Chapter 544: The Xu family’s dogs all have “organizations”

Chapter 544: The Xu family’s dogs all have “organizations”

After sending the imperial physician away, Sun Shan thought about it and decided to ask the Xu family for help and help him find a good academy for further studies.

He had no plan to return to Guangnan, nor did he plan to go to the capital.

The journey is long and my body is not fully recovered yet, so it is not suitable to move.

Although the imperial physician said that the toxins in his body had been eliminated and there was nothing wrong with his body, there were still some problems. He felt that he could not sit or walk for long periods of time, his body was easily paralyzed, and he needed more rest.

It was a good place to have a rest in Yingtian Prefecture, where there were beautiful mountains, beautiful waters, good literary culture, and many talented people. Sun Shan, who originally had only 5 points of talent, became 9 points of talent after being influenced by it.

If I continue to study here, I'm afraid my talent will be greatly improved.

After the examination, Sun Shan wrote a letter home to tell them about his situation and thoughts.

But at that time I didn’t know whether my family would agree or not.

If you disagree, you can return home immediately. If you agree, you can continue your studies. During this time, you can also have a good rest.

Sun Shan wrote an invitation and asked Gui Ge'er to deliver it to Manager Xu, saying that he wanted to visit him.

Gui Ge'er took the letter and ran over happily.

Shi Gou was standing outside the door, looking towards the study from time to time.

Sun Shan looked over and the ten dogs immediately moved away.

After Sun Shan packed up his writing brush, ink, paper and inkstone, he walked out, sat on a chair, and asked with a smile, "Shi Gou, what's wrong?"

It's obvious that this little brat is worried, and I don't know what he's thinking about.

Shi Gou was helping Sun Dali with housework. He looked very depressed and asked timidly, "Master Juren, are you still sick? Why do you look so sad?"

Sun Shan was stunned. He did look worried just now. It was real worry, not fake worry.

To outsiders, it didn't matter if one's handwriting wasn't very good, but Sun Shan was afraid that his handwriting would become uglier than before. He couldn't even write every stroke respectfully and neatly.

I’m afraid that my hands will go numb while I’m writing and I won’t be able to continue.

It would be a lie to say that I'm not afraid, but it also seems inappropriate to say that I'm very scared.

Sun Shan shook his head and said, "Haha, now that the New Year is over, I feel annoyed thinking about going to school. By the way, Shi Gou, when will you start school?"

The fifteenth day of the first lunar month has passed, and the kids should go to school too.

A few days ago, Shi Gou said that he wanted to study hard and learn from him, the juren.

Why are you still squatting here? Don’t you have to go to school?

When talking about going to school, Shi Gou hesitated, lowered his head and dared not speak.

Sun Shan asked in confusion: "What's wrong? Shi Gou, are you skipping school?"

Shi Gou denied anxiously: "Master Juren, I am not, I did not skip school, it's just..."

Sun Shan looked at him seriously, and Shi Gou mustered up the courage to say, "Master Juren, my grandfather told me not to go to school, and it would be better for me to work behind you. He hasn't even paid my tuition. I can't go to school."

Sun Shan and Uncle An only met once and exchanged a few words. From his words, Uncle An indeed showed the state of a petty citizen: humble, shrewd, taking shortcuts, and being clever.

But it was harmless and he was not a very evil person, so Sun Shan didn't care.

Sun Shan looked at Shi Gou and asked seriously, "Shi Gou, do you like reading?"

Shi Gou glanced at Sun Shan secretly and said nothing for a long time.

Sun Shan found it funny and thought this was not a difficult question, so he asked with a smile: "What's wrong? If you like it, you like it. If you don't like it, you don't like it. I like honest children the most. Shi Gou, are you an honest boy?"

Shi Gou said hastily, "Master, I am very honest."

Sun Shan touched his head and continued to ask: "Then tell me the truth, do you like going to school or not?"

Shi Gou plucked up his courage and said, "Sir, I don't like reading. I know all the words in the book, but I don't understand them when I read them. I don't understand what the teacher says. But I can't not read. I study hard."

He looked at Sun Shan timidly and asked, "Mr. Juren, do you like reading very much? Do you also like people who read books?"

Sun Shan nodded and said, "I like reading very much, and I also like children who read very much."

Shi Gou lowered his head and said disappointedly: "Master Juren, I don't like studying. Do you dislike me?"

Sun Shan nodded, then shook his head.

Shi Gou couldn't understand.

Sun Shan smiled and said, "Whether you like reading or not, I hope you will read. Reading makes people wise. I hope you will become a smart boy."

Sun Shan asked Shi Gou to come into the study, asked him to sit down, and said with a smile: "Come, let me test you to see how much you have learned."

Sun Shan asked the ten dogs what books they had learned, and then picked out sentences from the books and asked the ten dogs to answer them.

After asking for less than twenty minutes, Sun Shan knew what Shi Gou had learned. He sighed inwardly, thinking that Shi Gou was indeed not cut out for study.

It's a very simple sentence, and he doesn't even understand its meaning, let alone ask him to connect it with the context and tell the story and its implied meaning.

Shi Gou has also passed the stage of just being enlightened and just learning to read.

It seems that the teacher who taught Shi Gou did not intend to let him take the imperial examination.

Moreover, the teaching content is even worse than Zheng Tongsheng's.

Zheng Tongsheng was a pragmatic teacher who taught various official documents, bookkeeping, etc. used in daily life.

The teacher of Shi Gou is obviously hypocritical and empty. He reads from a textbook without any connection to reality and only teaches empty stuff.

He neither took the path of imperial examinations nor the path of practice.

Shi Gou studied, but he could only read and speak Mandarin, and he couldn't go any deeper.

Seeing Sun Shan's cold eyes, Shi Gou asked timidly, "Master, am I a poor student?"

Sun Shan shook his head. "Not bad. You can read and speak Mandarin, which is good enough."

Shi Gou's eyes lit up. The scholar was so kind and spoke so gently.

Gui Ge'er walked in from outside and said, "Brother Shan, Manager Xu is free and said we can meet now."

Sun Shan immediately dressed neatly, asked Gui Ge'er to bring a box of cakes, and took Sun Dali out.

Duke Xu is a fellow villager and childhood friend of the present emperor. They are both of peasant origin, and their families have been farmers for generations. They are extremely poor and make a living by renting land from landlords.

Later, the two of them started an uprising together, fought together, and had a deep relationship. He was deeply trusted by the current emperor and was the first meritorious minister in the founding of the Daqian Dynasty.

Duke Xu's eldest daughter even married the current crown prince and became the crown princess.

Duke Xu and the current emperor are in-laws, and their friendship is further sublimated.

Sun Shan knew his own weight. He would never dare to offend the Xu family, but he could still gain some benefits from it. He believed that Duke Xu would not bother with a small figure like him.

Sun Shan made an appointment with Manager Xu at a teahouse. When they arrived, Manager Xu was already there.

Sun Shan quickly bowed his hands and apologized: "Manager Xu, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. It's Sun's fault."

To be honest, Manager Xu really didn't want to meet Sun Shan. He thought a mere juren was not worth his concern.

The seventh-rank official in front of the prime minister, not to mention those in charge, even the dog of the Xu family has a "stationary position".

But they had to not meet him, especially after receiving a letter from the capital, asking the Xu family members who remained in Jinling to be diligent and careful and not cause any trouble.

There will be a lot of turmoil in the court in the next two or three years. In this troubled time, the Xu family must not let others catch them.

Anyone who causes trouble will be killed without mercy.