I trade in both worlds

As they were talking, they heard a burst of laughter in the distance, and saw a group of children carrying schoolbags, walking towards the clan school happily.

"Second Grandpa, Mr. Li, we are here." Xu Jin and Xu Zhun shouted as they ran up to the two men and bowed to greet them.

The clan leader smiled and patted their heads: "Good children, today is the day when the clan school starts classes. You must study hard and become the pillars of the clan in the future."

"We will study hard," the twins replied in unison.

Xu Xu also bowed quietly: "Second Grandfather, Mr. Li."

The clan leader and Li Wenyuan nodded to Xu Xu.

With the arrival of the children, more and more villagers gathered in front of the clan school.

"My fellow villagers, today is the opening day of classes at our Xu clan school. This is indeed a great event for our clan." The clan leader announced loudly.

"We are fortunate to have Mr. Li Wenyuan come to teach at our clan school. It is truly an honor for our clan. I hope that the children can study hard under Mr. Li's guidance and become useful talents."

The villagers applauded and cheered, expressing their respect and expectations for the clan studies and Li Wenyuan.

Then, Li Wenyuan stepped forward and addressed the villagers and children: "My fellow villagers and children, knowledge is an endless treasure. It can help us understand the truth and distinguish right from wrong."

"In the tribal school, I will do my best to teach you how to read and write, and how to be a good person. I hope you can cherish every learning opportunity, feel the charm of knowledge with your heart, and use knowledge to illuminate your own path forward."

His voice was gentle and firm, like a warm current flowing into everyone's heart.

The children listened attentively, their eyes sparkling with longing and yearning for the future.

After the opening ceremony, the children, led by Li Wenyuan, walked into the spacious and bright classroom.

Li Wenyuan stood on the stage, looked around, looked at the young faces below the stage, and began to teach the children their first lesson.

He cleared his throat and said, "Dear students, today is the first day we gather here. I, Li Wenyuan, am honored to be your teacher and to embark on the journey of study with you."

"Everyone here has different expectations. So why do we need to read and learn to read? What does reading and learning to read, and taking the imperial examinations mean to us?"

The children looked at each other, some lowered their heads in thought, while others opened their eyes wide, waiting for the teacher's answer.

Li Wenyuan smiled slightly and continued, "Among us scholars, the main purpose of most people studying is to pass the imperial examinations and change their destiny."

"There is a poem that says: 'Books contain a golden house, and books contain a beautiful woman.' Many scholars study hard to read beautiful articles in order to pass the imperial examinations and bring honor to their family."

"Although this motivation is highly utilitarian, it is the main way for ordinary people to change their destiny."

"Some of you may hope to become the top scholar in the imperial examination and return home in glory; some of you may hope to become a local official and benefit the people."

“Whatever your dreams are, reading is the cornerstone to achieving them.”

He paused, then continued: "Reading can not only change our destiny, but also strengthen our learning and absorb the experience and wisdom of our predecessors."

"By reading the classic works of our predecessors, we can enrich our thoughts and improve our lives. When dealing with problems, we can come up with better solutions and reduce detours in life."

“Studying is a process of gradual accumulation. Although you may not see obvious results in the short term, long-term persistence will make you better.”

The children listened attentively, and some looked thoughtful.

Li Wenyuan felt very relieved when he saw this.

He continued, "Reading can also broaden our horizons and increase our knowledge. Human energy is limited, and there are many things that cannot be done personally."

"But through reading, we can understand the colorful world and broaden the breadth of life."

"Do you know? In books, we can travel to famous mountains and rivers, appreciate local customs and people; we can listen to the teachings of ancient sages and feel their wisdom and feelings. Such experience is incomparable to any material wealth."

He changed the subject and said, "The ultimate goal of our study is to 'cultivate oneself, regulate the family, govern the country and bring peace to the world.'"

"The way of the university is to manifest the bright virtue, to be close to the people, and to stop at the highest good. The purpose of reading is to return to one's own nature and to demonstrate wisdom and virtue."

"We should not only study, but also learn from the noble sentiments and lofty aspirations of our ancestors. We should make self-cultivation, benefiting the people and gaining the truth the top priority of studying."

"When we study, we should transcend our own selfish interests, understand the great principles, and seek to benefit the people. This is the attitude towards studying that we should pursue."

The children didn't understand what he said. Many of them were still uneducated and couldn't comprehend what Li Wenyuan said.

Xu Jin sat at his desk, listening carefully to the teacher's teachings. An inexplicable excitement welled up in his heart. However, when his eyes fell on the dirt road outside the window, his thoughts drifted far away.

Li Wenyuan sighed lightly, but continued to guide: "Reading can also cultivate our moral integrity and reflect on ourselves."

"A gentleman is well-informed and examines himself every day, so he will be wise and will not make mistakes. We must learn widely and reflect on ourselves every day, so that we can accumulate virtue and become wise."

“On the road to learning, we must maintain a humble and cautious attitude, ask questions without hesitation, and study hard.”

"Be quick to learn, and do not be ashamed to ask questions. Never get tired of learning, and never get tired of teaching others. We must be open-minded to seek advice from others and study hard, so that we can make continuous progress."

Li Wenyuan's words have planted the seeds of knowledge in the children's hearts.

In the future, he will nourish the hearts of children like spring rain, allowing these seeds to take root, sprout, grow healthily, and become towering trees.

At noon, after school, the children rushed home.

Xu Jin and Xu Zhun walked out of the school. They walked slowly along the dirt road, the soil under their feet was soft and moist, and they could occasionally step on a few small stones.

Looking at this road, another scene emerged in Xu Jin's mind: wide and flat concrete roads and asphalt roads, with vehicles speeding past on them without leaving a trace.

Even when sitting at the dining table, Xu Jin's eyes would still occasionally fall on the tiles on the floor. The tiles were as smooth as a mirror, reflecting soft light.

Xu Tiantian was sitting in her walker, running around on the ground, giggling. Xu Xu thought Xu Jin was watching his niece, so he ignored him.

"Xiao Jin, Xiao Zhun, what did the teacher talk about in class today?" Xu Xu asked while picking up food for his younger brothers.

Xu Zhun blinked his big eyes and answered first: "Sister, today the teacher said that we should study hard. Studying can make us smarter."