Although Fang Zhi was rough - edged, she was by no means stupid.
When she spoke, every word was like a sharp blade stabbing into Lü Songyuan's heart.
If she wanted to become the queen, she couldn't ignore the will of the people.
If she hadn't come today, it would have been fine. But since she had come and was the only noble young lady present who didn't sign up... What would the common people in the capital think if this got out?
Fang Zhi was clearly putting her on the spot!
Lü Songyuan's hands gradually tightened.
To be honest, she didn't want to join Zhaoyu Academy.
Sit under the same roof with a bunch of ragged and smelly poor people to learn brewing and weaving?
Don't be ridiculous!
She was the daughter of the grand tutor. Her family had produced high - ranking officials for four generations and was of noble lineage. How could she squeeze in with a bunch of commoners?
Coming here for the ribbon - cutting ceremony and showing off a bit was fine... but attending classes in the same room? That was definitely not what she wanted.
Lü Songyuan really didn't want to do this.
Her eyes swept over the simple desks and writing brushes in the room, and she immediately felt nauseous.
In Zangshan Academy, the desk she used was a dragon - headed rosewood one, the paper was the finest Huzhou cooked rice paper, and even a single writing brush was worth all the learning tools in this room.
However, if she didn't sign up today...
She was afraid that Fang Zhi would seize the opportunity to criticize her.
That bitch had a sharp tongue and was outspoken, saying whatever came to her mind.
Once they left this place, she would surely spread the word that Lü Songyuan looked down on the common people and disdained to study with them in the same room.
This kind of public outcry was beyond her ability to bear.
Moreover, before Fang Zhi came this time, she had asked the wife of the Duke of Qing for permission.
The wife of the Duke of Qing had said that they could come here to study and gain knowledge. If Lü Songyuan still hesitated and refused to come, what would the wife of the Duke of Qing think of her when she returned to Zangshan Academy in a few days?
Fang Zhi's move had blocked her last way out!
Lü Songyuan's face turned pale and then red, and the veins on her forehead bulged. She was still wavering and couldn't make a decision.
Li Wanming knew that she was in a difficult situation, so she went over to persuade her:
"Miss Lü, my academy is too small, and what we teach are practical skills. It's really not a good place for self - cultivation and moral edification. It would truly be a hardship for Miss Lü to study here."
She really didn't want Lü Songyuan to study here!
With Fang Zhi already here, if Lü Songyuan came too, just mediating their disputes every day would give her a headache. When would she have time to teach?
Moreover, with these two "great gods" around, she had to be extremely careful with every word she said... She and Qinglan wouldn't be able to do anything else in the future!
"You don't want me here?"
Lü Songyuan suddenly raised her eyes.
"Ah? I didn't mean that..." Li Wanming quickly said.
However, before she could finish her sentence, Lü Songyuan said, "The sages said that education should be available to all without discrimination. Although Miss Cheng's academy is for commoner girls, I assume it will treat us daughters of officials equally. You surely won't drive us out, right?"
"Today, I'll also sign up. I hope Miss Cheng will spare no effort in teaching me and won't let me down."
After saying that, she followed in Qinglan's direction.
Before leaving, she glanced at Li Wanming: "If Miss Fang can sign up, I surely can too. Miss Cheng, don't be partial!"
"I..."
At that moment, Li Wanming really wanted to swear.
What kind of partiality was she showing?
She didn't want either of them!
Now it was good. Fang Zhi, Lü Songyuan, and Xiao Yingchu... She had taken in three "great gods" in a row!
Li Wanming angrily nudged Xiao Jingnan with her elbow: "It's all your great idea! Inviting her for the ribbon - cutting ceremony, and now we've let a wolf into the house. Tell me, how are we going to handle this?"
Xiao Jingnan wondered, "Wife, your academy has just opened, and you've already taken in the daughters of the current chief councilor and the grand tutor as students. This is such a glorious thing that many people would envy. Why do you need to 'handle' it?"
Li Wanming raised her hand to hit him: "If others envy it, let them invite these two over. What does it matter to me? I don't care. You must solve this problem for me..."
Xiao Jingnan caught her hand and said softly with a smile, "Alright, stop being naughty. Let me talk to you seriously."
"I didn't expect Fang Zhi to enroll either. However, since they're here, let them stay."
"With these two in your academy, the name of your academy will probably spread throughout the entire capital overnight. From now on, the Ministry of Rites, the Imperial Academy, and the Hanlin Academy will surely not dare to cause you any trouble."
"Moreover, many people would dream of being classmates with the daughters of the chief councilor and the grand tutor. After today, the number of girls coming to our Zhaoyu Academy to sign up will be countless."
Li Wanming said, "But I wanted to teach them how to make a living. If all the girls who come are vain and want to climb up the social ladder, how can they focus on brewing and weaving?"
Xiao Jingnan said, "Teaching and educating people is the responsibility of the teacher. Which way the students' minds develop depends entirely on how the teacher teaches..."
His eyes glanced to the side and he tilted his head: "Wife, you've even invited the current top - scorer in the imperial examination. Don't you know how to teach?"
Here it comes again...
Li Wanming sighed in her heart.
After Pei Yanqi came today, Xiao Jingnan had shown no abnormal reaction and had behaved quite normally. She thought the knot in his heart had been untied.
Who would have thought that it was still buried deep in his heart, like an almost invisible needle that would prick you unexpectedly.
Over there, Pei Yanqi had just finished his tour and was walking over. When he saw her, he waved and said, "Hey, Li Wanming, the place you've found is not bad! It's okay. It can barely match my status as the top - scorer in the imperial examination."
"However, I require an independent study room. It should be big and quiet. It would be best if there are a few slender bamboo poles planted by the window."
"Also, there must be meat in every meal... You can't charge me for this. The academy provides board and lodging. We've already agreed on this!"
"Another thing is the class schedule. When I'm on my day off, you have to send a carriage to pick me up..."
Li Wanming was in a bad mood. Hearing this, she said stiffly, "How about I pick you up in an eight - sedan chair?"
"Also, forget about the independent study room. How about I give you the whole academy? And I won't let Qinglan be the dean anymore. How about I give her dean position to you?"
Pei Yanqi's eyes lit up: "Really? That's not very appropriate... But we have to make it clear in advance. The monthly stipend for the dean is different from that of a teacher. The dean should get at least five taels of silver per month!"
He was getting excited, but Li Wanming turned to look at Xiao Jingnan: "I regret hiring him now."
Xiao Jingnan said, "I told you not to hire him in the first place."
"Can you blame me?" Li Wanming glared: "How could I know that the top - scorer in our Dacheng Dynasty would be such a stupid person?"
Pei Yanqi was stunned when he heard this: "Ah, were you just joking? So you don't want to hire me as the dean?"
Li Wanming gave him a disdainful look: "What else?"
Xiao Jingnan smiled faintly: "Brother Pei, don't be anxious. Although you're not the dean, you're the first teacher hired by our Zhaoyu Academy. Moreover, since Miss Lü and Miss Fang will be studying here in the future, we really need a top - scorer to hold the fort."
Pei Yanqi thought about it and realized it was true.
Not being the dean was okay. Anyway, in the future, when people talked about it, he would still be a teacher in a famous academy. Rounding it up, he was almost a great scholar!