Chapter 39: Enrollment in School
After waking up, Sun Boming went to see his uncle Sun Ershu to confirm the arrangements for going to school.
Uncle Sun said puzzledly: "Brother, do we really need to let Shanzi go to school?"
The eldest brother has only one son, whom he treasures very much. He usually keeps him at home all day long and only allows him to go to his grandfather's house once a year. How come he is suddenly allowed to go to school?
Sun Bomin sighed and said, "The third brother De Ge'er is also going to school this year. Shanzi insisted on going, and I thought that the two brothers would study together so that we can take care of each other."
Uncle Sun nodded in agreement: "It's good for us to study together. De Ge'er is tall and strong, and he will definitely be able to protect Shanzi in school."
I don’t know how my eldest brother’s family raises their children. The four daughters are all thin, and the son is even more so. There is no shortage of food and drink at home, but they just can’t gain weight.
In two days I will go to Zheng Tongsheng to register. In addition to paying the tuition fee, I also have to prepare a gift to pay my respects to my teacher.
Sun Bomin asked his uncle Sun Sanshu to go to the market to buy lotus seeds, red beans, red dates and longans.
There is celery in the vegetable garden, and you need to prepare 10 pieces of dried meat, which we also have at home.
Huang saw that the six rituals were complete and said, "Big brother, third brother, here are two taels of silver. Each of you brothers can take one tael and use it to pay the tuition."
Huang stayed at home all day, had enough food and drink, and didn't spend much money. She saved the pension money given to her by her aunt every year. When the boys in the family went to school, Huang would pay the first year's tuition.
Sun Dingde and Sun Shan were no exception.
Uncle Sun took the silver with ease and said with a smile, "Brother De, come here and thank grandma. When you grow up, you must be filial to grandma."
De Ge'er also likes grandma and likes to come to his uncle's house. There are lots of delicious food in grandma's room.
He said cheerfully: "Grandma, when I grow up, I will buy you delicious food."
After a pause, he added: "And buy you beautiful clothes."
Girls all like new clothes. Even though grandma is old, she is still a girl, so she will definitely like them too.
Huang touched De Ge'er's big head and said with relief: "Grandma doesn't want anything. As long as you grow up quickly and live in peace, Grandma will be satisfied."
Sun Shan straightened his chest and said, "Grandma, I hope you live a long life. I will go to school, take the exam to become a scholar, and then I will earn you an imperial decree, so that the government can give you money to spend."
As soon as these words were spoken, the room burst into laughter.
Huang thought it was just a child's nonsense, touched Sun Shan's little head, and said contentedly, "Okay, okay, I'll wait for my good grandson to earn me an imperial decree."
In the past, the Sun family would definitely not know what an imperial edict was, but with the help of Aunt Sun, the family members more or less knew what it meant.
Aunt Sun curled her lips and said, "Hmph, Shanzi looks honest, but it turns out he is a treacherous man."
A little guy who knows how to talk big.
He glanced at Huang, who was smiling happily, and thought, "The money saved by mother-in-law will definitely go into the eldest wife's purse."
He also regretted that he had offended Huang when he was young and ignorant, making it extremely difficult to ask her for money now.
When Su heard Shanzi say that he wanted to take the exam to become a scholar and become the top scholar, she knew it was impossible, but she did not stop dreaming, hoping that she could also become famous because of her son.
People should always have hope in this life, just in case it comes true.
After the 20th day of the lunar year, Uncle Sun said that the eldest and second sons in the family would start school on the 25th day of the lunar year.
The two decided to go to Zhengjia Village on the 23rd of the lunar year.
Sun Shan was woken up early in the morning to have breakfast. After breakfast, Su brought out a new set of clothes and said with a smile, "Shanzi, we are going to register with Zheng Tongsheng today. We should dress nicely to leave a good impression on the teacher."
Su asked Aunt Sun, and she said that it was not necessary to wear scholar-style clothes to go to school, and she could wear the same clothes to school as she wore on weekdays.
The students in Zheng's school are all from farming families within a hundred miles. They dress simply and some of them have patches on their clothes.
Su decided not to make any special arrangements and quickly made two new sets of shirts and pants so that Sun Shan would have clothes to wear when he went to school.
