CHAPTER 190: CHAPTER 189: UNCONVINCED

At the time of the second day, Yu Xiaolian was already standing in the classroom of Shuren Academy.

At this time, there were no blackboards or chalk in the classroom, only a long wooden desk at the front of the classroom.

Looking further down, the students were seated on the ground, sitting on three-foot-long mats made of thin rush grass, bordered with fabric.

In front of each person was a long desk, on which lay paper, ink, brushes, and inkstones.

Standing before so many students for the first time, Yu Xiaolian inevitably felt a bit nervous.

She wasn’t facing ten or eight students, but more than thirty.

There were old and young alike.

The young ones were like Xiaohu and his peers, just beginning their education, around six or seven years old, the middle-aged ones like Su Jingchen and Zheng Yuanfeng, in their teens, and the older ones were even older than her father, with beards.

The old students who failed to pass as a Scholar were not wanted by Jianyin Academy, some chose to continue studying at the academy, while others, to save money, returned home to study on their own.

This classroom was the largest in Shuren Academy and was usually only used during festivals for poetry gatherings.

Since Yu Xiaolian said it was impossible to teach the class multiple times, she didn’t have the time.

Thus, the dean gathered all the students together.

The younger ones sat in the front row, and the older ones sat at the back.

Yu Xiaolian had already thought of the blackboard matter, so yesterday afternoon, she spent the night finding a relatively flat board and painted it with ink.

And so, the blackboard problem was solved.

As for chalk, Yu Xiaolian knew the tinsmith shop next door had gypsum because she had once visited the Zhang Family’s backyard out of curiosity about tin-making methods.

She knew they heated tin blocks, turning them into tin water and pouring it into gypsum molds.

Therefore, Yu Xiaolian planned to ask Zhang Zhihe for two pieces of gypsum. Who knew that when Zhang Zhihe heard Yu Xiaolian wanted it for writing, he gave her a few pieces of talc, saying they were better for writing than gypsum.

Don’t misunderstand, the blackboard wasn’t carried here by Yu Xiaolian, but was brought to the academy in the morning by the hard-working Xiaohu and Su Jingyue.

After introducing herself, Yu Xiaolian found that the students in the front row were well-behaved, while the back was less so.

Facing such a young teacher, and a female one at that, some students expressed their doubts.

"How could such a young girl possibly be a genius in arithmetic?

Let us test her first. Only after passing our test is she qualified to be our teacher."

"Exactly, exactly, can just anyone become a female teacher? In our Great Liang, which of the few female teachers aren’t highly respected and knowledgeable?

What insight could such a little girl have? She’s probably superficially seen and ignorant, yet she dares to teach us?"

The dean, seeing several old students leading the trouble, was instantly furious, "What’s all this noise about? Do you understand the importance of respecting teachers?

Why is it that after all these years of studying, at your age, you’re still just old students?

It’s because you’re self-centered and put yourselves above others.

Don’t underestimate people. I can hire someone to be a teacher because I’ve tested them.

What, you, a few old students, aren’t convinced by a teacher approved by me, a Scholar?

Whether you’re convinced or not, you better keep it to yourselves. Don’t disturb me, I have to study too!"

The few old students, unceremoniously scolded by the dean, immediately sat down with red faces, no longer clamoring to test Yu Xiaolian.

The dean was quite decent. He even knew to help her maintain classroom discipline.

Yu Xiaolian secretly smiled, covering her mouth with a light cough.

"Today is our first arithmetic class. Let’s start with the most basic numbers."

The first lesson Yu Xiaolian taught was about Arabic numbers.

She wrote a hundred numbers on the blackboard.

After leading them to read a few times, Yu Xiaolian said,

"You must quickly familiarize yourselves with these hundred numbers until you remember them to the point that if I randomly write a number, you will know what it is. This is how it should be. I will test you the day after tomorrow.

The younger ones in the front row, don’t rush; if you remember half, that’s sufficient. The older ones in the back, if you can’t answer during the test, I’m afraid you’ll have to write it fifty times as punishment.

It’s best if everyone copies it onto paper and reviews it at home to remember it asap."

These hundred numbers were effortless for Xiaohu and Su Jingyue; they had long remembered them.

However, for others who were encountering Arabic numerals for the first time, they seemed like strange tadpole symbols.

Fortunately, after Yu Xiaolian explained the rules of the numbers, some immediately understood and started discussing them in class with their classmates who didn’t understand.

Yu Xiaolian nodded in satisfaction; most people were indeed clever.

Yu Xiaolian, so smoothly, finished the first lesson.

After class, the dean stopped Yu Xiaolian and asked if she had invented these Arabic numbers.

Yu Xiaolian shook her head, "No, I learned them from someone else."

The dean quickly asked from whom she learned and if she could introduce them.

Yu Xiaolian had to continue the lie, "It was when I was in the Northern Land that I learned from an old gentleman, who has since passed away many years ago."

The dean lamented the loss and personally escorted Yu Xiaolian to the academy’s gate.

For several consecutive days, Yu Xiaolian and these people practiced the hundred numbers. Later, she found that the older ones remembered them faster while the younger ones were slower.

The dean also noticed this, so he approached Yu Xiaolian asking if it was possible to teach in two classes.

Yu Xiaolian straightforwardly replied, "Will you pay more?"

The dean: One class is fine; those who learn fast can remember more firmly.

About half a month later, regardless of young or old, they finally understood these hundred numbers clearly.

Thus, Yu Xiaolian began teaching them addition and subtraction.

They all had a foundation in addition and subtraction; it’s just that they didn’t learn with Arabic numerals before.

With this foundation, the progress was faster, and soon they moved past learning within ten and began working on two-digit calculations.

"Today, we’ll learn the method of carrying over..."

Yu Xiaolian talked on and on, and as she was concluding, she repeated the old phrase, "We have a test the day after tomorrow, fifty questions, full score one hundred, pass mark sixty, everyone should do more exercises at home to strive to pass."

"Teacher Yu, goodbye!"

After half a month of managing with both benevolence and awe, the initially defiant old students became much more respectful.

Yu Xiaolian had already appointed Su Jingyue and Xiaohu as math class representatives responsible for collecting and grading homework for her.

As she was passing by, Yu Xiaolian was stopped by an old student.

Yu Xiaolian remembered this old student as the one who initially led the ruckus, the loudest of all.

Qi Shanhe was already thirty-six years old this year. What? Thirty-six isn’t old?

No, at thirty-six and still an old student, it counts as old.

Qi Shanhe had taken the Scholar exam countless times, almost losing track himself.

Even though he hadn’t passed as a Scholar, he was still unwilling to be a student to a young girl.

Therefore, Qi Shanhe had prepared today to embarrass Yu Xiaolian.