A Good Landlord in the Tang Dynasty: Starting from the Village Chief

Chapter 34 Wuji School Meeting
The first class can be said to be very successful.

The sixty children listened to the class with great interest, and the guests and villagers who came to listen also felt that the young Li Yi was very knowledgeable and taught well.

There is a clock in Li Yi's space, so he can arrange the class hours according to the time. A class is 45 minutes long, with a 15-minute break in the middle. He has four classes in the afternoon.

The sun was actually still high outside at this time, around 4:30 in the afternoon.

Taking into account that people work in the summer and avoid the midday sun, working in the morning and afternoon, Li Yi flexibly adjusted the students' class time. From now on, classes will be held at noon in the summer, so that the children can help with housework in the morning and afternoon.

As usual, we provide lunch. When the children arrive, they have lunch first, then take a rest before going to class. They will be very punctual for this meal.

After the first day of class today, Li Yi specially asked Xiu Zhi Lan Xiang to help him prepare dinner.

It was still millet rice, served with fried eggplant and lard and water spinach soup.

Dong Xiucai and Sun Fujia insisted on eating the same thing as the students, so Township Head Wang and Feng Xiangzuo naturally agreed to eat with the students.

Children who come to school are provided with one meal, but they have to bring their own bowls and chopsticks from home. They can eat their fill at school, but they are not allowed to leave any food or take it home.

Dong Xiucai and Sun Fujia were also queuing up at the back.
Looking at the lively scene, he said with emotion: "Wuji Primary School is full of vitality. Wuyi's teaching makes me, an old man, admire him very much."

"Yes, although I already knew the story of Meng's mother moving three times, I was still fascinated when he told it," said Sun Fujia.

"This Three Character Classic is really good. I dare say it's as good as the Thousand Character Classic. It will surely be passed down through the ages."

Dong Xiucai and Sun Fujia were both truly learned people, and they knew very well the quality of the Three Character Classic.

Village Chief Wang also said at this time: "Wuyi, so many students have a free meal every day, so many mouths to feed, so they need a lot of food. I will ask the servants to bring two stone of grain later."

Feng Liulang said, "I have an oil mill at home. I'll have someone deliver 20 liters of oil first."

Of course, Li Zheng Wang was not willing to be left behind. He patted his chest and said that he had a mill at home and would have someone deliver two stone of grain soon.

"The ten mu of land that the township has given you for schooling will be marked out for you right away. You can have these kids help plant some rice and vegetables in the future, which will help you share some of the burden."

Guo Erlang had the lowest status among the crowd, so in order to show off, he also expressed his willingness to donate five acres of land to the school as teaching land.

"Wuyi thanks everyone here. I will set up a public account and record all these donations. All future expenditures will be recorded and announced regularly. I will ensure that all these donations are used for students."

Sun Fujia said with a smile, "First, ask the carpenter to make doors, windows, tables and chairs. Even if we sit on the ground, we should cover it with wooden floors and reed mats. It will be cold in two months, and we won't be able to sit on the muddy ground."

"I'll arrange it right away." Li Yi said happily. This was also part of the plan.

Li Yi also made a request.
"I hope to establish a Wuji Primary School school council. The money, grain, and land donated by everyone will be managed and supervised by the school council. They will be used to pay for students' daily meals, paper and pens, and the maintenance of school tables and chairs. If there is any surplus, a portion can be used as scholarships for outstanding students.

The remaining part can be used to purchase land as school land, or to borrow money, with priority given to needy families of poor students, followed by poor and orphaned families in the village.

The rent and interest earned will be used to cover the school's daily expenses. If there is any surplus, it can be used to buy more land or to borrow money to collect rent and interest."

The school association proposed by Li Yi was for the long-term operation of the school. Of course, he could pay for it himself, but now that everyone is willing to donate money, he has to let everyone feel involved and even share the reputation of the school.

Therefore, organizing a school meeting is actually the same as the ancient people organizing bridge fairs, temple fairs, road fairs, etc., where everyone contributes money to do something public welfare-related. In order to maintain it in the long term, they can buy land and lend money, so that they can earn rental and interest income and achieve sustainable development.

Because everyone contributed money, Li Yi suggested that everyone has the right to supervise.

Li Yi suggested inviting several local people such as Dong Xiucai, Wang Xiangzhang, Feng Liulang, and Guo Erlang to become honorary principals and directors of the school council, responsible for managing the school council's land, money and grain expenses, etc. Sun Fujia, Du Ruhui and others could be invited to be honorary principals and supervisors of the school council, who could supervise and audit the school council's accounts, etc.

Li Yi is the principal, a teacher, and the actual person in charge of the school council.

This way, everyone will be more motivated to donate, and secondly, everyone can gain a lot of reputation together. Another thing is that it can make the school more transparent.

The school will also erect a pavilion, and the names and amounts of donors each year will be engraved on the pavilion.

School associations, school land, membership fees, and maybe in the future, we may even need to set up a school granary. This set of things is very new. Dong Xiucai has been running a private school for many years and would also accept donations from some nobles and powerful people, but he really never thought of getting these things.

Du Sanlang, Guo Erlang and others thought that this thing was very good and very participatory, and it could increase their fame.

Sun Fujia is very busy. He is currently a lawyer in Wannian County. Now that the dynasty has changed, he still wants to make further progress. But after thinking about it, he agreed with a smile.