After getting dressed, around 9 o'clock in the morning, Sun Boming collected the six gifts, took the tuition, and took Sun Shan to his uncle Sun's house.
As soon as he entered the door, he shouted, "Old Third, are you ready? Don't be too late."
Sun Bomin was very nervous and uneasy, and he didn't know how Shanzi would fare in the school in the future.
As for the question of Zheng Tongsheng refusing Sun Shan's admission to school, he had never thought about it.
Since there are few people in farming families who can go to school, Zheng Tongsheng has always been short of students, so how could he refuse a sponsor?
Uncle Sun was much calmer and comforted Sun Bomin: "Brother, don't worry. Zheng Tongsheng will be in school these two days. He has always stipulated that the registration period is from the 20th to the 25th of the year. If you want to go to school, just register during this period. He will be waiting at home."
Uncle Sun has already sent two sons to school and is very familiar with this area.
But I also understand my elder brother's nervousness. Thinking back to when I took Dingguang to sign up, I was afraid of leaving a bad impression on Zheng Tongsheng.
The fact is that Zheng Tongsheng is very easy-going with parents, but very strict with students. Those who don't study hard will be spanked on the hands and buttocks.
After everything was ready, Sun Boming and Uncle Sun set off.
Zhengjia Village is right next door and not far from Sunjia Village, only half an hour's walk away.
De Ge'er pulled Sun Shan and walked behind him. Along the way, De Ge'er's hands, feet and mouth never stopped moving.
Sometimes he ran to the stream to catch snails, and sometimes he ran to the roadside to pick flowers.
He chirped like a little bird, talking endlessly.
Sun Shan followed him reluctantly, certain that De Ge'er was suffering from ADHD. Thinking of the miserable scene of De Ge'er sitting motionless in the school in the future, he chuckled in his heart.
Soon, they arrived at the entrance of Zhengjia Village.
De Geer pointed to a farmyard not far away and said, "My grandfather lives there. Shanzi, I'll take you to visit my grandfather's house."
Aunt Sun is from Zhengjia Village, so Dege’s maternal grandparents are naturally in Zhengjia Village.
Uncle Sun slapped De Ge'er lightly and scolded him with a smile: "We are not going to our grandparents' house today. We are going to sign up."
De Ge'er was still thinking about going to his grandfather's house for dinner, but his father said he didn't want to go. If he didn't want to go, then he didn't want to go. Why did he hit me?
De Ge'er was also wearing a brand new piece of clothing today. The material and style were exactly the same as Sun Shan's, only the color was different.
Outsiders can tell that they are a family.
The four of them walked into Zhengjia Village, passed the village road, and after a while, they arrived at Zheng Tongsheng's house.
Zheng Tongsheng's home is in the center of the village. It consists of eight or nine blue brick and tile houses, and a large courtyard enclosed by a wall, so you can't see what's inside.
Sun Boming and Uncle Sun walked to the gate of the yard, where there was an old man with white hair guarding it.
Uncle Sun smiled and said, "Uncle Zheng, we are here to sign up for school."
Zheng Bo was toothless, and his gums were exposed when he smiled. He said lovingly, "Okay, come in with me, I'll go inform the master."
The four members of the Sun family were taken into a reception room, and Zheng Bo went to look for Zheng Tongsheng.
Uncle Sun whispered, "Zheng Bo is not Zheng Tongsheng's servant, but a native of Zhengjia Village. Zheng Tongsheng took him in because he had no wife or children."
Sun Shan thought to himself that Zheng Tongsheng was a good person and should be a kind person.
After a while, Zheng Tongsheng came out.
Sun Bomin and the other three quickly stood up and saluted.
Zheng Tongsheng nodded, sat on top, and said gently, "Uncle Sun Ji, are you here to register with your child?"
Zheng Tongsheng and Zheng were relatives within the fifth degree of mourning, so it was natural for Zheng to attend the wedding and naturally recognize Uncle Sun.
What's more, Guang'er and Yong'er have been in school for several years, and Zheng Tongsheng is very familiar with Uncle Sun.
Uncle Sun changed his playful smile and said seriously, "Yes, Master, I brought my son to register today."
Pointing at Sun Bomin and Sun Shan, he said, "This is my eldest brother, and this is his son. They are here to sign up together today."