In the days that followed, Lin Yun could be seen writing furiously at her desk almost every day in Yanxi Palace.

The desk was piled high with manuscript papers, the scent of ink and tea mingling together. Her fingertips were slightly red from holding the pen for so long, but she never stopped writing.

This time, she began writing "An Introduction to Physics," explaining basic knowledge such as force, light, and heat in simple language.

"Your Highness, how can this 'force' move a teacup across the table?" Daiyu asked, holding the first draft, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

Lin Yun put down her pen, smiled, and picked up a porcelain cup: "Look, if I push it hard, it moves. This force is invisible, but it really exists."

She drew a few more lines on the paper. "Westerners call it 'force,' just like the wind blowing a sailboat. It seems invisible, but it can travel thousands of miles."

Daiyu suddenly realized and wrote a note beside the text: "Like a spring breeze and rain, nourishing things silently."

The two exchanged a smile and then buried themselves in their manuscripts again. Gradually, Daiyu not only became able to ask questions but also to apply what she learned to other situations.

She combined physics with poetry to create catchy rhymes, which she taught to the children at the palace school.

Hongyao and Zhaohua studied with great interest, and even when Yongzheng happened to pass by, he stopped to listen for a while, his eyes full of satisfaction.

However, as night deepened, Yongzheng entered Yanxi Palace and found Lin Yun still discussing the forces acting on an inclined plane with Daiyu, head to head, completely unaware of his footsteps.

He coughed lightly, and Daiyu hurriedly bowed and withdrew.

Lin Yun then looked up and smiled apologetically: "The Emperor has arrived?"

Yongzheng sat down and tapped the table with his fingertips: "If I hadn't come, Yun'er would probably have forgotten to eat."

Although his tone was indifferent, his gaze swept over Daiyu's hurried departure, and a pang of sadness rose in his heart: at this time in the past, Yun'er would always prepare hot tea for him.

Lin Yun, completely oblivious, enthusiastically handed over the chapter she had just finished writing: "Your Majesty, please take a look and see if this section is appropriate?"

Yongzheng took the manuscript, but grasped her wrist: "Yun'er, I want to see you more."

Under the candlelight, Lin Yun's cheeks flushed slightly. Only then did she notice his emotions and said softly, "It was my oversight."

She rose to pour him tea, her fingertips brushing against his as they touched. "How about I accompany Your Majesty to admire the flowers tomorrow?"

Yongzheng then smiled and took her hand in his palm: "It's a deal."

——

A few days later, Lin Yun raised a bold idea to Emperor Yongzheng in a pavilion in the Imperial Garden: "Your Majesty, I would like to... establish a girls' academy in the capital."

Seeing that Yongzheng frowned slightly, she quickly explained, "I will not teach the Four Books and Five Classics, but only mathematics, medicine and needlework."

A woman who is literate and knowledgeable in literature can be a good wife and mother, benefiting both the country and the family.

Yongzheng pondered for a long time. He recalled Lin Yun's radiant appearance when she was compiling the book, and also thought of the talents that Daiyu and other noble ladies were gradually revealing.

If the girls' academy is established, Lin Yun's reputation will surely grow even stronger... He stroked the teacup with his fingertips and suddenly asked, "Would Yun'er be willing to teach it herself?"

Lin Yun's eyes lit up: "Of course I'd like to! If we could invite some noble ladies to help, someone as talented as Daiyu would surely succeed."

Yongzheng gazed into her expectant eyes and made a decision in his heart.

He nodded and said, "I grant your permission. However, we must proceed gradually and start with a small-scale trial."

What he didn't say was that this move would not only elevate the status of women, but also build Lin Yun's reputation, so that when the time was right, the matter of her becoming empress would come naturally.

Overjoyed, Lin Yun failed to notice his hidden scheme and immediately began drafting the plan.

Yongzheng wrapped his arms around her from behind, rested his chin on her hair, and chuckled softly, "Yun'er is so dedicated, I'm starting to envy those students."

——

In the autumn, an elegant courtyard in the western suburbs of Beijing was decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations. The four characters "Mingde Women's Courtyard" on the plaque were personally inscribed by Emperor Yongzheng.

On the day the hospital opened, Lin Yun wore a plain dress with only a magnolia flower in her hair, which drew everyone's respectful bows.

Daiyu stood beside her, holding a handout of "Introduction to Mathematics," and calmly introduced the course to the guests.

"Your Majesty, my younger sister is only twelve years old. Is it possible for her to enroll in school?" a minister's wife asked anxiously.

“Of course,” Lin Yun smiled. “Any girl who is ten years of age or older can apply.”

When the news spread, noble ladies from the capital flocked to the scene.

Some admired Lin Yun's name, some envied Daiyu's talent, and some simply longed to read.

The academy enrolled its first batch of thirty students. The courses ranged from arithmetic in the morning to medicine in the afternoon. Lin Yun personally taught physics, while Daiyu was responsible for the basic mathematics.

When Emperor Yongzheng visited incognito, he saw Lin Yun standing under the eaves, demonstrating the principle of magnets attracting iron to a group of young girls.

Sunlight filtered through the trees, dappling her body like a vivid painting.

The women's college flourished beyond expectations, with several noble families even donating books.

Yun'er's brilliance could not be hidden after all.

As Mingde Women's College gained widespread fame, various discussions about the women's college began to circulate in the streets and alleys of Beijing.

Inside the teahouse, several men dressed in brocade robes sat around a table, their faces full of disdain.

"Women should be devoted to their husbands and mothers; how can they openly attend school and study like this!"

A middle-aged man with a mustache slammed his hand on the table and stood up, drawing the attention of onlookers.

“That’s right!” another person chimed in. “I heard those noble ladies even study mathematics and physics. It’s absurd! A woman’s virtue lies in her lack of talent. Can our ancestors have been wrong?”

These remarks quickly reached the imperial court.

One morning at court, Zhao Dequan, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, stepped forward and reported: "Your Majesty, the recent opening of a girls' academy in the capital has drawn constant criticism from the people."

Your Majesty, I believe this action violates ancestral rules and may disrupt the established order. I earnestly request Your Majesty to investigate this matter thoroughly!

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