Chapter 204 On the Way Home
Outside the carriage, Mi Ling was about to speak again when she heard Yuan Hongqu's voice come out again.
“Mi Ling, we’ve talked too much today. If you continue to stand by the Lin family’s carriage, I’m afraid we won’t need to take the entrance exam this year.”
"Mr. Yuan, it was my oversight. I will take my leave now. Take care, sir."
After Mi Ling left, the Lin family's carriage continued its journey at a leisurely pace.
“Granny, I know you sent Sister Mi Ling away because of me.”
"Hehe, sister, you've never even met her, how do you know she's your sister?"
"Listen to the sound."
“Mi Ling is not my older sister. She is actually older than me,” Yuan Hongqu said with a smile. “Although she is older, she still has the mind of a young girl. Sometimes she is incredibly shrewd, and other times she is like a child who has never experienced the ways of the world.”
"That was so interesting, I really should have taken a look earlier." Daiyu said with some regret, "Granny, what should I call her next time I see her?"
"If you go to the academy, call her Teacher Mi; if you go elsewhere, call her Aunt Ling."
Daiyu nodded, yet remained puzzled.
"Granny, the academy's entrance exams are so rigorous, aren't you worried that students won't pass and we won't be able to recruit any more?"
"The graduation certificate from the Girls' Academy is so prestigious, so how could there be few applicants? I just saw that the registration area at the entrance has six rooms and twelve reception teachers. We arrived early today, so there was no traffic jam. In the past, when we were in Yangzhou, although the graduation certificate from the Girls' Academy was not as prestigious as that in the capital, it only accepted applications each year, and it took three days to complete the registration."
Yuan Hongqu recalled the grand occasion of enrollment at Yangzhou Women's Academy every year.
The Yangzhou Women's Academy was not as large as those in the capital, and there was no large enough space at the entrance for carriages and horses to pass through and stop. Therefore, the registration period could only be divided into three days each year.
If they all rushed in at once, the carriages would all be stuck at the entrance, making it impossible to pass.
“Mr. Yuan, there are more and more carriages heading towards the academy. We need to hurry, otherwise we'll get stuck here and won't be able to get out later.” Lan Su sat in front of the carriage, watching the carriages go in one after another, as if they were in a race.
"Hurry up, the girls' academy in the capital only has one day to register. If you miss today, you'll have to wait until next year."
Hearing the rumbling of carriage wheels outside, Daiyu felt fortunate.
"Luckily we arrived early."
Zijuan, who was standing nearby, handed tea to Daiyu.
“Young lady, we should thank the old lady the most. She calculated the auspicious time well in advance, and we left on time. Everything went smoothly.”
"Hmm, Granny, why didn't the sisters from my maternal grandmother's family register at the academy?"
Yuan Hongqu pondered for a moment and said,
"The second young lady doesn't like going out and prefers to read alone. Although her personality has changed somewhat recently, she still doesn't like being around strangers. If she comes to the academy and is suddenly surrounded by so many unfamiliar people, she will definitely feel lost and uncomfortable."
"Although the Third Miss has a straightforward personality, she is always said to have come from the widow's womb. Although she is competitive, no one will make plans for her to go to the academy."
"As for the Fourth Miss, she is from the East Mansion, so it's not up to the Rongguo Mansion to make decisions. Her father is even threatening to become a monk, and her brother... Hmph, given the situation in the East Mansion, how could anyone still remember her?"
Daiyu pouted, looking somewhat annoyed.
“I was thinking it would be so much more lively if they could all go to the academy together. Granny, why don’t we go and persuade Grandmother to enroll the sisters as well?”
"When we heard about the registration, I told the old lady. Otherwise, how would she know you were going to the academy and even have someone calculate an auspicious time? If she intends for the three girls to go to the academy together, she would probably come to register with us today."
Daiyu said somewhat sadly, "Granny, it's fortunate that you're by my side, otherwise I would never have known how vast the world outside is."
"You've only been to a few places, and you already think the world is vast? Even after you finish reading 'The Travels of Xu Xiake,' that will only be a corner of the world."
"Granny, I've heard that the academy has very strict rules. If I go to study at the academy, won't it be inconvenient for me to visit famous mountains and rivers, lakes and seas, and also to go back to Yangzhou to visit my father?"
Daiyu felt somewhat worried when she thought about these things.
"Rules are rigid, but people are flexible. The academy's rules are strict. However, if you can complete your studies and pass the exams after taking leave, the academy won't care how many leaves you take."
"In fact, the academy has always encouraged students to apply what they learn, to practice more, and to travel more. Reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles. It's just very difficult..."
“Why is it not easy, Granny? In my opinion, nowadays, families that can afford to send their daughters to academies can also easily afford the expenses of traveling and studying abroad.”
“Miss, because you are a woman,” Zijuan blurted out.
“Zijuan is right. Because she is a woman, it is not easy for her to go out. Although the restrictions on women in this dynasty are much more lenient than in previous dynasties, women are still not as good as men, and there are many restrictions on women.”
"Granny, women can do everything that men can do, and they can do things that men can't do. Why should women be inferior to men?"
"When will women be able to laugh freely like men, without being reminded not to show their teeth, and without wearing veils when going out... able to go wherever they want!"
"Yes, there will be. There will be some in the future," Yuan Hongqu murmured after hearing Daiyu's words.
She comes from a world where men and women are equal!
The women's academy was a result of her efforts to promote "gender equality" and subtly improve the status of women.
When the students in the girls' academy graduate, they will all be noble ladies from wealthy families in the capital.
They will spread the academy's ideals and ideas, promoting the development of gender equality in this era.
The ultimate goal is to improve the status of women.
Yuan Hongqu saw the school rules and motto posted on the academy's bulletin board, which were completely copied from those of Yangzhou Women's College, without changing a single word...
“Mr. Yuan, we’ve left Shuyuan Street. There are fewer carriages and horses outside.” Lan Su asked the driver to slow down the carriage.
I was worried about getting stuck inside, so I sped all the way and managed to get them out safely.
"Granny, let's take a stroll in the street. I want to go to Zuixianlou and try their top-notch dishes."
Tired of the same old home-cooked meals?
"No, not really. But I've heard that Zuixianlou has a secret brew, and I'd like to go check it out, buy two jars of good wine, and send them to my father in Yangzhou..."
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