Chapter 136

Chapter 136

"How so?" Li Ai put down the pen, which he had nearly gnawed to a nub.

Fanny's expression grew even more pleased. "Second Lady Meng's factories have recruited a large number of women workers, resulting in a sudden shortage of female labor in the capital. As a result, many places have raised their wages – that's one aspect. On the other hand, many families are hoping we'll continue hiring, so they can have a chance to get their own daughters selected. With such aspirations, who would be willing to sell their daughters off casually? Besides, there's the matter with Shi Huanli – it's now known that former courtesans can find a living under Second Lady's wing. Which official would dare venture into brothels now? This year, business at the northern district's pleasure houses and brothels is down by about thirty to forty percent compared to previous years. The gambling dens are situated near these brothels; if the brothels' trade is suffering, theirs will naturally suffer too."

Li Ai observed, "There's quite an extensive chain reaction here."

Meng Die's lips curved upward. "This development is promising. Sooner or later, I'll put an end to those brothels."

Li Ai was the first to voice her agreement. "It should indeed be abolished."

Meng Die's smile broadened. "I kept the school plans in the cabinet beneath the left bookshelf. I made a few adjustments to the windows on those drawings."

Li Ai was puzzled. "A school?"

Meng Die watched as Fan Nanny retrieved the plans. "Didn't you see the book filled with my little tricks last time? That's what my school will teach."

Fan Nanny held up the plans. "Second Master, Madam Second has been preparing for this school for a long time. We originally planned to build it this spring, but Miss Hai returned earlier than expected. His Majesty issued an edict to breed silkworms and build factories for silk production. The bricklayers who constructed our factory were summoned to work elsewhere, and they've only recently returned."

Li Ai asked, "Is constructing a school a difficult task?"

Meng Die smiled, saying, "It's not difficult to rebuild, but when the factory was being constructed initially, I was in a rush. Nanny Fan and the others thus hired all the bricklayers from the neighboring county. This time, naturally, they have all been requisitioned as well. It's not just my school; numerous projects in both the capital and the neighboring county have halted this year. Haven't you noticed that there are significantly fewer Ministry of Works personnel working on the repairs of our Marquis Manor?"

Li Ai had an epiphany, "It does seem to be the case." Since she had no intention of residing in the Chang'an Marquis Manor, Li Ai hadn't bothered to keep track of its progress at all.

Nanny Fan asked, "Madam Second, how many guests would you like to invite this time?"

Meng Die: "The sooner, the better. Also, spread the word about us establishing a school here. Make it clear that we are temporarily admitting children between the ages of six and ten, regardless of gender, and that there will be no tuition fees."

"Ai."

Meng Die: "Right, you also need to invite a tutor."

A smile appeared on Nurse Fan's face: "The tutor has already been engaged – it's the scholar we invited to our estate. His wife will be the one to make the arrangements."

Meng Die was quite pleased: "That elderly couple seems like decent people. By the way, when you go to the capital, inquire at the bookshops about how much it would cost to print a batch of books and how long it would take. Also, try to find out if there are any bookshops in the city that are up for sale. Oh, yes, the books I want to publish can't use their existing movable type; they'll need to be newly engraved."

Nurse Fan made a mental note: "I'll look into it as soon as I return."

When Nurse Fan left, Li Ai inquired, "A tutor from your manor?"

Meng Die replied, "There are quite a few children in my manor, especially in the nursery. I thought that when they grow up without any support, their lives might be more challenging than others. So, I decided to hire a tutor to teach them how to read and write, increasing their chances of finding better jobs in the future."

Li Ai agreed, "People who can read and write do have an easier time finding employment."

Meng Die continued, "At first, everything was fine. But as the number of girls in the nursery increased, the original tutor, who considered teaching girls to read as beneath his dignity, resigned. The current tutors are an elderly couple. The man is an accomplished scholar, and the woman is also literate—her father was a scholar too. They come from a decent family and teach simply out of love for it. Everyone in the manor holds them in high esteem."

Li Ai commented, "They deserve the respect."

