Chapter 5: Pursuing Education

Bai Gui caught sight of Liu Mouer, and a hint of envy flashed in her eyes

Feeding horses requires patience, and Bai Gui has benefited from the guidance and teachings of Bai Youde. He has long been accustomed to how to feed horses and ensure they gain weight.

He walked to the stable as usual, preparing to feed the black horse

Wait for the half-grown black horse to finish its feed

Most of the money in the wealthy families of the village is saved, extracted from the tightest of lips.

The universe is vast and profound, the cosmos is boundless

"It was given by the young master..." After hesitating for a moment, Liu Mouer still decided to tell the truth, perhaps he did not understand what it meant to conceal. "This morning, your father asked the master to extend some credit to buy you books. The young master who passed by overheard it and said that after you enroll, you will sit next to him. He has some leisure books, so you can read them first. The backpack was given at that time."

"Do not say anything more, Uncle. You attend to your own matters; Brother Gui has two people to take care of him, and no one can bully him." Lu Zhaopeng exuded an air of elegance, not resembling a young master from the countryside, but rather akin to Confucius Xu.

Lu Zhaopeng and Lu Zhaohai appeared unfazed, as if they were accustomed to flattery.

Compared to the awe-inspiring employer, Bai Gui is more approachable

There is no backpack

If he does not carry the backpack gifted by Lord Lu today, the Lu family may not openly say anything, but behind the scenes, it could lead to trouble. They might not allow his family to work as long-term servants in the Lu household, or they could find a pretext to make things difficult for him or his father.

Bai Gui sat cautiously beside the two individuals

It takes half a day to go and half a day to return

Bai Gui was somewhat resistant to this backpack

At the break of dawn, several roosters in the courtyard shook their bodies, then stretched their necks and began to crow

"Esteemed young master, this table and bench will be placed here," Liu Mouer rubbed his hands and then smiled ingratiatingly at Lu Zhaopeng and Lu Zhaohai's table. "Young master, second young master, the esteemed young master will be studying in this classroom today. If you have any instructions for him, please feel free to give them. By the way, the master has said that the esteemed young master is your book boy."

During this period, making a set of coarse cloth garments would require a base cost of three to four hundred wen

The sword is named "Giant's Abyss", and the pearl is called "Nightlight"

A backpack must also be made of coarse cloth, and a piece of coarse cloth one foot long costs about twenty to thirty wen

The Master said: "A disciple should be filial when at home, respectful to elders when outside, cautious and trustworthy, broad in love for all, and close to the benevolent. If there is extra energy, then one should study literature..."

Bai Gui, upon hearing this, felt somewhat uneasy. He set down the eggshell that had just been licked by the horse and rummaged through a corner of the earthen house to find a piece of black wooden board, measuring two feet long and one foot wide, which he had salvaged from a dilapidated kiln, taken from a door of a house.

It is all about human relationships and social etiquette

In the western side of the house, through the window frames, several children of about half-grown age can be seen studying diligently. Each one is dressed in cotton jackets, their faces slightly flushed. They glance at the book and then recite a passage from memory.

However, a well-bred superior horse has been turned into a mediocre one, which is equivalent to causing the owner to suffer a loss of several dozen taels of silver, an unbearable burden

However, during winter there is no work, and the idle energy is not supported; the employer will not generously provide the extra money for a horse-drawn carriage, so it is mostly walking, from Bailu Village to the city and back.

The Lu family residence is not far from the ancestral hall

A total of one day

Feeding during the third watch of the night has always been the responsibility of Bai Youde

This is the backpack that your father asked the old master for in the morning. It has been used by the young master and has a few patches, so don't be picky about it. Liu Mouer touched a folded cloth bag at her waist, looking at the piece of fabric with a hint of envy

Departing from Bailu Village, it takes two hours by horse-drawn carriage to reach Xi'an City

Big, wait a moment

For example, when Yan Jiansheng from "The Scholars" was on his deathbed, he could not close his eyes, solely because of the two wicks in the lamp, fearing that the oil would be wasted

