However, they couldn't resist the amount of money Shengping spent. Wealthy families would decide whether to send their daughters to the academy based on the court's intentions. Those who were optimistic about Shengping would send even an unimportant daughter to the academy.
If Shengping doesn't fall from power, he can always try to make a good impression in the future.
Poor families go there for the money. Other academies don't provide food and lodging like Bailu Academy, but sending your daughter there will earn you money.
Not much. If you go for a month and your grades are decent, and you don't skip class without a reason, you can earn fifty coins a day.
With an extra fifty coins, a family can buy three catties of pork a month to enjoy meat.
The Imperial Academy is the most enthusiastic recipient of this new policy.
The highest academy in Daliang requires an exam to enter the Imperial Academy, but once you get in, you're practically a half-official.
It is unknown how much more power Shengping has seized. The Imperial Academy also began to recruit women, admitting one woman for every ten men. This marked the beginning of the new system.
It is even said that women who enter the Imperial Academy can have a face-to-face conversation with Princess Shengping.
Being able to meet with such powerful imperial relatives would be an honor for a noblewoman.
Everyone was studying like crazy for a while.
Ye Panjiu was happy to hear this. Things change little by little. Once the first step is effective, the second step can begin.
She's not in a hurry.
The two rode for seven days before they were almost at Yangzhou.
Ye Panjiu carefully took out a white veil and put it on her head; the veil had been prepared in advance.
Heng Tong did not wear a veil; instead, she took out a cloth and covered her mouth and nose, dressing herself up like a heroic female knight-errant.
Even the travel permit, which Ye Panjiu used cautiously before in Shuzhou, is now quite sensitive in Qingshui County.
No amount of caution is too much.
While passing through farmland near Yangzhou, I came across a spot surrounded by a large crowd.
Ye Panjiu moved his horse and headed towards that spot.
"This is the Prefect borrowing your land. You're so honored that your ancestors' graves must be emitting auspicious smoke!" The yamen runner looked down at people with a sly grin on his face.
Someone nearby burst into laughter, "At such an old age, still begging and pleading like this, it's so embarrassing!"
Kneeling at the feet of the two men were a white-haired couple.
He looks to be over sixty years old.
The old man kept kowtowing to the flooded land, pleading, "Sir, I only have these two meager plots of land. Without them, I'll starve to death! Please, sir, have mercy!"
The old woman's eyes were red and swollen from crying.
The surrounding crowd was as silent as death.
No one dared to step forward.
The laughing constable kicked him to the ground. "This land now belongs to the Wang family, do you understand? If you understand, then get out of here and stop getting in the way!"
Another bailiff had already mounted his horse, and the horse's hooves kicked up a trail of dust, trampling the newly planted rice seedlings in the field.
All hope for the year has vanished.
The old man knelt down and crawled on his stomach, trying to protect the rice seedlings with his own body. Without these rice seedlings, what would he eat in the future?
The constables ignored him and rode straight toward him.
It looked like the horse's hooves were about to trample the old man.
A figure grabbed the old man and quickly rolled over to avoid the attack.
It is Hengtong.
The moment the old man moved, Ye Panjiu told Heng Tong to go forward and save him.
"Grandpa! Don't be ungrateful! This land has been blessed with the Wang surname this year, so it's sure to have a bumper harvest next year!" Ye Panjiu rushed forward and grabbed the old man tightly.
She deliberately got herself covered in mud and water.
The constable picked up a stick and poked Ye Panjiu, saying, "Old man, if you were as sensible as your granddaughter, none of this would have happened."
Heng Tong was about to explode, but Ye Panjiu grabbed her sleeve tightly and helped the old man back into the crowd.
Heng Tong had no choice but to help the old lady, who was on the verge of fainting from crying, back out.
The crowd protected the backs of the group of people; they were all from the same village and had never seen the two women before.
But I didn't want to say anything more.
Once the group was out of the constables' sight, Ye Panjiu said softly, "Sir, I'll let you speak now, but you mustn't shout. I'll help you figure out a way to deal with the land."
As he spoke, he casually took a handful of copper coins and placed them in the old man's palm.
The old man then stopped struggling to go back and nodded.
Heng Tong then pressed the old man's acupoint to silence him.
Gang dared not let him speak.
Who are you?
Ye Panjiu smiled and said, "We were just passing by. Why has this land been occupied by soldiers, sir?"
The old man's face was thin and his teeth were few. "My wife and I originally had more than ten acres of land, but we were unlucky. Our land bordered a village owned by the Wang family. As that village grew bigger and bigger, my six acres of land were all taken over."
He walked towards his home. The kind person had given him money, and although his house was empty, it was only right that he be offered a bowl of water.
"After that, the other land was taken away for various reasons, and in the end, only two mu of land was left. Before the New Year, for some reason, the land was returned and still registered under our names. After the New Year, the estate was taken back, and we only had these two mu of land left."
Ye Panjiu's gaze darkened. The land was returned before the Lunar New Year when Wang Helu took charge of land annexation. After the land could no longer be seized, it was taken back by the Wang family.
"Sir, do you know why the Wang family is now occupying your two acres of land?"
“Some people in the village say that Prefect Wang has taken a new concubine who is particularly fond of flowers, especially those that don’t grow in flowerpots. My land is going to be used to grow flowers.”
Heng Tong asked with some doubt, "Do we need to plant so many flowers? Will we be able to manage them all?"
As they spoke, the four of them arrived at the old man's house. The thatched roof was hollow in the middle, and a large basin was placed under the roof.
Ye Panjiu immediately understood that this was used to catch rainwater when it rained.
The old woman poured two bowls of water for the two of them, saying, "Kind people, have some water. You must be thirsty from the journey."
There were only two bowls in the house. After serving the two of them, the couple had no water left to drink.
Ye Panjiu picked up the glass and took a sip. It was well water, and it even had a slightly sweet aftertaste.
The old man replied, "They said they'd plant flowers on ten acres of land, and then select the most beautiful ones to present to the prefect."
He sighed as he spoke, "The year has started off badly. Where will we get our food for the rest of the year?"
Ye Panjiu comforted him, saying, "Grandpa, just wait a little longer. Heavens, things could change at any time."
She understood that not only had the two acres of land been taken to grow flowers, but the land was still registered under the old man's name, and he would still have to pay taxes and grain next year.
Where will the money come from?
These corrupt officials are adept at covering up their activities.
The old man waved his hand and said nothing more. He had lived most of his life, and the endless suffering had long since made him accustomed to giving up hope.
Ye Panjiu stood up. Her clothes were wet and she was uncomfortable. She didn't want to trouble the old man any further.
"Grandpa, Grandma, we'll be going now. We'll come back to find you later."
The old man nodded. "Hurry up and leave. Don't let yourself fall into the hands of the Wang family."
He could tell that the two women were either rich or noble, and that they came from extraordinary backgrounds.
Therefore, I dare not make too many connections.
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