I traveled with them to the Northern Song Dynasty

Chapter 133 The Five Women's Divergence
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After the five women finalized their plan to "keep the meat in the pot," Ma Xiaojiao casually asked, "Then how about we make an educational plan or something?"

When Ma Xiaojiao said this, she didn't really think much about it. She just felt that she had already given birth to one child and was pregnant with another, which was much faster than others. She should be the biggest beneficiary of this matter and had to do something.

Zhang Chun said in a more casual tone, "I think we can just use the Qing Dynasty's system for educating princes."

Ye Shiyun asked, "What were the advantages of the Qing Dynasty's education system for princes?"

Zhang Chun said, "Although the Qing Dynasty's system of educating princes could not guarantee that every emperor would be highly capable, it could basically ensure the lower limit of the emperor's abilities."

After a pause, Zhang Chun explained in more detail:
"From Kangxi to Guangxu, the eight emperors of the Qing Dynasty had varying abilities in governing. Some, like Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong, were relatively capable, while others, like Xianfeng and Tongzhi, were less competent. However, on average, the Qing emperors were among the most educated, knowledgeable, and self-disciplined in history."

"A typical example is Emperor Yongzheng, who was known for his diligence in governance. During his reign, he reviewed more than 35,000 memorials in Chinese alone, and his comments were often hundreds or even thousands of words long. Sometimes he would even deal with state affairs until late at night. In his comments, one can often see phrases like 'written casually under the lamp, and reviewed one by one.' As he himself said, 'My instructions to each memorial are either dozens of words long, hundreds of words long, or even thousands of words long. I personally read and wrote them down. Every word and sentence comes from my own mind. I did not delegate any task to anyone else, nor did I have anyone assist me.'"

Even the Daoguang Emperor, who ruled during an unprecedented upheaval in three thousand years, was of relatively mediocre talent, and suffered defeat in the Opium War, still had commendable qualities in terms of personal ability and private morality. For example, when Emperor Daoguang's son, Minning, was still a prince, followers of the White Lotus Religion stormed the Forbidden City. Emperor Jiaqing was not in the palace at the time. Minning remained calm and composed, not only organizing the guards to repel the rioters but also personally using a musket to kill two of them. In terms of private morality, Daoguang was frugal and filial. On his deathbed, he still instructed his father: "Follow the example of all the previous emperors, always upholding reverence for Heaven and the law, and being diligent in governing and loving the people."

"It can be seen that the advantage of the Qing Dynasty's system of educating princes was that while it did not produce future emperors who were all wise rulers, it also prevented them from being too incompetent and tyrannical, at most producing average rulers who could maintain the status quo."

Upon hearing this, Li Lin, Ye Shiyun, Ma Xiaojiao, and Yuan Qingcheng all thought that the Qing Dynasty's system of educating princes was quite good.

Yuan Qingcheng had always been uneasy about Zhang Chun, who was prone to overthinking, so she cautiously asked on everyone's behalf, "What was the education system for princes in the Qing Dynasty like?"

This is one of the reasons why Zhang Chun dislikes Yuan Qingcheng: she is too meticulous and not easily fooled.

Knowing that he would have to confess sooner or later, Zhang Chun tried to speak in a casual tone:
"Students typically begin school at age six. From 3 to 5 a.m. each day, they preview their lessons. From 5 to 7 a.m., classes begin, primarily focusing on learning Manchu, Mongolian, and Han languages ​​and scripts, as well as Confucian classics and other cultural knowledge. From 7 to 9 a.m., it's breakfast time, followed by a short rest. From 9 to 11 a.m., classes continue, studying classics, history, philosophy, and literature. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., teachers check their lessons, followed by practice in horsemanship, archery, and other martial arts. From 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., it's lunch and rest time. From 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., they continue practicing military skills such as horsemanship, archery, and firearms, and also learn other talents like painting and music. After 5 p.m., the emperor will come to check on their learning progress, and only after passing the inspection can the day's studies end."

"Furthermore, throughout the year, except for a few holidays such as New Year's Day, Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, the emperor's birthday, and their own birthdays, they had to study according to this schedule every day."

Before she could finish speaking, Zhang Chun noticed that Ma Xiaojiao and Ye Shiyun's faces darkened.

Having finally endured until Zhang Chun finished speaking, Ye Shiyun immediately said with a forced smile, "Silly girl, is it because you can't have children that you want to work our children to death?"

Ma Xiaojiao also said, "That's right, I've never worked this hard when I was preparing for the college entrance examination."

Zhang Chun said unhappily, "Don't curse me, okay? Although I don't have a son now, it doesn't mean I'll never have one. As transmigrators, we all have the female lead's script. It's impossible for only you to have a son and me not to. It's just a matter of time."

