Chapter 59059 Qingtang Becomes a Disciple
After the Mid-Autumn Festival, Du Qingtang took two days off and returned to the academy.
She and Cao Xingcan had already achieved the title of scholar, so it was natural for them to be promoted to the scholar class.
But as a result, Fu Ci was the only one left in the class of students.
On the morning of August 18th, Fu Ci was walking to the classroom with his head down, sighing deeply.
Cao Xingcan couldn't help but roll his eyes at her: "Tongsheng Class A and Xiucai Class D are only separated by a wall. Just turn left when you go out. It's not like there's a Milky Way between them."
Fu Ci didn't want to pay attention to him and went around to the other side of Du Qingtang.
Cao Xingcan: “…”
Du Qingtang consoled him, "The courses for the two classes are almost the same. We can still go in and out together as before. If you have any questions, come to me directly. If I'm not here, you can also contact Cao Xingcan."
Cao Xingcan folded his arms and did not refute.
Fu Ci couldn't wait for that, and then changed the subject: "How wonderful it would be if I could close my eyes, sleep, and when I opened them it would be the fifteenth year of the Qingyuan period."
Cao Xingcan poured cold water on her: "Yes, at that time, Du Qingtang and I were also preparing to take the provincial examination."
Fu Ci: "...Shut up, you perpetual second-rate idiot."
This title hit Cao Xingcan's sore spot exactly. His eyes became fierce, and all his thorns stood up, and he began to sneer at Fu Ci.
Fu Ci refused to be outdone and retorted.
The two of them were chattering non-stop. Du Qingtang raised his hand to rub his brows and quickened his pace to distance himself from them.
"Why are you walking so fast? Wait for me!" Fu Ci and Cao Xingcan said in unison.
Fu Ci glared: "Why are you imitating my speech?"
Cao Xingcan sneered: "Who imitated your speech? It's obviously you who imitated me."
The two started to argue with each other again.
Du Qingtang: “…”
Are these two people turning three this year?
Fu Ci and Cao Xingcan argued all the way, but it came to an abrupt end at the door of Class A of Tongsheng.
Cao Xingcan waved his hand: "Come in quickly, Fu Tongsheng."
Just as he finished speaking, Fu Ci kicked him in the calf. The kick was so solid that he gasped.
Fu Ci snorted and looked at Du Qingtang with a smile: "Qingtang, I'm going in. See you in two hours."
Du Qingtang did not get involved in the dispute between the two and nodded in agreement.
After watching Fu Ci walk into Class A of Tongsheng, Du Qingtang and Cao Xingcan entered Class D of Xiucai and found two empty seats to sit down.
Du Qingtang took out the book and used the ink stick to grind ink: "Even if you want to divert Ah Wen's attention, there is no need to sacrifice yourself."
As he said this, he lowered his eyes and glanced meaningfully at the footprints on Cao Xingcan's academy uniform.
Cao Xingcan paused while wiping the table, a trace of discomfort flashing across his face. "You're overthinking it. I just can't stand Fu Wen's clinginess. A three-year-old child is more sensible than her."
Du Qingtang laughed leisurely. Seeing Cao Xingcan's annoyance, she decided to stop while she was ahead. She spread out the rice paper and picked up the brush to dip it in ink. "Yesterday, when I was free, I studied the arithmetic problems for the college entrance examination and unexpectedly found a new solution."
Cao Xingcan immediately became serious and started to discuss the matter with him.
......
After two classes, there were no classes in the afternoon, so Du Qingtang and Fu Ci went straight to the cafeteria, while Cao Xingcan returned to Cao's house alone.
After returning to the dormitory, Du Qingtang accompanied Fu Ci to draw two illustrations, and then went to the library to borrow books.
When registering to borrow books, Yao Xuan, wearing a dark ochre round-necked robe, walked into the library.
The young man in charge of registration saw Yao Xuan and quickly put down his brush and bowed, "I am honored to meet you, Headmaster."
Yao Xuan was lost in thought and paid no attention to the young man and the two students with their backs to him, until the word "headmaster" brought him back to reality from his contemplation.
