Half a month later, Zhu Ziqian still received five thousand taels of silver notes delivered by Lin Jiaorui from the capital by fast horse.
There was also a letter urging him to return to Beijing as soon as possible.
Zhu Ziqian knew that Lin Jiaorui was good in every way, except that she couldn't tolerate any imperfections in her feelings for him.
Therefore, Liu Yingying must not be allowed to live!
Of course, that's a story for another time.
Now, Liu Yingying is busy running the village school.
This was a plan she had made before the new year, but she hadn't found a suitable husband yet.
And now, fate has once again delivered ready-made talent to our doorstep.
This person is Song Zhiming, the injured old man she rescued at the village entrance.
At first, Liu Yingying simply wanted to save someone's life.
But when Song Zhiming woke up, she found that the old man's speech and behavior were not like those of an ordinary person.
Liu Yingying and Lao Song became interested, and after some conversation, they obtained Lao Song's consent.
Liu Yingying then decided that from now on, Lao Song would teach the children in the family.
Taoyuan Village did not have a clan school, but it did have an ancestral hall, so the teaching location was temporarily set up in the ancestral hall.
Liu Yingying was thinking that she would build a proper school in the village next year.
Since the teaching takes place in the clan's ancestral hall, Old Song can't just teach her family's children; he must also teach the other children in the village.
Liu Yingying had no objection to this; letting children read more books and understand right from wrong is definitely a good thing.
Only considering that Lao Song is getting old and might not be able to handle teaching so many students all at once.
So Liu Yingying spent money to hire two young teachers from outside to assist Lao Song in his teaching.
In this way, the problem of children in Taoyuan Village going to school was solved.
On the day school officially started, she went to inspect the classroom herself, but her smile froze when she saw what it was like inside.
Song Zhiming looked at her and asked, "What's wrong, Lady Ning'an?"
What's wrong?
Suppressing the anger in her eyes, Liu Yingying asked, "Didn't you say that all the children in the village would come to school? Why are there only three girls, Zhaodi, Cuicui, and Huiyun?"
"It's only natural for boys to go to school, because they can try their luck in the imperial examinations. Who would send their daughter to school?"
The only exception is your three daughters who are different.
Song Zhiming clearly didn't think there was anything wrong with it.
Liu Yingying saw through Song Zhiming's thoughts. Originally, seeing that he was already old, she didn't want to argue with him.
But Liu Yingying felt that she absolutely could not compromise on this matter.
"What's wrong with girls? Who says only boys are eligible to go to school? Aren't girls human beings too?"
"How can a girl be compared to a boy? A woman's virtue lies in her lack of talent!"
Clearly, Song Zhiming didn't think there was anything wrong with this.
Liu Yingying sighed softly, her expression serious, even though she knew it would be difficult to promote gender equality in this era.
But now that she's here, she's determined not to give up on those girls!
“Master Song!” Liu Yingying spoke solemnly, “I know you all think that once a girl is married, she is like water spilled from a cup, and that a woman’s only purpose in this world is to be a good wife and mother. But I don’t think so!”
“I don’t think women are inferior to men. Women can do what men can do, but men may not be able to do what women can do. If there were no women in this world, where would men come from?”
"Therefore, I firmly believe that not only should girls and boys in Peach Blossom Village have the same right to education, but girls throughout the Great Xia Kingdom should also have the same right to read and write!"
Song Zhiming was slightly stunned; he was a somewhat old-fashioned teacher.
Upon hearing Liu Yingying's words, he wanted to blurt out a rebuke, "You've defied the Heavenly Gang!"
But the words stuck in his throat.
He now uses Liu Yingying's money for everything, from eating and drinking to using the toilet, and even lives in Liu Yingying's house.
Besides, she saved his life. Now she's just agreeing to let Liu Yingying teach a few female students. Why should he go against her?
“What the county magistrate said makes sense. However, it is indeed a problem for these girls to go to school. It’s not that I’m willing to teach them, but their parents simply don’t want to send their daughters to school to learn to read and write.”
Song Zhiming directly passed the question to Liu Yingying.
"Yes, that is indeed a problem!" Liu Yingying said solemnly.
She overestimated these parents!
They thought that since she paid for her husband to teach the children, the parents only needed to send their children over. But even so, they were unwilling to let the girls learn to read and write!
How hateful!
"Mr. Song, please continue teaching as usual. I'll take care of the girls!"
“Okay!” Song Zhiming agreed readily. He was just a teacher and didn’t want to get involved in anything else.
Liu Yingying's first target was the family of Zhu Dacong, a notorious drunkard in the village.
Zhu Dacong was the only son in his family for three generations, so his parents doted on him from a young age. After he got married, his wife also took care of him like a mother.
Zhu Dacong spent his days drinking and gambling, doing nothing, while his wife, Zhen, did everything from working in the fields to climbing mountains, and was known throughout the village for her diligence.
The couple had seven daughters. The first five were all sent to the female infant tower. When it came to the seventh, Zhen Shi had just given birth and knelt down to beg her mother-in-law, promising that she would definitely give birth to a son for the Zhu family in the next pregnancy.
Only then did her mother-in-law reluctantly agree to let her youngest daughter live.
A year later, Zhen gave birth to a boy, but the son seemed to be in poor health...
That's all Liu Yingying knew from the original owner's memories. She pulled her thoughts back to reality.
She had already arrived at Zhu Dacong's house when she heard the old woman's cursing coming from inside the courtyard.
"You good-for-nothing, you jinx! You can't even keep an eye on your own brother, and my grandson fell down..."
Then came the little girl's pitiful cries as she begged the old lady for forgiveness. But the old lady, seeing her precious grandson's forehead bruised all over, was not about to let her off easily.
He gritted his teeth and pinched the most sensitive part of the woman's body several times.
The little girl, in pain, immediately let out a sharp scream.
"Shut up, don't cry!"
The old lady of the Zhu family gave a stern shout, and Zhu Laidi was so frightened that he dared not continue crying.
Clearly, Old Lady Zhu has done this kind of thing quite often!
Their front door wasn't bolted. Liu Yingying heard the noise outside and, already holding her breath, pushed the door open and went inside.
"Liu... Lady Ning'an, what brings you to my home?"
Upon seeing Liu Yingying suddenly barge into her yard, Old Mrs. Zhu, whose face had been contorted with rage just a moment ago, quickly forced a smile.
But the vicious, ferocious look on that deeply lined old face had not completely faded, and now he was trying his best to add a few more ingratiating smiles.
It looks terrifying and repulsive!
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