Chapter 120: Throwing Rotten Eggs and Rotten Vegetable Leaves

Within a few days, the first School was already built, right in Taowu Village.

It happened to be the ten-day break, and as soon as Yan Ning heard, she immediately took a carriage to Taowu Village.

The carriage stopped, right in front of the School.

Yan Ning got out of the carriage, somewhat surprised, "So impressive?"

For a properly built School, they had actually excavated a large pond in the courtyard, kept quite a few koi inside, and even planted an osmanthus tree within the academy grounds.

It wasn't just the koi pond; the eaves were actually carved with flowers, and the roof had drainage rain curtains, each one in the shape of a flower.

Under the rain curtains, there was even a bowl lotus placed, which was very delicate.

This School was built quite well.

At this moment, the village head and the Village Chief of Taowu Village came over together.

Seeing that Yan Ning was wearing a Cloud Brocade skirt of azure clouds, and then looking at her face, they were all somewhat surprised.

"We thought it was a young gentleman; we didn't expect it to be a woman."

Yan Ning smiled and said, "You have built this academy well."

The Village Chief said happily, "Indeed, the budget of one thousand taels of silver was truly too high. Even with this, it wasn't all used up; with the extra tens of taels of silver, we made academy uniforms, so that when they attend class, they will be neat and tidy."

Seeing their dedication, Yan Ning was also happy in her heart; she feared those who would feign compliance while secretly embezzling even a few hundred taels of silver.

Yan Ning had suggested that the desks in the academy be made with drawers, and they had actually found a carpenter to make them.

The Village Chief continued, "We have also hired teachers; we hired four teachers in total for five taels of silver a month. Two can teach introductory lessons, and two can teach slightly more difficult subjects; we will hold an assessment every three months and assign classes based on the results."

Hearing that someone had come to visit, two scholars immediately came out and bowed to Yan Ning.

Scholar Zhou said hurriedly, "His Highness, please rest assured, we will certainly teach and nurture the students well."

Scholar Cen, who was to the side, also echoed this.

Scholar Zhou looked to be about forty or fifty years old, with graying temples.

As for Scholar Cen, judging by his appearance, he was likely not yet thirty.

Scholar Cen looked at the Imperial Crown Princess before him, feeling somewhat nervous for a moment.

However, seeing that Yan Ning was easy to talk to and had no intention of making things difficult for them, Scholar Cen became bold.

"Your Highness, if we teachers pass the provincial examination, what should we do?"

Yan Ning said, "If you pass the provincial examination, then you go to teach at the Prefecture School; if you pass the metropolitan examination, then you go to teach at the School."

Scholar Cen was stunned, "Even those who pass the metropolitan examination must teach?"

Yan Ning nodded, "At least three years, and then other positions will be arranged."

Scholar Cen was slightly surprised, "That won't be enough metropolitan graduates..."

Yan Ning said nonchalantly, "If it's not enough, then we will hold the examination every year; we will always be able to gather enough."

Once Yan Ning said this, Scholar Cen finally set his heart at ease.

He certainly did not want to be stuck teaching in the village after passing the provincial examination.

Not long after, these words spoken by Yan Ning spread among the scholars.

As long as one was a scholar, it was five taels of silver per month.

Nowadays, there were not many ways for scholars to earn money; either their families were wealthy, or they earned money by copying books or running private schools.

But none of these were as cost-effective as being a teacher at a government-run School.

That was five taels of silver per month!

Moreover, they did not have to worry about being forced to stay in the village if they happened to pass the provincial examination later on.

And for those who felt they could not pass, having such a place to teach and earn money provided security for their lives, and even if they stayed in the village forever, they were willing.

Yan Ning inspected the pilot project here, then found the Provincial Administration Commissioner to contact the local officials.

It was the same as before; Yan Ning called Wei Wu and the others over again.

Wei Wu, Zhuo Heng, and the others had returned from the battlefield and had been following Yan Ning's orders to keep an eye on local officials.

