The Daily Life of Farming and Raising Children in Ancient Mountain Residences

Chapter 273: Accumulating Small Achievements

The first lesson at the Daxing Village school was a resounding success. With Sang Luo’s enthusiasm, interactive activities, and the small teachers who, without needing books, could recite fluently, it was clear that students of all ages, from seven or eight to thirty or forty, were engaged and participating eagerly.

The lesson had a positive impact on both the students and their parents, evoking excitement, novelty, joy, pride, and satisfaction. Time seemed to fly by. However, for those who had missed out on the registration and were just there to watch, it was a frustrating experience.

As the class ended, Sang Luo and Shen Ning left the classroom, only to be followed by a woman who quickly caught up with them.

“Mrs. Sang, Mrs. Sang.”

Sang Luo stopped and turned to look at the unfamiliar woman.

The woman, looking somewhat embarrassed, said, “I’m from the fan workshop. Miss, we have two spots, but only one was used. I wanted to ask if we can still enroll my child now?”

Once this woman spoke, several others also came forward with similar requests.

Sang Luo raised an eyebrow slightly. The effort to stir interest had been successful, but she did not grant the woman’s request.

“There are rules for everything. Since I’ve set a deadline for registration, missing this opportunity means it’s missed. However, there will be future enrollments, and any remaining spots will be available then. Please wait for the next round of registration.”

The faces of the seven or eight people who followed showed disappointment, but they had been given a chance, which they had not taken. They were at a loss for words.

After walking a short distance, Shen Ning whispered, “Sister-in-law, you talked about this in the evening to make people value education more, didn’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Then why didn’t you agree?”

Sang Luo glanced at her and said, “Without rules, there is no order. I’m serious about this. We now have shops, workshops, trading teams, and laborers. In the future, there may be even more people. If we want to train them as a foundation, understanding and following the rules is crucial. Once the rules are set, whether for them or for us, we must abide by them.”

“Moreover, things obtained too easily are not valued deeply.”

Shen Ning considered this and agreed, “That’s true. I noticed that the woman who asked had a young girl with her, about the same age as me. The girl’s eyes were full of hope when the woman asked. It’s a bit of a shame.”

There were indeed too few girls.

At fourteen, Shen Ning was no longer as naive as she used to be. For a fourteen or fifteen-year-old girl, if she wasn’t especially favored by her family, she wouldn’t stay at home for long. In cases where parents or grandparents didn’t care for her, the girl could be married off as soon as a good bride price was offered.

In the eyes of rural farmers, a girl’s value was very low. She helped with household chores while young, and as she grew older, finding a good family, receiving a bride price, and marrying out was considered the norm—like water spilled out, she would become part of someone else’s family.

Thinking about this, Shen Ning felt a bit down, but not for herself. She never thought her elder brother and sister-in-law or second brother would treat her that way. She was simply reflecting on the difficulty faced by women.

Seeing her mood, Sang Luo smiled and said, “What’s to regret? The classroom doors and windows are open. If someone is truly eager to learn, can anyone tie their legs, cover their eyes, or block their ears?”

Opportunities are always seized by oneself, and there are never just one way to do things.

Shen Ning was taken aback, then smiled, “Yes, they can attend as auditors!”

Sang Luo noticed her brightened expression and smiled, “Those who are selected now are truly committed to learning. So, let things be as they are. We have already done what we can. As we move forward, we can guide, but we don’t have to hold everyone’s hand or drag them along.”

……

Sang Luo was right. While she had refused, several female workers from the workshops tried to get Mrs. Chen and Qin Fangniang to intercede. Mrs. Chen’s response was, “Without rules, there is no order. Besides, Ah Luo said there will be future enrollments. Just wait.”

The woman still wanted to plead, but Shen Ning, feeling regret for the young girl, pulled her mother’s hand and whispered, “Mother, since the miss doesn’t accept money for the school, it’s our own choice not to come. We shouldn’t trouble Granny Chen. I can stand outside the window and listen starting tomorrow. Just let me go out every day.”

