Is the beginning of a catastrophe? The little farm cook is raising a family with a full warehouse.

The little sister with two buns on her head tilted her face up, her big watery eyes full of grievance and confusion. Her little hands tightly grasped the corner of her sister's clothes and shook it gently. Anyone who saw her looked so distressed.

"I asked my grandmother this question before, but she just sighed and said it has been like this since ancient times."

"Has it always been like this? Is that right?"

Cheng Yueli seemed to have mustered up her courage, and her crisp words were filled with stubbornness. Her clear voice echoed in the small room, as if she wanted to break through the shackles of the established rules.

Hearing this, a hint of surprise flashed in Cheng Yuntao's eyes, but more of it was joy. She thought for a moment and then spoke.

"People often believe that a woman's life should be like the still water in a well, calm and peaceful. She should just stay at home, manage the household, be good at needlework, wait until she reaches the age of marriage, marry, raise children, and spend the rest of her life as a wife."

"The world we live in now is entangled with many old customs and habits. It's like once a woman is exposed to knowledge, she becomes like a wild horse that has run away from her reins, losing her gentle and respectful demeanor and disrupting the order of morality and ethics."

"This is certainly wrong, but changing this situation won't happen overnight. Since we can't change others, let's start by changing ourselves."

"Sister wants to open a private school after she earns enough money, accepting only female students. Then Xiaoli can go to school like her brother."

"But before that, Xiaoli will have to study at home. I believe that Xiaoli will take it seriously even if she has to study on her own, right?"

As Cheng Yuntao explained, Cheng Yueli's eyes became brighter. She knew that her sister always kept her word, and that she would really have the opportunity to enter school like her brother Xiaozhu in the future.

"Yes! Xiaoli will! Don't worry, sister!"

Perhaps because she had untied the knot in her heart, Cheng Yueli looked a lot more lively, and her tone was full of joy that she could not hide.

"Okay, Xiaoli, go play by yourself for a while. When I come back in the afternoon, I'll buy you some school supplies."

After getting the promise, Cheng Yueli skipped away, and Cheng Yuntao also quickened her pace to finish the trivial matters in the kitchen.

As soon as she came out of the kitchen, she saw Cheng Jingzhu had already packed up and was standing in the middle of the yard, looking at her with a smile on his face, ready to go.

"Sister, I'm ready! Let's go!"

……

The brother and sister walked steadily through the intricate stone pavement of the alley. The stone pavement under their feet was smooth due to years of polishing, and occasionally a few strands of tenacious moss poked out from the cracks.

Soon, the private school appeared before our eyes.

The private school is hidden deep in the alley, with a few dead vines climbing on the wall. The door is made of thick elm wood, and the door knocker is mottled with verdigris. It emits an ancient and faint light under the gentle sunlight.

Cheng Yuntao stepped forward and rang the door knocker.

After a moment, the door slowly opened, and an old gentleman in a dark blue gown and with white beard and eyebrows appeared. He looked at the two of them from top to bottom, his eyes as sharp as an eagle.

Before the other party could speak, Cheng Yuntao bowed slightly and said, "Excuse me for bothering you, but are you Scholar Lin?"

Lin Xuejiu nodded slightly, acknowledging his identity. "It is me, young lady. What brings you here?"

Upon hearing this, Cheng Yuntao hurriedly pulled Cheng Jingzhu to bow and salute, with full courtesy and a tone that was neither humble nor arrogant.

"Mr. Lin, I have long admired your profound knowledge and tireless teaching."

"My younger brother has always yearned for learning, but due to the many things at home, he was delayed in starting school. Now, at the age of eleven, his mind has matured, and his desire to learn has only grown stronger."

"I brought him here to see you today. I hope you can give him a chance to go to school."

After saying that, Cheng Yuntao deftly untied the purse from her waist, took out the silver and money she had prepared in advance, and handed it to Lin Xuejiu.

"This is a small gift to show my appreciation. I hope you won't mind it."

Lin Xuejiu did not reach out to take it immediately, but looked at Cheng Jingzhu who was standing beside him with a nervous expression.

"Other children have already been in school for several years and have a solid foundation. It would be difficult for him to catch up from the beginning."

"Children his age in my private school have already memorized those elementary classics by heart, recognize quite a few characters, and have developed a certain level of discipline in their writing and punctuation. Not to mention the Four Books and Five Classics, they've read them through several times and can even make some sense of famous scholars' annotations. They've also been introduced to the rules of poetry and lyrics from a very early age. Although their daily poetry and composing skills are still immature, they have developed some form."

"He arrived at the age of eleven, like a late-blooming seedling. From the start, he was far behind others. The homework he had to make up for was piling up like a mountain. While others were playing and relaxing, he had to bury his head in his books, leaving no room for slacking off."

Xuejiu Lin frowned slightly, his eyes as sharp as an eagle, which made Cheng Jingzhu's heart beat fast.

"Furthermore, I have always been very strict in my teaching. I hate giving up halfway or slacking off. If you are late with your homework, don't memorize well, or don't understand the explanation clearly, I will punish you with a cane without mercy."

"If you ever get lazy and start to back down, I'll definitely double my efforts. The smack on your palm won't just hurt your skin, it'll also serve as a warning to you not to neglect your studies."

When Lin Xuejiu said this, his tone rose slightly, revealing unquestionable majesty.

"You must think carefully. The days ahead will be filled with hardship. If you don't have a heart that can endure hardship and loneliness, you won't be able to make it through even a few months, let alone achieve anything. Don't blame me for being unkind and sending you away, wasting both of our time."

"I think you two should go home first and have a good discussion with your elders. If you have thought it through and are still determined to come, come back here to see me in the morning three days later with your money."

After explaining everything clearly, Master Lin didn't waste any more words and turned around and walked back into the courtyard.

"Hey, Scholar Lin..."

"boom--"

Before Cheng Yuntao could finish her words, the heavy door quickly closed in front of her eyes, blocking her sight and forcing the rest of her words back into her throat.

The door knocker swung back and forth as the door closed, hitting the door panel and making a crisp sound.

The outstretched hand was still in mid-air. Cheng Yuntao smiled awkwardly and withdrew her hand.

The surroundings suddenly became much quieter, leaving only the brother and sister standing in front of the private school door, staring at each other, looking a little funny.

"Sister...why don't we go back first? It doesn't look good to stand here all the time." Cheng Jingzhu lowered his head, staring at the moss clinging to the cracks of the bluestone slabs under his feet and muttered softly.

Young men of this age already have their own pride, and after being taught such an unceremonious lesson, they also developed some resistance.

"Well... okay." Cheng Yuntao sighed and walked back with Cheng Jingzhu.