Chapter 189 Two Years of Free Education
Seeing the ancestral hall turned into a noisy vegetable market, the village chief shouted angrily:
"What are you arguing about! You guys really have no patience at all, and you still want to take away this huge benefit?"
Everyone was quiet for a while, and they murmured quietly: "Then please tell me quickly, what is the great benefit? Why can the tuition be reduced? What is the tuition?"
The village chief slammed the document on the table. Well, everything he had just read was in vain.
Oh, that's not right. I did hear the most crucial sentence.
The village chief no longer had any hope for this bunch of peasants. He raised his hand and ordered everyone to be quiet. Then he spoke again:
"The imperial court has announced great news. From now on, we peasants can send our children to school!"
As soon as these words were spoken, the ancestral hall, which had finally calmed down, suddenly exploded!
Qin Yao had been waiting for the village chief to tell her the key information, but she heard a noise in her ears again and her brows were furrowed so tightly that she could kill a mosquito.
When she looked up at the village chief, the old man's brows were even more furrowed than hers. This feeling of wanting to say something but being blocked and unable to say it was so fucking stupid!
Qin Yao decided to help the old village chief. She was so angry that she shouted on the spot:
"Everyone, shut up! If anyone interrupts before the village chief has finished speaking, I will throw him out! If you don't believe me, try it!"
Her roar was as powerful as a loud speaker turned up to the highest volume and played directly next to her ears. The villagers who had been making so much noise suddenly felt as if their souls were leaving their bodies and they were about to pass out from the shock.
Suddenly, the ancestral hall was so quiet that even breathing could not be heard.
The village chief let out a deep breath, nodded slightly towards Qin Yao with gratitude, and now his whole body felt unblocked, and he could finally finish his words in one breath.
The imperial court issued a new decree, and starting today, Shengguo will begin to implement two years of free education.
Anyone who is six years old or above and under twelve years old, whether boy or girl, noble or commoner, can enter the nearest school and study for two years free of charge after passing the examination.
Tuition fees were funded by the imperial court, and students only needed to bring their own pens, ink, paper, and inkstones and pay for books.
As soon as the imperial edict was issued, the whole country was in an uproar, and the storm had already swept through the capital.
Now that it has spread to every county, town and village, the discussion on it remains unabated.
Liujia Village was really in an uproar this time. Families with boys were both happy and sad.
I was happy that my children could actually go to school, but I was sad that the court only waived tuition fees, and I still had to pay for other expenses myself.
This amount of money is a burden for most families.
And then there's the entrance exam. How is it done? How many people are accepted?
These people have never been to school or read, and their parents grew up rolling around in the mud. How can they pass the exam?
After the ecstasy, most of the villagers calmed down and began to back off.
"It's only been two years. What about after two years?"
"What can you learn in two years? Don't you have to come back to farm in the future? What's the point of studying for two years?"
"That's right! After two years of study, he is still the same as before, unable to eat or drink. A half-grown boy can still do some work at home."
"Forget it, forget it. People like us can't afford the cost of books. It's obvious that this decree was not issued for people like us."
"."
The villagers dispersed one after another, and soon most of the people in the ancestral hall had left.
Only Qin Yao and two or three parent representatives were left there. They looked at each other and continued to ask the village chief about the details.
"Which academy should our village go to?"
"What's the test?"
"Is there a limit on the number of people per household?"
The village chief was very pleased that such a good decree received the attention it deserved, and patiently explained:
"It's also good luck. The Ding Family School in Jinshi Town has just been repaired. Our village is the closest to it, so all the children go to study at the Ding Family School."
"There is no limit on the number of people per household, as long as they meet the age requirements."
"It's about this test. I don't know how it will be conducted. The imperial edict has just arrived in Kaiyang County, and I just received the news. However, the Ding family will start school in two days, so you better hurry up!"
Fearing that they would not take it seriously, the village chief reminded them again and again, telling them to take the kids there first, no matter whether they passed or not. What if they were selected?
Don't underestimate the education you receive in these two years. In two years, you can complete the basic enlightenment.
Whether a child has a talent for studying can be seen after two years.
If he is really good at studying, you should grit your teeth and continue to support him, and the benefits will only increase, not decrease.
Even if you are not a good student, with two years of basic knowledge, you can learn to read and do math, and work as an accountant in a town or county, which is enough to support your family. It is much better than digging for food in the fields and relying on the weather for food!
When the village chief received this decree from the county, he felt that his Liu family's ancestral grave must be filled with smoke, otherwise how could he expect such a good decree?
In short, "Why bother with all that? Take the boys in your family to the Ding family to learn first!"
"We are the ones who benefit from this, so we will not suffer any loss!"
Seeing that the few who stayed behind were still hesitant, the village chief was worried about them.
Qin Yao laughed suddenly, "Village Chief, I will take the children there tomorrow!"
As he said this, under the surprised gazes of several people, he strode out of the ancestral hall, lowered his head and said loudly to Si Niang who had not yet figured out the situation:
"Little Liu Pingling, congratulations, you can go to school now!"
The little girl's eyes widened for a moment, as if she couldn't believe it. "Really? Mom, you are not lying?"
Qin Yao nodded heavily, "Really."
Everyone in the village counts their age based on their lunar calendar, so they are one year older after the New Year. The twins, a boy and a girl, just meet the requirement of being over six years old and under twelve years old.
"Come on, go home and get ready. I'll take you and Saburo to town tomorrow."
Qin Yao waved her hand, signaling the brothers and sisters to follow.
Si Niang was struck by surprise. The little girl who had been depressed for many days finally laughed.
On the way, Si Niang would tell every villager she met in a serious tone: "I can go to school now!"
She was like a lark that had flown out of a cage, chirping noisily and full of energy.
"Aunt Zhou, I can go to school now!"
"Granny Wang, I'm going to school!"
"I can go to school now!"
Listening to the cheerful voices of the children, the villagers subconsciously said to her lovingly, "Congratulations."
After he finished speaking, he was suddenly stunned.
The villagers suddenly realized that they had overlooked an important thing - girls seemed to be able to go to school too.
Passing by the old house, Si Niang strode in and shouted happily:
"Sister Jinhua, we can go to school now!"
However, the imagined congratulations did not come.
Si Niang slowly put away her bright smile and turned to look at A Niang behind her.
Qin Yao walked up to her and touched her hair soothingly, and found that the atmosphere in the old house was not right.
Jinhua stood alone in the middle of the yard, looking dissatisfied.
Opposite them were the Liu family members sitting or standing in the main room.
There were also Mr. and Mrs. Liu Zhong, who had eyes full of confusion, holding their sleeping son in their arms and looking at their daughter helplessly.
(End of this chapter)