As the honorary principal and supervisor, he didn't need to be involved in anything. He just needed to take some time every year to help monitor and audit the school accounts. In fact, the more he thought about it, the more he felt that this young man Li Yi was not an ordinary person.

This small school has just been established, but we have already considered it for so long.

According to his charter, Wuji Primary School might be able to thrive in the future, perhaps even becoming Wuji Academy. The Wuji Primary School meeting was officially established amid the chirping of cicadas.

A total of five honorary principals were invited, including Dong Xiucai, Du Ruhui, Sun Fujia, Wang Xiangzhang, and Feng Liulang. The board of directors has nine members and the board of supervisors has eight members.

These people were either court officials or local tyrants, or at least village officials.

In the end, Du Sanlang and Guo Erlang were too embarrassed to go in. The nine directors were all village heads and assistants, and the eight supervisors were all officials of the upper class.

It was agreed that the school would count the numbers and pay respect to Confucius in December of each year. This was also the day for accounting and auditing. Of course, it was also the day for the school directors and supervisors, as well as a group of landlords and powerful people who donated money to gather together.

Count the bills, have a meal, then give scholarships to outstanding students, give everyone some souvenirs, and even share some pork or something.
No one gets paid, but it's only right to give out some holiday gifts at the end of the year. The most important thing is that so many people get together on this opportunity, which is also a good chance to exchange feelings, build relationships, and expand your network.

Even if everyone is just a minor official, a landlord or a powerful person, they still need connections.

For Li Yi, not only did he successfully run the Wuji Primary School, but the establishment of the Wuji School Association was also an unexpected gain.

These nine directors and eight supervisors are already prominent figures in the village.

Finally, seeing that Du Sanlang, Guo Erlang, and Wang Lizheng looked a little disappointed, Li Yi proposed to grant them the title of honorary directors.

Finally, the thirteen landlords who donated more money were all granted honorary membership in the school council.

Later, when the donation reaches a certain amount, one can also be awarded the title of honorary director or supervisor, or even honorary principal.

A little after five o'clock,
After school dinner,
But the children were still playing under the big trees and in the corridors of the school and were reluctant to go home.

Li Yi also asked Sanniang to take a group of officials and powerful people to visit his own tofu workshop, where he made oil-soaked bean curd, bean curd sheets, natto, and the moldy tofu made in the cave at the back.
Li Yi gave each of the guests a workshop gift pack.
As a result, many people generously bought a lot, which was another unexpected gain.

Sun Fujia liked the bean curd sheets and natto that Li Yi gave him, but he was more interested in Li Yi's Three Character Classic.
"Would you mind giving me those twelve large characters that Li Lang posted on the blackboard during class today?"

"As long as Mr. Sun doesn't mind, Wuyi will be overjoyed."

It’s a bit of a pity that Sun Fujia only has twelve sentences. It would be much better if the complete Three Character Classic of Thin Muscles was available.

"Next time you come to Chang'an, remember to find me at Wannian County Government Office," Sun Fujia also took time out from his ten-day break to come here today, and now he had to say goodbye and return to the city.

Li Yi has a good impression of this man. He is a Jinshi graduate and currently a seventh-rank lawyer. He is also a powerful figure in Chang'an City. It is good that he can stay here for such a long time.

"Take care, Mr. Sun. I will definitely come to see you next time I go to Chang'an."

"From now on, we can just call each other brothers. There's no need to be so formal. When I have time, I will definitely write a complete Three Character Classic for you."

"Okay." Li Yi agreed with a smile and sent him all the way to the door.

Dong Xiucai also said goodbye to his nephew.
"Although Fujia is in the government, he is a very upright person and a person worth making friends with. You can visit him more often in the future."

"Yes. Thank you so much, teacher, for helping me today. You made this apprenticeship ceremony and opening ceremony so grand and lively, and you also received so many donations."

"I should thank you. I didn't expect you could give me so many surprises. I'll stay at your place tonight. You recite and I'll copy. I can't wait to copy down this Three Character Classic."

Old Dong stood in Wuji Courtyard, looking down at the Toad Beach in the distance.

"Back then, Taoist Li closed the Wuji Temple and traveled around the world. He was gone for many years, and the temple was abandoned. I didn't expect it to be prosperous again now, but now it's no longer prosperous with incense, but now there are so many children attending classes and studying here."

"Wuji Temple has become Wuji Primary School. You have given this Taoist temple, which has a history of over 800 years, a new lease of life."

evening,

The children also left gradually, many of them were pulled by their parents' ears to work. In the words of the children's parents, you have been enjoying the good life in school for a long time, you have to go to the fields to work quickly, and you still want to be lazy?
Li Yi reminded the students to remember to come on time for lunch tomorrow and then attend classes in the afternoon.

"If you come late, there will be no food to eat."

The students all said loudly that they would come early. It can be said that no student was disappointed with the experience of the first day of school today. They had enough to eat, they were in the classroom without being exposed to the sun, the lectures were interesting, and there were many people during breaks and it was fun. They wished they could attend classes all day every day, and it would be best if they didn’t have to go home at night.

Dong Xiucai looked at those immature children and said, "Perhaps one of them will become a Sun Fujia in the future."

"That depends on their own luck. I am only pointing them to a path, but the road is long and arduous. How far they can go depends entirely on their own efforts." Li Yi said.

Although he established the school to enhance his reputation, he was indeed doing something practical and good, and Li Yi was quite proud of it.

(End of this chapter)