Chapter 113 Questioning in Court

The prefectural and county schools reopened, but not many students enrolled.

There were only 28 students in the provincial school, and only 147 students in the four county schools combined.

Du Qingtang checked the list of students registered a few years ago and found that the number was far more than this.

This shows that the vast majority of students still do not trust the government.

They were worried about repeating the same mistakes and being expelled from the provincial and county schools, and losing the qualifications to take the imperial examinations.

But Du Qingtang was not discouraged. At least more than a hundred people chose to believe the government.

I believe that in time, the prefectural school and county school of Shaoqing Prefecture will be able to gather thousands of students and regain the grand occasion of decades ago.

Du Qingtang sat outside the classroom for a while before saying to Professor Zhang, the headmaster of the prefectural school, "The academy exams will begin in April next year. I will be here every ten days to teach. Please adjust your schedule to avoid conflicts with other teachers."

Professor Zhang was overjoyed.

Although the prefect is a woman, she is a true top scholar in the imperial examination and her knowledge is far superior to those of the successful candidates.

If the prefect had not been so busy with official duties, Professor Zhang would have liked to have a debate with her and see who was better.

"Don't worry, sir. I will make all the arrangements properly." Professor Zhang paused. "I wonder if you have time today..."

Du Qingtang understood: "Of course."

The reopening of the provincial school was a major event, so she postponed all official duties. By now, her desk was probably piled high with documents.

Professor Zhang cupped his hands and said, "Thank you very much, sir."

Du Qingtang said slowly, "No need to thank me. The students did well on the exam, and that counts as part of my achievements."

This statement may be too utilitarian, but considering the previous statement that "people live in this world only for fame and fortune", Professor Zhang said he accepted it well.

And that is indeed the case.

They are not saints. Most of them study hard and take the imperial examinations in order to become officials in the court and bring honor to their families.

Unfortunately, they were unlucky and failed to pass the last hurdle. After failing the imperial examination, they wanted to become officials as juren, but they were not ranked as reserve officials. They could only return to their hometown and become a teacher.

Who would have thought that there would be a new hope after all the difficulties?

When they thought they were destined to live a mediocre life, the prefect of Shaoqing Prefecture extended an olive branch to them.

Although some unpleasant things happened during the period, the result was good.

They became professors and instructors, and were ranked as seventh and eighth-rank officials. Although they were unable to participate in government affairs, they were considered to have entered the officialdom.

According to the prefect, if he could become famous one day, he would gain both fame and fortune and would have no regrets in his life.

Du Qingtang borrowed Professor Zhang's duty room to prepare for class, and half an hour later he walked into the classroom at the sound of the gong.

Most of the students present did not recognize Du Qingtang, and they all looked confused when they saw this.

"Who is she?"

"She wasn't wearing an indigo round-collared robe, so it was clear she wasn't an instructor at the provincial school."

Zhou Jizhong's eyes flashed with surprise. Thinking of the comic strips that had already been completed at home, he whispered, "She's not a teacher, and she's a woman. Who do you think she is?"

An answer is about to emerge.

"I'm sure you've all guessed who I am." Du Qingtang stood behind the desk. "But in this class, I'm the only temporary instructor, so don't be shy and feel free to speak your mind."

Everyone couldn't help laughing, and the tension mostly dissipated.

Du Qingtang opened the book: "First, let's go to class. At the end, leave some time for questions and answers."

"good!"

An hour passed in a flash.

Du Qingtang closed the textbook and left the homework: "Everyone can raise your hands to ask questions. Each person only has one chance. Think carefully before asking."

Although they still had doubts about the government, the students were unwilling to miss this opportunity.

The prefect is the youngest number one scholar in Daxia. If he can get her guidance, he will definitely benefit a lot.

Thinking of this, everyone raised their hands and asked questions.

These were all difficult problems that only scholars would encounter. They were nothing to Du Qingtang. He came up with an idea after just a moment of hesitation.

Du Qingtang answered them one by one, and half an hour passed in the blink of an eye.

It was the 28th student's turn. Du Qingtang raised his hand and motioned him to ask the question.

The student stood up and bowed, then said in a loud voice: "May I ask, sir, do you regret disguising yourself as a man to take the imperial examination?"

Du Qingtang was stunned.

There was a commotion in the classroom, and the students and the teacher who were listening were all stunned.

"Why are you asking this for no reason?"

"Isn't he afraid that the prefect will be angry?"

Du Qingtang looked at the student who asked the question boldly, and his thoughts were in a trance.

Over the years, she has experienced life and death many times and suffered hardships. She has blamed the unfairness of fate and hated those who caused her tragic end.

