CHAPTER 409: CHAPTER 390: LOOKED DOWN UPON BY A BRAT (2)

Just as Prince Luling reached the inverted house by the courtyard gate, he saw Mu Yuanxiu enter the courtyard wearing a bamboo hat.

Uncle Gui opened the door for him, smiling as he remarked how early he had arrived.

"I’m going to Qingshui River Village and wanted to ask if Uncle Li would like to ride my mule cart," Mu Yuanxiu said with a smile.

After fitting the cart frame, Mu Yuanxiu’s mule cart was parked daily in the Li family courtyard.

Prince Luling, who liked Mu Yuanxiu very much, immediately said, "Of course, I would love for you to take me."

Li Yuzhu, carrying a cloth backpack and holding an oiled paper umbrella, also arrived, "Wait for me, I’ll go with you. I want to check on Mr. Song’s health." She was going to measure his blood sugar and take the opportunity to observe her father’s teaching.

Prince Luling was even happier, "Ah, let’s go together then."

With company, Prince Luling felt more assured.

Uncle Gui opened both large doors, and Mu Yuanxiu drove the mule cart out from the shed.

Prince Luling and Li Yuzhu got in.

Mu Yuanxiu drove the mule cart, carrying the father and daughter through the muddy roads to Mr. Song’s house in Qingshui River Village.

Prince Luling got off the mule cart, looked around, and shook his head saying, "What a shabby schoolhouse."

Li Yuzhu said, "Father, Mr. Song’s house was built when his son got married twenty years ago. It’s been weather-beaten and naturally looks worn. The villagers’ houses are all like this. Don’t be picky, and don’t say that in front of Mr. Song."

Prince Luling mumbled, "I was just expressing a sentiment. How could I say that to his face?"

After Mu Yuanxiu parked the mule cart, everyone walked up the steps together.

From the schoolroom ahead came the sound of many children studying.

With nicely modulated tones, they were very earnest.

It was drizzling today, the roads were difficult to traverse, and the weather was cold and damp.

Prince Luling thought few children would come to listen, but surprisingly, many had come.

Through the open window, he saw the room was full of children, with not a single bench left unoccupied.

By the main desk sat a thin elderly man in his sixties or seventies with graying hair.

The old man stroked his beard with one hand while holding a book in the other; beside him stood a plump-faced boy of about ten, nervously trying to recite something.

Apparently unable to recite it, the boy looked embarrassed and very tense.

"Uncle Li, that’s Mr. Song," Mu Yuanxiu pointed to the old man, saying.

Prince Luling nodded and walked into the schoolhouse.

"Mr. Song." He cupped his hands in greeting to Mr. Song.

Mr. Song turned around and saw Mu Yuanxiu, who had come with Li Yuzhu yesterday, and upon seeing Prince Luling, guessed he was the new Mr. Li.

He waved, signaling the child reciting to return to his seat.

"I presume you are Mr. Li?" Mr. Song said, standing up with support from the table.

Because of a sore on his foot, he stood shakily.

Prince Luling hurried forward to stop him, "Mr. Song, your foot is injured; please, no need for formalities. I am younger, and you should remain seated to speak."

But Mr. Song insisted on standing. He took a cane leaning against the wall, saying, "There are many children here, it’s a bit noisy, let’s go to the next room to talk."

Mu Yuanxiu stepped forward to assist him.

Everyone followed him into the main hall next door; Mr. Song invited Prince Luling to sit and called his granddaughter to serve tea.

He said, "I suppose Yuanxiu has already informed Mr. Li of the situation here. I have thirty-two children, the youngest is five and the oldest is fifteen. There are twenty-five children from Qingshui River Village and seven from Taohua River Village. Yesterday, Song Lizheng announced that a new teacher had arrived, so all the children came."

Prince Luling said, "I noticed, the children are very enthusiastic about learning."

Mr. Song then mentioned the matter of teacher’s fees, "Coincidentally, today is the last day of the month. I just told the students that next month’s fees should be given to Mr. Li, each paying eight hundred coins per month, which includes one lunch."

Prince Luling nodded, indicating he understood.

Li Yuzhu quietly asked Mu Yuanxiu if eight hundred coins a month was a lot or a little.

Mu Yuanxiu replied, "In a village near the township market, the teacher charges a thousand coins a month."

Li Yuzhu understood that eight hundred coins was not much.

Mu Yuanxiu added, "Mr. Song set this price forty years ago, and it hasn’t changed since then."

If, in ancient times, there were no wars, prices didn’t change much.

