Chapter 99 Building a School
After school, Xiaowen and Xiaowu ran home in a hurry to find their sister.
"What should we do? My sister must be waiting for us at home for a long time!"
"Maybe he's been crying all the time!"
But when I got home, oh no, my sister was not at home.
The two children felt a little lost and were about to go out to look for him when Ye Yan'an came back holding Xiaojiu, followed by the excited headman.
The two little ones immediately pulled Xiaotuanzi over and shared with her what they had seen and heard at school today.
The village head patted Ye Yan'an's shoulder excitedly, "Yan'an, this plow is really good! If you use it to sow seeds, I think it will be no problem to plant a hectare of land a day!"
"Yeah!" Ye Yan'an nodded. "Actually, I originally wanted to make a five-legged plow. It would be more efficient to sow five ridges at a time."
"Then why didn't you make one with five legs?"
"Because a five-legged plow cart can't be pulled by humans. In our village, only Sanheizi's family has an ox. In previous years, we could pay a few copper coins to borrow his ox. This year, I'm afraid we don't have the spare money. So a three-legged plow cart is the most practical."
The village head nodded in praise and said, "You are indeed very thoughtful! I would like to trouble you to make a few more. Every household is planting rapeseed and wheat right now, so they are very useful."
Ye Yan'an said, "We don't have enough ironware. Last time, we used the ironware in the ancestral hall to make a thresher and a plow. I estimate that the remaining ironware is only enough to make one plow."
"Let me think of a solution." The headman pondered.
"I'm afraid I won't be able to make new things in the future." Ye Yan'an felt a little melancholy.
The scrap metal in the ancestral hall had been used up, and he couldn't melt down all the ironware in his house.
The village head comforted him, "Don't worry. When our village gets better, I'll buy some more ironware in your name and melt it down to make it for you!"
In the Dayu Dynasty, iron and salt were both controlled by the government. It was not difficult to buy a hoe and a sickle on a normal day, but it was more difficult to buy a certain quantity.
Blacksmiths like Tietoudie simply melt old iron to create new objects.
As he was speaking, Ye Buwei came back. He had just been to the homestead.
"Father Yan Ping, I was just about to discuss something with you."
"Does Ri Zheng want to talk about the academy?"
The village head was so shocked that he slapped his thigh, "Father Yanping, you are truly amazing! Could it be that you are the worm in my stomach?"
Ye Buwei: “…”
The two sat down in the main room.
The village head said, "This is the first time Heihe Village has built a village school, and they've rushed it into operation without any preparation. I asked Master Zhao before, but he always treats himself as an outsider, never making any demands, just saying anything is fine! But after watching it today, I just feel like something is wrong."
Ye Buwei nodded slightly, "It won't work if we just make do in the martial arts training ground. When the weather gets cold, windy and snowy, the kids won't be able to go to school."
"So, I thought about building a school for the kids." He felt a little embarrassed when he said this, "But I've never been to a school myself, so I'm really unsure how to build it."
Ye Buwei said: "I'll ask Yanshun to draw the blueprint tonight and hand it over to the village head tomorrow."
Li Zheng's face lit up with joy, "That's great! I feel relieved with your words!"
The village head left happily.
In the evening, the gong sounded and everyone gathered in the threshing ground.
The sound of the gongs in Heihe Village is now very particular.
The unhurried "clang-clang-clang" like today indicates gathering at the threshing ground;
If the "bang bang bang bang bang" sounds are as sudden as a rainstorm, it means that the enemy is invading and the whole village must go out to resist the enemy.
The village head stood in front of the whole village.
"Fellow villagers, we have gathered here today to build a school for our children..."
Before the headman finished speaking, the children started cheering.
"Yay! We have a new school!"
After sitting in the open space of the martial arts training ground for an hour today, many children's buttocks were burned red.
The village head said with a smile, "Don't be too happy, kids. Whether the school can be built depends on whether your parents are willing."
The villagers were anxious.
"Why is the village head saying that? We are all willing to build a school!"
"This is a good thing that will benefit future generations. Why wouldn't we be willing to do it?"
"Whatever you need us to do, just give us the order!"
The village head nodded frequently as he listened. Over the past few months, he had clearly felt that the people of Heihe Village had become united.
In the past, whenever the village wanted to do something, there were always people who were unhappy, fearing that they would suffer any loss. But now, it is difficult to even hear a voice of opposition.
Having been the head of a village for thirty years, the head of the village finally understood what it meant to "respond to a hundred calls with one call."
This feels so good.
"As the saying goes, when people are united, they can move mountains. Since everyone is determined, starting tomorrow, every household will contribute one worker to make mud bricks. Once the bricks are ready, we'll start building the school. Do you have any objections?"
"No problem!" everyone said in unison.
Although everyone is busy with autumn sowing, building a school is a major event for the whole village, so we have to make time for it.
"There's one more thing. Yan'an wants to make a plow, but he doesn't have enough iron. If anyone has any scrap metal, please bring it to Yan'an. Of course, the iron won't be wasted. From now on, you can use the plow to sow seeds in advance every year."
"Those who produce more iron will be at the front and use the plow carts," added the village head.
"I have a broken iron shovel at home, I'll give it to Yan An later!"
"I have a broken pair of fire tongs at home, you can use them!"
"I have a broken iron basin at home. I was thinking of exchanging it for candy for the baby. Yan An can use it!"
The head of the village glanced at Ye Yan'an and thought, "Don't you have the iron for the plow cart?"
Ye Yan'an raised his eyebrows: Old ginger is still spicy.
The village head waved his hand and said, "Those who want to donate iron can go directly to Yan An. There's nothing else to do next. Everyone should go to bed early."
The crowd dispersed.
Xiaojiu was in Ye Yanping's arms, waving at the village head.
The village head hurried over, smiling kindly, "Xiao Jiu'er, what do you want me to do?"
The little dumpling pointed in the direction of the ancestral hall and blinked mischievously.
The village head immediately understood and whispered, "Another good thing?"
"Yeah!"
Little Tuanzi patted Ye Yanping and said, "Go ahead!"
"Okay, okay, let's go to the ancestral hall with Xiao Jiuer!"
The three of them arrived at the door of the ancestral hall.
After opening the door, the headman took two steps inside with a torch in hand and vaguely saw a lot of things piled on the table.
"Xiao Jiu'er, is it food again?"
"No!" the little dumpling replied sweetly.
"If it's not food, then what is it?" Ye Yanping's curiosity was also aroused.
The lighting in the ancestral hall was dim, so the village head moved closer with a torch. After seeing clearly what was on the table, he suddenly exclaimed "Oh!" and was stunned.
Then the torch fell from his hand and rolled several times on the ground.
Little Dumpling's eyes widened as he saw the village head, terrified, kneeling down with a "thump"...
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