Finally, we got on the carriage and headed to the villa outside the city.
The two children were tired from playing, so they lay down in the carriage and fell asleep.
Liu Zhao caught up on horseback, "The timing is just right."
Gu Jiu opened the car window.
It's just the beginning of spring, but it's still very cold.
She closed the window again, leaving it only a crack open.
"Are you done?"
Liu Zhao showed off the food box in his hand. "Cakes for the children."
"They are sleeping now, and the cakes can be saved for dinner. Go to the front carriage and don't wake the children."
Liu Zhao suddenly felt that his family status was in jeopardy.
"You really won't let me come up to accompany you?"
Gu Jiu shook his head. "I have two children with me. I really can't be distracted."
Liu Zhao looked depressed.
He did not get on the carriage in front, but rode forward in the cold wind.
The convoy left the city smoothly and headed south.
Go through Xinmin County, walk a few miles, turn into a fork road, and continue forward, and you will reach Yuxiu Mountain.
The road up the mountain has already been built.
Deep in the mountains and forests, you can vaguely see the roofs of buildings.
This is a new resort area in Beijing.
Liu Zhao rode a horse, accompanied by a carriage.
It was his first time here, so he asked curiously, "How many houses are built on this mountain?"
Gu Jiu opened the car window and looked out. "There aren't many buildings, only about forty or fifty. Our villa is on the top one. It leads directly to the academy."
The academy was also built on Yuxiu Mountain.
There are two different roads to go to the villa and to the academy.
However, a road was opened at the top of the mountain between the two places, and one could go directly from the road on the top of the mountain to the academy on the other hill.
Liu Zhao said, "Building a house on the mountain is very expensive."
Gu Jiu smiled and said, "It costs a lot, so the house is also expensive. The environment here is quiet and there are hot springs. Many wealthy families like to buy property here."
Liu Zhao didn't ask how much the houses here cost, because he couldn't afford them anyway.
With his rank and salary, he was lucky enough to be able to support himself, so how could he have the spare money to buy a house?
He is a prince, yet he is so poor. His father should really reflect on himself.
The road up the mountain was all gentle slopes, and we arrived at the villa smoothly.
"Xiaozhu!" Liu Zhao read the two words on the plaque outside the door.
Gu Jiu got off the carriage and asked, "I chose the name myself, how about it?"
"Quiet and elegant enough."
Gu Jiu looked around. Standing by the road, he could overlook the scenery below the mountain. "Don't you think the name Xiaozhu fits the temperament of this place?"
"It does. Let's go in." Liu Zhao picked up a child in each hand.
The two little brats were sleeping so soundly that they didn't react when I picked them up.
He said to Gu Jiu, "Brother Yu has gained weight again recently."
Gu Jiu rolled his eyes at him and said, "He's grown taller, not fatter. You're a father, but you didn't even notice that your son has grown taller."
"I watch him every day, so I naturally don't notice he's grown taller. Has he really grown taller?"
Gu Jiu said, "The pants I made a few months ago are too short. The shoes are also too small. Do you think you have grown taller?"
"You little brat are growing up so fast."
Liu Zhao said he was disgusted, but his eyes and eyebrows were filled with joy. He looked very proud, as if the child's growth was all his fault.
Walking into Xiaozhu, you will see small bridges and flowing water, and scenery is everywhere.
"The water in the garden is all spring water brought down from the mountains. It's very clean."
Houses of various styles are scattered among the scenery, and each house is connected by corridors.
"This place is quite comfortable." Liu Zhao fell in love with it at first sight.
Gu Jiu smiled and said, "There are ten houses in the garden. We live in the largest one, Fengbozhai, and the child lives with us."
Liu Zhao said disdainfully: "The children are grown up now, they should be allowed to live in a separate yard."
Gu Jiu chuckled, "The children are still young and can't be left alone. In a few years, when they grow up, they can each live in their own yard."
The family settled down in Fengbozhai.
Each house has a half-story higher ceiling.
Standing at the railing on the second floor, looking out, you can have a panoramic view of the scenery in the garden.
Looking downstairs, I saw servants coming in and out, moving luggage and arranging the room.
Boom boom boom…
Liu Zhao followed him upstairs and hugged Gu Jiu from behind.
"How did you come up with the idea of building a house like this?"
