Chapter 97 What Mrs. Xiuying Cares About
It was already September when Chen Biao received Zhu Yuanzhang's long reply.
A few days ago, he received a letter from Chen Guorui. His father's letter contained nothing meaningful except, "Son, do whatever you want. Daddy fully supports you," and "Accept Yan Qian as your disciple! Make him kowtow to you! You must accept him!"
Zhu Yuanzhang's letter first expressed his emotional gratitude for the contributions of his ancestors, then he rationally analyzed the changes that would come to the world after the appearance of the wooden ox and the flowing horse, and ended with the heroic words: "China has always stood at the top of the world. When change comes, China will lead the change and will always stand at the top of the world."
Chen Biao was moved to tears.
Dad! Look at Marshal Zhu, no, look at our Lord! His broad mind! His vision! His unwavering demeanor!
After many communications with Zhu Yuanzhang, Chen Biao despised himself for wanting his father to replace Zhu Yuanzhang's historical position.
Dad doesn’t deserve it!
No one is worthy!
A great man is a great man. Can we, the time travelers who come back with the knowledge of modern people, replace the great men? If we had such ability, we would have become great men in modern society long ago!
Can we, who have traveled through time and space and wish to usurp the throne of a "historical" figure who has appeared hundreds or thousands of years ago and is destined to be one of us?
Chen Biao was convinced.
Chen Biao no longer cared what kind of person Zhu Yuanzhang was in history. But the Zhu Yuanzhang he knew now was a man definitely worth following.
No wonder many time travelers bow down to historical figures after traveling through time, only wanting to assist them rather than replace them. It's true that the charm of personality is irresistible, regardless of time or place!
Chen Biao immediately wrote a letter to his father.
Learn from me. Even if you can only acquire 10% of the lord's courage, it will be enough for you to brag about for the rest of your life!
Chen Biao breathed a long sigh of relief, came back to his senses from his admiration for his lord, and regained his composure.
Chen Biao blew the ink off the paper, folded it, and handed it to the Chen family servant who was delivering the letter, then waved his hand and went to play with his mother.
Well, today's admiration and respect for the lord has been used up, and Chen Biao continues to stand from his own perspective and the perspective of "modern Chen Biao", continuing to be wary of Zhu Yuanzhang, and... digging a hole for the feudal dynasty.
When Chen Biao arrived at the study, Ma Xiuying was practicing calligraphy.
The copybook that Ma Xiuying used to practice calligraphy was a vernacular version of a history textbook written by Chen Biao himself.
Chen Biao did not disturb Ma Xiuying. He simply moved a chair and sat next to her, resting his hands on the chair and looking up at his mother practicing calligraphy.
Ma Xiuying turned her head and smiled at Chen Biao, then continued to practice calligraphy with full concentration.
After finishing practicing a piece of calligraphy, Ma Xiuying put it away.
"Mom, is this a textbook for the girls' school?" Chen Biao asked.
Ma Xiuying said, "It's not a textbook, it's a calligraphy copybook. Mr. Ji said my handwriting is pretty good and can be copied by women."
Chen Biao was puzzled: "There are countless calligraphy masters who have copied calligraphy. Why do you need to write calligraphy for me, mother?"
Ma Xiuying sighed, "Some girls' families place more emphasis on this and are unwilling to copy boys' handwriting."
Chen Biao was stunned for a moment, then raised his hand and gently patted Ma Xiuying's arm: "Mom, you have worked hard."
Women from lower social classes tend to become more conservative when they move up to the upper class, as they have low self-esteem and hope to gain recognition from the upper class by strictly observing etiquette.
They did not understand that etiquette was just a bunch of nonsense . Noble ladies from aristocratic families rarely took etiquette seriously.
For example, the most important rule of etiquette for women is that a married woman belongs to her husband's family and should only consider the interests of her husband's family. Noble ladies are taught from childhood that their parents' family is their real home, and their husband's family is a place to profit for their parents' family and themselves.
Ma Xiuying didn't see things that clearly, nor did she think that far ahead. She simply and naively believed that women should read more, which would definitely be beneficial.
Most of Zhu Yuanzhang's trusted generals were from the lower classes, and naturally their first wives were mostly rural women.
In order to convince the wives of generals who were dressed in silk and satin, wearing gorgeous jewelry, and timidly imitating the so-called "noble ladies" in others' eyes, Ma Xiuying made many compromises on some minor details.
For example, women in the academy are not allowed to touch things belonging to "strange men".
Ma Xiuying smiled and said, "But you're not a stranger. If it were your calligraphy, the female students at the academy would scramble to copy it and love it. They'd probably hear from someone that if they were exposed to your presence, they might give birth to a child as smart as you."
Chen Biao's mouth twitched slightly. In this era, most women studied simply to find a better husband and raise better children. It was understandable that such superstition could spread among women's academies.