Yan Ning gave each of them one hundred taels in Silver Notes and said to them, "This time it is the same as before; dismiss those who are passive and lazy, and for anyone who dares to obstruct, bring them back directly and lock them in the Jianlao of the Ministry of Justice."

Zhuo Heng and the others took several pigeons and went to various places to ensure that news could be sent back at the first opportunity.

Yan Ning felt that since so many officials had been dismissed before, there shouldn't be anyone obstructing the work.

As it turned out, Yan Ning received a message via carrier pigeon: the Prefect of Jincheng actually dared to obstruct the building of the School and had collected twenty thousand taels of silver in donations from the common people in the counties and townships below.

Yan Ning was shocked.

With so many officials having been dismissed and locked in the Jianlao, and with Jincheng being so close to the Capital, he actually dared to embezzle the money donated by the people.

The next morning, Yan Ning received news again; he dared to deceive Yan Ning because he had made an agreement with the Provincial Administration Commissioner to split the twenty thousand taels in half.

But they never expected that Yan Ning would send people to arrange investigators in every prefecture, county, and township.

Thus, the Prefect of Jincheng and the Provincial Administration Commissioner were both caught.

During the morning Court, Yan Ning spoke about this matter in the Court.

"The Provincial Administration Commissioner colluded with officials to embezzle twenty thousand taels of silver; they should be severely punished."

Yan Ze said very cooperatively, "Punish them severely; use them as a warning to others."

Yan Ze asked again, "How do you all think it is best to punish them?"

The officials present were all very shrewd.

The Minister of Revenue said, "Although they embezzled twenty thousand taels, the crime does not warrant death..."

The Minister of Justice: "Why not lock them in the Jianlao of the Ministry of Justice and let them reflect in prison."

The Vice Minister of Justice proposed, "Why not have them transported in a cage cart from Jincheng all the way to the Capital? I believe this will allow those officials to see clearly, so they will never dare to offend again."

Yan Ning felt this was feasible, so she sent people to Jincheng to seize the Provincial Administration Commissioner and Prefect Wang, and after confiscating their assets, sent them to the Jianlao of the Ministry of Justice in the Capital.

Because the news had come via carrier pigeon, neither Prefect Wang nor the Provincial Administration Commissioner expected that Yan Ning could learn of the news so quickly in the Capital.

Early the next morning, they were arrested by the Junjun who had rushed over overnight.

After the house was raided, it was discovered that Wang Zhi had hidden three hundred thousand taels of silver in the walls of his home, and another five hundred thousand taels buried underground; he had actually embezzled one million taels of silver!

And this was only the one million that had been found.

It was unknown whether there were things hidden in other places.

After the Provincial Administration Commissioner's house was raided, five hundred thousand taels of embezzled money were also found, all buried under the trees in the backyard.

Two hundred thousand taels were the funds donated by the common people to build the School, which were immediately returned to the counties and villages. The remaining one million three hundred thousand were all placed into the national treasury.

Because of this, Yan Ning even said during the morning court session: "I intend to double everyone's salary and gradually restore the Integrity-Nurturing Silver."

"Therefore, do not embezzle; if discovered, your house will be raided and you will be imprisoned."

The gathered officials were all somewhat panicked.

They dared not act recklessly anymore.

Within two days, the Provincial Administration Commissioner and the Jinzhou Prefect were locked in prisoner carts, wearing shackles on their hands, and sent to the Capital.

The common people also crowded around to watch the spectacle.

Wang Zhi looked at the gazes of the people around him, his eyes sinister.

He gritted his back teeth: "Dim-witted ruler! Do you think having a dim-witted ruler is a good thing?"

Wang Zhi began to curse and swear.

He spewed out every ugly word he could think of.

The result was that the common people pelted him with rotten vegetable leaves and rotten eggs.

Ptooey, ptooey, ptooey!

What dim-witted ruler?

Is there any Emperor better than the current Sage Ruler?

Ever since the Emperor was changed, their lives have been much better than before, and their children can even study and have the opportunity to enter the court as officials.

There is simply no Emperor better than the current Sage Ruler!