Chapter 46: Martial Arts and Literacy
When the grain is collected in autumn every year, the head of the village will select a few strong men from each village to transport the grain of the whole village to the county town.
This year, Liu Bo served as the captain of the Liujia Village grain transport team. He went to Kaiyang County and bought a candied haws for Jinbao and his niece Jinhua.
The brother and sister showed off in the village.
At that time, the family was very poor, with their mother dead and their father not caring about them. So the three brothers and sisters of Dalang yearned for the candied haws.
This time, Dalang and his two siblings could not only eat candied haws, but their father and stepmother would also take them to the city to play.
The next day, the four brothers and sisters got up after a good sleep, said something hurriedly to Qin Yao who was working out in the yard, and then swarmed down the hillside towards the village well.
Liu Jinbao and Liu Jinhua were playing there. The four siblings walked over and said they would go into the city in a few days.
Liu Jinbao and Liu Jinhua didn't believe it and said they were lying.
Dalang said, "My father has gone to the village chief to borrow an ox cart. It's true."
It seems a bit like showing off.
Si Niang also said: "Let's go to the city and buy some candied haws ourselves."
The children around heard this and were filled with envy.
Someone asked Si Niang if they could also try the candied haws.
Also, please ask Dalang and Erlang to tell them if they see anything delicious or fun in the city.
The four siblings had never been surrounded by so many people of their age before, and no one wanted to play with them before.
Except for Jinbao and Jinhua, I occasionally talk to them because of their relationship as relatives.
In fact, children are the most snobbish. They don't understand the concealment and hypocrisy of adults. They speak directly and often do not hide their malice at all.
Now the four Liu brothers and sisters live in a tiled house. Their parents took them to the county town and they all stay here again.
But children don't care so much, and when they are nice to you, they are genuine.
Soon, Si Niang followed her cousin Jinhua and other little girls in the village to play house.
The three older brothers went to the river with Liu Jinbao and other boys. Each of them broke off a branch and threatened to catch fish.
The river water is now much colder than it was a month ago, and they only dare to stand on the rocks.
Dalang had never been able to catch any fish before, but this time he actually did.
"Dad! Auntie!"
The three brothers ran back home in a hurry, holding the forked fish in their hands.
Dalang said excitedly: "I caught a fish!"
Liu Ji walked up to take a look at the three small fishes, which were three fingers wide, and said, "First, fry them until they are crispy, then add some water and some vegetables, and stew them into a vegetable and fish soup. Then, we can have meat again tonight."
He was so greedy that he sipped his saliva.
Fortunately, he has a good-looking face, otherwise anyone else would find him ugly.
Qin Yao was not surprised. Dalang was patient and did not give up even when he failed to catch any fish. After repeated attempts, it was certain that quantitative changes would lead to qualitative changes.
But since the children are happy, we still have to praise them.
Qin Yao smiled at Dalang and said, "Whether we can have meat every day in our family from now on depends on you."
The young boy scratched his head embarrassedly, then nodded vigorously, "Yeah!" He will try his best.
In the next few days, Qin Yao specially called Dalang and Erlang to join her when she got up early to exercise every day.
Run around the village twice and come back.
She herself was neither blushing nor out of breath, but the two younger ones were so tired that they were panting, and they were a long way behind her.
Qin Yao was already sitting at the door of her house eating steamed buns before the two of them went up the bridge.
After running in the morning and taking a break after breakfast, the four brothers and sisters sat in a row in the main room. Qin Yao took out a board, took a burnt stick from the stove, and started teaching them one sentence and three words every day, starting from the first word of the Three Character Classic.
Liu Ji secretly raised his eyebrows, knowing that Qin Yao could read, but he didn't know that she actually planned to teach the children to read.
It's not that he doesn't know the benefits of being literate, but that he understands a truth.
If you can't give him everything, it's better not to let him know this from the beginning.
If you remain ignorant, you won't suffer for not getting more later.
"For a family like us, why should we learn to read? It is not necessary." Liu Ji took a bowl of rice soup and leaned against the kitchen door, drinking it while muttering.
Qin Yao had good hearing and heard everything. She reminded Dalang and Erlang who were disturbed to concentrate, and raised her head to glance at Liu Ji dangerously.
"Knowledge that can be used in all aspects, you say it's useless?"
Liu Ji lowered his eyes and drank the soup without saying anything.
As for studying, it is not necessary to achieve success in order to be considered as studying, right?
Then he started to make fun of Qin Yao's handwriting. From the sound of it, it seemed that his handwriting was better than hers.
This guy has not been punished for a few days and is starting to become arrogant again.
Qin Yao raised the fire stick in her hand and threw it over, hitting Liu Ji's knee accurately and almost making him kneel down on the spot.
Now the man is obedient.
There was no paper or pen at home, so Dalang and his two siblings each took a small stick and practiced on a wooden board.
It's said that new brains are very useful. The four brothers and sisters learn very quickly.
But I forget it quickly.
Qin Yao gave me a test the day before bed, and I was able to read and write everything.
When I woke up the next morning, I had forgotten it.
Reading is all about repetition and reinforcement, so Qin Yao relearned everything from the second and first days on the third day.
Erlang began to complain, saying that he would rather run laps.
Qin Yao never indulges, "Then go ahead."
Jiro: "."
"I, I...I'd better study."
Liu Ji, who was squatting in the kitchen warming himself by the fire, couldn't help but burst out laughing.
When they returned to the room that night, Erlang and the twins lay on the bed complaining that it was difficult to learn to read.
Da Lang hurriedly pulled them up and said seriously:
"Others would beg for such an opportunity, but we have it. Our stepmother taught us martial arts and reading and writing. If Jin Bao and Jin Hua knew about this, they would envy us so much. But you don't want to learn."
Erlang and the other two thought it made sense, so they decided to persevere. If they could really be as powerful as their stepmother and hunt bears, that would be awesome!
With this in mind, the little ones adjusted their attitudes and studied hard. When they woke up the next day, they would hide in the house and remind each other what they had learned the day before to strengthen their memory.
In the few days before entering the city, the four brothers and sisters had already learned the four sayings: "Man is born good; natures are similar, but habits make them different."
But the meaning of these four sentences is a little difficult for them to understand.
Seeing Qin Yao worried about this, Liu Ji was bored and reminded her: "Why not start with the objects in our home? They are easier to remember and understand."
Qin Yao immediately looked at him. Yes, "You are right. Liu Ji, you will teach from now on. I will be responsible for assessing your learning results every week."
It was only after Qin Yao came that the family members understood the concept of a week with seven days.
Although they didn't understand the reason, Liu Dalang and his two siblings were already used to this saying, believing that what their stepmother said couldn't be wrong.
Liu Ji naturally understood it, and slapped his mouth in annoyance, saying, "Tell you not to talk too much!"
He agreed obediently.
But when I turned around, I was met with distrustful looks from the four kids.
Liu Ji snorted coldly, wanting to just brush it off, but he suddenly changed his mind and decided to let these four unfilial sons know how powerful their father was!
(End of this chapter)