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The news of the official construction of the school has aroused the attention of many people. However, what is more concerning is the rumor that has been spread privately. It is said that in the future, all workshops in the gang will select managers and accountants from the school. Even clerks on the ship and financial officers in charge of the treasury will give priority to children from the school.

This is completely different from elementary education; it truly has a future! And with such long-term plans, doesn't this also indicate that the Red Flag Gang is growing stronger and more stable? You can fight like hell, but your children and grandchildren can't still be toiling away on the ship. Learning more and building a better future is the right thing to do.

With this idea in mind, admission places became extremely popular.

The Red Flag Gang now had thousands of members. Besides the leaders and the children of martyrs, other smart individuals were also racking their brains to send their children to school. Fortunately, the school had an age limit, only accepting children between the ages of seven and fifteen, and there were always new students every year, which gave those without children of school age pause.

Even so, there were about 100 to 200 students enrolled. While the lecture halls were easy to find—just renovate a residential building—teaching staff were essential. The accountants who taught math had already been chosen, and the Red Flag Gang had even recruited a group of scholars with previous teaching experience. Once everyone arrived, they were gathered together for a written exam.

They all came from far away, but none of these scholars expected that the teaching experience at the school would not be an interview, but would be arranged in a place similar to an examination room.

Looking at the writing brushes and ink laid out before him, Wang Xiucai's hands sweated and he kept glancing around. This room was packed with sixteen men dressed like scholars. The oldest was probably over fifty, the youngest looked only in his early twenties. Some were familiar faces, likely teachers from nearby counties. There were simply too many people! Why were they all crammed together? Alas, how many teachers could a school admit? What if they were squeezed out?

Mr. Wang's worries were not without reason. In today's world, studying was no longer the first choice for ordinary people. Refugees were everywhere, bandits were rampant, and it was difficult to get enough food, so how could there be spare money to pay tuition? Children had to go out to work when they were a little older, and learning a skill was more cost-effective than learning to read. Not to mention these ordinary people, even scholars who were determined to achieve fame and fortune were not thinking about taking the exams now. The academy and provincial examinations were fine, but after passing the examination, did they have to go to the capital to take the metropolitan examination? There were so many bandits along the way, I was afraid that I would lose my life before I even got there.

Life was tough, and life was even harder for scholars like them. Those with talent and connections sought employment in government offices. If they were good at math or had a bit of wit, they could find work as accountants or clerks. The worst off, they could only scrape by setting up stalls on the street, reading and writing letters for others.

Wang Xiucai was the last type. His original private school had long since closed, and he couldn't bring himself to go into business. Unable to carry anything, selling calligraphy was just enough to keep him from starving. He had a wife and children to support at home, and he was consumed by constant worry. So, upon hearing the Red Banner Gang was recruiting teachers, he rushed over eagerly.

Of course, this wasn't a motive for joining the wealthy and powerful on the seas. He'd heard the Red Flag Gang was founded by General Qiu's daughter. General Qiu was a loyal official who died unjustly, so joining them was a moral obligation. Furthermore, the imperial court couldn't stop them, and they were willing to build a school and recruit teachers. This suggested the Red Flag Gang was different from ordinary gangs. After all, he'd been educated for over ten years, so he could definitely teach a child.

The idea turned out to be quite good, but when he got there, he saw that quite a few people had the same idea. Wang Xiucai's palms were sweating even more, and it was almost time for him to enter the examination room.

Just as I was feeling anxious, I heard a noise outside the door. A strange wooden chair with two wheels was pushed in. When I looked closely, I saw that there was actually a person sitting on it.

The man looked no more than thirty, a bit thin, his legs lame, yet his demeanor made everyone present nervous. He looked like a scholar, yet unlike any other scholar, he held a certain air of authority. Mr. Wang couldn't help but wince. Wasn't the Red Flag Gang a boat gang? How could such a figure exist?

Sitting down at the main seat, Tian Yu glanced at everyone and said coldly, "My surname is Tian. I am a Jinshi from the third year of Xingli. I am now in charge of the internal affairs of the Red Flag Gang and also serve as the principal of the school."

This statement startled everyone in the audience, and a buzz of laughter erupted. A Jinshi! And a third-year graduate of the Xingli Imperial Examination, didn't that mean he'd passed the Palace Examination at such a young age? No wonder he looked so impressive; maybe he'd been an official before! Wait, then why did he join the Red Flag Gang? Oh, could he be rebelling against the imperial court over General Qiu's unjust case?

Once they understood, everyone fell silent. He was more knowledgeable than them, a former official, and a rebel. Who would dare to speak in front of him? Even the whole examination thing made some sense. With someone like him in charge, how could the Red Flag Gang's school still admit mediocre students?

