Daming Yinghua

Chapter 93 Daming's Last Face

April in the south of the Yangtze River is a good time for spring and Jingming.

Brilliant time, placed in places like academies and schools, becomes more and more beautiful because of its purity and undisturbed.

The warm wind blows over the four gardens of Shoukuan School, making the flowers on the porch and the willows by the pool sway gently, making people's eyes charming and their hearts crisp.

But the woman who walked through the gardens in the spring breeze was not intoxicated by the beautiful scenery.

Zheng Haizhu and Huang Zunsu's wife, Yao Shi, are not leisurely outing beauties, but entrepreneurs who are full of energy and thinking about school affairs.

Early this morning, Mrs. Yao led Zheng Haizhu, who had returned from a business trip, to look at all the classrooms in the North, Qing, Fu, and Jiao schools.

The school begins to admit students at the beginning of March.

The first batch of children who came was actually not many.

Unlike the gentry or well-off families who insisted on the imperial examination for their nephews in later generations, most of the small handicraftsmen, peddlers and poor farmers living in the bottom of Songjiang would rather their male dolls work as servants in rich families, or as waiters in restaurants and shops. , buddy, toothpaste, earn enough money to marry a wife earlier.

The wish for female dolls is even simpler: from the age of five or six, help the family with work and take care of younger brothers (because younger sisters should be drowned at birth).

Such a handy little laborer can marry when he is fourteen or fifteen years old, and in exchange for a more or less dowry gift, he can supplement the life of his parents, or serve as a wife for his younger brother.

Zheng Haizhu lashed out in the language of modern people, that is, eager to realize the value of his children.

How many foolish or impoverished families in modern society regard it as common sense, let alone ancient parents?

But Yao, who was born in an official family and received a good education since childhood, naturally found it hard to understand.

Why do poor families respond to such good things as being able to read and write without spending money?

Yao Shi is about to devote himself to his new life with high spirits when winter is passing and spring is coming.

Her passion was burning like weeds, and she cared as much about school matters as Guanshi Cao and Zheng Shoukuan, even for infrastructure and general affairs.

Zheng Haizhu entrusted her with the task of recruiting students before heading south, how could she easily admit defeat?

Fortunately, her husband Huang Zunsu supported her and helped her to persuade her a few times among the poor officials in the government office and the villagers she met when the water conservancy was being built.

Those families, who have always been low in the dust, were once lucky enough to be chased by a master who was born as a Jinshi for business, so they were flattered and agreed.

Finally relying on her husband to brush her face, Yao brought in ten girl dolls and five or six boy dolls, all between seven and ten years old.

The dolls are joyful and hard-working, happily wearing the green shirt uniforms issued by the school every day, walking in the sunshine and shadow of trees, and coming to school on time.

Some of the female dolls were only able to come for half a day at first, so they had to go back to do housework. Yao sent a few stones of rice noodles to their door, in exchange for their freedom.

Zheng Haizhu came to the school and saw that half of the spring school uniforms were still in the storage room. On the contrary, she felt that it was a good thing for a young lady like Yao Shi who had a strong heart but was always well-clothed, to hit a wall at the beginning of her own business.

The young lady needs to be down-to-earth, at least to understand what the poor people think about life and how to live.

But at the same time, Zheng Haizhu was convinced that Yao Shi was a very good teammate.

In addition to the subjects of poetry, weaving and embroidery, calligraphy and art, the Yao family actually went to find Gu Lanjie, Xu Guangqi's daughter-in-law, and through Gu Lanjie, asked his father-in-law Xu Guangqi to send back a scribe from the capital. Those who participated in the translation of "Elements of Geometry" were admitted to the school as teachers.

When Zheng Haizhu was outside the window of the Fuyuan classroom, he heard the childish voices of the students inside chanting "Find a flat-sided triangle on a bounded straight line", and he couldn't help being pleasantly surprised.

Mrs. Yao also smiled and said: "You praised Xu Hanlin's writing (referring to translation) so much, I couldn't help being curious, I went to Grandma Gu to borrow the book, I didn't want my master and Zong Xi, the father and son were fascinated by the book, After watching it in the middle of the night, it is said that it is good for crafting construction and other things. I thought, and try it in our school.”

Since then, Zheng Haizhu has been quite satisfied with the school's start.

It should be noted that in history, Shanghai’s first primary school with modern education concepts appeared during the Guangxu period.

If it could be done in the late Qing Dynasty, why couldn't it be done in the late Ming Dynasty?

In the late Ming Dynasty, China's humanistic quality, open mind, and acceptance of Western science were closer to modern times.

After Yao's tour with Zheng Haizhu, he drank a cup of tea in the living room in the banana garden, and Cao Jingting, the school steward, came to invite him.

