In early June, Qiqiao Academy officially opened for the start of the school year.
On the first day of school, Tong Cheng'er went to Qiqiao Academy as the dean, which caused a great uproar. There had never been a female dean before, even though Qiqiao Academy was not a place for regular academic examinations.
When everyone saw that the dean was a woman, their stunned expressions were quite obvious; their jaws dropped, which was truly amusing.
However, this uproar did not occur inside the academy, but rather outside.
Unlike regular academies, Qiqiao Academy has a clear teaching policy that defines its curriculum. None of the students here are interested in taking the imperial examinations. Some of them come here to find a way out, since Qiqiao Academy is backed by Prince Yong's Mansion, while others genuinely like it.
Most of those who were admitted to the academy this time are truly talented people. After all, there are so many people in the world, and without talent in physics and mathematics, one cannot stand out from thousands of people in just a few months.
So although the people in the academy were surprised, they did not have any objections. Of course, even if some people did, they wouldn't be foolish enough to say it out loud. When the majority of a group feels that they have no objections, then the rest of the people will behave themselves.
Aside from some inner turmoil, the people in the academy didn't feel anything amiss and went to class obediently.
After all, Tong Cheng'er had a lot of classes to arrange, so they didn't have time to think too much.
Once you enter Qiqiao Academy, you don't need to pay for your daily food, and the clothes you wear are also provided by the academy. You don't need to pay any other fees either. In short, once you enter Qiqiao Academy, there is nowhere you can use money.
Moreover, if they study well, they will receive generous rewards every month, including not only silver but also some coveted privileges.
For example, the right to enter the first floor or above of the academy's bookstore.
For those who love learning, this is something they would love to have!
The people at Qiqiao Academy had no objection to Tong Cheng'er becoming the dean of the academy, but the people of the capital city started arguing about it.
A small group of people felt that this was no big deal. After all, Qiqiao Academy was not a regular academy that admitted candidates for the imperial examinations, so it had no impact on the court. They heard that Qiqiao Academy was funded by the wife of Prince Yong herself. She had the money to support the academy, so it was not a big deal for her to want to be the headmaster.
However, most people felt that it was improper for a woman to appear in public as the head of an academy, and that it was not the behavior of a virtuous woman.
Everyone had their own opinion, which certainly made Beijing even more lively than the food competition.
This matter was originally just something to talk about among the common people, but somehow, during a grand court assembly, an imperial censor stood up and severely criticized Tong Cheng'er, the wife of Prince Yong, almost pointing his finger at her and saying that she was unworthy of being a prince's wife.
The words were indeed quite harsh, which almost caused Tong Cheng'er's father to get into a fight with the censor.
Yinzhen's face was also very ugly: "Qiqiao Academy was built with my wife's money. She didn't use a single penny of your family's money to become the headmaster. Why are you jumping around like this? Are you jealous that my wife is more capable than you?"
The Imperial Censor said, “This servant did not mean that. This servant just felt that the wife of Prince Yong should not show her face in public. Although the Qiqiao Academy was built with her money, husband and wife are one. She could have entrusted the position of director to Prince Yong or another virtuous person. As a woman, the wife of Prince Yong should stay at home to be a good wife and mother. It is her duty to show off. It is a disgrace to women all over the world.”
Yinzhen felt that this censor had never done anything of competence, but his mouth was indeed infuriating.
"Oh, according to you, my wife should have paid money and not gotten anything in return? Besides, do you think I, a dignified seven-foot man, need my wife to pay money to become a hospital director? According to what you're saying, you can use your wife's dowry whenever you want?"
The censor did indeed think that way, but when it came to using his wife's dowry, he naturally had no face to admit it.
At this moment, Alhatu added insult to injury: "Oh, so that's who dares to be so shameless. I remember now, it's Imperial Censor Shu! I heard from the Fujin (wife) the other day that he used his wife's dowry money to support a mistress outside the home. His wife found out and caused a huge uproar. No wonder he made such remarks. So he wanted to live off a woman openly! Your Majesty, I beg Your Majesty to do justice for my daughter!! My daughter has been intelligent and decisive since childhood. Now, she has only spent some money to become a nominal headmaster of an academy, and people are already gossiping about her. Your Majesty, my daughter is innocent!!"
Hearing Al-Hatu's remarks, Emperor Kangxi, sitting above, twitched at the corner of his mouth. With Tong Cheng'er's personality, she had only seemed better in the last two years. Don't think he didn't know what kind of person his daughter-in-law was back in her parents' home.
Yinzhen then said, "Father, my wife has been wronged. I beg you to do justice for her."
Following the Fifth Prince, the Ninth Prince also came out and said a few words.
Kangxi felt that things were about to settle down, so he said, "Alright, all of you are giving me a headache. I already knew about the matter of Prince Yong's wife becoming the head of Qiqiao Academy. Prince Yong had already told me about it before the academy was even established. Although Qiqiao Academy is an academy, the students it teaches will not enter the court. Moreover, there is no law in the Qing Dynasty that forbids women from being the head of the academy. Let's leave it at that. Since Censor Shu is so concerned about these trivial matters, he should sort out his own family affairs. He can come back to work when he has sorted out his family affairs!"
This effectively dismissed the censor surnamed Shu from his post. Although it wasn't explicitly stated, that was Kangxi's intention.
After Kangxi said this, no one dared to utter a word. After all, it was not easy to get promoted to an official position, and no one wanted to get into trouble for something unrelated to the court.
That concludes the matter. In exchange for Imperial Censor Shu being sent home to remain unemployed, the appointment of Tong Cheng'er as the dean of the academy was officially approved by Emperor Kangxi, who had publicly declared it.
As the dean, Tong Cheng'er wasn't just a figurehead. Although she had transmigrated more than twenty years ago, her more than ten years of school life in the modern world had imprinted many things into her bones.
Therefore, Tong Cheng'er is quite knowledgeable and occasionally teaches a few classes.
When the students at Qiqiao Academy first met Tong Cheng'er in class, they were quite surprised. After a few classes, they realized that she was a truly capable person, and most of them began to admire her.
Those who study the study of things and mathematics value logic and practical skills more than those scholars who study the Four Books and Five Classics and spout ethics and moral principles.
Therefore, Tong Cheng'er is easily accepted.
Bian Lan was very lucky; the academy had accommodations, including double rooms and single rooms, though the sizes differed.
Liu and Zhang lived together, while Bian Lan borrowed some money and lived alone. After all, given her status, living with a man was not a good thing.
Bian Lan didn't have to worry much about accommodation, and her studies went very smoothly.
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