Chapter 504: Women’s Academy
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
Zhou Nichang raised her head in astonishment. She wanted Zhou Xiangrong to explain that she entered the palace because she had also made a contribution. However, other than pleading guilty, Zhou Xiangrong did not say anything else. Zhou Nichang was almost dying of anxiety!
“Your Imperial Highness, I… I…”
“Shut up. Throw her out.” Su Ying’s eyelids lifted, and an icy light flashed in her eyes. “I don’t want to see her in the palace from now on.”
“Your Imperial Highness, I genuinely know my mistake. Your Imperial Highness…” Zhou Nichang became completely flustered. If she couldn’t enter the palace in the future, how could she see the Emperor?
Zhou Qing immediately went forward and gagged her mouth with a handkerchief before getting the eunuchs to take her out.
The inner hall finally became peaceful.
“You may rise.”
“Thank you, Your Imperial Highness.” Zhou Xiangrong straightened up.
“Previously, you cured the plague-infected victims in Luo City, so I want to reward you well. Tell me, what do you want?
Zhou Xiangrong was silent for a long time before slowly saying, “Your humble subject wishes to seek Your Imperial Highness’s help on one matter.”
Su Ying raised her eyebrows slightly. “Oh? What is it?”
“I wish to establish a school that even commoner women can attend so that those women can also read books as well as understand the great tenets.” This request surprised Su Ying. “You want to establish a women’s academy?” “Yes. My ability is limited, so I hope that Your Imperial Highness can help me.” Su Ying took a sip of tea, her eyes full of probing interest.
“Tell me your plans and thoughts in detail.”
“I wish to choose a place to be used as an academy, and then try to recruit students first. Thereafter, I will recruit teachers. Once the enrollment is sufficient, we can start classes. This academic course will definitely teach them how to read at the beginning. The content of the lessons should be based on acquiring literacy. In addition to learning words, we can also add many skills-related courses such as needlework, playing the zither, playing chess, calligraphy, or painting. This is to enable them to have a survival skill after leaving the academy.”
Zhou Xiangrong’s idea was indeed a good thing for women, and Su Ying felt that it wasn’t impossible to carry out this idea.
“This idea is not bad. After you go back, write out your plan in detail and send it
to the palace.”
“Yes, I understand.”
Su Ying didn’t let Zhou Xiangrong stay in the palace for too long. After the matter was settled, she gave her some substantial material rewards and instructed the palace maids to take her out of the palace.
“Your Imperial Highness, this Eldest Miss Zhou looks like quite a good person.” Not only did she know how to treat illnesses, but she was also so concerned about women’s welfare. This was unique among the noble ladies in the capital city.
Only the daughters of the numerous aristocratic families in the capital city had the opportunity to learn to read and write. Those from less influential families could forget about this unless their families valued it greatly. Otherwise, at most, they would only study books like “Female Virtues”.
If this was her idea, Su Ying approved of it. If they wanted to raise the overall self-cultivation of the citizens of the Chu State, then girls had to study.
After they studied and could read, they would also gain knowledge. At that point, some things could undergo unexpected changes.
“Let’s see what she plans to do first.”
After Zhou Nichang was thrown out of the palace, she was so angry that she went straight to Marquis Bo An and cried.
She was the daughter he doted on so much after all. When he saw that her makeup was ruined from crying, his heart ached a little.
“What’s going on? What happened?”
“Father, Elder Sister is trying to get me into deep trouble. She pushed me in front of the Emperor and almost caused me to be punished by the Emperor. She was really too much.”
Marquis Bo An was furious when he heard that. “This unfilial daughter. I clearly told her to bring you into the palace to receive your merits. I didn t expect her to be so narrow-minded. Don’t cry. When she comes out, I will definitely teach her a lesson!”
When Zhou Xiangrong came out of the palace, the horse carriage from Marquis Bo An’s Residence had already left. She looked at the empty space in front of the palace gates with a disappointed expression. She then turned around to explain the situation to Bai Shuang who had tagged along to send her off.