Yao Xuan recognized this young man. He was a student in the Juren class. His family was very poor, but he had excellent grades and passed the imperial examination when he was just 18 years old.
Two years ago, this person's family suffered a sudden change. His father was seriously ill and owed foreign debts, so he had no choice but to give up studying.
Yao Xuan learned about this from his only grandson Yao Jingzhou, so he paid off his debt and arranged for him to work in the library.
Two years passed in a flash, and the young man had already paid off his debt. He regarded Yao Xuan as his second parent, and whenever he came to the library, his attitude was respectful and enthusiastic, just like now.
Thinking of this, Yao Xuan nodded helplessly and was about to let the young man continue to register when the two students with their backs to him slowly turned around.
Yao Xuan glanced over inadvertently and saw two familiar faces.
Yao Xuan: “!!!”
The young man didn't notice the strange look on Yao Xuan's face. He smiled and asked, "Master, are you here to return the book?"
"Headmaster?"
The young man paused in laughter and looked at Fu Ci who was asking the question: "Yes, this is the headmaster of Qingyuan Academy."
Du Qingtang: “…”
Fu Ci: “…”
Yao Xuan: “…”
The three of them looked at each other, embarrassment and shock flowing silently.
The young man realized the subtle atmosphere belatedly and scratched his head in confusion: "What's going on?"
Du Qingtang was the first to come back to his senses. He bowed respectfully to Yao Xuan and said, "I am honored to meet you, Headmaster."
Then he explained to the young man, "I have been in the academy for more than a year and have never met the headmaster. I was just a little surprised for a moment."
Yao Xuan: “…”
After Du Qingtang finished speaking, he poked Fu Ci from behind.
Fu Ci shuddered and gave a rather awkward bow: "Disciple greets the Headmaster."
Although students bowed to him every day, at this moment Yao Xuan had the urge to run away.
Stay calm!
Stay calm!
He just accidentally concealed his true identity and accidentally exposed his identity.
That's all.
Don't panic, it's not a big problem.
Yao Xuan cleared his throat, stood with his hands behind his back, and held the book tightly in his sleeves: "I am indeed here to return the book."
The young man understood and smiled broadly, "Please wait a moment, Headmaster. I will register these two students and then delete the borrowing record for you."
Yao Xuan responded vaguely, standing stiffly in place, staring into the void in front of him, trying his best not to look at anyone.
Du Qingtang and Fu Ci signed the loan book, bowed to Yao Xuan, took the books and left the library.
Yao Xuan returned the books and gave up the idea of borrowing two more. He went to find Wen Boqing with a complicated thought in his heart: "Xingrang, guess who I met in the library just now?"
Wen Boqing was working on the exam questions when he noticed something was wrong with his friend. He looked at him with interest and asked, "Let me guess, is it Du Qingtang and Fu Wen?"
Yao Xuan sighed deeply, raised his hands to block his eyes, and said with a look of despair: "Yes, it's them two."
Upon learning that his friend's identity had been exposed on the spot, Wen Boqing burst into laughter, slapping the table and laughing so hard that tears came out.
"Zijing, ah Zijing, I've long said that there's no such thing as an impenetrable wall. Now you've shot yourself in the foot."
The more Wen Boqing thought about it, the funnier it became. He pointed at his friend and said, "Those two kids are probably secretly criticizing you right now. I just wanted to ask, does your foot hurt?"
From a craftsman to Professor Wen and then to the headmaster, after three changes in identity, even the best-tempered person would be annoyed.
Yao Xuan held his forehead with his hand. Of course he knew it and felt extremely regretful.
If I had known this would happen, I would have revealed my identity directly. Why would I be so playful and hide my identity, deliberately letting them think I was a craftsman?
Yao Xuan was silent for a while. "Okay, what do you say... How about I accept Du Qingtang as my disciple?"
Wen Boqing was startled, then he suppressed his smile and said solemnly, "Zijing, are you serious?"
Yao Xuan twirled his beard and said, "Two years ago, I read Du Qingtang's essay for the recruitment exam and I really admired her writing skills."
