CHAPTER 70: CHAPTER 69: WOMEN’S VIRTUE ACADEMY

Yu Xiaolian lowered her head to pack pastries for the scholar, catching a glimpse out of the corner of her eye of that aunty who was pushed and wanted to argue with the woman, but was forcefully dragged away by her young son.

After that, Yu Xiaolian’s stall was never quiet, selling one portion of pastries after another, until the government officer at the exam venue entrance rang the assembly bell, Yu Xiaolian finally found some respite.

There were still some pastries left unsold on the cart. On her way home, passing through the market, Yu Xiaolian stopped her cart next to Aunt Ge’s stall, planning to holler for a bit more.

Wearing a mask, Aunt Ge didn’t recognize her at first, but once she removed it and Aunt Ge saw who she was, she immediately leaned in conspiratorially to tell Yu Xiaolian that something big might be happening in Yangcheng soon.

"Something big?" She hadn’t heard anything!

She roamed the streets and alleys of Yangcheng every day and hadn’t caught wind of anything.

Aunt Ge leaned closer to Yu Xiaolian’s ear, whispering, "I heard that the Princely Heir of Prince Huainan was assassinated, hanging by a thread between life and death."

"The Princely Heir of Prince Huainan?"

Isn’t that the male lead Jun Mobai? Why is Jun Mobai in Yangcheng, is he here to capture her?

Yu Xiaolian’s heart wailed internally, no, why isn’t the story following the original plot?

Why did it happen so soon?

Jun Mobai was assassinated? In the book, the assassination plot happened more than once, and several times the male lead was at death’s door, but always survived without a hitch in the end.

There was no helping it; he’s the male lead, after all. The male lead is like the author’s own son; surely, he has countless lives!

Right now, Yu Xiaolian wasn’t worried about Jun Mobai at all; she was more worried about herself.

"I wonder if the princely heir can survive. If he really dies in our Yangcheng, the County Magistrate’s cap won’t be secure. Wouldn’t you say that’s a big deal?"

Yu Xiaolian nodded, "It is a big deal!"

Aunt Ge plucked some withered vegetable leaves and tossed them aside, continuing, "I heard the Princely Heir sent the Ji brothers away before the assassination. No one knows what they were sent to do."

How does a mere vegetable seller like Aunt Ge know so much?

Yu Xiaolian’s curiosity was piqued, so she couldn’t help but ask, "Auntie, I really haven’t heard anything about this, how do you know?"

Aunt Ge smiled mysteriously, "My old man is a cook at the county government, otherwise why do you think I sell vegetables?"

So that’s how it is, then Aunt Ge’s information should be reliable.

Since Jun Mobai is in Yangcheng, she decided not to wander outside too much for the time being. Who knows if Jun Mobai’s really on the brink of death?

The book’s male lead is also adept at faking his death; she needed to be careful.

Luckily, she knew Aunt Ge, this chatterbox, otherwise, she wouldn’t even know that Jun Mobai was in Yangcheng.

Yu Xiaolian sold for a while longer, managed to sell some more, and then wrapped up the remaining items in oil paper, giving them all to Aunt Ge.

Building a good rapport with Aunt Ge was beneficial; at the very least, she wouldn’t need to go out of her way to gather information—Aunt Ge would spill the beans whenever she knew something.

Yu Xiaolian pushed her cart back home.

On her way, she was initially quite worried, but then she thought, she’s no longer the old Yu Xiaolian, so why worry senselessly?

Moreover, she has a space for self-preservation, no need to fear.

When Yu Xiaolian got home, Mrs. Sun had already prepared the meal—radish soup and cabbage with meat.

Simple, yet fragrant and delicious.

Yu Changhe and Yu Xiaolian gave heartfelt compliments without holding back.

Mrs. Sun modestly said it was thanks to the supermarket’s full range of seasonings, especially the MSG and chicken essence; just a little bit in the dishes made them taste wonderful.

