Who is not a little ambitious when young? Mr. Jin used to care about the sadness of humans and feel pity for this and that. He wanted to make things more convenient for the students, but later realized that he himself was the most pitiful.
During those most miserable years, he almost couldn't even support himself.
Afterwards, he opened a bookstore and started doing business. Strictly speaking, a gentleman like him should not be involved in these merchant things, but he had to make a living and had no other choice.
They were all people who had gone through this. He also understood Li Mingwei's mood now, but he couldn't agree to her taking leave for the time being: "Do you have to go? You can ask someone to bring the books back and let the village chief teach them, right?"
"The village chief would have taught them long ago if he was willing to."
Mr. Jin glanced down at the plan he had just written on the desk. It hadn't even started yet, but it was already ruined. He looked at Li Mingwei somewhat angrily.
Li Mingwei spread her hands helplessly and looked at him: "I already promised the children."
The two stared at each other silently. When Liu Yizhu came upstairs, he was caught in their strange atmosphere. He looked back and forth between them: "What's wrong with you two?"
Mr. Jin snorted and crumpled the paper on the desk into a ball, turning his face away.
Li Mingwei knew he was angry, so she didn't dare say anything either. She just laid her head on the desk here and waited silently for him to calm down.
Liu Yizhu walked behind her and asked in a low voice, "Is your leg better?"
Li Mingwei was still angry from the past few days. She kicked him and pushed him away, "None of your business, go away!"
"It seems better." Liu Yizhu wiggled his toes to relieve the pain, smiled helplessly, "What's the matter, why are you so angry?"
Li Mingwei ignored him, so he could only look at Mr. Jin helplessly.
Seeing Liu Yizhu look in his direction, Mr. Jin pointed at Li Mingwei, "Don't look at me, ask her. She insists on going to teach in Xinghua Village when everything is fine."
Xinghua Village?
Isn't that where Sister-in-law Dong's maiden family lives? It's quite far from here.
"Isn't it good to teach in town? I guess Xinghua Village doesn't have a school. Do you want to open one?"
"I don't. I just promised to teach them some literacy and was going to copy some Thousand Character Classics for them to study."
For ordinary people, learning the Thousand Character Classic well is indeed enough. Going there to teach for a month or two shouldn't be a big deal. Liu Yizhu nodded, "Do you want me to help copy them? I can do it faster."
"No!"
"Are you sure? I'm going back to the academy in a few days. When you get tired of copying later and want to ask me again, it may be too late."
Li Mingwei looked up with great delight: "You're finally leaving!"
Her smile was so dazzling that Liu Yizhu couldn't doubt her sincerity at all. His face darkened instantly: "You're so happy that I'm leaving?"
"Of course."
Once he's gone, she won't have to keep avoiding him anymore.
Li Mingwei happily pulled her chair over and sat down next to Mr. Jin, pleading, "Please let me go. They are all so old but can't even write their own names. How pitiful."
"Hmph." Mr. Jin sneered, "There are so many pitiful people in this world. Not to mention Xinghua Village, most of the people in our Qingshi Town can't read either. Are you going to teach them one by one?"
"I'm not pitiful? I finally found an assistant at my age, and now she wants to leave again."
Li Mingwei tried, "Why don't you find another assistant? I was going to leave sooner or later anyway."
Mr. Jin glanced at Liu Yizhu, with a hint of smugness at the corner of his mouth, "Leave? Where can you go?"
"Home." She couldn't keep wandering outside forever. There were still so many people at home. Even though the capital was like a cage, she would still have to go back eventually. Or maybe, "I can go see other places before going home too."
"My grandfather said that traveling can let you see all kinds of people and experience the sufferings of the common people, which is even more precious than reading. Because going out requires tremendous courage, not everyone has the guts to do it."
She whispered to Mr. Jin, "That's how my father met my mother. He brought her back while traveling outside."
Mr. Jin rested his chin on his hand, helplessly thinking that the little girl still couldn't keep a secret.
He pointed out, "Wasn't your grandfather originally from Xinghua Village? He had money to travel around?"
Li Mingwei...
Oh no, what was she talking about just now? How stupid! She was exposing herself!
"I..."
Mr. Jin interrupted her, "That's enough, if you can't think of an excuse then don't try. I won't tell anyone anyway."
Li Mingwei looked expectantly at the only other person in the room. Mr. Jin wouldn't tell anyone, but what about him?
Leaning against her desk, Liu Yizhu crossed his arms and looked at her unpleasantly, "Where do you want to travel?"
Alright, he wouldn't tell either.
Li Mingwei turned back around and changed the topic, "Mr. Jin, shall we exchange ideas?"
Mr. Jin gestured for her to go ahead.
"Mr. Jin, what do you think is the best way for children from poor families to get education too?"
This was her grandfather's ultimate wish, but it looked like it wouldn't come true before he passed away. Mr. Jin had taught here for over ten years after all. If she could get some experience from him to discuss with her grandfather when she goes back, that would be great!
"A strong nation."
It was Liu Yizhu who answered, not Mr. Jin. Liu Yizhu continued, "Only when the country is prosperous can the people live in peace."
Mr. Jin nodded in agreement, "What Yizhu said is right."
"We are neither officials nor aristocrats. Some things are beyond our individual capabilities. In order to make it possible for children from poor families to get education, we still have to rely on policymaking at the higher level."
"Wasn't there an imperial edict to establish schools before? It was discontinued later because wars drained the military funds, so the silver was transferred to emergency relief. It all comes down to money. The country has to be prosperous, the treasury full, before the Emperor and his officials will be willing to take out money and continue this cause."
Oh well, it sounded nice but there was no money in the treasury!
The new Emperor had been on the throne for only two to three years. His position was still unstable. Several vassal states on the border thought he was too young and easy to bully, so they kept making troubles. The military funds were almost depleted.
Plus, there were people like her ex-husband in the imperial family. On the surface they were compliant, but they never stopped making little moves in private. The other princes were probably not much better.
Right now, the Emperor faced both internal and external troubles. Where would he find the time to care if children in remote villages could afford education? It would be good enough if he could keep his throne.
Suddenly she felt her grandfather's ideas were a bit unrealistic. Should she persuade him to give up when she goes back? Or he might beat her to death!
"It's so difficult!"
Mr. Jin still found her worried little face amusing. He didn't know which family this little lady was brought up in to be so concerned about people's livelihoods.
"Alright, stop frowning. It causes wrinkles easily."
As soon as Li Mingwei heard this, she instantly tensed her face and felt the corners of her eyes, "Do I have wrinkles already?"
"Not yet, but you will if you keep frowning like that, just like me."
"Ew, I don't want that." Li Mingwei said in disgust, "I'm only twenty this year. How can I get wrinkles already."
"You're twenty? You don't look that old."
"Almost, just a few more months." Li Mingwei suddenly looked at Liu Yizhu, "How old are you?"
"Eighteen."
Li Mingwei pursed her lips, "Tsk, so young. Call me sister."
Liu Yizhu...
He lightly coughed, "It's fine. I look older. People can't tell you're older than me when we're out."