Although it was too aggressive, it was undeniable that Du Qingtang's essay was the best and most eye-catching among all the candidates.
Wen Boqing nodded: "I remember that you praised her article for its novelty and uniqueness, and personally selected her as the first in the assessment."
Later, Yao Xuan saw Du Qingtang studying under the statue of Confucius every day, and privately thought that she was a diligent and hardworking child.
But at that time Yao Xuan didn't know Du Qingtang's full name. It was not until the end of the quiz in November that he learned from Professor Zhu that the child was Du Qingtang, who had ranked first in the entrance exam.
Fate is so wonderful.
Yao Xuan would pass by the statue of Confucius every day and would always secretly observe Du Qingtang.
Over time, I have gained a certain understanding of her character.
He is diligent and studious, possesses calmness and perseverance beyond his peers, and is patient and considerate towards his friends.
The most important thing is his ruthlessness and tenacity, which is very similar to my younger self who was full of confidence and had no idea what fear was.
Yao Xuan had never accepted a disciple. Over the years, students in the academy came and went, with one group leaving and a new group coming. The only one who had the idea of accepting a disciple was the eldest son of Duke Changguo, Qi Changqing.
But later Qi Changqing became his son-in-law, and the matter of accepting him as a disciple came to nothing.
After many years, with day-to-day observation and understanding, one morning, Yao Xuan suddenly had the idea of accepting a disciple.
But before he could reveal his intention, Wen Boqing had already planned to take Du Qingtang as his disciple.
A gentleman does not take away what others like, so Yao Xuan had to give up this idea and laughed at himself in his heart. He was destined to miss the disciple who suited his taste in this life.
Wen Boqing listened to his friend's statement and smiled, "I did have this thought, but she is not suitable for me."
Yao Xuan asked mischievously, "Is it because Du Qingtang is good at arithmetic?"
Wen Boqing: "...You ask even though you already know the answer!"
Yao Xuan laughed heartily and clapped his hands, saying, "It's good now that she knows my true identity. I'll find a chance to ask her about it in a few days."
Wen Boqing glanced at him and said, "But Zijing, you should first think about how to explain why you concealed your identity."
Yao Xuan choked, a trace of guilt flashing across his face.
Wen Boqing laughed, very good, he won another game!
......
On the other side, Du Qingtang and Fu Ci walked out of the library.
Fu Ci's head was a mess, as if it was filled with balls of wool, so tangled that he couldn't find a clue.
She walked forward with a book in her arms, taking one step forward and one step back. If Du Qingtang hadn't reminded her, she would have almost bumped into a tree.
"Headmaster?"
"Isn't he Professor Wen?"
"So he lied to us before?"
"No, you lied to us again!"
"That's not right. He seems to have never admitted that he is a craftsman before."
Fu Ci's eyes were wide open, he kept muttering, and his face was full of doubts about life.
"How could he lie? He's playing tricks on us. This is too much!"
Du Qingtang didn't expect that Yao Xuan put on layer upon layer of vests and played a dress-up game here.
Seeing Fu Ci's face flushed with anger, Du Qingtang patted her shoulder to comfort her: "Just think he's being playful and playing a prank with us."
"Maybe." Fu Ci thought about it, "But he has no obligation to tell us his identity."
Du Qingtang remained noncommittal. "He's the headmaster, not the instructor of the Tongsheng and Xiucai classes. When we meet again in the future, just greet him politely."
Fu Ci shook his head, emptied the paste and wool balls inside, slapped his face hard, and took a deep breath: "I understand."
Du Qingtang withdrew his hand: "The rice paper is used up, I need to go to Xuanbaozhai."
Fu Ci walked forward, following his own shadow. "I have to go to the bookstore to return the painting. Come along."
Du Ji Snacks business was stable, with a fixed profit every month. However, with the college entrance examination approaching, Du Qingtang was somewhat overwhelmed, so he simply approached his employer and proposed to terminate the contract.
Although the boss felt sorry that the printing house lost a young painter, he did not want to have a grudge with Du Qingtang, so he readily agreed.
