Because he was so happy, upon returning to the village, Old Zhang instructed Zhang Darlang and the others to go home and kill a chicken first.
When Zhang Darlang and the others heard about killing a chicken, they began to swallow their saliva and hurried back home to work.
Old Zhang didn’t rush to take Zhang Fang home; instead, he let him sit at the village entrance to rest. Once the villagers gathered around, Old Zhang started to brag about Zhang Fang passing the provincial exam and preparing for the next court examination. Once he graduates with a degree, he would no longer be from a poor family! From now on, Zhang Fang wouldn’t need to kneel before the county magistrate!
The villagers listened to Old Zhang’s words, feeling a mix of sourness and envy. But thinking that Zhang Fang was from their village, they felt a sense of pride if someone from their village could achieve honors. With that thought, many no longer felt jealous, and instead offered Zhang Fang encouraging words, urging him to study hard and pass the exams soon!
When Old Lady Zhang heard that Zhang Fang had smoothly passed the provincial exam, she didn’t mind losing a chicken and specifically chose a big fat chicken for Zhang Darlang and the others to slaughter. She brought out the new clothes she had bought for Zhang Fang, dressed up, and went to the village entrance to show off her son alongside Old Zhang.
Zhang Fang looked at the two elderly people with a smile in his eyes. For sensitive youths, they might feel ashamed by their parent’s exaggerated bragging about their pride in their children. However, Zhang Fang was not a true youth; therefore, he could calmly regard this matter.
It wasn’t until dark that Old Lady Zhang and Old Zhang took Zhang Fang home.
Zhang Darlang and the others had already cleaned up the big fat chicken. This time, they still had chicken soup noodles, but Old Zhang ordered Old Lady Zhang to put the whole chicken into the pot. Tonight the whole family would have a good feast!
When it came time to distribute the meat and noodles, Old Lady Zhang still purposely placed the most and best chicken meat into Zhang Fang’s bowl.
Seeing that everyone at home had received plenty of meat, Zhang Fang didn’t mind this time. After all, Old Lady Zhang had such a small thought. As long as she didn’t favor him too obviously or treat others unfairly, Zhang Fang was too lazy to care.
They finished their big meal feeling full, and Zhang Fang called a family meeting. The main content of the family discussion was that once Zhang Fang passed his exams, his family couldn’t hold him back. Therefore, everyone in the family must learn to read and write, including Old Lady Zhang and Old Zhang.
This shocked the entire family. For the several daughters-in-law of the Zhang family, it was undoubtedly a great thing for children to learn to read! However, no one expected that they themselves would have to study as well! The Zhang family members were not very confident, fearing they might not be able to learn to read.
Old Zhang fell silent for a moment, patted the table in the yard, and spoke to the whole family: “Listen to Si Lang! Starting from tomorrow, the whole family will learn to read! We Zhang family members are no longer going to be peasants!”
If Zhang Fang could pass the exams, he would enter the gentry class! The Zhang family was changing from one generation to the next. This was a big deal, and Old Zhang demanded that the whole family take it seriously and study hard. If anyone didn’t learn well and couldn’t read, then they shouldn’t expect to eat!
Zhang Darlang and the others felt a bit anxious. It was good for the children to learn to read, but they were all at this age—could they really start reading and writing now?
Old Lady Zhang also had some doubts, but to support Zhang Fang, she spoke up and told them: “Even at our age, we both need to learn to read! If we can’t learn, then we won’t eat! If you can’t learn to read, beating us old folks, then just split off and live by yourselves! Don’t say I’m your mother, and don’t say Si Lang is your brother! What a disgrace!”
What else could Zhang Darlang and the others say? They could only obey and do as they were told.
Thus, the next day, the Zhang family’s neighbors discovered that after finishing their work, the entire family would gather in the yard, with Zhang Fang as the teacher, teaching them to read.
“Oh my! What is this!”
This scene was indeed fresh. Other villagers, hearing about it, rushed to the perimeter of the Zhang family’s yard to watch.
To this, Zhang Fang told the villagers: “If anyone wants to come and learn to read, they can learn together.”
Upon hearing this, the Zhang family members became anxious. They had tightened their belts for many years to support Zhang Fang’s education, and finally, he had gained this knowledge—this was all money! Teaching their own family members to read was one thing, but now Zhang Fang wanted to teach outsiders to read, which would mean letting others take advantage!
Old Lady Zhang stood up immediately, pulled Zhang Fang back, and quietly told him: “Si Lang, this is not acceptable! How can you teach outsiders to read for free!”
Zhang Fang didn’t explain; the villagers were already excited, fearing Zhang Fang would leave and that the Zhang family would stop him from doing this. Many people rushed to speak with Zhang Fang.
“This is true! Zhang Si Lang, don’t you deceive us! I will send my Er Niu here to learn to read!”
“Zhang Si Lang, do you charge for teaching reading? My family is poor and can’t afford to send my child to school!”
“Zhang Si Lang, if I send my child here to learn to read, will they also be able to take the exams like you in the future?”
The Zhang family members were flustered, quickly closing the yard door, sending the outsiders away, and pulling Zhang Fang back indoors.
“Fourth brother, we raised you with great difficulty to go to school, not so you could teach others for free!”
“Yeah! Fourth brother, just teach the family members to read. Why teach outsiders? Isn’t that foolish? Even if you do, you must charge!”
“Right! You must collect their tuition! Fourth, you’ve spent so many years studying and paying a lot of fees every year. If they want to send their children to learn from you, they must pay!”
Seeing his family so agitated, Zhang Fang sighed helplessly and let them calm down. After Old Zhang and the others returned, Zhang Fang explained to his family: “Father, Mother, I’m not being foolish. In the village, we are the only ones who are thriving; they secretly envy us and will surely watch coldly when our family encounters difficulties in the future. If I set up a school in the village to teach the village’s children to read, they will certainly be grateful to the Zhang family. Moreover, if I can indeed teach a few clever children who later pass the exams, I would have contributed to that success.”
After hearing Zhang Fang’s explanation, the Zhang family members were dazed. Zhang Fang’s words were very reasonable and reflected long-term considerations, which would also benefit the Zhang family.
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