Chapter 22 She Too Went For the girls, though there were millions, she too…
Seeing that it was still early, Wen Yu went to Ning Shengan's house and told him about the literary gathering.
Ning Shengan, who had once worked as a tutor in the Liang family, was naturally familiar with the literary gatherings in Luzhou Prefecture.
He pondered for a moment and said, "There aren't many families in the city who can afford to send their children to school. In previous years, this literary gathering was mostly for the sons of officials. Unfortunately, there are quite a few cockfighting, horse racing, and other uneducated people among them. Those who are truly learned are rare."
“In the past, when times were better, ordinary families could grit their teeth and send their children to school to learn a few characters. But after years of famine, people couldn’t even get enough to eat, let alone study. In recent years, literary gatherings have also declined.”
He sighed, then changed the subject: "This newly arrived Lord Su has been decisive in water conservancy since taking office, and now he has reopened the literary society... He is certainly no ordinary person."
Wen Yu nodded. She had heard about Su Lin's pragmatic style and wanted to see for herself what kind of person this Lord Su was.
She seized the opportunity to ask, "In your opinion, do you think Qing Shi and the others have any chance of competing at this literary gathering?"
"With their current level of knowledge and skills, they would certainly be able to secure a place at this literary gathering! However..." He frowned slightly and lowered his voice, "...their status as women is ultimately an insurmountable obstacle. Even with a wealth of talent, I'm afraid..."
Wen Yu waved his hand: "The hurdle of status isn't necessarily insurmountable. I have a way..."
She lowered her voice and laid out her plans in detail.
----
Inside the thatched hut, several people sat upright and neatly arranged.
Wen Yu and Ning Shengan sat behind the only large table, taking turns grading the children's homework.
After flipping through several children's papers, Wen Yu's smile deepened.
The children all did very well; not only was their handwriting neat and their answers serious, but their accuracy also far exceeded her expectations.
When the last paper was finished being graded, Ning Shengan got up and returned the papers one by one, while Wen Yu sat quietly, counting in her mind.
Sure enough, the familiar system notification sounded in my mind.
[Ding! The literacy campaign for eligible teenagers has been completed, and the "Rebuilding Homes" task is being processed...]
[Task Rewards: One new house (including basic furniture), one elementary school (including basic teaching aids), and a permanent 10% increase in crop growth rate for the entire village.]
The system cautiously asked her, "Host, would you like to claim it now?"
It's finally finished!
Wen Yu did not immediately claim all the rewards, but silently thought to himself, "System, can the building rewards be stored temporarily? It's not the right time yet."
"As for the buff to crop growth rate, it can take effect from now on."
[Received, bonus has taken effect.]
She couldn't be sure how the building was delivered to her; if it fell from the sky, she really couldn't explain it to everyone.
She needs a more prudent time to settle them.
After the children had all received their papers, Wen Yuqing cleared his throat and said approvingly, "Mr. Ning and I just looked at them, and everyone did very well. They deserve praise."
She paused, then pulled a beautifully crafted letter from her sleeve.
"There's more good news." She waved the letter in front of the children, and seeing that they were all looking at her curiously, she unfolded it and said, "The Imperial Envoy Su Lin in the city is going to hold a literary gathering and invites talented young people aged ten to twenty to participate. Apart from Xiao Ning, who is still too young, Qing Shi, Xiao Lan, and A Yue, the three of you are just right."
"I have the invitation letter. The literary gathering is scheduled for three days from now. We'll set off for the city first thing tomorrow morning."
The comments section immediately erupted in excitement.
[Oh? Is it finally time to assess our learning outcomes? I'm so excited!]
The children nurtured by our 21st-century culture are absolutely no less capable than them! Go for it!
[This is unreasonable! Why can't Tao Ning participate? I guarantee that this six-year-old could dominate! She's so smart!]
But let's not be too certain. I believe there were intelligent people in ancient times, and they had only just begun their studies...
[I don't care, I blindly trust my own people, you guys have to do your best!]
Even the children were very excited.
Lin Lan covered her mouth in surprise, while Wen Yue was so excited he almost jumped off his stool.
Wen Qingshi was a bit older and knew how to control her emotions, but her eyes still shone brightly.
"Sister, is it true?"
She glanced at the exam paper in front of her, then suddenly remembered something, and her eyes dimmed for a moment.
"But when I was in the city, I was never allowed to participate in literary gatherings."
Seeing that her expression was strange, Wen Yu asked softly, "What's wrong?"
Wen Qing lowered her eyelashes and remained silent for a moment before slowly speaking.
"Luzhou Prefecture has valued literature since ancient times. Because it produced a young scholar who won the imperial examination, it has a tradition of literary gatherings for young scholars. Winning the top prize in the literary gathering can bring fame and even the opportunity to be favored by high-ranking officials and great scholars. The future is limitless."
She paused for a moment: "A few years ago, my elder brother was such a leader, enjoying unparalleled fame and glory throughout the family."
Her gaze fell on the exam paper in front of her, but it didn't focus; instead, it drifted into distant memories.
"When my father learned of this, he was overjoyed and held a banquet at home to celebrate. That night, the mansion was decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, and the sounds of string and wind instruments filled the air. Guests filled the house, and toasts were exchanged."
Her voice trailed off: "And at that time, I climbed up to the roof alone, facing the city lights and feeling the night wind. Below, the feast was in full swing, and the noise was endless, but no one thought to look for me."
“Only Ah Lan…” She looked at Lin Lan, her gaze softening, “She was afraid I would do something rash, so she called my name softly from down below, urging me to come down quickly.”
