GBP Chapter 146 Exchange Meeting
Chapter 146 Exchange Meeting
The exchange competition between the two colleges was held in a spacious square in the suburbs of Beijing.
The venue covers a very large area, surrounded by green trees and blooming flowers, with a flat open space in the center that can accommodate thousands of people gathering at the same time.
All around the venue, colorful flags were flying, drums and music were playing, and the scene was extremely lively.
People came from all directions, some on foot, some on horseback, and some in carriages, with curiosity and anticipation, wanting to catch a glimpse of the grand occasion of this exchange meeting.
In the center of the venue, rows of neatly arranged tables and chairs have been placed, covered with gorgeous tablecloths, demonstrating the royal dignity and majesty.
Shen Xingxi sat in the first seat and announced the official start of the exchange meeting.
The students sent by the Imperial College were the first to speak out:
"Your Majesty, all the gentlemen, all the students, and the people, we firmly believe that men are more tired.
"Cultivate oneself, regulate the family, govern the country, and bring peace to the world" is considered a man's mission.
As Confucius said in the Analects: "A scholar must be broad-minded and resolute, for the responsibility is heavy and the road is long."
In order to pass the imperial examinations, men studied hard day and night, endured the hardships of the imperial examinations, and also had to shoulder the responsibility of supporting their families and struggle to make a living.
As Du Fu wrote in his poem, 'I am always a guest in the sad autumn thousands of miles away, and I am alone on the stage after a hundred years of illness', it fully reflects the hardships and fatigue of men working outside.
Students from the Women's College expressed their opinions:
"Your Majesty, all the gentlemen, all the classmates, and all the people are well. We believe that women have a harder time. Since ancient times, women have been bound by the "Three Obediences and Four Virtues" and other etiquette, 'obey the father at home, obey the husband after marriage, and obey the son after the husband's death', and have been in a subordinate position all their lives.
"Instructions for Women" contains many strict requirements for women. Women are trapped in the boudoir, doing housework, bearing children, and have no sense of self.
"Jiji, jiji, Mulan weaves by the window" is just a microcosm of women's daily labor, which shows how tiring it is.
Representative of the Imperial College: "We do not agree with the other party's point of view. Men spend their whole lives studying classics to gain fame and fortune, which makes them extremely tired. Men are deceitful in the officialdom, which makes them physically and mentally exhausted. Men fight in the battlefield, and their lives are uncertain. All of these are to shoulder the responsibility of the family and the country. Women only need to take care of the family and do not need to face the pressure of life."
The men watching all agreed that as long as a woman regards her husband as her god, she does not need to work outside in the wind and sun, and can get the money earned by her husband's hard work.
A representative from a women's college said: "Women not only have to take on housework, but also face the risks of childbirth. How can men understand the pain and risks involved? It takes ten months to get pregnant and one day to give birth."
Women also face many difficulties in the family, and issues such as the relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law make them exhausted; isn't it tiring for a woman to stay alone in her empty room and worry about her husband's safety day and night?
Moreover, women can now engage in business, join the army, and take the imperial examinations. If women earn money to support the family, are you men willing to be subordinate to women and regard your wife as your God?"
The women who were watching looked at the men around them, and seeing the expressions of resistance on their faces, they suddenly found it a little funny.
You impose on us a life that you don't want, and yet you think we should be grateful.
The student from the Imperial College was silent for a moment and then said, "We think that the other party's statement is a generalization. Men are generally stronger than women, and are more rational when encountering things. In comparison, they are more suitable for making money to support the family."
Students from the Women's College: "However, women are more thoughtful, observant, and flexible, which makes them more suitable for making money than men. Since you are unwilling to answer our question directly, can it be understood that you think women are more tired and don't want to live a woman's life?"
"We just feel that God has given this person a great responsibility..."
Both sides held their own opinions and the debate became increasingly intense. The crowd watching was also attracted by the heated discussion and started talking about it.
So when men agreed with the opinions of the students of the Imperial College, they couldn't help but think about the difficulties faced by women, and the same was true for women.
Time slips away and the time for communication has come.