Time flew swiftly while engrossed in the book. Before Meng Die could finish one volume, night had already descended, even though it felt like only moments ago since she had her lunch. How could time pass so swiftly?

Li Ai eagerly put down his pen, his weariness vanishing as he stood up to stretch, letting out a deep sigh.

Observing his strained appearance, Meng Die asked, "How much longer do you have to work on this?"

Perhaps the question was ill-timed, for Li Ai donned his mask of distress again, "Probably another six months at least."

Meng Die glanced at Li Ai, who had slumped back into his chair, and couldn't help massaging her forehead. Perhaps she should help him find a solution. His lifeless state, sprawled in the chair like a caterpillar, was truly an eyesore.

After dinner, Meng Die was still contemplating her next move as she lay in bed. A limb draped across her waist, but without hesitation, she pushed it away. Li Ai didn't persist, instead withdrawing his arm and retrieving a book with the other hand. "I reread this book just now. If the techniques described within were taught to the common folk, it would surely be of great benefit."

Meng Die replied, "What techniques? They're just tricks of the trade."

Li Ai reclined beside her. "Isn't every craft just a collection of tricks? That one about cooking, that must be Xing Huang's, right? The secrets behind those recipes are often just the use and combination of spices. I've heard from the cooks in the kitchen that Xing Huang taught them how to make braised meat, and the key lies in the balance of seasonings. If you impart the most essential knowledge to the people, there might be some among them who can apply it creatively and improve upon it."

Meng Die smiled mischievously. "If I call them tricks, they are tricks." Whether or not she had hidden intentions was open to interpretation, depending on the wisdom and perspective of the observer.

Li Ai was taken aback, rolling over to gaze deeply into Meng Die's eyes.

Meng Die possessed a pair of upturned phoenix eyes that exuded authority when she was not smiling. Yet, at this moment, her eyes were brimming with mirth. The candlelight shining through the canopy cast shimmering reflections within them. Swallowing the words on her lips, her heart pounded fiercely. Li Ai understood Meng Die's message: "Many prominent families have relied on these so-called secret formulas and skills to thrive. You cannot openly undermine their interests."

A wider smile spread across Meng Die's eyes.

"Why aren't you responding?" Li Ai reached out to tickle Meng Die's sensitive spot on her waist.

"Ha ha..." Meng Die grabbed Li Ai's mischievous hand. "Silence is consent! Don't you know that?"

Under his fingertips, he felt her smooth skin, while warmth radiated from the back of his hand. In the soft glow of the candlelight, they could hear each other's breaths with clarity.

Li Ai reluctantly withdrew her affectionate hand, struggling to recall her original intention amidst her muddled thoughts: "This method is excellent, but the common folk can't read. It will likely be challenging for them to learn."

Meng Die yawned and replied, "That's not a problem. Teach the children pinyin, and it will make reading much simpler."

"Pinyin?"

Meng Die explained, "In the bookshelf on the right in the study, there are some handwritten manuscripts. If you're interested, you can take a look."

Upon hearing this, Li Ai threw back the bed curtains, slipped her feet into her shoes, and rushed to the study. Indeed, in the cabinet on the right, she found a stack of manuscripts and a few books. She opened one and was astonished to find that the words were written inversely. Recalling Meng Die's mention of needing to carve new blocks for the books she intended to publish, Li Ai realized these must be the templates for the engraver. The carver could follow the words on these pages, but what exactly were these characters?

Soon, Li Ai found a few more ordinary books, though they were not entirely so. The texts were the common Three Hundred Characters for Daily Use, but each character was overlaid with something else that resembled characters as well, though they had fewer strokes, almost like foreign script.

Putting aside the inverted-script books, Li Ai emptied the cabinet and carried everything to the bedroom.

Upon seeing what Li Ai had brought over, Meng Die's drowsiness vanished instantly. She sat up straight and asked, "Why did you bring all of them here?"

Li Ai placed the items in front of Meng Die. "Which one is the phonetic alphabet?"

Meng Die looked at Li Ai's energetic and wide-awake appearance, somewhat speechless. She picked out a few pages from the pile of handwritten papers. "These are it."