Chen Biao asked, "Mother, just let Madam Xiuying worry about this matter. You are just one of the female teachers. Why do you have to work so hard?"
Ma Xiuying gently rubbed Chen Biao's head and said with a smile: "Because mother likes it."
Chen Biao tilted his head and kicked his feet unconsciously twice: "Oh."
Ma Xiuying took a break and continued to practice calligraphy and copy books.
Looking at Ma Xiuying's focused expression, Chen Biao couldn't help but recall the scene of his mother and father hugging and crying a few months ago.
He rarely saw his mother lose control of her emotions because of his father, and after that time, his mother quickly returned to her normal pace of life. Her behavior did not change at all, whether towards his father or the woman in his father's backyard.
It was my father who was a little too attached to my mother. Whenever he exchanged letters with me, there would always be a cheesy letter for my mother.
Mother would also respond with gentle nagging.
But when Chen Biao looked at his mother's expression as she wrote the letter, there was no sweetness, no longing, only the same indifference as always.
My mother's mood swings are even more severe than when she mentioned the female students in the academy.
This feudal family... Chen Biao thought that his family should be considered a rare happy and warm family among feudal families. However, the distorted side of everyone's relationship continued to remind Chen Biao not to indulge in illusory happiness and not to have unreal expectations. This was a feudal era.
In this feudal era, his father and mother were already pretty good. And he could make them even happier.
Mother's happiness obviously wasn't in Father's backyard. Chen Biao was finally certain.
"Mom, I have an idea about the academy. I want to encourage more girls to go to school, so you don't have to knock on every door to persuade them," said Chen Biao.
Ma Xiuying's eyes lit up, and a look of fresh joy appeared on her face.
She held Chen Biao in her arms and rubbed her unpainted face against Chen Biao's little face: "Biao'er, what good ideas do you have?"
Chen Biao said, "I'm a businessman. I believe that most people in the world are vulgar. They only care about profit and won't get up early without it. It's unrealistic to expect other women to be like me, studying for the sake of wisdom. So we should lure them with profit."
Ma Xiuying said, "Mother understands. That's why I told them that if they couldn't read, they wouldn't be able to communicate properly with their husbands. And when they have children, they won't be able to teach them or help them with their studies. The sages of all ages were taught and enlightened by their mothers during their childhood."
Chen Biao nodded. "That's enough to get them into school, but it's not enough to get them to study seriously. Because even though studying for the sake of others is a fact of life in this world, and they acknowledge it, their inner motivation is still insufficient."
Ma Xiuying asked, "Biao'er means that mother should give them a reward?"
Chen Biao did not answer directly, but asked: "Mom, do you know that I am studying Yan Su's manuscript?"
Ma Xiuying said, "Mother knows."
Chen Biao asked, "Mother, have you read the Heavenly Book?"
Ma Xiuying nodded again.
Chen Biao said: "Productive forces determine production relations, and science and technology are the primary productive forces. Basic disciplines such as mathematics, physics, chemistry, and biology determine the development of science. But in our era, science and technology are not valued. Because the imperial examinations only test the Four Books and Five Classics, they only study the Four Books and Five Classics."
Ma Xiuying was slightly thoughtful.
Chen Biao continued to describe the current situation of scholars.
In the past, scholars were all all-rounders. Not only were they proficient in both literature and martial arts, they were also very good at science and technology.
Looking through history books, we can see that famous literati were well-rounded in astronomy, geography, mathematics, and engineering, and famous scientists were also famous literati.
For example, the Song Dynasty. Although most of the emperors in the Song Dynasty were useless, the culture of the Song Dynasty was indeed very prosperous. Not only did it produce many literati who were essential for language and literature, but it also produced many scientists who made outstanding contributions in history.
The Song Dynasty can be said to be an era when feudal culture tended to be conservative, but also an era when cultural ideas were the most open.
In order to save the country, the scholars at that time would learn and use anything.
The pragmatic school is one of them, and another is placing hope on science like Yan Su.
Shen Kuo, the governor of pacification, Yan Su, the direct scholar of Longtu Pavilion, Su Song, the prime minister... these famous scientists who have left their names in history were all high-ranking officials.
It’s just that most people in the world are mediocre, and it’s wishful thinking to ask them to learn something because of their ideals and ambitions.
They learn whatever they are required to take the exam to become officials, and this has been the case since ancient times.
In fact, the only way to get everyone to start learning science is to tie science to the imperial examination.
But this is impossible. Even a butcher with a sharp knife like Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't do it.
To make drastic reforms to the content of the imperial examination would be to go against all the scholars in the world, and Zhu Yuanzhang would definitely be driven out of power.
If you take too big a step, you will fall. There are too many lessons from ancient times to the present.
