The Leisurely Life of a Peasant Woman in the Tang Dynasty

"We...we use the money for the private school..." Tang Wan's voice became lower and lower, as if she was afraid of disturbing something.

Tang Youyou's heart tightened. She quietly pushed the door open a crack, and in the dim candlelight, she saw two children squatting on the ground with a pile of copper coins in front of them. Tang Jin was counting them seriously, his brow furrowed, while Tang Wan was holding her chin with a worried look on her face.

"One hundred and one, one hundred and two..." Tang Jin counted seriously, but he couldn't hide the disappointment in his tone, "Why is there still so much short..."

Tang Youyou felt a pang of pain in her heart. She knew that the children were sharing her worries. Ever since she had inquired about the private school in the neighboring village, she had discovered that with their family's current financial situation, it was too much of a stretch to support three children in school.

"Didn't mother say before that as long as we study hard, we can live a good life in the future?" Tang Wan's voice was filled with tears. "But we can't even afford to go to a private school..."

"Don't worry, sister, we'll think of another way." Tang Jin clenched his fists and said firmly, "I'll go to the mountains to dig up more herbs tomorrow. I should be able to sell them for some money."

"But, your hand..." Tang Wan looked at her brother's rough little hand with heartache, which was covered with tiny wounds.

Tang Youyou couldn't hold it in any longer, her eyes moistened, she pushed open the door and walked in, holding back her tears, she smiled and said, "My darlings, what are you doing?"

Tang Wan and Tang Jin were startled by the sudden appearance of Tang Youyou, and the copper coins in their hands fell to the ground with a crisp sound.

"Mother..." Tang Wan's tears suddenly burst out and she threw herself into Tang Youyou's arms.

"Mom, we...we just want to help you..." Tang Jin lowered his head, not daring to look into Tang Youyou's eyes.

Tang Youyou held the children in her arms, patted their backs gently, and said softly: "Silly children, mother knows your feelings, and mother is very touched. But don't worry, mother will find a way."

Over the next few days, Tang Youyou visited all the nearby private schools, big and small, but couldn't find a suitable one. Either the tuition was too high, or the teachers were too demanding. Tang Youyou and the children felt like they were being weighed down by a huge rock, unable to breathe.

Finally, in a remote alley, Tang Youyou found a private school that looked quite simple. The teacher's surname was Tang, and he was an old man in his sixties with a kind face. More importantly, the tuition here was relatively cheap, which gave Tang Youyou hope.

However, when Tang Youyou brought the three children to the private school with great anticipation, Mr. Tang simply glanced at the three children indifferently, frowning slightly, and said with a hint of disdain: "With such a poor foundation, I'm afraid you won't be able to keep up..."

"Sir..." Tang Youyou's heart sank, but she still suppressed her uneasiness and pleaded, "My children are very smart and hardworking. Please give them a chance..."

Mr. Tang didn't say anything. He just picked up a book on the table, opened a page, pointed at the words on it, and asked, "Do you know it?"

Tang Wan and Tang Jin both lowered their heads in shame, only Tang Xiaoya shook her head in confusion.

"If you can't even recognize these few words, how can you expect to study?" Mr. Tang said sternly, his eyes full of disdain. "Go back, don't delay the child..."

Tang Youyou clenched her fists, her nails digging deep into her flesh, but she did not refute. She just took a deep breath and looked at Mr. Tang with a firm gaze... Tang Youyou took a deep breath and swallowed back the tears that were about to burst out. She knew that this was not the time to be weak. She had to cheer up for the children and their future.

"Sir, please believe me, I will teach them personally and let them catch up as soon as possible." Tang Youyou said in a firm tone, with a tenacity in his eyes that refused to admit defeat.

Mr. Tang looked at the frail yet resolute woman before him, his heart slightly moved. But he kept a straight face and said, "In that case, you should copy the Three Character Classic ten times first. When you have finished, come back to me."

Tang Youyou knew that this was a test from Mr. Tang for her, and also an opportunity for the children. Without hesitation, she took the book and quietly left the private school with the three children.