Li Ai temporarily placed the rest of the items by the bedside and looked at the pages. "With this, one can quickly learn to read? How does it work?"

Meng Die pointed to the twenty-six letters. "Pinyin is formed by combining these letters, along with four tones: low, di, di, and de."

Li Ai nodded in understanding.

Meng Die then gave a brief explanation on how to pronounce the letters. "W-o-wo, if it's the third tone, it sounds like 'myself'."

Li Ai pondered for a moment, then pointed to another letter. "S-i-si, for the fourth tone, it would be 'four'."

"Yes."

Li Ai lowered her gaze, her long eyelashes casting a shadow: "In the Great Yi Dynasty, there are numerous dialects, and many places don't pronounce words this way."

Meng Die's lips curved in a smile, but she didn't respond.

Suddenly, Li Ai's eyes widened as she stared at Meng Die in astonishment: "This way, pronunciation can be standardized!"

Meng Die replied: "Achieving true linguistic unity is rather challenging. At this stage, pinyin mainly serves the purpose of facilitating rapid character recognition." Meng Die opened the Three-Character Classic annotated with pinyin: "Once you learn pinyin, you'll be able to teach yourself how to read characters."

Li Ai held the book and said, "That's true. For common folk, writing isn't crucial; it doesn't really matter whether they can write or not. But if they can read, it makes a significant difference to them – at least they won't be easily deceived by others. Are you planning to print a large number of these phonetic guides and the Three Hundred Characters with Pinyin?"

Meng Die nodded. "When children come to my school, each one should have at least one copy."

Li Ai rubbed his hands together and flashed a sycophantic smile. "Could we print more? I'd like to distribute some to my fellow soldiers as well, so they can learn phonetics and literacy."

Meng Die replied, "That's not a problem." Changing the subject, Meng Die held out her hand with a playful grin. "Blood is thicker than water, and in marriage, finances must be clear. Hand over the money."

Li Ai placed his hand in Meng Die's. "Oh dear, all my salary goes to my wife. I truly have no money to give you. How about this – I'll pay you back in kind."

For Li Ai, the surprise went beyond merely enabling his fellow soldiers to read and write. The following morning, Meng Die offered him a strategy for allocating military merits.

In reality, Meng Die didn't devise a complicated method. She simply taught Li Ai how to organize the information, listing those who sought military merits in one column and calculating the total they required. In another column, she listed those who didn't want merits, also totaling the unused ones. With these figures, it was easy to determine whether there was a shortage or surplus of merits.

Upon completing the tally, Li Ai found that there were not enough merits to go around, mainly due to the numerous soldiers aspiring for promotions. Drawing this conclusion, he promptly returned to the barracks to discuss the issue with his comrades, eventually reaching a satisfactory solution. Now, he could start allocating merits according to the list.

The efficiency improved significantly with this approach, impressing Marquis Yongwei and others, who immediately adopted Meng Die's table as a basis for their own calculations.

Marquis Yongwei couldn't help but exclaim again, "Truly, our ancestors' graves must be smoking with luck."

Tudusi patted Li Ai's shoulder, "Brother, your reputation as a henpecked husband is spreading far and wide."

Li Ai chuckled, "You're just sour because you can't have what you want. If you had the ability, you'd earn that same reputation, wouldn't you?"

Tudusi's face twisted slightly, but he didn't stoop to argue with such a petty man. He vowed to himself that he would marry a wife, and he would do so sooner rather than later.

Disregarding the envious Tudusi, Li Ai asked Xing Huang for some braised meat and rode back to the marquis residence. Conveniently, Nurse Fan returned with news just then.

Nanny Fan: "Second Lady, there's a bookstore for sale in the southwestern outskirts of the capital. The location is rather secluded. It has a small storefront, around ten square meters, usually selling books. Behind it, there's a large courtyard capable of printing books with a complete set of engraving tools and templates, albeit at a higher price. Bookstores like this in the capital typically go for about two thousand silver taels, but they're asking for two thousand three hundred. They're not willing to negotiate. I reckon if we wait a while, they'll likely lower the price on their own."

