The Evil Mother-in-law: Torment Children, Work Hard, Be Rich!-Chapter 331: The Teacher Didn’t Come

"Jingzhe, where’s the teacher?" Tong Huaqiong asked.

"The teacher... the teacher isn’t coming." Gu Jingzhe said dejectedly.

Not coming?

This news was like a bolt from the blue.

The village had prepared everything to open the private school, and at the last moment, the teacher isn’t coming. How can this be resolved?

Some parents were almost in tears. Is their children’s dream of studying to be shattered?

Of course, the children who didn’t like studying were quite happy; they no longer had to worry about being disciplined by the teacher or being hit with a ruler.

"Did he say why he’s not coming?" The village chief asked after regaining his composure.

How could this teacher be so unreasonable, breaking his promise?

The village chief was pulling his hair in frustration; he had already arranged for the village chief and other village leaders from Yan Guan Town to come and observe the inauguration ceremony of the private school the day after tomorrow.

Now, he became a laughing stock among the village chiefs of Yan Guan Town.

"He didn’t say why, just that he’s not coming."

Gu Jingzhe looked at Tong Huaqiong hesitantly.

"What kind of person is this teacher anyway, to speak so unreliably?" The village chief cursed angrily.

"Exactly, how can such an unreliable teacher educate children?"

"I suppose he despises our Qinghe Bay for being rural and changed his mind. After all, who would want to come to the countryside to teach after getting accustomed to living in Pingchuan County."

"So what about our children?"

The villagers discussed it among themselves, feeling angry about the teacher’s change of heart, but more so feeling regretful.

"Jingzhe, let’s go home." Tong Huaqiong said.

She believed there must be some unmentionable reason for Mr. Li not coming.

Gu Jingzhe followed Tong Huaqiong home, and the village chief came along too.

"So why exactly isn’t Mr. Li coming?" Tong Huaqiong asked, closing the door.

"I’ll tell you the truth, mother. Mr. Li had already gotten on the carriage, and during the journey, he learned that Man Er would also attend the private school. He said that girls entering a private school would disrupt tradition, so he got off the carriage and left. No matter how I tried to persuade him, he refused to return."

So it was because Man Er was going to attend the private school that Mr. Li reconsidered.

Tong Huaqiong laughed in anger, thinking that such a traditional and rigid teacher probably wouldn’t be able to teach anything valuable.

The village chief peered towards the main house.

In the village chief’s opinion, since the teacher had an issue with girls attending the private school, they could temporarily refrain from letting Man Er go, persuade the teacher to come first, and slowly work on it later. It’s better than the teacher abandoning them, right?

Thinking of this, the village chief felt that Gu Jingzhe hadn’t handled things well.

Chen Sufen, upon hearing the reason why the teacher wasn’t coming, felt a swell of guilt.

It was her own Man Er who delayed the village’s private school progress.

Chen Sufen said to Tong Huaqiong, "Mother, why don’t we just let Man Er not go to the private school. The children in the village are more important."

The village chief nodded.

You have to admit, the eldest daughter-in-law of the Gu Family is quite understanding.

After all, Man Er wouldn’t be able to take the imperial exams even if she studied, so it might be better if she doesn’t go, allowing the other children in the village to have a chance to study.

Of course, the village chief didn’t dare say this, but now that Tong Dajiao’s eldest daughter-in-law had offered the suggestion, it’s likely Tong Dajiao would be willing to compromise for the smooth opening of the private school.

Tong Huaqiong frowned and said to Chen Sufen, "What do you mean the village’s children are more important? Man Er’s literacy is equally important. Let him not come if he doesn’t want to. The world is not short of teachers like him; if he doesn’t want to accept our goodwill, I don’t need him if he comes back."

Chen Sufen didn’t dare say a word after being reprimanded by her mother-in-law.

Yet, she was also comforted that her mother-in-law really cared for Man Er.

The corner of the village chief’s mouth twitched.

Yes, the world is indeed not short of teachers like him.

