"You two are starting school, you should study hard and not think about anything else," Lian Shouxin said.
"Mm," Wu Lang and Xiao Qi both nodded. Among the two children, especially Wu Lang, cherished the opportunity to attend school greatly. Too much empty talk was aningless; Wu Lang preferred to show his intentions through actions.
"I want to go to school too..." Lian Manman murmured quietly.
There were no private schools willing to accept female students, which was sothing nobody could do anything about.
"Manman," it was Wu Lang who understood Lian Manman, "It’s alright if you can’t go, I will teach you everything I learn at school every day after I co ho. I promise to teach you as much as I learn."
"Really?" Lian Manman beca excited, "Brother, you can’t lie to ."
"Of course, it’s true. Let’s pinky promise, whoever breaks their word is a puppy," Wu Lang said.
"I’ll pinky promise too," Xiao Qi also ca over, "Sister, whatever I learn, I’ll tell you when I co back."
The three children hooked their little fingers together. At that mont, none of them could have imagined that this promise would be of imnse encouragent to their education in the future.
The next day, the Lian family all got up very early. Lady Gu and Lady Chiang packed Lian Jizu’s schoolbag, and Old Master Lian personally saw Lian Jizu out the door.
"How about Wu Lang and Xiao Qi from Old Fourth Family?" Upon leaving the Upper Room, Old Master Lian asked. It was agreed that Wu Lang and Xiao Qi would go to school with Lian Jizu, but by this ti, the two children were nowhere to be seen.
"Grandfather," Lian Zhizhi heard the commotion outside and ca out, "Wu Lang and Xiao Qi got up early and went to the shop to help out. They said Lian Jizu could just call for them when he passed by the shop."
"Oh," Old Master Lian nodded and said nothing, but felt sowhat uncomfortable inside. Wu Lang and Xiao Qi were still helping out with family chores at the break of dawn before going to school.
Old Master Lian had planned to walk Lian Jizu to the gate and then return ho, but after hearing Lian Zhizhi’s words, he suddenly decided to accompany Lian Jizu all the way to the breakfast shop with Lian Shouren.
At this ti, it was the breakfast shop’s busiest hour. Old Master Lian didn’t want to disturb Lian Shouxin’s business, so he just stood outside the door without going in.
Lian Shouxin saw Old Master Lian and the other two from inside the shop and quickly called for Wu Lang.
"Hurry, your grandpa has co to take Jizu away," he said.
Wu Lang and Xiao Qi, who were helping out, took off their aprons, Lady Zhang handed the schoolbags to the two children, and Lian Manman also hurriedly stuffed a coin pouch into her bosom, following Wu Lang and Xiao Qi as they ca out of the shop.
"Is Manman also going with them?" Old Master Lian asked.
Not only Wu Lang and Xiao Qi, but Lian Manman was also dressed very neatly that day.
"Mm, my dad and mom are busy, so I’m taking my brother and Xiao Qi to school," Lian Manman said.
"Then go ahead," Old Master Lian said with a smile.
Lian Manman, Wu Lang, Xiao Qi, and Lian Jizu bid farewell to their family and headed towards the town.
Behind them, Old Master Lian, Lian Shouren, Lian Shouxin, and Lady Zhang stood for a long ti.
"Father, big brother, have you eaten? Co inside the shop for a bit and have sothing to eat?" Lian Shouxin called out to Old Master Lian and Lian Shouren.
"No need, you all go ahead with your business. Your big brother and I have eaten early, we’re heading back ho now," Old Master Lian said, leading Lian Shouren back to the village.
On the way, Old Master Lian wanted to say sothing to Lian Shouren several tis but couldn’t bring himself to do so, just a long, lingering sigh lingering between father and son.
...
The private school in Qingyang Town was located in the east of the town, a quiet place amidst the bustle. The entire school was a two-courtyard mansion, with a gatehouse beside the main gate where the school’s hired servants took care of the gatekeeping and cleaning, providing hot water for the students. The first courtyard had a main house with five rooms and east and west wing rooms with three rooms each, where the students had their classes. The second courtyard was more like a row of back rooms rather than a courtyard, if one disregarded the wall separating it from the first courtyard. So of the school’s teachers, as well as students who lived further away, resided here.
Admissions were handled in the parlor on the left after entering the courtyard. All new students, including old ones like Lian Jizu, had to pass an examination. Based on the results, students were placed into high, dium, or low-class levels for study.
The lower class was for children with no foundation, the middle class for students with so foundation, and students in the higher class were comparable to those in intensified studies for the imperial examinations.
Wu Lang was assigned to the middle class, and Xiao Qi barely made it by begging the examining teacher, with Wu Lang also promising to supervise Xiao Qi, allowing him to join the middle class. Lian Jizu entered the high class.
Lian Manman, who was small in stature and age and didn’t take up much space, tried to minimize her presence, "participated" throughout the entire process, which really ant she watched Wu Lang and Xiao Qi’s examination persistently. She felt a mix of envy and desire; if she had been allowed to take the exam, she was certain she could have made it into the middle class as well.
After the examination ca the paynt of tuition fees and purchasing of books. Wu Lang and Xiao Qi spent a total of seven silver ingots. Lian Manman, the "little head of the family," finally felt she completed her mission after sending Wu Lang and Xiao Qi into the classroom of the east wing room.
"Study hard, or I’ll sell you to get money for at," Lian Manman pinched Xiao Qi’s chubby face and threatened him.
"You must achieve high marks on the exam, otherwise, you won’t have dinner when you get ho." Lian Manman continued to threaten.
Feeling the gazes of all the students of various sizes focusing on them, and with the straight-robed teacher already standing at the entrance, Lian Manman reluctantly left the classroom.
***...****
Ah, as I write, why does it feel like Manman is a child deprived of education! Fist clenched, as an author and a mother, I must fight for Manman’s opportunity to learn.
Here cos the first update, vote pink. Tomorrow is a festival, hurry up and cast your votes if you have them! (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welco to vote for it on Qidian. Your support is my greatest motivation.)
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