Meng Die: "The seclusion doesn't bother me. I don't expect this shop to be a moneymaker. What matters more is whether the shop has a clean history. Property prices in the capital have been consistently rising these past years. Why would they want to sell?"

Nanny Fan paused: "The origins are indeed clean, unrelated to any bribes or corruption. This family has been operating in the capital for nearly twenty years. When the old master was running it, they sold classics like the Four Books and Five Classics, as well as agricultural texts. Because they had their own engraving capabilities, their prices were fair. Back then, almost all the less financially well-off scholars in the city bought their books from there. They were quite renowned and had an excellent reputation."

"When the old master passed away and the business passed to his son, things changed. The son began collaborating with brothels and printing explicit illustrations. Initially, they made a good profit, but this year, business at the brothels has been slow, and so has theirs. Moreover, because of their focus on such content, scholars no longer patronize the bookstore. That's why they're considering selling it now."

Meng Die understood: "Then who is the current engraving master?"

Nanny Fan: "It was still the old master from the very beginning. When it came to selling the erotic paintings, the old master was unwilling and had several disputes with the young master. However, due to the long-term contract he signed, he was unable to leave. Also, because of the long duration of the contract, he had more autonomy. He refused to carve those things, and the young master had no choice but to hire someone else."

Meng Die nods in approval. "It sounds acceptable. The higher price for silver is not an issue. However, they cannot take any of the previous book templates or printing blocks with them; those must be left behind."

"Well,"

With Meng Die's explicit instructions, Nurse Fan swiftly negotiated a deal and took over the bookshop. The senior craftsman was initially furious, but upon learning that it was Meng Die who purchased the shop and that the books to be printed would be used for teaching children how to read and write, his anger transformed into enthusiasm.

Upon hearing this news, Meng Die burst into laughter and instructed Mama Fan to increase the salary for the senior craftsman. Following that, she began publishing primers with pinyin for teaching literacy, as well as editions of the Three-Character Classic, The Hundred Surnames, and A Thousand Characters with pinyin annotations.

At this time, the news of Meng Die's intention to establish a school and open its doors to education had spread throughout the capital like wildfire. From the noble scholars to the common folk, every household and street corner buzzed with discussion, albeit each social class fixated on different aspects.

The common people were particularly excited about the fact that no tuition fees would be required. A school without tuition? Could such a miraculous opportunity truly exist? Without hesitation, they decided to enroll their male children, united in the belief that this was an incredible chance for them.

As for the educated gentry, their outrage stemmed from the admission of female students. The idea of girls attending school was unacceptable to them. They believed that women were eventually meant for marriage and had no need for formal education.

Some immediately condemned Meng Die, demanding she revoke her absurd decision and sincerely apologize to the scholarly community across the land.

All of this was purely the product of their imaginations, or in other words, wishful thinking!

In reality, while these people gritted their teeth in anger, at most they would only vent their frustrations secretly. Not to mention writing articles to scold Meng Die, even in the privacy of their own homes, few dared to curse her out loud. It wasn't that they were cowards, but how could distinguished men like them stoop to the level of a mere woman?

Such acts of disobedience naturally attracted the attention of the Censorate.

With such an incident occurring, the Censorate was far from peaceful. The court officials carefully observed the expressions of their superiors and secretly placed bets among themselves. Some bet on a cup of tea, others on braised meat, and still others on a cold salad... The variety was endless.

As for what they were betting on, you might think it was whether or not Meng Die would be impeached. Forget it! If their leaders had any intention of impeaching Meng Die, they wouldn't have been in the mood for betting; they would have already "fallen ill" and stayed home. Was Meng Die's tongue made for vegetarian fare?

It was a universal consensus among the inspectors of the Censorate that their own department head would never impeach Meng Die. Instead, they were betting on how long it would take for either of their two superiors to withstand the harassment from the capital's aristocratic families and publicly declare their refusal to impeach her.