But Fu Ci couldn't do that.
She is the only one left in the Fu family now. Even if they rent out a few acres of land to the villagers, they cannot afford to pay for her studies.
Besides, she was still in mourning period and could not work odd jobs at Du Ji Snack Shop. Without an income source, her life became much tighter. If she lost her income as a painter, she would be left with nothing.
Although her friends often took her to the Du family courtyard for dinner for various reasons, thus saving her money, Fu Ci still had to save face.
Even if Du Qingtang and the Du family's sister didn't mind, she was unwilling to shamelessly eat and drink for free, like a poor relative begging for money.
After finishing his work, Fu Ci returned to the academy, while Du Qingtang went back to the courtyard alone to continue teaching the girls "The Doctrine of the Mean" tonight.
As I walked to the door, I heard a slightly exaggerated laugh.
Du Qingtang paused in unlocking the door. Could it be that a guest was coming?
She quickly ruled out her four sisters who were good at music, chess, calligraphy and painting. They had to run the shop during the day and rush back to the village at night. How could they have time to chat and laugh?
While his thoughts were running wild, Du Qingtang had already opened the door and saw the guests sitting in the main room.
She was a woman dressed in red and green, with heavy makeup, her hair combed into a shiny bun, and a big red flower pinned to her temples.
The woman was waving her handkerchief and chatting freely, not noticing Du Qingtang's arrival. "Although the Chen family is a merchant family, Mr. Chen has been well-read since childhood and is very elegant and has a noble bearing. He just came of age this year and plans to take the imperial examination next year. The private school teacher who taught Mr. Chen has promised that he will definitely pass the examination..."
Du Qingtang immediately confirmed her identity - matchmaker.
Looking at her dress, it really fits the world's inherent impression of matchmakers.
Du Qingtang recalled that looking across the entire Qingyuan County, there seemed to be no elegant scholar named Chen who would definitely pass the examination to become a student.
Either the matchmaker was exaggerating, or the Chen family was bragging.
Du Qingtang took two steps at a time and came to the outside of the main hall: "I'm back, who is this?"
The girls were gritting their teeth and listening to the matchmaker introduce Mr. Chen. When they saw Du Qingtang, their eyes lit up immediately, as if they had seen their savior.
When they closed the shop in the evening and went home, before they had time to cook, the matchmaker came to their door and said she was there to propose marriage to Du Qingmei.
As early as last year, Du Qingtang had made it clear that he would personally select husbands for his four sisters.
Although the girls were shy, they always kept it in mind. Besides reading, they would occasionally let their thoughts wander and imagine what their future husbands would look like.
Therefore, the matchmaker Ren praised Mr. Chen, whom she had never met, as a flower, and hinted in her words and deeds that she should agree quickly. However, Du Qingmei ignored her and did not dare to respond.
During the time, the matchmaker served tea and sent the guests away several times, but I don't know whether she really didn't understand or was pretending not to understand. She continued to talk incessantly.
The girls were feeling annoyed but didn't want to show it. Just as their patience was about to run out, Du Qingtang came back.
"Tang'er!"
Du Qingmei seemed to have seen a savior, and she ignored the noisy matchmaker and came forward: "Are you hungry? Are you tired? Dinner is not ready yet, you should rest for a while..."
As he spoke, he looked at the youngest one for help.
Du Qingtang gave her a soothing look and walked into the main room: "What are you doing?"
The matchmaker looked at Du Qingtang for a few seconds, her smile growing brighter. "You are Mr. Du, right? I'm here to propose marriage to your fifth sister. Mr. Du, let me tell you, that Mr. Chen..."
Seeing that she was about to repeat the same old things, Du Qingtang interrupted her without mercy: "Fifth sister's marriage is decided by the elders of the family. I can't make the decision on her marriage, and Fifth sister can't make the decision on her own."
The matchmaker had already inquired about the Du family. Their father died early, their mother remarried, and the man she married was dead. Four of their eight sisters were married, and the remaining four ran a snack shop in the city.
The elders decide?
What kind of elders?