"When building a house on the mountain, the primary concern is to protect it from snakes, insects, rats, ants, dampness, and decay. Raising the house half a floor can achieve these goals while also allowing for a view of the distant scenery. Don't you like it?"
Gu Jiu turned around and looked at Liu Zhao.
Liu Zhao imitated Gu Jiu and sat down by the window. "Of course I like it. A lot of thought must have gone into building this place."
Gu Jiu nodded. "It really took a lot of thought. The blueprint alone was revised more than a dozen times. See the pond in the garden? I was worried that the two children would fall into the water, so I specially ordered someone to build a fence before coming here."
Even the water flow has been reduced by half. Now the water in the pool is just above the ankles, so even if the two children accidentally fall into the water, there is no need to worry about accidents.
“Very thoughtful.”
Gu Jiu turned around and looked at Liu Zhao, "I plan to send Yu Ge'er to the academy to study. It's crowded and lively over there. What do you think?"
Liu Zhao laughed out loud, "He's so young, and most of the people in the academy are adults. It's not appropriate for him to go."
Gu Jiu had a different idea. "There are children in the academy too. The teachers in the academy are fully capable of providing elementary education. It would be too boring to lock Yu Ge'er up in the other courtyard and let him study with the teacher every day. At least he can feel the learning atmosphere and experience a different kind of student life in the academy."
After saying that, she glared at Liu Zhao again and said, "If you don't agree, then from now on you will be responsible for teaching Yu Ge'er his lessons every day."
This is going to kill me!
Liu Zhao raised his hands in surrender and said in a resounding voice, "Send him to the academy."
Gu Jiu raised his eyebrows and smiled, "Don't you think he's too young?"
Liu Zhao shook his head repeatedly, "He's not a child anymore."
"Aren't you worried that he won't be able to adapt to the academy?"
"If I can adapt to the palace, a mere academy is no problem."
Liu Zhao was talking nonsense in a serious manner, as if what he said before, "It's not appropriate for him to go," was just bullshit.
Gu Jiu smiled complacently, "Don't regret it."
Liu Zhao said solemnly: "I promise I won't regret it."
Just don't let him be in charge of teaching Yu Ge'er. It will be fatal.
Teaching children to read is really the most terrifying thing in the world.
Liu Zhao covered his chest, still feeling frightened.
I still remember the few times I tutored Yu Ge'er with his homework. I was so angry that his forehead was throbbing with pain and he almost died suddenly.
When Yu Ge'er woke up in the evening, he learned that he would go to the academy to study the next day, and he burst into tears.
He thought he was going to the other courtyard for fun, but it turned out he was just studying in a different place, and his homework was even more demanding.
Yu Ge'er felt hopeless and was wondering whether it was too late to pack his bags and return to the capital.
"It's too late. Tomorrow morning, report to the academy."
Liu Zhao looked gloating and had no sympathy at all.
After identification, it was confirmed that he was indeed the biological father.
Yu Ge'er looked at Gu Jiu pitifully.
Gu Jiu drank a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice and looked at the starry sky.
Uh, she pretended not to see anything.
Yu Ge'er: "..." So sad.
I can only hug Heng Ge'er for comfort.
Nanny Fang was heartbroken.
"Madam, can you let me rest for two days before reporting to the academy?"
Gu Jiu shook his head. "He has been resting for almost a month and must report to the academy tomorrow."
This matter is not negotiable.
Even Liu Zhao’s words were useless, let alone Nanny Fang’s.
Then she ordered the maid to take Yu Ge'er back to his room to sleep.
Liu Zhao waved at Yu Ge'er and said, "Boy, wish yourself the best. Even when your father is at home, he has to listen to your mother. We are both of low status."
…
Under the same starry sky, in the mountainous area of Gyeonggi Province, there is a village called Tongzi Village in a valley.
Tongzi Village is very poor.
If all the villages in the Gyeonggi area were ranked by rich and poor, Tongzi Village would probably be among the last few.
In recent years, the capital has been building roads and houses, and similar benefits, but Tongzi Village has not caught up.
Fortunately, God did not completely abandon Tongzi Village.
The villagers of Tongzi Village at least caught up with the wave of profits from growing sweet potatoes to make wine, raising chickens, ducks and pigs and selling them to Sihai Trading Company.
This year, Tongzi Village had a rare year of prosperity. At least they had meat to eat and could make a new piece of clothing to wear every year.
