Climbing to the Top: A Reborn Queen's Journey-Chapter 760: Ascending to the Heavens (5)

For Jiang Shaohua, establishing a women’s academy is not a difficult task now.

Choosing a spacious house and leaving Cui Wenxiu as the Mountain Master, providing lunch without charge, many families would compete to send their daughters to study just for this advantage. Not to mention, the court’s female examination has shown everyone that women have better paths beyond marriage and childbirth.

Allowing women to step out of their homes to study and work just like men. Though the road is still long, it has a clear and definite direction. It’s a matter of walking step by step.

Cui Wenxiu smiled and inquired, "To run a women’s academy, you need to recruit a batch of female teachers. I think that many talented women who did not pass the female examination could be hired to teach at the academy. How about that?"

One hundred and four people took the exam, and twenty were selected, leaving eighty-four who did not pass. They are also considered to be the most outstanding group of women in Da Liang today. With a little training, they can fully take on the role of a female teacher.

Jiang Shaohua nodded with delight, "That’s a good idea. I’ll leave this matter to you!"

As the Emperor, it is impossible to personally attend to everything, so there must be a group of loyal and capable female officials under him.

Cui Wenxiu accepted the command with cupped fists.

After finishing the main business, Jiang Shaohua chatted with the two for a while about interesting stories in the Fourteen Counties of Nanyang County.

Unfortunately, the relaxed and pleasant moment quickly ended.

Chief Historian Wang Zhongshu Ling arrived with a pile of memorials.

Cui Wenxiu and Li Ying quickly cupped their hands and took their leave. After leaving, the two went to find Lu Zhen first.

Chen Sheren laughed, "Lu Zhen will first follow you out of the palace. From tomorrow, she’ll take up her duties in the palace and reside in Zhaohai Palace. There’s a two-day rest period each month."

Of course, after taking up the job, those two rest days are often occupied by tasks. Take Chen Sheren for example, he has had very few days off in the past half year.

Lu Zhen restrained her inner joy and excitement, solemnly saluting in response.

Chen Sheren was amused, suppressing the urge to reach out and touch Lu Zhen’s hair.

Lu Zhen is the top candidate in the female examination, and the Emperor wants to use her as an example to inspire all the women of Da Liang to study hard, to completely reverse the world’s bias towards males. It can be said that Lu Zhen’s every word and deed will be watched by everyone in the future. This is glory, but also a heavy burden.

Lu Zhen is a very clever girl, and although Chen Sheren said nothing, she understood this layer. At this moment, she demonstrated a maturity beyond her age.

Until she left the court and sat in the carriage, Lu Zhen finally revealed her nature, excitedly cheering, "The whole day feels like a dream!"

"Teacher, Mountain Master, am I really the top candidate in the female exam?"

Cui Wenxiu and Li Ying responded with laughter, confirming it.

"Am I starting my duties in the palace from tomorrow?" Lu Zhen’s large eyes twinkled brighter than the stars in the sky.

"Of course." Cui Wenxiu and Li Ying again nodded in unison.

Lu Zhen grinned wide, smiling all the way to the Cui Family’s gate, where, oh! A crowd gathered to welcome her.

Among them were relatives from the Qinghe Cui Family and the Li Family. Unfortunately, Lu Zhen’s family was in Ye County. Her family did not yet know the great news of her becoming a female scholar and being retained in the palace for work.

That night, every family with a female scholar celebrated jubilantly, no different from having a man pass the scholar exams.

In fact, the female scholars from the first women’s examination are more cherished than the male talents. The Empress strongly supports them, clearly indicating that female officials will be important in the future. They are the lucky ones who got the first taste of this new opportunity. Entering the official arena and taking the path of administration a step earlier means all future matters will progress faster for them. How can this not make one’s heart swell with joy?

When Li Fangfei returned home, the entire Li Family greeted her with excitement.

The future and hope of the Li Family had always rested on Li Boyuan. Unfortunately, Li Boyuan died tragically in the palace upheaval. Minister Li also perished in the palace upheaval. Now, the Li Family has produced a female scholar, retained by the Emperor to work in the palace. This is comparable to Li Boyuan’s previous role as Imperial Attendant. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

Li Fangfei, under the escort of her family and relatives, stepped inside the house. All the feelings of excitement merged into a single thought.

She must dedicate herself to her duties and become a close confidante of the Empress. Perhaps someday, she will become the Family Head of the Li Family.

Historically, the Family Head has always been a man, while women could only manage household affairs. There was never a precedent for a woman to be the Family Head. However, Da Liang has an Empress, women can participate in the Imperial Examination and become officials in the court, so why can’t they become Family Heads?

Rules and conventions can all be broken.

Wang Shu received the same grand and enthusiastic treatment upon returning to the Wang Family.

Prime Minister Wang’s shoulder injury had mostly healed; apart from not being able to carry heavy loads, he had no trouble walking. However, Prime Minister Wang generally did not enjoy meeting outsiders.

Today, Prime Minister Wang was in a very good mood, and specifically waited outside his study to welcome his niece Wang Shu.

"Good! Good! Good!" Prime Minister Wang smiled broadly, praising her with three "goods": "You are remarkable! You passed as the second place in the first tier, and now you can serve beside the Emperor, very impressive."

From childhood to adulthood, Wang Shu was never favored by her elders due to her tough temperament, but today, having passed as a female scholar, seeing the delighted expressions of her elders gave her great satisfaction.

She replied confidently, "It was because of my cousin’s strong support that I had the opportunity to participate in the female examination."

There are thousands of Wang Family relatives in the Capital City, and there were at least eighty to a hundred eligible girls. Wang Shu stood out partly because of her literary talent and partly due to Wang Jin’s support.

In the end, Prime Minister Wang was not very fond of Wang Shu.

Wang Shu’s immediate rebuttal made Prime Minister Wang somewhat displeased. However, being an old fox, he could control his temper and smiled at his niece, saying, "Si Lang has been in the palace for many years and is now a close confidant of the Emperor. If you encounter something you don’t understand while working in the palace, you may ask him."

Wang Shu replied, "The Emperor ordered the three of us to learn the ropes from Chen Sheren; if I have questions, I will ask Chen Sheren."

Prime Minister Wang: "..."

...

That night, Lu Zhen was too excited to sleep at all.

At dawn, Lu Zhen took a carriage to the palace to begin her duties.

Li Ying initially wanted to see her off but was stopped by Cui Wenxiu: "She is a smart child, and Chen Sheren will diligently guide her, we have nothing to worry about."

"I am planning to invite some female teachers today, if you are free, you may accompany me."

Li Ying happily agreed.

Out of the eighty-four women who failed the exam, some have already left the Capital City, some are from prestigious families and may not be willing to appear in public. Others are already married and would need the approval of their husbands and in-laws to come out and work.

Cui Wenxiu thought about it and selected over a dozen names.