Red Mansion Reader

Chapter 6

On the first day of class, Chen Heng was still a little excited.After all, this opportunity came because he thought about it day and night, so he dared not be careless in his heart.

Waiting left and right to get all the students together, Mr. Wang didn't give them time to make friends.When the last student appeared, Master Wang had already stepped into the room.

Under Chen Heng's expectant gaze, Mrs. Wang took out the books and began to teach the children about illiteracy.You heard that right, it is to teach them to read and write.

I don't know the situation in Yangzhou City, but in Shanxi Village, illiteracy is common. Occasionally, if someone can write a few words, they can chat loudly in the village.

Master Wang's method of teaching calligraphy is also simple. He took out a few pieces of paper that had been written in advance and pasted them on the wall one by one.For example, today's teaching is: Three Character Classic.

What is posted on the wall is, at the beginning of human beings, the twelve characters of nature are inherently good.Mrs. Wang will take the book first and lead everyone to read the teaching content three times, and then correct the pronunciation one by one according to the font and explain the meaning of the words.

Finally, in the center of the school, Master Wang also prepared a round and short sand table. In the afternoon, Master Wang felt that the content of the morning teaching was similar.Students will be asked to write one by one, not to write correctly, but to cultivate their understanding of the font structure in the process.

The content sounds very simple, and Chen Heng is very devoted to learning.Why do you think that all the characters used in ancient times are traditional characters.

In his previous life, although he spent a long time in various forums, he developed the automatic translation function of simplified and traditional fonts.

But when it comes to writing, this college student who has written simplified characters all his life is inevitably a little bit guilty.It is easier to know than to do, and for things like learning, you can't be half-sloppy.

Especially when he heard online friends say that in the ancient imperial examinations, the examiners would throw away the test papers because of your ugly handwriting.

Now that you have made up your mind, you must do your best from the beginning.Chen Heng, who studied hard, won unanimous praise from others.Master Wang was satisfied with his seriousness, and other disciples also felt that this new friend was very hardworking, and they might rely on Chen Heng to help him when he was taking the teaching examination in the future.

Then, they are a disaster.

According to the teacher's teaching habit, every morning, he will check the content taught yesterday, and then continue to teach new ones.The original few people are already lively and active, how much can they remember after a night.

Compared with them, Chen Heng, who is willing to work hard, has caught up with their learning content in the past two months after only seven days of class, and even pulled a lot away.

But the master was not Chen Heng's master alone. It was clear that Chen Heng had already run ahead, but Wang Xianming had to stop behind, waiting for others to catch up slowly, which greatly affected Chen Heng's study progress and his enthusiasm for teaching.

With this slightly happy distress, Mrs. Wang told Mrs. Liu about it at dinner.

"Then what do you want to do?"

Facing Mrs. Liu's inquiry, Master Wang said calmly: "What else can I do, pearls cannot be placed in the sand, how can a good horse be troubled by a bad horse, you should return all the Shuxiu they sent."

"Don't want any of them? You can think clearly, the grandson in the village is also here with us."

"Yes." Master Wang nodded her head, "I have taught Heng'er, but I don't want to teach others for now."

"Okay, it's all up to you. Don't come forward about this matter. I'll go over and talk about it when the time comes." Liu was worried that Mrs. Wang's face-saving character would make it difficult for both parties to get off the stage.

Mrs. Wang didn't care either, he had a lot of things on his mind now.As if thinking of something, he suddenly asked, "Is the portrait of the master at home still there?"

"You are here, why ask this?"

"I want to enlighten Heng'er."

Master Wang put down his chopsticks, raised his eyebrows, and said word by word.

……

After dinner, Mrs. Wang walked to Lao Chen's house and knocked on the door a few times as usual.Coincidentally, it was Chen Huaijin who opened the door, this time he didn't yell, but stood by the door and saluted Wang Xianming.

"You don't need to be formal, is your father at home?" Mrs. Wang asked with a smile, changing from being strict in class.

"Yes, yes. Please come in quickly, sir." Chen Huaijin hurriedly led Wang Xianming into the house. When the two walked through the dark courtyard, Wang Xianming stopped slightly. He turned sideways, and could vaguely hear the sound of reading from the east wing.

Chen Huaijin is a man with sharp eyesight. Seeing this scene, he quickly praised his nephew, "This child, after going home to eat every day, he just reads in the house. He never relaxes for a moment, even my mother feels distressed when he sees it."

