Chapter 439: Poverty is not unreasonable

"Bang, bang, bang!" Many laborers were digging the foundation at the school building site, and some were digging holes and burning bricks in the distance.

The wet nurse was holding the children and watching at the door of Su's house. The two children in her arms were staring intently, their black eyes full of curiosity.

Ever since the construction started, the brother and sister would look towards the site whenever they heard the banging sounds.

Every day I see people finishing work, or I am so sleepy that I have to fall asleep.

The child grows up day by day and becomes lively and active.

In addition to watching people work, he also liked to go to the village school to attend classes, without saying a word, but looking around outside the window.

When the children went to the old house to feed silkworms, take care of sugarcane, and make white folds, they would follow behind and watch.

If you don't follow me, my little butt will stick out and arch over there.

"Aying!" County Magistrate Lin came running over on horseback.

"Lord Lin, how come you have time to come here? Didn't you receive the letter I sent you?" Su Ying asked.

"Got it! I'll be right here!" County Magistrate Lin said excitedly. "Didn't we agree to hold it in Tong County? Why did you suddenly change your mind?"

He was also thinking about establishing the first official school for women in the Tang Dynasty. The students were very enthusiastic and had even started to compile the curriculum.

Suddenly I received a letter from Su Ying, saying that it was held in Huanggou Village and ten places were allocated to Tong County!

It was like a basin of cold water was poured over my head. How come Wu County snatched the advantage?

He was just a scholar from a humble family. If he accomplished this, even if he did not have outstanding political achievements or literary talent in his lifetime, he could still be included in the list of famous scholars in Lingnan, and he would even have a separate page in the county annals.

I can't figure it out, I really can't figure it out! I came to ask in person.

The current changes in Tong County are following those in Wu County, replicating them step by step. This women's official school is the first to respond.

But it was snatched away by Wu County, and I felt so depressed and dissatisfied!

I won’t mention it before. County Magistrate Hu is his old boss, and he is also his recommender and benefactor. The two of them are both teachers and friends, and their relationship is very close. It doesn’t matter who started it first.

What's up with this new county magistrate? He's already taking credit for other people's work. Are there any rules?

"Lord Lin, don't get excited! Let me show you the school building first!" Su Ying smiled and patted County Magistrate Lin, comforting him.

"This was a joint venture between Wu County and Tong County. The credit belongs to you and County Magistrate Song. No one can take it away from you!"

"Really?" County Magistrate Lin's dissatisfaction suddenly disappeared.

"Why would I lie to you? Not only do the school annals and county annals record this, but the report to the court was also submitted by you and County Magistrate Song!" Su Ying said seriously.

"We chose this place because, firstly, it is secluded and has a good teaching environment; secondly, it is convenient for practical classes; and thirdly, Wu County is wealthy.

Just building a school building is a hurdle for Tong County, not to mention the various subsequent fee reductions and exemptions."

County Magistrate Lin stood at the edge of the construction site, looking at the huge piece of land. "Are these all school buildings?"

"Well, it's built on the scale of a county school. It also has a library, a practical workshop, etc., all of which are brick and tile houses." Su Ying nodded.

County Magistrate Lin was speechless. Tong County did not have such courage and skill, and could not produce it!

Tong County didn't spend a penny, but still got ten places for free. His name was also recorded in the school and county annals, and his contributions were also recorded in the court reports. What else does he want?

"Why only recruit thirty? Can't there be more?" County Magistrate Lin was puzzled.

"Master Lin, no one wants things that are too easy to get!

Besides, if girls are exempt from government education, it will squeeze out county school resources. How will the boys feel about that?" Su Ying explained.

"Oh, I understand, I understand!" County Magistrate Lin suddenly understood.

Subconsciously, the two things were separated. Girls did not need to take the imperial examinations. It was a purely technical school, but it also belonged to the category of county schools.

Excessive resource imbalance will affect regular county schools.

"Thank you!" County Magistrate Lin jumped on his horse and bowed.

"Leaving?" Su Ying saw County Magistrate Lin coming and going like the wind.

"Let's go! Go back and recruit people!" County Magistrate Lin squeezed his legs together and rode away on his horse.

"What? A girls' official school?" Notices were posted in front of the county government office and at the city gates, and both literate and illiterate people came to read.

The county school enrollment notice was posted, but not many people signed up, so now they are setting up a new government school for girls!

If you can't recruit enough boys, you're recruiting girls. Isn't that ridiculous? How can you mix boys and girls? It's totally unruly!

Many people became indignant and began to criticize before they even finished reading or listening to the whole article.

"That's right! Isn't this nonsense? I won't send my daughter there anyway! It's immoral!" Some old women expressed their opinions.

"Hey, can you please stop talking? I can't hear what you are saying." An illiterate villager complained.

"That's right, if you don't want to send us off, then don't! Go away, go away, don't bother us!" The other villagers pushed the noisy person away.

"What does this official school for women say? Free tuition, free textbooks, free food and lodging?" the illiterate villager asked the literate person next to him.

"Of course! It's like pie in the sky! Even the county school doesn't have this kind of benefit!" The literate people's tone was full of envy.

He was still working as a clerk, secretly learning from the accountant and recognizing some words.

Unlike these girls, the county government pays for their education! I hate that I was not born at a good time.

"Hmph, what good thing can it be? What do you mean by free of charge? How can there be such a good thing? Maybe it's the Jiaofang, only places like that offer free of charge!"

The old woman who was pushed out had a distorted face and spoke vicious words.

"Tsk tsk, you old fool! You just came out of the Music Bureau and think everyone else is from it?" The literate man said with a sidelong glance.

"They have built a separate school building in Huanggou Village to teach sericulture, silk reeling, textile weaving, and white mulberry planting.

"You're just using your beauty to please others, but they don't want you! Don't look down on me, because even if you go there, they still won't want you!"

"Hmph, I don't want it! Bah!" The old woman curled her lips and said disdainfully.

What kind of world is this? Women can go to school? And it's a government-run school, and it's free!

The old woman was indignant, as she had been transformed from a daughter of an official family into a government slave and sent to a music house to be a prostitute.

It’s free, but you can’t avoid physical pain. If you can’t learn or learn well, you’ll be beaten every day.

Lingnan was clearly a place of exile. When did the world change and become a good place with good days?

Orders for supporting education have been popping up this year, and now there is even a government-run school for girls, and it’s free!

I felt indignant. I had suffered so much, but why should the children of exiles and slaves live a good life and go to school?

It’s obvious that they should all suffer their whole lives just like me!

As soon as the notice of the official school for women was posted, it caused a huge uproar, with both praise and criticism.

Some are waiting and watching, while others are resisting.

Why should women study? What's so good about those skills? Aren't they passed down from mother to daughter? Is there a need for classes?

What’s the use of learning it? You will still be treated like a slave when you marry into your husband’s family, which is a waste of money!

However, families of officials and gentry reacted quickly. Knowing the value of women's official education, they enrolled their daughters one after another.

"Hmph! Look! These poor people don't know how to cherish the opportunity right in front of them! There's a reason to be poor!" Song Xuanyu laughed at himself as he looked at the registration form.

It’s not that girls from poor families don’t want to go to school, but their parents don’t allow them.

Those who come to register are the treasures of their families.