WSMTATMC C25

Chapter 25

The target students for the private school were clear: children just beginning or yet to begin their education. As Chen Qingyan put it, he hadn’t yet reached the level of omniscience and therefore was careful not to mislead the children.

There were many children in town, but only very few could afford schooling, which greatly worried the two of them.

Wang Ying decided to start making flyers on paper to recruit students.

“Enrollment Notice: Chen Family Private School is now enrolling children aged five to fifteen.

Have you ever been deceived because you couldn’t read large characters? Have you ever been cheated because you couldn’t count? Do you want your children to suffer the same fate?

Come and learn to recognize characters! Learn culture well and travel the world.

Taught by a top-ranking instructor, a tongsheng scholar, guaranteed to teach you well. Three days of free trial classes!”

After drying the ink, Wang Ying shook the straw paper. “How’s this!”

Chen Qingyan covered his face in embarrassment, his ears turning red. “Should we change the phrase ‘suffer the same fate’? I’m afraid they won’t understand.”

Wang Ying crossed out a few words and replaced them with “like you all.”

“How about this?”

“Mm, mm.” Qingyan nodded vaguely without daring to look a second time — it was too embarrassing.

“What about tuition fees?”

“I don’t understand that part — you handle it.”

“Qingsong’s current school charges 200 cash a month. Let’s set ours a bit lower — 150 cash okay?”

“Fine.”

“Then it’s settled. I’ll copy a few more and have Ershun post them in prominent places to advertise.”

The flyers went up, but no one inquired the first day.

The next day some came and asked about the shuxiu⁽¹⁾, but on hearing the 150 cash monthly fee, they shook their heads and left.

Only on the third day did the first student arrive—a boy surnamed Feng, called Feng Zhang, son of the town’s grain shop owner, just seven years old this year.

Master Feng’s purpose in sending his son was simple. He didn’t expect him to become a juren or a zhuangyuan—he just wanted him to learn characters and numbers, enough to understand bookkeeping later.

Previously the boy had tried two other schools, where the masters rigidly taught Confucian Classics with constant beatings when they failed to learn. The boy bore a lasting dread of school and refused to attend.

Hearing about the new private school in town, they came to inquire.

Wang Ying confidently guaranteed, “I don’t beat children. You can send him for a free three-day trial. If he truly can’t bear it, he doesn’t have to come back.”

Master Feng nodded with satisfaction and said he would bring his son the next day.

Early the next morning before dawn, Chen Qingyan began selecting his clothes for the day.

“How about this black one? Maybe too mature… this green? Too flashy? And this blue one… what if the students’ parents don’t trust me if I look too young?”

Wang Ying lay on the bed, propping his chin with his hand. “Don’t worry—the one you wear, you’ll look young.” At just seventeen, Qingyan was a bit too juvenile.

Qingyan frowned. “If only I were a few years older.”

“Wait, I have an idea!” Wang Ying hopped barefoot off the bed, found scissors, and cut a lock of hair to make a fake beard with pigskin glue.

“Will that work?”

“As long as you don’t pull it, no one will notice.”

Qingyan hesitantly looked in the mirror and was startled by what he saw. It was hideous!

“Don’t pull down! There’s a saying: ‘No beard on your mouth, no firmness in your work.’ With this beard, people will trust you. Otherwise, if you look about the same age as their children, who’d want you to teach?”

After breakfast, the two went to the classroom, swept the floor, and wiped the desks clean. It wasn’t until after the Chen hour⁽²⁾ that Master Feng arrived with his son, tardy.

Feng Zhang looked just like his father — plump, with two topknots on his head, dressed in yellow ginger-coloured clothes. Nervous upon seeing Qingyan, he could barely speak.

“This is Master Chen. He’ll teach you reading and characters.”

“I won’t learn! I don’t want school… aaah!” The boy wailed at the top of his lungs.

Qingyan stood helpless, having never met such a child before.

Master Feng was embarrassed—the trial was meant to build trust. Bringing the boy home like this would ruin their reputation. He finally pushed his son aside. “You have to learn whether you like it or not. Who will run our shop otherwise?”

The boy cried louder, like bagpipes squeezing his eardrums.

Seeing this, Wang Ying pulled a tomato from his pocket and squatted next to the chubby boy. “Sweetie, don’t cry. Tell me why you don’t want to go to school.”

“Ma–master always hits me.”

“Our master doesn’t hit. Even if you can’t learn, you won’t be hit.”

“Really?” The boy paused his crying.

“Of course it’s true!” Wang Ying handed him the tomato. “I can tell you’re a brave good kid. Here’s a sweet fruit as a reward. If you stay the whole day, you get another one tomorrow.”

