A family of loyal martyrs, starting with nine wives to continue the family line.

The dust had barely settled on the imperial examinations, and the new dynasty had not yet fully taken shape, when Wei Zhao dropped a second bombshell during the morning court session.

"I intend to establish new martial arts academies in five locations: the capital, Jiangnan, Jingzhou, Yizhou, and Yunzhong."

He sat on the dragon throne, his voice not loud, yet it clearly reached every corner of the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

"All citizens of Xinwu, regardless of wealth or background, may enroll in school based on their household registration."

These words caused an uproar among the court officials.

Li Huai was the first to step forward, and the old prime minister's face was full of confusion:

"Your Majesty, the national treasury is newly established, and many things need to be rebuilt. At the same time, establishing five official schools will incur enormous costs. Isn't this... a bit too hasty?"

Wei Zhao looked at him, and also at the ministers below with their various expressions, and knew very well what they were thinking.

The imperial examination system has already offended a number of powerful families, and now they want to open official schools, which is to snatch the root of education from the hands of these families.

"No rush."

Wei Zhao's tone was calm: "The imperial examination is for the court to select talents, while schools are for the people of the world to cultivate. I want every child in the world in the future, no matter whether his father is a farmer or a blacksmith, to have books to read and teachers to learn from, as long as he wants to study."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the Minister of Works.

"The blueprints for the school shall be drawn up by Consort Shang Wanqing. I have only one requirement: the materials used in the school must be of the same standard as those used in the imperial palace. My palace may leak when it rains, but the children's school cannot."

These words were so powerful that they silenced the entire court.

Ten days later, the construction of the school in the capital city will begin.

Wei Zhao did not make a grand entrance; dressed only in ordinary clothes, he appeared silently at the construction site in the south of the city with a few eunuchs.

The area around the construction site was already packed with onlookers, a dense, dark mass.

When they realized that the person surrounded by officials, picking up a brand-new shovel, was none other than the current emperor, the crowd erupted in a thunderous roar of astonishment.

Wei Zhao ignored the noise around him.

He walked to the foundation stone, bent down, and plunged the shovel deep into the soil. Then he straightened up and forcefully shoveled the first handful of soil, mixed with sweat and hope, into the foundation stone.

A simple action, yet as weighty as Mount Tai.

In the crowd, an elderly man with gray hair watched this scene and couldn't help but whisper a sigh to the person next to him:

"I've lived most of my life and never seen the emperor personally come to build a school for us. In the previous dynasty, we wouldn't have even dared to dream of such a thing."

His voice wasn't loud, but it was just enough for Wei Zhao, who had put down his shovel, to hear it.

Wei Zhao turned around, looked at the faces etched with the marks of time, and said loudly, "Building schools is more important than building palaces."

His voice, though audible, traveled clearly through the clamor of the crowd to everyone's ears.

"Once this school is built, scholars from all over the country will no longer need to travel hundreds or thousands of miles to the capital to take the imperial examinations."

What he wanted was to spread the seeds of knowledge to every corner of this land.

The school was built quickly, but new problems arose as a result.

Faculty.

Inside the imperial study, Li Huai slammed a list onto the imperial desk, his beard trembling with anger.

"Your Majesty, look! These are all renowned scholars hired from all over the country, and what's the result? When they arrive at the school, they talk about following the new policies, but when they actually teach, they still teach those old-fashioned classical texts! They don't even mention mathematics, laws, or agriculture!"

"And there are even worse cases, those who outwardly comply but inwardly defy, openly stating in class that our dynasty's new policies are 'strange tricks and frivolous skills, not the proper path for scholars,' thus misleading the students!"

Wei Zhao picked up the list, looking at the familiar names on it, his face expressionless.

He had expected this.

A change of mindset is much more difficult than a change of regime.

Asking these old Confucian scholars, who have spent their entire lives studying the Four Books and Five Classics, to teach how to calculate land area and how to read land deeds is tantamount to taking their lives.

"If we kill them, who will teach?" Wei Zhao retorted.

Li Huai was speechless.

Wei Zhao tossed the list aside, his tone unreadable: "No rush. My academy isn't for them."

He knew very well that it was pointless to reason with these old fogies.

The only way is to prove them wrong with facts.

"Just wait and see."

Wei Zhao looked out the window, his eyes deep: "When the first graduating class comes out, let them stand on the podium themselves."

Li Huai was stunned, then he understood what Wei Zhao meant.

Salaries are drawn from the bottom of the pot.

His Majesty is cultivating his own loyal followers, using those he has trained to replace these disobedient old men.

What a ruthless and open scheme.

That night, the lights in the Imperial Study stayed on all night.

Wei Zhao stood alone in front of the sand table, deducing every step of the new policy.

Schools are the foundation, but if the problem of qualified teachers is not solved, this foundation is hollow.

It will take at least three years for the first batch of students to graduate. He can't wait that long.

We need to find a faster way.

"Is Your Majesty still troubled by the matter of teachers?"

A cool voice came from behind. Fang Fuyao, dressed in a plain white robe and carrying a cup of hot tea, walked in silently.

"You noticed."

Wei Zhao didn't turn around, his fingers lightly tracing patterns on the sand table: "Those old Confucian scholars are completely unyielding."

"Because in their eyes, we are the traitors and rebels, and the new policies are heresies and fallacies."

Fang Fuyao placed the teacup beside him, hitting the nail on the head.

"Therefore, we cannot use their people."

Wei Zhao turned around, picked up his teacup, and the mist in his eyes gradually dissipated, replaced by clarity: "We must use our own people."

A knowing glint flashed in Fang Fuyao's eyes.

Wei Zhao looked at her and spoke his thoughts: "I want to add a subject called 'Teacher Training' in the school."

"Teacher training college?" Fang Fuyao murmured to herself, finding the word quite novel.

"To serve as a role model for others and to be an exemplary teacher."

Wei Zhao explained, "From the successful candidates in this imperial examination, we will select a group of young people who are quick-witted, eloquent, and absolutely loyal to the new policies. Let them first enter this teacher training program, where you and I will personally teach them how to teach and how to explain the principles of the new policies to the students in a clear and concise manner."

"After they complete their studies, they will be sent to schools in various places to serve as teachers. From then on, the teacher training program will be a fixed program. Every new batch of Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) must first study in the teacher training program for a year. Only those who pass the program can be appointed as officials or remain as teachers."

The more Wei Zhao spoke, the brighter his eyes became.

This is the real solution.

He not only has to decide what to test, but also who will teach it and how.

He wants to establish a completely new educational system that belongs entirely to Xinwu.

From top to bottom, inside and out, everything bears the mark of Wei Zhao.

Fang Fuyao remained silent for a long time after hearing this.

Looking at the young emperor before her, she felt a chill rise from the bottom of her heart.

Senior Brother Liu is right, this person is a monster.

Every step he took was ruthless and precise, leaving no room for anyone to maneuver.

"I've written it down." Fang Fuyao took out paper and pen from her sleeve, preparing to record Wei Zhao's words word for word.

But as soon as she picked up her pen, she suddenly stopped.

She raised her head, and for the first time, a solemn expression appeared on her usually calm and composed face.

"His Majesty."

Her voice was colder than usual: "I'm afraid we'll have to put the school matter on hold for now."

Wei Zhao raised an eyebrow.

Fang Fuyao didn't say much, but took out a slender bamboo tube sealed with black sealing wax from her bosom and presented it with both hands.

"An hour ago, the Embroidered Uniform Guard sent this urgent message from the west."

Wei Zhao's gaze fell on the black bamboo tube, and the smile on his face instantly vanished.