Chapter 16: Good Teachers Produce Good Students

The students behind her had already understood her intention, and they all raised their lips at the same time.

Master Xie was confused, Liang Zhou grinned and said, "Master, just believe her."

Paper and pen were brought, but Zhu Lan did not use the brush. Instead, he asked for a piece of charcoal and started to sketch on the paper.

Qin Yuwei covered her lips and asked Qiao Youyou: "Lanlan can also draw?"

Qiao Youyou was full of pride: "You forgot, she was the number one in the city in sketching!"

Soon, Zhu Lan sketched out the general outline of a waterwheel on the paper, but when he came to a few key places, he couldn't help but frown and think.

After all, she is a student of ancient literature and is not good at construction.

Xiao Wan poked her fiancé Zhao Sicheng beside her and asked him to help Zhu Lan.

Before traveling through time, Zhao Sicheng studied engineering design and was very knowledgeable about the structures of some ancient facilities.

Zhao Sicheng stepped forward and helped Zhu Lan to make up for the deficiencies in several places. Zhu Lan made the revisions according to his instructions.

Soon, a structural drawing of the waterwheel was completed.

Zhu Lan handed the blueprint to the village chief and asked him to find a carpenter in the village to build a waterwheel according to the blueprint so that water could be drawn from low places to irrigate the fields.

The village chief frowned, and Zhao Sicheng carefully explained the principle of the waterwheel to him. Only then did his brows slowly relax and his expression turned into surprise.

He asked someone to call the carpenter Li San immediately, and the two of them whispered over the blueprint for a long time. Li San held the blueprint and nodded repeatedly, praising it non-stop.

The villagers also came over curiously to see what Zhu Lan had drawn.

The village woman took a few glances and curled her lips: "It's just a big wooden wheel, what's so good about it?"

Li San rolled his eyes at her:

"What do you know? This is called a waterwheel! With this, our village no longer has to work hard to get people to fetch water from the river!"

The villagers were in an uproar, some of them still couldn't believe it.

The village chief walked up to Zhu Lan and Master Xie and said, "If this waterwheel can really be built, it will be a great blessing to the village!"

Not only did it benefit the local community, but it also enhanced his political achievements.

Build it, must build it!

"A good teacher produces good students. Mr. Xie's knowledge is indeed extraordinary!" The village chief gave a thumbs up to Mr. Xie.

Mr. Xie laughed awkwardly.

It's not him who taught them. These students are much more capable than him!

"Village chief, we have a request." Zhu Lan said, "Master Xie's land is the farthest from the water source. When this waterwheel is built, the water drawn by the Xie family must be used first."

The village chief nodded. This request was reasonable. "Okay, I can make the decision on this matter!"

The village woman shouted: "Why? You built the car, but the water belongs to everyone!"

Her husband pulled her and said, "Just shut up! What if they take back the blueprints and don't let us build it?"

Li San also said: "Once the waterwheel is built, we won't have to worry about the water being too slow or too heavy to be drawn, and the water being pulled won't be enough to share. It's just a matter of who goes first and who goes last. Let the Xie family irrigate the land first. I agree!"

"We agree too!"

The arrangements for the waterwheel were finalized, and the village heads finally led their people away.

Zhu Lan bowed deeply to Master Xie:

"Master, the waterwheel will be built soon, and we won't have to worry about getting water to irrigate the land. Please come back to the academy and continue to teach us."

The other students also nodded, expressing the same idea.

Master Xie gave them a resentful look.

"For something like a waterwheel, I have studied for decades but still cannot come up with an idea. You are better than me, why don't you ask the teachers in Class C to teach you..."

Qiao Youyou's eyes turned. It couldn't be said that the teacher of Class C didn't care about them, and no new teacher was willing to come, right?

So he stepped forward and pulled Master Xie's sleeve and said:

"Oh, you don't know, the teacher in Class C is not as good as you! We really can't stand it, after all, we are all your direct disciples."

Oh? Are those old guys who teach Class C being disliked?

Master Xie's eyebrows twitched, but he still maintained his dignity and refused to comply.

Qin Yuwei also came over and attacked from both sides with Qiao Youyou.

"Yes, Master, you see, we were all taught by you. Although the idea of ​​building a waterwheel was not yours, it must have been inspired by Lanlan when she was studying!"

He winked at Zhu Lan and Zhu Lan nodded immediately:

"If it weren't for your constant guidance, I would never have thought of this idea!"

No matter how many holes there are, flattery will never wear out.

Who can resist the continuous flattery?

Master Xie felt a little overwhelmed, and the village chief's words "A good teacher produces good students" kept echoing in his ears.

“Hmm…” Master Xie stroked his mustache, a smile hidden in the wrinkles on his face.

However, he did not agree immediately and said he would think about it carefully.

When they had almost finished talking, the members of Class D got on two horse-drawn carriages and returned to Jiangzhou City.

After the students left, Master Xie hummed a little tune and walked towards his brother's house carrying a hoe.

Suddenly he saw a familiar tall figure standing not far away, looking at him with a smile.

It’s Ouyang Ye.

Master Xie was startled and quickly invited him to sit inside, asking him when he came.

Ouyang Ye had a faint smile on his handsome face. He said that he arrived at about the same time as the students in Class D, so he did not show up. He wanted to see what these students would do.

"Master Abbot..." Master Xie just opened his mouth when he was interrupted by Ouyang Ye.

"Teacher, this is not a college. There are only two of us here, so please don't be so formal."

Xie Ding was about twenty years older than Ouyang Ye. When Ouyang Ye was just starting to learn, Xie Ding was a well-known scholar in Jiangzhou City. Ouyang Ye's father specially invited him to teach Ouyang Ye for several years.

Later, Xie Ding concentrated on taking the examination for the scholar and left Ouyang Mansion.

A few decades later, Ouyang Ye was appointed as the dean of Longchang Academy. He specially sought out his mentor and continued teaching in the academy.

"I thought it would take a lot of effort to ask you to go back, but now it seems that I don't have to worry anymore." Ouyang Ye said with a smile.

Seeing that Master Xie's expression darkened, Ouyang Ye naturally knew what he was thinking.

"Teacher, please forgive me for being so bold. You have studied the classics, history, and literature all your life, and you are full of knowledge. In my opinion, your talent is no less than those of the academicians in the Imperial Academy.

But for so many years, I haven't even passed the imperial examination. Do you know why?"

Master Xie was touched on a sore spot, and he closed his eyes and said in pain, "I couldn't even pass the college entrance examination, so of course I'm not as knowledgeable as others, so don't come and comfort me."

"I think you are too obsessed with the contents of the books. The current emperor is committed to eliminating the malpractices of the old system. Although the examination questions are based on the Four Books and Five Classics, they also value whether the candidates have their own opinions. Only in this way can talents who can implement the new policy be selected.

Although the teacher is extremely talented, he is not good at taking exams..."

Ouyang Ye glanced at Master Xie's expression and said carefully, "He's quite conservative."

Master Xie frowned, thinking about his words.

"These students in Class T may have been a shining pearl covered in dust before, and you and I may have misjudged them.

Now it seems that they act in an unconventional way and have more unique ideas than you and me, but they are far less familiar with the contents of the books than you are.

So the students thought that if the teacher was willing to continue teaching them, it would be an opportunity for both the students and you, the teacher. "

After a long time, Master Xie slowly raised his head, with a warm look in his eyes.

"It's ridiculous that I've been up and down in the imperial examination hall all my life, but I can't figure it out. It's only today that you, a kid, have pointed out the crux of the problem!

You go back first. I will consider the teaching matter myself."