The little boy sniffed the tomato curiously and bit. The sweet-and-sour taste made his eyes widen instantly.

“Dad! This fruit tastes so good!”

Master Feng swallowed. “What kind of fruit is this? I’ve never seen one before.”

Taking the chance, Wang Ying offered another. “It’s called a tomato. You can eat it like fruit or cook it like a vegetable.”

Master Feng examined it. “Where can I buy these?”

“Not available yet — my Fourth Uncle brought some from Laizhou last time. There isn’t much left at home.”

“I see.”

“When our shop opens, Master Feng, if you like the taste, you can buy some there. They’re fresh from Laizhou.”

“Wow, that’s a long ways. The price must be high.”

“If you can afford fresh veggies in winter, a little money won’t matter.”

Master Feng laughed and stroked his beard. “Alright, I’ll come check your shop when you open.”

Master Feng left, but little Feng Zhang pouted and nearly cried again.

Wang Ying held his little hand and led him to a seat. “Our master won’t hit you. I’ll sit beside you and listen.”

“Okay!” The boy was quickly won over by the tomato and Wang Ying’s company, gaining courage to stay.

Qingyan cleared his throat and began the first lesson of his life.

Years later, even in old age, he’d never forget that first class — Wang Ying’s determined gaze had supported him step by step as he climbed the podium to write his own life.

Qingyan’s body couldn’t handle long hours of teaching, so he taught only half-days.

The first day’s lessons went well enough — by noon, little Feng learned to write his name and count from one to nine.

Feng Zhang was young and playful, often drifting off mid-lesson lost in thought. Qingyan was patient, playing along until the boy returned his attention.

When Feng’s mother came to fetch him, he surprised her by no longer crying, even holding her hand and saying, “I want to come again tomorrow!”

She was shocked to see the change and happy at his newfound desire to study, certainly supporting his continued attendance. So next day, Feng Zhang showed up promptly—this time with two cousins.

The two boys were in similar situations: previously enrolled for short periods in other schools but never settled. They heard about the new private school and its gentle, non-violent master and decided to try it.

With more children in class, Qingyan found renewed enthusiasm. His voice was pleasant, not as rigid as an old scholar’s, and when children misbehaved he only scolded gently without hitting.

Most importantly, at the day’s end, the master’s husband rewarded well-behaved students with a sweet red fruit each.

That fruit was delicious!

Food was scarce in ancient times, and tasty treats even scarcer. After one taste, the children longed for more and some were already asking when the Chen shop would open.

When Wang Ying saw the time was right, he chose an auspicious day for opening the shop.

He’d brought vegetables and fruits from the experimental field, packed them into bamboo baskets, covered with coarse cloth, and had Dunzi drive the cart outside town.

At dawn, they entered town from the outskirts, pretending the produce had been transported from afar.

Shidunzi was simple and obedient, doing exactly as ordered without asking questions.

Early in the morning, the whole family came to the shop to help.

Ershun climbed a ladder to hang the shop sign: four large teal characters embroidered in silk — “Wang’s Vegetable Shop.”

The sign was sewn by Li Shi and the embroidery done by Qingyun. The cloth was high quality, making their shop stand out among the others on the street.

As baskets of fresh vegetables were unloaded from the cart, onlookers emerged from nearby shops, curious.

It was October — fields in the north were frosted. The common folk only had stored radishes, cabbages, and dried vegetables to eat.

Fresh greens were almost unheard of.

“Shopkeeper, where do you get such fresh vegetables?”

“From Laizhou. My Fourth Uncle is stationed there and has connections. I brought some for sale.”

Many couldn’t quite believe it. Laizhou was seven or eight days’ journey from town; fresh veggies would spoil en route, yet these baskets still glistened with dew.

No one could verify, and with the official connection, most simply enjoyed the story.

The neighboring oil-seller asked the price of the cucumbers.

“Twenty cash a jin.”

“Twenty? They only sold for two in summer!”

Wang Ying laughed. “You said it yourself — it’s summer now. What season is it now? Where else could you get this fresh?”

“That’s too expensive! Are you selling gold?”

Those short on cash shook their heads and left. Wang Ying was unbothered — his goods weren’t for commoners. Otherwise, how could he make a profit?

Besides, the output from the experimental field was small and couldn’t flood the market.

When most had left, Li Shi softly asked, “Ying’er, where exactly did these veggies come from? Wasn’t the driver home just a few days ago?”

notes:

1. Shuxiu (束脩) – A traditional fee paid by students to the teacher, sometimes covering course costs. 
2. Chen hour (辰时) – The third double-hour in the traditional Chinese time system, roughly 7–9 a.m. 
3. Mu (亩) – Traditional land measure; about 666.7 square meters or 0.165 acres.