A shiver ran through Li Wanming as she suddenly realized that she hadn't told him about this.
On the other end, Xiao Jingnan's tone had turned sorrowful.
"My lady sought his help instead of mine when applying for the liquor license, and now when it comes to hiring a teacher for the academy, it's still him instead of me... It seems that in my lady's heart, I'm still not as important as this former lover..."
Li Wanming knew that she had been in the wrong, but hearing his words, a sudden surge of无名 anger flared up inside her.
"What are you talking nonsense about? When it comes to hiring a teacher, how didn't I ask you? Didn't I say that I wanted you to teach everyone accounting?"
"Moreover, he doesn't come here every day. He only comes on his days off. He can only teach once every five days."
"Also, this 'former lover' thing sounds so ugly!"
"Stop talking nonsense. I have nothing to do with him!"
Xiao Jingnan continued his mournful wailing: "My lady says she has nothing to do with him, yet he received a share of 400 taels of silver as a dividend.
"Poor me, the legitimate husband, who has been busy for half a year, only gets 10 taels of silver as a monthly allowance, which is even less than Caiwei and Qinglan... Alas, in the end, for whom have I been toiling so hard..."
Hearing this, Li Wanming got even angrier: "For whom have I been toiling so hard?
"I've been taking care of your meals and daily life every day, looking after your whole family, and even finding jobs for your cousins! Are you saying that in the end, I've wronged you?"
Her eyes widened round, and both sides of her cheeks flushed.
Seeing that she was really angry, Xiao Jingnan knew that he had gone too far. He quickly forced a smile and said, "That's not what I meant. I just think that since we opened this academy and the liquor store together, we should discuss things together when something comes up.
"A husband and wife are one entity. We should share both honor and disgrace, as well as risks. My lady always takes all the responsibilities on herself. I'm just afraid that you'll get too tired."
Li Wanming also knew in her heart that it was not good that she hadn't told him anything before, although it wasn't intentional. Seeing that he had offered her a way out, she followed it:
"You once said that if I wanted to save my sisters, I had to make Zhaoyu Academy well - known. But it's not that easy to establish a school that can rival Cangshan Academy.
"I was thinking that if a number one scholar could be a teacher here, it would be much easier to recruit famous teachers later. So that day, when we were distributing dividends, I talked to him about it. I didn't mean to hide it from you."
Xiao Jingnan thought to himself that if she just wanted to find a teacher, why did she have to go to Pei Yanqi? Couldn't any of his father - in - law's former students and associates be better than him if they came to give a few lectures?
However, he didn't say anything. He just gently patted Li Wanming's shoulder and said, "Yes, my lady has thought it through very carefully. It was my rudeness.
"But in the future, when something comes up, let's discuss it together, okay?"
Li Wanming bit her lip and nodded.
——————
In the third month of spring, the orioles were flying and the grass was growing. All kinds of flowers were in full bloom.
Zhaoyu Academy was finally going to open!
Early in the morning, Liu Yiyi came by carriage.
Before the carriage had even come to a complete stop, she shouted, "Wanming, look who I've brought!"
The Liu family's servants put down the footstool, and two people walked down behind Liu Yiyi.
They were actually Mrs. Liu and Concubine Shuang!
Liu Yiyi said happily, "These two female teachers I've brought for you, are you satisfied?"
It turned out that the two shopkeepers she had said she would recommend to Li Wanming were actually her mother and concubine.
Concubine Shuang blushed and quickly said, "No no no, I'm not qualified to be a teacher. I'm here to study."
Mrs. Liu also said, "Wanming, I've recognized Shuang'er as my younger sister. Don't call her Concubine Shuang anymore. Just call her Liu Shuang. She doesn't have enough knowledge to be a teacher yet. Let her study here with you."
Li Wanming agreed and quickly invited Mrs. Liu and Liu Shuang into the academy to sit down. She told Chuntao to make tea and Qinglan to show them around.
She pulled Liu Yiyi aside and whispered, "Why is Aunt Liu here? Did your mother really divorce your father?"
"If only she had..."
Liu Yiyi said with a bitter face, "My father not only refused to be divorced, but he even disagreed to a peaceful separation!
"He even threatened to hang himself at home last month. He said that if my mother mentioned divorce again, he would kill himself in front of us.
"Alas, the two of them have been making such a ruckus at home every day. It's really a headache.
"So I told my mother that your academy was going to start classes and asked her to come here as a teacher.
"One reason is to let her and my father separate for a while so that they can both calm down. Anyway, I'll be at ease knowing that she's staying with you. The other reason is to give my mother something to do so that she won't be so depressed every day and get sick..."