When the matchmaker heard this, she knew that the Du family meant to refuse.
In fact, Mrs. Chen was not satisfied with Du Qingmei. It was Mr. Chen who asked her to come to the Du family to act as a matchmaker.
It was because the youngest son of the Du family passed the imperial examination and became a scholar at the age of fourteen, and Du Qingmei herself became famous for her talent at a poetry gathering not long ago.
Du Qingmei's family background is relatively low, but she is well-versed in literature and has a brother with a bright future. When he becomes successful in the future, he will be able to help Master Chen.
After the matchmaker sorted out the benefits of a marriage between the Chen and Du families, she accepted the matchmaking fee from Mr. Chen and made the trip in person.
She never expected that the Du family would refuse!
The Chen family is one of the richest families in Qingyuan County. If you miss this opportunity, you will miss this store.
Besides, Du Qingmei is an old girl who is about to turn eighteen. If she doesn't seize this opportunity to marry into the Chen family, is it possible that she can find someone better than Mr. Chen?
What a big dream!
The matchmaker's face looked unhappy, and she subconsciously wanted to make a few sarcastic remarks, but she suddenly met Du Qingtang's clear eyes, her heart tightened, and she actually felt timid.
She swallowed, forced a smile, and waved her handkerchief: "Forget it, it seems Miss Du and Mr. Chen are not destined to be together. It's getting late, so I'll leave first. Mr. Du and Miss Du, please stay."
Unfortunately, no one saw her off.
The five siblings of the Du family stood in the main hall and watched her leave coldly.
Matchmaker: “…”
The matchmaker secretly cursed the villain for gaining power and left in anger.
Du Qingmei looked away, a little worried: "Tang'er, we rejected that Mr. Chen. Will the Chen family retaliate against us?"
Du Qingtang went to the west room and hung his book bag on the wall: "As long as I am still a scholar, the Chen family will not dare to do anything."
The girls breathed a sigh of relief and went to the kitchen to cook dinner.
After eating and drinking, Du Qingzhu got back to the point: "Tang'er, the fifth and sixth sisters will be eighteen at the end of the month, so it's time to get married."
Du Qingju agreed: "This matchmaking process won't be completed in a day or two. After it's decided, we still have to go through three matchmakers and six engagements. The earliest it will take is next year."
Du Qingmei and Du Qinglan buried their heads in their chests, their ears and necks flushed red.
Du Qingtang felt a little emotional. This was the reaction of a woman about to get married. Unlike her, she had already lost all worldly desires.
"At the beginning of the year, I had a few candidates. After a few months of investigation, there are currently four left. My fifth and sixth sisters each have two. I will compile their information tomorrow and you can choose yourselves."
Du Qingtang's assessment only looked at appearance, character and family environment, and the family environment included the family's wealth and whether the elders in the family were easy to get along with.
After six months of investigation and screening, the original eighteen candidates were whittled down to only four.
Du Qingtang herself was quite satisfied with them, but her satisfaction was useless, as the parties involved had to be satisfied as well.
If nothing unexpected happens, a couple will spend their whole lives together.
Although Du Qingmei and Du Qinglan were shy, they knew that this was a major life event and they couldn't be careless. They nodded in unison, "Okay, thank you for your hard work, Tang Ge'er."
Du Qingtang waved his hand, helped clean up the dishes, and then taught them.
"Last time I learned Chapter 15, today I will continue to the next chapter..."
The girls put aside their distractions, listened attentively, and then recited and practiced calligraphy until the hour of Hai.
After class the next day, Du Qingtang sorted out the information of the so-called blind date in the dormitory.
Fu Ci was doing arithmetic problems nearby. She had known for a long time that Du Qingtang was selecting future husbands for her fifth and sixth sisters. Seeing her friend writing furiously, she thought of herself and muttered, "Anyway, I don't plan on getting married. There are huge risks for both men and women."
Du Qingtang filled a sheet of rice paper, replaced it with a new one, and said nonchalantly, "Perhaps one day, a woman will be able to enter the court with dignity?"
"That's perfect." Fu Ci smiled, "I hope I can see it in my lifetime."