But I have never regretted it.

Everyone says that women are inferior to men, and the oppression of women has never stopped.

This world needs someone to stand up and blaze a trail that has never been blazed before.

Du Qingtang was going to be the pioneer.

"No, I don't regret it." Du Qingtang regained his composure and spoke word by word, "I'm very glad I made the decision I made."

Maybe everything is guided by fate.

If she had not disguised herself as a man, she might have already married and become someone's wife or mother.

Support your husband and raise your children, and manage the household frugally.

Be a good wife and a loving mother.

Then there would be no top scholar Du Qingtang and no prefect Du Qingtang in this world.

The court is still a battlefield for men, while women's battlefield is always in the backyard, where they worry about family matters, husbands and concubines all day long.

The student then asked, "Even though you know this is a crime of deceiving the emperor, you still don't regret it?"

The aggressive questioning brought Du Qingtang back to reality from her memories. She shook her head and said firmly, "I don't regret it, because it led me to a completely different path."

The student frowned: "But throughout history, men have always been the breadwinners and women the homemakers."

Du Qingtang said calmly, "It's the way it is in the world, but there are always exceptions. I, Du, am not interested in getting married and having children, but rather in the sunshine above."

The student pressed the issue, "So you plan to dedicate your life to Daxia?"

Du Qingtang gave an ambiguous answer: "Maybe, who can predict what will happen in the future?"

"Okay, that's all for today's questions. I'll be back in class in ten days. You can prepare your questions in advance."

Everyone stood up and bowed: "Farewell, sir."

Du Qingtang walked away, but everyone was still immersed in the shock she brought, their hearts pounding and unable to calm down for a long time.

"I've never seen anything like it..."

"Deviating from the norm, right?"

“…Exactly!”

"Rather than being a heretic, I think the prefect is unperturbed by external things, unfettered by worldly constraints, and follows his heart. He is both clear-headed and free-spirited, which is truly rare."

"Putting everything aside, I admire the prefect's knowledge very much. I am almost thirty years old, but I am far inferior to him. I am really ashamed."

"Fortunately, the prefect gives lectures every ten days. I will definitely benefit a lot from this in the long run."

"Let's go eat first, then finish my homework. I need to think carefully about what questions to ask next time."

"But there's one thing: stop asking about the prefect's personal affairs."

"Brother Wang is absolutely right. Brother Zhang was truly offensive just now. Fortunately, the prefect was magnanimous and didn't offend him."

Outside the classroom, professors and teachers looked at each other with somewhat unnatural expressions.

"Now that I think about it, that sentence I said when we first met that day, 'You are a woman,' was also quite offensive."

"Once spoken, it's like spilled water; it's hard to take it back. Just be more careful in the future."

"Yes, yes, the prefect is a man of high moral character. I am ashamed to be inferior to him."

......

Two days later, Du Qingtang went to the county schools in the four counties under his jurisdiction, taught a class in each county, and answered questions and solved problems for the students.

On the fourth day, Du Qingtang returned to the government office.

The clerk almost cried with joy when he saw her: "Sir, you are finally back!"

During the three days when the prefect was away, there was no one in charge and various complicated matters piled up, so they were inevitably a little flustered.

After just one day, the government office was in chaos, giving them a headache.

Now that Du Qingtang has returned, they feel as if they have seen a savior. They feel as if a heavy burden has been lifted and they feel relaxed all over.

"Twelve more people are beating drums to complain. I have no authority to hear the case. I will accept the complaint for now and open the court for trial upon your return."

"There are a number of other official documents that I, too, have no authority to handle. They have all been delivered to your desk."

“And there are refugees…”

Du Qingtang walked slowly to the duty room, and the clerk followed him at a jog, reporting on the affairs in a chattering manner.

When I opened the door, I saw a pile of documents half a person's height.

Not just one pile, but three piles.

Du Qingtang: “…”

Du Qingtang left the duty room.

Clerk: "Sir?"

Du Qingtang took a deep breath, pressed the throbbing veins on his forehead, and walked into the duty room.

"Come here and grind ink for me."

The clerk responded, walked forward happily, picked up the ink stick and started grinding the ink.

He would rather do physical work than handle official business.

Even if it's next to the prefect, it's better than constantly using your hands and brain.

Du Qingtang boiled a pot of tea, poured a cup and placed it beside him, picked up his pen and dipped it in ink, and started to deal with official documents.

Four hours passed in a flash.

Du Qingtang didn't even have lunch, and finally managed to finish dealing with the documents that had piled up over the previous three days before leaving his shift.

