Chapter 235: After the marriage, the mother and daughter live together.
In the end, Zong Suyi naturally failed to get Zhang Ting to wash his feet, but fortunately, his wife was very dutiful and helped him take a bath.
He was so tired he could barely lift his fingers, and his eyelids were drooping with sleep, but he felt relatively at ease. Although he hadn't performed well while doing his job earlier, he had still shown his prowess!
After making sure the hardware was working properly, he let himself fall into a deep sleep.
Zhang Ting turned her back to him to fasten the ties. She was only wearing a thin shirt, and her whole body was warm from the vigorous exercise. She looked relaxed, with a hint of satisfaction in her eyes. She turned around and walked to the bedside to wake her husband.
Her husband let out a soft moan, then turned over, clutching the blanket, and ignored her.
"My lord, please listen to me before you go to sleep. I have something important to tell you."
The husband buried his head under the covers and remained motionless.
Zhang Ting looked at the humanoid object that was rhythmically undulating in front of him, smiled helplessly, then pulled the person out and shook him violently back and forth, manually helping him to regain consciousness.
Her husband was so angry that he bit her, but she was prepared and tied his hands behind his back, pinning him down.
Her husband cursed and asked her if she was the reincarnation of Zhou Bapi (a notorious exploiter in Chinese folklore).
Zhang Ting was quite experienced; she held his chin and kissed him.
The warm touch on his lips made him stop struggling immediately. His ears turned red, and he blinked and calmed down.
He said shyly and awkwardly, "Let's get down to business. Why are you acting all intimate? We're an old married couple, aren't you ashamed?"
Having successfully calmed the angry bison, Zhang Ting was quite pleased with himself. He pulled the tamed animal into his arms and whispered in its ear.
Zong Suyi hummed and giggled, her smile radiant, and pushed her away, saying, "You're so annoying~"
Zhang Ting quickly won him over with a few words and managed to get him to reveal his plan.
Zong Suyi leaned against her and frowned. "You want to expand the official schools and stop charging students tuition?" The entire Dayong has a population of tens of millions. Even if students only make up one or two of them, how easy is it to just talk about the expenses?
Zhang Ting said no, it was just that the three-year tuition was waived, allowing ordinary people to reach the level of literacy and then learn a skill to graduate. As for the few talented and diligent ones, they could win prizes and continue their studies.
The land reclamation and collection of poll taxes have already begun. She calculated that as long as this money can be collected smoothly, it can sustain the education of a million impoverished students for three years.
After three years, ordinary students were cultivated and put into various fields of the Great Yong Dynasty, using education to drive the economy.
Zong Suyi understood and looked at her with starry eyes, "My wife is really amazing. She can think of such a clever idea. It is a blessing for the people of Dayong to have you. We Tuntun will definitely take you as our role model."
Zhang Ting smiled modestly and accepted her praise, but the sweet words could not corrupt the strong woman's determination to exploit her husband.
Zhang Ting said that the country had just been established and everything was in need of talent, so he assigned him an important task.
Zong Suyi was invigorated by the news, a sense of pride welling up within him. He puffed out his chest, tucked in his stomach, and stuck out his buttocks. "My lady, it is my duty to contribute to the Great Yong Dynasty as you command!" His eyes were filled with excitement, and it seemed as if a tail was wagging behind him.
"Young Master Zong is indeed worthy of being from a prestigious family. He is kind, virtuous, and has a good understanding of the bigger picture. Zhang Ting admires him." Immediately afterward, Zhang Bapi issued an instruction: "Tens of thousands of students need a place to study diligently. I would like to ask Young Master Zong to collect all the abandoned academies in the country, renovate them in a unified manner, and create a place for students of the world to apply their knowledge to practical use."
The flattery made Zong Suyi overjoyed. He puffed out his chest and declared, "No problem, Lord Zhang, leave it to me." He completely forgot the pain of being forced to do chores by Zhang Ting in Zhangzhou Prefecture, and his eyes were filled with pride.
Zhang Ting coaxed the unpaid worker again and then helped him pull up the covers to go to sleep.
The imperial examinations will be held in two months, and as the head of the Ministry of Personnel and the chief examiner appointed by His Majesty, she still has many things to do.
As I left the bedroom, it was getting dark.
Zhang Ting sighed, "Life's so easy these days." Shaking her head, she walked to the archway when suddenly a figure leaped in front of her, baring its teeth and claws, roaring like a tiger: "Ha—"
Zhang Ting paused for a few moments. If this little thing were any bigger, she might be scared.
He picked up the naughty child and said, "Zhang Xiaozhu, where did you write those big characters? Let me see."
"Your Majesty, there's only one chapter left. Let me write it tomorrow, it's already dark." Tun Tun said in a consultative manner, looking at her with her big, round eyes, her hands tucked into her pockets obediently.
Then, seeing his elderly mother smile kindly, Tun Tun felt a surge of joy, only to hear her utter two cold words: "No."
"Mommy~ Mommy~ Good Mommy~ Please, it's so cold today, my hands are all frozen, good Mommy~" The child climbed up his mother's arm and onto her body, begging her to have mercy.
The cold-hearted old mother said, "Let me warm your hands," and then carried the child back to the study.
Daily sweep mission complete, one lazy child captured.
The little boy was heartbroken and hung in his old mother's hands like a wilted eggplant.
The study was warm and cozy. The elderly mother asked, "Is it cold now?"
Tun Tun crossed her arms and glared at her, while her mother gave her a sideways look.
