The Second Young Master’s Obedient Husband : Extra Part 6

When Yuanbao was six years old, something big happened in the village. The village was going to open a school.

The scholar was Liang Feng’s classmate, a few years younger than Liang Feng, but already thirty this year. His learning was not bad, but he always seemed to lack a bit of luck. He repeatedly failed the provincial exams, and his ambition gradually faded. His family supported his studies, pouring silver like flowing water without hearing even a splash. He delayed until he was older before marrying a husband, who had already given birth to one little boy and was now pregnant again.

The family was not wealthy in silver. They had children to raise and daily expenses to cover, so the scholar gave up the idea of continuing to take exams and seriously started thinking about making a living.

He thought and thought but could not come up with anything. Since he had a classmate friendship with Liang Feng, he came to ask Liang Feng for advice. Liang Feng thought about it and also pulled Liang’s father into the discussion. In the end, they decided to open a school in the village.

Once the decision was made, Liang’s father gathered the villagers and announced the news. The Liang family would put up the bulk of the funds. Each household would contribute some silver, and those without money would contribute labor. Together they would get the school running. The tuition would not be much. Anyone who wanted to come study just needed to bring a string of meat and a few pecks of rice.

The villagers discussed it back and forth. Opening a school was a good thing. It was right in the village, so they did not need to travel far. The tuition was not much either. Even the poorest families could squeeze it out if they gritted their teeth. Even if they did not aim for the imperial exams, being able to recognize a few characters and read a contract would be good. The matter was settled just like that.

The scholar’s monthly salary would come from the Liang family. The Liang family business was large, so that bit of silver was nothing. Liang Feng and Liang Yu both contributed silver to help set things up. Su Qingyu also transferred funds from the cloth shop’s accounts to support the school.

If anyone from the school really made something of themselves through studying, they would all owe the Liang family a debt of gratitude. Besides, studying could also open the mind and clarify reason. Children studying could influence their parents. When the villagers received education and understood morality, there would be less kicking someone when they are down and less sour gossip. The village atmosphere would gradually improve. The next generation would not produce too many thugs and ruffians… Generation after generation, each one turning toward goodness, only then could the true village spirit be established.

The sage said, “Therefore schemes are put to rest and do not arise. Theft and rebellion do not occur. So outer doors are left unbolted. This is called the great harmony.”

Although the village might not achieve something as beautiful as the great harmony, it would gradually get better all the same. Opening a school in the village was a great good deed and a great act of charity. Starting this from Liang’s father’s generation, with descendants continuing it, the blessings could extend for ten thousand generations without end.

…

The village school gradually got up and running. Although Xiao Yuanbao had previously been taught some characters at home by Liang Feng, Liang Feng had too many matters to attend to and could not teach him much.

Xiao Yuanbao was at just the right age for studying, so he was sent to the school. In the morning, the school taught children who had already had their initial education deeper knowledge. In the afternoon, it taught the new children to recognize characters and do arithmetic. The study time was not long. After Xiao Yuanbao learned things at school and wanted to learn more at home, he went to find Su Qingyu and Liang Yu. Although Su Qingyu had had his initial education and could read, he had forgotten a lot of things and was not very good at teaching children. Liang Yu was even less worth mentioning.

So Xiao Yuanbao went to find Liang Tingyu. Liang Tingyu looked at Xiao Yuanbao’s eager, cute appearance, flipped through his schoolwork, and taught him the characters he would learn next. Amid Xiao Yuanbao’s repeated cries of “Older brother is so amazing!” his vanity was greatly satisfied. Tingxue and Mao’er heard the commotion in the courtyard and ran over curiously to look. Somehow, it evolved into Liang Tingyu teaching three little radish heads to write.

The three little ones held branches and earnestly wrote characters in the dirt. Liang Tingyu stood in front, teaching very seriously based on his memories from school. Over several days of teaching, Liang Tingyu gradually lost himself in the little radish heads’ praises, and actually developed a desire to continue studying.

