Bamboo Mound

However, Ning Chang still needed to ask the village chief for his opinion.

It was almost noon when Ning Chang finally finished his walk around the village and returned to the village chief's house. Village Chief Lin was already busy cooking, and Ning Chang quickly washed his hands to help.

After lunch, Ning Chang asked the village chief, "Village chief, I took a walk around the village today and saw all the children, regardless of age, chasing and playing, but I didn't see a school. How do they study?"

Village Chief Lin sighed slightly and said, "Where would we get the money for schooling? Scholars don't even come to our poor, remote place. We also can't afford to send our children to private schools in the city."

"Besides, studying is useless. When they grow up, they'll go hunting together to make a living, so they won't need those grand principles," Village Chief Lin paused.

Ning Chang was anxious. If this method didn't work, he would be useless for the entire year, and staying in the village all day would inevitably attract gossip.

"Village Chief Lin, although I am physically weak, I am fortunate enough to know some characters. Why don't you let me teach them to read? Even if they don't need it later, they can learn some arithmetic so that they won't be taken advantage of by merchants in the city."

Upon hearing this, Village Chief Lin's eyes lit up. "That's wonderful! Since you're willing to teach the children to read, I'll work myself to the bone to repay you!"

Ning Chang was startled by the excited expression of Village Chief Lin and quickly declined, saying, "Village Chief, I am grateful enough for you saving me. How can I ask for anything in return? Just feed me."

Village Chief Lin naturally understood Ning Chang's thoughts. Young people always yearn for immortals. When Qingyun Sect recruits disciples again next year, the village will naturally not be able to keep Ning Chang. Since Ning Chang is willing to teach the children to read and do math, even if it's only for a year, it's a blessing for the village.

The village chief sighed inwardly, "Good child, don't worry, we won't let you go hungry for even one meal."

After saying that, the village chief got up and walked out. Ning Chang quickly called him back and asked him some questions. Then, the village chief went from house to house to tell Ning Chang about teaching the children to read.

After learning about the world's counting units, Ning Changye and the village chief planned to start teaching tomorrow.

In the afternoon, the men who had been hunting returned to the village, each carrying more than two animal carcasses on their backs, mostly wild boars, with a few rabbits and pheasants tucked into their belts, and even two wolves!

It seemed like a great success. When they returned and learned about Ning Chang's situation, they were all overjoyed.

That evening, a bonfire was lit in the open space in the center of the village, and the villagers shared the joy of the harvest. Ning Chang also ate some meat. Although it was unseasoned, the raw aroma of the meat made Ning Chang extremely satisfied.

During this time, Ning Chang searched for Village Chief Lin again, but failed to find him. He then asked a slightly older man beside him.

"With so many trees outside the village, why don't the villagers use wood to build houses?"

The uncle took another bite of meat and said, "Because no one in the village has that skill, no one can make the right shape. Besides, it's not as convenient as burning earthen walls, and it's not fireproof either. We all use earthen stoves, so if a fire breaks out, it's hard to put out."

Ning Chang nodded, said goodbye to the uncle, returned to the village chief's house, and went to bed early.

The next morning, when Ning Chang woke up, the purchasing team had already set off for Chang Le City, and Ning Chang was about to begin his first day of teaching.

When they arrived at the room, which had been prepared in advance to serve as a classroom, the room was already full of children. When they saw Ning Chang enter, they all stopped making noise and looked at Ning Chang with big eyes. Before they came, their parents had told them to listen carefully in class.

Ning Chang felt a little uncomfortable being stared at from these perspectives for the first time.

But he quickly adjusted and began teaching them to read.

Writing involved writing on a wooden board with charcoal, erasing the writing with water, and then exchanging the board with another one.

Ning Chang planned to teach them to read first, and then teach them arithmetic once they had a certain foundation.

The first day passed quickly. When Ning Chang returned to his residence, the door was piled with food. Ning Chang even saw a basket of eggs, which moved him deeply.

Ning carried the villagers' gifts into the house, washed up briefly, and went to bed.

Although Ning Chang occupied Village Chief Lin's house, Village Chief Lin was not without a place to live; he was currently living in his son's house.

........

The next morning, Ning Chang got up early to cook, accompanied by the crowing of roosters. After learning that Ning Chang could cook, Village Chief Lin stopped coming every day.

Ning taught the children to recognize characters just like yesterday, for two and a half hours every day. In her spare time, she taught the children games like hopscotch and beanbag toss, and played with them.

......

A month passed in the blink of an eye. During this time, Ning Chang taught arithmetic for one hour every morning and Chinese for one and a half hours every afternoon. The children learned quite quickly, and even some of the more mischievous children did not have any problems remembering or understanding the lessons, which surprised Ning Chang.

During this month, some children would sometimes immerse themselves in the poems and daydream for a while. At these times, Ning Chang would wait for them to savor the poems. Sometimes they would ask what the poems meant, and Ning Chang would just smile and say, "You'll understand when you grow up."

Indeed, time is the best teacher. Ning Chang merely inspired their thinking. When they grow up and recall certain things, what they understand will be more memorable than what he taught them.

What Ning Chang found unforgettable was a young girl named Douhua, whose questions always helped Ning Chang to think about other things and make connections.

"Teaching and learning go hand in hand!" Ning Chang often exclaimed.

.......

About a month later, the children's arithmetic skills were sufficient to handle various problems in life. Ning Chang did not teach them equations or functions, because those were completely useless and unnecessary to expand their mental agility.

During this period, Ning Chang asked the purchasing team to buy some teaching materials in the city. Ning Chang began to combine the poems and teaching materials he had learned with his lessons. As for arithmetic, he had reduced it to once every three days.

One morning, when Ning Chang arrived at the classroom, she found an unexpected guest.

That evening, the uncle Ning Chang asked was sitting in the classroom like the children. When Ning Chang looked over, he grinned.

During the month they spent together, Ning Chang also remembered the names of some of the villagers. This uncle's name was Lin Tiezhu, and he was the team leader of the purchasing team.

“When we go to the city to buy things, we always feel like we’re being ripped off, but we don’t know many words. So I thought I’d listen to what’s going on here and save some money.”

Ning Chang thought for a while and said, "Teaching one is teaching, and teaching a few more is also teaching. How about this, see if there are any other adults who want to learn arithmetic. I can teach them all together, that would be even better."