Li Wanming nodded and said, "You've thought it through very well. At this time, it's really better for them to separate for a while. But my academy is going to recruit poor girls. Their foundation is not good and they learn slowly. I'm afraid it will make your mother angry."
Liu Yiyi quickly pressed her hand and said, "Don't say that. After my mother heard the reason why you wanted to open this academy, she was extremely supportive! She even said that my father, that thick - headed man, should also come to take classes here!"
Speaking of this, she let out a long sigh and said, "If my father had Uncle Li's vision and magnanimity, how could they have ended up like this..."
Li Wanming comforted her friend a few more words. The two of them chatted at the door for a while. At this time, Chuntao came over and asked, "Miss, the auspicious time is coming soon. Should we still wait?"
Li Wanming knew who she was talking about and simply replied, "Wait."
In the past few months when she was preparing for the academy, Xiao Jingnan had been to the Ministry of Rites, the Imperial Academy, and the Hanlin Academy several times. Now, half of the capital knew that there was the shadow of the Lu family behind the academy.
Now, the entrance of the academy was already surrounded by curious onlookers.
If Lu Songyuan didn't come today, it wouldn't be the face of Zhaoyu Academy that would be slapped, but the faces of the entire Ministry of Rites, the Imperial Academy, and the Hanlin Academy.
So Li Wanming was certain that Lu Songyuan would definitely come today.
As for Miss Lu, the reason why she hadn't shown up yet was probably just to put on airs and show off her noble status.
Just as she finished speaking, a green - sail carriage came from the street.
Although it looked very textured, the kind of green canvas commonly used by official families, its decoration was simple and not luxurious.
Li Wanming frowned slightly. This kind of low - key style didn't seem to be Lu Songyuan's way...
Sure enough, after the carriage stopped, Sun Miaoqing and Guo Xinyue got out of it.
??
Why were they here?
Sun Miaoqing had lost a lot of weight, especially her face, which still showed signs of illness and looked pale and bloodless. It seemed that the time she had to kneel in the ancestral hall had taken a toll on her.
However, as soon as she opened her mouth, all her annoying tones came back.
"Li Wanming, what on earth are you doing? Uncle Li and Aunt Li see you acting like this, and they don't even try to stop you?
"An academy should at least teach people to cultivate their moral character, study the Four Books and the Five Classics, or at least some elegant hobbies like playing musical instruments, chess, calligraphy, and painting. But you want to teach brewing and farming? It's really embarrassing!"
She had come here today specifically to watch Li Wanming make a fool of herself!
These days, her life in the Guo family had not been easy.
In name, she was the young mistress of the Guo family, but in fact, she was no different from a servant.
Since she got married, her husband had never touched her...
Her mother - in - law even blamed her for not being able to capture her husband's heart.
Some time ago, for some inexplicable small things, her mother - in - law scolded her severely and punished her to kneel in the ancestral hall...
Sun Miaoqing didn't know what was going on behind the scenes. She could only be more careful in pleasing Mrs. Guo and Guo Xinyue from then on.
This time, when she heard that Li Wanming had opened a girls' academy to teach farming and weaving, she was overjoyed.
The daughter of a general of Xuanwei, not only had she become a liquor - store mistress, but now she even wanted to farm?
Hahaha, it was really hilarious!
She must come here today to humiliate Li Wanming well and vent the depression she had felt these days!
Li Wanming ignored her and just stared at Guo Xinyue.
The two women's gazes clashed invisibly in the air.
Guo Xinyue's expression was calm, with a hint of impatience between her eyebrows, as if to say, "My stupid sister - in - law insisted on coming to watch the fun. I can't do anything about it. But it's just as well. I also want to see how you make a fool of yourself."
Li Wanming had a sudden realization: That's right. Guo Xinyue didn't know that they had already reached an agreement with Lu Songyuan.
The aunt and niece probably really thought that she had just opened an academy to teach poor girls brewing and farming, and didn't know that there was already the support of the grand tutor's daughter behind it.
Sun Miaoqing was still beaming with pride: "You said it's a school just for girls. What kind of family would dare to send their daughters to you? Hehe, I'm afraid that no one will sign up later. Your academy will open and close on the same day!"
Li Wanming gave her a cold look and finally said, "After getting beaten and kneeling for three days, you've really made no progress..."
Sun Miaoqing's face changed. She was about to curse when she suddenly saw another luxurious carriage coming from the end of the alley.
The canopy of the carriage was embroidered with auspicious cloud patterns woven with gold thread. Under the sunlight, it sparkled, as if it had come from the Heavenly Palace.