When he and Chen Yuyi arrived in front of the school and walked to the window, Wang Xiaolie looked at the young man. He is fourteen or fifteen years old, with an ordinary face, ordinary figure, and a bit shy appearance. He looks like an ordinary rural boy.
Walking forward, Wang Xiaolian asked, "Why were you kicked out of the school by your husband?"
The young man knew Wang Xiaolie and knew that he was a high-ranking official living in the village, but he didn't know his identity. After hearing the question, he looked up and then towards the classroom. He didn't know how to answer for a while.
Through the window, Wang Xiaolie looked at the school. There were more than a dozen children inside, sitting upright, looking at a man in his thirties in front of him, who was reading a book there. After talking for a while, he started reading aloud. The gentleman sat down in front, a little drowsy.
In such a small village with dozens of households, it is not easy to maintain such a village school. There are actually four or five smaller villages around, and children also go to school here. When the village school first started, the number of children there ranged from seven or eight to fifteen or sixteen years old, which seemed to be a large number.
The teachers in these village schools are scholars with a rough grasp of Chinese characters. They are not proficient in poetry and prose, and can only teach literacy textbooks. Give them a job to eat, and even though the income is not much, most of them are satisfied.
Wang Xiao lied to Cui Qing, who was beside him, to call out the teachers from the school and ask questions himself.
When the gentleman came out and saw Wang Xiaolie here, he hurriedly saluted.
Wang Xiaolie pointed to the small river: "It's quiet and quiet by the river. Let's talk there."
After saying that, he motioned for Chen Yuyi to take the young man behind him and went to the river together.
They chose a few big rocks to sit on, and Mr. Wang Xiao Lieming also sat down. How dare you, sir? He stood there rubbing his hands anxiously.
Wang Xiaolie asked: "What is your name? Why were you chosen to teach here?"
The first said: "The young Yan Erlang has learned a few words with his father since he was a child. After arriving here last year, he was selected to go to the county, learned a literacy book, and returned to the village to work as a teacher. He has eight hundred words every month. Money, five shi of rice a year from the villagers, and living in the school.”
Wang Xiaolie nodded. The treatment of village school teachers in various places is similar, with a family of several people barely having enough food and clothing. If you want to live a good life, you have to cultivate your own land. The current conditions can only be like this. But for Mr., it’s not bad.
Wang Xiaolie pointed to the young man on one side and said, "What's going on with this child? I've been here for a few days and I often see him kicked out. I also heard from the villagers that it's not that this child can't learn well, but that he studies too well. ”
Yan Erlang said: "Back to the official, this person's name is Jiang Erlang. He was born with a smart brain and a delicate heart. When he entered the school last year, the literacy books were taught for three years, but he could recite them profusely in three months. No. I don’t know what to tell the officials, but what I learned when I was young in the county was this book. He learned it all and I had nothing else to teach him. The county also said that all children who reach the age must attend school for three years. If you can’t do it, Yes, he needs to be punished. After much deliberation, I had no choice but to let him stay in the school. I don’t care what he does, as long as he doesn’t affect others. It was okay at first. This child mostly slept in the school. These few Yue was not good anymore, and he often couldn't bear it anymore and would annoy other students. So I had no choice but to kick him out."
After hearing this, Wang Xiaolie changed his mind a lot. Based on past life experience, such talented students can skip a grade, graduate early, and many other ways. On second thought, it doesn’t work in this day and age.
What we are doing now is universal education, the fundamental purpose of which is to make as many people as possible literate. What happens after you become literate? No way. There is neither a unified graduation examination nor an upper level school. In order to prevent children from not going to school, it is also stipulated that it must be three years. Genius students like Jiang Erlang are not considered at all. If he hadn't met Wang Xiaolie, the child would have been able to hang out in school for three years and then find his own way out.
After thinking for a long time, Wang Xiaolie couldn't help but smile and shook his head. I want to popularize education, but the actual conditions are really limited, so I can only start with the most basic things. There is no need to take care of the appearance of such a monster.
After pondering for a long time, Wang Xiaolie said: "At the age of fourteen or fifteen, it is the time in life when people are most good at learning. How can they delay their children? But they only know one or two thousand words and can't do big things. This matter is really difficult. Now the government We don’t have much money, and the people don’t have much money, so that’s all we can do.”
After speaking, Wang Xiaolie looked at Jiang Erlang. Said: "If you can't meet me, you can only do this. After two years, you can go home, learn how to read or start a business by yourself, or go to the city to find a job, and live your life. In fact, it's not just you, there is no one in the world. There are so many people like this. It’s not that there is a lack of heroes in the world, it’s not that there is a lack of talented people in the world, it’s that society cannot select these people. Mediocre people sit in high positions and are complacent. People with abilities are old in the mountains and forests, and they don’t know the world. This is a country Question. Can we train people into talents, select people, and put them in the right positions. If we achieve this, why worry about not having people in the world? As the saying goes, time is also destiny, maybe this is destiny."
The education, training, selection and promotion of people are big issues. Not to mention this era, even in a thousand years, this problem will not be solved yet. China has taken this issue very seriously, especially as other countries can imagine.
Jiang Erlang twisted his hands together and did not dare to look up at the people. He probably understood Wang Xiaolie's words, but he didn't quite understand them. He was a very ordinary country boy. Wang Xiaolie didn't have a school, so he didn't even know that he was good at reading and literacy. If he hadn't met Wang Xiaolie, he might have been a country farmer with a sharp mind in this life. What else would he have accomplished?
