"Then is there anyone among you willing to take over this mess?" Rong Chen asked, not missing the changes in expression of anyone in the audience.
One of the reasons why he asked Ye Wanwan to reorganize the palace school was that he didn't think anyone would dare to take over this mess in the current situation, except Ye Wanwan who could negotiate with him when disaster struck.
Ye Wanwan, who was holding her forehead and smiling bitterly, sneezed several times for no reason. At this moment, she just wanted to say one thing: money is hard to earn, but shit is hard to eat.
The golden medal of immunity from death is good, but in such a large palace school, there are only a few classes where the teacher's voice can drown out the young master's voice. What should she do?
The students were not listening, and the teacher inside was probably used to this scene. He was busy talking about all the nonsense in the book with his head buried in the book, thinking out of sight, out of mind. There was a sense of respecting personal choices and mocking the fate of others in his speech.
Ye Wanwan counted them one by one and found that there were no more than five people who listened attentively. She also understood what it meant to be able to count on one hand.
"Princess Yongqing, His Majesty wants you over." The one who came to summon her was Rong Chenyong's eunuch, a trusted confidant. When they reached a deserted spot, he whispered, "The officials in the court may be unwilling to accept this. Your Highness, please be prepared."
Ye Wanwan nodded. This tough battle was also within her expectations. The concept of male superiority and female inferiority was even more prevalent among those in power. Compared with most ordinary people, they were more afraid of the loss of power in their hands.
It was relatively easy for her to change slowly in Linjia Village. That was the reason. Except for those few restless ones, as long as the family could live a good life, the concept of so-and-so was not that important. But today was different.
Walking slowly along the way, Ye Wanwan was ready to overcome all difficulties. As expected, as soon as she entered the door, she received everyone's attention. Wasn't it a grand yet alternative welcome?
Because someone was watching, Ye Wanwan took every step very steadily and saluted very properly. Even if others wanted to find fault with this, they couldn't find any fault with it.
By using flawless gifts to avoid other people's criticisms and complaints, you have passed the first hurdle.
"I have one thing I don't understand. May I ask why Princess Yongqing is in charge of the palace school?" The white-bearded old man took the brunt of the attack.
Ye Wanwan sighed inwardly and asked, "Then why do you think I can't do it?"
"There has always been a saying that there is no such thing as a skirt in the academy, let alone the Darong where all the children of Darong officials are. It is the hope of Darong. What qualifications do you have to point fingers there?" The white-bearded old man
Gong Xue is Darong's hope? Who wouldn't despair after seeing that? If only three of the people she picked out were useful, she'd be misjudging them. That's what Ye Wanwan thought and said.
"Then may I ask, sir, have you ever been to the palace school? Have you ever seen what they are like now? The results of the imperial examination are out, and everyone must know it. To be honest, I don't see any hope in them." Ye Wanwan said in a cold voice, and her words were extremely blunt.
Those who had good-for-nothing sons studying in the palace school couldn't help but blush, not knowing whether they were embarrassed or angry.
"How dare you! No matter how advanced the imperial school is, it's not for a woman like you to judge it!" The old man with white beard stroked his beard, as if he was about to pout.
Ye Wanwan's expression remained unchanged. She turned to look at the chattering old man with a white beard, "A gentleman should live in the world, so why should there be a distinction between men and women? If you really want to learn from the palace, you could have tested my knowledge and character instead of using my status as a woman to make a fuss."
God has eyes. It's not that she doesn't respect the elderly and love the young. It's that this old man keeps chasing her, saying that he's doing it for the good of the palace, but not a single word he says hits the point. It's really infuriating!
"How shameless of you to say that. If I really want to test your knowledge, do you dare?" This time it was not the white-bearded old man who spoke, but a minister who also disliked Ye Wanwan.
However, there are not many people here who like Ye Wanwan. At most, there are probably only Rong Chen’s confidants.
"Why not? If you have any questions, please feel free to ask." Ye Wanwan had to be thankful that there was a candidate for the imperial examination in her family. When she had nothing to do, she would dabble in some research.
There was no loud noise in the sky, and the old man with a white beard appeared in a flash. "I am not bullying anyone, but I would like to ask the princess a simple question. What does 'the virtue of nature is the way to combine the inner and the outer' mean?"
Ye Wanwan pondered for a moment and said calmly, "Nature is the foundation of God's gifts, and virtue is the root of humanity. The harmony of nature and virtue, the unity of inner and outer, is the key to humanity. Therefore, if we want to discuss humanity, we must first understand the unity of nature and virtue, both inner and outer."
"Nature is the source of life and the foundation of all things. Human nature is endowed at birth, each endowed with the energy of yin and yang and the qualities of the five elements. The essence of nature lies in sincerity and naturalness. The value of nature lies in conforming to nature and being in harmony with heaven and earth. Therefore, those who cultivate nature should conform to nature, cultivate their hearts and minds, and seek the purity of nature."
"Virtue is the brilliance of humanity and the foundation of morality. What distinguishes humans from animals is their virtue. Virtue is the quality of the heart and the principle of behavior. The inner and outer correspondence, the unity of heart and action—this is the true meaning of virtue. Therefore, those who cultivate virtue must cultivate their heart and practice morality, seeking inner and outer unity."
"A man who possesses both talent and virtue is a true gentleman." At the end of this, Ye Wanwan even admired herself a little. She had to admit that she was quite good at talking.
After Ye Wanwan's words, some people nodded unconsciously, and then thought of their own position and scolded themselves.
However, this was just the beginning. People who asked questions kept coming one after another. The ministers who had always had their own opinions were now extremely united and pointed their spearheads at Ye Wanwan.
Ye Wanwan was in no hurry. After answering each question one by one, she began her counter-questioning process. "Yongqing also doesn't know one thing. I would like to ask you gentlemen, do you know the grain yield per mu? If the land is not good, how much will the yield be reduced?"
"This is nonsense. Why do we need to know those things? There are people responsible for them. Why should we bother with them?" The old man with white beard was furious. It was unclear whether he felt guilty or was really speechless.
After drinking some water to moisten her throat, Ye Wanwan felt better again. She said slowly, "Your Excellency is right, but what about the students of the Palace School? Don't they need it too?"
"It's a good thing that everyone is doing their job, but what about the prefectures and counties below? If they don't have a deep understanding of agriculture and sericulture, isn't there a possibility of being deceived? If the tax revenue is unclear, how can we continue?"
"If Gong Xue is to truly support the future of Darong, the task is arduous and the road ahead is long."
Rong Chen, who had been told not to speak after delivering the message, clapped his hands directly before uttering his second sentence after Ye Wanwan came in, "Yongqing's words make sense."
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