Du Qingtang didn't plan to tell Fu Ci that she was also a woman. She quickly finished packing and said, "Du Ji Snacks has a new product. Do you want to try it?"
Fu Ci thought carefully, the last time he visited was eight days ago, on the Mid-Autumn Festival. "Okay, I also want to see what the fifth and sixth sisters will decide."
So, the two of them completed the homework assigned by their respective teachers and came to the Du family courtyard in the bright sunset sky.
After a while, the girls came back after closing the shop.
Du Qingtang took out four files and said, "Take a look at them first, but don't rush to make a conclusion. Tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, I'll show you what they look like, and then we'll make a decision."
The two girls looked at the so-called materials on the twelve sheets of rice paper in front of them: "..."
On average, each person had three sheets of rice paper. Tang Ge'er was really attentive.
Moved, Du Qingmei and Du Qinglan suppressed their shyness, picked up their six sheets of rice paper and two documents, and read through them word by word.
Fu Ci was watching with great interest. Du Qingtang glanced at her from the corner of his eye and saw that her face was beaming, as if she was the one waiting to be married. He pointed to the math workbook on the table and said, "Don't waste time. Do it quickly. I need to check it later."
Fu Ci curled his lips and muttered softly, "This is a question for the scholar class. It's very difficult."
Having said that, she still obediently went to the side to do the questions.
Du Qingtang and Cao Xingcan both became scholars, but she was still a student, so she had to work harder.
After an incense stick of time, the two girls put down the information.
Du Qingtang held the book in one hand, his eyes never leaving it: "How is it?"
Du Qingmei touched her earlobe and said softly, "I think everything is fine."
Du Qinglan stroked the rice paper gently: "Me too."
They all come from wealthy families, have good character and keep themselves clean. They are also both virtuous men, making them excellent candidates for husbands.
Du Qingtang opened his eyes and said, "In that case, you should come to the academy tomorrow."
"good."
The next morning, Du Qingtang found an opportunity to let Du Qingmei and Du Qinglan see the four people in person.
"how?"
Du Qingmei pondered for a moment: "Jiang Fang has a cold personality, I like gentler ones."
That’s another one named Guo Qian.
On the contrary, Du Qinglan prefers quietness and prefers a mature and steady man: "Although the other one has a good family background, he is too jumpy. I don't want to have an extra son after getting married."
Du Qingtang and Du Qingmei couldn't help laughing.
"Then it's Guo Qian and Gu Tai." Du Qingtang confirmed with them, "This isn't like going to the market to buy something. Once it's decided, it can't be easily changed."
Du Qingmei was a little hesitant.
Du Qinglan said firmly: "If you don't change, then it's him."
Seeing this, Du Qingmei also said that she would not change.
Two days later, Du Qingtang invited the best matchmaker in Qingyuan County and paid her a considerable sum of money for the matchmaking.
The matchmaker went to the Guo and Gu families successively. The two families learned that Du Qingtang was a scholar at a young age and had been classmates with their own sons. The two girls, Du Qingmei and Du Qinglan, were also famous for their talents from poetry meetings and were good friends with the daughter of the county magistrate. After asking for their sons' opinions, they visited them with generous gifts.
"My father died young, and my mother remarried. As the brother of my fifth and sixth sisters, I personally arranged their marriages."
The two families had no objections. After meeting Du Qingmei and Du Qinglan, they were extremely satisfied and exchanged engagement letters on the same day.
After that, the engagement process began, with all the necessary procedures including three matchmakers and six engagements.
Du Qingtang was also not vague. In addition to a shop on Qingshui Street, she also gave 166 taels of silver as a dowry.
As a result, the Guo and Gu families pay more attention to their daughter-in-law who has not yet married into the family.
During this period, Guo Qian and Gu Tai sent poetry collections and calligraphy and paintings respectively, and Du Qingmei and Du Qinglan each gave back a purse sewn by themselves.
Du Qingtang saw the interactions between the two unmarried pairs of men and women, but did not stop them.
In feudal society, blind marriages were not uncommon, and this led to many resentful couples.