After returning home, Tang Youyou began to teach the children. She took out her remaining savings, bought pens, ink, paper and inkstone, and found some wooden boards to make a few simple desks with her own hands.

During the day, while doing housework, Tang Youyou took the time to teach the children to read and recite. At night, under the dim oil lamp, Tang Youyou patiently explained over and over again until the children understood.

However, the learning process was not smooth. Although Tang Wan and Tang Jin were both sensible and eager to learn, they had never been exposed to it before and their foundation was weak, making it very difficult for them to learn.

"Mom, how do you write this word?" Tang Wan frowned, and the brush in her hand left a blob of ink on the paper.

"Sister, do you think what I wrote is correct?" Tang Jin wrote for a long time, but found that he had written the words upside down, and he was immediately discouraged.

Tang Youyou looked at the exhausted children, her heart filled with heartache. She knew that the children had worked very hard, but learning itself was a boring process, let alone in such a difficult environment.

In order to stimulate the children's interest in learning, Tang Youyou tried every possible way. She turned boring texts into catchy songs, incorporated difficult truths into interesting stories, and even played games with the children to make learning fun.

However, despite Tang Youyou's tremendous efforts, the children's enthusiasm for learning gradually faded, and their learning efficiency became increasingly low. Tang Wan often lost focus, Tang Jin began to become restless, and only Tang Xiaoya still retained some of her childlike innocence, but she also just regarded learning as a game.

"Mom, I don't want to study anymore. I want to play." Tang Jin threw down the brush in his hand, his face full of impatience.

"Mom, I have a headache." Tang Wan also lay on the table and said weakly.

Tang Youyou knew that the children were on the verge of collapse. She suppressed her anxiety and uneasiness, hugged the children in her arms, and said softly, "My dears, I know you are working hard, but studying is like climbing a mountain. Although the process is tiring, as long as you persevere, you will see the beautiful scenery at the top of the mountain..."

However, Tang Youyou's encouragement did not have much effect. Although the children did not say it, they were increasingly resistant to learning in their hearts.

To make matters worse, Tang Jin also encountered trouble in the private school.

One day, Tang Jin accidentally knocked over his ink bottle in class, and the ink splashed onto the clothes of a classmate next to him. The classmate was the son of the village chief, who was usually spoiled and unreasonable. When he saw his new clothes were dirty, he immediately flew into a rage and pointed at Tang Jin's nose and cursed.

When Mr. Tang saw this, instead of criticizing the student, he said to Tang Jin with a cold face, "Tang Jin, look at you, you're so clumsy! How disrespectful! Why don't you apologize to your classmates right now?"

Tang Jin felt very wronged. He clearly didn't mean it, and he wanted to apologize, but the classmate's aggressive attitude made him feel very uncomfortable.

"What? You don't want to apologize?" Mr. Tang said in a stern tone, with a hint of dissatisfaction in his eyes.

Tang Jin bit his lip, lowered his head, and said nothing.

"Good, very good!" Mr. Tang laughed in anger, pointing outside the door and saying, "Get out now. Come back when you realize your mistake!"

Tang Jin felt extremely humiliated, tears welling up in his eyes, but he still gritted his teeth stubbornly and walked out of the classroom without saying a word...

Tang Youyou didn't know what happened in the private school. She was still at home anxiously waiting for the children to return from school. However, what she waited for was Tang Jin's red eyes and silent back...

The sun set, and the sunset glow dyed half the sky red. Tang Youyou stood at the door, looking around anxiously, hoping that the children would appear.

From a distance, she saw Tang Wan and Tang Xiaoya walking hand in hand, talking and laughing, but Tang Jin was nowhere to be seen. Tang Youyou's heart skipped a beat, and an ominous premonition came over her.

"Wan'er, Xiaoya, where is your brother? Why didn't he come back with you?" Tang Youyou suppressed the uneasiness in her heart and asked calmly.

"Mom!" Tang Xiaoya saw Tang Youyou and excitedly threw herself into her arms, "Brother was kicked out by the teacher today!"

