Chapter 64 Part 1

Yang Shifeng and Shiyi gave full control over the school affairs to Master Qiao, and Master Qiao also handled them well. The day before the official start of the class, Master Qiao brought his eldest son, Qiao Zhiyuan, to Yang’s house.

Seeing all the things and foods sold in the Yang family’s grocery shop, Master Qiao doesn’t think it’s inconvenient to live in the mountains anymore. Their life in the village was not worse than the life they had in the town. In fact, they felt much better living here than in the town. Originally, the Qiao family was a little worried, but after they settled in the village, their worries have long since disappeared.

Moreover, the environment here is really good, which is very suitable for his sons to learn at ease and is more conducive to the preliminary rounds of imperial examinations.

Master Qiao is really grateful to Yang Shifeng for choosing him and giving him such an opportunity. He is also glad that he did not refuse this opportunity.

“Shifeng, I really want to thank you. This place is much better here than I thought. It’s a blessing for my family to come here. I will try my best to teach those children in the future.”

Yang Shifeng waved his hand. “Master, don’t say that. I should be the one who should thank you. Thank you for coming back here to the mountain village to teach these children. “

Master Qiao smiled magnanimously and said, “Then let’s not say thank you to each other. It’s best to run the school together in the future. “

Yang Shifeng nodded. “You’re right, master. If you need any help in the school in the future, feel free to ask me.”

Master Qiao smiled more clearly and said, “I can handle the school’s affairs for the time being. If there’s something going on and I need your help, I won’t be polite about anything in the future. In fact, I’m here today to talk to you and Doctor Shiyi about my next arrangements for the school and to ask for your opinions. “

Master Qiao understands that the real owners of the school were Yang Shifeng and Shiyi. Although he is now the dean and manages everything, he will not take himself as the owner too seriously. He still needs to explain some important arrangements to them.

“Master, please go ahead.”

“There are too many children in the school today. I am not enough as a teacher alone. In the future, I will mainly teach children enlightenment, and then teach the four books and five classics of Confucianism, but these are not enough. Children should also learn basic arithmetic and bookkeeping, which will be good for them in the future. But I can’t teach them all by myself. So, I want to arrange some classes for my eldest son to teach the children arithmetic and bookkeeping.” ^[1]Four Books – namely: the Great Learning, the Doctrine of the Mean, the Analects of Confucius, and Mencius. Five Classics of Confucianism – namely: the Book of Songs, the Book of History, the … Continue reading

After saying his concerns, Master Qiao was afraid that Yang Shifeng and Shiyi might doubt his eldest son’s ability, so he explained: “My eldest son is much better than me in arithmetic. He teaches the children better than I do. That’s why I proposed this arrangement to you two. I wonder if the two of you think it’s feasible?”

Shiyi appreciated Master Qiao’s proposal a little more after listening to it. She didn’t even think about the course arrangement. Now, after listening to Master Qiao’s arrangement, she thinks it’s very good. In fact, arithmetic and bookkeeping are more beneficial to the children of this mountain village than learning four books and five classics. Maybe they can find a job as an accountant after they finish their studies, and even if they go out and sell things, they can calculate their own sales.

This Master Qiao really cared about these children’s future.

Shiyi said: “Master Qiao’s arrangement is very good. It is very meaningful for children to learn arithmetic and bookkeeping. “

Yang Shifeng looked at Master Qiao’s eldest son and said, “Will this trouble Mr. Qiao and delay his studies?”

Qiao Zhiyuan, who had been silent for a while, immediately replied: “Brother Shifeng, don’t call me Mister Qiao anymore, call me Zhiyuan in the future. We will be neighbors in the future, and this will also make it appear less distant. “

Yang Shifeng nodded, “OK, I’ll call you Zhiyuan from now on.”

Qiao Zhiyuan continued the previous topic, “Teaching children arithmetic won’t delay my study. It’s not good to read all day long. I have to do something else to wake up my mind. Moreover, teaching children arithmetic is also a form of review of my original knowledge, which is also good for me.”

Master Qiao agreed: “That’s the reason. It’s not good to read in a room all day long. It’s better to teach the children. “

Yang Shifeng was glad that the children had such a good teacher. “In that case, this would be the best for the children.”

After saying this, Master Qiao talked about other arrangements, “I specifically asked about this before. The children basically bring their meals from home at noon, and they will be hot in the dining hall. I arranged for my youngest daughter to work in the canteen. She is used to helping her mother. There are a few other children who live far away from other villages and usually have to live in the dormitory. I arranged for my daughter to take care of their food, clothing, housing, and transportation. My daughter is 13 years old, and she is quite stable, so there is no problem with doing this. “

Yang Shifeng and Shiyi listened quietly and had no objection to Master Qiao’s arrangement. Now that Master Qiao wants to manage the school as well as they do. They don’t need to worry about the school’s affairs at all.

………………………….

The next day—

It is the day when school officially starts. The village was especially lively today. Most of the children who will start to go to school were sent by their parents and relatives. Adults greet each other, while children run around excitedly.

Shiyi didn’t sleep until late this time. She got up with Yang Shifeng early in the morning. Today, they also plan to send Xiao Shitou to school, although the school is just next door to their house.

Xiao Shitou was so excited that he woke up before dawn. He dressed and washed himself. He couldn’t wait to carry his small schoolbag on his back. He would open the door, run out to see the school next door, and come back to see if Yang Shifeng and Shiyi were up. His excited appearance was very cute.

Hearing that the noise coming from the school next door was getting louder and louder, Xiao Shitou couldn’t sit still. He kept looking out the door. Shiyi could only speed through eating her breakfast and lead him out.

As soon as they went out of their house, they were really shocked by the lively atmosphere of the newly opened school. There were many people in front of the school. In addition to the students, parents, and relatives who came here to study and send off their children, there were many villagers standing outside to watch the fun. Everyone is chatting happily, and the excitement is comparable to that of watching a big play.

Shiyi took Xiao Shitou to the front door of the school and handed the receipt to Qiao Zhiyuan, who was registering students. When Qiao Zhiyuan saw that it was Xiao Shitou, he smiled and took the receipt. He wrote Xiao Shitou’s name on the book and said, “OK, Xiao Shitou, go in and sit down. The class will begin later.”

Xiao Shitou looked up at Shiyi and Yang Shifeng after hearing Qiao Zhiyuan’s reminder.

Shiyi patted his little head, “Go in quickly. After school, we’ll take you home for lunch.”

Xiao Shitou nodded heavily with a wide grin and ran into the room with his short legs. Many children followed Xiao Shitou with the same joy.

According to the school’s regulations, adults can only send their children up to the school gate, they are not allowed to enter the school. Therefore, all parents who sent their children were watching outside the door. The place was very lively. Shiyi and Yang Shifeng were no exception. They stood outside the door with others until it was time for class. 

When the time for the class was to begin, Qiao Zhiyuan asked the parents to go back, and Shiyi followed Yang Shifeng back home.