"This is what a scholar looks like." Wang Xianming was very satisfied with his rare face-to-face compliment, "Don't disturb the child to study, you call Heng'er's parents."

Hey, why do you call our child 'Heng'er'?Chen Huaijin couldn't help but taste a little bit.

Mrs. Wang didn't notice the change of Chen Huaijin's mood, but just strode towards the lobby of the house, Chen Yushan had already seen him.

The two chatted briefly, then sat down and waited for Chen Qi and Gu Shi.When the latter arrived in a hurry, Wang Xianming briefly explained the purpose of coming, which confused the adults of Old Chen's family.

"Sir, is there any difference between this enlightenment?" Asking this kind of thing is the most suitable for Chen Huaijin.

Wang Xianming pondered for a moment, glanced over the crowd, his expression unconsciously became solemn, and said in a deep voice, "This is the first major event in a scholar's life."

When everyone heard it, even though they didn't understand it, they all respected it.After the teacher and the members of the Chen family finished explaining what Kaimeng was going to prepare, Wang Xianming got up and floated away.

Only the Chen family members were left dumbfounded on the spot, only daring to look at each other and dare not speak.After a long silence, Chen Huaijin, who was still bold, spoke first: "This... this, just read a book, it's too expensive."

Zhou smiled wryly at the side, and couldn't help thinking inwardly: Fortunately, I said the ugly words first that day.

"Father, those things that Mr. said, do you want to..."

It was about Chen Heng's important matter, so the father naturally didn't dare to be careless, and looked at Chen Yushan with a little anxiety.

The head of the family couldn't help holding his forehead, and sighed: "Let me take it easy, let me take it easy. Don't let Ergou know about this."

The tossing and turning night passed, and on the second day, Shanxi Village was already bustling with activity. After lunch, news spread that Master Wang had persuaded all the children under his name to leave.

Chen Yushan and Chen Qi, who were still working honestly in the fields, were so frightened that they left the farm work on the spot and rushed home. Seeing that Chen Heng was still studying at Mr. Wang's house honestly, they complained to each other that the wind was rain.

But it was also a coincidence that they came back, just in time for Mrs. Liu to come home with a bundle.

This is a rare visitor, all the men in the family avoid it, and Zhou Shi, who is also an old lady, sits in the lobby and entertains the distinguished guests with her eldest daughter-in-law.

Although Mrs. Liu has studied for a few years, she has a very sharp personality. She explained her purpose in a few words, opened her bag, and a brand new robe appeared in front of Mrs. Zhou.

"This is what my grandson wore when he was in enlightenment. The master was in a hurry. He said that he wanted to give Heng'er an enlightenment, and he even set a time. I was worried that my sister-in-law's family would not be able to find suitable clothes for a while, so I had the audacity to bring them. My grandson only wore this dress once when he was in enlightenment. I have treasured this dress since he passed the Tongsheng examination.

Originally, I wanted to wait until he was in high school before taking out this thing, so that he could recall the hardships along the way.Now it's a coincidence, meeting Heng'er Kaimeng, presumably it's some kind of fate.I hope my sister-in-law will accept it. "

After the words were finished, the inside and outside were appropriate, and he was very considerate of the Chen family's face, only to let Mrs. Zhou smile happily, and motioned Mrs. Gu to accept it.The two talked for a while, and when they were about to part.Mrs. Zhou thought of the panic in front of Chen Yushan.

I couldn't help asking a question: "I heard from the village this morning that the master persuaded all the children in the school to go back. Our family has always respected the teacher as a person. If he sees these gossips, he must have a good argument."

Liu's self-cultivation is very good, but she just explained gently: "This matter is really true, I just came back from Lizheng's house in the morning."

Look at my mouth, Mrs. Zhou felt deeply regretful, so she had no choice but to ask a little nervously: "Why is this, but at home..."

Looking at the old lady in front of her, Mrs. Liu suddenly smiled and said, "Master said, he taught Heng'er before, so he doesn't want to teach others."

Both Zhou Shi and Gu Shi were shocked when they heard the words, and got up in a daze to send Liu Shi away.When they returned to the lobby, they saw Chen Yushan and others who were frowning.

"Father, aren't you ready for what your husband said?"

Chen Qi asked half proudly and half distressed, but the word he used this time was 'no'. Presumably he realized that the matter had developed to this point, and their family could no longer say it.

Chen Yushan raised his head and sighed, "Let's start preparing, I'll go find the patriarch this afternoon."

