Chapter 3236 A Flash of Inspiration
Mrs. Tang looked at her suspiciously, "Why are you suddenly so keen on recommending people?"
Zhou Man sighed and said, "I'm really eager to find talented people."
In fact, among the students who entered the Imperial College, female students were far less competitive than male students.
The imbalance between men and women is too serious. As for talented people, Zhou Man feels that both men and women are useful and can be her students.
But there was a voice deep in her heart telling her that this would not be a good thing in the long run, and she had to do something to at least make the situation less bad.
Some scholars who failed to pass the Imperial College or the Mingjing exam would choose to enter the Imperial Medical Bureau, and then strive for a place in the Imperial College from the Imperial Medical Bureau.
This was discovered by Xiao Yuanzheng last year because he found that the number of scholars applying to the Imperial Medical Bureau suddenly increased.
You have to know that in the past, those who applied for the Imperial Medical Bureau were either people with a medical background or children from poor families who were committed to studying medicine.
Suddenly, a scholar appeared who had read the Four Books and Five Classics and could read and write, but knew very little about medicine...
Scholars could make such a decision, but no ladies from scholarly families would make the same decision as them, so the quality of students entering the Imperial Medical Bureau became uneven, especially the difference between boys and girls.
It was also because of this that only one of the female students sent to the Imperial College this year was selected, and the rest of the places were all taken by male students.
The number of male and female quotas set by Zhou Man when he left the capital no longer counted.
She had written a memorial to express her opposition, but firstly, she was not in the capital and could not argue with them; secondly, the Imperial College overturned the rules originally set by Zhou Man with the statement of "admission based on merit".
Xiao Yuanzheng argued for a few words and then agreed.
Zhou Man took Madam Tang's hand, looked at her affectionately, and said, "Mrs. Tang Xuesao, you also said that many people in the capital envy and admire me. If that's the case, then aren't there any girls from their families who envy and admire me?"
"If you have such ambitions, why not contact me? Although I am in Qingzhou now, I still have some influence in the Imperial Medical Bureau. If they are interested in entering the official career, I can give them a chance."
Mrs. Tang: "...become a doctor?"
"Well, it doesn't necessarily have to be a doctor. The Imperial Medical Bureau is now on par with the Nine Temples. There are many positions within it. In addition to the capital, medical bureaus in various places also need people. The chief pharmacist and the chief clerk are all clerical positions. They don't have to sit in the clinic to see patients, but they still need to understand medical theory and medicine."
Mrs. Tang: ...
Seeing Zhou Man's serious expression, she also became serious and took her hand and said, "Manbao, this is a very difficult thing. You could even say it's impossible."
She said, "In this world, there is probably only one woman who can do what you do, not only in the past and present, but also in the future."
"Which daughter of an aristocratic family isn't precious? It's impossible to have them running around like the chief pharmacist in your medical office," Madam Tang said. "It's one thing they can't accept it, but their elders at home won't allow it either."
Zhou Man pursed his lips, "...You just said that if you were born a few years later, you would have visited the Imperial Medical Bureau."
Madam Tang said proudly, "There are not many people like me in this world."
Zhou Man: ...
Madam Tang looked at her and smiled, "You've never taken care of Bai Shan's harem, and you've earned all your honor yourself, so you probably don't know where a woman's honor comes from, right?"
"Husband?"
"It's half and half," Mrs. Tang said, pulling Zhou Man to sit on a chair under the tree. "Their honor is half that of the harem. As husband and wife, we share the same honor and the same disgrace."
"A qualified wife in the harem, in addition to taking good care of her husband and educating her children, is also responsible for managing the family's assets and finances," Mrs. Tang said, raising her chin slightly. "For example, of the Tang family's assets, my father-in-law still has a portion, but the rest is entirely in my hands."
"Everything Tang He eats, drinks, and uses has to pass through my hands. If he angers me one day and I stop giving him money, he'll be left in poverty." Madam Tang lowered her voice and said, "It's not easy for her to manage a family, but it's easy to destroy a family."
Zhou Man was startled.
Madam Tang said softly, "So don't underestimate the women in the harem. Aside from those with great abilities and ambitions like you, other noble ladies may envy and admire you, but they won't follow your difficult path. The wealth and glory that comes with officialdom can be obtained through their husbands and families."
Zhou Man: "What if I can't get it?"
Madam Tang spread her hands and asked, "Can they achieve the same success as you if they enter the government?"
She looked at Zhou Man and smiled, "I'm not exaggerating. This is the truth. Even if there are women who can achieve your position in the future, they will not be able to achieve what you have achieved now. I'm afraid your position and title will be unique in the Great Jin."
"Other women who entered the imperial court mostly became imperial physicians or heads of local medical offices. These were those with good medical skills. Those who weren't, as you said, became pharmacists or chief clerks, and then fought alongside men to enter the Imperial Medical Bureau." Madam Tang paused before continuing, "But how many civil service positions were there in the Imperial Medical Bureau? And how many women could hold those positions?"
"It's so hard, but it's not as fast and easy as supporting my husband and raising my son."
Zhou Man: "...I'm not an official just for the sake of fame and fortune."
She seems to have everything she wants now.
Mrs. Tang smiled and tapped her nose, saying, "That's why we should eliminate people with great ambitions and talents like you. We ordinary people only think about fame, wealth, and glory."
"Alright," Zhou Man realized he couldn't convince Madam Tang, so he could only slump his shoulders. "The Imperial College doesn't agree to open a girls' school, but has your Majesty ever thought about opening one yourself?"
She muttered, "If the Queen could open a girls' school and enroll more girls from small families, once they learn to read and understand the principles, maybe I could recruit a few of them to join the Imperial Medical Bureau."
After muttering, Zhou Man was stunned, and Mrs. Tang was also stunned. They looked at each other, and Mrs. Tang saw that her eyes were getting brighter and brighter. She didn't know if it was because she was facing the sun, but her eyes were so bright that they seemed to be filled with stars.
Mrs. Tang returned to the room and sat beside Mr. Tang's bed.
Lord Tang lay there obediently. Seeing her staring at him for a long time without saying anything, he reported carefully, "I just got out of bed to relieve myself today. I didn't even leave the courtyard."
Mrs. Tang came back to her senses and glanced at him, "If he didn't leave the courtyard, then he left the house?"
Lord Tang honestly admitted his mistake, "Madam, I was wrong."
Mrs. Tang ignored him and continued to sit there in a daze.
(End of this chapter)
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