Jiang Miao was a little tempted. The Imperial Academy was the highest institution of learning in the Liang Dynasty. The old scholar who retired from here would have been at least a professor in his previous life. If such a person could help two children to learn, wouldn't their knowledge increase rapidly
"Mu'er should be fine, but can Xiao Shitou go? Aren't all the students in the Imperial College powerful and influential?" Jiang Miao was a little worried. Mu'er was born in a Duke's Mansion, so she could go in to study. But Xiao Shitou is just a commoner. What if they don't accept him
"You are wrong." Pei Che corrected, "The people eating in the dining hall are all students from poor families. In the past, the Imperial Academy admitted students from aristocratic families, but after the late emperor ascended the throne, the rules changed. Those who do not have real talent and cannot pass the entrance examination, even if they are princes and nobles, can never set foot here."
It seems that the late emperor attached great importance to talents. However, although Jiang Miao has confidence in Xiao Shitou, he has only studied for a few months. It is probably impossible for him to catch up with those children who have started learning since childhood, right
And Mu'er, she still stutters when she speaks, will it be possible
Jiang Miao put forward all his doubts, and Pei Che smiled: "The Mengtong Hall in the back mountain cannot be confused with the Imperial College. It is just to facilitate the children of the officials of the Imperial College to study. So, this does not mean that if you study in the Mengtong Hall in the back mountain, you will definitely be able to study in the Imperial College in the future."
"Is that so?" Jiang Miao said, "Where will they live while they study? They can't go back and forth by carriage every day, right? Even if they have a place to live, they are so young that they may not be used to it. Otherwise, we should find a private school nearby."
Seeing that Jiang Miao was about to back off, Pei Che hurriedly said, "There are many vacant courtyards in the back mountain. Outsiders can live there as long as they pay. You can live there with them when the time comes."
"How much do you want to pay?" Jiang Miao's radar was immediately activated.
"One year... twelve taels." Pei Che directly rounded off the number. He was afraid that if he didn't round off the number, Jiang Miao would not be able to accept it.
"How big is the yard?"
"It shouldn't be too crowded for a family to live in there."
"That's quite a good deal. Is this a benefit for you students?" When I lived in the Bai family's courtyard in the past, it cost five hundred coins a month.
"I guess so..." Pei Che laughed dryly twice, "Just think about it, the old teachers in the Imperial College must be very knowledgeable. The teachers in those private schools outside are of varying quality. Instead of going through the trouble of looking for one, it's better to go to the Imperial College. Then, I can live with you guys."
Jiang Miao made a small calculation: "Yes, if you move in, you can return your dormitory. So, how much does your dormitory charge per month?"
Pei Che lied and said a number, which made Jiang Miao sigh that the welfare of the Imperial College was really good! Sure enough, people who know how to study can save money wherever they go.
Jiang Miao remembered that the community where he lived had a city champion. He received hundreds of thousands of yuan in various awards, which was enough to pay for the tuition fees for the next four years. He was envious at the time and should have studied hard earlier.
"By the way, how much tuition is required to study there?"
"Don't worry, it's not expensive." Pei Che didn't dare to say it, for fear of irritating Jiang Miao.
Unexpectedly, Jiang Miao was very generous on this point: "As for the tuition, it doesn't matter if it's a little expensive, as long as I can learn well."
Pei Che remained silent. He felt that once he told Jiang Miao about the tuition fee, Jiang Miao would no longer have the same attitude.
Since the two had reached a consensus and Pei Che had recovered, the next morning, Pei Che got on the carriage and went to the Imperial College to deal with the issue of the two children's admission.
Jiang Miao is responsible for persuading Pei Mu to accept the fact that he is going to study.
Pei Mu naturally couldn't accept it. The last time he went to school with Xiao Shitou, he was deeply impressed by the scene of sitting inside and not understanding anything. As soon as he heard that he was going to school, he started to pout.
Jiang Miao naturally couldn't let him go. He felt that this child was actually very smart. No matter what he was taught, he could master it without being taught a second time. It would be a waste for such a good talent to stay at home.
Next, he tried his best to describe the wonderful thing about studying, but Pei Mu became less and less cooperative and even pretended not to understand. Jiang Miao's face sank, and the air around him seemed to be stagnant. He rarely got angry with the two children, but it was not without experience.
When watermelons were first put on the market, Jiang Miao bought some for them. The watermelons that had been flushed from the well were sweet and delicious. Little Shitou had never eaten them before, and Pei Mu had been cheated by Xing'er before, so he was not impressed by this expensive fruit. After the two of them tasted them, they were amazed by the delicious watermelons and wished they could eat watermelons every day.
Jiang Miao was an expert in eating, so he would not allow them to develop the habit of bingeing on the same food. As soon as Jiang Miao said that, the two little ones stopped having any food. Even the housekeeper Wu, who loved them very much, did not dare to give them watermelon in secret. At most, he would secretly cut a large piece for the two of them when distributing the watermelon.
Jiang Miao chose to ignore this little thought. Eating was fine as long as it was not excessive. Just when he thought he had it under control, one night, the two children had diarrhea at the same time.
Jiang Miao was extremely anxious. He had raised two children for such a long time and they had never been sick. How could they have diarrhea for no reason? He couldn't run around during the curfew, so he had no choice but to knock on the door next door and ask Ji Qing for help.