Tang Youyou's expression suddenly changed. She grabbed Tang Wan's hand and asked anxiously, "What happened? Why was your brother kicked out by the master?"

Tang Wan's eyes were red as she told Tang Youyou everything that had happened.

After listening to Tang Wan's story, Tang Youyou was furious. She picked up Tang Xiaoya and pulled Tang Wan towards the private school.

"Mr. Tang, what gives you the right to kick my son out!" Tang Youyou rushed into the private school, pointing at Mr. Tang's nose and questioning.

Mr. Tang was packing up his things. Seeing the angry Tang Youyou, he frowned and said unhappily, "What are you doing? This is a private school, not a place for you to act wild!"

"What did my son do wrong? You want to kick him out!" Tang Youyou was furious.

"He is not studying well and he soiled his classmates' clothes and refused to apologize. Shouldn't I punish him?" Mr. Tang said coldly.

"My son is just a child, he didn't mean it!" Tang Youyou said with red eyes, "Besides, that classmate was arrogant and unreasonable. The teacher punished my son without knowing the truth. Isn't it too biased?"

"You!" Mr. Tang was speechless after being rebuked by Tang Youyou. His beard stood up in anger. "That's unreasonable! You're just doting on your child. You don't understand education!"

Tang Youyou was so angry that her whole body was shaking. She took a deep breath, suppressed the anger in her heart, and said coldly: "Since the master doesn't welcome my child, then we might as well not learn!"

After saying that, Tang Youyou took Tang Wan and Tang Xiaoya and turned to leave.

Back home, Tang Youyou was in a state of confusion. She knew that Mr. Tang was right, that she doted on her children too much. However, she was also doing it for the children's own good! Did children from poor families deserve to be bullied?

Looking at the dejected Tang Jin, Tang Youyou suppressed the sadness in her heart and comforted him, "Jin'er, don't be discouraged. Mother believes you didn't mean it."

"Mom..." Tang Jin raised his head, his eyes red, "Am I useless?"

"Silly child, how can you be useless?" Tang Youyou hugged Tang Jin in her arms, "You are just young and ignorant."

At this time, Tang Wan came over, pulled Tang Youyou's sleeve, and said, "Mom, I can teach my younger brothers and sisters to read."

"Sister..." Tang Jin and Tang Xiaoya looked at Tang Wan in surprise.

"Don't worry, I will teach you well." Tang Wan said firmly.

Tang Youyou looked at her sensible daughter, her heart filled with emotion. She knew that no matter how difficult the road ahead was, as long as the family supported each other, they would be able to overcome all difficulties.

Late at night, Tang Youyou lay in bed, unable to fall asleep. She looked at the starry sky outside the window and secretly made up her mind: she must find better educational opportunities for the children! Tang Youyou tossed and turned, unable to sleep all night. The children's eyes longing for knowledge lingered in her mind, and she secretly vowed to find better educational opportunities for the children.

The next morning, Tang Youyou got up, cleaned up the house, and then took the children to the town, asking about the private schools from house to house. However, most of the private schools in the town charged high fees, and the teaching quality was uneven, which made Tang Youyou dissatisfied.

"Mom, can we really find a suitable private school?" Tang Jin asked somewhat frustratedly. His little face was full of fatigue after days of running around.

"Yes, mother, why don't we just forget it." Tang Wan, who has always been sensible, was also a little shaken. She looked at Tang Youyou with heartache, not wanting her to worry about them anymore.

Tang Youyou squatted down, gently stroked the children's heads, and said firmly: "Children, don't be discouraged, mother will definitely find the best learning opportunities for you, believe in mother!"

In order to raise tuition, Tang Youyou began to work harder to run her own stall. She got up early and went to bed late, regardless of rain or shine, using her sweat to exchange for the children's future hope.

That day, Tang Youyou was selling embroidery at the market. A vegetable vendor next to her chatted with her: "Youyou, I heard that the academy in the city is recruiting new students. Do you want to let your child try?"

Tang Youyou's heart moved when she heard this...