The heavens from Bailuyuan

Chapter 3 Xu Xiucai

One bucket is ten liters, and one liter weighs about 1.25 kilograms.

A bucket of rice weighs 12.5 kg.

At the beginning, there was no weight on my shoulders, but after walking a few miles, the weight on my shoulders became heavier and heavier, as if I had added dozens of catties out of thin air.

The road is slippery when it snows, and the ground is a little wet.For safety, he deliberately walked slowly.

As soon as it was dark, Bai Gui walked to the west end of Bailu Village.

Bailu Village is very large, with hundreds of families.

Looking into the village, there are only a few scattered households that have lit candles, and the outside of the window paper is also dim.

"Xu Xiucai teaches during the day and reads at night by candlelight. It's impossible to go to bed so early to rest." Bai Gui paused on his way home and walked towards the ancestral hall in the village.

The ancestral hall was newly built four years ago, all of which are brand-new tile-roofed houses. There are two archways in front, one is the Chastity Archway, the year cannot be tested, the stone pillars are covered with moss, and the couplets on both sides are also blurred. The semi-new Xiucai archway, it roughly says that Lu Taihe was a scholar in the 12th year of Tongzhi.

The couplet on the scholar's memorial archway reads: "Adhering to the teachings of the ancestors, iron battles and martial arts have a long history; shining on the lintel, poetry and etiquette are cultivated and read by the world."

After crossing the two archways and the screen wall, you can see the ancestral hall, with a total of five halls and three buildings on the east and west sides.

The building has the characteristics of Qin Province, half of the house is built.

The traditional ancient buildings are all "herringbone" structures, and because of the drought and little rain in the Guanzhong area, and to save materials and money, only half of the houses are often built.

There are also rumors that the fat and water do not flow into outsiders' fields.

Only half of the house is built, and the rainwater only flows into the yard.

The five main halls display the ancestral tablets of Bailu Village, and the three buildings in the west are the ancestral halls of the village.The three buildings on the east side are separated by soil, one side is Xu Xiucai's bedroom, and the other is the official room for the village officials to discuss affairs.

The ancestral hall was completely dark, except for the dim light reflected in the corner of the building on the east side.

The faint sound of reading can be heard faintly.

After the sound of treading footsteps, the sound of reading stopped, followed by the creaking of wooden doors.

"Mr. Xu."

"It's Bai Gui, who wants to study in the school in our village. This is Shu Xiu..."

Bai Gui was about to go in when Xu Xiucai opened the door. He seemed to have thought of something, stopped at the door, smiled mischievously, and put down two grain bags from his shoulders.

He opened the two grain bags, took a look, held the grain bag containing the polished rice in both hands, bowed slightly, and handed it to Xu Xiucai with an abrupt face.

Xu Xiucai is a master in his forties, wearing a faded long robe of the birth uniform, with a yellowish complexion, sunken cheeks, a goatee beard, and a thin figure, but his eyes are as bright as those of a ancestral temple. The ever-burning lamp was shining brightly, and even the loose robes he wore were a little elegant, giving him a romantic appearance in the Wei and Jin Dynasties.

The braids behind the back are not greasy and knotted like the villagers, but are combed very neatly one by one.

There was a bag of brown rice on the ground at the door, and a thirteen or fourteen-year-old boy dressed in rags was holding a bag of polished rice with a respectful expression.

Never entered the door, did not exceed the rules.

Beige varies.

Xu Xiucai's expression softened a lot, and he looked at Bai Gui with a slightly softer look. If it was usual, he would accept Shu Xiu as usual and use the money to do things, but today for some reason, he suddenly became a little interested.

He stroked his clear beard and asked, "Why study?"

At the age of thirteen or fourteen, I have already missed the best age for studying, and the best period for learning starts at the age of five or six.

Before he lived in the ancestral hall of Bailu Village, there was a school in Shenhe Village seven or eight miles away.

"Reading... is to know the truth!"

Bai Gui was surprised. He also secretly inquired about the schoolboys who paid Shuxiu, and they all finished their work after handing over Shuxiu, and there were no extra questions.