…………

Three days later, it is an auspicious day.The sky is not yet white, the stars are gone, and the sun will not rise.

Most of the villagers are still asleep, but the old Chen's house is already brightly lit, which shows that the master's house is busy.The green bull in the shed raised its head and barked a few times into the air, which was to vent its resentment for being woken up.

"Heng'er, it's time to get up."

Holding the oil lamp in hand, Mrs. Gu came to Chen Heng's small bed.

"Mother, I know."

Chen Heng lifted his little quilt and jumped off the bed.

"Be careful, the ground is cold."

Just as Mrs. Gu was giving instructions, Chen Qi and Chen Huaijin walked into the house with a large bathtub, and there was a thick layer of herbs floating on it. Chen Heng couldn't recognize it, only saw pine leaves, cypress leaves and other things mixed in it.

"Come in quickly, my mother will wash it for you."

Gu Shi rolled up her sleeves, looking as if she wanted to wash from head to toe and do a big job.Chen Heng could only accept his fate, stripped off his clothes and jumped into the bathtub.

After washing up, Chen Heng put on the blue robe that his teacher's mother Liu sent earlier.It was a little big at first, but it was only after my mother and sister revised it day and night that it got the right size.

After drying her hair, Mrs. Gu pressed Chen Heng in front of her.In the past, the buns that Chen Heng combed were the two buns that are popular among children nowadays.Not today, because he has to wear a Confucian scarf.

When everything was done, Chen Heng, who had already changed into a scholar's attire, was taken out by Mrs. Gu.The three of Chen Gaishan who had been waiting in the courtyard couldn't help their eyes light up when they saw Chen Heng's appearance.

"Okay, okay." Chen Yushan was quite emotional, and said to his two sons: "Take Heng'er to the ancestral hall, the patriarch and master are already waiting for us."

This time when going out, Zhou Shi and Gu Shi are not easy to follow, they can only stay at home.No way, the ancient atmosphere is like this.When Chen Heng followed Chen Yushan to the ancestral hall, the sky had already turned gray, which was exactly the time when it was gray.

The patriarch Chen Xing first stood up and took Chen Heng to offer incense and kowtow to the ancestors. This is to tell them that they have children who are going to study, so please take care of them.

When the patriarch finished his work, it was Master Wang's turn to play.A portrait of Confucius hangs high.In front of the painting is a table for the Eight Immortals, with an incense burner at the front, and then some favorite snacks for scholars.

Thin and long zongzi, shaped like a writing brush, are called "pen zongzi". If you pronounce it a few times, you will know its meaning.The one in the middle is a square rice dumpling, shaped like an official seal. Its name is Yin Zong, which means that it naturally hopes that the child will become an official in high school as soon as possible.

There are many similar things, such as Dingsheng Cake, which are all clustered around the moon, centered on pen rice dumplings and printed rice dumplings.

Master Wang picked up the ready-made vermilion pen, and touched it between Chen Heng's eyebrows, leaving a vermilion color, which is enlightenment.Then he took Chen Heng to bow to the portrait of Confucius, and read: "The Master said: Learning and practicing it from time to time, it's not easy to say."

Chen Heng followed suit and said: "The Master said: Learn and practice from time to time, it's not easy to talk about it."

Li Cheng.

Seeing Mrs. Wang nodding, patriarch Chen Xing and grandfather Chen Yushan, one held a gong and the other played a drum, and they could only knock three times. This is to tell the ancestors that they are also from the same village, and our village is going to have scholars.

After personally experiencing the enlightenment ceremony, Chen Qi and Chen Huaijin realized that reading is a very important thing.His eyes quietly fell on the straight figure standing beside the master. Chen Heng had a solemn face, and stood with his hands behind his back, letting the breeze blowing into the hall to fiddle with the hem of his clothes.

At this time, the first ray of sunlight in the sky is shining in through the space in the middle of the ancestral hall. Outside the ancestral hall, the rooster crows, and the east is white.

Standing in the shadow of the corner of the eaves, seeing this scene, Mrs. Wang stroked his beard lightly, shook his head and said, "It's a good omen!"

I don't know if he will think of himself decades ago.

　Thank you for voting, and two book friends left a message, which is a surprise.Thanks to Maoji Beard, Yucheng Dada, it really makes me very happy to have someone bubbling in the book review area.

　　Come, come, let me remember the first time in this book.The first to vote: a big orange.The first comment is: cat chirping beard.The first inter-chapter dubbing is Gentle School Flower.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)