"I'm going to teach them how to brew wine, grow vegetables, weave cloth, and do accounts!"
"I'll teach them how to manage shops, handle incoming and outgoing goods, how to manage staff, and how to deal with all kinds of people!"
"I want them to know that girls don't just need to play musical instruments and paint. Girls should also learn the survival skills in this world!"
"Reading can help one understand principles, but it's not enough. One should also be able to make a living with their own hands!"
"This world doesn't just need talented female scholars. It also needs female shopkeepers, female generals, female blacksmiths, female carpenters... Only when one straightens their back can they truly have a dialogue with this world!"
Xiao Jingnan never expected that Li Wanming, who had been in a gloomy mood for several days, actually had such a grand plan in mind.
"Do you mean to set up an academy that specifically teaches survival skills so that women can work in the future?"
"Yes!" Li Wanming nodded vigorously.
"Although the idea is good, it may be difficult to implement..." Xiao Jingnan pondered.
In this dynasty, allowing women to enter academies to study was already the result of the great efforts of the founding empress of the Dacheng Dynasty, Empress Zhaoyuan.
Even such an extraordinary woman, who had fought alongside her husband all the way and jointly founded the eternal foundation of the Dacheng Dynasty, was still only titled as the Empress Zhaoyuan of Dacheng in the end.
She was not a general, not a captain, not even a thousand - household or a hundred - household official. She was an empress, who existed dependent on the emperor.
Two hundred years had passed, and the idea of allowing women to serve in the imperial court was still in the stage of discussion.
There had never been a female general or a female prime minister in the Dacheng Dynasty.
It wouldn't be easy for Li Wanming to let girls go out to work and truly show themselves in public. There would be a lot of resistance.
"I know it's not easy," Li Wanming said. "But we have to try. If it succeeds, it won't just save my elder sister. It will save all the women in the Dacheng Dynasty!"
It was indeed very difficult, but someone had to take the initiative.
Xiao Jingnan's eyes flashed. He said, "Go ahead. I'll support you."
Li Wanming's eyes lit up.
She knew that Xiao Jingnan could understand her, but she never expected that he would agree so readily.
"When I set up the academy, I'll make you the vice - dean!" Li Wanming said happily.
Xiao Jingnan smiled again. "Okay. I'll wait for my wife to promote me in the future."
With this grand goal in mind, Li Wanming became more dedicated to the operation of the wine shop.
She not only focused on brewing wine but also became more cautious about accounting and money planning.
To set up an academy, especially such a revolutionary one, would surely cost a fortune. She had to work harder to save money.
This sum of money was much more than what was needed to simply help her elder sisters escape.
Xiao Jingnan had calculated for her that renting a venue, hiring teachers, providing food and accommodation for students, and dealing with various matters would cost at least five thousand taels of silver...
However, this didn't make Li Wanming back down. Instead, it stimulated her competitive spirit.
Li Wanming got rid of her previous dejection and became more actively involved in the operation of the wine shop.
Now, the business of the wine shop was booming. There were more orders than they could handle every day.
Not only Jinyutang Wine, but also Furongbi Wine, Huatang Wine, Ranshu Fine Wine, and the original Danli Wine were all in short supply.
The Li Family Wine Shop had finally made a name for itself in the capital.
Every family that held a banquet was proud to serve the wine from the Li Family Wine Shop.
But there was something strange. Li Wanming noticed that not only were there more people coming to the wine shop to buy wine, but there were also more people in the Cheng Mansion in Pingkangfang.
At first, there were just some people lurking around secretly. Then, carriages came to pay visits. Later, some people even sent visiting cards specifically to ask to see Lord Cheng...
Wasn't this a joke?
There were only farmers and vegetable growers in the Cheng Mansion. Where was there any Lord Cheng?
Li Wanming just said that they had the wrong address and didn't let anyone in.
Lu Ping found Xiao Jingnan privately and said, "My lord, if this goes on, we won't be able to keep it a secret for long..."
Xiao Jingnan sighed and said, "I know we can't go on like this, but there's nothing we can do."
"After the Double Ninth Palace Banquet, Jinyutang Wine became popular in the capital. Naturally, some people will follow the trail of the Li Family Wine Shop to find out about Wanming and me."
"If they lurk around the Li Mansion, they may see Father and recognize him."
"Fortunately, Father has already talked to those uncles and asked them to keep our identities a secret."
Lu Ping said anxiously, "But if this goes on, it will become an open secret in the whole capital!"
Xiao Jingnan comforted him, "Don't be anxious. Those who can recognize Father are at least of the third rank or above. Those who can reach this position are all shrewd people."
"Since Father has explained the pros and cons, they will surely abide by the agreement and keep the secret."
"As for the Empress Dowager, you don't have to worry about that."
"I've already talked to the Princess. I'll accept the invitation from the Capital Chamber of Commerce. From then on, all money withdrawals will be the same as when Wei Chengbiao was alive. When the Empress Dowager asks, she will cover for us."
Lu Ping asked worriedly, "Is the invitation from the Thirteen Guilds of the Capital for the prince and the princess to join the chamber of commerce a trap?"
"No," Xiao Jingnan said. "Now the business of the Li Family Wine Shop is so prosperous that its reputation has already exceeded that of Wei Chengbiao's Zuihuazhuang back then. It's only natural for them to invite us eagerly."
"Moreover, since they see that the Princess has no objection, they will naturally regard me as one of the Princess's people and won't dare to set a trap for me."
"Now it's reasonable for me to join the chamber of commerce. I can just take this opportunity to find out about the details and accounts of the chamber of commerce."
Lu Ping said, "Even so, my lord, you still have to be careful. The Princess has been in the chamber of commerce for many years. Her influence runs deep. It may not be easy to find out her details."
Xiao Jingnan said, "Don't worry. I'll act according to the situation."
"As for here in Pingkangfang, tell Wu Yao to be more vigilant. If there are any more blind - eyed people who say they come to visit Lord Cheng or King Xiao, tell Wu Yao to say they have the wrong address and drive them out!"
Lu Ping nodded. "I understand."
Xiao Jingnan paused and then sighed. "Actually, all these are easy to handle. The really difficult thing is the banquet at General Feng's mansion on the sixteenth day of October..."
After the welcoming banquet in the palace, Feng Yuanji officially returned to the capital and was conferred the title of the Great General Who Protects the State. He was now in the limelight, even more so than General Piaoqi Huo Xiaoyan back then!
On the sixteenth day of October, he would hold a grand banquet at his general's mansion to entertain his military colleagues.
The wine for the banquet would, of course, be Jinyutang Wine from the Li Family Wine Shop.
This was going to be a headache...
When King Ning first entered the military, he served under General Feng. They had a master - apprentice relationship. He couldn't miss such an occasion.
Li Rusong was a fourth - rank General Who Proclaims Might. As a new rising star in the military who had just been transferred back to the capital two and a half years ago, he must pay a visit to this military bigwig.
And since the general's mansion had ordered a thousand jars of wine at once, Li Wanming would surely go to deliver the wine in person.
Just thinking about it made Xiao Jingnan's scalp tingle.
All these people would be in the same place. Could they still keep their identities a secret?
If Li Wanming saw her father sitting at the same table with the Great General Who Protects the State and the Minister of War, drinking and chatting like brothers...
What would her reaction be?
Xiao Jingnan didn't even dare to think about it.