Perhaps it was because he was older and had more experience than the boys he had learned, so he asked the question.

Maybe it's because he has a good attitude.

In any case, it's always a good thing. Asking questions means having an impression of yourself.

"Know the truth?"

Xu Xiucai was a little surprised. He had heard many people say why they study. Some said that being a master in Zhongju would lead to prosperity and wealth.

But in order to know the truth, he heard it for the first time.

"Yes, in order to understand the truth, when I was in the field, I saw my father digging the ground, some dug holes, some piled up ridges, I asked my father why, and my father said that people used to do this , so do it, but uh just wanna know why!"

Bai Gui replied 'truthfully'.

Shit, he was doing it all to find a background for himself. With the skin of a disciple of a sage, it is much more convenient to do anything. Regardless of the ages, scholars will always be a group of people who have the right to speak.

In this parallel world, the imperial examinations have not been abolished, the township examinations have not been abolished, and practical learning is advocated, and that is his chance.

You have to stand firm first!

As for the reason for studying... He said too much, and felt that he was not pragmatic, and said that he was too lowly, and felt that he had no future.

Knowing the truth is the essence of reading.

I can't say enough!
Xu Xiucai smiled slightly and replied: "During the time of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, there was a captain named Zhao Guo who carried out the Daitian Law. The so-called Daitian Law is to divide one mu of land into three bays and three ridges. One foot each, one foot wide and one foot high, and the positions are exchanged every year to cultivate the fertility of the land. When planting, the seeds are planted in the ridge, and after the seedlings emerge, the soil on the ridge is pushed into the ridge, In this way, the crops can penetrate deep into the soil, resist wind and drought..."

"By the way, Zhao Guo also invented the columbine cart, which is the seed sower seen in the countryside on weekdays. The seeds are packed in the columbine bucket, and the columbine bucket is connected to the hollow columbine feet. When it walks and shakes, the seeds are planted. It can Simultaneously complete the three processes of ditching, planting, and covering..."

Afraid that Bai Gui might not understand, he gestured for the appearance of the car.

Bai Gui: "..."

Don't they all say that people who learn stereotyped essays are nerds?

How did Xu Xiu have this ability?
Zhao Guo seems to have seen it in popular science articles in his previous life, but his memory is not very clear. Even if his memory is clear, he is a little confused about the "Zhen" and "ridge" mentioned by Xu Xiucai, and he doesn't know what it is. (Zhen, sound zhen.)
Sensing Xu Xiucai's gaze, he quickly made an expression that seemed to be rewarding, but also somewhat puzzled.

In the past, when he was fishing in school, he practiced this expression extremely skillfully.

When the teacher sees this expression, he will often show a look of approval.

What I want is this kind of meeting, and I haven't understood it yet.

Too good, the teacher feels like a failure, I don’t know anything, sorry, the teacher doesn’t know you, only the middle ones, the teacher has the pleasure of being a teacher.

"You...do you understand the truth of this kind of field?"

Xu Xiucai said with satisfaction.

Teaching tirelessly is the greatest joy.

"Ah, I seem to know something."

"tell me the story?"

"It's from Han Han. Yes, during the period of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, there was a man named... Zhao... Zhao Guo, who served as the school captain and created the Daitian method. I don't remember the rest of it."

Xu Xiucai took the polished rice that Bai Gui handed him, poured it into the rice jar, and then returned the grain bag to Bai Gui.

The process only took a few breaths of effort.

"You come to enroll tomorrow, remember to prepare paper, ink, brush and inkstone..." Xu Xiucai frowned, glanced at the decorations on Baigui's body, and sighed slightly, "I still have an old pen and an old inkstone here. You can use it temporarily, as for the ink and paper..."

He is not well off, how many children can be enrolled in the school.

He also has to prepare the fee for going to the city to rush for the exam, and every penny is tight.

Besides, paper and ink are consumables, and it is okay to give it once, but it will be difficult to give it later!
"You can write with a wooden board dipped in water!"

Bai Gui hastily replied respectfully.

(End of this chapter)