Tun Tun shrank her neck, smiled awkwardly and ingratiatingly, and rushed over to act coquettishly: "Baby, you're not cold anymore, thank you, Mommy, Mommy is a really good mommy."
Her mother couldn't even be bothered to look at her. She didn't study properly, and her flattery was utterly inept; she just kept repeating the same thing over and over.
He pressed the child down into a chair, prepared the ink, laid out the paper, and handed her the brush, saying, "You're not allowed to eat until you finish writing today."
The child pouted, wiped his eyes, and said in a muffled voice, "I know."
The elderly mother felt a pang of sadness, but what could she do? Children are like that; they always know how to take advantage of others. Overindulging and spoiling them is never a good thing.
She lowered her eyelids, moved another stool over, and sat down next to the child. The child wrote, and she reviewed official documents.
She was lost in thought shortly after receiving the document.
His Majesty and she are related by marriage, making them natural allies. Yesterday at court, he announced the abolition of the "hereditary privilege" system, firing the first shot in reshaping and solidifying class distinctions. Opposition was clamorous in the court, but as long as His Majesty's stance remains firm, victory will always be on their side.
The memorial stated that if the clearing of land and population was met with obstruction from local gentry or lack of cooperation from local officials, it was alright; troops would be sent to help them cooperate, and either heads or money would have to be paid.
The letter also stated that the Vice Minister of Revenue disagreed with the plan to borrow funds to repair the academy, and that the work was facing significant obstacles. Zhang Ting marked it, indicating that she understood. She would go to the Ministry of Revenue tomorrow to "brainwash"... no, to "reason" with them!
The new emperor granted a general amnesty upon his ascension to the throne and even held a special imperial examination. As the day drew closer, she felt annoyed at the thought of having to follow Guan Jiutian to get out.
This sycophantic letter... (omitted) This one... (omitted) This one... (omitted)
After quickly processing the official documents, she rang a bell, and a servant came out to take the memorial and deliver it to the Cabinet that very night. It's worth mentioning that she is now the Second Grand Secretary, a Cabinet Minister, and, given Xu Qiushui's advanced age, she is temporarily assuming the duties of the Chief Cabinet Minister.
He can strategize the affairs of the world with a single move and control the fate of the nation with a single thought.
This is the power Zhang Ting wielded, like a chess piece, to control the people.
But no matter how powerful and influential she was outside, at home she was just a pitiful old mother.
Holding the child's large characters, Zhang Ting examined them over and over, her brows furrowing and relaxing repeatedly, unable to believe it was real.
Zhang Shile started his education early, more than two years ago if you calculate carefully.
Is this all the quality you've achieved?
Good heavens, even if she wrote with her feet, it wouldn't be this bad.
Zong Suyi praises her child's progress every day; she must be using a filter that's incredibly thick!
Zhang Ting squatted down and discussed with her child: "It took me three years to improve my calligraphy from mediocre to being praised by thousands. That may be too much to ask of you, but you should at least write at a mediocre level, right?"
Tun Tun said confidently, "The kid is just ordinary." Her little finger moved across the paper, her eyes crinkling. "Hehe, this character is so cute, round and chubby like Xiao Mei."
Zhang Ting's mouth twitched, her face was crooked and bloated, and she really did look like an earthworm.
She sighed and rubbed her forehead, then summoned a servant—"Send an urgent message to the teacher, please get him to the capital immediately!"
Everyone has their own area of expertise, and TunTun can't be without a teacher here.
Zhang Ting let the child go out to eat, while she stayed at her seat alone, staring blankly at Zhang Shile's large characters.
Tun Tun invited her to have dinner together.
The elderly mother said she wanted some peace and quiet.
Tun Tun came running over, hands on her hips, "Does Mommy think her son is stupid?"
Zhang Ting's smile held a hint of bitterness, her words consistent: "How could that be? You are my daughter, I love you too much to ever look down on you."
Although Tun Tun hasn't read many books, she is very perceptive. She immediately accused her mother of lying and went on and on, saying a lot of things in a very logical and reasonable way.
Zhang Ting initially felt ashamed after being criticized. She thought, "How can you be so harsh on a child who isn't naturally gifted? The most important thing is for him to grow up safely and peacefully."
But the more she listened, the more she noticed. Her logic was clear and her speech was eloquent. Zhang Xiaozhu was very smart!
So... it's written like this?
Zhang Ting closed her eyes and smiled again.
Her lifelong reputation was almost ruined by this little thing, a cunning little liar.
I'm just plain lazy!
Without saying a word, Zhang Ting pressed the child onto her lap and offered her a beating.
Tun Tun's eyes widened as she finally realized that her long-term pretense had been exposed. She apologized to her mother and begged for forgiveness. Seeing that her mother was determined, she even used her father's classic skill—bringing up old grievances.
"When your mother said she wouldn't force you to study, she was just lying to you!"
Children forget things quickly, but sometimes they forget things far more than others. Even when I was sick and listless, I remembered those words clearly, as if they were etched into my very soul.
However, the little rascal is clever and mischievous, and her old mother will always be far ahead.
Zhang Ting smacked the little brat's bottom again and again, "I'm not beating you for not studying hard, but for deceiving your poor old mother, which is a heinous crime."
The little brat has a stubborn temper, and he snorted loudly.
Zhang Ting also snorted, "Miss Zhang, is your buttocks alright after taking this much force?"
The little brat's face scrunched up like a bitter gourd, but he stubbornly insisted, "It doesn't hurt, tickle my itch!"
The old mother laughed in exasperation.
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