Chapter 74 Chapter 74 Reading elementary school.
Thinking this, he drove away.
In front of the peach tree house, the woman was still frightened and watched the ox cart go by while holding her little daughter.
Gradually, the ox cart was lost in the crowd of other cars and could no longer be distinguished. She suddenly uttered a cry and said:
"Look at me, I was so busy celebrating my success that I forgot to ask my benefactor's name and where he lives, so I can repay him someday."
"Why are you just standing at the door enjoying the breeze instead of going in?"
I saw a middle-aged man coming out of the library next door. He was tall and thin with a long beard.
As he walked along, the Mongolian students were busy bowing and greeting him in a very proper manner, respectfully calling him "Master Yang".
Nowadays, a "calligraphy teacher" is a teacher who teaches students to start their studies, and the place of teaching is called a "book library". This calligraphy teacher Yang is an old scholar in the village. He has been teaching rigorously and methodically for more than ten years, and many families send their children to his book library for enlightenment.
The woman in the thorny hairpin and cloth skirt was Yu, the wife of Yang Shushi. Upon hearing this, she said:
"It's your little girl. I went out to buy groceries, and she was so capable that she ran to the village pavilion. I was so anxious that I looked for her everywhere. You were giving a lecture, but I didn't want to disturb you. Fortunately, she met a good person who sent her home. If she had met that thief, I really wouldn't dare to think about it..."
Upon hearing this, Master Yang's back was wet. He was already middle-aged and had only this little girl, whom he loved very much. But now he couldn't help but frown and scold her a few words, which scared Zhao Zhao so much that she went straight into Yu's arms.
Yu then excused herself by saying, "It's also my fault. I thought she wouldn't wake up soon, so I didn't lock the room.
"I was so careless that I didn't ask the person's name or where he lived, and I accepted such a great favor for nothing."
Then he asked Zhaozhao what her sister's name was.
Zhao Zhao couldn't even speak clearly, so how could he know? He only said:
"Cut the cake."
Yu smiled and said, "Did my sister give you a piece of cake?"
Yang Shushi comforted her, "She must have asked for directions. I'll ask around someday. If I find out, we'll prepare gifts and visit her family to express our gratitude."
Before they could find out his whereabouts, they soon saw him, but that's another story.
At this time, on the earthen ridge in Benguli, a group of half-grown children were playing "brick throwing" in a noisy manner.
I saw yellow mud mixed with water, molded into square shapes the size of shoes, standing far away. This is the "brick".
Thirty steps apart, branches marked the boundary. The children held mud of different shapes in their hands and threw them at the target one after another. The one who hit the brick was declared the winner.
Wang Li had a handful of mud. He kneaded a large ball of mud like a pancake and threw it with all his strength, but the ball was still several feet away from the brick.
"Oh, no, no!"
The children started to make noises, and Cui Guangyao squeezed out and said, "It's my turn!"
He tossed the bulging mud ball in his hand, with a confident look on his face, swung his arm and threw it, with a whoosh sound,
"Got it! I won!"
He was the first to shout and not only hit the brick, but also knocked down the standing "brick".
Ji Feng pinched a crescent-shaped clay ball and was about to throw it, but unexpectedly Cui Guangyao was the first to declare victory.
She ran over, picked up Cui Guangyao's mud ball, peeled it open, and saw a fist-sized stone inside. She said:
"He cheated and packed a huge rock!"
"That doesn't count. You're rejected. It's your turn next time!"
"How dare you play dirty? Shame on you!"
Suddenly, some children started to mock Cui Guangyao.
"They are so noisy. Hey, keep your voices down. It's time for us to go to bed!"
Under the willow tree, Chen Sui'er and Ji Zhu were squatting there, playing children's games.
There were some straw sticks, wood chips, and stones in front of them. The wood chips were covered with grass and mud, which were the meals they had just "eaten".
In the children's play, Chen Sui'er played the role of the grandfather and Ji Zhu played the role of the mother. Ji Zhu was also holding a cattail figurine, which was their "little daughter".
Chen Sui'er said, "You've woken up the children. It would be better if they were quiet like us, wouldn't you, Zhu Niang?"