Some wagered five days, others six, and still more, half a month... While they all agreed that the two chief inspectors wouldn't impeach Meng Die, it wouldn't look good if they immediately declared as such. For the sake of appearances, the officials would surely hold out for a while.

However, they were proven wrong just two days later. The truth was, a leader was a leader, whether in terms of talent or... well, let's just say, audacity.

The Left Chief Inspector, Lin Kai De, made it clear that Meng Die had built the academy, so she had every right to admit whomever she pleased. He disagreed with the notion that girls attending school was an act of treason; there was no law in the Great Yi Dynasty that forbade girls from receiving education. Since Meng Die hadn't violated any laws, the Censorate had no grounds to unjustly criticize her.

His statement was delivered with righteousness, but after he finished speaking, the capital was filled with boos and jeers.

Lin Kai De concluded his statement and leisurely strolled to the area where the Censors typically conducted their official duties. Under the watchful eyes of all, he gathered the betting stakes from the table into his possession. "No one guessed correctly. The house takes it all."

...

Back in their shared office with Song Jianqiao, the two enjoyed a delightful combination of tea and braised meat – truly delectable!

The Censorate had outright surrendered. Though others might grumble about Meng Die even in their dreams, no one dared to step forward. That shrew was simply too fierce. Even the valiant General Li, renowned for his bravery, was afraid of his wife. They, with their meek constitutions, should just accept defeat. Surrendering wasn't shameful.

When the Censorate in the capital city, along with the noble clans, all cowered, it came as a surprise to everyone that Meng Die herself submitted an official memorial, defying all expectations. Was she dissatisfied with her comfortable life and seeking more challenges?

Meng Die didn't see it as adding difficulty for herself. From the very beginning, her plan was to popularize the "tricks" throughout the entire Great Yi Dynasty, and she certainly intended to recruit the emperor as an ally.

Li Ai inquired curiously, "What do you plan to bring with you to the Qianzheng Hall?"

Meng Die replied, "A phonetic guidebook, the complete book of 'tricks,' and a copy of the Three-Character Classic annotated with phonetics."

Li Ai nodded. "I'll attend court tomorrow as well."

Meng Die chuckled. It wasn't her first time at the Qianzheng Hall, so there was no need for him to bolster her courage. Still, she didn't refute his gesture, accepting his goodwill.

Meng Die's memorial this time was untouched by Meng Yuan. However, it seemed that there were other officials in the Hanlin Academy who had objections to girls attending school. Thus, Meng Die's memorial once again found its way to the emperor's desk among the first batch.

The emperor flipped through the memorial and was puzzled by its vagueness. "Summon Meng Die."

Meng Die had presented her memorial and, as expected, had entered the palace that day. She waited in the usual spot where officials gathered, and upon hearing the imperial command, she straightened her attire and stepped into the Diligent Governance Hall. "Your subject, Meng Die, pays respects to Your Majesty."

The emperor said, "Rise. Your memorial mentioned teaching children life skills. What exactly do you mean by that?"

Meng Die replied, "In response to Your Majesty, for instance, when cultivating fields and removing weeds with a hoe, there is a skill involved. One must dig out the roots of the weeds to prevent them from quickly regrowing. Furthermore, by gathering the uprooted weeds every few steps, shaking their roots with the hoe, and then burying them back into the soil, though not the best method for fertilizing, it is still better than doing nothing."

The emperor nodded. "Indeed, this is a practical trick."

Meng Die: "Your Majesty, this is a book compiled by your subject based on the accounts of various individuals. It records numerous life hacks. Please peruse it, Your Majesty."

"Your Majesty," a court official stepped forward, "While County Master Meng's teachings on agriculture are commendable, children usually learn such skills from their parents at home. Why would they need to study it in a school?"

The emperor paused in his perusal. "Lü Ning has a point. Meng Die, do you only teach children about farming?"

Meng Die glanced at Lü Ning, clad in a purple robe and jade belt, indicating he was at least a third-rank official. "Your Majesty, I merely used that as an example. In truth, the lessons in my school go beyond agriculture. Most of these tricks are not something their parents' generation would have taught them."