Ji Qing took their pulses and checked their complexions, and finally concluded that they had eaten too many cold foods, which caused their gastrointestinal discomfort.
Jiang Miao carefully recalled the three meals a day and the snacks and fruits he had arranged for them recently, and then concluded that the two boys were most likely stealing the food.
Under Jiang Miao's questioning, the two younger ones finally confessed that Xiao Shitou bought it with his pocket money, put it in his school bag and secretly brought it back, and then hid in the room to share it with Pei Mu.
After hearing this, Jiang Miao finally understood why their appetite suddenly decreased in the past two days, and why Xiao Shitou no longer came to him directly after school as usual.
Jiang Miao controlled his temper and took good care of the two of them. He then slapped each of them on the butt, collected all of Xiao Shitou's pocket money and put it into a bamboo piggy bank, and forbade him to use the money to buy food outside for a month.
After the last outburst, Pei Mu already understood that once Jiang Miao had a gloomy expression, it meant that he was about to explode.
He didn't dare to pretend that he didn't understand anymore. He looked at Jiang Miao aggrievedly and said, "Brother Miao, I don't want to go... to school."
Jiang Miao took a deep breath and forced a smile: "Are you going to study? Or should I ask the teacher to come back and watch you study alone all day long?"
Pei Mu was stunned. He didn't know there was such a possibility. Thinking that there would be a teacher at home who would follow him and ask him to study every day, he felt sick.
"Have you thought about it?"
Pei Mu lowered his head: "Are you with... Xiao Shitou...?"
"Yes, every morning, Brother Miao will send you and Xiao Shitou to study together, and pick you up at noon for lunch. After lunch, you will take a rest there and be picked up again in the afternoon." Jiang Miao tried his best to make him understand that he still had a lot of time at home.
"Okay." Pei Mu finally compromised.
Jiang Miao touched his head and said with a smile: "You are so good. Only by studying can you understand the truth and make a lot of money to support yourself in the future."
Pei Mu's fighting spirit was ignited by his gentle smile: "When I make money in the future... I will give it to Brother Miao!"
Pei Mu agreed, and Xiao Shitou didn't have any problems. After all, it was Master Yu who didn't teach, and the private school was going to be closed. When he heard that he was going to study at the Imperial Academy, Master Yu was shocked and then nodded in understanding. Jiang Miao was too approachable, and his behavior was no different from before, which often made people forget that he was actually the wife of the prince of the Duke of Zhongguo's mansion.
Two days later, the private school was officially closed. Xiao Shitou brought the snacks made by Jiang Miao to Master Yu, and cried with other classmates until his eyes turned red.
Pei Che also dealt with everything and sent someone back to inform them that they could pack up and go up. The next morning, Jiang Miao packed his bags and took Xiao Shitou and Pei Mu to the Imperial College.
Pei Che had been waiting outside the gate of the Imperial College for a long time. When he saw the group coming, he led them along a small path next to it and went directly to the back mountain.
The back mountain is also very large, with lush vegetation and numerous courtyards. There are also conspicuous wooden signs on the doors, which indicate the identity of the owner, just like the door numbers in modern times, so that people will not get lost. There are gravel roads interspersed among them. The stones in the middle of the road have become smooth and clean because people have walked on them all year round, while the stones on both sides of the road that no one has stepped on are full of old marks left by the years.
When Jiang Miao and his friends stepped on the small stones, he didn't pay much attention to it. He only knew that gravel roads can massage the soles of the feet. Many parks have gravel roads, and the elderly like to walk back and forth on them the most.
"It's here." Pei Che took out a key and opened the door.
This is a small courtyard facing south, and it looks very clean and tidy at first glance. Jiang Miao walked around and found that there were three main rooms in the courtyard, with a kitchen and toilet on both sides. Next to the kitchen was a firewood room for storing firewood, and next to the toilet was a small vegetable plot covered with weeds.
After Wu and his men put away the things they brought up, they left reluctantly. He was a little worried, and he didn't know whether Master Jiang and the others could live well here.
"I'll take you to the school." Pei Che led them outside, turned several corners, and finally arrived at a courtyard with an open gate.
The sound of reading could be heard faintly from inside. If I looked hard inside, I could even see the shadow of a classroom.
Although the door was open, Pei Che did not rush in. Instead, he knocked on the door and told someone why he was there when they came.
"Come in, Master Tan has already told me. He asked you to go to the study and wait for a while. He will finish talking to the children about today's content and then come over here."
"Thank you for leading the way, little brother."
The study room of the retired teacher from the Imperial College was also unusual, full of the smell of books, and hanging around were either landscape paintings or various calligraphy works. This made Jiang Miao, who felt that he was full of the smell of money, a little nervous.
Pei Che smiled at him and began to introduce the origins of the things hanging on the wall. Jiang Miao listened to Pei Che's story and was immersed in it unconsciously, and the tension in his heart disappeared.
Soon, the bell rang, and school was over. Mr. Tan came to the study. His appearance was worthy of this title. He was not too tall, with white hair and a youthful face. He had a white beard, just like an immortal in mythology, very distinctive.
Apart from that, he was quite humorous. He spoke a few words to the two children, making them laugh so hard that they fell backwards. It was obvious that he knew how to get along with children.
Jiang Miao watched from the side and finally felt relieved.
(End of this chapter)