Jizhu nodded and said, "Yes, it's so noisy outside. Are the refugees coming? We should stock up on food."
The two girls imitated adults, talking about everything under the sun, sometimes looking worried, sometimes nagging.
Seeing that it was getting dark, they said goodbye and went home.
Because they had so much fun, Feng and Zhu's faces were flushed when they went into the kitchen to fetch water to wash their hands. Their cheeks were now plump and they were no longer as skinny as before.
Ji Xu also liked to see them coming back from outside so full of energy. He only listened to them chattering about what they had played, such as throwing bricks and playing children's games, and their souls were still outside.
"What? Studying in elementary school?"
It was not until dinner time that they heard Ji Xu say that he would send them to the library to study elementary education. Their eyes widened like bells and they said in unison.
"Yes, it's in the library in Xiaoshunli."
Ji Xu said that from her observation, Ji Zhu loved to learn words and recite poems. For example, the inscription on the well fence, "Eternal peace and prosperity", was something she could recognize after being taught.
There is also the poem "Ode to the Horn" written by Mao Gong in the past: "The color is like the bright moon, soft and beautiful like cotton, the energy is vigorous and lingering, the fragrance spreads far and wide. Pedestrians lose their minds in the downwind, and the servants chew in vain and glance sideways..."
She also read along and could recite it fluently, which showed that she had talent;
Ji Feng loves counting money. If he can master arithmetic, he can also become an expert in arithmetic.
After hearing this, Ji Feng was filled with longing and hesitation, and said:
"They say it's useless for girls to study. Their sons study to become officials. Why should we study?"
Ji Xu nodded her head and said:
"Who said that? Learning to read and do arithmetic will be very useful to you when you're away from home. Let's not even talk about faraway places, just take the Gan family in Shengchang. Their little girl is attending elementary school at a library. Wouldn't they do everything they can to send her there if she's useless? Wouldn't it be easier for her to just stay at home and have her stay peacefully? Isn't that right, Xiaozhu?"
Ji Zhu nodded, not quite understanding. Ji Xu knew that this kid was easy to talk to, so he turned to Ji Feng and said:
"Feng Mei has learned arithmetic, so counting money and running her own business in the future will be no problem."
Ji Feng's eyes lit up after hearing this. After thinking for a while, he couldn't help but worry about his family and said:
"If my little sister and I were to go, there would be no one at home to collect firewood, cut grass for the cows, feed the chickens, and boil water..."
Once I started counting, I couldn't put it down anymore and said:
"Let Xiaozhu go. She needs someone at home."
After all, he lost his parents at a young age, and he is like a little adult, with a lot to worry about.
Ji Xu already had plans for these, and said:
"Don't worry about these, Sister Feng. We can buy firewood later. It will cost a little money, but it will save us trouble. We can earn money from the tofu shop.
As for the grass for the cow, I won't cut it. The cow will eat its fill at the pavilion during the day, so I'll feed it some bean dregs in the morning and evening. I'll then go to Bengu Village to see if there's any fodder for sale, buy some and store it, and feed it a different diet every few days.
The four chickens were fed in the morning, and the trough was filled. They were left to peck at their food slowly all day long, and I could feed them again in the afternoon. That was also enough. Boiling water was something I did in the evening, which had nothing to do with going to the library.
He resolved Ji Feng's concerns one by one and asked with a smile:
"Feng Mei only asked if she wanted to go. Sister is there for her."
"I do." Ji Feng stammered with a red face.
"Oh, it's like a mosquito, I can't hear you." Ji Xu deliberately teased her and leaned over to put his ear close to her.
"I want to!" Ji Feng whispered loudly into her ear.
Ji Xu turned to ask Ji Zhu, "Where is Xiao Zhu?"
Jizhu nodded and said obediently, "I do!"
Ji Feng laughed and said, "Of course she was thinking about it. We once wandered far away from Niupi Mountain looking for wild vegetables and came across the library. The students inside were holding books and nodding their heads. She was so fascinated by them that she followed them all the way."