Liang Tingyu had never liked studying. Back then, Liang Feng had forced him to have his initial education and after that he refused to study no matter what. Liang Feng looked at his tantrum throwing, rolling on the ground behavior and eventually gave up.

When Liang Feng came back, Liang Tingyu heard the door open and ran over like a little dog, somewhat awkwardly saying, “Father, I want to continue studying.”

Liang Feng looked at Liang Tingyu, remembered his previous tantrum throwing and rolling on the ground, closed his eyes, and slapped the back of his head. “If this time you start throwing tantrums and refusing to study again, even if A Yun stops me, I will beat you up. Understood?”

Liang Tingyu heard his old father’s gritted teeth voice and his body could not help trembling. Remembering the sweet praises of the little radish heads, he nodded like a warrior cutting off his own wrist.

The next day Liang Tingyu got up early, carried his little bundle, and took his tuition to go to school.

…

Xiao Yuanbao was not that resistant to going to school. After all, it was only afternoon classes, and it was not tiring.

Xiao Yuanbao slept until the sun was high in the sky every morning, then played with the village children for a while. After eating lunch he took a nap, and when he woke up he carried his little bundle to school. He studied until near sunset, then went home. At home he ate a snack and rested a bit, then did the schoolwork the teacher assigned. By the time he finished, it was dinner time. Every day was quite full and pleasant.

But sometimes, Xiao Yuanbao also had some troubles. For example, after school when he came home, no matter how he knocked on the door, no one came to open it. Liang’s mother was walking over carrying a vegetable basket, looked up, and saw Xiao Yuanbao squatting at the door like a mushroom. Liang’s mother had been through it all before. One look and she knew the door was bolted from the inside. She knew exactly what was going on. She silently cursed Liang Yu for being irresponsible, thinking about how daytime debauchery would set a bad example for the child. But on the surface she smiled, picked up Xiao Yuanbao and said, “Your daddy and father husband must have gone out. Today Yuanbao will come to grandma’s side to eat cakes and do schoolwork, alright? Next time if Yuanbao cannot knock the door open, come knock on the main house door. Grandma and grandpa are always here.”

Yuanbao hugged his little bundle and said obediently, “Okay. Grandma put Yuanbao down. Yuanbao has grown up now. I am quite heavy. If grandma holds me too long, grandma’s arms will hurt. Yuanbao can walk by himself now.”

Liang’s mother kissed Xiao Yuanbao’s forehead and put down the much heavier Xiao Yuanbao. Xiao Yuanbao held Liang’s mother’s hand and walked toward the house first. Liang’s mother had a good foundation of health when she was young, and even now she could not stay idle. She went to the fields often. Even though she was getting on in years, she was still quite robust. In recent years, life had been good, and she had very few white hairs on her head.

Xiao Yuanbao scrambled his short legs desperately to keep up with Liang mother’s pace. Over such a short distance, Xiao Yuanbao worked up a head full of sweat.

Only after entering the house did Liang’s mother remember this. She turned to look at Xiao Yuanbao. Xiao Yuanbao was quite concerned about his image. When Liang’s mother looked over, he wiped the sweat from his forehead, his face full of nonchalance. But his red flushed cheeks still exposed Xiao Yuanbao’s embarrassment. His little appearance made Liang’s mother laugh uncontrollably.

Liang’s mother entered the house and first poured a cup of water for Xiao Yuanbao, then went to the inner room and brought out the hawthorn cakes she had bought yesterday. She handed the pastry packet to Xiao Yuanbao and told him to go to the big courtyard to eat snacks with the other little ones.

Xiao Yuanbao finished his water, caught his breath, took the pastry packet and said thank you sweetly, then ran into the big courtyard to eat snacks with his little friends.

The sunlight shone brightly on the branches. The trees were lush and birds chirped. Sweet cakes and written characters, little bodies swaying. Young chicks and little children played noisily. Everything was just right at this moment.

The End.