This is terrible! My future prime minister keeps trying to kiss me forcibly.

Chapter 212 Entrance Ceremony

Mother He was lost in her memories, a smile playing on her lips as she recalled the little boy from years ago. Now, he had grown into a man who could shelter this family from the storms of life.

A sense of relief filled my heart.

Ye Xiaoxiao pictured a miniature version of He Jing in her mind: meticulously carrying his schoolbag, hands behind his back, looking serious.

She couldn't help but burst out laughing!

He heard Mother He's voice again.

"These pork pieces are to express my gratitude to my teacher for his education."

"The lotus seed is bitter, but it is also a way of thanking the Master for his painstaking teachings."

Celery symbolizes diligence and a love of learning, red dates represent passing the imperial examinations early, red beans signify good fortune, and longan symbolizes the fulfillment of one's merits.

After Mother He finished explaining these auspicious meanings, the group set off.

The first day of school was of great significance to the children.

Mother He, He Jing, and Ye Xiaoxiao and the others escorted them to Master Lin's house.

Master Lin's house wasn't far; it only took about half a cup of tea to get there.

Today is also an unusual day for Master Lin.

Since Lin Mo, the scholar, murdered his mother and buried her body, he dismissed the children in the school, closed his doors, and refused to teach the children in the town anymore.

These days, he thought it over and over again, and finally regretted it.

We cannot ruin the education of other children because of Lin Mo alone.

But Master Lin was, after all, a scholar, and he had a certain pride in him. He cared about his reputation. Some time ago, he had forcefully dismissed the school, but now he wanted to reopen it. He couldn't bring himself to do it.

Therefore, the matter of reopening schools has been delayed.

After Ye Xiaoxiao found him, he outwardly refused her firmly, but inwardly he was overjoyed.

So, going with the flow, he continued to teach and reopened the school.

At that moment, he was pacing back and forth slowly at the door, occasionally glancing outside.

"Old man, you've been standing there for quite a while now. I reckon those kids are about to arrive. Aren't you tired? I've never seen you standing at the door waiting before."

Madam Wu came out from inside carrying a basin of clean clothes and placed it in the courtyard to hang up to dry.

"Who said I was waiting specifically for those brats? I just ate too much breakfast and needed to digest!" Master Lin's white beard twitched as he defended himself.

How could Madam Wu not know his temperament?

Of all his things, his mouth is the hardest.

She didn't argue with him, but bent down, picked up the clothes, and hung them on the bamboo pole to dry.

Master Lin glanced at the wooden basin on the ground, walked over and said irritably, "Hey! Who told you to wash the clothes? Didn't we agree that I would wash them after school?"

"Summer clothes are light and easy to wear, so I just rinsed them in a basin. It's no big deal!" Madam Wu said with a smile.

Master Lin took the clothes from her hands and neatly hung them on the bamboo pole: "Alright, alright! Move aside, I'll hang them up! You were complaining about back pain yesterday, go and rest."

Madam Wu rubbed her lower back and stepped aside, saying, "I feel much better today, it doesn't hurt as much."

"Old woman, are my clothes messy?" Master Lin finished hanging the clothes out to dry, rolled up his sleeves, and touched his head. "Is my hair messy too?"

"No chaos, no chaos! Alright, alright, you old man! Go check if those kids have arrived yet!"

As soon as Madam Wu finished speaking, Ye Xiaoxiao and the others' voices came from the doorway.

Master Lin immediately straightened up, walked to the door with a serious expression, and said calmly, "You've arrived."

He was dressed in a simple blue robe, his white hair was neatly combed, and he exuded an air of low-key seriousness.

Standing at the door, he did have the air of a strict teacher.

"Hello, Master!"

"Hello, Master!"

"Hello, Master!"

He Wuyou and the other two bowed respectfully in unison.

Master Lin nodded, satisfied with the children's performance, and gestured for them to come inside.

Ye Xiaoxiao and her companions entered the courtyard, exchanged a few pleasantries with Madam Wu, and then left.

Master Lin led He Wuyou, He Wuyang, Lu Shian, and the others around the front yard. The first thing that came into view was a strong pine tree, and behind the pine tree was a house.

There are three windows on the left side of the house, with the window frames raised high, allowing a view of the scene inside.

The room was bright and spacious, with several tables neatly arranged in the middle. At the very front of the tables was the largest one, piled with several books, along with writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones.

A tall pine tree stands in the courtyard.

Master Lin led the group to a stop by the pine tree and began to speak.

"Today is your first day of school." Master Lin said sternly, his gaze sweeping over the several young faces. "As the old saying goes, 'Without learning etiquette, one cannot stand.' I will teach you your first lesson—proper attire!"

"Clothing not only covers one's body and keeps one warm, but it also reveals a person's character and upbringing."

He Wuyou stood upright with a serious expression on his face, waiting for Master Lin to help him tidy his clothes.

He Wuyang blinked her big eyes, watching Lin Fuzi's every move with curiosity.

Lu Shi'an discreetly observed the pine tree beside him. Its bark was rough, and its branches were abundant; it looked like it would be easy to climb...

After Master Lin tidied the clothes of the students one by one, he led them into the school.

Confucius's shrine was already set on the table. Master Lin made the three of them kneel down and kowtow nine times to the Holy Teacher. Only then did he have them kowtow three times to him.

After the apprenticeship ceremony was completed, Master Lin pointed to the wooden basin that had been prepared on the table for the three of them and gave the instructions:

"Clean your hands."

Master Lin's gaze swept over the children one by one: "Use clean hands to cleanse your mind, remove impurities and retain the essence. In the future, you must concentrate on your studies and not be distracted."

Then, he used cinnabar to place a red mole between the foreheads of the three people.

"I hope that the three of you will be bright-eyed and quick-witted, and able to understand things immediately."

The group felt the temperature on their foreheads, which went from cool to scorching. At that moment, it felt as if something was flowing from the red mole on their foreheads, penetrating their entire bodies.

Master Lin turned around, took a few sheets of paper from the table, and taught them to write the first character for entering school: 人 (person).

"A stroke to the left and a stroke to the right form the character for 'person'."

"Reaching for the sky, standing firmly on the earth."

"Every stroke of the pen is clean and crisp. Scholarship begins with character; the Master hopes you will be upright and honest..."

Master Lin did not want to teach another heartless and profit-driven Lin Mo.

He doesn't demand that his new students achieve top honors, but he expects them to be consistent in word and deed, and to be honest and upright.

The entrance ceremony concluded smoothly amidst Master Lin's earnest expectations.

He Wuyou, He Wuyang, and Lu Shi'an then officially began their academic journey.

Meanwhile, on the very first day of Ye Xiaoxiao's female clinic's opening, she encountered trouble...