the intrigues of officialdom. Even if he became an official, his personality would sooner or later bring disaster to his family.

It would be better to find a hobby and be a free and easy wanderer. Maybe you can become a famous person who will be remembered for generations.

Fang Huaimin also genuinely enjoyed mathematics. He loved its logic and rigor: one is one, two is two, and the sum is three. The theorems and formulas within it were imbued with a cruel beauty, like the most noble and elegant goddess in the world, brooking no provocation or questioning.

He prefers the pleasure of solving a difficult problem step by step.

The Zhou Dynasty only focused on the Four Books and Five Classics and regarded mathematics as a miscellaneous subject. However, they did not realize that a country's population taxation, land surveying, registration, water conservancy construction, and logistics support all require the use of mathematics.

It’s a pity that people in the world don’t understand the importance of mathematics. They all rush to read the books of sages. What a pity!

Fang Huaimin had been depressed and frustrated all his life, and with the entire Fang family exiled, he felt that this might be the end of his life. Who would have thought that he would meet a like-minded partner on the road to exile!

Well, we can only be considered as friends!

Xu Qingying's brain was somehow capable of easily deciphering the rare equations in those manuscripts he had hidden away. Fang Huaimin immediately treated her as a close friend and became attached to her, often popping out from a corner with a copied problem to work with her.

Fortunately, the age gap between them was quite large, and Fang Huaimin was a notorious eccentric. Everyone in the camp knew he was obsessed with mathematics, so when the two of them were together, it was probably to drag Xu Qingying along to study mathematics. Otherwise, Xu Qingying would have jumped into the Yellow River and not been able to explain herself.

If I had known this earlier, I wouldn’t have shown off that skill. Now I have an extra tail and I can’t get rid of it.

It is no wonder that Fang Huaimin was so obsessed with it. Xu Qingying had also read "Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art" and "The Mathematical Classic". The level of mathematics in the Zhou Dynasty was roughly the same as that of the first and second grade students in modern society, and the questions were not difficult.

Fang Huaimin's research on mathematics had reached the pinnacle in the Zhou Dynasty, but the people of the Zhou Dynasty did not seem to attach importance to mathematics. Fang Huaimin had no like-minded people, so naturally he felt that his work was too high-brow for the masses.

Fortunately, when Fang Huaimin saw the strong man Xu Qingying, he immediately regarded him as his lifelong friend, and even his old father and two daughters had to stand aside.

Fang Huaimin often asked her, openly or covertly, where she got these theorems and formulas. Once, Fang Huaimin even asked her seriously whether she was from this world, which scared Xu Qingying so much!

Finally, it seemed that Fang Huaimin was certain that Xu Qingying was a resurrected ghost, and he told her not to worry, saying that he was a tight-lipped person, and as long as she passed on his mathematical knowledge from another world, he would definitely keep it a secret.

Hey, who said the ancients were ignorant?

Even though she had come back to life, Fang Huaimin's first thought was not to burn her, but to squeeze out every last bit of knowledge from her brain.

The thinking of the scientific research masters is really different from that of ordinary people! !

Everyone in the Fang family, old or young, is very cunning. Is there a single normal person among them?

Xu Qingying was defeated.

As they stopped and walked frequently along the way, the speed of the large group slowed down significantly, and they even had to sleep in the wild several times. It was just that they were lucky and never encountered wolves or wild beasts.

But we did encounter several waves of refugees one after another.

You know, they had already walked into the deep mountains and forests, but they could still see groups of refugees. It can be imagined that the people in the southwest have not yet recovered from the flood disaster in the summer.

There were more than a hundred people in their group. Although they were an exile group, they had made money from the soap business during this period and were willing to spend money on food and clothing. Therefore, they looked a little stronger than ordinary people. In addition, there were ten escorts in the group, each of whom was equipped with a sword. They were very intimidating, so ordinary refugees did not dare to come and provoke them.

On several occasions, Xu Qingying clearly felt that someone was staring at her.

There were at least a dozen or twenty ragged refugees in the mountains. They were lurking in the jungle on both sides of the road, with sharpened ends of bamboos used as weapons. They lay on both sides, staring at them fiercely, as if comparing the strength of the two groups.

Everyone lived in fear.