I am engaged in construction in Datang

Li Shimin looked the other person up and down and frowned.

Although this man had tidied his appearance, judging by the grease in his hair, the dirt between his fingernails, and his clothes full of patches, he clearly did not look like an literate person.

He looked around again and saw not only students wearing scholar's robes, but also many common people in shorts, and even some children sitting on the ground leaning against the bookshelf reading picture books.

Although no one spoke and the restaurant was unusually quiet, Li Shimin still felt it was strange.

This is a book!

Not only is there no charge, but they are also allowed to look around freely. What if they get it dirty?

He felt sorry for Zhuangzi's money.

Just as he was about to go and ask the old man for details, the old man seemed to have encountered something he couldn't understand, so he took the book and went to another student.

The two exchanged a few words in a low voice, and the father-in-law returned to continue reading.

Li Shimin could no longer stand, so he stepped forward and asked, "Father, can you read?"

"Shh-"

The old man was startled and reflexively put his index finger in front of his lips, making a gesture of silence.

Seeing that Li Shimin seemed to be a new arrival, he took the book in his hand and took Li Shimin to the activity area.

"What did you want to say just now?"

When the old man saw Li Shimin dressed in brocade, he felt that he was not from an ordinary family.

"I just want to ask, can you read?"

The old man glanced at Li Shimin and understood that this was someone who felt that he could not touch books.

The owner of Manor Li even taught him how to read personally. He forced him to touch the book, saying that the books here were for ordinary people like them.

The owner of the library didn't say anything. Where did you come from?

Still think we can't touch books!

You can!

"What does it have to do with you whether I can read or not?"

"Hey, you..." Wang De shouted immediately.

Before Li Shimin could stop him, he saw the old man put his index finger on his lips again.

"Hush..." the old man said, and then complained: "I told you not to speak loudly, why didn't you listen!"

"If you disturb the students again, I will tell the administrator to kick you out!"

"This is the restaurant of His Majesty and his wife!"

“……”Li Shimin.

"..."Wang De.

This old man is so arrogant!

The old man didn't want to pay any attention to the two of them and wanted to go back to continue his studies. He was still unsure about a word and had to go ask the students over there.

"Old man, old man, please stay." Li Shimin quickly grabbed the man and bowed: "I was rude just now."

The old man then stopped and looked at the two of them, as if to say that they were sensible.

"Father, I just want to know if you can read? What book are you reading?" Li Shimin said quickly.

He felt very ashamed, but he couldn't argue with the common people.

Besides, it’s not anyone else’s fault!

Li Shimin thought sourly, the man's toughness was given by His Majesty and Nuzhuang!

"I am learning here because I can't read!" The old man handed the book in his hand to Li Shimin.

"Look, my dear, there is a picture of a cow on it, and the word next to the cow is 'cow'."

Li Shimin took a look and found that it was true.

The cow is painted vividly, with the word "cow" written next to it and the pinyin marked on top.

Looking further down, there was a picture of a horse with the simplified Chinese character "马" written next to it.

Li Shimin didn’t understand. Is this how the word “horse” is written?

"My dear, this is '马'?" he asked, and then said, "I don't write 马 like this."

"You don't know this!"

The old man puffed out his chest with some pride: "This is called simplified Chinese characters, and it was invented by Nuzhuang specifically for us to see."

"Master Li said that those extremely complicated characters were created by the aristocratic families in order to monopolize the writing system, and they deliberately prevented us from learning them. Now your majesty and Zhuangzi are promoting simpler characters so that we can all understand them, and we will be able to read in the future!"

As he spoke, the old man glanced at Li Shimin and said, "None of you noble families are good!"

"Only His Majesty and Nvzhuang know how to care for us."

Wang De: "..."

Li Shimin: "..."

My sister-in-law has clearly started using simpler fonts, why did she forget to tell me?

sigh.

Li Shimin thought again that this was probably just a small matter in his sister's mind, so small that she didn't care much about it, so he forgot to tell him.

Just like that dictionary, my sister said that if we know a few more words, we can compile one.

Only things like military supplies, steel, and bicycles would be reported to the palace by my sister-in-law.

There seems to be some glass factory recently.

"Father, you misunderstood me." Li Shimin tried to save his image: "I stand with your majesty and Nvzhuang."

"I am so happy that the people can study, how can I stop them?"

The old man looked at Li Shimin carefully and found that he looked serious, so he believed it a little.

"Old man, I saw you went to find the students just now. Were you asking them questions?"

Li Shimin continued to ask: "Are they willing to teach?"

"Yes!"

The old man opened the book in his hand and pointed to a picture of a willow tree. "I was a little confused just now. Is this word pronounced '柳' or '树'? So I asked the student for advice. It turns out that this is the word 柳! No wonder he wanted to draw a willow tree!"

"Are you wondering why the students are willing to teach?"

Seeing Li Shimin's puzzled look, the old man continued, "Master Li said that before he became an official, he was unwilling to answer the people's questions. After he became an official, he was even more unwilling to listen to the people."

"What's the point of such people passing the exam? Will they help the people solve their problems? If they really pass the exam, Nuzhuang will also appeal to the court, and then we'll see if he can continue to be an official!"

Li Shimin wanted to say "good", but after looking at the surrounding environment, he gave up.

"Of course, the owner of the manor has also told us to respect these students who teach people to read and to try not to disturb them while they are studying. If anyone treats them like cattle, they will be punished and will not be allowed to enter this restaurant in the future."

Li Shimin looked around and saw many people asking for advice from their students.

Even in the activity area not far from them, there was a student reading agricultural books to the people.

It seems like he is teaching the other person how to grow wheat to get a better harvest.

"Hey, my dear, please don't mind our noise. If you want to study quietly, you might as well go upstairs and take a look. There are more students upstairs." The father-in-law grinned.

"Are you going with me, father-in-law?"

The old man shook his head: "No, we'll just watch it on the first floor."

Then Li Shimin understood that the students staying on the first floor were all willing to teach the people to read.

He signaled Wang De to remember these people.

If one of them passes the imperial examination in the future, he may be given an important position.

After saying goodbye to the old man, the two went upstairs.

The second floor is even quieter than the first, to the point where you can hear a pin drop, and the students are very cautious when entering and leaving.

Li Shimin saw several poor students whose robes were washed white, with cloth bags filled with dry biscuits hanging on the backs of their chairs.

When everyone was tired of studying, they would go downstairs to read some books and teach the people to read.