Chapter 1779: Chapter 1779: Recruitment

Yu Wen also picked out a few pieces of jewelry for her grandmother, mother, and aunt. After He Sishi finished selecting, they gave them to the shopkeeper to wrap up.

The shopkeeper selected exquisite gift boxes and personally placed the jewelry in them.

Yu Wen and He Sishi’s maid followed the clerk to the checkout, while the two of them sat aside eating seasonal fruits.

The shopkeeper said, “Magistrate, the fruits have just been iced.”

Yu Wen, “Hmm, we won’t eat much.”

She knew the shopkeeper meant well.

With both fruits and juice beside Yu Wen, the shopkeeper remained close without leaving, naturally drawing the attention of the guests. Once they recognized who it was, they all looked away.

Ms. Jiao, under the clerk’s recommendation, also bought a hairpin. She didn’t have much Silver Coin; her family had spent a lot to get her father to the capital. To quickly integrate into the capital’s officialdom, the expenses were substantial, not just in favors. Her mother and she had to prepare attire for banquets. Considering her father’s salary, the family was almost running out of resources.

Ms. An had an air of smugness, but said, “After catching the eye of the consort and writing a good piece, don’t you think this hairpin is too cheap?”

Ms. Jiao was furious. This hairpin was bought with the Silver Coin she earned from writing stories. Her mother’s hairpin hadn’t been changed in a long time, and it was for her mother. She decided not to associate with Ms. An in the future.

This drew the attention of the female guests on the second floor. Yu Wen initially didn’t want to pay attention to Ms. An, but upon looking over, she noticed that the counter they stood by had jewelry worth at least twenty taels, and Ms. Jiao’s hairpin was thirty taels.

Ms. An pointed to several gemstone hairpins, “Wrap all these for me.”

He Sishi did a quick mental calculation and drew a breath, “Nearly three hundred taels.”

Yu Wen, “Look at her attire.”

He Sishi looked carefully, then appeared bewildered, “Which noble family’s young lady is she?”

The He family was a noble family in the capital, and even with their understated demeanor, they never showed off like this.

Yu Wen, “Arrived in the capital last year.”

He Sishi blinked, “On purpose?”

Yu Wen really liked her future sister-in-law’s quick thinking, “Yes, men attending events frequently is bad for their reputation and makes them seem opportunistic. However, women have to occasionally attend banquets or go shopping for jewelry and clothes. Wearing such attire boldly proclaims that the An family has money.”

So those who need Silver might take a look at the An family!

He Sishi furrowed her brows, “Is Ms. Jiao friendly with Ms. An?”

Yu Wen toyed with the fan in her hand, “In a few days, they won’t be friends anymore.”

Ms. Jiao looked impatient, having had enough.

The shopkeeper, “…”

Blame it on standing too close, but then again, the Magistrate didn’t seem to mind being overheard, and what she said was just plain truth!

The shopkeeper glanced at Ms. An, thinking that the Magistrate indeed lived up to being from the Marquis Zhou’s residence, with sharp eyes and wit.

The Zhou Residence, Yu Wen happily returned, knowing her aunts and mother were in the main courtyard, she turned on her heels and went there.

Su Xuan, “You’re back.”

Yu Wen sat beside her mother, “Hmm.”

Su Xuan was very pleased with her future daughter-in-law, so she asked, “Did something good happen today?”

Yu Wen, “I’m just in a good mood. I picked out some jewelry for grandmother and aunts.”

Saying this, she let the maid bring the gifts in, placing several boxes on the table to distribute presents to the elders.

Zhulan opened a box to find a pair of earrings, “Grandmother loves them.”

Lady Li and the others also opened theirs. Lady Li said, “Having a daughter around is nice.”

Daughters are thoughtful and bring back gifts when they go out, whereas sons tend to be careless.

Zhao agreed, though as elders, it’s not right to only receive gifts. Laughing, she said, “A few days ago, your second uncle got some good tea, knowing you like tea, he’ll send some to you.”

Lady Li also said, “Last time I bought some raw gemstones from the Xu family. I’ll pick some for you later.”

Su Xuan heard this and said, “My daughter’s gift-giving turned into a profit.”

Zhulan said, “Then should I give something too?”

Yu Wen hurriedly shook her head, “Please don’t, otherwise I won’t dare to pick gifts next time.”

The room erupted in laughter, and in the end, Yu Wen did make a small fortune.

In the blink of an eye, a few days passed, and today’s latest newspaper content stirred a discussion among the capital’s citizens.

The latest issue of the newspaper announced that the Imperial court was setting up factories in several states rich in medicinal herbs and expanding the existing medicine factories in the capital. It’s a massive boon for the country and the people, and citizens praising the Imperial court wouldn’t spark much discussion. What got people talking was the recruitment criteria.

This time, the Medical Department posted a recruitment notice in the newspaper. The male-to-female ratio was half and half, which was one point of discussion. Those knowledgeable in pharmacology would earn twice the wages of ordinary workers, and this transparency in wages was the second point of discussion.

The last point was that those with knowledge in pharmacology and literacy, upon evaluation, could be given important positions, with some steward roles also listed.

Zhulan knew today’s newspaper content when the court announced the factory setup. She visited the academy yesterday, and the female orphans who learned earlier would participate in this recruitment.

Zhulan touched the newspaper. Her fingertips lingered on the male-to-female ratio, her smile exceptionally warm. This recruitment was immensely meaningful, though the roles for men and women were separate, with managerial positions also recruited separately.

However, Zhulan was still joyful, as the academy would see an enrollment peak, with girls from within the capital attending classes this year, resulting in two additional classes at the academy.

The Palace, not everyone knew the newspaper content beforehand. The Emperor read it aloud after the morning court session. Some ministers were mentally prepared; these were the far-sighted ones who understood that with the establishment of the Girls College, hiring female workers was inevitable. Those with a broader perspective realized that women’s status would gradually change.

The conservative officials looked displeased, traditional and chauvinistic as they were, questioning why the recruitment was split equally between genders. Some even argued on the court that the Girls College shouldn’t have been established at all.

The result was another debate in the government hall after the morning assembly ended.

Zhou Shuren felt good during the morning court session. The matter was already decided, so he couldn’t be bothered to argue.

But some people couldn’t stop, still clamoring. Zhou Shuren was pleased because his wife’s efforts had borne fruit, but his cover for factory setups was no longer a secret. Deep down, he was not particularly delighted, only suppressing it for his wife’s happiness. Listening to the ongoing debate became more irritating.

Minister Tian lamented, “Emperor, this precedent cannot be set. If women don’t focus on upkeeping family and raising children, who will fulfill filial duties to the elders in the house? Who will care for the children?”

Zhou Shuren laughed in anger and interjected, “Minister, you’re missing two points.”

Minister Tian glared at Marquis Zhou, suspecting it was his suggestion. Why did the Emperor trust Marquis Zhou so?

Zhou Shuren, “Who keeps the family assets in order for the elders, and who manages the Second Wives and cradles the Illegitimate Sons and Daughters for the elders.”

The ministers who had been silent background figures sat up with attention. They had been waiting for Marquis Zhou to speak, having almost dozed off themselves.

Even the Emperor and the Crown Prince had a spark in their eyes, weary of hearing these individuals droning on. They found it exceedingly tiresome, and the Emperor looked on expectantly.