Everyone turned their eyes to Shen Xingxi and the officials, wondering which side would win.
Shen Xingxi stood up and spoke slowly, "Dear students, your opinions all make sense.
Men and women play different roles and bear different responsibilities in the world.
We can't simply say who is more tired because it depends on each person's life experience and feelings.
However, we should understand that both men and women should be respected and understood. We should not define a person's value by gender, but rather value their talents and efforts.
Therefore, I hope you can continue to explore this topic in depth, not just to argue about who is more tired, but also to understand each other and respect each other.
Since both sides have their reasons, I will rule that both sides have won this exchange competition. I will meet the demands of both parties and pass on my decree that men's and women's colleges be established in various places. They must be completed by March next year. Anyone who is six years old or older must enroll and study until the age of sixteen. No violation is allowed.
The government will admonish children and elders who do not comply with this regulation. If they commit the same offense again, they will be severely punished and fined.
Of course, considering that many families rely on their children to maintain the normal operation of their families, I will take out some money from my private treasury and provide certain financial assistance to alleviate their difficulties after verifying that their elders are unable to work due to serious illness, disability, etc.
The ministers did not dare to disobey the imperial order in broad daylight, nor did they dare to let the people know that they did not want all children to go to school. They could only accept the order and express their gratitude.
Most of the people wanted their children to be able to study, and their faces were filled with excitement. They shouted in unison: "Long live the emperor!"
Shen Xingxi curled her lips and took the officials present back to the palace to discuss the specific matters regarding setting up academies in various places.
It is worth mentioning that in order to prevent local officials from cutting corners and abusing their power for personal gain, Shen Xingxi announced to the world that if people from all over the country find that officials have committed illegal acts such as embezzling money or accepting bribes, they can go to the Wangchuan Teahouse in various places and inform the waiter or the store owner of the matter. If the matter is verified to be true, they will be rewarded with two taels of silver.
Wangchuan Teahouse is popular among the people for its cheap tea, and it is also a place where people often go to rest. If people go there, they will not be suspected of wanting to inform on others.
Not to mention that two taels of silver was enough to make the people willing to take the risk.
Furthermore, this decree is also telling all officials that the current emperor has many eyes and ears, so before becoming a corrupt official, think about whether you have the ability to hide it from everyone.
The prefects and county magistrates from all over the country who received the imperial edict all looked bitter. Not only did the emperor let the people supervise them, he also set the deadline in March.
The results of the palace examination will be announced in March. If they don’t want to be replaced, they can only complete it on time.
Colleges were established one after another in various places, and people also received notices of admission for their children.
As for the tribute students studying in the Imperial College, Shen Xingxi also had a look at their daily performance during the year.
Ten days before the imperial examination, Shen Xingxi used the excuse of wanting to go on a secret visit and asked the first and second rank officials to hand over the matters at hand, and she would select a few people to accompany her.
Five days before the imperial examination, Shen Xingxi kept the first and second rank ministers in the palace, arranged them in a courtyard, and asked each of these ministers to come up with a set of test questions.
Three hours before the imperial examination, she would select questions proposed by the ministers and use them as the content of the test paper.
There are a total of 120 questions in the imperial examination of this dynasty. Even if the officials favor their own disciples, they cannot account for too high a proportion after sharing.
The test questions were all set by the ministers, and she wanted to prevent anyone from having the opportunity to throw dirty water on the woman again!
She also wants people in this world to see how capable a woman can be if she studies hard for ten years!
Since she was bound to the system, she has planned her life.
When she reached a bottleneck in her martial arts at the age of five, she used her martial arts skills to sneak out of the Shen Mansion and used the first money she saved to buy Xinghuo from the matchmaker.
She asked Xinghuo to wear a human skin mask with her appearance and stay in the Shen Mansion. She did good deeds to save money, and went to various towns to rescue girls who were abandoned by their parents and buy girls who their parents wanted to sell.
Some of these people were engaged in literature, some in military affairs, and some in business.
In the previous imperial examination, only a few people were used because of suspicion of Mo Hongyun, but this time she has a full 25 people!
The imperial examination was held under the attention of the public, and the day when the results were announced was even more grand.