The problem is that there aren’t many teachers willing to accept female students.

If there are any, they are in Shengjing teaching noble girls.

Those noble girls will one day enter the palace and become empresses.

What can Man Er become?

The village chief glanced at Gu Jingzhe, wondering if Tong Dajiao thought that once Gu Jingzhe succeeded in the exams, Man Er’s status would also rise, and being literate would help her marry into a wealthy family.

If Tong Dajiao had such plans, teaching her etiquette and female crafts might be better.

"Mother of Dashi, let’s just persuade the teacher to come first; we can delay Man Er’s private school attendance gradually..." the village chief gritted his teeth and suggested.

Tong Huaqiong interrupted the village chief, "No way. This stubborn old teacher shouldn’t blame Man Er for not coming. I refuse to believe we can’t find a teacher willing to teach female students."

The village chief said, "That’s easy to say, but what about the day after tomorrow when we start classes?"

The village chief kept trying to get Tong Huaqiong to compromise.

Tong Huaqiong compromising wouldn’t be her at all.

She said to Gu Jingzhe, "Tomorrow, go to Pingchuan County and post a notice. Offer double, triple the remuneration; I refuse to believe no teacher would come."

Tong Huaqiong was getting worked up.

This time, however, Gu Jingzhe didn’t agree.

It wouldn’t be that easy.

The entire county didn’t have many teachers willing to teach in the countryside.

Gu Jingzhe said, "Mother, if we could find one, when Mr. Li got off the carriage, I would have immediately started recruiting others in Pingchuan County. It’s just that we can’t find any."

Gu Jingzhe felt a deep bitterness inside.

He had first gone to find County Magistrate Liu in Pingchuan County. Magistrate Liu happily approved, saying a village private school was a good thing, and he must attend the opening ceremony on the eighteenth.

When County Magistrate Liu’s mother learned that Tong Huaqiong was starting a village private school, she said she would also attend and offered to give a set of stationery to every child willing to study in Qinghe Bay.

If he had known Mr. Li would refuse, he hadn’t gone to invite Lord County Magistrate so soon.

Now it’s an awkward situation with no resolution in sight.

The village chief’s gaze fell on Gu Jingzhe; as a child student, he could teach the village children.

But he probably wouldn’t be willing, as he still needed to attend private classes in Yan Guan Town and take the scholar exam.

To this day, Qinghe Bay hasn’t produced a single scholar or official; the private school shouldn’t jeopardize Gu Jingzhe’s future.

Tong Huaqiong was equally troubled; this was indeed the toughest challenge she had faced since coming to Qinghe Bay.

She couldn’t possibly personally teach the children, could she?

As she was worrying, Su Chengmin, who was sitting in the courtyard shucking corn, raised his head and said calmly, "Aunt Tong, since the teacher isn’t coming, I’ll be the teacher."

Tong Huaqiong, the village chief, and Gu Jingzhe all turned to look at Su Chengmin.

Su Chengmin maintained a calm expression. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

The village chief coughed and said, "Lai Fu, are you sure? Being a teacher isn’t child’s play."

He thought to himself, about a coachman becoming a teacher, what a joke, what if he leads the children to the eggplant fields?

If they let him teach, they’d be better off letting Gu Dahuan do it; at least Gu Dahuan could teach them practical farm knowledge like pig farming and crop planting.

Su Chengmin, now accustomed to the name Lai Fu, leaned forward, picked up an ear of corn, and began to scrape it on a grater while speaking, "Anyway, you can’t find another teacher."

Tong Huaqiong’s eyes lit up.

Although she couldn’t say for sure about Su Chengmin’s knowledge, she often saw him reading Gu Jingzhe’s books during his free time—seemed like an educated person.

Someone like him, who has been close to the Crown Prince, must possess decent knowledge.

And who is the Crown Prince? He’s the future emperor, so having someone capable of being reserve talent for the future emperor as a private school teacher is more than adequate.

Tong Huaqiong slapped her thigh and said, "Let Lai Fu give it a try!"