Wang Xiaolie said: "Let's go to your house and take a look. If we encounter you, we will find a way out for you."
After saying that, with Jiang Erlang leading the way, Wang Xiaolie and his entourage headed towards his home. Yan Erlang went to the hall to give instructions and followed closely.
Not far away, we saw a fenced courtyard by the river. The courtyard was built not long ago, and the bamboos are still green. Two jujube trees were planted in front of the yard, and they had just sprouted new leaves. There were ducks playing in the river in front, and a small yellow dog lying in front of the door.
When he saw a few people coming over, the yellow dog stood up. After taking a look, he ran to Jiang Erlang's feet, wagging his tail back and forth.
Jiang Erlang opened the door and invited several people into the courtyard. I shouted into the house, and a woman came out of the house.
This woman looked ordinary in her thirties or forties, and she was well-groomed. I couldn't help but be surprised when I saw Jiang Erlang bringing a group of people into his home. He hurriedly wiped his hands and hurriedly greeted him.
Yan Erlang stepped forward and said, "Sister-in-law, don't panic. This is a Wang Guan who lives in the village. He saw Erlang being kicked out of school every day and felt it was not a big deal. He came to your house specially to find a future for Erlang."
After hearing this, Wang Xiaolie hurriedly waved his hands: "How dare you talk about looking for a future! I just saw that Erlang was learning quickly and well in the village school, but I didn't know what to do in the future, so I wanted to find a way out for him. This is Whether the way out is the former or not depends on him."
The woman was overjoyed. He quickly took some bamboo benches, placed them under the pomegranate tree, and invited everyone to sit down.
Wang Xiaolie looked at the bamboo stool. It looked strong, but the structure was rough and it didn't look like it was made by a craftsman in this industry. It seems that the owner of this house picked bamboo in his spare time and made it himself to entertain guests.
After everyone sat down, the woman said again: "Officials, please sit down while I go make tea. Erlang's father is plowing in the fields, so I asked him to come back."
Wang Xiaolie said: "There is no need to make tea. Go and invite your husband back, and we will talk."
The woman arranged for Jiang Erlang to go out and said: "Although the village tea is bland, it is still the way to entertain guests. The officials should take a sip."
Wang Xiaolie couldn't talk anymore, so he had to let the woman go.
The woman left and Wang Xiao looked at the yard. There are three thatched cottages on the north side and two wing rooms on the east side, which are used for cooking. Several huts were built in the southwest corner, presumably for raising cattle and sheep. However, the cattle and sheep were not in the shed. They must have been let out.
The yard is huge. There are three pomegranate trees planted near the door in the south, and their leaves have just grown. There are several peach and apricot flowers in the east, which are in full bloom. Not far from the cattle and sheep sheds, there is a chicken coop with more than a dozen chickens in it.
After looking around, Wang Xiaolie said to Chen Yuyi: "Look at the villagers here, their lives are pretty good. They have cattle, sheep, and a few chickens, and they can always eat meat several times a year. As long as the government doesn't collect much food, they can It’s still enough for food and clothing. It would be better if there were some ways to make money.”
Chen Yuyi said: "The defense has fixed three measures of grain per acre without any discounts, and the people will benefit from it. There is plenty of idle land nearby. As long as thirty acres of land are opened, it will be enough to feed a family."
In addition to having free land, another important point is the support of the government. From loaning grain seeds, to loaning cattle, to loaning agricultural tools, there are various measures to help farmers. Only by taking a multi-pronged approach can farmers live a good life.
Over the past year or so, Wang Xiaolie has basically spent whatever money he has and has not saved any money so far. Now it seems that the money was well spent.
Several people chatted. Not long after, a middle-aged farmer hurried home with a plow on his shoulders and rolled up trouser legs, following Jiang Erlang who was leading the cows. As soon as he entered the house, he hurriedly saluted Wang Xiaolie and others.
Wang Xiaolie said: "Brother, go and clean up first. We'll chat some gossip later."
The farmer said he was offended, put down his plow, and hurriedly went to wash himself. I washed myself, went back to the house and changed my clothes before walking out again.
When he arrived, he saluted. Wang Xiaolie said: "Brother, sit down and talk."
The farmer said: "If the officials are here, why should they sit down? I will just stand."
Wang Xiaolie said: "This is your home, how can the master not sit down? Sit down, sit down so you can talk."
The farmer sat down. Wang Xiaolie heard that his accent did not sound like that of a native of the Central Plains, so he asked about his family background.
The farmer said: "Young Jiang Yue is originally from Xinyang Town, Mizhou. A few years ago, there was a relative from Qingzhou who wanted to sell dates to Kaifeng Prefecture, so I followed him to the Central Plains. Who knew that when I arrived in Kaifeng Prefecture, I encountered When the Jin people besieged the city, my relative died in the rebellion, and I took my youngest son with me to move away. Later, I met my wife's family and we moved south here together, and then we settled down."
The Jin army captured Kaifeng Mansion, causing countless families to fall apart. This Jiang Yue, according to his words, probably took his son to sell dates with relatives and lived in the Central Plains. Qingzhou jujube was a famous product at this time, and merchants brought it to the capital every year.
Speaking of this matter, Jiang Yue felt a little sad. He still has a family at home in Michigan, but he doesn't know what's going on now. In the past few years, the Jin Army and the Song Army have been fighting back and forth in Mizhou and Weizhou, and there have been countless wars. Although Xinyang Town is remote, it will inevitably be affected by the war.
