It is appropriate to open school on the sixth day of the seventh month in the sixteenth year of the Daqian Jianyuan period.
As soon as the sky was slightly bright, Gu Jiayue couldn't help but feel excited and arrived at the school early.
I checked the entire classroom carefully and felt relieved when I saw that there were no mistakes.
As the sky brightened, the village became lively.
Today is an important day for Taohua Village, because all the children in the village are going to school.
"Erzhu! Come over here and try this dress to see if it fits you."
"Shitou's father, please check the apprenticeship gift prepared for the Master. Is there anything wrong?"
"Fugui, Fugui? Where have you been again? Come and have breakfast before going to school!"
The voices from various parties interweave to form a unique symphony.
At this moment, several carriages appeared at the gate of Taohua Village. Looking at the people sitting in the carriages, they were the students of Wutong Academy and their teachers.
Those students looked pale, as if they were about to take the exam after mourning.
Their teacher closed his eyes, looking as if he was not bothered by what he saw.
"Didn't I ever tell you not to mention your teacher's name when you go out?" Du Jiangtong became angrier and angrier as he thought about it. He couldn't help but pick up the ruler beside him and hit the nearest student.
That student happened to be the student named Zhang who had argued with Gu Yuhe and was easily aroused and blushed.
He covered his arm, feeling aggrieved and anxious. "Master, we didn't mention your name." He just revealed his family background and said he was a student of Wutong Academy.
"How dare you talk back! Get out of here!" Du Jiangtong was so angry that smoke came out of his head.
He still had the nerve to do it. Although he didn't directly mention his name, Du Jiangtong, they were students of Wutong Academy. Who in Juzhou didn't know them? Wouldn't it be easy to find out who their teacher was?
He had originally thought he could cheat and get away with it, but the treacherous Min Leshi had actually threatened him with his private money. If he didn't cooperate and come to Taohua Village to compete today, he would tell his wife about the one or two taels of silver he had saved in the academy.
How could this be possible? He had saved this amount of silver for three years.
Well, today, no matter whether he wins or loses, Du Jiangtong will lose all his face, and then he will drive these unpresentable students out of Wutong Academy.
Oh……
Dean Min lifted the curtain of his carriage and saw Master Du kicking his students out. He lowered the curtain and pretended to shake his head and sigh. "Ah, Master Du is really stingy. His students also recognize his talent, don't they?"
Jiang Luli gently put down the chess piece in his hand, "He's angry because you forced him to compete."
Shanzhang Min stared at the chessboard with a frown on his face, unable to make a move for a long time. Finally, he threw down his piece and began to play. "Isn't it because you wanted to visit Taohua Village?"
Jiang Luli picked up the black piece and started playing chess with both hands. "Don't you want to?"
"Hehe, I'm also very interested in a teacher who can teach that kind of child." The other party was a woman, so he was interested.
"Oh, you are disrespectful to the elderly."
Dean Min smiled and stopped talking. Instead, he lifted the curtain and called out to Zhang Honglian, who was trying to catch up with the carriage. "Mr. Zhang, go to the front and ask where that academy is."
Zhang Sheng could only try his best to run forward.
He felt extremely wronged. When had he ever been wronged like this? Wasn't it just that he said something he shouldn't have said? Didn't he want everyone to treat him as an enemy?
Besides, the Master is so powerful, wouldn't it be a piece of cake for him to defeat a woman? When he gets back to Juzhou and spreads the word, wouldn't that be the so-called fame?
If he can understand this truth, why can't the Master understand it?
Zhang Sheng ran for a long time but didn't see a single villager.
Because most of the villagers came with their whole families, bringing their children to school. Those without children also went to join in the fun.
Because Jiayue said that the school is open today and anyone can go in and visit.
They have to go see where the children study.
You can even tell the child that the stone or the piece of wood was made by his father or grandfather, and that if he doesn't study hard, he will be letting his father and grandfather down.
"Hey, what is your Erzhu carrying? It's so beautiful." The villagers were all walking in the same direction and met each other while walking.
Those who knew each other chatted side by side. I saw what Erzhu was carrying on his back at a glance.
Erzhu's mother smiled and replied, "Hey, reading requires books, right? A book costs hundreds of coins. Wouldn't it be a shame if it got lost? So I originally wanted his father to make him a box out of wood, but his father said that wouldn't look good, so he made this one out of bamboo strips. Look, it can be carried and even carried on the back. It's very convenient."
Erzhu's mother took the box woven with bamboo strips from Erzhu and showed it to everyone.
"Oh, big brother is really smart. Oh, it's too detailed. My wife can't make it."
"Yes, look at this corner here, it's round and full."
"Mom, I want a box for my books too! And for my toys."
"Mom, I want one too. I want one too."
Children are like this. When they see others have something they don’t have, they will want to have it too.
"Get lost! Do you think I look like a box? You haven't even started reading and you're already thinking about all sorts of things. I'm telling you, if you don't study hard, forget about books and boxes, I'll throw away all your junk." The child was so frightened by his mother's yelling that he dared not say a word and ran away with his friend.
"Hey, sister-in-law, how about this, I'll give you five cents, and you ask your brother to make one for my child?" Although she said that, it is undeniable that this book box is indeed practical, and it is definitely better to use it to store books than to hold them in your hands.
After all, those kids are jumping around all day long. If they hold the book in their hands, they're sure the book will fall apart within three days.
"Ah? This is what I have in hand? Why are you paying for it? I'll go back and tell your eldest brother and ask him to make it for you in the evening when he has time." Erzhu's mother felt a little embarrassed.
