Novel Full Chapter 373
Chapter 373 : School Inspection (2)Translated byきつねonAugust 22, 2022
When the old gentleman heard Zijin’s words, he knew that the person standing in front of her was Yuxi, and his attitude changed at once. With a shameful face, he said to Yuxi, “So it’s Madam. This old man is ashamed. This word has been pronounced fú all my life, but I didn’t know that it could still be pronounced as mì. If it weren’t for Madam, I wouldn’t have known I made such a mistake until now.”
Yuxi saw that the old gentleman was not a stubborn person as she thought, but instead apologised to her sincerely. She was a bit embarrassed at that moment. “Don’t say that, Old Teacher. I also knew that this word is a polyphonic character by chance.”
The old gentleman said, “I heard that Madam is very knowledgeable, well-versed in ancient and modern history, and is proficient in the four arts, whom this old man truly admired.”
Yuxi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry when she heard this praise. “Old Teacher’s words really overwhelmed me. I have only read a few books. How can I deserve such a compliment from you?”
This was not something that Zijin liked to hear, so she dismantled Yuxi’s stage by saying, “Madam, you may have forgotten, but I remember very clearly. You often read books in the study until you forget to eat. In the past ten years or so, you have read at least eighty to a hundred books! ”
Hearing this exaggeration, Yuxi knew where this type of rumour came from. While smiling at the old gentleman, she said, “Do not listen to this maid nonsense. I usually just read a few books as a pastime. How can I be compared with Old Teacher?”
When Hao Dazhuang got the news of Yuxi’s visit, he rushed over, entered the study hall, and saw Yuxi talking to the old gentleman! He walked up, greeted Yuxi and said, “Madam, why didn’t you tell me you were coming over?”
Yuxi smiled. “I just came over to take a look. How can I delay your work.”
In response, Hao Dazhuang suggested with a smile, “Since Madam is here, why not Madam give a lesson to these children? It may not be a bad idea to let these children have a first-hand experience of how a graceful bearing of a lady should be.”
Yuxi was a little hesitant.
Zisu urged with a smile, “Madam, since you are here, just give a lesson to these children. It’s rare for Madam to come here. I don’t know when Madam’s next visit will be!” (Oh, Zisu was there too? 🤔)[T/C]
Yuxi thought for a moment and nodded. “Alright.” It just so happened that the children in this boys’ school were the oldest, ten-year-old class. Yuxi wasn’t being nitpicky. It was just that they somehow had become her selection.
There were only about twenty children in the girls’ school, so there was only one class for them regardless of age. This boys’ school had more than 200 students, which were then divided by age. Those of the same age would share a class, and there were six classes altogether.
Inside the class this time, there were more than forty children. They all started to whisper when they noticed that the person who walk-in was not an old man, but a beautiful sister whom they had never seen.
Upon seeing this scene, Hao Dazhuang roared, “No talking. If I see anyone speak, they will not be allowed to eat lunch.” These words were more effective than the Imperial Decree as everyone in the classroom immediately quieted down.
Yuxi did not use those big written characters prepared by the old gentleman but had someone bring over the writing brush, ink, paper and ink stone. She then had Zijin put three sheets of white paper on the wall, lifted the weasel-fur brush, dipped it in ink, raised her arm above her shoulder and wrote a large ‘霍’ character. This time, she used the traditional plum blossom font. Cursive writing was unsuitable for teaching children who couldn’t recognise all the words. As for her Er Ge, he was not in the range of ordinary people. [T/C]
Even without any particular skill, with just one glance, anyone could see that everyone present had all been brought under control. Hao Dazhuang even secretly muttered as if they had never seen any lady before. The four arts, the female arts, and business to make money were all done so well. Ahem, the General was genuinely lucky to have married such a perfect and impeccable wife. As for his future wife, as long as she was one-tenth like Madam, he would already be very content.
Yuxi looked forward to the answer to the word ‘霍’ she had just written as she asked, “Is there anyone to tell me how to pronounce this character?” Within the hundred family names, 霍 was in front of 宓.
The class instantly became silent. Yuxi frowned. How come these children were not active at all in answering questions? She then pointed her finger at a child and asked, “You have learned this word. Tell me, what is this character?”
The child squeaked for a long time but still couldn’t pronounce the word. Seeing this situation, Hao Dazhuang was so anxious that his forehead began to sweat. This child was too embarrassing.
At this moment, the child’s desk mate stood up and said, “Teacher, this character is pronounced as huò.” When a brother was in trouble, one must step forward bravely. [+]
Huo Qubing’s Statue at his mausoleum in Lanzhou, China
Image Credit | Lanzhou Website
Yuxi nodded and gestured for the two children to sit down. She lifted the writing brush and wrote two more characters after the word 霍, then picked up the long branch and first taught everyone how to pronounce these two new characters. After that, she said, “When the three characters are combined, they are read as Huo Qubing. Everyone read them with me.”
The children in the room followed along as they read the word together, “Huo Qubing.”
Yuxi nodded and told a story to a room full of children, “Huo Qubing, this is the name of a man who was a famous general in the Western Han Dynasty and was later named Marquis of Champions.” Yuxi also did not explain it in a highly complex way. She simply said that the Western Han was an ancient dynasty, Xiongnu was the same as the northern captives, were barbarians who committed murder and arson.
When Zijin heard this, she asked, “Madam, I know Marquis is a title, but I have never heard of anyone being conferred as Marquis of Champions. Does this have any special connotation?”