Tian Yu ignored everyone's thoughts and got straight to the point: "I've reviewed the invitations you've sent, and they're all experienced instructors. However, the Red Flag Gang's academy is different from ordinary private schools. They don't teach the Three Bonds and Five Constant Virtues. All courses must be taught according to the regulations."

This was even more hurtful than the previous one. The old gentleman with white hair and beard immediately shouted, "How can this be absurd? How can they not even teach people the moral principles? Isn't this..."

When the three words "Isn't it?" came out of his mouth, he was suddenly startled and didn't dare to say the following words.

Tian Yu narrowed his eyes slightly and finished for him: "Isn't this a rebellion? What do you think the Red Flag Gang does?"

Sweat broke out on the old man's forehead, his legs trembling so violently that his body was wobbling. Mr. Wang was so frightened that he swallowed dryly and hung his head low. Yes, what moral principles are we talking about now? The Red Flag Gang dared to attack even the imperial army, and their leader is a woman. How can there be any relationship between ruler and subject? If they were taught moral principles and ethics, wouldn't they still be great sea lords? Wouldn't they just surrender?

Looking at the scholars below who were as silent as a cicada, Tian Yu snorted coldly: "In my Red Flag Gang, we only teach the three things of 'benevolence, righteousness, and trustworthiness'. We teach the Analects, Mencius, poetry, and history books. If you don't want to do it, you can leave."

No one moved. No matter how reluctant they were, no one dared to take the initiative. Mr. Wang breathed a sigh of relief. At least they were still teaching "benevolence, righteousness, and trustworthiness." Although it was a bit "disrespectful," it didn't go too far against human ethics.

Just as I was about to relax, I heard someone on the stage say, "Since you all know what we're going to teach, write an essay on the topic of 'Benevolence, Righteousness, and Trustworthiness.' You have two hours to write, and the number of words is optional. You must hand it in by the time."

As soon as the words fell, countless people looked at each other in bewilderment. Mr. Wang was truly dumbfounded. He had never seen a teacher being tested on a contemporary essay, and such a tricky topic at that! Two of the Five Constant Virtues were missing, let alone the Three Bonds. So, there was no point in talking about loyalty and filial piety, and all the clichés were useless. Furthermore, the people testing them weren't the imperial court, but the officials of a powerful maritime tycoon. How could they appease them without being labeled a "traitor"?

After all, they were all educated for more than ten years. Not only Wang Xiucai, but the others were also pale and struggling to pick up the pen. If they had quick wits and talents, they would have been well-off long ago. How could they have fallen to such a state? Besides, the chief examiner was a Jinshi (Jinshi) graduate, and his knowledge and skills must have surpassed everyone else. Even if they wrote an essay, would he be impressed?

Seeing the expressions of the group of people, Tian Yu added slowly, "As long as you can enter the school, you will receive an annual salary of 20 taels, including food, lodging, clothing, and annual subsidies. You can also bring your wife and children to settle down in the Red Flag Gang. If you teach well, you can also get a promotion and a raise."

Every word of this resonated deeply with everyone. Without further hesitation, Wang Xiucai immediately picked up the inkstone and began to write a draft. The Red Flag Gang's demands were a bit strange, but the money was a lot! If he could stay, he could support his family and take care of his wife and children. He couldn't let this opportunity slip away!

Seeing everyone buried in their writing, Tian Yu leaned back in his chair and let out a breath. Eight-part essays have many paradigms, but this time the topic was too novel, with many taboos to avoid. It was also a last-minute topic, with no preparation at all. Essays written at such times are the most revealing of one's knowledge and inner tendencies. Those who keep emphasizing "loyalty to the emperor and patriotism" and are full of moral essays should be expelled as soon as possible. The Red Flag Gang doesn't want corrupt scholars. Regardless of whether one truly agrees with their ideals, at least one must be flexible and know one's limits. Now that the Red Flag Gang's reputation has soared, recruiting scholars is no longer as difficult as before, so it's time to carefully select them.

Unfortunately, there are still not enough talents.

Tian Yu couldn't help but think about his former classmates, colleagues, and even those subordinate officials.

Among these people, there are probably some who are dissatisfied with the court and frustrated. Perhaps we can find a way to recruit some of them? Furthermore, what they want is not "officials," but more like "clerks." Later, we will probably need to add some courses on handling official documents and government affairs. We can find some lecturers from the government. That Mr. Yang is also very shrewd and perceptive. Should we ask him to contribute a little or recommend some talents?

In addition to elementary education, some leaders, generals, and managers also wanted to continue their studies, so several special lecture halls had to be arranged, and the methods used to teach female workers in the past could be used as a reference.

If literacy were included in the assessment, I'm afraid even more people would be willing to learn...

As he thought about it, a smile appeared on Tian Yu's lips.

Although there are more and more things to do, making people breathless, the matter of "promoting education" can always make people feel happy.

With the addition of a powerful weapon like "education", the Red Flag Gang will be very different from other gangs and have a unique style, right?