Two of the eight water samples have been processed. To be on the safe side, Hong Xiaoduo sent the two water samples into her space before setting off.
The carriage moved steadily forward, and I watched as the children, though not reciting poems, were tracing characters on their palms with their fingers.
"Are you all working so hard to become the top scholar in the imperial examination?" Hong Xiaoduo joked with them.
"Can we take the exam?" Kaiyang asked immediately.
Seeing how serious he was about to ask the question, the other children also looked at her intently, waiting for her response.
Hong Xiaoduo opened her mouth, then suddenly realized that she couldn't answer this question casually.
Can I do it? It's simple, but the requirements for candidates in this dynasty are very strict, right? Can I really help them get in? If I give them hope without being sure, what if that door doesn't open for them in the end? That would be a huge blow to them, wouldn't it?
If we say no, they will be disappointed now, and won't that affect their motivation?
"As I told you, I've forgotten a lot of things, especially about the imperial examinations and the palace examinations. I have absolutely no recollection of them. So, I really don't know if you'll be able to participate in the imperial examinations in the future."
However, I want to tell you that the reason I teach you to read and write is simply to help you become better. As long as you become more outstanding, you will have more choices when you grow up and want to do things, instead of being forced to be chosen by others just to make a living.
"Do you understand now?" Hong Xiaoduo thought carefully before speaking to them.
Although in modern times there is a saying that no job is noble or lowly, as long as you work hard to support yourself, that's enough.
But these seven children lived in ancient times, at the very bottom of society, without even personal freedom. Sold into slavery, they would be beaten or scolded by bad masters. If they were accidentally killed, they would be wrapped in a tattered mat and buried casually. There was a distinction between the noble and the lowly here!
The six children nodded earnestly, seemingly understanding, while Tian Shu outside the carriage also kept her words firmly in mind.
Looking at these children around me, the longer I spend with them, the less I dare to imagine what it would be like if they were sold into slavery.
So, is it enough for me to just teach them to read, write, and do arithmetic?
Besides, what else can we teach them to become irreplaceable talents who are extremely rare in this dynasty?
Hong Xiaoduo pushed open the window in front of the carriage: "Tian Shu, have you ever heard of a foreign mission?"
Tian Shu immediately replied, "I've heard of it. They say they have blond hair, blue eyes, high noses with hooks, and no one can understand what they're saying."
After saying that, she turned her head curiously to look at the person inside the car window, not understanding why she suddenly thought of asking this question.
"Blonde hair? Blue eyes, hooked nose?" she repeated softly.
Hong Xiaoduo had never met any foreigners from this dynasty, nor could she be sure which country's foreigners Tian Shu had heard about.
Never mind, I'll teach them foreign languages when I have time, as much as I can.
It's always good to have many skills; you never know when you might need them.
“Starting tonight, I’ll teach you something else, but you have to keep it a secret from others as much as possible, okay?” Hong Xiaoduo said to the children very seriously.
Upon hearing this, the seven children immediately nodded, excitedly guessing what she was going to teach them next.
"Mother, how do you have so many?" Kaiyang asked with great admiration.
Upon hearing this, Hong Xiaoduo raised an eyebrow and said, "Because I'm smart." After saying that, she smiled, and the children burst into laughter as well.
The laughter drew the attention of the bodyguards in front and behind the carriage. Although they didn't know what made the young woman and her children so happy, the laughter alone was infectious and brought them joy.
Among the group on the official road, two people were looking forward to noon, not because they were hungry, nor because they were tired and wanted to rest.
When the sun finally reached its zenith, we chose a wide, flat spot by the roadside to stop, rest, and have something to eat.
As soon as Hong Xiaoduo got off the car, she looked around and met Tang Xihua, who was also looking at her. Tang Xihua rode over to her and dismounted.
"Young lady said she has something to ask me, may I ask what it is?" Tang Xihua spoke first.
Hong Xiaoduo said "Wait a moment" and turned to look at Tianxuan and Tianji accompanying Yuheng and Yaoguang as they walked towards the bushes not far away.
Seeing her like this, Tang Xihua gestured to the nearest bodyguard to go and protect her.
Hong Xiaoduo felt relieved and looked at Tang Xihua, asking, "Chief Tang, I want to take them to the seaside for a stroll, and also to see the Yangtze River. You've traveled all over the country, so you must know the location, right?"
Or do you have any maps or atlases that label rivers, lakes, and seas?
"Oh, that's what you're asking about," Tang Xihua nodded and replied, "I do have those maps, but I never brought them with me. However, I do know their locations."
If you want to take them to see the sea, then you're going in the wrong direction. The sea is to the south, quite far from here, roughly ten thousand miles away.
"As for rivers, there's one at the Great Five Passes called the Huijiang River. The area across that river isn't part of Fengliang Kingdom's territory."
"The sea is to the south, ten thousand miles away? That's so far!" Hong Xiaoduo was a little overwhelmed. In modern times, a distance of ten thousand miles can be covered in a few hours or a day by airplane or high-speed train.
But how long would it take to get there by carriage?
"It's quite far, are you still going?" Tang Xihua couldn't help but ask when she saw her worried look.
He figured that once she heard it was such a long journey, she probably wouldn't go. People usually describe long distances as "thousands of miles away," but the sea she wanted to see was ten thousand miles away.
"Yes, of course I'll go. Could you tell me the exact location, or draw me a simple route?" Hong Xiaoduo didn't think too much about it and decided to go.
It wasn't that she was greedy; the bracelet on her wrist and the lantern she was quite satisfied with last night made her want more high-tech gadgets to protect her.
"Okay, I'll try to draw it as detailed as possible. But it might not be ready for you so soon." Tang Xihua immediately agreed, without mentioning that once they reached the Five Great Passes, they would be able to buy the illustrated map with annotations of lakes and seas.
"No rush, it's not like we have to go right now. Just finish drawing it for me before we part ways," Hong Xiaoduo said with a smile.
Before we parted ways? Tang Xihua frowned slightly when she heard these words.
"I'm going to check on them." Hong Xiaoduo didn't notice the other person's expression, greeted them, and walked towards Tian Shu and the others.
When Dazhi and the others saw their third senior brother coming over, they originally wanted to tease him a bit, but they found that he seemed quite happy from afar just now, so why was he unhappy now?
Could it be that the young lady said something he didn't like to hear?
With Third Senior Brother like this, who would dare to joke with him anymore...?
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