There are still some left for today, and she plans to deal with them together tomorrow.

When they returned to the third hall, Du Qingzhu had already prepared dinner.

Three dishes and one soup, two meat dishes and one vegetable dish, all delicious and tasty.

Du Qingtang was very busy. He ate two bowls of rice and finished all the dishes.

Du Qingzhu watched with a smile, a look of satisfaction on his face: "It seems that my craftsmanship has not deteriorated."

Du Qingtang wiped his mouth with a handkerchief and said slowly, "It's delicious. I like it very much."

Du Qingzhu's smile widened, and he held his chin and said, "Why don't Xiao Ba and I move in here? It will be more convenient for us to take care of you."

Du Qingtang put down the handkerchief and said, "Miss Wang and the others are new to Shaoqing Mansion and are unfamiliar with the place. Would you please stay with them for a few days and move in later when Shaoqing Academy is established?"

Guests are welcome, and Du Qingtang also hopes that women like Wang Nianci will help her teach students, so she naturally has to treat them with courtesy.

Leaving guests aside and ignoring them is not the right way to treat guests.

"Okay then." Du Qingzhu was a little disappointed and wrinkled his nose childishly. "Anyway, I have nothing to do recently. I can bring you food every day, or you can come over to cook."

Du Qingzhu turned to look at the youngest, pinched her arm, and muttered, "No, you're still too thin. I'll have Xiao Ba come over to check your pulse later. You, once you get busy, you lose control."

Du Qingtang raised his eyebrows slightly: "People who love sweet things are not qualified to say this."

Du Qingzhu slapped her twice in anger and said, "Oh, stop talking. I don't eat much anymore."

Du Qingtang was a little surprised: "What do you mean?"

Du Qingzhu sighed, "Last year, when Shixiang Pavilion opened, I was worried that business would be bad and we'd have to close it down. I was under a lot of pressure during that time, and I ate a lot of sweets. As a result, I got a toothache in the middle of the night. Xiao Ba gave me acupuncture and boiled medicine, and it took most of the night for it to stop."

In order to get her to quit sweets, Du Qingmei smeared coptis water on the pastries. Du Qingzhu was completely unaware of this and almost vomited bile after taking a bite.

From then on, whenever she saw sweets, she would think of Coptis chinensis water, and her appetite would suddenly decrease, and she would gradually eat less.

"That's fine. Eating it once in a while is fine. Eating too much will give you a toothache." Du Qingtang rested his elbows on the table and asked casually, "What are your plans with Eighth Sister? Are you going to teach at the academy, or are you going to continue your careers?"

The so-called career is running a restaurant and practicing medicine.

Speaking of business, Du Qingzhu's face straightened: "With so many sisters going to the school to teach, there is no need for me and Xiao Ba. Besides, I am impatient to deal with those children. I still prefer cooking."

Du Qingtang asked, "Then open another Shixiang Pavilion?"

Du Qingzhu nodded and said in a long tone: "Shaoqing Mansion Branch!"

Du Qingtang raised his chin slightly: "I am the highest-ranking official in Shaoqing Prefecture. I can protect you now."

Du Qingzhu's eyes lit up, and she came over and took the youngest's arm, shaking him, and softened her voice to act cute: "I knew Xianyu was the best to me."

Du Qingtang got goosebumps at her overly sweet tone, but she didn't push her away. The two sisters talked for a while before letting Du Yi send Du Qingzhu back.

The next day, Du Qingtang finished his official duties and finally had time to try the case.

After trying two cases, one was sentenced to twenty years of imprisonment and the other was beheaded in public, Du Qingzhu had been waiting in the duty room for a long time.

Du Qingtang's throat became hoarse after talking too much in court, and the pain was relieved only after drinking two glasses of water.

Du Qingtang put down her teacup. Du Qingzhu had already set the table and waved at her, "Come and eat. It's still hot."

There was no rule of not talking while eating or sleeping at the Du family's dinner table. Du Qingtang asked as he ate his meal, "Have you found a suitable shop?"

Du Qingzhu shook his head: "I'm watching it right now. The city is so big, it's impossible to see everything in a day or two."

Du Qingtang reminded: "Remember to bring Du Jiu and Du Shi with you when you go out."

"I know." Du Qingzhu agreed crisply and pushed the plate towards Du Qingtang. "Don't just eat rice, eat more meat."

Du Qingtang hummed softly, and after eating and drinking her fill, Du Qingzhu left with the lunch box, and she continued to handle her official business.

As the end of his shift neared, a clerk came to report, "Sir, the carpenter just came over and said the repairs to the school are complete. Please take some time to go over and check it out."

