Chapter 24 Mingde Academy
Governor Gu and County Magistrate Song left Liangmin Village with a look of heartache and regret.
Within two days, someone sent four cows and some enlightenment books and writing materials for the two children.
Hao Ren declined the offer from Governor Gu that day, saying that it was fine for the child to go to school in the village.
Governor Gu looked at him dimly.
“Don’t ruin the next generation.”
Hao Ren: ...
Su Zhizhi was a little hesitant at first, but she quickly made up her mind that she wanted to go to school in the county.
"I'll go! Dad, I want to go!"
Su Zhizhi looked at Hao Ren and his wife with stars in her eyes.
Because she rarely had the opportunity to go out of the mountains on weekdays, she occasionally had the opportunity to go to the county town, and she felt that the county town was crowded and lively.
There are many delicious foods on the street, such as sugar figurines and fried cakes, as well as many street performers performing acrobatics.
The county town is so close to Black Bandit Mountain that it only takes half a day to get there. If she goes to study in the county, she can play in both the county town and the village.
More importantly, she flipped through the enlightenment book that had just been delivered to her and found that she had already learned all of it, so it would definitely be easy to study it again.
Su Zhizhi pestered Wu Yingniang, her eyes clearly showing that she wanted to go.
Wu Yingniang pushed Su Zhizhi outside:
"Okay, stop arguing. Let me discuss this with your father. We have to go to school today."
Su Zhizhi stopped making a fuss and left with her book box on her back.
Hao Ren looked at the book brought by the yamen runner with an unclear expression.
Wu Yingniang looked at her husband and said jokingly:
"What? Your daughter wants to go out, but you can't bear to let her go?"
Hao Ren let out a long, low sigh from his throat.
"Aren, you know, we can't be trapped in the mountains forever. We will have to get out one day." Wu Yingniang sat at the door and wiped her red tasseled spear.
She was traveling alone in the martial arts world many years ago, and when she first met Pei Xuan, they got to know each other through a fight.
This was the spear she used back then.
"If Xuan'er were still alive, with her personality, she wouldn't restrict Zhizhi. Look how happy Zhizhi is to see Che. She also wants a playmate of the same age. If other children can do it, why can't she?"
Wu Yingniang's voice was not loud, but every word she said reached Hao Ren's ears.
The wind made the treetops outside the door sway slightly.
The branches and leaves of the tree rustled in the wind and sunlight, as if someone was whispering.
Hao Ren hesitated again and again, but ultimately couldn't bear to keep Su Zhizhi confined in the mountains:
"Just go. It's not far anyway. My school is in the county town, and I can go back to the village during holidays."
Hao Ren and Wu Yingniang have made a decision.
A few days later, Xue Yucheng secretly sent his confidant over.
In order to let Xue Che settle down in Xunzhou with peace of mind, they have created a new identity and household registration for Xue Che. He is a illegitimate son of the Xue family's branch that had long been in decline in Lingnan, and he just happens to have the same name as Xue Che.
He could tell others that his elders in the family died early and he was fostered in Hao Ren's home.
Lingnan is too remote, no one would come to investigate, and no one would have seen Xue Che.
Along with the household registration information, there were also silver notes and gold, as well as a lot of precious medicinal materials.
The visitor said respectfully, "Our master said that these are gifts of thanks in return for a favor. If there is anything short of it, please feel free to speak up."
Su Zhizhi looked at the glittering gold and rare medicinal herbs and said to Xue Che:
"Ache, your father is really a very powerful general. He earns so much money and gives so much money to our village."
Xue Che nodded but was not proud: "Yes, it is a lot. My grandmother said that the money of our Xue family was earned by our ancestors at the cost of their lives. It's a pity that money can't buy back lives.
"You saved me, and this money is what you deserve. I can't help you much right now, and my father is in the northwest, so I can only repay you with gold and silver."
Su Zhizhi: "Our village is a good village, we don't accept money for free. Doctor Yu will definitely cure your illness and let you live a long life."
At this time, Doctor Yu was already moving the rare medicinal herbs to his yard with a smile on his face.
Hao Ren and Wu Yingniang did not refuse and accepted all the silver and money.
In the following days, Hao Ren was busy arranging village affairs in advance, while Wu Yingniang bought daily necessities for Su Zhizhi and Xue Che.
In mid-April, the whole family moved to the county town.
The county town is a mixed crowd, so for safety reasons, Old Man Qin and Kong Wu also went with us.
It looked like a couple bringing their entire family into the city.
Po also followed, circling in the sky from a distance, just enough to cast a shade on the family in the scorching sun.
The donkey cart was shaking, and Kong Wu was sitting in the front driving the donkey.
Su Zhizhi was sitting in the car at the back, dancing with excitement:
"When you go to the county town, you must eat dragon beard candy first!"
"I'm going to the streets to see the fire!"
"And that viewing tower where you can watch opera..."
Xue Che observed his surroundings.
He was previously kidnapped by Wu Lao San and locked in a car. He had never seen the scene along the way. Only now did he realize that the location of Black Bandit Mountain was actually very remote and hidden.
