The Empress acted swiftly, summoning He Jiuniang to the palace the very next day so that the two could discuss the matter of opening a school.
Seeing the Empress's beaming face, He Jiuniang knew that the Emperor supported this action, and her heart finally settled down.
After all, in this era where imperial power was paramount, if the emperor disagreed, there was really no way to implement it.
"Your Majesty, please rest assured. I only wish to use Your Majesty's name for a short time. I will arrange everything else."
From the very beginning, He Jiuniang only wanted to take advantage of the situation; she didn't actually need the Empress to do anything.
The Empress said, “That is not appropriate. Since I have agreed to do it, I should naturally do my part. You are right, Jiu Niang. Women in this era have a hard time. Now that we are in such a position, we should do our best to find a way out for women in this world. That would not be a disservice to His Majesty’s kindness to me.”
As she spoke, she blushed and lowered her head.
He Jiuniang thought that people in ancient times were really reserved. She was already pregnant with her third child and was still so easily embarrassed.
"Since Your Majesty has said so, then Your Majesty shall make the decision."
In front of the Empress, He Jiuniang was still very obedient, after all, she was pregnant and she could not do anything too extreme to provoke her.
The Empress expressed her willingness to fully fund the school, but He Jiu Niang disagreed. After all, she was the one who proposed it, so how could she take advantage of the situation without spending a penny?
Moreover, since the original intention of setting up the school was to cultivate talents for herself, she couldn't be stingy.
So, after discussing it, the two decided to each contribute half, and He Jiuniang would arrange the specific details. That's how they reached an agreement.
He Jiuniang was very proactive. After leaving the palace, she arranged for people to find a place to build a school. Furthermore, she wanted to spread the news that girls should be able to study, so that families with daughters could know in advance and be mentally prepared.
This news was quite explosive, causing an uproar in the capital.
Since ancient times, there have only been schools for boys; how could there be any reason for girls to study?
Who has the money to send their daughter to school? With that spare money, it's better to focus on raising your son!
But I also heard that I don't have to pay tuition, but I need to sign a contract. After I finish my studies, I have to work for the Lu family and can't go to work for someone else, otherwise I'll have to pay a lot of money.
But once you've paid tuition, you're no longer subject to this control, and you're free to go wherever you want afterward.
Ordinary families are all eyeing the free schooling opportunity, as it's a fantastic opportunity. As for helping the Lu family in the future, they'd be even more eager, since they'd get paid monthly for their work—something they never dared to dream of before. Now it's just falling into their laps; isn't this like a pie falling from the sky?
Wealthy families, however, focused on the requirement to pay tuition, especially some high-ranking families, who felt that it was a good idea to let their trusted head maids learn to read and write, as they could at least be more helpful to their mistresses.
Some businessmen even wanted to send their own people in so they could see what the Lu family members were learning and have a chance to compete with them in the future.
The market acceptance is very high, but the court is indeed in a state of chaos. Since the news was released, there has been much debate in the court for many days.
Especially since the Empress took the lead in this matter, the Imperial Censor had been talking about it until he was hoarse, but the Emperor hadn't even blinked.
"Your Majesty, since ancient times, it has been believed that a woman's virtue lies in her lack of talent. There is no reason for a woman to be educated. This is absolutely unacceptable!"
"What kind of behavior is this, where women are expected to study? This is utterly absurd!"
"A woman's duty is to be a good wife and mother; she doesn't need to go out and show her face in public. What's the use of learning these things? It's simply shameful!"
"This is absolutely unacceptable, or everything will fall into chaos! Your Majesty, please reconsider!"
...
Although no one directly pointed out the Empress and He Jiuniang's faults, their words were all aimed at them, suggesting that the Emperor was being too unreasonable and letting the two women run wild.
The emperor, however, was determined to support the empress, believing that she had done nothing wrong and even considering it a rare and commendable act of doing good for the people.
The emperor's close advisors also consistently favored the empress, believing that giving women more options was a good thing and there was nothing to stop it from happening.
Mr. Kang engaged in heated debates with people in the imperial court for several mornings, fighting fiercely.
"Letting women read and learn etiquette can also promote the progress of our Northern Yan! When I met General Lu's family, they had just fled famine from Changzhou in the south and didn't have much money. But Madam Lu still found my school as soon as possible and enrolled all three of her children of school age to study."
"This shows Madam Lu's foresight. No matter what hardship we face, we can't let our children's education suffer! The three boys in the family study at the official's school, and when they come home in the evening, they teach the knowledge they have learned at school to the family members who cannot come to school, especially the girls. Therefore, although the girls in the Lu family have never been to school, they can all write and calculate, and they are no less capable than any of the boys!"
"Madam Lu's foresight is naturally due to the fact that she is also educated and can even tutor the children in the family with their homework, which is how she raised such outstanding children."
"Furthermore! I ask you gentlemen, why do you expect your own daughters to be well-educated and reasonable, while the daughters of ordinary people are left illiterate!"
Lu Baichuan had prepared a lot to say, but he didn't expect that Mr. Kang could fight so many people by himself!
I used to think Mr. Kang was very refined and spoke softly, so why is he so fierce in court?
Faced with Mr. Kang's shrewish and abusive defense, the officials opposite him broke out in a cold sweat and didn't know how to refute him.
His last sentence, in particular, left the assembled courtiers speechless.
Noble ladies are required to receive education from a young age, and they are considered good if they are proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, so that they can find a good match when they grow up and marry into a wealthy and powerful family.
Why can't women from ordinary families have that kind of opportunity?
Isn't this a double standard?
With everyone silent, Lu Baichuan finally had a chance to speak.
He stepped forward and said, "I also think that what Lord Kang said is absolutely right! Everyone says that one should marry a virtuous wife, but if a woman does not study, how can she know what virtue and morality are? How can she be a good wife and mother?"
"Men are responsible for supporting the family outside, while women take care of the household at home. But if they don't read, write, and understand principles, how can they manage a household well? Besides, we are all human beings. Men can support their families, and so can women. For example, in my family, all the businesses were built up by my wife, and the children in the family are excellent because of her good education!"
"If it weren't for my wife taking care of everything at home, how could I serve the Emperor and the country with peace of mind? Women are never inferior to men, and are even greater than men. Therefore, I support the establishment of women's academies to give women in this world more opportunities!"
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