Du Qingtang glanced out the window. The setting sun dyed the sky red, and the green plants in front of the window also turned red.

"It's still early, come with me to take a look now." Du Qingtang decided to leave his shift early and go to Wang Nianci to talk about things after visiting the school.

Shaoqing School is not far from the government office and can be reached in a cup of tea or two.

After the four houses were connected, they became very spacious. The houses on the east, south and north sides were classrooms, and the house on the west side was a dormitory.

There is a large open space in the center. The craftsmen ingeniously dug a pond, introduced river water, and raised more than ten koi.

There is also a statue of Confucius in front of the pool. He stands with his hands clasped, looking calm and solemn, and looking forward.

The classroom is also very spacious, with neatly arranged tables and chairs, and there is a bulletin board behind the desk.

It's just that the light is not very clear.

Du Qingtang flicked the rattan paper used to paste the windows with his fingers. This paper was made of rattan skin and was thicker than ordinary paper. Normally, it would not be broken even by strong winds.

There are always pros and cons. Relatively speaking, the light transmittance is not that good.

This made Du Qingtang think of glass. If all the doors and windows were replaced with glass doors and windows, students would sit in bright and clean classrooms, and their learning efficiency would surely be greatly improved.

It’s a pity that she doesn’t have enough manpower, and if she hands it over to craftsmen who don’t know the basics, it will be easy for the glass-making method to be leaked.

Du Qingtang presented the glass-making method to Emperor Qingyuan. If nothing unexpected happened, the imperial court would monopolize glass production.

Behind huge interests, there are always people willing to take risks.

If the court doesn't work, then we can only start from her side.

Du Qingtang didn't intend to get into trouble, so he could only suppress the idea of burning glass and turned around to go to the dormitory.

Shaoqing Prefecture had extremely cold winters, and the weather did not gradually warm up until April. Du Qingtang had the craftsmen build a long kang that could accommodate many people. When the weather got cold, the kang could be heated to keep out the cold.

Opposite the long kang is a cabinet, which has a similar layout to that of Qingyuan Academy. Two people share one cabinet, with each taking half.

The clerk followed him the entire way, sighing as he went, "Your Excellency is so kindhearted that you've provided sleeping quarters in the school, and the rooms are kept as nicely as if they were your own home. When I was a student, I had to walk from the village to the city even in heavy snow. By the time I arrived at the private school, I was frozen stiff and my nose was running."

Who isn't like that? She even got frostbite and her fingers were rotten.

Du Qingtang thought absentmindedly and instructed, "Post a notice tomorrow morning. Shaoqing Academy will be unveiled on June 18th. Registration is open that day and closes on June 30th. Classes will officially begin on July 1st."

The clerk took note and parted ways with Du Qingtang at the school gate.

Du Qingtang went to find Wang Nianci and stated his purpose directly: "After the school opens, I would like you to take charge of the girls' class."

In fact, Wang Nianci had already had some vague guesses about the school when the government announced that it would soon be opening. Now that her guesses had been confirmed, she agreed without hesitation.

The same goes for the other women.

"Sir, is the school divided into girls' and boys' classes?"

Du Qingtang nodded in agreement: "It's better for boys and girls to sit in different seats and attend classes separately at the age of seven."

"Your Excellency is absolutely right. If boys and girls attend classes together, girls will be easily bullied."

"Excuse me, sir, what are the lessons in the women's class?"

Du Qingtang had already planned it all out, and he listed them all: "The Four Books and Five Classics, music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. I also plan to offer a martial arts class."

Mu Yuanzhu is skilled in martial arts and has a lively personality, so she is the most suitable person to take charge of the situation.

Wang Nianci's eyes were dazed for a moment, then she smiled and agreed, "That's good too. A girl with martial arts skills won't be bullied when she goes out."

Du Qingtang stood up and said, "It's settled then. You will be responsible for recruiting students. Not everyone needs to go. Four or five people a day will be enough."

All the women agreed in unison.

Du Qingtang had dinner in the courtyard, then returned to the government office. After washing up, he sat under the lamp and read a few pages of a book. He turned off the lights and went to bed at midnight.

-

However, after the bandit suppression was over, Du Qingtang sent an urgent letter to Xia Jing, asking the Ministry of Personnel to quickly arrange for officials to come.

The envoy rode at full speed all the way and finally arrived in Beijing on June 15th.

The urgent memorial underwent a series of rigorous inspections and was finally presented to the emperor.

Emperor Qingyuan opened the urgent memorial and after a moment he couldn't help laughing: "This Lord Du has never let me down."