Mrs. Chen laughed, “That’s the right attitude. Your daughter is clever and a good candidate for learning. Don’t let her be hindered at home. A boy with skills can support a family; a girl with skills also stands firm. We all need to live our lives in this world. We should not separate ourselves by value. The girls in Daxing Village are precious to each family.”

The woman agreed repeatedly. Outside the bustling classroom, several people who had overheard this conversation carried it with them as they left, joining the other villagers in heading home.

……

In the classroom, Gan Erlang’s wife and daughter, as well as Zheng Daniu and her niece, had not yet left. Gan Erlang, who had originally accompanied his wife and daughter, had gone to his sister’s house midway, managed to get a thin wooden board, and then brought back a piece of charcoal from the stove, sharpened to a point.

When class ended, he squeezed into the classroom and had his wife copy the two Words Chen Xiaoya had just taught on the blackboard.

“Copy it well. When we get back, I’ll make a bamboo slip and write it neatly with ink.”

This was indeed clever. Zheng Daniu and her niece stayed as well, and Zheng the butcher’s family, originally outside, squeezed in to see. They greeted Gan Erlang and asked to borrow the wooden board to make copies.

The familiar Feng family members from the village were also inspired, realizing that many would likely bring wooden boards and charcoal pens starting the next day.

Latecomers Shen Yin, Chen Xiaoya, and Shi Qiao’er exchanged glances: “This is a good method. Let’s mention it to everyone in class tomorrow.”

At the back of the classroom, the Shuanzhu siblings, who had also come to class on time, were seated towards the back due to their height and some discomfort. They did not rush to leave but waited until most of the people in the front had moved out. They picked up their own stools and prepared to leave, passing by the podium and noticing a group gathered there.

Huzi said, “Brother, let’s bring charcoal pens and wooden boards tomorrow and practice writing nicely to copy later.”

They had the “Thousand Word Classic,” but the class clearly covered other materials besides it. Using this method to record what was learned each day was the correct approach. Otherwise, it would be easy to forget over time, and having it written down made practice at home easier.

The eldest brother Shuanzhu agreed, “Alright.”

As they spoke, Daniu tugged at her brother’s sleeve.

Shuanzhu turned to look at her. Daniu whispered, “Brother, look at the window.”

The three siblings turned their heads and saw Lu Dalang standing by the window, looking toward the podium.

Shuanzhu frowned, and Tiezhu lowered his voice, “What is he doing here?”

It was clear from their tone that there was a strained relationship between father and son.

Lu Dalang’s appearance was indeed unusual. He had been nearly exiled and was sent to the mountains after being poisoned and mute. Although the reasons were never detailed publicly, the village had some guesses. After his family returned, they had minimal interaction with other villagers.

They had chosen a location farthest from the village, and the siblings had some communication with the villagers, but Lu Dalang had completely cut off contact.

He was not mute. Though the medicine had damaged his voice, it was a folk remedy, and his voice gradually improved after a few months, though it remained hard to understand. Due to past issues, the relationship between father and children had become strained, and no one was willing to speak with him.

When he came down from the mountains, his grandmother brought some medicine from the city, and his voice gradually recovered. However, the damage had lasted for years, leaving his voice still unpleasant to hear.

In any case, whether out of shame, the poor quality of his voice, or other reasons, Lu Dalang had hardly interacted with villagers. He worked in the fields or mountains by day and returned home for meals, avoiding speaking with villagers.

Now, he had come to the most bustling place in the village?

None of the siblings thought Lu Dalang was genuinely concerned about them. Shuanzhu frowned deeply and patted Tiezhu, “Let’s go back.”

Though he said this, he kept an eye on Lu Dalang as they left the classroom.

Lu Dalang also noticed the siblings glancing at him. Seeing them carrying their stools and leaving, he glanced at the podium and then headed in the direction of his home.

……

The classroom was finally empty. Shen Yin and Shen Tie, who had come to pick him up, turned off the lights, tidied up a bit, and locked the door before heading back to his elder brother and sister-in-law’s home.

Their family had converted their house into a classroom, so the three brothers were now staying directly at the elder brother and sister-in-law’s house.