Deepen your understanding of each other before marriage so that you can have a harmonious and long-lasting marriage.
-
As summer turned to autumn, the Guo family first sent a message. Mrs. Guo asked someone to calculate the date based on Du Qingmei and Guo Qian's horoscopes, and it was March 16th of the next year that was suitable for the wedding.
Soon after, the Gu family also sent the wedding date they had calculated, which was only one month later than the Guo family's, on the eighth day of the second lunar month.
Du Qingtang agreed.
Within a few days, the young ladies that Du Qingmei and Du Qinglan met at the poetry meeting learned that they were engaged and would be getting married next year, and they all sent congratulatory gifts.
Meng Qingyan even went to the house in person and brought the Four Books annotated by her father, County Magistrate Meng.
Du Qingmei hadn't mentioned that her youngest child had won the Analects of Confucius as a prize from County Magistrate Meng. She took it with a look of surprise, "Thank you, Sister Meng. Yesterday, Brother Tang taught us another chapter of The Doctrine of the Mean. Sister Lan took notes. Would you like to take a look?"
Meng Qingyan's eyes lit up: "Look!"
The three of them went to the main room, and Du Qinglan gave the notebook to Meng Qingyan. Meng Qingyan read it and shared her thoughts with the two of them.
This is Meng Qingyan's sixth visit to the Du family.
After the poetry reading ended, she couldn't wait to visit the four girls on August 16 to discuss "The Doctrine of the Mean" with them.
It happened that Du Qingtang was on vacation, and Du Qingtang also helped her solve the problems that had accumulated for many days.
Meng Qingyan was so overjoyed that she felt she had found a confidant. In just one month, she visited the girls five times, reciting poems and writing couplets with them, and discussing the Four Books and Five Classics.
Of course, I always come in the evening.
Meng Qingyan knew that the Du sisters had to run a shop to support their family, so she was very considerate and visited them at the right time.
After reading Du Qinglan's notes, Meng Qingyan smiled and said, "Mr. Du is truly a rare good man in this world. He actually allowed you to learn to read and write, and even taught you personally."
"To be honest, when I first suggested studying the Four Books and Five Classics to my father, he and my brother disagreed. They believed that the Four Books and Five Classics were for men, and that women only needed to read books like 'Rules for Women and Rules for Women'."
"It's because I fought for what was right that we are where we are today."
The girls glanced at each other so quickly that Meng Qingyan didn't even notice.
Du Qingzhu held her chin with both hands and said in a heavy tone, "It's not easy to be a woman in this world. It would be great if everyone could read and write."
Meng Qingyan was stunned. She had never thought about this question before.
Du Qingju's eyes flickered. "Sister Meng, why don't we unite and create a literary club? All the women who join can learn to read and write. What do you think?"
"Literary Society?" Meng Qingyan murmured, her eyes gleaming brighter. "What a good idea! We ourselves are literate, so we should help more women. However, this matter still needs to be carefully considered. Where to establish the literary society and what form it should take can be discussed slowly."
The girls looked at each other quietly and smiled in their hearts.
Meng Qingyan said goodbye when Du Qingtang went home. After returning to the third hall of the county government office, she excitedly went to find County Magistrate Meng.
"Father, I plan to establish the Qiong English Society. All women in the city, regardless of their status, can join the society and learn to read and write. What do you think?"
Qiongying, also known as wintersweet, symbolizes purity.
She hopes that all women who join the literary society will become noble people.
County Magistrate Meng was well aware of his daughter's unorthodox behavior and did not dissuade her. He simply asked, "Why did you suddenly have this idea?"
Meng Qingyan said frankly: "It was the Du family's sister who proposed it."
County Magistrate Meng narrowed his eyes and asked, "Sister of the Du family?"
Meng Qingyan did not notice the coldness and vigilance in her father's eyes. She introduced the four sisters of the Du family to him, emphasizing Du Qingtang's strong support for their reading and literacy.
County Magistrate Meng paused. "Are you talking about Du Qingtang?"
