Chapter 930 Women's Courtyard

Tang Ning hadn't heard anyone mention the past affairs of the Duke of Song's Mansion for a long time, and he even felt dazed for a moment when he heard the name "Song Qin".

She recalled how Song Tan treated Xue Ru and her daughter in the past, her eyes cold. "Ever since he chose money to break off the engagement with A Ru, he has had no relationship with A Ru. A Ru has never been brought up by him since she was a child. The good things she has now are all due to her mother. What does this have to do with the Song family?"

To Xue Ru, Song Tan was just a beast who raped her mother and caused her mother's death, and he was still notorious. Even Aunt Rui took better care of Xue Ru than he, her father.

Xue Ru can be what she is now.

Song Tan and the Song family are not qualified to have anything to do with it.

Rong Yue heard the disgust in Tang Ning's words and nodded, "Of course. Apart from your father, there's not a single good person in the Duke of Song's Mansion. A Ru naturally has nothing to do with them. But do you really want A Ru to discuss marriage with Di Tao and the others?"

Tang Ning shook his head: "There are many people in the capital who want to marry A Ru. These four are not the only ones who can catch A Ru's eye. I will not interfere in her marriage. Her future is up to her."

"Aunt, A'ru is not my vassal, and I don't need her to sacrifice herself for me. I just hope that she can be healthy and live the life she wants freely, whether it's getting married, marrying a son-in-law, or even staying single for the rest of her life."

"Life is already difficult for women in this world. I don't want to confine her with worldly things."

Rong Yue was silent for a moment after hearing this, then nodded and said, "It's up to you. No matter what she chooses, you can always protect her."

…

Xue Ru ran out shyly before, but after walking for a while, she suddenly remembered that she had forgotten to tell her sister about the women's courtyard. When she returned to the front of the hall, she heard these words. She listened to her sister's gentle voice saying that she hoped she would be healthy and free.

The little girl couldn't help but have red eyes.

"Girl..."

"Shhh."

Xue Ru reached out to stop Nian Xia who wanted to speak, waved at her to tell her not to disturb her sisters inside, then turned and left.

When they reached the palace road outside, Nian Xia whispered, "Girl, aren't you going to talk to the Empress about the women's courtyard today?"

Since the passing of the Grand Empress Dowager, the palace maids in Shoukang Palace were transferred elsewhere one after another. Because she was over twenty years old and had been an old lady in Jiyun Lane, the Empress asked her about her wishes and then let her return to Tang Mansion to work with Madam Ru. Now Madam Ru is her master.

These days, Madam Ru went into the palace to accompany the Empress, and Nian Xia took her place in the palace to handle some matters outside the palace.

The planning for the construction of the women's academy had been underway a long time ago, but it had always been fraught with difficulties. Not to mention that most women in today's world live in the boudoir, even if there were some talented ladies or those who were raised like sons and daughters by their families, no matter how capable or outstanding they were, their ultimate destination would be to get married and have children.

People have long relegated women to the inner chambers and look down upon them. Many pedantic people even believe that a woman's virtue lies in her lack of talent.

Even though the Queen's thundering methods shocked everyone during her previous reign and even proved that women were no less capable than men, the idea that men were superior to women and women should not show their faces in public was still deeply rooted. It was still difficult to get the world to recognize the women's academy and support women's admission to education.

The ministers in the court and the scholars in the capital knew that the Empress was standing behind the women's academy and did not dare to make things difficult for them openly, but they kept trying to make things difficult for them in secret. Nian Xia came to the palace today because there was trouble in the planning and construction of the women's academy.

"Girl, several of the ladies we previously hired as teachers are now clamoring to leave. Even many teachers at Rongsheng Academy are unwilling to teach female students anymore. Mr. Tong has tried to persuade them several times but to no avail."

Because of the Empress, Rongsheng Academy had several female students, such as Xue Ru and Wang Yuzhen. However, since they learned that the Empress was planning to build a women's academy so that all women could go to school like men and learn classics, arithmetic, riding and archery like them, several teachers who were quite kind to Xue Ru before almost turned against her.

Nian Xia whispered, "Or let the Queen come forward..."

"no."

Xue Ru refused without waiting for Nian Xia to finish her words. "My sister is already very pregnant. There are already many things going on in the court. She is already tired enough from all of that. We can't let other things bother her."

"Let's put the women's college matters aside for now and discuss them after the final exam is over. As for those female teachers who want to leave, there's no need to keep them."

Nian Xia was startled: "But they are all talented and learned..."

"So what if I'm talented and knowledgeable?"

Xue Ru's expression was cold: "There is no shortage of capable people in this world, and they are not the only outstanding women."

"My sister and I invited them here to teach the students who will enter the women's college in the future. We want to teach those girls to be independent and strong, and to teach them to stand firm in the world just like men. But if they can't even withstand a few rumors and want to leave after hearing a few words of doubt and ridicule from others, then how can they be called role models?"

The preparations for the establishment of a women's college have already touched upon many people's sore spots, and many men have felt that their interests have been offended. In the future, both the students and teachers of the women's college will have to endure a lot of external discussions. Even before the women's college makes any achievements, there will be no shortage of belittlement, ridicule, jokes and doubts.

If you can’t bear it now, what if you encounter bigger things in the future?

If he didn't have a firm determination, didn't have the desire to educate women and change their circumstances, then even if she forced him to stay now, it would be useless. This kind of person was not the kind of husband she and her sister wanted.

Xue Ru said, "If they want to leave, let them go. Have someone escort them back and give them enough money. As for the gentlemen in the women's ward, we can find them later."

Right now, my sister is about to give birth, His Majesty has not returned to the capital yet, there are constant matters at court and abroad, the imperial examination is not over yet, and my sister has limited energy and cannot take care of this for the time being.

Moreover, the women's college is different from Rongsheng Academy, and women have more concerns after entering.

Xue Ru once talked with Tang Ning about the women's academy. She knew that her elder sister wanted to help the women and give them more choices and ways out, instead of letting them challenge the secular world and become enemies of the world as women. Xue Ru naturally would not let the women's academy give others a chance to criticize her on this matter, so she had to make thorough preparations.

There are so many things to do, and even if the women's academy wants to recruit someone, it will probably have to be next year.

So there is no rush regarding sir’s matter.

She always finds the right person.

Nian Xia didn't say anything more after hearing this. She nodded and said, "Okay, I will have someone send the ladies away later."

Xue Ru asked, "Is there anyone willing to stay?"

Nian Xia: "Yes, Madam Lu is willing."

Xue Ru remembered that Madam Lu. She was a quiet and elegant person who didn't like to talk to people, but she was good at painting. She smiled and said, "Take good care of Madam Lu and let her live in Tang Mansion for the time being. Don't neglect her."

Nian Xia: "Yes."