In the past few days, Suzhou City, Gusu Academy is busy recruiting a group of students.

On this day, the apprenticeship ceremony of the college is being held.

In Suzhou Prefecture and the surrounding county capitals, students who came to study were standing in the courtyard outside the central hall of the academy, dressed in clean and tidy scholars' clothes. The gentleman of the college tidied up the clothes for the students one by one.

This is followed by a kneeling prayer. A row of students walked into the main hall, bowed down to worship the portrait of the master, and bowed nine times. Then he bowed to the mountain chief, sir, and bowed three times.

This is the hall of the academy, the portrait of Confucius is hung on the wall, and the motto of the academy is inscribed on the wall next to it, and the font is embarrassing and powerful, which is the inscription of the late Mr. Gao.

This group of schoolchildren is not very old, and there are also girls, and Yu'er is also a big child among them. Dressed in a green shirt, he respectfully followed the instructions of the gentleman and performed a big salute.

The children presented six salutes, and after cleaning their hands, Mr. "Cinnabar Enlightenment" for the students.

After the ceremony, one by one stood in the courtyard and listened to the words of the mountain chief.

Rong Niang waited outside the courtyard, watching the fish baby apprentice, with mixed feelings in her heart, and she didn't feel tears rolling in her eyes.

Lian'er was still quick-eyed, took out a handkerchief, and helped her mother wipe away the tears hanging on her face.

At this time, Lian'er looked at her mother so closely, she was a little stunned, and then comforted: "Mother, are you worried about the fish? ”

Only then did Rong Niang realize that she had lost her temper, and there were other children's parents around.

Rong Niang laughed and whispered to Lian'er: "It's for my mother to think too much." Mother don't wait, so as not to distract him, mother is waiting for you in the carriage. You wait here for the fish and give him the package. Tell him to listen to his husband in the academy, study hard, and live up to his mother's expectations. ”

After Rong Niang finished speaking, she turned around and walked out of the courtyard and walked towards the gate of the academy. Rong Niang wiped her face with a handkerchief as she walked.

Outside the gate, Steward Xu and the coachman were waiting in front of the car, and when they saw Rong Niang coming out alone, Steward Xu hurriedly stepped forward and held Rong Niang with his hand.

"Madam, what's wrong with you? It's a good thing for my son to study, why are you crying? Today is a good day, don't hurt yourself. Steward Xu asked in a soft voice.

"It's okay, the son travels thousands of miles, and the mother is worried. Besides, seeing that he can enter the academy to study with peace of mind, it can be regarded as worthy-" Rong Niang replied, and stopped before she finished speaking.

Steward Xu immediately understood Rong Niang's thoughts, and hurriedly said with a smile: "Madam, don't you work weekdays, isn't it just for the son? ”

Rong Niang burst into tears and laughed, and with the support of Steward Xu, she stepped on the footstool and got into the carriage.

Sitting in the carriage, Rong Niang feigned anger and said: "The academy is important, don't boast, you have insulted Sven." ”

Steward Xu also laughed, there was still a series of beautiful words to say, and when he saw that his wife's mood was improving, he turned to say: "Yes, what Mrs. taught me is that this is the best academy in Suzhou Mansion, where literati gather, and villains are talkative." ”

"Exactly. This is a academy opened by the descendants of the Gao family, think about Mr. Gao back then, but Emperor Taizu was eager for a great talent. It's a pity - now that I think about it, I can't help but sigh. Rong Niang sighed.

Looking at the renovated and scattered houses, as well as the gate of the academy, the ink pen of Mr. Gao, the great literati of the year, Rong Niang fell into deep thought again.

Steward Xu waited aside, not daring to say more, he understood what his wife was thinking, and he was afraid that if he didn't say a good word, he would make his wife sad.

