Forced to marry, I picked up a young powerful official

Chapter 239 How to Make Your Own Law

The prefectural government, the eastern wing.

Several noble ladies were sitting in the hall. Tea and various snacks had already been placed on the coffee table beside them, but almost no one started eating. Everyone was curiously looking at the figure who was greeting and chatting in the crowd.

They were actually happy to be invited by Shen Nankui. After all, Zhou Zun and his wife kept a low profile in Yongzhou and had always been difficult to visit. Now that she had taken the initiative to invite them, everyone naturally had the opportunity to make friends with them.

But when I came here today, I saw that there were quite a few people coming, which made me feel a little worried.

Is there anything else that can't be done?

However, since the host didn't say anything, it was not appropriate for the guests to interrupt, so they just sat there and chatted with each other.

After a while, Shen Nankui saw that everyone had arrived and the atmosphere had become lively, so he went straight to the point and talked about his plan to establish a girls' college in Yongzhou and raise funds.

Everyone was stunned after hearing this.

There was silence in the side hall for a moment before the sound of people's discussions began to rise.

"A girls' college? I've never heard of it!"

"Girls are not going to take the imperial examinations, so why would they go to a school? Besides, everyone here has a teacher at home, so why would they need to go to a school?"

"What's the purpose of this fundraising? They don't look for the guys who are in charge outside, but recruit us instead. It feels weird..."

"I'm afraid they are trying to use the name of founding some kind of academy as an opportunity to make money, right?"

"This couple usually appear to be righteous, but now they can't hide their true colors?"

"We are all women, why make things difficult for us!"

"..."

There were all kinds of discussions going on, and although the voices were not loud, Shen Nankui still heard a lot.

She had anticipated this situation, so she was not angry. She waited until everyone had finished discussing it before she said, "I understand your concerns. In summary, there are only three. First, women don't have to take the imperial examinations, so why do we need to establish a college for them?"

"In fact, not everyone who passes the imperial examination can become an official, but there are many academies in the world, and people flock to them, all they want is a future. I want to establish a women's academy for the same reason. I want the women who study in the academy to have a good future."

Shen Nankui smiled, "I know someone will say that as a girl, the best future in life is to marry well, have a motivated husband, and a good son. Only then can people look up to you. Why do you say that only by entering the academy can you have a good future?"

"Everyone, please be calm and think about it. We are all women. Even if we marry into a good family, does the things of the husband's family belong to us? I don't think so. Living by relying on others is always servile and submissive. Unless you have a powerful family to support you, so that your husband's family will be afraid and dare not provoke you easily, you will naturally be safe. But what if you don't have that?"

"Are all the ladies, or the daughters and sisters in your family, marrying down?"

Someone asked: "Then may I ask Madam Gu, what should a woman do if she does not have the support of her family?"

Shen Nankui said: "If there is no one to rely on, then you have to support yourself."

"This is the first question I want to answer. The purpose of establishing a women's college is to teach women to be independent."

Someone else asked, "How do you make your own laws?"

Shen Nankui smiled and said, "This is the second question that everyone is concerned about. What can the girls learn after entering the academy?"

"Women did not have to take the imperial examinations, so in addition to studying to understand reason and cultivate themselves, they also had to learn accounting, needlework, tea ceremony, flower arrangement, music, chess, calligraphy and painting, and even gardening and cooking."

Someone sneered, "Can't we learn these things at home? Why is it necessary to go to so much trouble to build a college?"

Everyone echoed, obviously thinking the same thing.

Shen Nankui did not take it as an offense and said with a smile: "For all the ladies present today, it is normal for their daughters to learn these things, but what about the common people? Many girls in the folks can hardly even learn to read, so how can they learn anything else?"

"I know what you are thinking. What does the people's affairs have to do with you?"

Before anyone else could speak, she said, "I would like to ask you to think about this. When the academy is established, the women will learn principles and become independent. If they work hard, they can learn a skill in the academy and earn a living on their own. They will not starve no matter where they go. Not only can they support their families, but they will also be respected by their husbands. Isn't that a good thing?"

"If we can see female clerks, female accountants, female shopkeepers everywhere... if there are more women like this in the world, the direction of people's discussions will definitely change. After all, things are different now. Our daughters can be independent and don't have to rely on anyone, so naturally they don't have to bow their heads and please anyone. The same is true in reverse. When the men who used to be high and mighty see such promising wives, daughters and sisters, won't they know how to win them over?"

"If the general trend of the world changes, won't all the ladies and their families benefit as well?"

The ladies looked at each other, and for a moment they all felt that there was some truth in what he said.

These people are trapped in the inner house all their lives, dealing only with their husbands and children all their lives. They may look dignified and impressive from the outside, but in fact none of them has an easy life.

So what if she is the mistress of the house?

Whenever you spend too much money on the books, people will accuse you of being extravagant. But once you start to be frugal, people will suspect that you have put all the money into your own pocket. Sometimes you spend more than you earn, and you have to fill the hole yourself.

To put it nicely, it means that the lifeblood of the entire family is placed in your own hands.

Actually?

She has to deal with her parents-in-law and manage a large family. Her son needs money for his studies and her husband needs money for social engagements. She spends hundreds or thousands of taels of silver, but few people think about how difficult it is to manage a family. When she is given money, they smile at her, but when she is not given money, they speak harshly to her. It is really tiring.

But they have no choice but to give it, after all, they are in charge of other people's accounts and taking other people's money.

Shen Nankui continued, "Of course, these are all later stories. When I founded the Women's Academy, I naturally did not only recruit civilian women. For the ladies of various families, there is actually an immediate benefit."

She took a memorial from He Hua and said, "I have already obtained the approval of the governor and the governor of the school for the establishment of the school. They will take the lead in inviting respected female teachers to the school, such as female officials from the palace."

"I think even the ladies can't easily refuse this, right?"