Why Chapter 288?
Zhou Laidi was restrained by Li Dasao and Li Ersao, and then she was terrified by Li's mother's words. Only when she was right in front of her did she realize that she had said something bad. When she heard Li's mother say that she was going to the Jingzhao Prefecture to find the officials to settle the matter, she became really scared.
"I was just saying it casually, just talking, I didn't really judge your family."
Zhou Laidi could say those words herself, but everyone present knew she was feeling guilty.
At this moment, the midwife Sun rushed over and slapped Zhou Laidi, who was restrained, hard across the face.
"I'll teach you a lesson for your foul mouth and your nonsense here!"
I'll make sure you never say anything nice!
I'll teach you a lesson you won't forget!
You shameless, foul-smelling thing, spewing filth everywhere!
Not only did Sun the midwife slap Zhou Laidi across the face, she also stepped forward and gestured for Li Ersao to make room for her.
Li Ersao stepped aside, and Sun the midwife went up and grabbed Zhou Laidi's arm and started pinching it, specifically picking at the tender flesh on the inside of her arm, making Zhou Laidi scream in pain.
"Haha, this time Granny Zhou has finally gotten her 'reward'."
"She deserves a beating. If this were my granddaughter, I wouldn't do what Granny Sun did and just give her a big slap. How dare she throw such dirty water on my daughter?"
"I won't be done until I've got Zhou Laidi sitting under me and whipping her with the sole of my shoe several times!"
Recalling the insults Zhou Laidi had just hurled at him, the man nodded, agreeing with the suggestion to hit her with a shoe sole.
Zhou Laidi's words were really too vulgar; how could anyone be so insulting?
Seeing Zhou Laidi groaning as Sun the midwife pinched her, Li Sanniang sighed inwardly. She thought that if even such a shallow person had such a big complaint, then at least two-thirds of the remaining thirty-eight people must have objections to the admission results.
However, others don't have the same impatience as Zhou Laidi.
Li San Niang went over and gave her mother some instructions. Then, Li's mother gave Li Da Sao a wink, and Li Da Sao and Sun the midwife led Zhou Laidi to the corridor.
Earlier, after Zhou Laidi caused trouble, Li Sanniang had instructed the four children to bring over the standing board that they had previously used for explanations at home.
After listening to Li San Niang's words, Li Dalang posted the scoring results of the three rounds of tests one by one.
Li San Niang stood on the high platform, bowed to the crowd, and then spoke with a solemn face: "The examination content of my midwifery school was already explained to you when the application list was issued."
All three rounds of exams were conducted openly and legitimately right here in this courtyard, right under everyone's noses.
I, Li Mingfang, will only say one thing: the examination will be fair and impartial, and there will be absolutely no favoritism or cheating!
The resounding words made Su Hui in the crowd understand a little more, her resentment lessened, but her doubts increased.
Su Hui really wanted to know what the criteria were for Li San Niang to select midwives.
Li San Niang pointed to the paper pasted on the sideboard and said to everyone, "The midwife school I want to start is different from the traditional midwifery system where the old take the place of the young. I want people to accept my own way of doing things."
A completely new, even unique, type of applicant was needed—young, ambitious women who were genuinely willing to change. The exam was conducted according to these criteria, and ten candidates were selected.
Li San Niang nodded and smiled at Yao Qingqing, Sun Chunlan, and a merchant's daughter named Cheng Wanwan below the platform before continuing, "I know that there must be some of you who are proud of yourselves, having been midwives for more than ten or even twenty years, and who think you are very experienced, and who may look down on me, who has only given birth to one little girl."
At this moment, Li San Niang looked meaningfully at Su Hui, Ding the midwife, Cen the midwife, and the others.
"This is one of the reasons why I didn't choose you."
What I need are people who are interested in my skills, want to understand them, are able to accept them, and are willing to learn them, not people who want to be my teachers and come to my school.
Ladies and gentlemen, those of you who were not selected, ask yourselves honestly: do you really want to learn new midwifery techniques from me?
Or is he just curious to see who I, Li Mingfang, am?
The women of different ages gathered below the platform immediately started talking. They never expected that Li San Niang would actually speak such the truth without any pretense or concealment, just saying it so bluntly.
"Mother?" Yao Qingqing called out out of concern when she saw Su Hui's dazed look.
Su Hui didn't even hear her own mother calling her. She never expected that it wasn't because of any flaws in herself that she wasn't given a high score.
The reason she wasn't chosen to enter the midwifery school was because of her own overconfidence in her abilities.
Both midwife Ding and midwife Cen looked somewhat embarrassed at this moment. They hadn't expected Li San Niang to speak so frankly without any concealment.
Ding and Cen, the midwives, had only invited a few old friends to support the Li family because they had known Li's mother for over ten years and had some personal connections with her. They never expected the final result to be like this.
After Li San Niang finished speaking, Zhou Lai Di, the midwife Sun, and Li's mother in the corridor also finished their argument.
Later, Zhou Laidi came to the center of the courtyard and explained that she had been jealous of Sun the midwife being chosen and that she had lost her mind and said some inappropriate things because she hadn't been chosen herself.
"...It was just me, an old woman, having a fit of madness. Just pretend you didn't hear what I said earlier."
"I'm sorry to Granny Sun and her granddaughter. The Li family's daughter and the Li family woman are both good people. Don't listen to my nonsense."
After saying all that, Zhou Laidi turned to Sister-in-law Li and whispered, "Is it settled? I've already said everything and apologized, so you don't need to drag me to the Jingzhao Prefecture, right?"
Sister-in-law Li despised such cowardly bullies. With a sullen face, she nodded and called to Sister-in-law Li Er to see Zhou Laidi out the door.
Xiao Silang struck the small gong again, and Li's mother said loudly, "This is the result of today's midwife examination. Please refer to the sheet posted on the board for the specific scores."
The ten selected women, please stay. The rest of you, if you wish, may go to the entrance and collect an insect-repelling sachet before leaving.
Now that things have come to this point, the matter is over.
Li Erxiong, along with his four little ones and nineteen others, stood on the table set up at the door, handing out the insect-repelling sachets they had prepared earlier to the women heading out.
Li San Niang then led the ten selected individuals into the room, intending to hold a brief meeting.
However, Li's mother, Li's eldest sister-in-law, and Li's second sister-in-law were bothered by people, who kept asking them many questions.
"When will you start recruiting for the second term of your academy? I heard earlier that there was a second term."
"I see that Granny Sun's granddaughter is unmarried. Does that mean unmarried women can come and learn this?"
"Did you say at the beginning that if I mastered this skill, I would be recommended for a job at the Imperial Medical Academy?"
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