Yuxi was tempted to roll her eyes. She did not know that Zijin came to join the fun while she was lecturing the children. However, she only muttered this secretly in her heart and didn’t show it on the surface. She explained to more than 40 children sitting here below. “Marquis of Champions is a token of appreciation for the bravest of the brave in the whole army.”
Once these words came out, Hao Dazhuang gasped. The bravest of the brave in the whole army. Ordinary people would really be flattered to be called as such.
At that moment, Yuxi told more than forty children about Huo Qubing’s war experience. “In the two battles of Hexi, Huo Qubing defeated the Xiongnu, captured the sacrificial golden statue that they used as a sacrifice to heaven and took it straight to Qilian Mountain…… this was his most brilliant military success. However, when Huo Qubing went back to the Imperial Court after the victory, the Emperor wanted to build a noble mansion for him to start a family. Huo Qubing told the Emperor, ‘the Xiongnu are not yet eliminated; why should I start a family?’.” Yuxi explained to the crowd the meaning of this latter sentence afterwards.
Hao Dazhuang shouted loudly, “Well said, very well said. ‘The Xiongnu are not yet eliminated; why should I start a family?’ speaks to my heart.”
Qilian Mountain, many children knew this one place. Thus, when everyone listened to the story, it would sound like it happened around them, and there would be no sense of distance. Of course, this was also why Yuxi chose to speak about Huo Qubing.
A child suddenly stood up and asked, “Teacher, how do you write ‘Marquis of Champions’?” He wanted to be a great hero like the Marquis of Champions in the future.
Yuxi smiled and once again wrote the three characters for Marquis of Champions on the wall again. After she finished writing them down, she read them out loud. She then picked up a branch and wrote them on the sand pile.
Another child also stood up and requested, “Teacher, how do you write the phrase, ‘the northern captives are not yet eliminated; why should I start a family?’.”
The old gentleman looked at the following child, who took the initiative to ask and felt both awe and shame. He admired Yuxi’s profound knowledge that she even brought up a famous person’s story when she was just a novice in teaching; he was embarrassed that this was the first time he saw these children learn so actively after teaching them for so many days.
After Yuxi had finished teaching the class a lesson, she was ready to leave. The child who asked the first question just now stood up and looked at Yuxi, asking, “Teacher, you will come back tomorrow, right?” After asking that, he looked at Yuxi bashfully, hoping to hear an affirmative answer from Yuxi’s mouth.
Yuxi smiled and shook her head. “I’m not coming. There are many things I have to do at home that I can’t leave.” What was more, she was currently pregnant.
This class gave Yuxi a great sense of accomplishment, and only because she founded this school could she give the children a lecture. If it were anywhere else, she would have been thrown out long ago. Where would she have the opportunity to provide any lessons?
After leaving the boys’ school, Yuxi was ready to go to the girls’ school. Because of the close proximity, Yuxi planned not to take the carriage and just walked over.
Hao Dazhuang followed behind Yuxi and praised, “Madam, you taught this class so well that I was fascinated by it.” Otherwise, he wouldn’t have uttered that remark in the classroom.
Yuxi smiled and said to Hao Dazhuang, “Although this class is only for the children to recognise words, they are not required to take the imperial examination. And I also can not cope with that matter. Since we have hired a teacher, we should let these children learn something, instead of letting them only eat in the school.” If the teacher taught too rigidly, the children would lose interest and not like to learn. Therefore, this teaching method must be changed. They couldn’t be made to recognise words for words.
Hao Dazhuang nodded. “Don’t worry, Madam. I will talk to a few gentlemen and let them learn from Madam at noon.” If all these gentlemen were teaching the same way as Madam did, those little brats would be even motivated to learn.
When they left through the door, Zijin ushered, “Madam, let’s take the carriage! There are so many fish and dragons mixed in this place. Won’t it be bad if someone bumps into Madam?” [T/C]
Hearing this, Yuxi did not force herself and got into the carriage. Usually, she would be fine if someone bumped into her, but now she was pregnant!
When Yuxi entered the girls’ school, she felt very strange at how silent it was. Compared to the other side, this place was a little too quiet.
As Yuxi walked outside the classroom door, she finally knew why there was no sound. It was because the children were all writing with their heads down.
He Ying looked at Yuxi with her bulging belly and saw Zijin standing next to her. How could she not guess Yuxi’s identity? She immediately made a blessing salute. “Good day, Madam.”
Yuxi nodded her head and asked, “May I go in and take a look?” Although she was the one who founded the academy, she had to respect the teacher who taught the children.
He Ying nodded. “Of course, you can.”
When Yuxi entered the room, she saw that half of the children were writing carefully, and a few were dozing.
The strokes for character 穆.
Image Credit | Written Chinese Website
Yuxi did not blame He Ying but stood next to a little girl, writing particularly carefully and watched her write the character ‘穆’ stroke by stroke. Once Yuxi saw that the girl had finished writing, she softly said, “This character is not written like this.” The order of the strokes was all messed up.
The girl was shocked, but seeing that He Ying was next to the lady, she was not afraid. The main reason was that some ladies had come into the classroom before, and she was used to it. But this time, unlike before, she was told that her writing was wrong. The little girl asked, “Then can you write it for me to see?”
Yuxi smiled and took the little girl’s branch and, with one stroke, wrote the correct order of the character 穆’. “‘Do you remember?”
The little girl rewrote it in the order that Yuxi had written it, and after she finished, she asked Yuxi, “Madam, is it written like this?”
Yuxi smiled and nodded her head. This child was quite clever.