Fu Rui, who was serving on the side, pricked up his ears quietly.

"She's quite good at taking advantage of others. She knows that the people in Shaoqing Mansion can't be trusted, but she still knows how to call for help."

"It's a waste of talent to have those soldiers guarding the territory at Loushan Pass go to suppress bandits."

Through these few words, Fu Rui probably guessed what Lord Du had done, and the corners of his mouth twitched.

Emperor Qingyuan looked down, the smile on his face gradually fading until it disappeared completely: "A few fifth- and sixth-rank officials have amassed hundreds of thousands of taels of silver. I must be too kind to them."

"Fury."

"The servant is here!"

"Go to the Ministry of Personnel and tell the Minister of Personnel to quickly assign officials to fill the five vacancies in Shaoqing Prefecture."

Fury took the order and left.

"Come here, Lord Xuan Shi, please come and see me."

Shi Aiqing, Shi Zishan, Grand Secretary of Wenyuan Pavilion.

The eunuch rushed to the cabinet, and Shi Zishan quickly arrived at the imperial study.

"Your humble servant pays respect to Your Majesty."

Emperor Qingyuan got straight to the point: "It has been over half a year since my last inspection. I have appointed you as an Imperial Commissioner, to conduct inspections on behalf of the Emperor. I have granted you the Imperial Sword, allowing you to execute first and report later. You can act at your own discretion. You must investigate all corruption and abuse of power among local officials!"

Shi Zishan bowed and saluted, his voice as loud as a bell: "Your humble servant will obey your majesty's holy will."

Shi Zishan took the order and retreated. Emperor Qingyuan looked through the spotless glass and gazed into the distance over the red wall.

According to Qi Heming's confession, Linjiang Prefecture will be hit by a locust plague in July.

Natural disasters are unavoidable, so he can only do his best to reduce the suffering of the people.

We will start our inspection now and arrive at Linjiang Prefecture in July. By then...

"Your Majesty, Fang Yan from Concubine Qi's palace requests an audience."

Concubine Qi, the mother of the second prince.

"No..." Emperor Qingyuan didn't know what he was thinking about, and changed the subject, "Let her in."

The second prince had been stripped of his status as a prince and demoted to a commoner for half a year.

Because her biological mother repeatedly pleaded for her, she was demoted from a noble concubine to a concubine and has been confined to Chuxiu Palace for three months.

During this period, Concubine Qi sent people to deliver soup and water every day, but they were all returned intact.

This hurt Concubine Qi very much, but for the sake of her son, she still persevered in cooking herself and asked Fang Yan to deliver the food to the imperial study on time.

Fang Yan came to the imperial study with a food box, thinking that she would be turned away just like before.

Unexpectedly, the eunuch who had announced the incident returned and said with a smile, "Aunt Fangyan, His Majesty wants you in."

Fang Yan was overjoyed. After entering the imperial study, she knelt and saluted, whispering softly, "It's hot in early summer, so the queen went to the small kitchen early this morning to make a calming soup and sent this servant to bring it to you."

Fu Rui came down to take the food box, and after it was tested for poison by a special person, it was sent to the emperor.

Emperor Qingyuan took a sip and said in a gentle tone, "Thank you for your concern, Concubine Qi."

Fang Yan lowered her head and said, "Your Majesty learned how to make this soup from the imperial chef. If His Majesty likes it, Your Majesty will be very satisfied."

Emperor Qingyuan lowered his eyes, hiding all his emotions under a gloomy shadow: "I suddenly remembered that I haven't been to Chuxiu Palace for many days. Tell Concubine Qi that I will go to see her tonight."

Fang Yan was overjoyed: "Yes, I will tell the queen the truth!"

That night, Emperor Qingyuan stayed in Concubine Qi's Chuxiu Palace.

As the news spread, undercurrents surged in the harem.

In recent years, Emperor Qingyuan rarely visited his concubines. Even when he went to the harem, he only went to the palaces of the concubines who had sons and daughters. He sat and talked with them, talked about the princes and princesses, and left after about an hour to return to the Qianqing Palace to rest.

Concubine Qi is over 40 years old and her beauty has faded. The second prince made a big mistake last year, so she should have completely fallen out of favor.

"Why did he go to Chuxiu Palace? Is he trying to promote the second son?" Empress Cao frowned slightly, puzzled.

The nanny shook her head. "Your Majesty, your words are not a joke. How can you take this lightly when it concerns the prince? It's likely that Concubine Qi has been bringing her soup and water every day, and Your Majesty, out of consideration for their past relationship, has gone to see her."