He should not be speaking such idle talk

After the snowfall, the freshly fallen snow is not slippery, but with more people walking on it, the snow gets packed down and turns to ice, so one must be cautious to avoid slipping

A fabric bag made from a blend of high-quality coarse blue cloth and fine white cloth

Some are still studying the "Thousand Character Classic" from their early education, while others, who progress more quickly, have already begun to memorize the "Analects"

After a distance of three to four hundred steps, he arrived in less than the time it takes to brew a cup of tea

To refuse to partake in food that is offered without merit may seem easy at first glance

The only drawback is that there is a bowl-sized green patch on the front of the bag

Having filled another gourd with clear water, I hung it at my waist, using the previously mentioned grain bag to hold the old brush and old inkstone gifted by Scholar Xu.

During the Shunzhi and Kangxi periods, the price of one foot of cloth ranged from over 10 to 20 wen. By the Jiaqing and Daoguang periods, the price fluctuated between 30 and 40 wen per foot. Although the forced opening of the seas allowed foreign cloth to flood into the Qing market, its impact was limited to coastal areas, and the interior regions had not yet been significantly affected, with prices only slightly lower by a few wen compared to previous times

His desk and stool were placed next to Liu Mouer, sitting close to Lu Zhaopeng and Lu Zhaohai.

However, he does not know whether Liu Mouer envies the cotton-padded jacket worn by Meng Tong or the books he reads

In ancient times, it was quite common for individuals to mature early, with many marrying at the age of fourteen.

Without much thought, because I had walked quite a bit on the mountain roads yesterday, my body and mind were somewhat fatigued, so that night, Bai Gui slept particularly soundly

The biological clock is ringing

Somewhat unattractive

He has carved it with an axe, and the original appearance is no longer discernible

According to his understanding during this period, both the esteemed master Lu Taiheng of the Lu family and the master Lu Zilin are extremely stingy. Although this cloth bag appears to be damaged, it has actually been unstitched and turned into fabric, which can still be worth over 100 wen.

Liu Mouer, drenched in hot sweat, emerged from the adjacent house, carrying a table bench, a long bench, and a tall wooden table on his shoulder. "Dear child, your father said for me to take you to school, so we shall set off now."

The road is quite slippery

A night without conversation

Lu Zhaopeng ... ... Bai Gui was momentarily bewildered, but soon regained his composure and collected the patched cloth bag.

Staying up late at night is harmful to one's health

He knows what kind of cowardice lies behind Lu Zilin, who is not a good person

It is not impossible to feed the horse fewer times during the weekdays

There is no such thing as something for nothing

Horses are delicate creatures, requiring feeding four to five times a day, with three feedings of hay and two of grain. Even at the third watch of the night, one must wake to feed them once more. This is why there is a saying that a horse cannot thrive without night feed.

Bai Guisheng was recognized as Bai Youde's godson the moment he was born, as he was held by Bai Youde. Both Bai Youde and he were long-term workers commonly employed by the Lu family, and they shared a deep bond.

One must be cautious

Bai Gui bit his lip, placed the contents of the grain bag back into his backpack, hoisted it onto his shoulder, and turned his back to Liu Mouer. His face flushed for a moment, but after being chilled by the wind and snow, he soon returned to his usual complexion

A quarter of an hour has passed

This is akin to social engagements; if you do not express gratitude today, will it not turn against you in the future

The number of people who can provide Bai Jiaxuan with the opportunity to attend school is ultimately limited to a few

Bai Gui also got up, rubbed his sleepy eyes, yawned, and rolled off the kang. His clothing was very simple; he merely put on a layer of linen garment before getting out of bed

What surprised Bai Gui slightly was that Bai Youde did not force him to hand over the remaining silver from selling mountain goods. He speculated that perhaps, considering his somewhat different demeanor compared to his peers, Bai Youde no longer regarded him as a mere child.

Early in the morning, while the sky was still somewhat dim, Bai Gui heard some noises. He estimated that Bai Youde had gone to the city, which would take a whole day for a round trip.

However, if Bai Gui Bai is to thank Lord Lu Zilin, then that would be his mistake