Chapter 211 Extra
Later, a key university
During my freshman history class, the lecture hall was packed.
Dong Xue was one of the students who attended. When she had chosen Professor Yao's class, she had been warned by her sophomores that their history professor loved to ask questions about the Ming Dynasty. She absolutely had to be present when he covered the subject. Missing the class would make it nearly impossible to get an A from Professor Yao. Furthermore, Professor Yao's lectures on the Ming Dynasty were so engaging that many students were eager to attend.
Professor Yao walked into the classroom and seemed to be used to his classes being crowded.
"Today, let's talk about the Ming Dynasty..."
"Also, when talking about the Ming Dynasty, we have to mention one person. That person is none other than Prime Minister Yao Chunnuan."
"As everyone should know, Yao Chunnuan was from Jinniu Village outside Beijing. She was an outstanding politician, military strategist, and educator in ancient my country. Possessing the ability to govern the country, she was a powerful minister during the Tianqi period of the Ming Dynasty. She was one of the founders of the Ming Dynasty and also one of the architects of the Tianqi era of prosperity."
"She was a resolute killer throughout her life. She was Yao Shibo in her early years, Lord Yao, the Prime Minister in her middle years, and Principal Yao in her later years. Her achievement as a woman, a rare feat of nobility and prime minister, was truly remarkable. Her exceptional abilities impressed even the members of the Tianqi Emperor's court, transcending gender stereotypes."
"Of all the remarkable achievements of Principal Yao's life, his most celebrated was his single, decisive national strategy—immigration policy. At the time, Prime Minister Yao recognized the importance of population. That strategy prevented the deaths of at least five million people, including soldiers and ordinary civilians affected by the war, significantly preserving China's national strength. Remember, the population at the time was only around 40 million. The Central Plains was vast."
…
When it came to the question-and-answer session, the students were very enthusiastic.
Professor Yao randomly picked a boy.
The man stood up and excitedly asked the question he wanted to know most, "Professor Yao, do you think Prime Minister Yao has ever considered proclaiming himself king?"
Professor Yao took a sip of water, smiled at his question, and replied, "That's a very good question. It's also one of the most controversial points among historians studying Ming history. When Emperor Tianqi disappeared in Jiaozhou, before leaving for the expedition, he left a secret letter for Prime Minister Yao, saying that if anything happened to him, Lord Yao could take Youzhou himself."
"As for whether she ever considered replacing him? According to historical records, she quelled the potential political unrest in just one day after learning of Emperor Tianqi's disappearance. It doesn't seem like she ever considered it. However, with Prime Minister Yao's intelligence, one night was enough for her to weigh the pros and cons."
So, this problem has no solution?
A girl next to the boy couldn't wait to ask, "Professor Yao, what would have happened if Prime Minister Yao had really taken it himself? Would he have done better than Emperor Tianqi?"
Professor Yao smiled upon hearing this and said, "This point has always been the most controversial point among historians."
"I can't answer your question about this hypothesis. But we must acknowledge one thing: although Prime Minister Yao didn't achieve the highest position, she was able to realize her ambitions and political ideals with the support of Emperor Tianqi. Although she didn't reach the top, her influence on future generations was enormous. She was one of the founders of the Tianqi era of prosperity, and the people of the Ming Dynasty had the highest happiness index in history. She was a role model, deeply loved and respected by the people. It was also because of her that the status of women gradually improved. Women could work and study, and were no longer subordinate to men. Therefore, I think her choice was the most ideal one."
Next, Professor Yao called on another female student to ask questions.
The girl was a little embarrassed. "Professor Yao, we want to know if Emperor Tianqi and Principal Yao have any romantic feelings for each other?"
"They undoubtedly admire each other, but they never cross that line."
"Professor Yao, is Prime Minister Yao very ugly?"
Professor Yao was stunned. "Why do you ask? Historical records show that Prime Minister Yao was beautiful and graceful."
The girl was even more embarrassed. "Because the Sun Country called Emperor Tianqi and Prime Minister Yao the Black and White Devils in their history books. And the Seafood Country's history books called Principal Yao the Great Devil."
Before Professor Yao could answer, a boy next to him came forward to explain.
"I'm dying of laughter. These two tribes were taught a lesson by Emperor Tianqi and Prime Minister Yao, which is why they tried so hard to smear them in history books."
"Well, that's foreign smear campaigns against her. Emperor Tianqi and Principal Yao have always had a tough attitude towards foreign countries, from the initial war with the Northern Di, to assisting my father-in-law in intervening in the Western Rong, and later fighting the Southern Barbarians... After the founding of the country, they also helped two other rivals at the time, the Prince of Ruyin and the Regent, to deal with the Sun Kingdom and the Seafood Kingdom."
The girl was speechless. In this case, it was not unfair for the two of them to be slandered by these two countries, because they were either fighting with foreign tribes or on the way to fight.
"Come, let me show you a rare portrait. You'll know whether Prime Minister Yao is beautiful or not. This portrait is of Prime Minister Yao and her husband, Qi Yingshan."
The students praised, "The men are really handsome and the women are really beautiful."
"She is beautiful and intelligent. She is undoubtedly God's daughter."
The girl's eyes were more focused on the man next to her.
"Ahhh, such a tall and handsome little brother, I can do it."
"With a little brother like this, what else do I need a bicycle for!"
"Yes, Principal Yao, you are undoubtedly a winner in life."
"Do you two have children? I declare that such excellent genes must be passed down!"
"Yes, they have a son. Before that, Principal Yao and her ex-husband had a daughter. Both children grew up well and were well-educated. When they grew up, they achieved remarkable achievements and contributions in their respective fields."
"Prime Minister Yao's son? Isn't that Qi Liulang, also known as Lotus Prince?"
"Ah, so Qi Liulang is actually her son? One of the four most handsome men in ancient times."
"Please don't just focus on her beauty, okay? Besides her beauty, she also has remarkable talents and abilities."
"No matter what, why rely on talent when you can make a living with your looks?"
…
The author has something to say: Okay, I'll leave it at that. I think this is pretty complete, and I don't want to go on any further. As for the rating, feel free to do so.
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