Ruan Fang led everyone to the reception room, and after they were seated, someone served them tea.
It was during class time, and the teachers' melodious lectures and the students' clear reading voices could be heard from time to time.
Listening to these harmonious sounds, Wang Zhibo took a sip of tea and said:
"Headmaster Ruan, I learned from Marquis Zhengyang that the number of students at Wufang Academy has increased significantly in the past two years, and the school buildings are no longer sufficient. I wonder what Headmaster Ruan's plans are?"
Ruan Fang was delighted to hear this. She had been troubled by this matter. With Shuixian Town becoming a county seat, it would no longer be so easy for her to expand the scale of Wufang Academy.
The new county town has already been planned, making it more difficult for Wufang Academy to expand further.
The county magistrate has brought officials from the Confucian Academy here today, presumably to resolve this matter.
"That's true. Because Wufang Academy has a large number of famous teachers, and many people have passed the provincial and metropolitan examinations in the past two years, many students have come here because of its reputation. The academy can no longer accommodate so many students."
The best solution to this problem is to expand the existing academy or build a new one. However, since all land within the new county town has already been planned, acquiring land will be quite difficult.
Wang Zhibo nodded and said:
"This matter is not difficult to solve. The new county town took this issue into consideration when it was first planned, so some land was allocated to the County Confucian Academy. The Confucian Academy may build new academies and schools as needed to develop education in Zhengyang County."
However, we are not here today for that matter; we are here for another important matter.
"What important matter is it, Your Excellency? Please tell me," Ruan Fang asked.
"During this relocation of the county seat, the Confucian Academy, as an important department, moved at the same time as the county government. According to the imperial court's relocation plan, the Confucian Academy's staff was increased from seven to nine people."
This means the Confucian Academy will need to add two officials, both of the ninth rank.
"This is a good thing. Other counties have seven staff members in their Confucian academies, but our county's Confucian academy has nine. This shows that the imperial court attaches great importance to education in our county."
"What Headmaster Ruan said is absolutely right. In recent years, Zhengyang County has made important contributions to the Great Northern Dynasty in terms of education. This time, we are strengthening the Confucian Academy in our county, hoping that our county will make even greater contributions in education."
As required by the imperial court, the Confucian Academy of our county has established the Hongwen Hall, staffed with two people, to manage the etiquette instruction of officials.
Ruan Fang knew that the Hongwen Hall was a subordinate department of the Ministry of Rites, responsible for court etiquette. However, she couldn't understand why a county Confucian school would need to set up such a department.
Wang Zhibo smiled and said, "The imperial court has requirements for the establishment of the Hongwen Academy in our county. At least one of the two officials in the department must be a female official who serves as a scholar in the Hongwen Academy."
Of course, the imperial court had requirements for appointing female officials. Since they were to be engaged in matters of etiquette, these female officials had to be young women and had to make significant contributions to the education of the county.
In our Zhengyang County, only Ruan Shanzhang meets this requirement and can serve as a bachelor.
The position of scholar in the Hongwen Pavilion of the imperial court was a fifth-rank official, but in the county, this position was only a ninth-rank official.
I have already submitted the list of Ruan Shanchang to the Ministry of Rites. It won't be long before the Ministry of Rites sends officials down to verify the matter and conduct an investigation of Ruan Shanchang.
After verification, the imperial court will issue an appointment document, at which time Chief Nguyen will be one of the few female officials in our dynasty.
Therefore, I have brought all the officials of the Confucian Academy here, firstly to congratulate Headmaster Ruan, and secondly because Headmaster Ruan and the officials of the Confucian Academy will be colleagues from now on, so you can get to know each other first.
As soon as Wang Zhibo finished speaking, the official from the Confucian Academy bowed to Ruan Fang and said:
Congratulations, Scholar Ruan.
At this moment, Ruan Fang was still in a daze, not yet understanding what was going on.
Seeing this, Wang Zhibo couldn't help but laugh and said:
"Professor Ruan need not worry. Although you hold the position of scholar at the Hongwen Academy in the county, there is not much to do. You are still the headmaster of Wufang Academy."
Ruan Fang quickly understood what was going on. Simply put, she would be working part-time at the county Confucian Academy as a scholar of the Hongwen Hall, holding the rank of ninth grade.
The Ruan family had been in business for generations and were quite wealthy, but their social status was low. The father's greatest hope was that his elder brother, Ruan Jingui, could enter officialdom. However, his brother was not academically inclined and eventually followed in his father's footsteps and went down the path of business.
Ruan Fang was intelligent and her greatest hobby was reading, but being a woman, she could not obtain an official position through the imperial examinations.
A few years later, Ruan Fang suddenly obtained an official position, though it was only a low-ranking ninth-grade official, but it was of great significance.
"Master Ruan, the Great Northern Dynasty is no longer what it used to be. You have lived in Shuixian Town for many years, so you should know the reasons why."
The relocation of Zhengyang County's county seat to Shuixian Town may only be the beginning; in a few years, this place will become an important city in the Great Northern Dynasty.
General Li is the future emperor. Although he has not yet assumed personal rule, his influence has already been evident. What previous emperors had dreamed of, General Li accomplished with ease.
The three northern kingdoms were completely subdued by General Li and submitted to his rule. In the western and southwestern territories, the smaller kingdoms and the Great Northern Dynasty reached their best relationship in history.
The coastal areas, where Japanese pirates had plagued for centuries, were also completely eradicated by General Li.
Over the years, General Li has promoted a variety of crops and completely eliminated the famine in the Great Northern Dynasty. Now, the people have surplus grain in their homes, a situation that was unimaginable in the past.
Next, the imperial court will reform the system for employing talent. Ruan Shanchang was appointed as a scholar of the Hongwen Pavilion, which can be seen as an attempt by the imperial court to use female officials.
In the future, the imperial court will employ a large number of female officials, and women will be able to take exams and be selected by the court for talent.
Once General Li ascends the throne, he will implement sweeping new policies, and in the future Great Northern Dynasty, all talented people will be given important positions and serve the country.
"In terms of teaching, Principal Ruan has already taken the lead, pointing out the direction for the development of education in the Great Northern Dynasty. He will surely shoulder heavy responsibilities in the future and has a bright future."
Wang Zhibo's words stirred Ruan Fang's heart. Wang Zhibo was very young, not only talented but also enterprising. The irrigation canal he built in the southern part of Zhengyang County received strong support from Li Guang.
This massive project was completed in less than two years, causing a strong reaction in the Great Northern Dynasty.
From then on, a wave of canal construction will sweep across the Northern Dynasty, which will greatly promote agricultural development.
It is conceivable that in the future, the Great Northern Dynasty will produce more and more grain, the country's strength will be further enhanced, and the people's lives will become better and more prosperous.
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