“Sister, I wonder if you can lend me a horse carriage. It’s too far to walk from the Imperial Palace to Marquis Bo An’s Residence. Otherwise, I’m worried that I won’t be able to reach home even after it gets dark.”
This matter made Bai Shuang think of Su Ying’s exile from the kingdom in the past. Back then, Su Yulun and the others had also treated Su Ying harshly, so she felt a little more sympathy for Zhou Xiangrong.
“Miss Zhou, please wait a moment. I will summon a horse carriage to send you back.”
Bai Shuang requested the Imperial Guards to prepare a horse carriage to send Zhou Xiangrong off.
When Bai Shuang returned to the Conjugal Phoenix Palace, she also told Su Ying about this matter. “Marquis Bo An’s Residence is really too much. She did bring glory to the residence after all. How could they do something so out of line!”
A child without a mother was like a blade of helpless grass. This principle was the same in any era and at any place.
“She’s not a person who’s willing to accept the status quo. You don’t have to worry.”
Indeed, Zhou Xiangrong was not. Not only was she unwilling, but her ambition was definitely beyond anyone’s imagination.
Zhou Xiangrong had just returned to Marquis Bo An’s Residence when she was stopped by a maidservant. “Eldest Young Miss, you are finally back. Lord Marquis and the others are waiting for you in the main hall. You should hurry there at once, Eldest Young Miss. Don’t anger Lord Marquis. Otherwise, you won’t end up well afterward.”
Zhou Xiangrong looked at the smug-looking maidservant and knew very well why they wanted her to go over.
Today, she also planned to make things clear so that they wouldn’t delay her plan.
When Zhou Xiangrong was led in by the maidservant, Marquis Bo An and Madam An were sitting on the main seat.
The anger on Zhou Nichang’s face intensified when she saw Zhou Xiangrong enter.
“Zhou Xiangrong, kneel before me!” Marquis Bo An barked with a derisive snort.
Zhou Xiangrong stood there without moving. There was even a mocking sneer on her face.
This sneer infuriated Marquis Bo An outright. “Impudent! Didn’t you hear what
I said to you? Kneel down!”
“I don’t know what I have done wrong for Father to reprimand me so severely? Marquis Bo An replied, “I told you to bring your younger sister into the palace to be rewarded for her contributions. Yet, you deliberately made a fool of your younger sister. Tell me, what are your intentions? Are you trying to kill your younger sister?”
Zhou Xiangrong blinked her eyes, making herself look particularly innocent. “Father, you have wronged me. Why would I embarrass Younger Sister for no reason? It was clearly Younger Sister who saw the Emperor and became anxious and rushed over. I couldn’t stop her even if I wanted to.”
When Zhou Nichang heard that, she gritted her teeth in anger. “You’re talking nonsense. You were the one who pushed me!
Zhou Xiangrong frowned slightly. “Younger Sister, I’ve already promised to bring you into the palace to take credit. What good would it do me to embarrass you? We are all daughters of Marquis Bo An’s Residence. We hail from the same roots. If things go well for you, I will also benefit. You are simply too impatient.”
“Zhou Xiangrong, don’t spout nonsense, you bitch. You’re the one who pushed me. You pushed me!” Zhou Nichang was almost screaming at this point. She was so angry that she threw herself at Zhou Xiangrong and tried to slap her face.
Zhou Xiangrong got a shock and backed away repeatedly in fear.
However, Zhou Nichang still did not intend to let her go and pounced on Zhou Xiangrong. Zhou Xiangrong took the opportunity to pinch her several times, causing Zhou Nichang to scream in pain.
In the beginning, when Zhou Nichang had the upper hand, Lady An did not make a sound. However, when she realized that something was wrong, she immediately asked the maidservants to step forward and pull the two apart. “Zhou Xiangrong, I’m going to beat you to death!”
“Enough.. Shut up, all of you!”
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