The two were startled and quickly turned away.
Tian An shouted, "Master An, what are you doing? You're old enough to be my grandfather. Are you trying to shorten my life?"
Master An was anxious and explained quickly: "Miss, that's not what I meant. We have no way to repay your kindness. I can only thank you on behalf of the children."
Da Niu also said: "You should get up first and then talk properly. You will make people misunderstand An An."
After saying that, he stepped forward and helped Master An up.
After Master An calmed down, the few of them began to discuss again.
The school was eventually built on the homestead, but it was a bit far from where everyone lived, mainly because they were afraid that if it was too close, it would disturb the children's classes.
After returning from the homestead, Chunxi and the others also came back. Then Tian An took care of the shop affairs.
Chunxi handed Tian An the three keys that came with the new lock, but Tian An only took one, telling her to keep one for herself and give the remaining one to Xiaokang and Chen Feng.
After the backyard of the shop was cleaned up, the two of them were allowed to move in, and the previous yard was vacated.
Then he gave Chunxi five taels of silver and asked her to see if there was anything else she needed to buy and pack it up as soon as possible.
As for the staffing allocation in the store: "Chen Feng's noodles are good. Find an opportunity for him to make some for everyone to try. If he's good, let him be responsible for making noodles in the future. If not, find someone among the long-term workers.
You and Mangzhong will have to take care of the maozi and the braised pork, and Chen Feng will have to help. I don't trust the others."
Then he thought of the young man named Wang Erdong and said, "Go ask Wang Erdong if he's willing to let her help wait in the shop. And pick up Xiaokang at the same time."
Tian An thought there was nothing left out so he asked Chun Xi to get busy.
Then there's the matter of buying pups for the farm. Who should be assigned this task?
Tian An was just thinking about it when Mangzhong came in and said that the village head and his wife were looking for her and Daniu.
When Tian An arrived at the main hall, Da Niu had already arrived and was talking with the village chief.
It turned out that when Tian An and Daniu went to see Master An, his eldest son Anquan happened to pass by and saw Master An kneeling before them. Seeing that Daniu had already helped his father up, he did not go over.
After Master An returned, Anquan asked his father if the owner was not satisfied with the work they did and wanted to drive them away.
Master An told his son that Tian An was going to build a school for the children on the homestead to study. As a result, An An was so excited that he shouted out loudly.
Then everyone knew about it. The village chief's wife worked in a workshop. When she heard about this, she came back and went to tell the village chief about it.
When the village chief heard that the children in the homestead all had schools, he thought that the children in the village should not be left behind! So they went to Daniu's house together.
What the village chief meant was that since they were all in the same village, teaching one child was the same as teaching two children, so just teach them all!
Daniu didn't agree or disagree, just said he'd wait until Tian An arrived. After all, it was Tian An who came up with the idea, and he was worried that she might have other plans. If he agreed to the village chief casually, it would ruin her plans.
As soon as the village chief saw Tian An coming, he hurriedly asked Tian An what he meant.
Tian An thought for a moment and said, "Since everyone wants to study, then we should build a village school. We can't build it on the homestead either. We have to find another piece of land in the village to build it on."
The village chief nodded. He had no objection to this. After all, the things on the homestead were too messy. When the children went to school, the adults would also go to check on them, fearing that someone with bad intentions might have bad intentions. Many villagers worked there, so there couldn't be any problems.
Seeing the village chief nod, Tian An continued, "I will set up two classes, a basic class and a formal class. The basic class will only teach you how to read and write. If you do well, you can go to the formal class to continue your studies, the kind that aims to prepare for the imperial examinations."
The village chief nodded: "That's a good idea."
"I will try to invite the teacher, but the tuition fees must be paid by the students themselves."
Upon hearing this, the village chief's wife, Mrs. Li, became anxious and hurriedly pulled the village chief's sleeve to signal him to speak.
The village chief reached out and patted Li's hand before saying, "An'an girl, these farmhands are all from other villages. Their children don't have to pay tuition, but the children from this village do. You're not distinguishing between relatives and strangers!"
After hearing what the village chief said, Tian An was not angry, but slowly analyzed his considerations and difficulties to the village chief.
First, the farmhands were all working for me, and they were not paid, just provided with food and lodging. Letting the children go to school was also to make them work better for me. But it was different for the children in the village. Who would remember you when others became rich?
The village chief opened his mouth and wanted to say that everyone would be grateful to Tian An when things got better in the future, but people's hearts are hidden, and who could guarantee what would happen in the future? He would not be the guarantor.
Secondly, if she dared to say that everyone could go to school for free, she was sure that even the elderly would come to join in the fun. If she disagreed, she would offend everyone and would be in a difficult position. She didn't want to be the one who got taken advantage of.
The village chief felt helpless when he thought of the troublemakers in the village!
Thirdly, education is expensive and she really can’t afford it! Besides, why should she? She’s just a child!
The village chief's wife muttered, "The workshop and those watermelons have made a lot of money recently!"
Tian An said helplessly, "I still owe the county government 600 taels! There are so many mouths waiting to be fed every day! I have to return the grain to the county government after the autumn harvest. This time, building a school will cost a lot of money..."
Listening to Tian An's detailed accounting of these expenses, the village head and his wife were also shocked. If they hadn't counted them, they wouldn't have known. Once they counted them, it would have been terrifying! They only saw Tian An making money, not spending it.
Not to mention other things, just supporting these long-term workers can empty the family's coffers! They signed a 20-year contract!
After saying so much, the couple didn't dare to talk about free education anymore.
The village chief said, "I'll go talk to everyone and ask them to prepare their own bundles of paper if they want to read it."
"Where will the school be built?" Tian An asked hurriedly.
"Why not just build it next to the osmanthus tree in the village! It's close to everyone." The village chief thought for a moment and said.
Tian An also thought the place was good: "Okay, you prepare the documents for the land deed, I'll give you the money, and then we can start construction!"
August is almost here, and the osmanthus tree in the village is really big, and it will bloom a lot of sweet-scented osmanthus flowers! I sold her the land, and the osmanthus tree is hers too. When the time comes, I will pick all the flowers and make delicious food.
After the matter of the village school was confirmed, the village chief and his wife were about to go back. Tian An thought about buying the cubs again, so he decided to ask about it while the village chief was there!
"Uncle Village Chief, do you know where I can buy chicks and piglets?"
The village chief asked, "Do you want to buy some chickens and piglets to raise?"
Tian An nodded and smiled: "I have to make more money!"
The village chief twitched his lips and said, "Okay, I'll ask for you."
There have been changes in the village school, so Chunxi has to make another trip to inform Master An and ask him to wait for a few more days.
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