After dying early, I traveled to ancient times and became a boy

Mo Yuyan seemed dissatisfied with the price. He grabbed Ye Xunqing's hand and wrote something on his palm.

"Silly child, this is not the capital, the prices are not that high." Ye Xunqing understood what Mo Yuyan meant and comforted him, "It's okay, if Xiaoyan thinks the price is too low, we won't copy it."

The boss smiled and said, "Young man, you've been to a big city before, haven't you? The capital is the capital, and Yutong Town is Yutong Town. Ask around and see if there's any bookshop that offers as much as I do."

Mo Yuyan hesitated for a while and decided to copy.

"Yes." Mo Yuyan nodded, then wrote on the paper with a pen, "I'm willing to copy."

The boss also didn't want to let go of this young man who could write. His handwriting was so beautiful. Once he copied the book, it would be no problem to sell it for four or five hundred coins.

Ye Xunqing paid the deposit, took two of the most frequently used enlightenment books from the boss, and then bought the best writing brushes, ink, paper and inkstone from him, and took them back for Mo Yuyan to copy.

And he also has his own little plan. When the book comes to him, his boss won't know how many times he copies it. And he has to teach Xiao Bai, so how can he teach without the book?

"Bai!" Ye Xunqing touched his brother's head lovingly, "You will have to learn to read from now on."

Unexpectedly, Xiaobai was very optimistic. "Xiaobai likes to learn words. He will learn whatever his brother teaches him."

"Oh, you have a bright future." Ye Xunqing smiled, "As expected of my younger brother, you are studious."

Mo Yuyan was also satisfied. He held the book and paper tightly and was reluctant to let go.

"Are you from the capital?" Ye Xunqing suddenly asked.

Mo Yuyan froze for a moment, suppressed the smile on his face, and nodded.

"Don't be afraid, I'm just asking." Ye Xunqing asked again: "Is the capital city fun?"

Mo Yuyan nodded first, then shook his head, as if he remembered something bad.

"Are things expensive in Beijing?" Ye Xunqing asked finally.

"Yeah." Mo Yuyan nodded.

"Oh." Ye Xunqing stopped asking, "Let's go find Ah Heng, then go to Juxianglou to get the donkey. It's time to go back."

The sun was setting, Feng Jingheng was driving a donkey cart, on which sat Ye Xunqing and his two younger brothers. Ye Xunqing was singing, and although none of them could understand him, he sang very well.

Ye Xunqing first sent Ye Xunbai and Mo Yuyan home, and then went with Feng Jingheng to return the donkey cart.

Wang Qiumei didn't go to the market today, and her two children didn't go either, so Ye Xunqing brought them some food.

"Auntie, this is the money for the car rental." Ye Xunqing put a dozen copper coins on the table. "Don't make excuses. It's the right amount."

Wang Qiumei scolded her, "You're such a stubborn kid! How could I ask you for money for just using a donkey cart? Take it back. If you don't, I won't lend you money next time."

The two of them went back and forth, and in the end the coin ended up in Ye Xunqing's pocket.

"By the way, auntie, do you have any books at home?" Ye Xunqing remembered something. Ye Hongsheng was literate, so his family should have books, right?

"Yes, yes." Wang Qiumei didn't hide it. "It belongs to your uncle. Your uncle can't read much, he can only write letters and make written agreements. It's useless to just leave the book there. If you want to see it, I'll tell your uncle."

"It's not me who wants to see it." Ye Xunqing explained, "I want to show it to Xiaobai. He's almost five years old and can recognize words."

"Well, why did you think of teaching Bai Ge'er to read again?" Wang Qiumei asked doubtfully, "When I asked you before, you said that studying was useless. Your father studied his whole life, but in the end, he was destined to get married."

"Really? Didn't I say that before?" Ye Xunqing was also surprised. "But I taught Xiaobai how to write before?"

Ye Xunbai can write his name and recognize a few words, which shows that Ye Xunqing taught him.

"I'm not sure about that," Wang Qiumei said. "But if you really want to teach Bai Ge'er to read, don't just teach him. Take in a few more children. There are plenty of families willing to let their children go to school. But children don't go to school until they're seven or eight years old. Bai Ge'er is so young, still a little boy. If he goes to school with other boys, he might be bullied."

"Seven or eight years old?" Ye Xunqing thought of modern education. "Isn't that too late?"

Wang Qiumei laughed, "Do you think everyone's family teaches their children from a young age like yours? Seven or eight years old is considered early. Some people don't know their children until they are in their twenties or thirties."

Ye Xunqing said it was difficult to judge, saying that learning to read in one's twenties or thirties was already too late. For example, he started learning pinyin, arithmetic, and English at the age of three.

But it was of no use. Even though he ranked first in the province in the college entrance examination, it couldn't prevent cancer.

"I still want to teach Xiaobai to read as soon as possible." Ye Xunqing insisted: "The more characters he learns, the more opportunities he has. It would be good for him to copy books for others in the future."

After hearing his words, Wang Qiumei also became interested. She said, "If you want to give Brother Bai a private lesson, can you bring my sister Lan with you? She's very smart."

Ye Xunqing asked curiously, "Won't Uncle Hongsheng teach her?"

Wang Qiumei smiled. "Your uncle didn't know many words, so he wasn't good at teaching children. He was the one who taught the eldest and second child their early childhood, and it was a mess. In the end, they were sent to your father. Later, when Yun Ge'er grew up, he also studied with your father for two years. I originally wanted to send Lan Jie'er to learn a few words when she grew up, but..."

When Ye Xilan was old enough to read, Yang Shu was no longer around.

"Sister Lan is special. Her grandfather said years ago that he would find her a good family to raise, but her father and I refused and just treated her like an ordinary girl." Wang Qiumei sighed, "Alas, in a few years, when she grows up, if we can't keep her, she will marry far away. It would be good for her to learn a few words and write letters to me and her father."

Giving it away to someone else to raise is a disguised way of selling it, but it still has some connection with the family.

Sisters are not entirely the same as women. They are naturally beautiful and fertile, and their children are all very beautiful. If a family gives birth to a sister, people from all over the village will come to them to propose marriage. This is why Ye Xilan was born in the village chief's family. If she were born in another family, she would have been sold as a tool for childbirth.

A few years ago, a family in the village gave birth to a little girl. The family was poor, so the girl was bought by a wealthy family in the county half a month after she was born for twelve taels of silver.

If Ye Xilan had not been born in Ye Hongsheng's family, her fate would also be twelve taels of silver.

In this era, there are too many families who voluntarily buy and sell things. What's worse, some people pawn their wives to have children and sell their sons to be someone else's sons.

"I'll consider it." Ye Xunqing felt very complicated after hearing what Wang Qiumei said. He could understand what people of this era did, and he could also understand their obsession with having children, but he did not want to agree with their approach.

He can't control others, so he just needs to take care of his own family.

After leaving Wang Qiumei's house, Ye Xunqing felt a little heavy-hearted. The happiness brought him by money could not eliminate the depression in his heart.

"Are you still thinking about Xiaobai's studies?" Feng Jingheng advised him, "Don't worry about others, just teach Xiaobai well."

Ye Xunqing forced a smile, "Yeah, I know."