"Miss Zheng, Mr. Yao, guarding the belt to take care of the distinguished guests, has gone to Beiyuan Library."

Yao asked, "Azhu, but that Yixing talent you mentioned?"

Zheng Haizhu put down the teacup: "That's right, let's go and see you."

……

North Garden, library building.

Zheng Shoukuan was rubbing a purple clay pot in his hand, but his eyes were always on the young master standing in front of the bookshelf.

After my aunt came back from Yuegang a few days ago, she heard that the two Mr. Zhang in Shaoxing had delivered the promised books after the Lantern Festival, so she immediately sent herself to Yixing to do something.

Zheng Shoukuan is already 13 years old, no matter how much he worships his aunt, he must first ask why.

At first, Zheng Shoukuan was skeptical about what his aunt Zheng Haizhu said, and felt that it was a bit confusing and strange to God.

Unexpectedly, when I arrived in Yixing, following my aunt's instructions, I found a person who came to Songjiang by boat as soon as I told him the names of several books in my collection.

At this moment, the expression on the face of the young man who was invited reminded Zheng Shoukuan of a saying: the mouse fell into the rice vat.

Just at this time, there was a sound of stairs, and Zheng Haizhu and Yao Shi stepped up to the bookstore.

"My aunt and Mr. Yao are here." Zheng Shoukuan smiled and stood up.

The young gentleman also turned around, ready to be greeted, with a copy of Tang Shunzhi's "Wu Bian" in his hand.

When Zheng Haizhu first saw him in real life, it was as recorded in official history, his face was like a crown jade, he was tall and thin, and he looked like a scholar.

She stepped forward and asked, "Is this Mr. Lu?"

The man originally thought that the "aunt" that Zheng Shoukuan was talking about not only had the property of an academy, but also acted as a peddler for the court. There is not even a trace of aggressiveness on the good face.

The man woke up from his stupefaction, hurriedly bowed and said, "In Zhangzhu Town, Yixing, Lu Xiangsheng, I met you, aunt..."

He originally planned to follow Zheng Shoukuan, who was about the same age as him, and call him "Auntie" respectfully, but facing such a youthful face, he didn't have the nerve to call it out.

He had no choice but to change the name to "girl", but for some reason, he felt his cheeks were slightly hot and a little cramped.

Zheng Haizhu graciously recommended Yao to Lu Xiangsheng, and ordered his nephew to hand over the purple sand teapot that Huang Zunsu had given to Yao.

Then, she said in detail: "Mr. Lu, although I am a woman, by chance, I have met many friends who are heroes. When the Zhang family in Shaoxing wanted to donate books, I asked them for various military books. Curious, but also because of consideration, now that the Jurchen chief of Jianzhou in Liaodong proclaims himself king, I am afraid that it is not my Ming Dynasty's scabies, and the younger generations should also read more about the art of war. I never thought that I dreamed that I was in front of Grandpa Yue's temple in Sheshan for several nights in a row , Grandpa Yue told me that there is a village in Yixing, which is the residence of the Lu family. The people of the clan are both civil and military. There is a son named Lu Xiangsheng in the clan who likes to study Shenshu ghosts. You may wish to invite him to read these military books .”

Having said this, Zheng Haizhu went to the statue of Yue Fei on the table next to the window of the book pavilion, paid homage, then turned to Lu Xiangsheng, and said in a calm tone: "The reason for this must be that when my nephew went to invite the young master, It has been made clear, but today, I still want to say it again in front of Grandpa Yue, so as to teach Grandpa Yue to know that we descendants, respect him and trust him, and carefully follow and remember everything he said."

Zheng Haizhu imitated this copywriting that sounded like a godsend several times on the boat returning from Yuegang, and he would no longer laugh as an atheist.

At this moment, when the lines are read out, not to mention the explosive acting skills and the possessiveness of the actress, you can also rely on two points of simplicity, three points of generosity, and five points of piety to make the ancients with god worship and dream complex believe in what they said. All eighty-nine are inseparable.

At least Lu Xiangsheng, who was holding the book of war, had already responded with solemn eyes.

As for the meeting today, Zheng Haizhu has been planning and planning since Zhang Dai suggested the establishment of a library last year.

Any traveler who has a little knowledge of the history of the late Ming Dynasty, who came to the end of Wanli, took the initiative to choose to take root in Songjiang, and will not miss the Lide Not far away, Lu Xiangsheng in Yixing, who will only be a Jinshi during the Tianqi period.

That is an all-rounder who at first glance seems to be a small-town problem solver, but who actually has all kinds of literary and military skills.

It was a Jinshi and a local official for the first time, who could fight to the death for the safety of the people and the evil forces.