Although it is not far from the county town, it is difficult for ordinary people to find this valley.
Wu Yingniang took out a bamboo tube filled with spring water from the package of dry food, as well as some dried meat and dried fruits and distributed them to everyone.
When they arrived in the county town, they rented a courtyard with two entrances and two exits.
Su Zhizhi, Xue Che, and Kong Wu had been eating and strolling around the streets for a few days, having a great time. It wasn't until the day they were leaving for the academy that they remembered to ask:
"Mom, where are Che and I going to study?"
Wu Yingniang: "Mingde Academy."
Su Zhizhi and Xue Che are going to study at Mingde Academy.
Mingde Academy is the only private school for elementary education in Baiyun County, and the students here are all children aged five to twelve.
Most families in the county who have the means to send their children to school send them here.
One reason is that hiring a teacher to teach children at home is not a small expense for ordinary people.
The second reason is that there are only a few teachers in Baiyun County who can teach, and it is difficult to hire anyone individually.
The teachers of Mingde Academy had at least passed the imperial examination and were well-known scholars in the local area.
There are both male and female students in the academy.
Dayu encouraged women to study and established many female officials in the harem. Dedicated women also had the opportunity to participate in the female official examinations presided over by the empress or the eldest princess.
Therefore, there are female students in academies everywhere. Although the proportion is small, it is not uncommon.
Su Zhizhi kept asking questions on the way:
"Mom, what's the difference between the county academy and the village school?"
Wu Yingniang really didn't know how to answer for a moment, as she had never studied in a college.
She has been practicing martial arts since she was young, and her master taught her how to read and write, all in order to understand the art of shooting.
"Mom doesn't know either, but you can't eat snacks while you are in class at the academy." Wu Ying's mother reminded.
Su Zhizhi: "Then can I give it to the Master?"
Xue Che couldn't help but say, "That's not possible either."
He recalled that when he was studying in the village, Su Zhizhi would often take out roasted sweet potatoes, dried dates and other things to share with everyone.
Master Qin not only did not stop him, but also enjoyed the meal very much.
Wu Yingniang also reminded:
"At the academy, you should do your homework well and not try to catch birds, climb trees, or dig grass and catch insects."
Su Zhizhi asked back, "Mom, I'm going to study, why would I go catching bugs?"
Wu Yingniang: "...I mean just in case."
As they talked, they walked to the gate of Mingde Academy.
Mingde Academy is located on the east side of Baiyun County, on the edge of the county seat, and is built against the mountain.
The gate of the academy is simple and heavy. The patterns on the door knocker have been worn away and the pattern is no longer visible. The lintel is inscribed with the words "Mingde Academy" in large, vigorous and powerful characters.
The gate boy led the three of them to see the academy's principal, Liu Mingzhi.
Liu Mingzhi had passed the imperial examination and had been teaching for decades. Many of his students are now officials in other places, so he is very prestigious in Baiyun County.
When Wu Yingniang came with her two children, Liu Mingzhi was painting a picture of flowers and birds in the mountains.
A pair of red-billed lovebirds were perched on a branch in the mountains.
Liu Mingzhi started writing several times and stopped again, always feeling that something was missing.
"Headmaster, a lady has come with two students. They were recommended by Governor Gu." The doorman reported.
Liu Mingzhi put down his pen.
Governor Gu had greeted him, and he knew that two children from the mountains would come to study in the academy.
He had expected a hunched, cramped mother to come with her child whose trouser legs were stained with mud.
But when he looked up, he saw a woman with a very heroic look in her brows holding two pretty children.
Be clean and behave politely.
Liu Mingzhi wondered if he had made a mistake:
"Is this lady from the Good Citizen Village?"
Wu Yingniang nodded and handed the prepared things to the doorman:
"Headmaster, this is Shu Xiu. I'll have to trouble you to take care of the two children. We came from Liangmin Village to the county town and rented a place to stay there. If anything happens to the children at the academy, you can send someone to look for us."
Liu Mingzhi refused the salary that Wu Yingniang brought:
"Inspector Gu has already told me about your situation. Your village has made a great contribution to the security of Xunzhou, so the tuition can be exempted."
Wu Yingniang still insisted on giving it.
This is the cost of children's education, and they will definitely pay it if they can afford it.
Wu Yingniang politely gave Liu Mingzhi a few more words of advice, then patted the two children's heads:
"Zhizhi, Ache, study hard at the academy, and you'll be able to go home in ten days."
Su Zhizhi looked at Wu Yingniang's back as she left, and started counting the days on her fingers in her heart.
There are many students in Mingde Academy, which are divided into Qinxue Hall, Taoli Hall and Wendao Hall according to the different levels of students.
Students' levels range from low to high.
While the students of Qinxuetang were still learning "Thousand Character Classic", the students of Wendaotang were already writing articles.
Xue Che: "Excuse me, Headmaster, where should I go?"
Liu Mingzhi's eyes swept across the two young faces:
“Take a test first.”
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
