Seeing the Essence through Phenomena

At noon, the sun was still shining brightly, but as the afternoon approached, dark clouds began to gather in the sky.

Manbao and Baishanbao leaned over the table to look outside, both feeling a bit excited. They believed that when ants moved their homes, it would rain.

Mr. Zhuang also noticed the change in weather. After class, he asked the students to stay in the classroom until their families arrived to pick them up. Then, he took Manbao and Shanbao to the yard next to his house.

Leading the two children to the study, he asked, "What did you see this morning when you observed the ants relocating their homes, and what do you see now?"

Manbao replied, "It's raining." Ants moving their homes means it's going to rain.

Mr. Zhuang smiled and said, "Silly children, you've got the sequence wrong. It's not that ants moving their homes will cause rain, but rather, when it's going to rain, the ants will move their homes to a safe place." "When humans see this, they know that it's going to rain."

Mr. Zhuang spoke slowly, and the two children counted on their fingers and realized that he was right. They nodded in agreement.

Pointing to the rain outside, Mr. Zhuang continued to ask, "What do you see now?"

The two children replied in unison, "It's raining."

"All of these are just appearances," Mr. Zhuang said. "Manbao, your parents told you that ants moving their homes would cause rain, so you believed that." Shanbao, you've never heard of such a thing, so you only see the ants moving their homes. "But do you know what the teacher thinks when he sees ants?"

The two children shook their heads.

"The teacher not only thinks that it's going to rain soon but also realizes that there are so many ants under the house." Ants can gnaw on houses and furniture, necessitating the need for pest control in the home. Mr. Zhuang spoke in detail about how an ant nest could potentially destroy a levee.

Manbao and Shanbao listened in astonishment. They had no idea that tiny ants could not only kill a big tree but also destroy a house and even a levee.

After finishing his discussion about ants, Mr. Zhuang talked about the autumn rain outside. He explained that while some may see it as just rain, it holds different meanings for different people.

For these children, the autumn rain only temporarily confines them to the classroom, but for farmers, it means they can start plowing and preparing for next year's planting.

However, for those who need to go out, the autumn rain is more of a hindrance than a benefit because they are uncertain about how much time it will delay them.

Mr. Zhuang spoke to the two children in great detail, seemingly unrelated to the topic, but then he circled back to the issue of the county magistrate.

"This morning, I asked you what the county magistrate does, and your answers were based on your direct observations and firsthand experiences." But in reality, what you see and hear may not align with what you feel in your heart. You need to look more, listen more, and think more. If there are too many emotions in your heart, then hold off on making conclusions. Wait until you are calm enough, and then think about these things. "Perhaps you will have a different understanding."

The two children understood a little, but not completely. However, Mr. Zhuang didn't expect them to understand immediately. He wanted them to remember what he said, and they would understand when the time was right.

As he spoke, the Bai and Zhou families arrived to pick up the two children. Manbao and Shanbao bid farewell to Mr. Zhuang and ran out into the rain, happily getting soaked. When they ran outside, they deliberately looked for puddles to splash in, making themselves even happier.

Outside the yard, the adults from both families began to admonish and scold the two children as they ran to their respective families, splashing water as they went.

Mr. Zhuang stood at the door, stroking his beard, while contemplating Manbao's words.

Why did the county magistrate want to increase the entrance fee this time?

Mr. Zhuang knew more than the Zhou family. In fact, three years ago, when Magistrate Fu first came to Luojiang County, he had already increased the entrance fee. Not only did he increase taxes and donations, but he also repaired a section of the official road, strengthened the Luojiang embankment, and dug a canal for the county within two years.

The county magistrate's term is three years, and this year, Magistrate Fu was not transferred, indicating that he will continue in this position. However, Mr. Zhuang didn't know which political matters he wanted to pursue this time, or if he wanted to pursue anything at all.

Mr. Zhuang was somewhat worried.

But these were clearly not topics to discuss with the two children.

When Manbao was carried back home by Mrs. Feng, she went straight to the kitchen to heat water for her bath. There was no other way, as the child had gotten her shoes and pants quite wet from splashing in the water.

Mrs. Qian scolded her while patting her little hand, "You're becoming more and more troublesome. Why do I feel like you're even more mischievous after going to school?"

Manbao sighed, "Shanbao also splashed in the water."

"He is himself, and you are yourself." Maybe he learned it from you. "You should go to school to learn well, not to learn bad things, and certainly not to teach other children bad things."

Manbao sighed again, "Okay, I won't splash in the water anymore."

A child's promise is as unreliable as the weather in July.

Mrs. Qian had Mrs. Feng bathe and then provided her with a bowl of hot water before allowing her to go play. She just reminded her, "Don't go out and splash in the rain, or else I won't let you go to school tomorrow."

Manbao was at the age where she loved to study, so how could she bear not going?

So, she could only sit in the hall and wait for her brothers to come back.

Zhou Lilang and his two younger brothers sought shelter from the rain under a tree, only to dart back when the rain subsided, yet they were still drenched.

They helped clear the land today and also cut a lot of bamboo. When they returned, they signaled to their youngest sister.

Manbao understood and decided that when Zhou Erlang returned, she would ask him to help her make a flower basket.

Zhou Erlang was actually considering it. Manbao had made a lot of money from her flower baskets before, and although she didn't say it, she was very tempted. However, he has also been busy with many things recently and couldn't spare the time. When he saw Manbao asking, he immediately knew it was his younger brothers' idea. He didn't refuse and said, "Let the younger brothers prepare the bamboo strips, and I will weave them when I come back."

Even Old Zhou, who rarely spoke, said, "When I come back from the field, I will help you weave."

After thinking about it, he felt that Old Si's clearing of the land was not reliable. He hesitated and said, "Why don't we stop Old Si from clearing the land?" The land at the foot of the mountain may not necessarily become fertile even if cleared and cultivated for two years. Why bother? "It's more practical to help with some work at home."

Zhou Lilang was energized and eager to agree.

However, Manbao didn't agree. She said, "Dad, if Old Si doesn't listen, that's a punishment." The teacher said that changing orders is a big taboo. If Old Si feels that he has done something wrong in the future, what should he do?

"He dares, I'll beat him to death!"

Manbao scorned her father, "You definitely can't beat Old Si to death, otherwise you would be very sad."

Old Zhou was choked up and waved his hand, "Fine, let your fourth brother continue clearing the land." "You, my fifth and sixth brothers, should strive to ensure the longevity of the flower basket business."