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Chapter 220 Internal Volume ()

Magistrate Cui did more than just build granaries.

Magistrate Cui led the way casually and "happened" to pass by a school building. The sound of young children reading aloud came from the school building.

Jiang Shaohua's eyes glanced at him, he uttered a sigh, and stopped: "Isn't this a private school?"

There is a black plaque hanging at the door of the school building, with the four characters "Yexian Academy" written on it. The handwriting is elegant, clearly written by County Magistrate Cui.

If it were a private school, it would never dare to hang such a plaque.

Sure enough, I heard County Magistrate Cui reply unhurriedly: "Back to the princess, this is the academy built by the Ye County County Government. The county government provided money and hired five scholars to be their tutors. As long as they are common people in Ye County, , children over six years old can be sent to study until they are fifteen years old.”

"The academy does not restrict the practice, but also provides the children with a lunch."

"Also, not only boys can come to study, but girls can also enter the academy."

This last sentence is the key point.

Magistrate Cui was making a show of his words while quietly looking at the princess' face. Seeing the princess frowning, Magistrate Cui's heart dropped quietly.

"Magistrate Cui is very thoughtful." Jiang Shaohua's eyes were full of approval and his voice was gentle: "Ye County is rich and is the head of Nanyang County. Now the county government has built an academy so that children can read. This is for the whole country. The county government of Nanyang County has set an example.”

Being praised highly by the princess, Magistrate Cui felt like drinking a cup of hot honey water, feeling warm and sweet in his heart: "I did what I should do, I don't dare to praise you like this when I am the princess."

"Is there anything you shouldn't do?" Jiang Shaohua said with a smile, "I am very happy that you are so attentive."

After a moment of pause, he asked again: "Are there any girls coming to study in the academy?"

Magistrate Cui was a little regretful: "There are only a few, but there are a lot of boys, ranging in age. There are more than forty in total. The boys are divided into five classes, and the girls can only make up one class."

Such is the world. Women should stay at home peacefully and should not be exposed to the public. Things such as studying are men's rights.

Ye County is already a first-class wealthy county. The women grow mulberry, raise silkworms and weave silk to earn money to support their families. Their status is far higher than in other places. Even so, there are very few people who are willing to send their daughters to school.

Chen Jinyu felt uncomfortable hearing this, and couldn't help but interrupt and asked: "Is it because the common people are worried that the master is a man and don't want their daughter to enter the school?"

"That's not true." Magistrate Cui sighed: "It is my wife Li who teaches girls to study. Moreover, a wall was specially built in the school to separate the places where boys and girls study. On weekdays, you can also walk in and out. The two doors are not connected to each other.”

"In order to ensure the safety of the children, I also arranged the yamen guards. Two yamen guards will guard the school every day to prevent young people from breaking in."

"I also personally wrote an announcement and had it read out to let the people know that the school accepts girls. However, there are still very few girls who come to the school to study."

Jiang Shaohua calmly answered the question: "Prejudices in people's hearts are like mountains, which are difficult to climb. County Magistrate Cui has done a good job. No matter how many girls come to the school, they have made a good start."

Magistrate Cui's handsome face turned red after being praised: "Thank you very much, Princess, for the compliment."

But my heart was secretly excited.

The long, heart-to-heart talk between Magistrate Cui and Magistrate Cai at the palace completely opened up the two lines of Magistrate Cui's appointment as governor. After County Magistrate Cui returned to Ye County, he began to build granaries and school buildings. Especially this Ye County Academy has put a lot of thought into it. It's a pity that the common people are short-sighted and don't even want their daughters to read free books. Most of them think that it is useless for women to study and it is better to stay at home.

Girls aged six or seven can already do some simple housework and learn to pick mulberry leaves to feed silkworms. When you get older, you can learn to reel and weave silk to earn money.

There is no need for Magistrate Cui to elaborate on these, Jiang Shaohua also knows it.

"Princess, let's go into the school and have a look!" Lu Cong was the best at observing people's emotions and lost no time in advising: "I have never seen a women's school before, and today is a good time to open my eyes."

Jiang Shaohua smiled and nodded slightly.

Magistrate Cui deliberately passed by the school gate, eager for the princess to come in and take a closer look, and was busy leading the way.

Jiang Shaohua went to the boys' school first.

"The youngest boys who come to study are six years old and the oldest are thirteen years old." Magistrate Cui, who knew the academy he built with his own hands, spoke eloquently: "I divided them into five classes according to their age. The younger ones teach It’s slow but also solid. For those over twelve years old, literacy is the main thing.”

Lu Sheren answered the question skillfully again: "It is very appropriate for Magistrate Cui to do this. Children aged six or seven can be trained slowly and take the imperial examination in the future. Young men aged twelve or thirteen can take the imperial examination after studying. It’s too late. If you spend two or three years studying and learning how to read, you can make a good living in the future.”

Magistrate Cui said with a smile: "That's exactly what I planned in my heart. The Lushe people have learned a lot from others. They were second-ranked candidates back then, and they have extraordinary experience. I need to ask the Lushe people for their advice."

Lu Cong smiled and humiliated himself: "That's all in the past, so don't mention it. Magistrate Cui is the real young man. He has rules in his mind and acts in a measured way. I am far behind."

The Cui family of Qinghe and the Lu family of Fanyang were both prominent families in Daliang. Lu Cong was famous when he was young, and Magistrate Cui had already heard about him.

Furthermore, both of them were geniuses in reading and were promoted to officialdom through imperial examinations, so they had a lot in common. The conversation soon became lively.

Chen Jinyu and Ma Yaozong looked at each other silently.

Lu Cong, this old guy, is a good communicator! It just so happened that all the errands that needed to be entertained around the princess from now on would be given to him.

Jiang Shaohua didn't listen to Lu Cong and Magistrate Cui's compliments to each other. After entering the school, she looked at them carefully. The school building is very spacious and the floors are clean. There is a canteen dedicated to lunch and an open space for children to play.

The teachers who were teaching the children knew that the princess and her party were coming, so they all worked hard. The children's reading sounds were neat and loud.

Jiang Shaohua smiled slightly and went to the girls' school again.

This side has the same specs. Unfortunately, there were too few people, and all the school buildings were empty, and only one of them was used. There were five little girls sitting sparsely, and they were all six or seven years old. The oldest one is no more than nine years old.

"The older ones can work to earn money, and the family will definitely be reluctant to send them to study." Chen Jinyu sighed in Jiang Shaohua's ear: "These younger ones can still have a lunch if they come to study. If they don't have this meal I’m afraid even these five won’t be able to come for lunch.”

Jiang Shaohua smiled and glanced at Chen Jinyu: "Everything is difficult at the beginning. Take the first step. Only if you keep going slowly can you take the second and third steps."

This is true.

Chen Jinyu quickly cheered up and laughed in a low voice: "Princess, this lady is the wife of County Magistrate Cui, Mrs. Li."