Chapter 180 Qingzhu Academy

Qingxi Town is a small town in Tongzhou, Daliang, and its location is relatively remote.

The carriage slowly drove into the town. It was not yet completely dark. Zhu Lan and Zhu Qingyan curiously lifted the curtain and looked out. They saw people coming and going on the streets. Although it was not as prosperous as Jiangzhou City, it was also full of the atmosphere of life.

Soon, the carriage stopped in front of an inn and several people got off.

The innkeeper immediately came up to greet them warmly, helped to lead the horses, and introduced them: "My dear guests, you have good eyes. Our Bafang Inn is the best inn in Qingxi Town. Would you like to stay overnight or stay here?"

Murong Jing said, "Stay in a hotel."

Several people walked into the lobby of the inn. There were many guests eating on the first floor. The inn looked bright and clean, and it was indeed nice.

Zhu Lan asked for two upper rooms, with Murong Jing and Zhu Qingyan sleeping in one, and he and A Jiang sleeping in the other.

"What would you like to eat tonight? I'll bring it to you later." Seeing how generous they were, the waiter smiled even more brightly.

"No need, let's go out for a walk and find something to eat." After saying that, Zhu Lan and the others asked the waiter to help deliver the luggage to the room.

Coming to the busy streets, Zhu Lan couldn't help but feel emotional. He had been traveling through time for so long and had been busy studying for the imperial examinations, and had never traveled far.

Zhu Qingyan, who was standing by, felt the same way and couldn't wait to take a walk around the town.

It seems that today happened to be some kind of festival here. The streets were crowded with people and decorated with lights. For a moment, the cries of vendors and the laughter of children were intertwined.

Under a banyan tree, several old men sat around, playing chess leisurely. When they saw strangers coming, they nodded in a friendly manner.

"My fellow villager, what festival is today?" Zhu Lan bought a string of candied haws for A Jiang and asked the passers-by curiously.

"Oh, you are from outside, right? Today is Qingxi Town's 'Chaoxian Day', and everyone is going to the Confucius Temple to worship and pray!"

When they heard about the Confucius Temple, Zhu Lan and Zhu Qingyan became interested, only Murong Jing yawned.

Then the passerby said, "But you are late. The ceremony has already ended."

Zhu Lan showed regret on his face, and then he noticed that there were many people dressed as scholars on the street, and some of them were holding books and reading as they walked.

"It seems that although Qingxi Town is located in a remote area, the people live a peaceful life and the learning atmosphere is thriving."

Zhu Qingyan also nodded, feeling very fond of this place, and then looked forward.

"There seems to be a college over there as well?"

A few people came to the front of the academy and saw a plaque with the words "Qingzhu Academy" written on it. Looking inside, they saw that there were indeed lush and green bamboos, which was very elegant.

Although the Qingzhu Academy is not as large as the Longchang Academy, it seems to have an extraordinary status in Qingxi Town.

There is also a stone tablet in front of the academy, on which the history of the academy is written in small regular script.

Zhu Qingyan finished reading and understood: "It turns out that this is the clan school founded by the Lu family here. It has a history of a hundred years."

Zhu Lan pointed to the academy and said, "The lights in the classroom are still on. Could it be that they are having an evening class?"

She was curious as to why the students in Qingxi Town were so chaotic.

"Who are you...?" A doorman came out and looked up and down at the people in front of him with a strange look in his eyes.

Zhu Lan stepped forward and saluted like a student. "We are students passing through Jiangzhou City. Seeing that this place is full of the fragrance of books, I wonder if we can go in and take a look?"

"Oh, I can see."

The doorman warned again: "But you can't go into the classroom."

"Why is this?" Zhu Lan asked curiously, "Could it be that a teacher is giving a class in there?"

"The academy is a sacred place, how can a woman come in and out casually?" said the doorman, taking out four masks, including the little Ajahn's.

"Two cents for each mask." The doorkeeper held out his hand.

Murong Jing's eyes widened slightly, "I have to wear a mask to enter the academy, what's the logic behind this?"

It's unheard of!

Zhu Lan frowned and said, "The current imperial court has issued a clear order to open up female schools, and women's qualifications for admission to schools shall not be deprived. Could it be that your Qingxi Town is not the place where the King of Daliang has been transformed?"

Men Ding was not annoyed, and his words were even very eloquent.

"The rites of ancestors are like the dignity of the Big Dipper, and cannot be abandoned lightly. Since ancient times, women should be restrained and cultivate virtue, support their husbands and educate their children. Our Qingxi Town has always strictly observed the rites and respected the order of the past and the present.

Since the establishment of Qingzhu Academy, women have been prohibited from entering. But since the current court has issued an order, our clan leader has made an exception and allowed women to enter, but they must cover their faces with cloth to show their education. "

Murong Jing felt a surge of anger when she heard these flowery words. She was about to take action but was stopped by Zhu Lan.

Zhu Lan took out eight cents from his pocket and handed it to the doorman. The good impression he had previously had disappeared.

She distributed the masks to several people and said coldly:

"Don't worry, let's go in and see what this Qingzhu Academy is like."

Murong Jing glanced at the doorman, snorted coldly, and followed Zhu Lan into the academy.

After passing through a small path, they finally arrived near the lighted classroom. From afar, they could hear the sound of reading coming from inside. It turned out that they were having an evening class.

"Look, there are still people there."

Zhu Lan and Murong Jing looked in the direction Zhu Qingyan pointed, and saw that there were several people sitting with their faces covered with cloth on an open space outside the classroom. Judging from their figures, they were all women.

There were straw mats on the ground, and they sat on them, holding books in their hands, reading in the light that came through the window paper.

“Just now I thought that Qingxi Town had a flourishing academic atmosphere, but I didn’t expect that they would treat women so harshly!?” Zhu Qingyan couldn’t help but clench his fists.

Zhu Lan's face was as gloomy as water and he said nothing.

She has always been able to sense a hint of weirdness in this era, or rather, a twisted feeling.

Allowing women to enter school and government was a new policy of the imperial court and had only been implemented for a few years. Although the customs of the people in Daliang had become increasingly open since Emperor Liang came to power, in the hearts of many people, they still yearned for the old so-called "etiquette and laws."

That is to say, in the same area, you can see women walking on the street wearing dresses that expose their forearms or calves, and you can also hear people emphasizing with great sorrow that "women should have no outside affairs."

Even in relatively open towns like the capital and Jiangzhou, there are still conflicts between old and new ideas, let alone a remote and secluded place like Qingxi Town?

"It's so abominable! They are not following the imperial decree at all!" Zhu Qingyan whispered.

Murong Jing also had an indignant look on her face, and she wished she could pull out the guy who founded the clan school and give him a good beating.

Zhu Lan shook his head slightly at Zhu Qingyan, "Do you really think it's that easy to implement the new policies of the imperial court?"

A trace of confusion flashed across Zhu Qingyan's face.

"Just ask the young princesses around you and you'll know. The new policy has been implemented for several years, but have you ever heard of any woman actually passing the imperial examination and becoming an official in the court?"

Zhu Qingyan looked at Murong Jing. Murong Jing thought for a moment and seemed to realize something.

"Now that you mention it... Indeed, there has never been a precedent of a woman holding an official position in the court. At least I haven't heard of it."

"It is simply heresy for a woman to be an official!"

Suddenly, a voice sounded from the bamboo forest.