Transmigration: The Evil Mother-In-Law Is Actually Innocent!

Chapter 1686: Chapter 1686: Meaning

Ministry of Revenue, Zhou Shuren was also reading the newspaper, unable to hide the pride in his eyes. “My wife is incredible.”

There were quite a few newspapers in the Ministry of Revenue. Qiu Yan sighed, “Mr. Fengqing is truly talented.”

In the capital, Mr. Fengqing’s books were selling well. It was said that they had been reprinted several times, and now he even wrote articles. It was remarkable.

Zhou Shuren’s mustache turned upwards as he happily sipped tea, enjoying the compliments about his wife.

Qiu Yan continued, “This Mr. Fengqing has such insights. I wonder who he is. Why haven’t we heard of him before? Sir, do you think the Emperor might invite him to be an official?”

Zhou Shuren replied, “No.”

Qiu Yan was excited, “Sir, do you know who Mr. Fengqing is?”

He finally realized, given how much the Emperor trusted him, it was normal for him to know.

Zhou Shuren, realizing his affirmative answer, stroked his mustache, “I cannot say.”

Qiu Yan pondered internally. Surely, many people knew, and many were curious about Mr. Fengqing, yet no one mentioned it. Clearly, they did not want people to know who Mr. Fengqing was!

All departments subscribed to the newspaper. Wong Ju, being in the know, was stunned to see the article published. Without the Emperor’s approval, he couldn’t believe it!

Wong Ju listened dazedly to his colleagues’ discussions, not recovering for a long time. He suddenly stood up, drawing the attention of those around him, and awkwardly smiled, “It’s nothing, you all continue discussing.”

Someone asked tentatively, “Do you know Mr. Fengqing?”

Wong Ju waved his hand, “How would I know? I just stood up because I was uncomfortable sitting for too long.”

He was indeed quite shocked. It wasn’t just Yang writing articles. He was concerned about the Emperor’s attitude and remembered what Zhou Shuren said about change. Wong Ju took a deep breath, feeling he needed to take it slow.

In the Ministry of Rites, Chang Yi listened to his colleagues’ discussions, feeling proud. Mr. Fengqing was his mother. He was surprised when she decided to write articles, but more so, it seemed only natural. If she had published books, writing articles was no big deal.

Especially since he always knew how amazing his mother was!

A colleague saw that Chang Yi was silent, “Aren’t you curious?”

Chang Yi thought to himself, he’s really not curious. Out loud, he said, “Rather than being curious about who Mr. Fengqing is, we should read the articles carefully.”

The colleague agreed, “You’re right.”

Chang Yi left with a teapot in hand, still seeing colleagues in small groups discussing. His gaze fell on Ji Deming, who was flipping through a newspaper.

This man wasn’t incapable. He genuinely earned his degree, performed his duties well in the Ministry of Rites, and completed tasks as arranged, yet it was a pity.

Ji Deming gripped the newspaper, took a deep breath, and finally put it down. He thought of Gu Sheng. Despite following the Second Prince, the noble young men in the capital were still unkind to him.

By contrast, Gu Sheng frequently visited the palace and had future prince consorts as friends. Even with a tarnished reputation, no one deliberately made things difficult for him.

His only consolation now was that Marquis Zhou’s residence had not acted. He had indeed guessed wrong. Thinking of the Hou Residence reminded him of Lord Zhou. A good background was indeed good; Lord Zhou’s son, even as a Scholar, was able to manage tasks. He had no chance to earn merit.

At the Hou Residence, Zhulan put away the newspaper when Rong Enqing arrived, bringing some fresh food. “You’re such a busy person; how come you have time to visit?”

Rong Enqing replied, “The tuition is settled.”

Zhulan asked sternly, “How much is the tuition for female students?”

She was more concerned about this. The Academy wouldn’t lack male students; even with tuition fees, parents would grit their teeth for their sons’ futures. Girls didn’t have this opportunity.

“I was just about to discuss this with you. The tuition for male students is set, but it’s hard to decide for girls. I wanted to hear your thoughts.”

Zhulan knew Rong Enqing had been visiting people, “Didn’t the visits yield good results?”

Rong Enqing smiled bitterly, “No. When asked tentatively, many said it was a waste for girls to study when they could stay at home and wait for marriage.”

“No one wants to send their daughters to study?”

Rong Enqing replied, “There are some. Some hope for free tuition, others ask about the cost, but not many.”

Some villages didn’t have any, while others had one or two.

He, too, had daughters and cared deeply about them, wishing to provide the best, but he also understood. Given his status and resources, he could afford to think more deeply.

Zhulan had anticipated such results and wasn’t surprised. “After the girls finish their internship, I plan to have those who performed well collect medicinal herbs in various villages and mention their internship wages. What do you think?”

Rong Enqing smiled, “That’s great.”

When benefits are seen, families might change their minds.

Zhulan continued, “The Academy isn’t fully renovated yet, so there’s no rush for the girls’ tuition.”

“Alright.”

Zhulan thought this was truly a dilemma. They couldn’t waive tuition yet had to ensure girls would attend. Did the Emperor know the difficulties and see this as her test?

If she couldn’t recruit students as the dean, it would not only be embarrassing but also a lost opportunity the Emperor provided.

These were minor issues. The major concern was that girls might miss the chance to elevate their status.

Rong Enqing shared many difficulties encountered while managing tasks, which Zhulan listened to attentively. She also occasionally pointed out crucial aspects. This was the advantage of having written articles. Previously, even though Rong Enqing respected her, he wouldn’t speak so directly.

Indeed, strength determined status. Rong Enqing now not only respected her!

The next morning at court, Zhou Shuren held his chin high. Anyone could tell Marquis Zhou was in a good mood. Those aware of the truth had complicated feelings, even more frustrated because those who knew were in high positions, meaning they couldn’t write articles themselves.

Imagining a woman’s articles occasionally appearing in the newspapers while they could only watch felt undeniably unpleasant, especially since Yang’s writings were excellent with unique insights!

They didn’t believe Zhou Shuren dictated the articles. An investigation would be revealing. The articles appeared in the newspaper, clearly with the Emperor’s permission!

The Emperor, noticing Zhou Shuren’s prideful demeanor during the court session, couldn’t bear to look. He had truly never seen a couple with such strong affection.

After the morning session ended, Zhou Shuren still felt regretful because he couldn’t openly boast. When he looked around, about to speak to someone who knew the truth, they had already left quickly, clearly not wanting to talk to him.

Wong Ju grinned, “Stop looking. Only I can chat with you about this.”

Zhou Shuren, “Chatting with you lacks a sense of achievement.”

Wong Ju was speechless, “Are you blaming me for knowing too much?”

“I really am.”

Wong Ju reassured himself not to hit anyone. He couldn’t afford to provoke Zhou Shuren now!

Back at the Hou Residence, Zhulan had just finished breakfast when Empress Dowager Chen arrived.

Empress Dowager Chen sat down, “Do you think my stories could appear in the newspapers?”

Zhulan, “Huh?”

No, your highness, this is quite a shock!

Empress Dowager Chen, since her stories were well-received, was brimming with confidence. She loved to find faults in stories about young ladies and scholars. Having been through palace intrigues, her words were sharply sarcastic. She thought her stories were the best and wondered if they could appear in newspapers, too.