Chapter 513: Becoming The Person You Want to Be
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation | Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
Su Ying requested the Minister of Revenue to send over the information on the teachers he had selected.
The background information of these teachers was written in detail in the dossier.
Su Ying read through and found that they were all teachers with some reputation in the capital city.
“Are they all old pedants?” Su Ying pushed the name list to Xiao Jin and asked. The name list had been sent to Xiao Jin before, and it was only brought to Su Ying after Xiao Jin gave his approval.
“It’s hard to say, but there are benefits to using them.” This way, they could let others know how much importance Su Ying attached to this matter. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have hired these people to teach.
In any case, it’s just teaching them to recognize characters at the beginning. It’s not too late to switch to a more suitable teacher when those children have built up a foundation.”
Su Ying nodded. They could only go with this strategy for now.
“Do you want me to accompany you tomorrow?”
Su Ying tugged at the blanket on her body and slowly closed her eyes. “Why do you have to go? It’s not a big deal. It’s good enough if I just show my face.” She knew that Xiao Jin wanted to give her support, but there was no need. Her presence was enough.
“Alright.” Xiao Jin hugged her from behind. Before long, the two of them fell asleep.
As it was the day of the academy’s opening ceremony, Su Ying woke up early with Xiao Jin.
Xiao Jin looked at the slightly dark sky outside and said softly, “There’s no need to get up so early.”
Su Ying stretched lazily. “I slept early last night, so I’m feeling more energetic now.”
Zhang Shuming had already helped Xiao Jin put on the dragon robe.
He waved his hand to dismiss the attendants. Then he personally took the phoenix robe from Zhang Shuming’s hands and walked to the bed.
“Then get up and get dressed.”
Su Ying reached out to take the robe but Xiao Jin evaded her hand. “I’ll do it.” Su Ying didn’t refuse. Who would refuse the personal service of a kingdom’s ruler?
Su Ying did not want to wear too much, so she had told Bai Shuang to prepare the lightest phoenix robe. Not only would it show off Su Ying’s noble status, but it would also let her feel more comfortable.
Xiao Jin lowered his eyes and fastened her belt. He then lowered his head and kissed her forehead. “You’re so beautiful.”
Su Ying raised an eyebrow. “You have good taste.”
Xiao Jin didn’t let go and waited for Su Ying to kiss him back before he allowed Bai Shuang and the others in.
Su Ying laughed and chided him for being childish.
“Your Majesty, it’s almost time.” Zhang Shuming reminded from outside the door.
Su Ying nudged him. “Go on. Don’t waste time. I don’t want to become a Demon Empress who bewitches the monarch from attending the morning court session.”
Xiao Jin squeezed her hand happily. “Okay.”
Bai Shuang looked at Xiao Jin’s back profile as he left and snickered. “His Majesty really can’t bear to leave Your Imperial Highness for even a moment.” Su Ying shrugged helplessly. “I am a charming character.”
The academy’s opening ceremony was scheduled for 9 in the morning, so by the time Su Ying finished her breakfast and went there, she was just in time.
“Your Imperial Highness, you’re here.”
Zhou Xiangrong was appointed as the supervisor here and was also responsible for today’s opening ceremony for the academy.
When she heard that Su Ying had arrived, she immediately came out to welcome Su Ying.
“You may rise. Is everything ready?”
“Your Imperial Highness, everything has been arranged. We are just waiting for Your Imperial Highness to arrive.”
“Alright. Let’s go.”
“Yes, Your Imperial Highness.”
There was a large open field behind the academy which was overgrown with weeds previously. Su Ying felt that this open field was not bad, so she had someone clear it and turn it into a school field. This way, it would be convenient for students to have a space to do some activities during their breaks.
Right now, all the teachers and students, as well as some of the relevant persons-in-charge of the academy, were waiting for Su Ying’s arrival on the school field.
“Her Imperial Highness the Empress has arrived.”
Su Ying strode onto the stage in the field as the loud announcement was made.
“Greetings, Your Imperial Highness.”
Su Ying stood still on the stage and swept her gaze across the people below.
“Everyone, please dispense with the formalities. You may all rise.”
“Thank you, Your Imperial Highness.”
Su Ying cleared her throat softly, took out the speech that Xiao Jin had written for her, and began to read it.
After Su Ying made numerous edits to the content, it wasn’t very long. It was basically telling the students to focus on their studies and not worry about other things.
After Su Ying finished her speech, she got the teachers to go on stage one by one to introduce themselves so that the students could get to know them.
After one round of introductions, it was already close to noon.
‘Your Imperial Highness, do you want to rest here or return to the palace?”
Zhou Qing came to Su Ying’s side and asked softly.
Su Ying looked at the sun. It would already be afternoon by the time she reached the palace. “I’ll have lunch with them in the hall before going back.” “Understood. Your servant will get the chef to prepare.”
“No need. I’ll just eat whatever they eat. There’s no need to specially prepare anything else.”
“Yes, Your Imperial Highness.”
After the students were dismissed, they were led back to the classrooms by the teachers in charge to collect their books. Thereafter, they went to the rear dormitory to collect their bowls and chopsticks to prepare for mealtime.
Su Ying stood in the corridor of the hall and watched the young tender-faced students who were brimming with youthful energy, she nodded in satisfaction.
Among the children who were recruited, those between the ages of five to eight were placed in the kindergarten classes. They were mainly taught to read as well as take elementary lessons.
For the older ones at the ages of eight to twelve, other than learning how to read and taking other elementary lessons, they could also choose some survival skills lessons according to their preferences. After they have mastered the skill, they could go out and make a living.
The oldest students were between 12 and 20 years old. However, the oldest students in this batch were only 15 years old. They could not recruit any students beyond this age. The main reason was that most of the students above this age were married off. Their husbands were not willing to let them show their faces in public. They also had to take care of their families and young children.
There were a total of 300 students, which was quite a big number.
“Your Imperial Highness, the food is ready.” Zhou Xiangrong walked up to Su Ying and informed her.
Su Ying nodded. In order not to disrupt everyone’s meal, she followed Zhou Xiangrong to a small room in the hall.
“I don’t know if you can get used to these simple meals, Your Imperial Highness.”
Su Ying loved delicious food, but she wasn’t picky about what kind. The so-called simple meals were just a big pot of shared food, so they naturally weren’t that exquisite. Nonetheless, she still liked them.
“I have seen your proposal and can see that you have put in a lot of effort, but I still have something to ask you.”
Zhou Xiangrong lowered her eyes humbly.
“Please go ahead, Your Imperial Highness.”
“Even if these women study and learn things, they can only get married and have children in the end, spending the rest of their lives in the back courtyard. What’s the use of learning these things then?”
Zhou Xiangrong paused for a moment before raising her head to look at Su
Ying solemnly. “Your Imperial Highness, learning shouldn’t be segregated by gender. It is the same for talent. Who says that women are inferior to men? There are many things that men can do, and so can we women. However, this world simply doesn’t give women the chance to prove themselves. I want to set up a women’s academy because I want to give myself and those women a chance to become the person they want to be!”
Bai Shuang almost applauded Zhou Xiangrong. These independent women were really appealing.
These words were indeed moving, and Su Ying agreed with them. This was also the reason she agreed to Zhou Xiangrong’s proposal to establish this academy..
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