Lin Lan's heart felt as if something had gently tugged at it.
When Wen Qingshi mentioned that past event, she subconsciously opened her mouth, and the familiar word "Miss" almost slipped out, but she swallowed it back down.
Now they are sisters living together in the same village, no longer mistress and servant.
She called out softly, somewhat uneasily, "...Qingshi."
Won't saying it out loud reveal my identity?
"It's alright." Wen Qingshi's eyebrows curved slightly. "Most of you here know about my past. I trust you all and you certainly won't treat me badly because of it."
Wen Yu gave her a reassuring look, and the children next to her nodded vigorously. Even Ning Sheng'an, who was sitting in the back, nodded slightly.
Wen Qingshi suddenly felt a sense of relief, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders.
She continued, "That night, a guest asked me, 'My brother won the championship, as his sister, am I not happy?'"
“But the essay that won him first prize was taken from my room.” She spoke calmly, as if she were telling someone else’s story. “Because women are never allowed to enter the literary gathering.”
"Although I was not allowed to enter, the article, after being attributed to my elder brother, was fortunate enough to be circulated and read by everyone. Everyone called him a genius and said that he would surely achieve great things."
“My brother himself said that since I can’t go anyway, I might as well give it to him. If he can win a prize, it will be half of my glory. If he can help me out after I get married, that would be the best he can do.”
"Why should I?" Wen Yue blurted out, his face full of disbelief. "That's yours to begin with! How can you say I'm 'sharing' half with you?!"
Having spent many days together, Wen Yue had long regarded Wen Qingshi as her own sister, and at this moment she couldn't help but feel indignant.
Lin Lan also clenched her fists.
She had once been a maid in the Wen family and had witnessed that grand banquet firsthand. She knew how the young master was in high spirits amidst the crowd, receiving a torrent of praise, while the young lady avoided the crowd alone, with no one caring about her disappointment or her grievances.
They couldn't defy societal norms, and after hitting a wall, they could only turn back.
Thinking of this, the light on her face dimmed, and she looked at Wen Yu with worry: "Sister Wen Yu, we are all women. According to the rules, probably only A Yue can go in."
The live chat exploded.
"They can't go? Absolutely not! These are our two best prospects!"
[Damn feudal ethics, damn sexism! I'm so angry!]
The funniest thing is that just a few days ago I saw an expert say that exam-oriented education has an advantage for girls. So, after making them take the imperial examinations for so many years, suddenly we have an advantage?
Are we just going to bury our promising talent like this? I hate you all! Wen Yu, think of something...
[I don't care, Wen Yu, you must stand up for the girls!]
Upon hearing this, Wen Yue immediately turned to look at Wen Yu, his tone unusually resolute: "Sister! I'm not as good at studying as they are. If they can't go, I won't go either!"
Wen Yu's gaze slowly swept over the three of them, and finally he shook his head.
"No, I have a way."
Do you remember the story of Mulan that your older sister told you?
Although the historical trajectory of this world was not quite the same as what she had learned, Wen Yu felt that some stories were worth telling, so she incorporated educational stories such as Mulan joining the army into their reading materials, which the children all remembered.
The three of them brightened up and replied in unison, "We remember!"
"We won't let that glory get us away with. Since we have real talent and skills, what's wrong with changing our attire?" Wen Yu's lips curled up slightly, her eyes looking directly at Wen Qingshi. "Let's rely on our own abilities and take the top spot honorably. Your older sister is asking you, do you want to?"
Wen Qingshi felt as if the surrounding sounds had instantly faded away, leaving only Wen Yu's words echoing in her heart.
think.
She wanted it more than anyone else.
No longer wanting to be a supporting character behind the scenes, she wanted to stand on the stage openly and proudly, winning applause with her brilliant writing and making those around her proud.
"Yes!" Wen Qingshi answered decisively, his eyes showing no more hesitation.
Lin Lan and Wen Yue immediately straightened their backs: "Sister, we'll listen to you!"
The comments section erupted in excitement.
Go, girls! Let's show them what real talent is!
[Ahhh, I can't wait! I really want to see them reveal their identities the moment they win, and slap those people in the face. Just thinking about it makes me so happy!]
Calm down, this isn't modern times. In ancient times, how many women who disguised themselves as men to take the imperial examinations ended up well? It's all written in history books!
[+1, even if you rise to the top through your own merit, those people can still pull you down and erase everything you have. They will never admit it.]
Wen Yu was well aware of the dangers involved.
But……
Her gaze fell on Wen Qingshi.
Qing Shi appeared calm and unassuming, but she harbored a deep resentment about the incident. The anger at having her work stolen and the frustration of her talent not being recognized weighed heavily on her, preventing her from feeling free.
Destruction precedes construction; without destruction, there can be no construction.
Wen Yu only knew that only by proving herself with her strength in the places that had once rejected her could she truly break free from the past, transform herself from the identity of "Chen Huaiyu," and truly become "Wen Qingshi."
Therefore, it's worth taking the risk.
Even if the future is uncertain, she will go for the sake of the girls, even if it means facing millions of people.
"Good!" Wen Yu clapped her hands, her smile bright. "Get some rest early today and recharge your energy. Tomorrow at daybreak, your older sister will take you into the city!"
A note from the author:
----------------------
As I was writing, I was reminded of something from my childhood. My work was stolen by my male classmate, who won first prize with it. The TV station came to interview him, and the principal personally presented him with the award. Only I knew that I had written it… [bursting into tears]
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com