Look at what she did. She just wanted to show off that her man is dexterous and obedient, so why did she even set up a business for him?
Don't underestimate these five cents, but they can buy five eggs.
"That would make Big Brother's work in vain? It's a deal. I'll go get it tomorrow."
"Sister-in-law, can you make one for my family too? I'll pay for it too."
"I want two children too. Can I pay you after they're done?"
…
After about half an hour, Gu Jiayue saw that almost everyone had arrived, so she announced the start of school!
As soon as Gu Jiayue finished speaking, she exerted force with her arms and pulled the red silk off the plaque.
Qiushi Academy
Four large characters were hung in a flamboyant style on the high archway of the school.
"Good!" For some reason, just a simple scene, everyone in Taohua Village looked like they had taken some stimulating drugs, their faces flushed.
"Everyone, don't crowd, just follow me inside."
Gua Jiayue waved his hand and led everyone from Taohua Village into the school.
The school today has not changed much compared to half a month ago, except that it is more refined and more complete.
The originally empty classrooms are now furnished with desks and chairs, and the bare yard is now planted with various trees, flowers and plants.
The empty pond now has not only rockery, flowing water, but also a water pavilion and small fish.
Everyone came to the Enlightenment Building.
A portrait of Confucius is hung in front of the Enlightenment Building and an incense table is placed there.
Gu Jiayue stepped forward and performed the ritual of three kneelings and nine kowtows, informing the master that a disciple had now opened a school to recruit students, teach them, and answer their questions.
When she did this, no one dared to breathe, for fear of disturbing the ancestor. What if he didn't like their child?
After the process was completed, Gu Jiayue sat down and the apprenticeship ceremony officially began.
"The auspicious time has arrived, and the apprenticeship ceremony officially begins!" The master of ceremonies presided over the apprenticeship ceremony was the village chief.
As soon as the village chief finished speaking, the parents pushed the children next to them out.
The children had been taught by their parents at home, so they did not look around out of fear or curiosity. Instead, they knelt down in the open space one after another.
The village chief held up the name card and looked at the more than one hundred little boys kneeling below him, his voice trembling. From today on, more than one hundred boys in their village will be able to read and write. In time, maybe even a scholar will emerge! "Those whose names I'll call, come forward! Sun Hai~"
Then Sun Hai took three steps forward and knelt in front of Gu Jiayue again.
The village chief announced his basic situation, mainly the three generations of his family, his ancestral home, etc.
After saying this, he handed the plate to his disciple, who then took the plate and became his disciple.
The disciple needs to hold the letter of apprenticeship above his head, present it to the master with both hands, and kowtow three times to the master.
After the ceremony, students need to present the six gifts of respect to their teacher.
These six rituals are not just six random things, each one has its own meaning.
Dried meat represents gratitude to teachers and expresses gratitude to them.
Celery symbolizes diligence and love of learning, and success comes from hard work.
Dried longan symbolizes enlightenment and wisdom, implying the opening of the door to wisdom;
Lotus seeds represent painstaking teaching, signifying the teacher’s hard work and patience;
Red dates symbolize early graduation from high school and imply academic success.
Red beans represent grand plans and battles, implying broad development prospects in the future.
After the master accepts the gift, it means that he recognizes the student. He then drinks the tea offered by the student. Finally, he chooses two of the six gifts and adds the things he prepared to give back to the student. The ceremony of becoming a disciple is then completed.
Gu Jiayue knew that every family was in difficulty, so she returned the most expensive of the six gifts, the dried meat and dried longan, and also gave them a set of writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone that she had prepared.
"This... this is not good, right? The teacher didn't even accept our tuition, and now he doesn't want the dried meat. How can we feel at ease?" Some parents blushed and did not reach out to take the returned dried meat.
"Yes, yes, Master, you can keep it. Even if you don't want to eat it, you can leave it in the school to give these children a snack. It's also our thoughtful gesture."
Gu Jiayue still shook her head stubbornly. "No problem. Returning the gift is the rule, and being flexible is a favor. When they get to high school, I'll definitely come to their house and ask for a bowl of meat."
Having said that, the parent reluctantly put the dried meat away and sternly taught the child next to him, "You must study hard in school and don't let the teacher down."
The child covered his head which was hurt by the beating and replied pitifully: "I know."
"Okay, let the kids in."
After receiving the order, hundreds of children ran into the school.
Next came the nearly two hundred girls.
These girls came here just for Hua Chao, so they were not asked to become Gu Jiayue's disciples together.
Instead, he settled the boy down first, and then let Hua Chao move forward.
There weren't many rules for this apprenticeship, just a simple bow, and Hua Chao giving each person a piece of needlework in return. That was the end of the apprenticeship.
Gu Jiayue retracted her gaze and looked at the parents in front of her. "Dear uncles and aunts, starting today, every other day, the children of Qiushi Academy will give lectures and study sessions under the banyan tree. If you're interested, come and listen."
"Oh! Do you mean to let my child be the teacher and give lectures?" a villager asked in a supportive manner.
Gu Jiayue nodded with a smile. This kind of parent is really good. He doesn't let the teacher's words hang on the ground.
"Then I'll definitely come and listen. Let's see what that brat can say!"
"Hahaha, I'll come too. If he doesn't say anything good, I'll slap him twice on the spot."
Gu Jiayue quickly waved her hands. "Don't hit children casually." Unless you really can't help it.
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