Yun Qingran arrived at the small building where the Dongqi delegation was staying and asked the guard to announce her arrival, "Hello, please inform Prime Minister Luo that Yun Qingran has come to pay her respects."
"Princess Rongchang, Prime Minister Luo said you don't need to announce your arrival, you can just go in directly." The guard was very polite.
Princess Rongchang of the Zhen'an Marquis's Mansion was a student of Prime Minister Luo, which meant she was practically half a person from the Eastern Qi, so naturally she had to be treated with respect.
"Thank you." Yun Qingran thanked the guard and then went inside.
Upon arriving at the small building, they were led to Luo Xiang's room.
"Prime Minister Luo, Miss Yun requests an audience," a servant announced from outside the door.
"Let her in," came Luo Xiang's happy voice from inside.
The servant opened the door and gestured for Yun Qingran to enter.
Yun Qingran nodded gratefully to him and then went inside.
"This student greets the teacher." Yun Qingran bowed to Luo Xiang with a student's salute.
"Ranran, get up quickly and come sit here." Luo Xiang put down the pen in his hand.
"Teacher, I've come today to give you two things." Yun Qingran sat down in the chair opposite Luo Xiang's desk. Then she handed him the bound copy of "The Analects" and "Three Hundred Tang and Song Poems" with both hands.
Luo Xiang reached out and took it, opened the Analects and began to read. His expression kept changing, as if he had seen some rare treasure.
After reading it, he looked at Yun Qingran with great excitement, "Ranran, did you write this?"
This is no ordinary book; it is a book with advanced ideas. If the rulers of the four kingdoms could follow the ideas in this book and implement benevolent governance, then peace throughout the world would be just around the corner.
"No." Yun Qingran shook her head shyly.
"Who wrote that? Ranran, could you introduce me?" Luo Xiang looked at her eagerly.
"No." Yun Qingran shook her head shyly.
"Why?" Luo Xiang asked regretfully.
The person who wrote this book must be a great person.
“Because I don’t know him either. I got this book by chance,” Yun Qingran said, scratching the back of her neck.
"That's a real pity." Luo Xiang was very regretful. After lamenting for a while, he put it into perspective and said, "Ranran, I will definitely study this book thoroughly and then promote the ideas in it."
In fact, the Confucianism and Taoism that are popular all over the world today are very similar to the ideas in the Analects. The only difference is that the ideas in the Analects are more specific and more profound, while the Confucianism and Taoism that are popular all over the world today are fragmented and have not formed a system.
"Students trust and support their teachers," Yun Qingran encouraged Luo Xiang.
Looking at his own innocent yet witty and intelligent self, Luo Xiang smiled knowingly. He was truly blessed to have such a student.
"Oh, right, teacher, there's also 'Three Hundred Tang and Song Poems'." Yun Qingran pointed to the Three Hundred Tang and Song Poems.
Luo Xiang picked it up and looked it over. "These poems are quite good."
"Teacher, I have an idea." Yun Qingran blinked and grinned, revealing her small white teeth.
“Speak,” Luo Xiang said.
"Knowledge makes people wise, and students want a year of compulsory education. This book is one of the books used in the year of compulsory education," Yun Qingran said.
Nine years of compulsory education is too long and would be difficult to implement, but one year of compulsory education should be fine.
"Compulsory education?" Luo Xiang didn't quite understand the meaning of this term.
“Compulsory education means that the imperial court runs schools and does not charge students tuition or textbook fees,” Yun Qingran explained.
In ancient times, literate people were extremely rare. Writing a letter home required consulting a teacher, which was very inconvenient. Moreover, knowledge makes people wise, teaches them propriety, righteousness, integrity, and a sense of shame, and has the function of educating and enlightening the world.
"Impossible," Luo Xiang said with a slight sigh, rejecting the idea.
"Why?" Yun Qingran asked.
"First, compulsory education is a huge expense. The money in the national treasuries of the four countries is currently reserved for war, and no country will use the money for war to fund compulsory education. Second, the powerful and wealthy will not agree to it. If people from poor families have the opportunity to study, it will inevitably break the system of aristocratic families, which will be detrimental to them," Luo Xiang explained carefully.
Although the imperial examination system is in place, only the sons of powerful and wealthy officials can actually take the exams. Children from poor families cannot afford to study and learn to read and write, and even if they do, they are a very small minority.
Yun Qingran was silent for a while, then said, "Since the four countries are unwilling to pay, then I will."
"You're going to do it?" Luo Xiang looked at Yun Qingran in disbelief, finding it hard to imagine that a girl like her could have such courage.
"Hmm." Yun Qingran nodded, then proudly patted her chest. "Teacher, you don't know, I own a shop, and the business is very good. It brings in more than ten thousand taels every day."
There's also the treasure on Crimson Dragon Peak; I wonder how much it's worth. In short, I should still be able to indulge myself a little.
"More than ten thousand taels, that's really good." Prime Minister Luo nodded approvingly.
"I'm already working hard to open branches, and I'll earn even more in the future. When I have the money, I'll run a year of compulsory education in Sihai." Yun Qingran was full of enthusiasm.
Every child should have the opportunity to explore the ocean of knowledge.
"Ranran, you can handle the money problem. Then leave the pressure on the powerful and wealthy to me." Influenced by Yun Qingran, Luo Xiang is now also full of ambition.
"Let us encourage each other." Yun Qingran nodded heavily to Luo Xiang.
"Let's encourage each other." Luo Xiang nodded to her.
"Ranran, your teacher will be returning to Dongqi in three days," Luo Xiang said regretfully.
My student is very insightful, and I really hope to spend days and nights with her, exchanging and merging our ideas.
"Teacher, the students will continue writing the book, and will send it to you when it's finished," Yun Qingran said.
She felt a pang of sadness; her teacher was the most compassionate person she had ever met. His heart held not only the people of Dongqi, but also those of the other three kingdoms. Such magnanimity was truly admirable.
Great people are worthy of our admiration!
"Teachers will also compile some easy-to-understand books to be used as textbooks when one year of compulsory education is implemented."
"Let's cheer each other on!" Yun Qingran raised her hand and made a "go for it!" gesture.
Luo Xiang imitated her, striking a charging pose. He chuckled inwardly, realizing he'd been influenced by this girl.
"Teacher, I'll be going now. You should get some rest." Yun Qingran glanced out the window; it was already late.
"Okay, be careful on the road," Luo said earnestly.
"Okay, bye-bye, teacher." Yun Qingran stood up and waved to him.
What does "bye-bye" mean? Does it mean goodbye? Luo Xiang looked puzzled.
After Yun Qingran left, Luo Xiang wrote in the Analects: "Yun Qingran is gone." Little did she know that in the future, all Confucian scholars in the world would revere her as a deity, and her status would surpass that of the emperor.
When Yun Qingran returned home, Yan Yan and An An were already asleep. She kissed them as they slept, and then went back to her own room to sleep.
In the middle of the night, Jun Molin came again.
"Doesn't the Northern Cold Prince's Mansion have a bed? Why do you always come to freeload off me?" Yun Qingran pouted and grumbled.
"Because your bed is soft and fragrant, and most importantly, you're in it." With that, Jun Molin pounced on Yun Qingran.
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