At the east end of the village, Carpenter Wang’s family is considered a relatively wealthy family in Tongzi Village.
During dinner, the most intense quarrel in the family's history broke out.
In the early years, Carpenter Wang relied on his carpentry skills to take on jobs in the surrounding areas, support his children, and save some money.
With the money, Carpenter Wang hoped to change his family's fortune, so he sent his third son to school.
Today's quarrel started because of the third son.
Carpenter Wang has three sons, all of whom are adults.
The eldest and second sons have married and had children, and the eldest grandson is already ten years old.
As for the third brother, after years of studying, he only managed to obtain the qualification of a Tongsheng. At the age of 25, he was nicknamed "Old Tongsheng" by the villagers. After so many years, he had not even passed the examination to become a scholar.
While the whole family was having dinner, Carpenter Wang announced publicly that after the Lantern Festival, he would let his third son go to the county town to study.
This caused great dissatisfaction among the eldest and second sons of the Wang family.
"disagree!"
The two brothers jointly opposed their father's decision.
Nowadays, not every family can afford to support a scholar.
Supporting a scholar is a waste of money.
The tuition fee given to the gentleman is nothing.
The real big expenses are pens, ink, paper, and inkstone, and books.
To get a decent set of writing brushes, ink, paper and inkstone, you need at least two taels of silver.
An analysis of classics, history, and miscellaneous works costs at least three taels of silver.
If you don't have a few taels of silver, don't even think about taking home a list of required books for the imperial examination.
Why do you have to spend two taels of silver on writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone?
The article presented to the official for review was written on the roughest paper and with the lowest quality ink, which completely ruined the first impression.
Unless you are a genius, you will be looked at differently.
What is face?
The pen, ink, paper and inkstone used for writing are face.
At the very least, it represents the attitude towards reading.
And who would dare to use inferior pens and ink for exams? Aren't they afraid that the writing will become a mess?
After all, these days, reading is a luxury for ordinary people.
If you can pass the exam, all the money you invested can be recovered.
However, Wang Sanlang has been educated since he was eight years old, and now he is over twenty-five years old, but he is still a boy.
His two elder brothers were completely disappointed in him.
The three brothers did not split up.
Every extra tael of silver Wang Sanlang spent meant that the eldest and second oldest brothers would get one tael less when the family property was divided.
The family has no wealth and cannot afford for Wang Sanlang to continue studying in such a hopeless manner.
Why should the whole family work hard to earn money, only to have it all go into Wang Sanlang's bottomless pit?
The eldest and second oldest brothers were dissatisfied and firmly opposed Wang Sanlang going to the county town to study.
"Why should I study? I've studied for so many years but haven't made any progress. I might as well give the opportunity to study to my children."
"The third child will definitely not be able to read. It's better for him to go to the city and find a job. He can write and count, and he can earn at least 600 to 700 coins a month. Not only can he support himself, but he can also take some money home."
"All the money he used to pay for his studies these years was earned by us."
"We eat coarse food at home, while he eats lavishly outside. Why?"
"The child can only buy one piece of clothing a year, so he has to make several sets of clothes a year. I don't accept that the whole family is supporting him alone."
"Or we can split up."
"Yes, separation."
"If the family doesn't split up, the third child will have to work and earn money."
Bang!
Carpenter Wang slammed the table, and the dishes and chopsticks jumped up.
"I'm not dead yet, who dares to mention dividing the family again?"
Carpenter Wang's eyes swept across the faces of his two sons and then his two daughters-in-law.
The two daughters-in-law lowered their heads guiltily and murmured secretly, "This old man is very partial."
"Dad, do you mean to let the third child continue to study? The whole family earns money to support him alone?"
Carpenter Wang said sternly, "You've been studying for so many years, so keep going. You'll eventually become something great."
"Third brother, say something! Are you mute? Aren't you usually quite talkative? Tell us, can you pass the exam and become a scholar? If you can't, you'd better give up."
Wang Laosan said expressionlessly: "The first few times, I was just unlucky."
"You're just not lucky. You can't pass the exam. The kid from the next village is only 18 years old, but he's already passed the exam. You're almost 30."
"Are you arguing? What are you arguing about? Why are you arguing so fiercely?"
Wang Xiaoxi, a clerk at the coal factory, walked in and stared at the family with curiosity.
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