Then, Zhang Chun continued, “When I have a son, I will be even stricter with him. Otherwise, how can he be a good emperor? Being an emperor is no joke. If you don’t do it well and become like Emperor Huizong or Emperor Qinzong of Song, you will not only harm yourself, but also your whole family, and even countless innocent subjects.”

Hearing Zhang Chun say this, Ma Xiaojiao and Ye Shiyun fell silent.

Li Lin expressed her support for Zhang Chun's proposal:

"If I had a son, I would also be strict with him. He will not only bear the honor and disgrace of himself, but also the fate of the entire Zhao Song Dynasty."

“I believe that since we have decided to make a name for ourselves here, we cannot let our descendants become incompetent rulers. Although the Qing Dynasty’s system of educating princes was strict, it could also cultivate a tenacious will and broad knowledge, which is an indispensable foundation for future emperors.”

Zhang Chun continued, "Those wise rulers in history, which one didn't undergo countless trials and tribulations before being able to strategize in the court and command with composure on the battlefield? Take Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, for example. From a young age, he harbored great ambitions, excelling in both literature and martial arts. He survived the Xuanwu Gate Incident before ascending the throne and establishing the Zhenguan Era of the Tang Dynasty, which brought peace and prosperity to the people. The hardships and efforts involved are beyond the imagination of ordinary people. The saying, 'When Heaven is about to place a great responsibility on a person, it first tests their will, strains their muscles and bones, starves their body, empties their resources, and frustrates their endeavors, so as to strengthen their resolve and increase their abilities,' is not just empty talk."

After a pause, Zhang Chun continued, "The Qing Dynasty's education system for princes has stood the test of history. Of course, we will definitely need to adjust the specific content. There's no need to learn Manchu and Mongolian languages; we can conquer them directly in the future. We don't need to waste time on other talents such as painting and music. We also need to carefully select cultural knowledge such as Confucian classics and their sub-collections, mainly by adding some 'Selected Works of Great Men,' 'Military Writings of Great Men,' and 'Das Kapital.'"

Li Lin added, "We also need to include 'Illustrated Treatise on Maritime Kingdoms,' 'The Sayings of Zeng Guofan and Hu Jintao on Military Administration,' 'New Book of Military Efficiency,' 'Records of Military Training,' and 'On National Defense.'"

Ma Xiaojiao and Ye Shiyun felt a chill run down their spines. They both thought in unison, "Is this a plan to deprive my son of all happiness and turn him into a political and military machine?"

As a mother, Ye Shiyun couldn't make such a cruel decision for her son on a whim, so she said, "I think that people should be taught according to their aptitude. If my son really has the qualities to become an emperor, I will definitely discipline him strictly. But if he is like me and has no ambition, then I think there is no need to be too strict with him. We can give the right to be emperor to someone more suitable."

Ma Xiaojiao also said, "Yes, yes, that's what I think too. If Zhao Di is really cut out to be an emperor, I won't feel sorry for him at all if you teach him whatever you want. But if he's just an ordinary person like me, I think it's better for him to receive a happy education."

Seeing that Ma Xiaojiao, who already has a son, and Ye Shiyun, who is about to give birth, are so unenthusiastic, while Zhang Chun and Li Lin, who have been struggling to conceive, are working so hard, Zhang Chun felt a little tired: "We haven't even started yet, and you're already backing down? Do you really want to either keep vigil for Zhao Yu, pack up and retire, or even be buried alive with him if Zhao Yu passes away before us?"

Hearing Zhang Chun's words, Ma Xiaojiao and Ye Shiyun remained outwardly silent, but inwardly they were both thinking, 'You said it yourself, if Zhao Yu were to die before us, there's still a 9,999 chance he'd outlive us. Judging from Zhao Yu's health, the latter is more likely. With Zhao Yu protecting us, why should my son and I suffer like this?'

Li Lin also disapproved of Ma Xiaojiao and Ye Shiyun's overprotective attitude towards their child. She looked at Ma Xiaojiao and Ye Shiyun with a stern expression, wanting them to take back what they had just said.

Yuan Qingcheng smoothed things over, saying, "Zhao Di is only one year old, and Jiao Jiao and Shi Yun's babies won't be born for another six months. You two haven't even gotten pregnant yet. Even if you plan to educate them according to the Qing Dynasty's system of educating princes, they won't be able to start school until they are six years old. It's too early to talk about this now. I think it's not too late to talk about this when they are four or five years old."

Having found an excuse, Ye Shiyun immediately seized the opportunity: "Yeah, what's the rush? Maybe I'm having a daughter. If that's the case, then I won't have any worries..."

Feeling that this wasn't quite right, Ye Shiyun changed her tone and said, "The most urgent thing now is how to get Chun Chun and Sister Lin pregnant. As for how to educate them, we can talk about that later." Ma Xiaojiao immediately echoed Ye Shiyun, "That's right, Sister Chun and Sister Lin have been unable to get pregnant for a long time, we really need to think of a way."