He was a ruthless man who wore a civil official's robe, but could mount a gun and mount a horse with two thousand recruits against tens of thousands of bandits.

That was a tough man who resolutely refused to make peace and wanted to fight the invaders to the end.

That is a hero who still sticks to the city after being framed by his own people and vows not to surrender to the death.

It was a hero who, after the city was broken, despised the lure of fame and fortune like dung, and died for his country.

That was the last face of the Ming Empire in the mouth of later generations.

……

Lu Xiangsheng, 17 years old this year, is still too early to be honored as the "Jade Faced God of War" in the future, but his eyes are full of brilliance and his body is imposing, but he has faintly revealed his dignified demeanor.

His ancestor was Lu Zhaolin, one of the "Four Heroes of the Early Tang Dynasty". A large family moved south to Yixing at the end of the Song Dynasty.

Therefore, the children of the Lu family are used to going to Yingtianfu to take part in the provincial examination, or to visit the famous cities of Suzhou and Hangzhou.

When Zheng Shoukuan found Zhangzhu Town, Yixing according to his aunt's instructions, and explained his sincere invitation, Lu Xiangsheng was a little weird at first, but after carefully looking at the titles listed by Zheng Shoukuan, Liu Bowen's "Hundred Wars" and Qi Shaobao's " That's all for Ji Xiao's New Book, Tang Shunzhi's "Wu Bian", Wang Shouren's "Soldier Talisman Control", and Hu Xianzhong's "Wu Lue Shen Ji" are also available in full print, which makes my heart itch.

Lu Xiangsheng's father, Lu Guolin, also has a bit of the heroic blood of the ancestors of the Tang Dynasty in his bones. He knew that his son loved the art of war more than his career. The boy came to Songjiang Mansion to find out what happened.

Now, seeing Lu Xiangsheng is believing.

The school, the students, the attic, the collection of books, the businessman "Miss Zheng" who enshrines Grandpa Yue, and the official family of the young lady who has a lot of background but has become a school teacher beside her are all real.

The last bit of doubt in his heart disappeared.

It turns out that in Jiangnan, besides the Four Books and Five Classics and scientific examinations, there is also such a wonderful little world.

This is a completely different world from Nanjing Guozijian, Wuxi Donglin Academy and Yixing Sociology.

Lu Xiangsheng couldn't help recalling that when he was young, behind the government office of his grandfather who was the county magistrate, there was a sandy land and a pond. He often wore the dolls from his neighbors, and used bamboo branches as swords and guns, pebbles as cities, and paper boats as warships. , simulating the Chanyuan land battle and Huangtiandang water battle in the Song Dynasty.

Today, Aunt and Nephew Zheng's unique academy, oh no, this school reminds him of the sandy land and ponds back then.

Future God of War's cheeks were no longer hot, and he asked bluntly: "Miss Zheng, can Lu live in this library for half a month?"

Zheng Haizhu said with a smile: "Young Master, you can stay as long as you want. When reading at night, just be careful of the fire and candle. If you are called in daily life and travel, you can find my nephew to be lenient, or tell Guan Cao."

She paused, glanced at the square scarf on Lu Xiangsheng's head, and said: "Young master is already a scholar, so you must go to Yingtian Mansion Qiuwei next year, right? Mr. Yao's husband, Mr. Huang, who is promoted by the mansion, is last year. Jinshi, if you want to ask for advice about your career, you can also visit."

Because Mrs. Yao got Zheng Haizhu to promote Lu's family background in Yixing in advance, she can feel that she is quite a character after seeing it today.The eldest son, Huang Zongxi, is currently being educated in Dong Qichang's private school. Yao, who is quite picky about the character of men, is very concerned about the dandyism of the third generation of the Dong family. I was in a hurry several times.

This Mr. Lu in front of him is very eye-catching, as the big brother to lead Zong Xi, he is really a good candidate.

Then Yao took Zheng Haizhu's words smoothly, and extended a sincere invitation to Lu Xiangsheng: "My husband is a disciple of Donglin Academy. Since you are from Yixing, you must come to the house for a light meal."

Lu Xiangsheng hurriedly returned the gift.

Zheng Haizhu thought, this is right.

As a descendant of me, writing can't shock the wind and rain, poetry can't weep ghosts and gods, and Wu can't find white feathers in plain sight, and disappear among the stone edges.

What I can do is not to rely on a bit of God's perspective to gather the friendship of you late Ming elites in advance.

Zheng Haizhu became more and more excited to match the thread, and said to Lu Xiangsheng: "Young master, as Grandpa Yue said, he is devoted to the art of war and martial arts. There is another more coincidental thing, there is a famous general in Sichuan and Shu, We are going to Songjiang in two days. Do you want to meet me, Young Master?"

(End of this chapter)