| Provincial Graduate Wang meets...: |
「A teacher?」 said the village head. 「I can think of one. You know who? He's in our yamen, and he used to teach in chief accountant Ku's house. His name is Zhou Jin. He's over sixty. The former magistrate placed him first on the list of county candidates, but he's never yet been able to pass the prefectural examination. Mr. Gu employed him as tutor for his son for three years; and his son passed the examination last year, at the same time as Mei Jiu from our village. The day that young Gu was welcomed back from the school he wore a scholar's cap and a broad red silk sash, and rode a horse from the magistrate's stable, while all the gongs and trumpets sounded. When he reached the door of his house, I and the other yamen officials offered him wine in the street. Then Mr. Zhou was asked over. Mr. Gu toasted his son's teacher three times and invited him to sit in the seat of honour. Mr. Zhou chose as entertainment the opera about Liang Hao, who won the first place in the palace examination when he was eighty; and Mr. Gu was not at all pleased. But then the opera showed how Liang Hao's pupil won the same distinction at seventeen or eighteen, and Mr. Gu knew that it was a compliment to his son. That made him feel better. If you want a teacher, I'll invite Mr. Zhou for you.」 All the villagers approved. When they had finished their tea the monk brought in some beef noodles, and after eating these they went home. |
