Chapter 1692: Chapter 1692 President Yang
Zhulan thought of Ms. Ji who came to the capital, “What happened with the Luo family?”
Lady Li felt a bit sorrowful, “The Luo family won’t allow a married daughter to separate and return home, it’s said that the third lady of the Luo family wanted to separate in the past and even wrote a blood letter.”
“A blood letter?”
Lady Li took the juice Qing Xue brought in, handed a cup to her mother-in-law, and pushed it in front of her, saying, “Yes, Elder Luo wouldn’t allow it and even wrote a letter of reprimand. In the end, the third lady of the Luo family passed away before the New Year.”
Zhulan had a bit too much of the gossip, “I heard the Luo family has an ancestral rule?”
Lady Li nodded, “Yes, the Luo family forbids married daughters from separating.”
Zhulan continued, “So the only way is to be widowed.”
Lady Li, “…”
Zhulan coughed, “You heard wrong.”
She thought that the third lady of the Luo family either faced life-threatening circumstances or truly couldn’t continue living; as for why the matter of the Luo family spread, it must be due to Ms. Ji’s efforts.
Ms. Ji really hates the Luo family, tsk tsk, she thought she was bringing a lamb to the capital, but it turned out to be a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
The next day, Zhulan met the girls from the Zhou clan at home. There weren’t many clan members who came to the capital, a total of nine girls, and six came today, the oldest was twelve and the youngest was six, Zhulan didn’t allow those too young to come.
Because children in ancient times matured early, she set the school-starting age at six years old, with no upper limit, even those who were married could come to study.
The six children had never met Zhulan before; when they came to the capital it was Lady Li who met them, Zhulan was as kind as possible, yet the children were still too scared to raise their heads.
Zhulan said, “Don’t be nervous, I just want to ask you some questions.”
The eldest of the six girls looked up, “Ask us anything, we will tell you everything we know.”
Zhulan knew that the children could read. With the development of the Zhou clan, they placed great importance on the children’s education. Boys went to the clan school to study, and girls also learned to read and understand truths, so Zhou family girls back home were never short of suitors.
Zhulan asked, “What books have you all read?”
Each girl answered, the Three Character Classic, Thousand Character Classic, all taught by their fathers and brothers.
Zhulan asked again, “Do you know that after a while you will be going to the academy to study?”
All six girls nodded together, they all knew, their parents told them to study hard and not bring shame to the Zhou clan, and they replied in unison, “We will study hard.”
Zhulan motioned for the children to come forward and gave them the prepared jewelry, which was made of silver, and after asking a few more questions, let Qing Xue send the children back.
The tuition for the Girls College was set, half of what the boys paid. She also wanted it to be the same as the boys’ tuition, but unfortunately, in this era, if it were truly the same as the boys’, ha, even interested parents wouldn’t send their daughters to study.
With female orphans going to villages to collect herbs and deliberately spread information about the wages, some people started inquiring about the Girls College’s tuition, which is a good sign.
Zhulan still had to go out; she was going to the Wang family.
Upon arriving at the Wang family, just after seeing Lady Tao, Lady Tao spoke first, “You coming here personally must mean it’s something important.”
“You’ve guessed it right.”
Lady Tao was curious about what could trouble Zhulan, “Go ahead, if I can help, I certainly will.”
Besides the relationship between the two families, she had also been friends with Zhulan for many years.
Zhulan said, “A family can’t have everyone serve in the government. The Wang family is a hundred-year-old family, with a very large number of members. I think not all of them are wealthy, right?”
Lady Tao felt troubled at the thought of it. The wealth gap within the clan was large; the rich ones went without saying, and the poor ones were really poor. She had worried a lot about this, “Let’s not beat around the bush, just say what you mean.”
“You know about the Girls College, right? Should the girls from the Wang clan go and study?”
From Zhulan’s dedication to the Girls College, Lady Tao guessed it would be responsible for it, now she was more certain, but, “You should know that members of large families place a lot of importance on face.”
She knew the college was a place to learn skills and that the wages after studying were not low, but some of the clansmen had inflexible thinking. If they could be open-minded, there wouldn’t be so many stubborn people.
Zhulan naturally knew, that girls making embroidered pouches at home and working outside were two different things, “As long as you don’t oppose, can you help me ask around?”
What if someone has an idea? It would be good to have one more student.
Lady Tao thought about how her husband had mentioned the Girls College quite a few times, indicating he agreed with it, and she replied with a smile, “I’ll help you ask around.”
“Thanks a lot.”
Lady Tao added, “My eldest daughter-in-law is going back.”
Zhulan asked, “Going back by herself?”
Lady Tao laughed, “I knew you were thinking about it, yes, she’s going back by herself.”
The old man disagreed, no one could take the child away, for this reason, the old man specially wrote a letter to his son.
Zhulan breathed a sigh of relief, children need their parents, those who grow up with their parents have a healthy mind, and siblings who grow up together develop deep feelings, supporting each other to go farther in the future.
Returning home, Zhulan took out the school regulations, now everything was becoming formal, she incorporated some modern school regulations and went through them carefully to ensure nothing was missing before putting them away. Now, she just had to wait for the reconstruction to be completed.
The next day, Xue Han returned and, entering the house, immediately sent the maids away, “Mother, can you guess whom the Emperor appointed as the principal after the reconstruction of the academy?”
Zhulan, “Rongchuan.”
Xue Han deflated, “Did you already know?”
“I did guess.”
The Retired Emperor wouldn’t assume the position, nor would the Emperor. As for the Crown Prince, the Emperor feared handing it over to him would bring the rivalry among the Princes to the academy. Given some of the Second Prince’s actions, the Emperor was more certain he couldn’t entrust it to any of his sons. Rongchuan became the most suitable candidate.
Xue Han continued, “The Emperor let my husband oversee all matters and act as the principal, with Marquis Rong assisting.”
Zhulan, “Rong Enqing is still constrained by his origins.”
Xue Han said, “Yes, Rong Enqing has been busy ever since returning to the capital, and in the end can only assist him. I don’t know whether he will be content with this.”
“He anticipated the outcome, he’s aware.”
For now, he assists, but in the future, when he can stand on his own, Rong Enqing will land a decent official position, while Rongchuan may have to step down.
The current choice is because Rongchuan can suppress the demons, whereas Rong Enqing cannot.
Xue Han excitedly said, “Mother, you will be the principal in the future too.”
Zhulan laughed, “In the future, please call me Principal Yang.”
Xue Han beamed, “Make Dad call you that too.”
“That’s a good idea; I’ll make him call me that when he returns.”
The news from her daughter suggested that the appointment was imminent. Indeed, the name Principal Yang sounded quite pleasant.
The appointment came faster than Zhulan anticipated; three days later, even before the Girls College reconstruction was finished, the appointment was issued.
Zhulan received the edict, stroking the formal decree, “It must be preserved well, it holds historical significance.”
Lady Li, “Mother, let me touch it too for good luck.”
Zhulan handed it over, “Everyone can touch it for good luck.”
The news spread quickly in the capital; no one objected to the Prince Qin’s edict. Zhulan’s appointment came as a surprise; everyone speculated the Empress Dowager would be appointed, but it was unexpectedly the wife of Marquis Zhou.
In the Palace, Zhou Shuren’s mustache was almost curling upward. Ah, my wife is truly remarkable, making the ministers secretly observing him feel toothaches!