Jizhu began to shake her head and mime as she spoke:
"The orioles are singing on the island in the river. The gentleman is seeking the beautiful lady. The water lilies are variegated, flowing left and right. The gentleman is seeking the beautiful lady day and night."
It made people laugh, and Ji Xu was also glad that it was the right age to send her to enlightenment, so as not to waste her good memory for poetry.
Since it has been decided to go to the library for enlightenment, it is natural to purchase the writing brush, inkstone and other supplies.
Fortunately, there was an ox cart at home, so the next day, Ji Xu took them to the county.
The two little guys were so happy that they put on the light green chicken-crowing cloth cotton-padded clothes, and even slung the small bag they had sewn over their shoulders. They put all the copper coins they had saved into it and climbed onto the ox cart.
With the breeze blowing gently, Ji Feng kept greeting this uncle and that aunt along the way.
"Erfeng and Xiaozhu are going to sell tofu too? Can you count the five-zhu coins neatly?"
Ji Feng smiled and said, "Sister is taking us to the county bookstore to buy pens and ink."
It was heard that because the sisters were going to the library for enlightenment, Ji Feng's mouth could not hide such good news, and others joked:
"Is your Ji family's second branch also going to produce a female scholar?"
It was spring plowing season, and the news spread among the fields in the first half of the day. Every household knew about it and was talking about it.
In the fields, Liao whipped the rented oxen, pulling a soil-breaking tool called a "plow." She stood on top of it and placed two baskets of stones on both sides to increase the pressure. When she heard this, she curled her lips and said,
"It doesn't cost much to send her to enlightenment. With all the money she earns from running a tofu shop, she should have sent her to enlightenment long ago. If I were her, I wouldn't have waited until now and would have sent my daughter to enlightenment long ago."
Others knew that Liao Chunyue loved to brag, and when her daughter Cui Si happened to come with a bamboo basket to deliver breakfast to her mother, father-in-law, and relatives in the fields, they joked:
"Si Nu, your mother is planning to send you to the library for your enlightenment!"
Cui Si was bewildered by what she heard. Liao stopped the oxen, got off the hoe, and while inviting relatives and family to have breakfast, she said:
"Don't listen to their nonsense. Isn't it a waste of money for a girl to go to her parents' home for education? Can she become an official in the future? It's better for her to learn needlework and cook at home."
Cui Si knew that her mother was bragging again, so she put down her bamboo basket and ran from the ridge to the field of Ji's main house to talk to Ji Yuan.
She was not envious of any enlightenment, as there was no such thing in the whole village. The only scholar was Yun Lang, the third son of the Feng family.
Ji Yuan was cursing, "Ji Erfeng, it's just such a small matter, but she announced it to the world, afraid that no one would be kept in the dark. When I get married and have money in my hands, I will also let my younger brother and sister-in-law go to school and learn from them!"
Hearing this, Jin was delighted for a moment. She was so happy about Ah Jiao's muttering. When it came to the matter of getting married, she said to Ji Fu, who was plowing the field with an ox,
"After the spring plowing is over, I also want to take the children to the county town. Yuannu's dowry box is still missing a lot of things, so we need to buy them quickly."
Ji Fu was seen driving a bony yellow ox. While other families were already working on breaking up the soil, adding water and kneading the flour, he hadn't even finished plowing the land.
Because he was two days late in returning home, Jin sent someone to bring him a message to urge him to come back. He said that his boss had too much work to do and was delayed. Now he said:
"Do you know what the situation is like in the county? Just take the children with you. There have been two cases of missing children. If you take these children with you like this, they might be kidnapped by thieves if you're not careful! I don't have the time like my sister-in-law to search everywhere."
Jin was choked. Thinking about it, Ji Huhai was the most difficult to take care of. He would not run around unless he was tied with a rope to his belt. So she said:
"In that case, I will go alone. When you return to the county town, you can take me with you in your cart."
Ji Fu said, "I'm not going to the county town. After the spring plowing is over, I'm going to the neighboring county to buy medicinal herbs. I'll leave the day after tomorrow evening. You don't have to go to the county town to buy them. The county town is far away and the things are expensive. You can just pick them up in the country market. What can you need?"
After hearing this, Jin remained silent and became more suspicious.
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