When Ye Shiyun and Ma Xiaojiao brought up this topic, Zhang Chun and Li Lin, who were desperate for a child, were indeed distracted.

Li Lin said worriedly, "How can I solve this? You all know that my health is as good as it gets, but I just can't get pregnant. What can I do?"

Ye Shiyun had a sudden inspiration and said, "I think I read in a magazine that excessive exercise by women might have some impact on fertility?"

Li Lin asked as if grasping at a straw, "Really?"

Ye Shiyun said, "Let me think about it carefully."

After speaking, Ye Shiyun closed her eyes.

After a while, Ye Shiyun opened her eyes and said, "I remember now, there was a magazine that said that long-term excessive exercise, which puts the body in a state of stress, can affect the function of the hypothalamus-pituitary-ovarian axis, leading to hormonal imbalance, which in turn causes menstrual cycle disorders, affects ovulation, and reduces the chances of conception. For example, high-intensity endurance training may reduce the secretion of gonadotropin-releasing hormone in women, thereby inhibiting ovulation."

Furthermore, maintaining a certain percentage of body fat is crucial for women to maintain normal reproductive function. Excessive exercise can lead to an excessively low body fat percentage, affecting the synthesis and storage of sex hormones such as estrogen, resulting in menstrual irregularities or even amenorrhea, which is detrimental to conception. Generally speaking, a body fat percentage of around 20%-25% is beneficial for maintaining normal reproductive function in adult women; if it falls below 18%, it may adversely affect fertility.

Li Lin asked, "Then what should I do?"

Ye Shiyun said, "As long as you pay attention to the reasonable arrangement of training intensity and time during fitness, maintain a balanced diet, and avoid excessively low body fat percentage, most women can still maintain normal fertility."

At this point, Ye Shiyun suggested, "Why don't you stop exercising, or exercise less, and eat more foods that can help you get pregnant?"

Li Lin said, "Okay, I'll stop practicing from today onwards. I'll resume practicing yoga after I get pregnant."

Li Lin was really anxious.

On the one hand, she wanted to give birth to a son as soon as possible so that she could pass on her skills to him and let him fulfill her dream of achieving great success.

On the other hand, once Zheng Xiansu recovers, he will definitely occupy Zhao Yu for a long time again. If she doesn't hurry up and get pregnant, she might have to wait a long time.

Therefore, Li Lin decided that everything else should take a backseat to her pregnancy; she had to get pregnant this time.

If Li Lin could think of it, how could Zhang Chun not?
In fact, Zhang Chun had long planned to get pregnant during the time Zheng Xiansu was recuperating.

The problem is that Li Lin still has some direction, but Zhang Chun has absolutely no direction.

Zhang Chun asked anxiously, "What about me? What should I do?"

Ye Shiyun said, "Didn't the imperial physician tell you long ago that your body is fine? You're probably just too nervous. Don't be so calculating in the future. Just enjoy it and relax. If you have sex with Zhao Yu with the mindset of 'if I get pregnant, it's my fortune, if I lose him, it's my fate,' you might get pregnant."

Zhang Chunxin said, 'Saying that is the same as saying nothing at all.'

After thinking it over, Zhang Chun made up her mind: 'I still need to try to get more opportunities to serve you in bed, and with proper care of my body and diligent practice of sexual techniques, this is definitely the best way to get pregnant.'

Thinking of this, Zhang Chun turned to Ma Xiaojiao and said, "Jiaojiao, I remember you said that Xiduo seems to know a pretty powerful special move. Can you ask her to teach me?"

Ma Xiaojiao didn't even ask Xiduo before helping her refuse, saying, "My Xiduo was planning to use this trick to win over the official's heart. What will she do if I teach it to you?"

“I won’t learn her trick for nothing. When she grows up, I’ll help her create opportunities to serve the emperor,” Zhang Chun said.

“No need for you to go to such lengths. The Emperor will give me this much face. Besides, the Emperor has already promised Xiduo that when she grows up, he will give her the opportunity to serve him in bed,” Ma Xiaojiao said.

"Hmph! Stingy!" Zhang Chun said indignantly, "This is the imperial harem, full of hidden talents. There must be many people who are skilled in bedroom arts. I don't believe that others don't have better tricks. Yes, I'll ask Li Shishi to help me find out. I'm not going to learn your family's lousy tricks!"

Even though Zhang Chun said that, Ma Xiaojiao was unwilling to make things difficult for Xiduo.

This made Zhang Chun furious.

After the meeting, Zhang Chun indeed found Li Shishi and asked her to inquire who had powerful bedroom skills.

To Zhang Chun's surprise, Li Shishi brought back someone who surprised her very much shortly after she left...

……

(End of this chapter)