Luning inquired further, "With so many skills to teach, you must also teach the children how to read, right?"

Meng Die nodded. "Indeed."

Luning continued, "I've heard that your school also admits girls. Does that mean... teaching girls to read?"

Meng Die's gaze suddenly became sharp. "Do you mean to imply that girls are unworthy of learning to read?"

Luning nearly leaped to his feet. "No, I didn't mean that! I absolutely don't hold such views." He remembered all too well the fate of the last person who dared to claim men were superior and women inferior – they were still scrubbing toilets in the palace.

Meng Die: "What do you mean by that?"

Luning hesitated noticeably: "W-Well, my meaning is that learning to read and write requires brushes, ink, paper, and an inkstone. It might be difficult for commoners to send their young girls to school with such requirements."

A smile tugged at Meng Die's lips as she watched the man's face flush red. She chuckled happily: "That's not something you need to worry about. Whether or not the commoners are willing is their own matter. I'm doing this merely to make their lives more convenient. If they don't learn, it's not a big deal either."

The emperor, pleased with what he heard, attentively flipped through the book. The more he read, the brighter his eyes became: "Excellent, this book is fantastic. You all should take a look as well."

Since Qiao Wanming was absent, Lin Chu passed the book first to the Deputy Prime Minister Ren Qinghua.

The emperor pondered for a moment. "The tips in these books seem very practical. If taught to the common folk, it would greatly simplify their lives. However, even if they learn such life hacks, those who can't read might struggle to understand them."

Ren Qinghua quickly flipped through the book and passed it to the Censorate Minister Tan Zhengze. "Your Majesty is absolutely right. To teach all the content to the people, we must first teach them how to read. That's a challenging task. Perhaps we could simplify the books, removing the sections that require literacy temporarily."

Pei Ji Huan interjected, "Miss Meng, Lu Ning's point just now has some merit. Not to mention girls, even boys from ordinary families may not be able to afford education. Will your school provide such services?"

Meng Die replied, "Not providing these services doesn't mean they won't need them. Whether teaching children or commoners to read, I believe the emphasis should be on recognition, not writing. Hence, there's no need for brushes, ink, paper, or seals; as long as they can recognize characters, that's sufficient."

Pei Ji Huan shook his head. "How can one learn to read without writing?"

Meng Die: "I've adapted foreign texts into phonetic scripts, which are simple and easy to learn. If an adult dedicates themselves, they could master it within half a month. Once we annotate the Three Hundred Characters and Thousand Characters Classic with these phonetics, both children and adult commoners will be able to teach themselves how to read."

The idea of self-taught literacy was indeed perplexing. In the Diligence Palace, the ministers couldn't help but discuss it with their neighbors.

"I honestly can't fathom how one could learn to read by themselves. Are they born with this knowledge?"

"That's implausible. How can someone recognize characters without being taught?"

"Do you comprehend what she means?"

"I fail to comprehend a single thing she has done," many said, glancing surreptitiously at Meng Tingyi.

Meng Tingyi kept his eyes lowered, remaining silent. He seemed composed, but inwardly, he was just as puzzled. His granddaughter had never mentioned this matter to him either.

Amidst the buzz of discussion in the hall, Li Ai stepped forward. "Your Majesty, those phonetic symbols are indeed very simple and easy to memorize. One can indeed learn to read by oneself with them."

The chatter ceased, and the covert gazes that had been on Meng Tingyi now shifted to Li Ai. Many were taken aback—why was a military general speaking up?

Ah! No, he and Meng Die are spouses!

Emperor: "Have you learned?"

Li Ai: "Your subject has learned for a short while and can now piece together some characters."

The emperor still found it unimaginable how he could suddenly read: "Meng Die, go to the Kun Ning Palace and explain this phonetic script matter in detail to the Empress." Even if it was exceedingly simple, the emperor had no time to learn it now, as he had yet to finish reviewing the memorials of the day.

Meng Die: "Your servant obeys the decree." It was done.

The couple exchanged a meaningful glance, and Meng Die withdrew with grace.