The only thing Zhu Yuanzhang could do was to "respect the past" and reincorporate some subjects that were originally tested in the ancient imperial examinations, such as "arithmetic", into the imperial examinations, and then increase the "official retraining" to teach officials some simple scientific knowledge such as astronomy and geography that would facilitate their careers.
Zhu Yuanzhang was the emperor, and all he could do was reform the civil service and officialdom.
Science has always coexisted with officialdom in parallel. Forcibly incorporating it into the official system will not only be opposed by scholars all over the world, but will also have a negative effect.
Chen Biao said, "My idea is that if we want to study science now, we should start with people who have money and free time, and who don't need to take the imperial examination to advance. The sons of nobles and aristocrats are one example, as are the women of noble families."
"But the children of nobles will also serve as officials in the future. Emphasizing the knowledge they need to master for such roles will benefit both them and the people. I will offer them elective courses. If a noble child dislikes officialdom and prefers science, they can continue their studies."
"As for women of the nobility, they can offer small benefits and use the study of natural sciences as a path for their advancement."
Ma Xiuying pondered for a moment and said, "The contribution of noble women to science is connected to the imperial edict?"
Chen Biao smiled and nodded, "Yes! Now, imperial edicts can only be obtained through husbands and children. But if imperial edicts can be obtained through one's own efforts, how can women not strive for them? If a woman has an imperial edict, she will not only receive financial subsidies from the court, but also join the aristocratic circle. Her husband and children will also benefit. How can her family not support her?"
Ma Xiuying took a small breath and couldn't help rubbing Chen Biao's head.
Chen Biao complained: "Mom! How did you learn bad things from Dad!"
Ma Xiuying said, "I just wanted to touch it and see how Biao'er's little head could be so outstanding."
Chen Biao sighed and said, "Then you rub it, I'll bear it."
Ma Xiuying gently rubbed Chen Biao's head again: "Biao'er's idea is amazing. Mother will tell Madam Xiuying about it right away. Madam Xiuying will definitely support it."
Chen Biao nodded. "It will not only solve the problem of Ming Dynasty's future need for natural science talents, but also encourage women to study and improve their status. It's a two-pronged approach. Madam Xiuying is satisfied, and it also solves the lord's urgent need. But mother, when you persuade Madam Xiuying, just say that it will solve the lord's urgent need. Don't go into details."
Ma Xiuying's eyes flashed, and a helpless smile appeared on her face: "Yes, mother understands."
Chen Biao asked, "Mom, do you really understand?"
Ma Xiuying gently pinched Chen Biao's face: "Mom really understands. Biao'er, thank you."
Chen Biao said, "What is there to thank me for? I've said before, mother, you are the most important person in my heart. If mother is happy, even if father is not, I will laugh out loud with joy."
Ma Xiuying couldn't help laughing.
Ma Xiuying asked Chen Biao for advice on how to use "profit" to motivate women to study.
Chen Biao guided Ma Xiuying to draw inferences from one example and think for herself.
Ma Xiuying thought of Zhu Yuanzhang's proposal to open enlightenment academies among the people to teach children literacy and arithmetic.
If children are rich and promising in the future, they can go to higher-level official schools to learn about things related to the imperial examinations; if they have no money and no ability, the knowledge they learn from the enlightenment academy will also benefit them greatly in the future.
Ma Xiuying suggested that perhaps the gender of teachers in enlightenment academies could be fixed as female.
First, capable male scholars must want to stand out and try their best to pass the imperial examination.
Men who attended rural primary schools were either incompetent or broke, leading to either extreme mobility, leaving the schools at the first opportunity to pursue their own careers, or self-pity and indifference towards the children.
If it were a woman, since women couldn't take the imperial examinations or become officials, an academy might be the best career they could have. They would definitely do their best to be a good teacher.
Second, the enlightenment academy would stipulate the age of children, and Zhu Yuanzhang temporarily envisioned it to be under ten years old.
This ten years old is the nominal age, which means eight or nine years old in actual years. Women are better at caring for and educating children, and frequent contact with children of this age will not harm a woman's reputation.
If a woman does a good job as a teacher in this elementary school, it proves that she is very good at educating children and is also knowledgeable. In the future, the children she has taught may also be grateful to her.
Such a woman can not only receive financial subsidies, but also gain great prestige. Her family will definitely be happy for her to come out and teach.
"There is more than one female teacher in an enlightenment academy. By being this female teacher, can you promote reading among women in the society?" Ma Xiuying's eyes sparkled, and she actually had some shyness and longing of a little girl.
But compared to the innocent little daughter who might be thinking about an outstanding man, what appeared in Ma Xiuying's mind was a picture of a woman studying and teaching.
As soon as Chen Biao heard his mother's thoughts, he immediately understood that his mother really understood what he meant.
Everyone has ambition.
Women are human beings too. When they start to "show their face" and achieve success in their careers, they will naturally develop ambitions.