As the two brothers left, An Jiu, who had sneaked in at an unknown time, returned. He climbed through the window and, relying on his good night vision, searched the podium for something, inspecting every corner, even feeling along the edge of the standing board. Besides a rag made into a bundle, he found nothing…

After climbing out the window and returning to the mountain hut, An Qi, who was often in the hut at night, asked, “Did you find the pen?”

An Jiu shook his head, “No, it was taken. I noticed today that it’s getting shorter with use. I’ll check again in a couple of days to see if there’s a piece that’s too short to use and bring it back.”

An Qi nodded, then asked curiously, “Is it really useful? Something we haven’t seen before?”

“It’s very useful, especially during lectures. It’s easy to write and erase. Once I get another one, you can try it for yourself.”

……

In the city of Shezhou, the provincial government office had officials on night duty. Concubine Fan

, concerned about the village school, decided to stop by on her way home. However, Chief Secretary He had not yet left the office.

Rather than wait for the next day, Concubine Fan directly sent someone to summon Chief Secretary He to discuss the matter, choosing a position where the night duty clerks could see them.

Upon hearing that Concubine Fan was requesting a meeting, Chief Secretary He was initially surprised. After the formalities, Concubine Fan explained her intentions and shared what she had learned from Daxing Village.

Using sand trays as paper, wooden sticks as pens, and bamboo slips as books, with the teacher doing the copying, and asking the local gentry to donate desks for the school—these were Concubine Fan’s ideas for running the village school effectively.

“With this approach, the cost for children to learn is almost zero. The government only needs to pay the teacher’s salary. Isn’t it possible to find a few local gentry willing to contribute to the school?”

Chief Secretary He pondered Concubine Fan’s words.

“Using sand trays as paper and wooden sticks as pens, if only young children are being taught, and the village school does not charge fees, it would indeed have minimal cost for the common people and would not interfere with farming. It is feasible. However…”

“What is it?”

“It’s just that having the teacher do the copying is difficult.”

“Why? Is the government or local gentry unwilling to purchase the ink and paper?”

Chief Secretary He smiled and said, “Do you know there is an old trade in larger provincial cities called ‘copying books’?”

“Copying books?” Concubine Fan shook her head. She was more familiar with domestic matters and was not well-versed in market affairs.

Chief Secretary He explained, “It’s an old trade. Poor scholars would copy books to earn some money for paper and ink or to supplement their family income. Before the Da Qian Dynasty, they were called ‘jing sheng’ or ‘book copiers’.”

Concubine Fan understood, “So you’re saying that teachers in village schools might be engaged in this profession and wouldn’t be willing to copy books for free?”

Chief Secretary He nodded, “In fact, among the four village schools previously established, two teachers sold copybooks themselves. A copy of the ‘Thousand Word Classic’ was sold for 750 wen, which is 50 wen cheaper than the market price. However, how many villagers can afford it? The price scared them away, and those two schools still have very few students.”

As the assistant to the governor, Chief Secretary He could handle provincial affairs in the governor’s absence, but mostly helped with education and civil affairs. He had visited several village schools with only a few students. Despite not charging fees, no one was willing to study. He had heard complaints from villagers about the cost of education.

Concubine Fan’s brows furrowed deeply.

The maid Xiaofeng said, “Madam, why don’t we copy some books ourselves?”

Chief Secretary He shook his head, “Xiaofeng, with thirty-three townships in five counties, how many books can you copy?”

Xiaofeng was immediately at a loss for words.

Concubine Fan was also speechless. Copying books was not easy. However, as she pondered, she remembered the light from the old classroom in Daxing Village, and her hesitation dissipated.

“Let’s do it. Every little effort adds up. Someone has to start.”

She began pacing the hall and, after a few steps, suddenly stopped and asked, “Chief Secretary He, would it be feasible for the local gentry to donate classroom desks, while the government provides bamboo slips and ink, and students from the provincial and county schools help with copying?”

Chief Secretary He was stunned, then excitedly stood up, “Yes, it’s feasible! This is a great idea. With this approach, the village schools in Shezhou could definitely be set up!”

The more he thought about it, the better it seemed: “This method is good. We can definitely implement it in the village schools in Shezhou!”