The school children starting their education were taught to recognize characters using the "Three Hundred Thousand," which referred to the *San Zi Jing* (Three Character Classic), *Bai Jia Xing* (Hundred Family Surnames), *Qian Zi Wen* (Thousand Character Classic), and *Qian Jia Shi* (Thousand Family Poems).
"Open the *San Zi Jing* to the first page and recite after me," instructed Master Lin, leading about a dozen young students in recitation five times before explaining the meaning to the group.
"Mencius's mother chose her neighborhood; the child did not study until the loom was cut. This tells of the Warring States period, when Mencius's mother moved three times to ensure Mencius would study diligently. When Mencius became disinclined to learn, his mother cut the shuttle on her loom to admonish him, teaching that whether in action or study, one must persevere and not give up halfway."
As soon as Master Lin finished, Shan Wazi could not contain himself. "Mencius's family must have been rich to move three times. My mother says if we had money to build a house, I wouldn't have to sleep with my parents."
"Master, Master, Mencius's mother cut the cloth she was weaving in half. Didn't his mother hit her?"
"If it were my grandma, she definitely would have grabbed a stick."
"You spendthrift old woman, get back to your mother's house!"
"Haha, my grandma would definitely scold like that." The group of mischievous children burst into laughter, chattering about their fierce and fiery grandmothers, completely oblivious to Master Lin's darkening expression.
Zhan Feiyu looked sympathetically at her classmates who were courting death. They were bringing trouble upon themselves!
The sound of the discipline ruler striking palms rang out, three sharp cracks serving as punishment.
"Master, we know we were wrong." The few children who were hit shook their heads and resumed reciting, no longer daring to speak nonsense.
Master Lin walked around, then approached the students in the center who were practicing calligraphy, examining them one by one and occasionally correcting their incorrect brush strokes.
Zhan Dalang and the other students who had been studying for four or five years sat on the far left of the classroom. Regardless of whether they had mastered the Four Books or failed the county examination, in September, they all had to start reciting from the *Analects*.
Half an hour passed in a flash. When Master Lin walked over to Zhan Feiyu's side again, the dozen or so young students immediately sat up straight, their recitation growing louder.
"Man's nature at birth is good..."
"Jade uncarved... uncarved..." Shan Wazi and the others blushed, their faces tense, unable to recall the next line. They anxiously looked to Zhan Feiyu for help.
"Jade uncarved, cannot become a useful object," a clear voice rang out. The others' eyes lit up, and they immediately followed Zhan Feiyu's lead in reciting.
Master Lin nodded and led the group of young students in reciting the first half of the *San Zi Jing*. Then, he looked at Zhan Feiyu and said gently, "Do you recognize all the characters?"
When Master Lin had walked over earlier, Zhan Feiyu had been looking through the *Qian Jia Shi*. When the young students like Shan Wazi forgot a word, she would remind them.
Zhan Feiyu already knew the *San Zi Jing* by heart. Logically, she should be recognizing characters from the book at this point. After a period of character recognition, Master Lin would begin teaching them how to hold a brush and write. Children from farming families started school late; at seven years old, holding a brush was already considered late.
Zhan Feiyu put down the book and stood up to answer, "Replying to Master, I already recognized them with my elder cousin."
Master Lin pointed to the book, and Zhan Feiyu's answer followed simultaneously. Zhan Feiyu recognized all of the *San Zi Jing*'s thousand-plus characters.
Wow! The dozen or so young students had forgotten their recitation. They stared at Zhan Feiyu, dumbfounded, their young faces filled with admiration. Little Yu not only knew how to recite, but she also recognized so many characters!
Shan Wazi and the children from Jinlin Village proudly puffed out their chests. Their little friend was just that amazing! Truly the brightest star in the village!
Not only the newly enrolled young students, but even the dozen or so students in the middle of the classroom, who were practicing calligraphy with brushes, looked shocked. They had been attending the private school for a year, yet half of them hadn't even fully recognized all the characters.
Master Lin looked at Zhan Feiyu, who stood less than half his height, and suddenly said, "Heaven and Earth, black and yellow..."
"Heaven and Earth, black and yellow; the universe, vast and boundless; the sun and moon wax and wane..." A clear recitation followed closely. Zhan Feiyu had already memorized the "Three Hundred Thousand" and could recite the Four Books and Five Classics proficiently, though only by rote.
Zhan Dalang had not studied diligently enough. He could only read through the Four Books but did not understand their meaning, nor did he have related books for interpretation. Zhan Feiyu could only swallow them whole for now and memorize them.
To find that Zhan Feiyu had not only memorized the *San Zi Jing* but also the *Qian Zi Wen*, Master Lin became even more pleased. "Starting tomorrow, you will sit next to Chen Xu, and I will begin teaching you calligraphy."
"Yes, Master." Zhan Feiyu nodded vigorously, joy spreading across her chubby face. She didn't know how many years she could study at the private school, so the faster the progress, the better.
At the hour of dismissal, as soon as the children left the courtyard gate, they scattered like wild monkeys, running in groups towards home.
"Zhan Xiujun, I didn't expect Master to value your cousin so highly. She truly is the gifted child praised by the county magistrate." Zhu Peng, walking beside Zhan Dalang, mocked with a sarcastic tone. The two had harbored animosity since enrolling four years ago due to a seating dispute, and their resentment had grown into enmity over the past four years.
"Zhan Dalang, if you fail the county examination again next year, your Zhan family will have to rely on the girls to support the household." As soon as Zhu Peng's lackey, Wang Dafa, uttered these words, several young boys burst into laughter.
Although they had all failed the county examination, they were still the hope of their families and the pillars of their clans. However, with Zhan Feiyu setting such a high precedent, it was uncertain whom the Zhan family would support for education.
"You!" Zhan Dalang, humiliated, flushed with anger. He was a bully at home but a coward outside. He glared fiercely at Wang Dafa and the others, then quickened his pace and fled, also resenting his overly outstanding cousin, Zhan Feiyu.
At the entrance of the Zhan family courtyard, Zhan Laoda had long finished his farm work. He and Li Shi stood side by side, looking towards the intersection. In the setting sun, they could see the children returning from school.
Upon seeing Zhan Dalang's figure, Li Shi couldn't help but step forward, "Dalang, has Xiaoyu returned?"
"Haven't seen her!" Pushing aside Li Shi who was blocking his way, Zhan Dalang replied angrily and rushed into the courtyard. After a while, the wooden door of the study was slammed shut.
Stumbled by the push, Li Shi turned to Zhan Laoda, "What's wrong with him?"
"Don't bother with Dalang!" Zhan Laoda said with a dark face, also angered by Zhan Dalang's impolite and rough behavior.
A moment later, Shan Wazi and the other children also returned. Seeing Li Shi, they immediately ran over, "Auntie, Xiaoyu asked me to tell you she'll be back a bit later."
"Master wants to teach Xiaoyu alone."
"Xiaoyu has a good memory. Master said Xiaoyu will start practicing calligraphy with my second brother and the others tomorrow."
The children spoke in a rush. Li Shi and Zhan Laoda were delighted upon understanding. Xiaoyu was praised by the Master on her first day at private school and would be learning calligraphy with children who had been enrolled for a year. This showed Xiaoyu was intelligent.