Early Tang Dynasty: forge ahead

Chapter 61 Substitute
With Xi Junmai's support, Chen Qingsi became more confident in opening a nursing home and invested more in the construction of the nursing home.

That day, he was about to check on the progress of the nursing home, but Zhuang Minrui blocked him when he went out.

The old gentleman looked a little tired, and his back was a little stooped.

Chen Qingsi felt a little distressed and hurriedly stepped forward to help: "Mr. Zhuang, you can just let me know if you have something to do. Why bother to go there in person?"

Zhuang Minrui leaned on the ground with his cane and said: "County Magistrate Chen cares about the whole county, how can I dare to be too nagging? I just want to ask, how is the matter of hiring Mr. Chen?"

His words were partly angry and partly truthful.

Zhuang Minrui lives with his grandson. He can learn about the changes in the county from each other's mouth, and he is also happy.

It's just that Chen Qingsi left the huge county school to him and became the hands-off shopkeeper.

A member of his family worked hard and finally established the county school, trying to find ways to overcome all the insurmountable problems.

But there are some things that cannot be settled, such as teachers.

The county school gathered 420 three children, ranging in age from six to 12 years old.But there are only three teachers, one is him, one is the original teacher in the county, and the other is an old guy he had a falling out with in his early years.

For the sake of these children, he even risked his life to bow to his old enemy.

With just three people teaching more than 400 children, their lives will be lost.

Zhuang Mingrui tried to ask Shi Wuzi to remind Chen Qingsi to recruit some teachers, but nothing happened.

He knew that Chen Qingsi was busy and doing big things, but he really couldn't support it, so he had to come to the door in person.

Chen Qingsi was not ignorant of Zhuang Minrui's hard work, but he could not find a teacher qualified to teach in the county.

The literacy rate in this era is too low, and most ordinary people are illiterate.

Those who are able to read, except those from wealthy families, only those from poor families are left.Or there are people like Chen Qingsi, who have a big family like the Lanling Xiao family in the territory, and they set up volunteer schools and recruit talents for the development of the family.Ordinary people rarely have the opportunity to study.

After Qingxi County was purged by Chen Shuozhen and officers and soldiers, the local powerful people were gone. The group of people who had actually studied and had the ability to teach was also wiped out. Talents were scarce.

Seeing Zhuang Minrui so tired, Chen Qingsi said: "The county really can't find suitable people. I have written a letter and sent it to the governor of the state, asking him to help find a few respected gentlemen who can be hired with high salaries. But I haven't received any news yet. …”

"That's it!" Zhuang Minrui said, "Then I won't disturb the county magistrate."

He turned and left tremblingly.

Chen Qingsi felt a little sorry when she saw Zhuang Minrui like this. It was because there was really no one on hand that she humbly asked Zhuang Minrui to help him run a county school.

Facts have also proved that he has a good vision. Zhuang Minrui successfully opened the county school with one person's efforts and laid the foundation.

Chen Qingsi can imagine all kinds of hardships.

But who isn't?
Qingxi County looks like this. If it wants to survive and develop without bearing any burden, how will it face possible natural disasters?

Half of the winter has passed, and it is indeed not cold, but how dare Chen Qingsi gamble before that.

The county school was established first, and then the residential care home was established. This was based on the tragic idea of ​​taking care of the children first and then the elderly.

"Let's see, many things are in the regulations, but I have some spare time. I'll just make do for a while, and when the gentleman arranged by the state government arrives, everything will get better."

Chen Qingsi helped Zhuang Minrui walk towards the county school.However, Zhuang Minrui questioned with a bit of relying on his elders: "The ability of Magistrate Chen in governing the world is comparable to that of the ancient sages, and the old man dare not say more. But studying, is it different? Especially the enlightenment study, cannot be treated with adult thinking? Isn't it a masterpiece? It’s as simple as writing a poem or an article.”

Chen Qingsi raised his eyebrows. Couldn't this old guy say something nice?

"Don't worry, Mr. Zhuang, I will never mislead anyone."

When Chen Qingsi said this, he was a little unsure: he had never been a teacher.Looking back on the "Essential Instructions for Enlightenment" taught by my enlightenment teacher, I feel overwhelmed.

I followed Zhuang Minrui to the county school. Classes had not yet started, and hundreds of children gathered on the playground to play and bask in the sun.

When the children nearby saw Zhuang Minrui, they all stopped playing and bowed in various not-so-standard ways, saying, "Student, meet sir!"

Zhuang Mingrui also bowed in return.

Chen Qingsi couldn't help but be filled with emotion when she saw this scene.

The friendship between teachers and students was originally a noble sentiment comparable to that of father and son, but unfortunately it later changed in character.

A smile appeared on Zhuang Minrui's old face and he said: "The person next to you is the County Magistrate Chen who the gentleman told you about. He will give you a lecture today."

Upon hearing Chen Qingsi's identity, the surrounding students were also surprised, and they all followed suit, with gratitude flashing in their eyes.

They are still young and may not know the importance of studying, but they all understand that it is because of the young magistrate in front of them that they can fill their stomachs.

All the way through the playground, people kept saying "meet you sir".

The children all have the highest respect for Zhuang Minrui, who imparts knowledge to them.

Zhuang Mingrui rang the bell for class after obtaining Chen Qingsi's consent.

The county school has three classrooms, divided into age groups of six to eight, eight to ten, and eleven and twelve.

Zhuang Minrui specially arranged for Chen Qingsi to teach children between eight and ten years old. Children at this stage have a strong thirst for knowledge and are relatively well-behaved.The former has just become a governor and is prone to mischief, while the latter has many people asking weird questions for fear that Chen Qingsi won't be able to handle them.

Even so, Zhuang Mingrui was still worried that the county magistrate would mislead his disciples, so he chose to listen on the sidelines.

Chen Qingsi was a little nervous at first. When he stepped into the classroom, he heard hundreds of children shouting in unison: "Students have seen Mr. (Magistrate Chen)..."

The simple classroom was full of children. Looking at the red and immature little faces, all the anxiety disappeared.

He walked to the podium with his head held high and said: "Above this school, there are only students and teachers, and there is no county magistrate."

He picked up the book on the table and read the old-fashioned "Enlightenment Instructions". He felt confused when he saw the words "The universe is covered, the sun and the moon are bright. The fog, dew, frost and snow, the clouds, rain and clouds." He knew these words. , but what should I say to make the children accept it?
The students were very disciplined in the classroom, and they all quietly looked forward to the new teacher.

Chen Qingsi calmly closed the book and said, "Today we will learn something different."

Zhuang Minrui was looking forward to it from below, but after hearing these words, his whole face collapsed, and he was hesitating whether to stop it.

But Chen Qingsi took a charcoal pen and wrote the standard twelve large characters on the wooden board: "At the beginning of human beings, nature is good. Nature is similar, habits are far apart."

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(End of this chapter)