Listening to the child's self-doubting words, Qin Sang smiled slightly, sat down beside him, and said:
"Are you worried that you won't teach them well? That you'll lead them astray?"
Tian Wenmo nodded honestly:
"Mother, I am only eight years old..."
Qin Sang knew what he was worried about and comforted him:
"Wen Mo, in the pursuit of knowledge, those who have attained it first are the teachers. In the village, only you have attended a Private School and studied; only you know how to write. That is why this task has fallen to you."
"Mother is very happy that you have such concerns. It shows that you possess the fundamental character required to be a teacher."
"However, you don't need to worry. Asking you to teach isn't about making you responsible for their entire future, but rather, giving their futures a few more possibilities."
"Reading and writing have many uses. They aren't just for becoming an official or writing essays; they can also be used for bookkeeping and writing letters. Even if you only teach them how to write their own names, that is a success. So, you don't need to carry such a heavy psychological burden, do you understand?"
Tian Wenmo nodded after listening:
"But... but I don't know where to start teaching."
Qin Sang really wanted to produce a set of primary school language textbooks, but that wasn't possible.
"Start by teaching what we can use. For example, the village currently lacks an accountant for bookkeeping, so you can start with numbers and arithmetic."
"Teach writing from the simplest characters to the more difficult ones."
"Practicing with charcoal and chalk is more convenient than using brushes."
"I expect that by the time they learn these, we should be able to leave the mountains."
"When that time comes, the village can hire a proper master to teach."
After Qin Sang finished speaking, Tian Wenmo lowered his head slightly:
"If I had known, I would have been more serious back when I was at the school."
Qin Sang couldn't help but laugh. She patted his head and encouraged him:
"There's no rush. You're only eight. As long as you have the heart for it and start being serious now, it's never too late."
Tian Wenmo felt that his mother was becoming more and more sensible; every word she spoke carried such deep meaning:
"Mhm."
...
Early the next morning, Carpenter Zhao had his two sons carry a massive board to the house; it was only slightly shorter than a door panel.
Qin Sang touched it; the surface of the board was polished very smooth without a single splinter. It was clear that Carpenter Zhao's family must have worked through the night to polish it with great care.
Qin Sang brought out some ink and used a brush to apply two or three coats until the entire board was pitch black. Then, she left it to dry.
Since the weather was hot, the board dried within an hour.
Qin Sang tested it with some chalk. After writing a character, she wiped it away with a rag, leaving a thin layer of white dust. For a moment, she was dazed, as if she had returned to her childhood days of studying in the village.
The school was temporarily set up in the clearing of the camp. That was the center of the village, so even if the adults were digging for grass roots on the mountain, they could still see their children.
Despite being only eight, Tian Wenmo specifically changed into the Student's Long Robe that the Original Body had prepared for him. He had also washed his hands and face specially that morning; his clean little appearance was quite handsome.
He mimicked the mature manner of the master who used to teach him and walked up to the blackboard. When he turned around, he was startled to find that sitting two steps away, besides the village children who played games with Eldest Girl, there were also many adults he had to address as uncles.
Even the Old Village Chief was sitting in the middle, stroking his beard and looking at him with a beaming smile...
Tian Wenmo felt his vision go dark again and again...
Mother?
He instinctively looked toward his mother as if for help. Qin Sang was indeed in the crowd; knowing it was Wen Mo's first day as a teacher, she had come to support him.
Receiving her young son's gaze, Qin Sang gave him a reassuring smile and took the lead in clapping:
"Go for it, Wen Mo!"
The crisp sound of clapping drew everyone's attention, but they were soon infected by Qin Sang's joy. Knowing she was encouraging her son, the Old Village Chief also began to clap:
"Wen Mo, don't be afraid."
"That's right..."
*Clap clap clap...*
The enthusiastic applause dispelled the fear in Tian Wenmo's heart.
Seeing the expectant looks in everyone's eyes, Tian Wenmo cleared his throat and spoke:
"Starting today, I will teach everyone basic arithmetic and literacy. I hope everyone can study well and with heart, so that you can apply what you learn in the future..."
While Wen Mo taught on the blackboard, many children below used chalk to follow along on stone slabs. Those without stone slabs or chalk used their fingers to practice on the palms of their other hands.
Qin Sang felt relieved. There was none of the ridicule or dissatisfaction she had imagined; everyone was very serious and respected Wen Mo, this eight-year-old little master.
Qin Sang knew that they were actually respecting culture and the educated. In their hearts, educated people were like high officials, lofty and unreachable.
Previously, they had neither the ability nor the opportunity, but now that they had the chance, they had to seize it firmly.
Qin Sang listened seriously to the entire lesson. When the hour ended, she handed Wen Mo a cup of water. Tian Wenmo's throat was indeed dry; he hadn't been speaking the whole time, but nervousness had followed him like a shadow.
After taking a large gulp, Tian Wenmo asked in surprise:
"Mother, is there sugar in this water?"
Qin Sang smiled:
"It's honey, to keep your throat from hurting. How do you feel?"
Tian Wenmo finished the remaining honey water in one breath and said with great ambition:
"Mother, I want to become the most formidable master."
...
In the afternoon, Qin Sang led the Mules and Horses along with a group of Patrol Team members to the exchange location Tian Yougen had designated.
Everyone was wearing the Wooden Armor from the time they killed the Rebel Soldiers, and they brought their Wooden Shields as well, fearing some kind of disturbance.
When they reached the location, Qin Sang saw those refugees.
Tragic.
Aside from that word, Qin Sang couldn't think of any other to describe the plight of these refugees.
Before they even got close, a foul stench wafted toward them. Even though Qin Sang and the others were wearing cloth masks, they still couldn't block out the smell.
Tian Yougen and the others had already made arrangements. All refugees who wanted to trade entered the Cave with their grass roots, while the people from Tianjia Village stood guard at the Cave entrance to maintain order.
They would call one person out at a time. After the exchange, they would wait for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea for the previous person to walk away before calling the next.
This was Qin Sang's decision.
Firstly, it was to avoid chaos as much as possible. By having the refugees wait inside the Cave while the outside was entirely Tianjia Village people, they could maintain maximum control over the situation.
Secondly, it was to protect the safety of these refugees as much as possible. Otherwise, the small amount of grain they traded for with their hard-earned grass roots might be stolen before they had even gone very far.
Seeing the Mules and Horses carrying the grain arrive, the people standing at the Cave entrance became somewhat restless:
"There really is grain, there really is..."
"We're saved, no one has to die now."
"Let me trade first, my daughter is starving to death. I beg you, let me trade first..."
Tian Yougen and the others drew their long blades and shouted sternly:
"Follow the order of the draw! Anyone who dares to break the rules will not be allowed to trade next time!"
Faced with the deterrent of blades and spears, no one dared to speak again.
Soon, Qin Sang's side was ready and began to call:
"Number one..."
Qin Sang didn't bring Er Fu this time, leaving her in charge of the exchange matters back at the village. She had separately asked the Patrol Team members for their help and would calculate their rewards separately.
Compared to the common Medicinal Herbs found at the camp, the grass roots brought by these refugees from unknown places included several more varieties.