After thinking about it, he stood up and bowed to everyone present. Xiao Rui said worriedly: "Seniors, to realize Sage Kong's ideal of enlightening the people's wisdom, Xiao Rui alone cannot do it. I just have a few copper coins and common things. We can provide books to the people, but we cannot teach them to read and write.”
Zhao Deyan knew at a glance that Xiao Rui was trying to trick people, so he sang a double act, "Master Marquis, haven't you already asked county magistrates at all levels to give lectures two days a month?"
Xiao Rui shook his head and waved his hands, "A drop in the bucket, a drop in the bucket..."
"Literacy and reading are not easy. Confucius once said that when you learn something, you will learn something new, and you will learn something new by reviewing the past... Those poor people who live far away from the county may not have the opportunity to listen to the county magistrate's lectures. Lectures are given every half a month, with intervals. It’s been too long, how much can I remember?”
Zhao Deyan sighed: "Yes! But there is nothing we can do about it. There is a shortage of literate people in the Tang Dynasty. Private private schools charge a fee, and ordinary people cannot afford private schools."
Xiao Rui said weakly: "Yes. His Majesty originally wanted to open government-run schools in various counties, free schools. He also said that even if the court tightens its belt and squeezes out the rations, the children must be able to read."
"Whoever wants to be controlled is not money and food, but literate scholars, scholars who can serve as school teachers. There is a great shortage."
"As far as I know, in the most remote counties, their county magistrates are still illiterate."
“In the end we had to settle for the next best thing and let county magistrates from various places give lectures two days a month.”
this……
Kong Yingda, Yan Shigu and others are all good people. If you don't understand what you are hearing, you will have to pretend to be confused.
Looking at each other, Kong Yingda stood up and said: "Master Hou, there are a group of children in my Kong family who have little knowledge and are mediocre in qualifications and cannot serve as officials. They are also somewhat lacking in learning when they are sent to study. But if they can teach people to read and read, it should be enough. If If the Marquis doesn't mind, how about letting them work under the Marquis?"
"Really? How many people are there?" Xiao Rui excitedly stepped forward and held Kong Yingda's hand.
"About twenty or thirty people."
"It's not enough, it's far from enough." Xiao Rui was slightly disappointed.
Yan Shigu stood up and said, "Master Hou, my Yan family also has a group of children, let's also send them to Master Hou. Not many, a dozen or so."
With these two taking the lead, several others also stood up and more or less offered to send their own children over.
Xiao Rui thanked each one one by one. In this way, there were really hundreds of people gathered together.
"Don't worry, everyone, as long as these first batch of school teachers sent to various places can teach in the local area for five years and have good teaching results, they will all be recalled to Chang'an in the future and I will personally recommend them. Everyone will have a good reputation."
As soon as these words came out, everyone beamed with joy, and everyone was planning to send a few more incompetent members of the clan over to train under the champion, so that no matter how bad they were, they could still gain fame, which was a great thing. It's better than being a dandy at home.
Old Li Gang looked at all this with a smile. Although the apprentice's scheming was obvious and everyone understood it, everyone also understood that what Xiao Rui said was true and that he was really anxious.
"Zang Feng, after all, there are only so many teachers in the school that can be cobbled together by various families. Those who really have many scholars are not here."
Xiao Rui smiled bitterly and said: "Teacher, you are absolutely right. Disciple also knows that it is only a drop in the bucket. Eighty percent of the scholars in the world are from that family, but how can they give it to me? They are eager to take all the books in the world into their own hands. I wish that learning could become their family’s motto.”
Old Li Gang stroked his beard and said, "That's wrong. I'm not talking about aristocratic families, but people."
"Folks? Stop it, mentor. What we are discussing now is how to spread knowledge among the people. If there are the most scholars among the people, is there any need for us to be so busy now?" Xiao Rui still didn't understand.
Zhao Deyan, who was standing next to him, seemed to understand. He was so impressed that he bowed to old Li Gang and saluted, "Master's brilliant idea! Yes, the people with the most scholars in the world must be among the people."
"Brother Zhao, what kind of riddle are you trying to solve?" Xiao Rui was worried.
Zhao Deyan explained: "Master Hou, what Master said should be from a poor family. Not a commoner."
"A humble family?"
"Yes. There are indeed many scholars from aristocratic families, but they come from official backgrounds and will not condescend to you as a school teacher. But don't forget that there are countless poor families in the world. Ninety percent of the students who come to take the imperial examination every year are from poor families. How many people stayed in Chang'an for a long time after failing the exam? And those who submitted papers, although not all of them are talented in literature, they all have a certain amount of knowledge."
Xiao Rui's eyes lit up and he said in surprise: "Teacher, are you saying that these failed scholars can be recruited to be school teachers? And assigned to government-run schools across the country?"
Li Gang stroked his beard and said with a smile: "Yes, if we follow the promise you just made to them, I think there will be countless people willing to take this job."
Xiao Rui couldn't help but give a thumbs up, "Teacher, Jiang is still the best! I'm convinced. Your words can make the plan come true ten years in advance."
Old Li Gang laughed loudly and said: "In my old age, if I can see the dawn of a prosperous age, it is my duty to be able to help. It's a pity that I don't have ten years left, so I can't see it."
"How is that possible? You want to live a long life, so you will definitely see it." Xiao Rui said with relief.
Old Li Gang waved his hand and said: "It is very rare for people to live seventy years old. Saint Kong only lived seventy-two years old. People can't be too greedy. My body, if I hadn't taken good care of it in the past two years, like you, a good disciple, I'm afraid it would have been a long time ago." It’s just buried.”
"Okay, at my age, one more day to live means one more day to earn. I have already looked away from it. Let's get down to business."
Yan Shigu said worriedly: "Master, Lord Marquis, it's okay to use those educated scholars as school teachers to simply teach people how to read and write, but these people are mixed, and everyone has different moral character. Do they need to be screened and selected?"
"After all, after teaching for a few years, you can be hired as an official without taking the imperial examination. It is inevitable that there will be some people fishing in troubled waters."
Kong Yingda also nodded and said: "Yes, if someone just takes care of errands for a few years and then becomes an official, wouldn't it be a disaster?"
Xiao Rui pondered: "Kong Jijiu, can we select a group of people from the Imperial College to visit various places all year round to supervise and evaluate their teaching?"
Kong Yingda thought for a moment and nodded, "This plan is feasible."
Next to him, Zhao Deyan spoke, "Post-employment assessment? Why not assess before employment? Simply hold a special imperial examination for those who have failed. It will not test current affairs or knowledge. Let's test their understanding of elementary school matters and their understanding of elementary education." The insights contained in these volumes of Mongolian textbooks. Only those who can pass the exam can be sent to serve as school teachers."
Xiao Rui clapped his hands and praised: "What a great idea. Let's hold a different kind of imperial examination. Instead of selecting officials, we will select school teachers. We will write to His Majesty right now."
"Selection of talents other than the imperial examination? Create another path for those who fail. If you are selected, you will be an official in five years. Why not call it - Enke? The imperial examination that the imperial court is particularly kind to?"
"Wonderful, my name is Enke!"
