Chapter 115: Establishing Official Schools

Yan Ning asked in surprise, "Don't you all always complain behind my father's back that he's a living Yama? How is it that just a few insults behind his back warrants beheading? Who exactly is the living Yama here..."

The Vice Minister of Justice: "..."

He had forgotten that although this father and daughter were living Yamas, they didn't take lives; they just liked giving orders that made life worse than death.

The Vice Minister of Justice asked tentatively: "Your Majesty, how should this person be dealt with?"

Yan Ze: "Dealt with? Keep them locked in the prison; I can't hear them anyway."

The Vice Minister of Justice was on the verge of tears.

The last time he was on the verge of tears was when he discovered that Yan Yu didn't care how history books would be written after his death.

Without these scruples, one acts more boldly—doing whatever one wants, killing whoever one wants, and exiling whoever one wants.

Now he realized that the Emperor and the Crown Princess both seemed indifferent to how the court historians wrote.

Thinking of this, the Vice Minister of Justice panicked a little.

After the Vice Minister of Justice took his leave, he went to the prison.

Sure enough, there were still many people inside cursing Yan Ze as a Gou Huangdi.

"Gou Huangdi, locking us up over a Seed, truly a dim-witted ruler!"

"No wonder his path to the throne wasn't legitimate; so he's this kind of trash."

"Isn't it said that the Gou Huangdi is magnanimous? If he's so magnanimous, why is it so easy to get a little corner-cutting?"

The Vice Minister of Justice felt his head throbbing, "No matter how much you kick up a fuss, the Emperor can't hear you and won't care. Save your energy."

"Besides, you were not performing your duties in your positions... No, it's just that for this, the Emperor would only dismiss you from office, not hand you over to the Ministry of Justice. The schemes you were secretly pulling behind the scenes are enough to warrant the execution of your entire clan. It is only because the Emperor is benevolent that he didn't go that far."

Complaining aside, the Vice Minister of Justice actually quite liked Yan Ze as an Emperor.

It was just that no one listened to him:

"Hurry and have someone revolt to get this Gou Huangdi killed!"

The Vice Minister of Justice snorted coldly: "Brainless things, unable to distinguish right from wrong. No wonder you're locked in the Ministry of Justice prison now. If you curse again, I'll take you to try the ten cruel punishments."

Instantly, the prison became much quieter.

Only one person in a corner cell was still shouting: "Is it my big brother who is on the throne now?"

The Vice Minister of Justice went over to take a look; it was the Third Prince.

The Third Prince looked as if he had grabbed a straw of hope: "My big brother has the softest heart. Could you help me pass a message to him?"

The Vice Minister of Justice: "..."

After a long while, he said: "Are you sure you want to be remembered by him? If I recall correctly, your maternal grandfather didn't hire few people to kill the Emperor back then."

"Don't tell me you want the Emperor to remember that?"

The Third Prince's face turned deathly pale, and the hope in his eyes instantly vanished into thin air.

He didn't dare to gamble on whether his big brother would spare him.

If his big brother were truly benevolent, how could he imprison these officials for a single instance of dereliction of duty?

So, the Third Prince shrank back like a quail.

But for a prince like him, it was truly too much to bear.

Yet the Third Prince didn't dare to speak.

Seeing those people continue to curse and swear, the Vice Minister of Justice rarely spoke a word of justice: "You don't even think about why others were just dismissed while you were imprisoned. This high-yield Seed was planted for the benefit of the common people, yet you were still causing trouble behind the scenes. In my view, locking you in is light; you should be beheaded immediately!"

At this, someone snorted coldly: "You'll know the pain when this dismissal falls on your own head later."

The Vice Minister of Justice puffed out his chest and held his head high: "As long as I work hard, my position won't be lost. I walk straight and act upright; I will absolutely not get into trouble."

A few days later, it was the rest day.

Yan Ning was bored, so she went to the outskirts of the capital to fly kites with her father.

Xiao Huaijin followed along as well.

The carriage drove along and suddenly stopped for a moment; there was a carriage passing in front.

Yan Ning lifted the curtain to look outside and happened to see two children squatting outside a Private School, lying on the window to listen to the lecture inside.

These two children were wearing clothes full of patches and were thin and gaunt from hunger.

It looked like they were there to steal an education.

Yan Ning sighed: "So eager to learn. If I could be this motivated, the Grand Tutor would be smiling from ear to ear when he sleeps at night."

That was what she said, but seeing these children trying every possible way to study, Yan Ning didn't feel right inside.

It was better in her past life; nine-year compulsory education at least allowed one to study until the third year of middle school.

Yan Ning and the others arrived at the outskirts of the capital.

It was already past the time for kite flying, but Yan Ning had suddenly taken an interest in flying kites.

Yan Ze had brought brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, as well as some bamboo strips; he was prepared to make the kites himself.

Last night, the father and daughter had watched videos on how to make kites for a long time and were already well-versed in it.

Before long, Yan Ze had finished making Yan Ning's kite.

Xiao Huaijin, who was to the side, watched longingly and muttered in a low voice: "My father would never make a kite with me."

Yan Ze laughed: "Haha, then I'll make one with you."

Yan Ning had made a swallow kite, and Yan Ze and Xiao Huaijin made a koi kite together, which looked vibrant and festive.

The kites flew high up in an instant, and the smiles on the faces of Yan Ning and Xiao Huaijin never stopped.

Yan Ze said happily: "If you like flying kites, come together next rest day."

Yan Ning quickly said: "No, no, I'm already satisfied after flying kites today. Next time we'll go play somewhere else; boating on the lake would be nice, preferably with someone singing."

Yan Ze: "You certainly know how to enjoy yourself."

After flying kites for the whole afternoon, they also grilled a few fish, and after eating and drinking their fill, they prepared to return to the Imperial Palace.

It was just that Yan Ning saw the day was still early and couldn't help but say, "It's still early, why don't we go to Zui Chun Lou? I won't drink, I'll just watch."

Yan Ze thought for a moment, "Then let's go."

Zui Chun Lou was a restaurant, but the powerful and noble in the capital knew how to enjoy themselves, so Zui Chun Lou also kept many women skilled in music, allowing guests to watch them dance while eating.

The dishes were served quickly, and Yan Ze also ordered a pot of wine.

Yan Ning looked at the person serving the dishes and actually felt they were somewhat familiar, as if she had seen them somewhere before.

Yan Ze asked, "What's wrong? Is there a problem with that person?"

Only then did Yan Ning remember where she had seen them.

This child seemed to be the one who was lying on the window listening to the lecture at the Private School.

Because they were so scrawny, Yan Ning had a particularly deep impression of them.

Yan Ning replied to her father, "Father, I remember now, this is the child we met on the road, the one who was lying on the window listening to the Private School lecture."

Yan Ze was surprised, "This child goes to the Private School during the day and still has to come here to work a part-time job at night?"

Yan Ning sighed, "If only there were nine-year compulsory education."

Xiao Huaijin was puzzled, "What is nine-year compulsory education?"

Yan Ze explained, "The imperial court provides nine years of schooling for the children of all the common people in the world, with all tuition fees waived, so that everyone, regardless of poverty or wealth, can come to learn."

Xiao Huaijin was surprised, "With so many people, is the imperial court's silver enough? I always hear people talking about the national treasury being empty..."

Yan Ning said, "It is enough."

Yan Ze's expression also became serious, "Tell me, how should this Official School be run to be better?"