Empress Cao looked at her face in the hand-held mirror, her fingertips stroking the fine lines at the corners of her eyes. She said, almost sarcastically, "Our Majesty is very nostalgic. He's trying so hard to compensate a foot-washing maid for her lowly offspring that he'd almost emptied his entire treasury."

The nanny spoke softly, "Your Majesty is only giving some compensation because of that person's sacrifices for Daxia. She's just a princess. How can she surpass the Fourth and Fifth Princes?"

"Marrying is not a sacrifice. It's not like you're going to be a slave." Empress Cao didn't care and instead ordered, "Have someone keep an eye on Chuxiu Palace."

Now is a time of great turmoil, so please don't cause any more trouble.

Thinking of her father's defeats and Xia Ming's successive victories over the past few months, Empress Cao's eyes dimmed and her nails dyed with rouge dug into her palms.

The Cao family must not be defeated.

The throne of queen can be hers.

The position of crown prince can only belong to her son.

......

The next day, a sudden imperial edict of enthronement threw the concubines in the harem to the ground.

Emperor Qingyuan issued an edict to confer the title of Rongfei on Concubine Qi.

Rong means prosperity, honor and dignity.

“Bang!”

When the news came, Empress Cao lost her composure for once and threw the handheld mirror heavily to the ground.

"Rong Fei? What a Rong Fei!" Empress Cao sneered repeatedly, her eyes icy cold. "He really doesn't take me seriously anymore. He didn't even discuss such a major matter as conferring a concubine with me, and he arbitrarily conferred the title of Rong Fei on Qi! Does he still have eyes for me, the empress?!"

Nanny had not expected that Emperor Qingyuan would promote Concubine Qi, so she advised him kindly, "Perhaps Your Majesty was just in a momentary mood..."

Empress Cao closed her eyes, her chest rising and falling rapidly: "Go, ask the fourth son to come and see me."

The nanny did not dare to hesitate and hurriedly sent a eunuch to invite the Fourth Prince.

The Fourth Prince was also in a bad mood because of this imperial edict. When he met Empress Cao, he complained, "Father is really old and confused. The Second Prince is suspected of collaborating with the enemy. How can Qi be worthy of the position of Consort?"

"Or, seeing that the third son is useless, the eldest son's maternal family is weak, and the sixth son has no intention of participating in the fight for the throne, he came up with this awful idea to elevate the second son to compete with me?"

Empress Cao asked, "Did your father ever mention reinstating the Second Prince's status at the morning court?"

The Fourth Prince shook his head: "Never, not even a hint."

The crease between Empress Cao's eyebrows deepened, and she became more fierce and mean. "Just because you don't have it now doesn't mean you won't have it in the future. No matter what, the Second Brother will never make a comeback."

The Fourth Prince slowly twirled his jade ring, gave a short laugh, and with a sinister look in his eyes, he said, "Instead of being on guard and worried here, it's better to just cut the grass and eradicate the problem completely!"

"You..." Empress Cao hesitated for a moment, "Never mind, you don't have to do anything. I will contact your grandfather, and it will be safer to let him take charge."

The Fourth Prince wanted to say that he had already been able to handle things on his own and did not need Cao Yuan to do things for him, but he swallowed the words back.

Saying this might make the Queen Mother think that he was dissatisfied with his grandfather.

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Grandfather."

Empress Cao smiled, her anger vanishing as she raised her hand to stroke her hair. "The Second Prince has been imprisoned in Guangming Palace for a long time. It's not unusual for him to suddenly fall ill and die suddenly, isn't it?"

The Fourth Prince pushed the jade ring back to its base, picked up his teacup and took a sip. "Yes, that's perfectly normal."

The mother and son smiled at each other, and the atmosphere was harmonious.

......

Just as the former court and the harem were in turmoil because of this imperial edict, the Minister of Personnel, with the instruction of Emperor Qingyuan, selected four diligent and selfless civil servants from among the officials waiting for appointment, and also selected an honest and simple military officer with great military talent. He personally drafted the appointment documents and sent them to Emperor Qingyuan for his review.

Emperor Qingyuan was very satisfied and said: "Let them take up their posts in Shaoqing Prefecture as soon as possible."

The Minister of Personnel responded respectfully and left the imperial study.

Thinking of Shaoqing Prefecture's bad reputation, the Minister of Personnel muttered as he walked, "Don't blame me. If I pick a few at random, I won't be able to report to His Majesty."

That afternoon, the five officials received notification that their appointment documents had arrived.