Yu Xiaolian thought, when Zheng Yuanfeng’s restaurant opens, she must sell him MSG, chicken essence, soy sauce, and all kinds of spices.

Yu Xiaolian planned in her mind to get along well with Zheng Yuanfeng, so she frequently went to Mingxiang Pavilion, diligently racking up favor points in front of Zheng Yuanfeng.

If only she could become sworn siblings with Zheng Yuanfeng.

Her brother Jiang Lin is a martial arts master, and Zheng Yuanfeng is the richest man.

Hmm, find a way to recognize Zheng Yuanfeng as a second brother.

Initially, if it wasn’t for Yu Changhe’s severe leg injury and Mrs. Sun’s reluctance to leave her family, she wouldn’t have moved north to Yangcheng by herself.

But thankfully, coming to Yangcheng led her to meet Zheng Yuanfeng, which turned out to be a good thing.

After the meal, Yu Xiaolian returned to her room, pondering that she still wasn’t earning enough now.

Although the pastries, preserves, and tea she delivered to Mingxiang Pavilion made a decent income, it was still far from her goal of earning fortunes daily.

Yu Xiaolian decided she would no longer go out to sell cakes; earning a few hundred coins was truly a waste of time.

If asked whose money is easiest to earn, of course, it’s women. Yu Xiaolian decided she needed a way to enter the circle of upper-class women.

Change her business route to sell household products.

Yu Xiaolian contemplated for several days and concluded that she needed to find Zheng Yuanfeng to help figure out a way.

"If you want to sell the stuff you’re talking about to noble young ladies and wealthy girls, I’d suggest you best go to the Women’s Virtue Academy?"

Women’s Virtue Academy?

In the 21st century, if someone told you to go to a Women’s Virtue Academy to learn, it would be wholly derogatory—a curse.

Unexpectedly, there really was such an odd school in ancient times.

Zheng Yuanfeng lightly tapped his palm with his folding fan and continued, "However, with your family background, you definitely can’t get into the Women’s Virtue Academy. Most of the students there are daughters of officials, and if a merchant’s daughter wants to enroll, not only must she pay a hefty tuition fee but also have a government official relative as a guarantee."

Yu Xiaolian curiously asked, "What’s the purpose of Women’s Virtue Academy? Could it be for competing in imperial exams for women?"

Zheng Yuanfeng chuckled, "Great Liang doesn’t permit women to take imperial exams."

"Women’s Virtue Academy is for women to learn the virtues women should have, the Three Obediences and Four Virtues, the Four Books, and Five Classics, and everyday etiquette. However, they can’t participate in examinations like men."

Zheng Yuanfeng smiled warmly, teasingly adding to Yu Xiaolian, "Moreover, one function of Women’s Virtue Academy is to groom women whom senior officials, royals, and nobles prefer when selecting official wives and concubines."

Then, Zheng Yuanfeng elaborated further on some details about Women’s Virtue Academy.

"I see!" Yu Xiaolian said.

In essence, Women’s Virtue Academy serves as a place for grooming obedient and sensible women for high-status men.

And if women want to catch the eye of men with status, they have to get a graduation certificate from the Women’s Virtue Academy.

To prove she is well-educated and virtuous, adhering to the Three Obediences and Four Virtues.

This strange school isn’t just a place any ordinary woman can attend; the women inside are either rich or noble.

According to Zheng Yuanfeng, each major city in Great Liang has a branch of the Women’s Virtue Academy, but over half of the women inside are official daughters, and the rest are merchant daughters.

If a merchant’s daughter wants to get into Women’s Virtue Academy, not only must she pay ten times the tuition of an official’s daughter but also have an introduction letter from a government official relative.

Girls enter at the age of ten and graduate after three years.

During these three years, they mainly study the Four Books: the Women’s Virtue, Women’s Precepts, Women’s Analects, and the Inner Training.

As for the Five Classics, they only need a superficial understanding, as there’s no need for them to compete for titles like champion scholar.