Women are not necessarily inferior to men. They will find ways to hold on to the power in their hands and continue their careers.
This is why successive dynasties have kept a close eye on palace women, fearing they would become tainted with power. As long as they have tasted the satisfaction brought by power and career, they will compete with men for it.
But in this era, power was ultimately held by men. Any slight movement on their part would be met with retaliation. Therefore, even intelligent women in the feudal era, once in power, found it difficult to take steps to improve women's status.
Having only one or two women in power will not improve the status of women. They will not allow women to participate in the imperial examinations and dare not let women become real officials.
For example, during the reign of Wu Zetian, her "female officials" had no formal identities, but served as her "think tank" in the capacity of palace ladies and aristocratic women.
From a historical perspective, Wu Zetian showed talented women that they could be emperors, and be effective emperors. This broadened their horizons and helped women fight for their rightful power. The status of a female emperor is unquestionable. History must have such a "female emperor."
But at that time, Wu Zetian had only one identity, that is, "Emperor".
Ma Xiuying did not want to be emperor. Her ideas were "conservative" and "moderate," but in terms of influence, she was "radical" and "crazy."
She actually wanted to try to do some groundbreaking things to slowly improve the status of women and wait for the "future" that Chen Biao mentioned thousands of years later.
Perhaps it was only after reading the heavenly book and listening to Chen Biao's description of the future thousands of years later that Ma Xiuying came up with this idea.
The empress let women know that women can also hold high positions and stand above men; she gently enhanced the overall power of women, allowing more women to realize this.
They complement each other.
Chen Biao exhaled slowly, then turned around and hugged Ma Xiuying's neck and rubbed it: "Mom, you are so amazing, this is a great idea!"
Even if a few men sympathize with women and are willing to cede their power, gender struggle is also a form of class struggle. A class as a whole will not allow those below it to easily and smoothly climb up . The class leap of a few individuals is like a poor student achieving the top spot in the imperial examination; it does not contribute much to the advancement of the entire class.
If Ma Xiuying wants to improve the status of women, she must first let women themselves have the awareness of "wanting to have a higher status".
Reading is the only way.
In order to achieve this goal, Ma Xiuying can give up all other powers to reduce the outside world's vigilance towards this goal.
Regarding the issue that women could not hold official positions, Chen Biao asked aristocratic women to form an "Academy of Sciences", and Ma Xiuying asked women from the common people to serve as teachers in the Enlightenment Academy. Both methods and plans were the same.
This is beneficial to the present, will not deprive men of their power, will bring benefits to men, and will make it easier to gain their support.
Women seem to shoulder the responsibilities of science and education in addition to caring for their husbands and children, placing a heavier burden on their shoulders. But just like earning extra income, as long as they persevere and maintain this channel, they can replenish their "small treasury" and save their first pot of gold.
All things are difficult at the beginning. For any startup, the most difficult part is saving the first pot of gold.
Chen Biao said coquettishly, "Mother, why don't you tell me your name? I don't believe that Father didn't give you a name. If he didn't, then you can choose a name for yourself. How can someone who leaves a name in history be called Ma? You must have a name of your own!"
Ma Xiuying protected her son, who was still acting like a spoiled child in her arms despite his age, and smiled softly, "I have a name, but I won't tell you."
Chen Biao kept tilting his head, gently bumping Ma Xiuying's cheek with it, and said in a naughty tone, "Why? Why? Do you still have any moral constraints on me? I don't care, you have to tell me!"
Ma Xiuying grabbed the back of Chen Biao's head, stopped him from acting like a spoiled child, and said, "Mom will tell you Biao'er's name after the task is completed. This is a reward from Mom to myself."
Chen Biao stretched out his tone: "Ah?~~~~~ Mom, can you change it to a reward? Biaoer wants to know your name! Right now!"
Ma Xiuying smiled and said, "No, I won't change! Biao'er is the most important person to me. Telling Biao'er my name is my greatest reward!"
Chen Biao pretended to be aggrieved: "Oh. Then please hurry up, Mom. If my brothers all know your name and I don't, I'll be angry!"
Ma Xiuying said, "Well, if Biao'er gets angry, will he blame his mother?"
Chen Biao raised his fist, which was as big as a teacup, and said angrily, "Don't blame Mom, I'm going to beat up Dad!"
Ma Xiuying: "Ah? Hahahaha...Okay, okay, Biao'er go beat up his stinky dad!"
The mother and son laughed for a long time before they could hold it in.
Thousands of miles away, a certain stinky dad was sneezing violently, saying that it must be Xiuying and Biaoer who missed him.
His confidants did not agree and told their lord to wear more clothes.
In Yingtian, the mother and son who missed Zhu Yuanzhang were still talking.
"Biao'er, this matter..."
"I know, but I won't tell Dad, hehehe!"
