Pingtong south of the city, cold study.

This private school is small in size and poorly decorated, but there are many students.

From the study, a child's immature voice came out.

Zeng Zi said: Scholars can't do without Hongyi, and there is a long way to go. Benevolence is its own responsibility, isn't it also important? Death is gone, isn't it far away? ”

"Zi said: The future is terrifying, but do you know if it will come now?" (Note 1)

Weiwei's reading voice is as loud as the breeze, even if she can't understand it, she is happy, but she can listen to it with relish.

"Stop."

The old master Qi, who had sparse silver threads on his head and few left, looked at the sky, stood up, closed the book, and said, "It's not too early, all beings go home, and we will be here today." ”

The little dolls sitting in the audience were all wearing the same style of clothes, their faces were happy, they got up together, bowed to the old master Qi, and said in unison: "There is Mr. Lao!" Goodbye sir! ”

Old Master Qi waved his hand and said, "Go back, be careful on the road." ”

Before Old Master Qi's words fell, those little dolls laughed and put the books into their small schoolbags or small bookcases, and walked out of the door of the cold study with a smile.

Old Master Qi looked at the backs of everyone leaving, and also shook his head and smiled helplessly, packed up his things, and prepared to go home.

Han Shuzhai has three teaching gentlemen, the three of them are the same year, and they are all born in the mud legs near Pingtong, after being admitted to Xiucai, there is no land and silver at home, and there is no way to go up, nor is there an amazing talent, so there is no further statement.

The three of them were frustrated, so they went back to Pingtong and set up this cold study.

The weather is cold, the food is cold, and the family is cold, only the pages of the book add warm charcoal. (Note 2)

The cold study is taken from this meaning.

The three of them opened the cold study in order to let the children who were as poor and studious as the three of them at the beginning have books to read, and they can take fewer detours, so that they will not be like them, so that they will not stumble to such an age.

When you are old, there is no hope.

Old Master Qi walked out of the door of the study and told the concierge to remember to lock the door at night.

In fact, where is the need to lock the door, the tuition fee charged by the cold study is not much, and it is not easy to maintain daily operations, and it is not easy to afford the wages of the three old talents and this gatehouse, how can there be any spare money to buy decoration?

The porter just thought about it in his heart, and didn't say anything, just nodded in agreement.

Old Master Qi nodded with satisfaction and was about to leave, when suddenly an old man stepped forward.

"Is it Mr. Han Shuzhai?"

This old man is the old man Chen who is worried about Ergou's study.

"Yes, I am. Who are you? Old Master Qi asked suspiciously, looking at the concierge on the side.

The porter understood, and explained: "This old man has been here for half an hour, and he said that he wanted to ask his grandson if he could come to our study to study." ”

Old Master Qi understood, looked at Old Man Chen's hard clothes and the mud on his body, and smiled kindly: "Please, I'll talk to you in detail." ”

Then he said to the porter with some reproach: "You are really, didn't I say that when someone visits, please come into the study and sit and wait." How embarrassed is it to ask someone to stand outside the door? What a faux pas! ”

The porter was a little aggrieved, and Old Man Chen hurriedly helped him defend himself: "Mr. misunderstood, just now this little brother asked me to come in, but didn't I hear the children inside reciting the book?" It wouldn't be good if I went in and made noise with the children. ”

Old Man Chen glanced at the plaque with the words "Han Shuzhai" written on it above the door, and felt a sense of awe in his heart.

At this time, the atmosphere of the Tang Dynasty was like this, the literati had a high status, and the martial artists were inferior.

Whether it is the rivers and lakes or the court, only chivalry violates the ban with martial arts, but no one mentions Confucianism and literature to violate the law.

Old man Chen is such a mud-legged man, when he saw the school, his admiration arose spontaneously, and he was afraid that he would be dirty and defile such a place.

Old Master Qi sighed, although he didn't read very high, he still understood the reason why Old Master Chen said this.

Without him, if you see more, you will understand.

That's why he's willing to take in some poor students.

Old Man Chen was a little scared, and Old Master Qi invited him into the study and personally poured him a cup of tea.

Old Man Chen took it with both hands, looking a little cramped and uneasy.

The two are the same age, and at their age, as long as they are not more than ten years apart, they are actually very different.

Old Master Qi asked gently, "Dare to ask you this year?" ”

Old Man Chen put down the teacup, a little restrained, and replied, "I am sixty-five years old this year." ”

Old Master Qi laughed and said, "I'm three years younger than you, so I'll call you brother." Dare to ask my brother, how old is your grandson this year? ”

When Old Man Chen heard that the other party was so friendly, he actually called himself "brother", which was like a spring breeze, but he still felt that he couldn't afford it.

People are scholars, and they are talents who have been admitted to the exam.

What are you? It's just a farmer who knows a few words and can use an abacus.

It's just three years older than others, how dare you have the cheekiness to recognize the word "brother"?

He didn't dare to shout again and again, and said: "My grandson is seven years old, and in more than a month, he will be eight years old on August 15. ”

Old Master Qi nodded, noncommittal, and said, "What's the child's name?" ”

After Old Man Chen's old face turned old, he looked a little embarrassed, and he hesitated for a while before he said: "That kid only has a nickname, called Ergou." His father and mother left him when he was not a few months old, leaving no big name. I'm a person who hasn't read a book, and I'm afraid that I'll give the child a bad idea, so I'm just waiting to send him to study, so that I can give him a big name. ”

Old Man Chen's words are half-true and half-false, so that people can't see the truth and reality, and it is naturally mixed with a little bit of his careful thinking.

"Condolences."

Old Master Qi knew it, but he wouldn't expose it, it wasn't a big deal, but it was a little funny, so he smiled.

"Have you ever read a book?"

"Yes, yes, yes." Old Master Qi's kindness eased the tension of Old Man Chen a lot after entering the cold study, and said, "He can write, and I also bought some books, and he can memorize them." ”

Speaking of this, Old Man Chen straightened his waist.

Thanks to Xiao Wang. If he hadn't been urging him these days, Ergou wouldn't have endorsed it.

"Good."

Old Master Qi still had that gentle smile on his face, he asked about the situation of Ergou again, learned about the Chen family's family background, and knew about it, so he sent Old Man Chen to the door of the cold study.

"Brother, I understand your grandson's situation. That's it," Old Master Qi glanced at the concierge and said, "The day after tomorrow, I will still be in class, you will still be at this hour, you bring Ergou here, I will talk to him, if I can, I will accept Ergou's child." ”

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Note 1: From the Analects.

Note 2: I am oiling and laughing.