But it was the driver who drove the car and said loudly, "Well, ma'am, you ought to be happy." My boy, I can have half of your son-in-law to learn, I am content, even if it is begging on the street, I will provide him with education. But he is not angry, he knows all day long that he is messing around outside and causing trouble everywhere. Dragons give birth to dragons, phoenixes give birth to phoenixes, and rats are born to make holes. It seems that when our family can produce a scholar, we have to rely on the green smoke from the ancestral grave. ”

The coachman's words made Rong Niang smile and comforted: "The line is the champion, your baby may not like to read, so she can't ask for it." ”

"Yes, Madame is right. The coachman replied.

The three of them chatted about their daily routines like this, waiting for Lian'er outside.

After the apprenticeship ceremony, Yu'er found Lian'er and asked, "Where is my mother?"

Lian'er said: "Don't look, my mother is outside the academy. Don't wait, she's afraid you'll be distracted. Before leaving, she specially instructed you to study hard and live up to your mother's expectations. There are also no allowed to fool around outside the academy, and honestly stay in the academy to study. The college is on vacation, so I go home early to save my mother from worrying about being at home. When I have some spare time, I write more letters to my mother to make my mother feel relieved. Have you written them all?"

The fish nodded, her eyes a little moist, and she couldn't speak for a while. Lian'er comforted: "You study hard, which is the greatest reward for your mother." Don't let sister, underestimate you. ”

"Mother is still waiting for me outside, you can go back to the school. If there is anything important, you can talk to the mountain chief, it is a close friend of the gentleman. By the way, besides, the clothes, shoes, and socks that my mother and I made for you are also in the package, and you are not allowed to bathe in the river again-"

Lian'er wanted to speak and stopped, but felt like she didn't say a lot. Looking at Yu'er's desire to cry, he was also a little moved, after all, Yu'er was still so far away from home for the first time, and he used to take care of him by himself, but now that he was going to study in the academy, Lian'er had an indescribable feeling.

The night before going out, the words that my mother said to Lian'er made Lian'er a little overwhelmed. At this moment, facing the fish, Lian'er didn't know how to comfort him.

Before leaving, he took out a pink purse from his waist, stuffed it into Yu'er's hand, and whispered: "This is the private money I usually save, save money." If that's not enough, write to your family. ”

She urged the fish to go back, turned and left, looking back from time to time. Seeing that Yu'er was still standing there in a daze, Lian'er waved her hand from time to time, signaling him to go back, tears instantly slid down her face, and now she seemed to be able to understand her mother's feelings. In Lian'er's impression, her mother is a strong woman. Even when she was a child, she fled with her and the fish, or was robbed by bandits, but her mother never shed tears.

She understands that it is the mother's concern and reluctance to leave her child.

Lian'er walked away, and Yu'er was still standing there, knowing that he had grown up and would have to work his own in the future.

The fish forced her tears to keep herself from crying. It wasn't until Lian'er's back disappeared in front of her that Yu'er ran back to her residence with the package.

"Madame is so blessed, a man and a woman, just wait for the blessings in the future. The coachman said enviously.

Seeing that Lian'er had left the academy, Steward Xu hurriedly stepped forward and helped Lian'er to get into the car, and the coachman said with a smile: "Miss, hurry up and get in the car, let's go home." ”

"Well, let's go home. When you get home, let Steward Xu accompany you to have a few drinks, you have worked hard these days. Rong Niang said with a smile.

The coachman withdrew his footstool, untied the rope tied to the tree, and replied with a smile: "Thank you, ma'am, you are very kind." You said that I am a banker, that is, a servant of people's lives, and you are really good to us. Madam, don't say it, there are really few kind-hearted nobles like you. ”

The coachman didn't care whether anyone listened or not, he just said in a loud voice: "Madam, don't you know, those rich and powerful people really don't think we are individuals, it's rare to be like you-"

The coachman drove the carriage and chatted with the butler on the side, and the carriage drifted away.

At this time, Yu'er was standing outside the academy, watching the carriage go away, tears streaming down her cheeks—