Chapter 21: Various Disputes

  Eight taels!

  "Our big cow is fourteen this year, you see how clever...". A soldier was so anxious that he almost cried, and everyone in their hearts secretly despised him. Who didn't know that your big cow was already fourteen two years ago?

  "The grown-ups said that after the age of majority, anyone can go, even if it's Third Uncle Gong. It's just that there will be a big exam three months later, and those who pass will also have the qualifications to receive one or two taels every three months." Huang Erman wiped the sweat from his head again and fiercely fanned himself with the large palm-leaf fan several times.

  "Can I go too?" Third Uncle muttered to himself, his heart filled with extreme resentment "Damn it, that Huang Erman, I'd like to go make this money, but only if I could see..."

  Everyone was smiling and laughing, Han Erjia's family had some misgivings, wanting to ask if an old woman like herself could go, but the words reached her lips and she didn't dare ask.

  "Don't be too happy yet, the adults said that this money isn't easy to earn. Every three months there's a big comparison, and the last twenty people in the village won't get any money..."

  "Are you going to deduct money from us again?" another soldier asked with some concern

  "No, the last twenty in the final exam didn't get any silver, but if you pass the next big exam, you can still get silver." Huang Erman nodded affirmatively and then turned sternly, "If you're among the last twenty in three consecutive exams, you'll be expelled from the private school!"

  Everyone was startled by Huang Er's words, and thinking about it, it makes sense. Can't just let you read for free? How can there be no ambition? However, many people began to worry again, would their own children be driven out? Eight taels of silver a year, more than what an ordinary soldier used to earn!

  "That idiot in our house only knows how to catch fish and steal bird eggs, now he can even earn silver coins, and earns more than me?" A certain soldier couldn't accept this news.

  "What's he studying?" Big Cow's father asked worriedly: "My son can't even recognize a single character, will he be okay?"

  "Ha ha, what are you worried about, Uncle? We're all illiterate in our village of Ma Jia Tun, aren't we? I've also signed up!"

  "Second Brother, didn't you choose the Salted Fish team?" Han Er asked in surprise.

  "Reading is open at night, the adults are preparing to build a big house in the village, and tonight it will be filled with torches, I wonder how lively it will be!" Huang Erman said excitedly.

  "What about our homes that are far away?" Another military household was anxious, his home was located in a remote area and had to cross two mountains to reach the center of the village.

  "You can just send your family's pigs and cats, anyway you can also listen to it, who knows, maybe both you and your son can get the silver..." Han Erjia's family came over to join in on the fun.

  "Hey, Second Aunt Han, you can go too. The adults said that the private school is divided by a curtain, and the girls and women are on the other side listening. If there's anything you don't understand, just ask Xiao Jie and it'll be fine. You won't have to interact with anyone else... Who knows, maybe this will bring another opportunity..." Huang Er looked around: "Take our family for example, we've divided the land into four plots. My two sisters and I are going to school, what if all three of us pass the imperial exam? Our family will be set for life!"

  "Twenty-four taels of silver!" Han Erjia knew that Er Man was unable to calculate, so she hastily intervened. She was already overjoyed, originally thinking that her own family's Er Ya could also go out and earn silver to supplement the household income. In the past, the head of the household had always scolded Er Ya for being a waste of money.

  "Right! Look, my sister is not a waste of money, I've earned even more silver than this..." Huang Er continued to say.

  Twenty-four taels of silver!!

  For the military dependents of Maojia Village, this is an astronomical figure!

  The Huang family has a relatively small number of people, many military families have a large group...

  "My second brother is too stupid, it's definitely not going to work" Han Erjia felt a little regretful.

  "The adults said it's all very simple, once you learn it, Xiucai Gong, Bi Lao Ye, Xiao Gu Niang and Yang Da Ren will all come to teach in person..." Huang Er Man hadn't finished speaking when he was drowned out by a chorus of voices.

  Is the Xiucai teaching in person? Even An Dongwei's private school isn't that luxurious, is it? And the adults are also coming to teach? Isn't he a martial artist? As for what Bi Lao Ye is doing, I have no idea what kind of show he's putting on.

  "Great, I'll go with you to read!" A certain military household made a painful decision in his heart. "At worst, Dad won't get the silver, but he'll occupy one last spot, and it's not like your share will be wasted."

  "Absolutely not!" Han Er suddenly stood up: "Er Ya is not allowed to go, this is what kind of situation, a good girl and a group of old men squeezed together, this, this..."

  The atmosphere of the Great Ming was not so conservative, it was common for men and women to work together, children playing together was normal, it's just that in small villages, the customs were more conservative.

  " Bah!" Han Erjia's family also didn't know where the courage came from, and actually spat on Han Er's face: "Er Ya and Da Feng, why did they go together with Xiu Xiu? Didn't Er Man say that there was a cloth canopy in between, and you couldn't even see each other's faces? If you're not at ease, you can also go and sit next to them! You don't think about it, the people of Andongwei bought a servant girl who is more dignified than Er Ya for less than eight pieces of silver. What are your thoughts, I still don't know..."

  Han Er's face turned red with rage, he was so angry that he couldn't speak clearly, and he simply pointed at his wife's nose and scolded her loudly.

  Seeing the two quarreling, the surrounding military households rushed to mediate, some agreeing with Han Er, others standing on the side of Han Er's family. For a time, they argued noisily and wouldn't stop. The military households from several nearby courtyards heard the commotion and abandoned their gathering, also rushing to Han Er's courtyard to join in the excitement. This made it even more chaotic, almost coming to blows. They continued to make a ruckus until midnight before finally dispersing.

  No one has ever thought of asking a question, where does the money for reading books come from...

  Seaview room, Yang Bo and Bi Fangji were also pounding the table. It turned out that Yang Bo said to move Bi Fangji to pay half of the silver, Bi Fangji thought for half a day and reluctantly agreed. However, when Bi Fangji proposed to arrange some Christian courses, Yang Bo surprisingly denied it without hesitation!

  "What is this?" Bi Fangji was furious, did he look like some kind of scapegoat?

  "Father, why so anxious?" Yang Bo chuckled and let out a hearty laugh.

  "This was agreed upon by Zhī Jiàn himself, only by joining the church can one attend a private school, it's precisely because of this that I've come all the way to Máo jiā tún" - Bì Fāng Jì still seething with anger.

  "Of course, of course," Yang Bo nodded: "Joining the church? It's just a formality, can't I just let them do it?"

  "But! If they don't let me preach the doctrine, can they be considered Christians?" Bi Fangji felt that Yang Bo was simply beyond salvation.

  "I'm telling you, it's true," Yang Bo suddenly turned serious "Father, do you remember the stories you told me about the travels of past priests during the Ming dynasty?"

  "What's wrong?" Bi Fangji reminded himself that this was a negotiation and he mustn't fall into the trap, but he couldn't help asking.

  "The priest is only afraid of being overwhelmed by fanaticism, have you forgotten the experiences of those devout followers? Many times, in official circles, any unusual behavior can be infinitely magnified, and what awaits us may be the fate of being expelled..." Yang Bo said slowly.

  "These I can understand" Bi Fangji nodded: "But..."

  "Alright, you can teach some Bible proverbs first, being good to others is fine, no problem." Yang Bo made some concessions on the silver share: "However, those doctrines of yours need to be reviewed by me once, and some unsuitable things must be deleted!"

  "No way!" Bi Fangji firmly refused: "No one can delete or modify the Bible, this is absolutely impossible!"

  "This is the basis of our cooperation..." Yang Bo didn't give an inch