kingnovel Chapter 1149 The New Official's Second Actions
Chapter 1149 The New Official's Second Actions
What ordinary people need most is a livelihood, and Shen Zheng certainly understood this principle.
People live their lives behind closed doors; what they care about most is how much rice they have in their rice bin and how much firewood they have in their kitchen.
Now that Huai Gongwang has been arrested and brought to justice, what the people care about most is not how much he embezzled, but "whether my children and I will face difficulties from officials if we want to go to school, or whether we will have to bribe them."
After understanding this principle, Shen Zheng stopped worrying about it.
She made a bold decision.
This decision was also her "second major move" after taking office.
"I want to implement universal education to improve the cultural level of all the people in Liuyang Prefecture, so that they can truly feel that reading and writing are not difficult things." Shen Zheng's eyes were full of high spirits.
Xu Yunyan paused for a moment, then quickly agreed: "This humble official supports you, sir."
Shen Zheng did not expect his support to come so quickly.
After all, in today's society, let alone "education for all," even "ensuring that no one goes hungry" is a difficult task, and there are very few prefectures that can guarantee that their people have enough to eat.
But by sheer coincidence, Liuyang Prefecture was one of them.
Thinking of this, Shen Zheng's fighting spirit grew even stronger: "Now that the autumn harvest is just around the corner, let's make a plan and do the preparatory work first. Once the harvest is over, we'll put the plan into practice and officially implement it!"
Xu Yunyan didn't care at all. He immediately took out paper and pen, bowed his head and said, "Sir, please speak first, and I will write it down."
Shen Zheng rubbed her chin with her knuckles and asked, "Of the twelve counties of Liuyang, which ones haven't yet established county schools?"
Xu Yunyan immediately replied: "Currently... Quanyang County has Liuchang Academy, and Baiyun County's county school is under preparation. In addition, Yonglu, Qingzhu, Hekou, Weishan, and Wufang Counties have not yet established county schools."
Xu Yunyan's voice helped Shen Zheng recall her memories from last year.
Last autumn, during the harvest season, the magistrates of the other eleven counties all came to Tongan County and met with Shen Zheng.
Among them, the two that left the deepest impression on Shen Zheng were Yin Wencai, the magistrate of Baiyun County, and Zhu Kongjia, the magistrate of Lushan County.
As for the magistrates of Qingzhu, Hekou and other counties, Shen Zheng thought for a long time before she could recall their appearance.
Today, half of the counties in Liuyang Prefecture have county schools, while the other half do not...
Shen Zheng wanted to help counties without county schools establish them, but she didn't want counties with county schools to think she was favoring one over the other. Under these circumstances, she could only "teach according to aptitude".
Shen Zheng subconsciously began tapping on the table.
“Let’s first establish a standard for each county,” she said, pondering. “Whether a county has a county school or not, each county should have its own standard to meet.”
Xu Yunyan agreed wholeheartedly and took it down carefully.
But Shen Zheng felt that she hadn't said anything substantial, and was a bit like a leader who just talked the talk.
She paused, then added, "The economic levels of each county are uneven, resulting in differences in the quality of education. This time, the prefectural government is funding the construction of county schools in each county. Counties with county schools need to improve their teaching quality and environment. Counties without county schools need to complete their school construction, recruit students, and establish basic teaching conditions. Once all of this is completed, the prefectural government will take overall control and unify educational philosophies."
Xu Yunyan wrote down everything without offering any rebuttal.
Shen Zheng stroked her chin and said, "In addition to county schools, each county should also set up introductory classes and literacy classes."
"Literacy eradication?" Xu Yunyan found the term intriguing. "Does the adult mean... illiteracy?"
Shen Zheng smiled and said, "I like your intelligence."
The term "illiterate" is not used frequently in today's society. After all, out of a hundred people, ninety-eight are illiterate, so there's nothing surprising about it.
Even ordinary people don't consider "illiterate" a derogatory term, but rather a statement of fact.
So what if I can't read? I've still managed to survive until now, eating a bowl of rice and drinking a bowl of soup every day.
Xu Yunyan smiled slightly and lowered his head, asking, "Is there anything else, sir?"
“Of course!” Shen Zheng stopped smiling and thought seriously, “Now that the infrastructure is up to standard, we need to talk about money.”
She rubbed her index finger and thumb together and asked in return, "If you were a student, the tuition at Tong'an County School would only be a bunch of green vegetables, but the tuition at Quanyang County School would be two taels of silver. Which school would you choose to study?"
Xu Yunyan understood: "Does Your Excellency intend to unify the fees?"
Shen Zheng nodded: "This must be unified, even if the original county school teachers disagree. There are also introductory classes and literacy classes. Not only should they not charge the people for their lessons, but they should also establish a reward system to motivate children and the people to learn to read."
Shen Zheng knew in her heart that this was a huge losing proposition.
But the government had to do this business, since for ordinary people, the benefits of literacy far outweighed the losses, and those whose interests were affected would only be the local gentry and nobles in the eyes of the world.
Before we knew it, it was getting dark.
Xu Yunyan lit the oil lamp. As the flame flickered, the pile of straw paper beside his arm grew larger and larger, and the ink stick beside the inkstone was ground smaller and smaller.
"Tuk-tuk-tuk-"
The knocking startled the lamp wick.
Shen Zheng gestured for Xu Yunyan to continue writing, then got up and went to open the door.
"Lord Shen." The visitor was Yu Zhengqing's attendant. After bowing, he respectfully asked, "Your Excellency sent me to inquire whether you and Lord Xu wish to return to your residence for a meal?"
When he asked her that question, Shen Zheng suddenly felt a wave of exhaustion wash over her.
We need to eat, and we need to rest.
"I and Lord Xu will return immediately." After saying this, Shen Zheng turned around and went back to the study. She tidied up the draft paper on the table and said, "Let's stop here for today. I will add the remaining details to you tomorrow."
Xu Yunyan slowly put down his pen, secretly pinching his right wrist with his left hand, and pondered, "My lord, you have been busy lately, so perhaps... I should go and discuss the remaining details with my teacher tomorrow, and then I will bring them to you for review after I have summarized them?"
"Teacher?" Shen Zheng reacted for a moment: "You mean Zhou Xuezheng of the prefectural school?"
Xu Yunyan nodded.
Shen Zheng was secretly delighted, but hesitated on the surface: "Wouldn't this be too much trouble for Zhou Xuezheng?"
"No," Xu Yunyan replied immediately. "Now that the prefectural examination is over, my teacher is just idling around anyway, so I'll just find him something to do."
“You really are…” Hearing his serious reply, Shen Zheng choked: “Zhou Xuezheng’s good apprentice.”
The two walked towards the government office, chatting and laughing.
Halfway there, Shen Zheng suddenly remembered something: "Xiao Xu, if I remember correctly, Lord Yu seemed to have said... that Zhou Xuezheng was a disciple of the late Earl Jiade?"
I wonder if Zhou Xuezheng knows that his mentor's son has gotten into trouble.
Xu Yunyan took a half-step below Shen Zheng and slowly said, "Teacher is indeed a disciple of the late Earl Jiade."
Thinking of what Xiao Yuan had said in Tong'an County, he added, "But please rest assured, sir, from the day my teacher agreed to open the Tong'an Bookstore at the entrance of the prefectural school, it has had absolutely no connection with the current... no, the former Earl of Jiade."