Chapter 387 Pain and Happiness

"Wait a minute, the village chief means that there are so many children in the village who need enlightenment?"

Chu Heng's eyes were as big as copper bells. Didn't they say Lizhou was very poor? This should be a small village under Lizhou! How could so many families afford the annual salary of two taels of silver?

His mind is in a mess now, like paste.

Shen Ying nodded heavily, "You don't know how much effort we put into finding a teacher for the children. You are the old man's savior!"

Chu Heng was dizzy after hearing these words.

By the time he came to his senses, he was already sitting in the classroom in a daze. All the naughty boys were now acting very well, either holding their heads high with their chests puffed out or lowering their heads and clasping their hands nervously, making a lot of small movements.

Chu Heng looked at the fifty or so children, swallowed hard, and asked, "Do you have a foundation?"

"No!" More than fifty people shouted in unison.

The sound can break the eardrums.

Chu Heng scratched his ears and stared anxiously, "What are you doing! You innocent little thing, don't you understand that I speak softly? What if you scare the master?"

Chu Heng hurriedly came to the children's rescue, "It's okay, it's okay, Village Chief, if so many children study together, the effect will definitely not be as good as if there are fewer people. I have an idea, listen to it.

We can have classes in different hours, two hours each time, morning, noon, and afternoon, is that ok with you?"

Shen Ying had no objection, "But wouldn't it be too hard for you, sir?"

Chu Heng's mouth twitched slightly, "For now, let's just do this. If we can find a teacher in the village, we will make other arrangements."

"Yes, yes, yes. Mr. Chu is the one who knows how to adapt."

“Adapt to circumstances.”

“Yes, yes, yes.”

The classes were divided into three so that the teenage girls could also go to school.

The final number of people who were enlightened was counted as eighty-nine.

Chu Heng received nearly two hundred taels of salary on the first day. This was definitely a huge sum of money for him. In addition to money, he also received food. Each child brought him ten kilograms of food. He now had eight hundred and ninety kilograms of food, which he could not finish even if he ate to his heart's content.

In addition to grain, there are also meat and vegetables. It is said that each child takes turns to deliver them to him. If you want to eat something, you can tell the village chief, and the village chief and the villagers will arrange it.

Not to mention anything else, just for the money and food, he would have no problem teaching until his death.

Having taken other people's money and food, Chu Heng did not dare to delay and immediately kept thirty children to attend the first class.

The village chief asked the other children to go back first. He turned around and saw Chu Heng teaching the children seriously, so he quickly retreated.

The pot cakes outside had just come out of the oven, and the aroma made Shen Ying almost drool. He immediately paid for a pack, and also bought a few for Chu Heng and sent them over.

Chu Heng had Guokui with goat milk for breakfast this morning, and he was very satisfied with it. When he saw the Guokui being served, he hurriedly thanked them and taught even more seriously.

Su Tai observed for two days and saw that Chu Heng had solid knowledge, could quote classics at will, and had particularly beautiful handwriting. She immediately became interested and discussed with Shen Yi about hiring Chu Heng to give special tutoring to their four children.

Chen Yi specially brought over the Tremella, Pear and Monk Fruit Soup cooked by Su Tai.

"Thank you for your hard work, Mr. Chu."

"Mr. Town Official, why are you here?" Chu Heng stood up in fear. At first, he was still able to remain calm when he didn't know Shen Yi's identity. But since he knew that Shen Yi was the town official, built the first floating bridge in Langya State, fought in the battlefield, and received a plaque with the emperor's handwriting, he could no longer regard Shen Yi as an ordinary person.

Chen Yi smiled and motioned Chu Heng to sit down. "I have been busy with spring farming arrangements these past two days. I have not been in the village and have not had the opportunity to talk to Mr. Chu. I heard from the village chief that Mr. Chu is a very good teacher. It is a great blessing for our Shenjia Village."

"I wouldn't dare." Chu Heng was happy in his heart but looked very humble.

Chen Yi said: "I am speaking from my heart. Mr. Chu is very knowledgeable and I really admire him. I want to ask if he has the energy to teach my four children?"

"Does the town official want to invite gentlemen to the four young men and ladies?"

He had seen the children in Shen Yi's family before. They were well-behaved and had unusual temperaments. He hadn't thought much about it when the four children hadn't shown up at school in the past two days. Only now did he realize that they were looking for another teacher.

Shen Yi explained, "It's not that we don't want them to go to school, but the four of them have a foundation. I heard that Mr. Chu is familiar with Tang Yu. You should know that he was once a teacher in our village. Several children were enlightened by Mr. Tang, and later they were instructed by Mr. You and Mr. Tian from the Ministry of Industry. Now they have begun to write articles based on classics."

"I see! If that's the case, it's really hard for them to study with other children. But I have to teach during the day, and I only have time in the evening and at night. If the young masters and young ladies can come over after 5 p.m., I can teach them for an hour."

Chu Heng thought about it carefully and decided that this was the only suitable time. This way, he wouldn't have to do anything except teaching. It was a good idea too. At least he wouldn't have time to think about random things.

This was the only way he could comfort himself.

Shen Yi immediately stood up and thanked him, "Mr. Chu, how much do you think is appropriate for the salary?"

Chu Heng waved his hand indifferently, "I am still living in the town official's house now, Shu Xiu, you can make the arrangements as you see fit."

Even if Shen Yi didn't give him a penny, he wouldn't say anything. It's rare to make friends with such a capable person.

The next day, Shen Yi got a bunch of stuff and went to the Guokui workshop early in the morning. Shen Ergou, who was working with him, told him, "Send a Guokui to Mr. Chu every day in the future."

Shen Ergou was a little puzzled, “Brother Shen, do you have any explanation?”

Shen Yi did not hide it from him and told him everything about Chu Heng's plan to teach Shen Yuezhang and the others.

Shen Ergou immediately took it to heart, “Brother Shen, don’t worry, leave this matter to me. It just so happens that we also have to eat breakfast, and then we will prepare one for Mr. Chu.”

“Thank you for your help!” Shen Yi patted Shen Ergou’s arm and continued to walk to the backyard.

Seeing that Chu Heng had already gotten up and was stretching his muscles in the yard, he walked up to him with a smile and said, "Mr. Chu, these are the gifts for your tuition. I'll get them to you in the house."

"Thank you, town magistrate." Chu Heng stopped and followed him into the main hall.

Shen Yi pointed out a few mistakes in his movements and taught him a move to relieve fatigue.

Chu Heng's attention was diverted. After Shen Yi left, he remembered the things in the main room. When he went in and took a look, he couldn't help but gasp.

The basket on the table contained half a basket of chicken eggs and half a basket of duck eggs, a piece of pork belly weighing about four pounds, a bag of brightly colored candies and snacks, and a bag of silver.

The key point is that this bag of silver actually has eighty taels! It is equivalent to a child's annual tuition of twenty taels.

You know, he only paid ten taels of silver for one year of tutoring for children of wealthy families in the imperial capital, but Chen Yi doubled it for him!

Chu Heng hurriedly took the bag of silver and went next door to find Su Tai.