The five people ran excitedly to the Ministry of Personnel and reported their names, ages and places of origin. The clerk soon brought out the appointment documents and handed them to them.

They opened it with great anticipation and took a closer look—

Tongzhi/Tongpan/Shoubei of Shaoqing Prefecture.

Um? ? ?

Shaoqing Prefecture?

Is it the Shaoqing Prefecture they know?

Facing five pairs of bewildered eyes, the clerk tried hard not to show any sympathy and said in a serious tone, "There is only one Shaoqing Prefecture in Daxia."

That’s right, it’s Shaoqing Prefecture.

Shaoqing Prefecture was plagued by banditry, refugees were everywhere, armed fights and gang fights were commonplace, and people died almost every day.

It is also the Shaoqing Mansion where Lord Du Qingtang is located.

The five people held their respective appointment documents, with devastated expressions as if the sky had fallen.

"Can I, can I change someone?"

"Even if I become a county magistrate, it's fine."

"As long as you don't go to Shaoqing Prefecture, even if your rank is demoted by two levels, it's fine."

Petty official: “…”

The clerk resisted the urge to roll his eyes and said unhappily, "You can't change people. The Minister has already shown your appointment documents to His Majesty. His Majesty has personally approved them, and they cannot be changed."

The five people's eyes went dark and black, and they wished their souls could leave their bodies and ascend to heaven on the spot.

They walked out of the Ministry of Personnel with unsteady steps, their eyes wide open, and they were determined to die.

"It would be better to hang yourself now, so as to avoid dying tragically at the hands of bandits and refugees in Shaoqing Prefecture."

"The war has been settled for two months. Du Qingtang went to Shaoqing Prefecture and must have been eaten to the bone. If we go there, we will be taking over a mess."

"Oh, I don't want to go."

"I don't want to go either, but do you intend to disobey my order?"

After these words were spoken, the other four were speechless.

"Well, if you stick your head out, you'll get a knife. If you hide your head, you'll also get a knife."

They didn't dare to disobey the order, nor did they want to die, so they had no choice but to take more guards with them.

When they returned home, they informed the women in their family of the appointment.

When the women learned how poor and dangerous Shaoqing Prefecture was, they burst into tears and wailed.

"You can't go to Shaoqing Mansion! You'll die if you go there!"

"We don't want to be officials anymore. Let's go back home!"

"But disobeying the order is a capital crime."

The women's faces turned pale in an instant and they couldn't utter a word.

The next day, the five of them, accompanied by nearly a hundred guards, left Xiajing in a mighty procession.

After the convoy left the city gate, they were still looking back at Xia Jing, their eyes filled with reluctance and determination.

"The wind whistles and the Yi River is cold. Once the hero leaves, he will never return! Never return!"

-

Du Qingtang didn't know yet that her assistants were already on their way.

On June 18, Shaoqing School was unveiled.

As soon as the sky was getting light, the people set out from their homes with their children and walked or took ox carts to Shaoqing School.

When I met someone I knew on the way, I found that he also had children with him, and I couldn't help but smile knowingly.

"Take your child to the school to register?"

"Yes."

"Shall we go together?"

"That's great, hurry up and go, or you won't be able to register if you're late."

"What do you mean?"

"The school is so small, it can only hold a few hundred children at most."

The father's face changed and he picked up his daughter and ran away.

When we arrived at Shaoqing School, there were already crowds of people at the entrance, some of them were there to watch the fun, while others were bringing their children to register.

"Wow, so many people signed up?"

"You can study for free and get paid every month. Only a fool wouldn't come."

The parents looked at the crowds of children around them and secretly made up their minds that when registration started, they must be at the front.

I don't know how long it took, but I heard a loud voice: "The prefect is here!"

The noise stopped abruptly.

Du Qingtang appeared in a crimson official robe, with a yamen runner wearing a belt and a sword hanging behind him.

"Hello, Lord Prefect!"

"Sir, when does registration start?"

Everyone looked at Du Qingtang eagerly, without any trace of the indifference and doubt they had two months ago.

Du Qingtang said: "First, unveil the sign, then start registration."

"Okay!" everyone responded in unison.

Du Qingtang walked forward and stood under the plaque covered with red silk.

Soon, the yamen runner announced: "The auspicious time has arrived, unveil the plaque——"

Du Qingtang raised his hand and grasped the corner of the red silk that was hanging down.

Everyone clenched their hands and held their breath.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Du Qingtang exerted force with his wrist, and the red silk fell down, revealing the four large characters "Shaoqing Academy" written in silver and iron on the plaque.

"I hereby declare that Shaoqing Academy is officially established!"

