Chapter 54 Housework
When Sun Shan wrote a word, he read it in Shangjing Mandarin, and Yang Qingbei beside him followed suit. In the end, all three of them read and wrote at the same time. If they met someone who didn't know how to read, they would ask each other.
When the teacher called people into the classroom, everyone read out the twenty-four words in full.
Master Zheng said approvingly, "Well, you all know how to read what you learned yesterday and today. Now I will ask a question. Sun Shan, you explain the meaning of "Once upon a time, Meng's mother chose a neighbor. When her son refused to learn, she broke his loom."
Sun Shan understood this without Master Zheng’s teaching, so he told the story of Meng Mu’s three moves and concluded: “Teacher, you are telling us. First, people should get close to good people, things and objects in order to learn good habits.
Second, the environment can change a person's hobbies and habits.
Third, the three of us must study hard and create a good school atmosphere. "
Master Zheng nodded with satisfaction: "Well, well said. Not only do you know what to say, but you also know what to do based on your surroundings."
After a pause, he said to the three students: "Sun Shan is right. You three should study hard, strive to be the best, set an example, and influence others. Make the learning atmosphere in the school lively, so that you will be more interested in learning."
De Ge'er and Yang Qingbei said they understood.
Master Zheng asked De Ge'er to stand up and asked, "What does "If you don't teach, your nature will change. The way to teach is to focus on one's own studies" mean?"
De Ge'er scratched his head and said intermittently: "When I was a child, there was a naughty boy named Li Bai. He was ignorant, playful, and didn't like to study. He saw an old woman sharpening an iron rod, so he asked her what she was doing.
The old woman said that she wanted to grind the iron rod into an embroidery needle. Li Bai felt ashamed when he heard this, and from then on he studied hard.
This shows that children need to be taught well. If they are not taught well, they will become bad. And it takes a long time to teach children without being disgusted. You must persist. You must do everything with one mind to succeed. "
After hearing this, Master Zheng nodded and said, "Yes, I understand the story and its meaning."
Then he asked Yang Qingbei.
After some questions and answers, Master Zheng said, "That's all for today. Go back and write down what you learned today and yesterday on paper and give it to me tomorrow."
Sun Shan and the other two nodded and stood up to see Master Zheng off.
Before the bell rang, Sun Shan and his friends stayed in the classroom to continue studying. Before leaving, they read over what they had learned yesterday and today.
When he heard the bang-bang-bang sound, De Ge'er's straight body immediately bent like a deflated balloon, and he said weakly: "Shanzi, my hands are so sore and tired."
Who doesn't feel sour and tired? Reading is a hard job, especially reading year after year, day after day.
Sun Shan had experienced the college entrance examination and knew the hardships involved. It was because of this experience that he understood the value of learning.
Especially now, I am fortunate to be born in a family that can have enough food, spare money, and is an only child.
All the resources at home can be tilted towards you, so you don’t need to fight and stand out at home before you can go further.
No matter what, Sun Shan will study hard.
The three of them packed up their things, went to the kitchen, got their lunch boxes, and said goodbye to Zheng Bo, the gatekeeper.
As soon as I walked out of the school gate, Sun Boming was already waiting for me.
He hurried forward, took the lunch box and slate from Sun Shan, and asked with concern: "Shanzi, how did you study today?"
Sun Shan raised his head and said seriously, "Father, the teacher taught me very well. I understand everything."
He said goodbye to Yang Qingbei who was beside him, as the person who was going to pick him up from the hall had not arrived yet.
Sun Bomin took Sun Shan and De Ge'er and left first. As for Guang Ge'er, Yong Ge'er and Qing Ge'er from the middle class, they were older and could go back alone.
After walking a hundred meters out of the school, De Geer dared to speak loudly: "Uncle, studying is so difficult. After the teacher taught me, I still can't read. And the characters are so difficult to write. I practiced for an afternoon, but I still can't do it well."
After a bunch of complaints, he looked up and said, "Uncle, Shanzi is amazing. He knows everything the teacher taught him, and he can even write."
When Sun Bomin heard De Ge'er praising Shanzi, he smiled happily and said, "Has Shanzi really learned everything?"
De Geer nodded, and before Sun Bomin could finish being happy, he said, "The little brother from Tsinghua and Peking University is even better than Shanzi. Not only does he know everything, but his handwriting is even better. The teacher even praises him."
Sun Shan rolled his eyes at De Ge'er and said, "You should be realistic. Tell me everything, good or bad."
Sun Bomin's smile froze, and he thought to himself: How can the son of Landlord Yang compare to Shanzi? My son Shanzi is honest and steady, and he is a good student at first glance. Landlord Yang is rich, so his son must be spoiled, and he can't compare to Shanzi's easy-going and steady self.
Yeah, Shanzi is definitely better than the guys from Peking University and Tsinghua University.
He said in a low voice, "Brother De, you have to work hard too. If you don't study hard, your mother will beat you even if the teacher doesn't."
De Ge'er stopped talking. His uncle was really bad at talking. He always talked about beating him with a stick. Humph, I would never be beaten with a stick by the teacher, father or mother.
After walking for a long time, the three returned to Sunjia Village.
Sun Bomin took Sun Shan to say goodbye to De Ge'er.
Walking into the yard and seeing it was empty, Sun Shan asked, "Where are my father, my grandmother, and my mother?"
Sun Bomin put down his lunch box and the small slate, and said with a smile, "He's going to the fields. You stay at home and practice calligraphy. Dad is also working in the fields."
After saying this, he hurriedly took a hoe from the utility room and walked out with a basket on his shoulder. He had planted some radishes in the field and it was time to harvest them. He dried some radishes and ate them during the busy farming season. They tasted pretty good.
Sun Shan responded, put the bookcase away, picked up the slate, and practiced calligraphy on it. When he was almost done, he wrote on paper. The paper prepared at home had a nine-square grid drawn on it like the sample given by Master Zheng. If you wrote outside the grid, it would be considered unqualified.
The road ahead is long and arduous. This is the first step in the imperial examination, but it is difficult to get started. There is no secret, no formula, only endless hard work and practice day after day.
By the time it was officially written on paper, it was almost dark and Huang, Sun Boming and others came back from outside.
Su was carrying a basket full of white radishes.
Lixia was in charge of herding the cattle. After coming back, she first put the cattle next door, then went to the corner where the firewood was piled and took some straw to the cowshed. Although the cattle had eaten outside all day, they still needed to eat at night.
Guyu, Xiaoman and Hanlu are the seasons for cooking pig food. Here, we put some sweet potatoes, sweet potato vines and fat pig grass in the pig food.
Every morning, the sisters in the family go to the wild to cut grass and come back. Sun Shan's family raises two pigs all year round. Sun Boming thinks that he doesn't make much money from raising pigs, but he still makes money, so the family can't just sit there doing nothing.
Huang saw Shanzi and said lovingly, "Shanzi, did you have a good school day today?"
Shanzi nodded and said, "Grandma, it went smoothly."
Su put down a load of white radishes and asked with concern: "Are you feeling well? Did you have enough food?"
After Sun Shan answered his questions one by one, Su picked up the chicken feed and fed the chickens.
Sun Shan's family also raises chickens all year round, not for selling, but for Sun Shan's health.
From time to time, I butcher one and stew it with red dates, wolfberries and mushrooms. It is nutritious, delicious and cheaper than buying them outside.