Meng Qingyan nodded vigorously, "It's the new Little Three Yuan that came out not long ago. Father, you should know it best."
The coldness in County Magistrate Meng's eyes instantly dissipated, and he twirled his beard and said, "Since it's Little Sanyuan's sister who proposed it, just go ahead and do it. Your father won't stop you, but he won't help you either."
Meng Qingyan certainly knew that once the Qiongying English Society was established, it would be attacked by many self-proclaimed scholars.
But she was fearless.
"Father, I want to give it a try."
Only by reading can a woman truly take control of her own life.
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Autumn went and winter came, and three months passed in a flash.
In the twelfth lunar month, near the end of the year, after many discussions and revisions, Meng Qingyan finally finalized the final version of the charter of the Qiongying English Publishing House.
"Let's forget about it before the New Year. The sixteenth day of the first lunar month is a good day. Let's hold the Qushui Liushang banquet on that day and announce the establishment of the Qiongying English Society. What do you think?"
The girls of the Du family expressed no objection.
Meng Qingyan was relieved. She glanced at the sky and stood up to say goodbye. "Mr. Du will be back soon. It's time for me to leave too."
The Du siblings have a very good relationship, so she won't stay and get in the way.
Du Qingmei said, "It's okay. Tang Ge'er is attending a literary gathering and won't be back tonight."
Meng Qingyan quickly sat back down: "Then I have to stay a little longer."
The girls burst into laughter.
......
This year's literary gathering will still be held at Qingyuan Academy.
Just like the year before, Du Qingtang wrote a poem as usual, and then County Magistrate Meng summoned her and rewarded her with a copy of the Book of Songs.
For the next two hours, Du Qingtang discussed poetry and prose with others, and when he was tired, he sat in a corner to rest.
There was a charcoal brazier burning in the room. Du Qingtang felt bored, so he left Cao Xingcan and left the table alone.
I walked to the pond unknowingly and found Yao Xuan fishing behind an old tree that was so thick that two people could hug it.
Their eyes met, and they were both stunned.
That day, Yao Xuan was stripped of his identity by the young man in charge of registration in the library. He originally planned to find an opportunity to explain and reveal his intention to accept a disciple. However, he did not expect that the academy had so many affairs to deal with that he has been busy until now.
Taking advantage of the literary gathering held in the academy today, Yao Xuan took a break from his busy schedule and came here with his fishing rod to go fishing. Unexpectedly, he met Du Qingtang here.
Yao Xuan put his fist to his lips, considering how to start speaking. Du Qingtang spoke first.
She bowed to Yao Xuan with a respectful attitude: "I greet the headmaster."
"No need to be so polite." Yao Xuan put down his fishing rod and stood up. "Before, it was me..."
Before he could finish his explanation, Du Qingtang interrupted him: "In fact, students have long suspected your identity."
Yao Xuan: “?”
Du Qingtang lowered his eyes slightly, his expression calm and composed. "Although you are wearing the short shirt commonly worn by craftsmen, your eyes are clear and your face is solemn. You have the bearing of a scholar. When we first met, you even asked me if I was a student in the scholar class."
"But I always thought you were the instructor of the academy. I didn't expect you to be Professor Wen, or even Principal Yao."
Yao Xuan: “…”
What should I do if I feel even more guilty?
Let’s just skip this and get straight to the point.
"I want to take you as my disciple." Yao Xuan met Du Qingtang's surprised gaze and said solemnly, "If you agree, I will do my best to teach you..."
Before Yao Xuan could finish, Du Qingtang knelt down without hesitation: "Student is willing."
After saying this, he kowtowed firmly and said with full energy: "Master, please accept my disciple's greetings."
Even though he had prepared himself mentally, Yao Xuan was still shocked by Du Qingtang's decisiveness. He was speechless for a long time before he found his voice again: "Get up, from now on, you are my disciple."
"Yes, Master."
Du Qingtang stood up, the smile on his lips disappearing in an instant.
Of course she would not refuse the olive branch extended by the great scholar of the time.
Not to mention that this great scholar had an irreconcilable feud with the Duke of Changguo's Mansion.
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