"You may all enter the school in an orderly manner and register your children."

The people clapped and cheered, then rushed into the school with their children in their arms.

In the middle of the classroom are desks numbered like a stack of books.

On the left sat a few minor officials, and on the right sat a few young women.

Behind them, a yamen runner stood on a stool and shouted, "The one on the left is a boy, the one on the right is a girl, don't get them wrong!"

The crowd paused, then spontaneously split into two teams, running to the left and right respectively.

"Please provide the child's name, age, and place of origin."

"Everyone line up, come one by one, don't rush!"

"How can I not be anxious? Studying is the top priority!"

"That's right, after you study, you can live in a big house and become a high-ranking official!"

"Miss, can my daughter also receive one penny of silver every month?"

Wang Nianci kept writing and said with a smile, "Of course."

"That's great! My daughter's name is Yang Cuicui..."

The school was packed with people who came to register, and outside was also full of people standing there watching the fun.

There was a constant clamor of voices and it was extremely noisy.

Opposite the school, stood several middle-aged men in round-collared robes, looking at the scene in front of them with complicated expressions.

Professor Zhang twirled his beard and smiled, "The people have sharp eyes. They can distinguish truth from falsehood. So the prefect is truly working for the benefit of the people."

These men were his closest friends.

Half a month ago, he was "invited" here by the soldiers of Shaoqing Prefecture. His family couldn't find him, so they had to ask their friends for help.

Before his friend could ask someone to investigate, he received a letter from him.

They were worried that Professor Zhang had been deceived by the prefect of Shaoqing Prefecture, so they left their families behind and quickly hired a team of bodyguards to rush to Shaoqing Prefecture to rescue him.

After meeting Professor Zhang, he praised the prefect of Shaoqing Prefecture highly, as if he had been put under a spell.

When his friend told him frankly that he had been cheated, Professor Zhang was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter, leaving them confused.

"Seeing is believing, hearing is not. Shaoqing Academy happens to be opening its enrollment today, so I'll take you there to see it for yourself!"

——That's why they are standing here.

Back to the present.

The friend looked at the grand scene in the school and was silent for a while: "But she is a woman..."

Professor Zhang didn't like what he heard. He said in a shuddering voice, "What's wrong with that girl? You guys didn't even do as well as her in the exams back then!"

His friend was startled by him and felt a little hurt: "But didn't you say before that Du Qingtang disguised herself as a man to take the imperial examination and violated the Three Obediences and Four Virtues, and was indecent?"

Professor Zhang felt guilty for a moment, then stiffened his neck and said, "That was in the past. I had never met the prefect, let alone spoken to her."

"It must have been so difficult for the prefect. Not only did he have to study and take the imperial examinations, but he also had to hide his identity in fear. Finally, he finally became an official, but was denounced by his own mother. How painful and distressing she must have felt."

"Now, she has come alone to Shaoqing Prefecture, where there are tigers and wolves everywhere, and single-handedly supports the entire government office and the entire Shaoqing Prefecture."

"As you've been walking along, you should have seen it all. The bandits have been wiped out, the corrupt officials are gone, and the refugees have disappeared. The whole city is peaceful and tranquil."

"This is all thanks to the prefect!"

Professor Zhang looked at his close friends, rolled his eyes, and brought out Du Qingtang's theory of "gaining both fame and fortune."

"...by then, you will have students all over the world, gaining both fame and fortune. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

My friend was shamefully moved, but he still insisted, "I can also have many students all over the world in my hometown."

Professor Zhang cast a disapproving look at them: "How can these two be the same?"

"Back home, you're just a teacher."

"But in Shaoqing Prefecture, you are at least an eighth-rank official."

Professor Zhang said this, shaking his friend's hand affectionately, and said in a resounding voice: "Shaoqing Prefecture needs talents like you! With you, Shaoqing Prefecture can become even better!"

These words of praise made my friend so flattered that he couldn't tell east from west.

"Well, then, let's go back and take care of the private school first, and then bring our families here."

Where they couldn't see, Professor Zhang smiled triumphantly.

Professor Zhang's friends rushed back overnight and spent the whole day dealing with things in their hometown. It was not until late at night that they dragged their exhausted bodies to bed, closed their eyes and fell asleep.

I will set off early tomorrow morning and take up my post when I arrive at Shaoqing Prefecture. By then, my students will be everywhere in the world...

Thinking of this, he suddenly sat up in shock.

"That's not right. This is totally untrue. Why should I agree to him?"

In the darkness, a desperate man pounded the bed and roared.

"Zhang Wangfei, how dare you fool me!"