Chapter 3204: Teaching without Discrimination
The prince was choked by his own saliva and coughed for a long time before he caught his breath. The other adults couldn't help laughing, which made Minister Li angry and amused. He couldn't find his words for a while.
Zhou Man turned his head and looked at Kong Jijiu who was sitting at the top of the table. "Kong Jijiu didn't object."
She glanced at Minister Li and said, "As a Minister, you are meddling in other people's affairs. What are you objecting to here?"
Although this sentence was not spoken out loud, her expression showed it clearly. Minister Li was furious. Yang Heshu, who was sitting next to her, lowered his voice and said, "The Imperial College is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Rites..."
Zhou Man was silent for a moment, then looked up at Kong Jijiu and asked seriously, "What do you think, Kong Jijiu?"
Kong Jijiu said slowly: "The sage said that there is no distinction in education, so girls can naturally go to school."
Minister Li: "Kong Jijiu!"
Kong Jijiu smiled at Li Shangshu and said, "The princesses in the palace and the daughters of the royal family have all studied the Confucian Classics since childhood. There are also many women in the common people who have learned to read and write since childhood. If private schools can do this, why does the Imperial College refuse to let them in?"
Zhou Man nodded vigorously and decided that Kong Jijiu would be her confidant from now on!
There were people who agreed with Li Shangshu on this matter, and there were also many people who agreed with Zhou Man. However, the emperor did not think too much about it, and the constraints of etiquette and morals on him were actually not that great.
He only considered the practical aspects and thought about the reform of the local medical bureau. According to what Zhou Man said in the memorial, the doctors sent to the local areas should be half male and half female. In this way, in order for the local medical bureau to develop more smoothly, it is necessary to let them learn classics, history and arithmetic. Otherwise, they will only be able to treat patients but not manage the medical bureau. In a few years, it will be a problem whether the local medical bureau can continue.
As an emperor, he naturally hoped that there would be more smart people like Zhou Man and fewer stupid people.
Zhou Man doesn't know the art of splitting himself into two. The world is so big, the Imperial Medical Bureau must have its own talents. Otherwise, all the officials will be selected from other places. They don't know medical principles. If they look down on doctors, it will cause big problems in the long run.
This is like sending an official who cannot fight and looks down on soldiers and warriors to supervise the army.
The emperor's mind raced, and he ignored the opinions led by Minister Li and said to Kong Jijiu Zhou Man, "The Imperial College and the Imperial Medical Bureau should discuss the number of people to be sent and the teaching methods privately. Both men and women can enter the Imperial College to study."
Minister Li: "Your Majesty, this..."
Zhou Man happily stepped out and knelt, "Thank you, Your Majesty. On behalf of all the students in the Imperial Medical Bureau, I would like to thank Your Majesty for your grace."
Xiao Yuanzheng also stood up to express his gratitude.
Lord Luo frowned, but still followed out of the line.
After the court was dismissed, Lord Luo could not help but stop Zhou Man and said, "Lord Zhou, you have not discussed this matter with us before."
Zhou Man blinked and looked at Xiao Yuanzheng, "Didn't I discuss this with you?"
Xiao Yuanzheng was stunned for a moment before he quickly said, "I was negligent, Master Luo. Master Zhou mentioned this to me. No, that's not right. I also mentioned the joint schooling matter to you."
Lord Luo: "My Lord, you didn't say you would send female students."
Xiao Yuanzheng frowned slightly, "Why do you need to point it out specifically? They are all students of my Imperial Medical Bureau, so naturally, the best ones will be sent there."
Zhou Man smiled and asked Lord Luo, "Why, Lord Luo also thinks that women should not learn the ways of sages?"
Lord Luo looked at Zhou Man's smiling eyes, and his back stiffened. He immediately forced a smile and said, "Of course not. I just feel that raising this matter at this time would be too arduous and would likely affect the restructuring of the local medical bureau."
Zhou Man waved his hand nonchalantly and said, "Hasn't the court agreed now? The next step is to discuss with Kong Jijiu the number of students to be sent and what they will study."
Lord Luo wasn't stupid, so he naturally didn't dare say anything disparaging about women in front of Zhou Man. However, after Zhou Man left, he couldn't help but say to Xiao Yuanzheng, "Women have so many inconveniences as officials. Not to mention the long-term inconveniences, will they still be able to focus on government affairs after they get married and have children? Giving them the quota now is a waste, isn't it?"
Xiao Yuanzheng said with a smile, "Master Luo, take a long-term view. Didn't Master Zhou also get married and have children? Do you think she's neglecting her duties now? There are many people in the Imperial Medical Bureau who are married and have children like her. Aside from the special period of pregnancy and the period immediately after childbirth, they have a lot of things to do during the rest of the time. As for pregnancy and childbirth, that also adds to the population of our Great Jin, which is also a great achievement, isn't it?"
He has a narrow vision, just like he did back then.
Back then, he thought Zhou Man was just a girl who wouldn't go far and that she would just be a bystander in the Imperial Hospital, so he just had to keep her as a support. But what happened now?
As time went by, her prestige was no less than his. It was obvious that one had to look at the long term, otherwise it would be embarrassing.
Xiao Yuanzheng walked away with his hands behind his back.
Zhou Man did not leave the palace, but ran after Kong Jijiu, and chased him all the way to Chongwen Hall, "Kong Jijiu, let's talk about their curriculum."
Kong Jijiu looked at her with a smile and said, "Master Zhou, you are too impatient. This matter has just been decided, and it is still a long way to go before the start of school next spring. Why are you so anxious?"
Zhou Man: "But I can't wait until the beginning of next spring. It's too early to settle this matter sooner. I have to go back to Qingzhou."
Kong Jijiu shook his head. "Aren't there Xiao Yuanzheng and Lord Luo?"
Zhou Man smiled and said, "It's okay for Dean Xiao. He is devoted to medicine, so it's not appropriate to trouble him with these trivial matters. As for Lord Luo, he is even busier. I happen to be in Beijing and have less things to do. Let's discuss this matter first."
Kong Jijiu narrowed his eyes and asked, "Can you decide?"
Zhou Man nodded: "We're almost done now that we've reached an agreement."
She didn't care about Lord Luo, but she had already negotiated with Dean Xiao, and he was willing to hand the matter over to Zhou Man.
Kong Jijiu sat down at the table, tapping his fingers. He didn't discuss the course, but instead asked, "Master Zhou, I can't ask in front of all my colleagues, but I can't help but ask you, Master Zhou, female official, do you only want them to be limited to the Imperial Medical Bureau, or do you want them to enter other departments as well?"
Zhou Man was stunned for a moment before he smiled and said, "Master Kong, I don't care about the affairs of other departments. I only take care of the Imperial Medical Bureau and the Imperial Hospital."
She said, "I am the imperial physician, a healer."
Kong Jijiu shook his head and said, "Sir Zhou, you should still be the editor of Chongwenguan. With your current achievements, Chongwenguan won't be able to keep you in the future. Outside Chongwenguan is the Hanlin Academy, and beyond that are the three provinces and six ministries."
In the past, Kong Jijiu would not have thought so. After all, Zhou Man was only compiling medical books in Chongwenguan and didn't care about other things.
But now she is involved in the new grain seeds, and judging from her performance in the small court meetings during this period, she has her own opinions on all government affairs, no less than those of the other ministers in the court.
So, after being appreciated by the emperor and the prince, who knows if she can go one step further, leave Chongwenguan and the Imperial Medical Bureau, and go further?
(End of this chapter)
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