The Zhao Country hadn’t experienced any battles for years, and life in the south was particularly stable, with prices quite steady. Although they hadn’t raised prices even once in forty years, what they were charging was already lower than others, and could be considered a conscientious price.

Her family was not short of money these days and didn’t need to rely on Prince Luling to support them. Setting up a school was purely to give Prince Luling something to do.

Thus Li Yuzhu said to Prince Luling, "Dad, let’s charge according to this rate as well."

Prince Luling was indifferent, "I have no objections."

Then, Mr. Song brought out a list of thirty-two students and pointed out the characteristics of each student by name.

Who loves to fight, who is the most honest and won’t complain even if beaten.

Who’s the smartest, who understands after one explanation in a discussion, who writes the best, who draws the best.

Who’s the most talkative, chattering endlessly all day, and still whispers to others during lessons.

Who’s the greediest, sneaking food from the kitchen.

Mr. Song could describe the characteristics of all thirty-two children.

This greatly surprised Li Yuzhu.

It also made Prince Luling admire him, while feeling a bit timid, worrying he couldn’t achieve what Mr. Song could.

Li Yuzhu looked at him and cleared her throat lightly.

Prince Luling braced himself again.

After explaining everything, Mr. Song took out a few books, "These are the teaching materials. The books are old, but the content is still intact. If Mr. Li doesn’t mind, you can continue using them."

There were eight books in total: "Thousand Character Classic" and "Hundred Family Surnames" for calligraphy, "Six Rites" for etiquette, "Chronicles of the States" and "Biographies of the Houses" for history, as well as a picture book, "Travelogue," which looked like it included geographical explanations through its winding illustrations. The remaining two books were "Arithmetic" and "Drawing."

The children coming here to study were aged from five to fifteen. Some fifteen-year-olds enrolled late, only starting at ten, which meant the education here was equivalent to elementary level.

They were all quite young, so they could only learn this content.

Older children would need to study political discussions, which required attending a better school in the county town.

Seeing the book content, Prince Luling breathed a sigh of relief, thinking, just these few books?

He had mastered all of them before he was ten!

"Mr. Song, good books aren’t necessarily new. Thank you for the books." Prince Luling, holding the eight old books, expressed his gratitude.

Mr. Song laughed, "Mr. Li is too kind. You’re taking over my position, it’s I who should thank you. I went around the village persuading people to send these children, but now, due to my aging body, I can’t teach anymore. I feel deeply guilty. You’ve taken over my role, and now I feel less guilty."

He repeatedly thanked Prince Luling.

With Mr. Song showing such respect to Prince Luling, it filled Prince Luling with confidence.

Having agreed on everything, Mr. Song led Prince Luling back to the school.

He cleared his throat and introduced Prince Luling to the students in a loud voice.

"As I mentioned earlier, my health is declining and I can no longer teach you. From today, this Mr. Li will take over my role. He is also highly knowledgeable. Your future tuition fees will be handed over to him, but the prices will remain as before," Mr. Song told the children.

The younger children looked at Prince Luling with innocent curiosity.

A few children over ten were already smirking.

"Fat like a straw bag, can he really teach?" snickered a skinny monkey-like boy after looking at his deskmate with a covered mouth.

Li Yuzhu stood at the doorway, looking into the school, and as Mr. Song introduced Prince Luling, she noticed the children speaking softly among themselves.

A few mischievous ones cast disdainful glances at Prince Luling.

She whispered to Mu Yuanxiu standing beside her, "There are naughty children causing trouble now. I’m afraid my dad’s first lesson might be tough."

Mu Yuanxiu also whispered back, "We must have Uncle Li put them in their place. They need to know what’s right; otherwise, it’ll be hard to manage them in the future."

Li Yuzhu nodded in agreement, "Yes, I thought so too."

She remembered from her previous life that when the class got a new teacher, there were also mischievous boys causing trouble to intimidate the teacher.

The male teachers and older female teachers opened their ’lion’s roar’ right away, turning into Xie Xun and Master Extinction, firmly subduing the mischievous kids.

When young female teachers faced naughty children, they had to endure suffering.

The gentle appearance made it impossible for the boys to be afraid of them.

Some female teachers were driven away by anger, some endured a semester in silence, never daring to come back the next semester, and only a few female teachers could intimidate the mischievous boys.

These female teachers didn’t rely on corporal punishment or ’lion’s roar’; they relied on their skills. Students admired capable figures, whether academically or in play. As long as they felt someone was tremendously impressive, they would worship them.

And once worshiped, it became easier to manage students.