Chapter 149: Teahouse

Yan Ze vented his anger, looked at the man lying on the ground, and directly grabbed him to throw him outside.

The commotion here was quite loud, and the diners were all craning their necks, wanting to know what had happened.

"This family, dressed plainly, yet the one thrown out looked luxuriously attired; to think they actually dared to lay a hand on him."

"He came up demanding to take their daughter as a secondary wife; if it were me, I would have attacked too."

"Stop talking, let's eat quickly, lest they come looking for us."

Yan Ze turned his head back, saw the guilty look on Xiao Shi's face, and asked: "Did you listen to that man's words and intentionally say there were no private rooms upstairs, right?"

Xiao Shi felt a sense of oppression.

But he didn't dare to say a word, hanging his head, thinking of the silver bits in his pocket; at worst, he would just get a beating.

Yan Ze couldn't be bothered to say more to him, went straight back to his seat, and began to eat.

The dishes at Zhenwei Pavilion were quite good in taste.

Yan Ning finished two bowls of rice.

Yan Ning whispered: "I want to poach the chef from Zhenwei Pavilion."

Yan Ze took it to heart and asked Xiao Shi directly: "May we see your chef?"

Xiao Shi hurriedly said: "Yes, yes, this little one will lead you over right away."

He was terrified that Yan Ze would find trouble for him.

After Xiao Shi left, Yan Ze asked: "Would you like to be our chef? I will pay double the price, and there is less work at our place."

Yan Ze negotiated with the chef just like that, though he couldn't poach the person away immediately; he had to wait a few days for a replacement chef to come and take over before he could leave.

Yan Ze was not in a hurry; as long as the person could go, it would be fine.

After the family finished eating, they looked around. It was probably because of the New Year that there weren't many people on the street, and many shops were closed.

Yan Ning saw a shadow play and was a bit curious, so she went up to take a look.

After watching, they went to a teahouse; the storyteller here told stories exceptionally well.

Yan Ning didn't expect that, upon entering and listening, it was actually a story about her.

Something about debating the scholars and insisting on building the Cement Road.

It was told with great ups and downs.

At this moment, the story finished, and the storyteller drank a cup of tea, "Everyone, please wait a moment, I will come back after a short rest."

Seeing the storyteller resting, the teahouse began to boil with excitement.

"Thanks to the Crown Princess for building the road, and the Bicycle, travel is much more convenient. I live in Songshi Town and can arrive in half an hour."

"I also want to get a Bicycle to bring the paper and toilet paper my family makes over to sell, but this two taels of silver is really hard to part with."

"Sell more paper to the students in town; although it doesn't sell for much, it can at least earn some. Once you save up two taels of silver, go buy a Bicycle. That's what I did."

Yan Ning listened to their words and was very satisfied; it seems building roads is indeed good and can also drive the economic development on both sides.

At this time, a disheveled old man, holding wine in one hand and picking his toes with the other, said to the crowd: "You don't know yet, right? The Crown Princess is going to build a Medical Academy to teach people medical skills."

At this, someone was puzzled: "There are doctors in every city, and there is no shortage of doctors. Isn't this a waste of time and effort? Besides, those doctors might not necessarily teach their family's secret recipes."

"I also think this Medical Academy is not well-built."

Everyone began to whisper to each other.

At this time, the disheveled old man tapped the table with his wine bottle.

Everyone quieted down all at once, all very curious as to why the Crown Princess wanted to open a Medical Academy.

The disheveled old man said: "Since you don't know, don't say the Crown Princess is doing something unnecessary."

"Do you know that what the Crown Princess wants to cultivate are female doctors? It is very inconvenient for women to see a doctor, so the Crown Princess specifically built a Medical Academy to train female doctors."

Upon hearing that they were female doctors, everyone's eyes lit up.

The disheveled old man continued: "This time, the Crown Princess has selected Doctor Qian, and I heard that imperial physicians will also come to teach."

The crowd gasped, "What? Imperial physicians coming to teach in person?"

The women were happy; it would be easier to see a doctor in the future. The Crown Princess is truly good.

There were also people with ulterior motives.

Since they are recruiting female medical students, could they stuff their maidservants in? The maidservants' deeds of sale are held in their hands...

Just as he was daydreaming, the disheveled old man tapped the table again: "However, don't have any crooked thoughts. I guess His Highness is going to recruit female doctors from all over the place this time. Once the female doctors finish their studies, they will go back and open another Medical Academy."

The little schemes in those people's hearts were suddenly shattered.

Everyone said: "The Crown Princess is truly too good to us."

At this time, a young man in a blue robe remembered something and slapped his forehead, "Oh my, not only is the Crown Princess good, but His Majesty is also good."

The others all crowded over.

The young man in the blue robe smiled and said: "You haven't heard yet, right? Now women can also enter the court as officials; women can take the Imperial Examination!"

This remark was like a Bomb thrown into the crowd, and everyone began to boil with excitement.

That wasn't all; he continued: "Quiet, everyone be quiet. Besides these, there is also a newly promulgated decree."

"Now not only can women take the Imperial Examination, but an additional clause has been added: this year's Imperial Examination has an extra paper, testing mathematics. Those with good grades can still enter the County School or Prefecture School."

"However, I heard that the talents promoted through the additional paper will have special arrangements, but at least they can be an official, right?"

The crowd began to stir again.

"My child is ten years old and likes mathematics the most. If he passes the additional paper for the Academy Examination, wouldn't he be able to go to the County School?"

The young man in the blue robe smiled and said: "That is natural."

Some people didn't believe it.

"How can there be such a thing as a pie falling from the sky? How can being good at mathematics allow one to enter the court as an official?"

"Exactly, is this news of yours reliable?"

The young man in the blue robe said with dissatisfaction, "If you don't believe me, go to the notice board at the city gate and see for yourselves whether this news is reliable or not."

The questioned young man in the blue robe was somewhat displeased: "People have long since become officials because they were good at mathematics; you all know Yun Shu, right? He is only fifteen this year, yet he is already a Director of the Imperial Academy, an Eighth Rank official position."

Someone questioned: "But he isn't good at mathematics; he was promoted because he created the Steam Train."

The young man in the blue robe was somewhat surprised: "So it was creating the Steam Engine?"

The person who questioned him was wearing a black robe, and he said to the young man in the blue robe: "Right, it is the Steam Engine. I heard that His Majesty and the Crown Princess asked him to teach mathematics, and also... that thing called something-or-other physics."

"Physics..."

"Right, that's it, Physics!"

The crowd was shocked: "So all the talents promoted through the examinations have to listen to Yun Shu?"

The young man in the black robe said: "Of course. I heard that after the New Year, they will select a few who are good at mathematics to attend his lectures. I just don't know if a fifteen-year-old boy can hold his own."

At this moment, no one cared whether Yun Shu could hold his own or not.

Many people hurried back as fast as they could.

"I can't take it anymore, I'm going to study mathematics with my son to see if we can give it a shot."

"New Year? What New Year? The Academy Examination is in the second month; I must urge the nephews in my family to go study mathematics."

"Who would have thought mathematics could have such a benefit? I have been obsessed with mathematics every day and have received no shortage of cold stares; it turns out that being good at mathematics also allows one to participate in the Imperial Examination."

Yan Ning watched this scene below and said with a smile: "Father, this reform of the Imperial Examination is truly excellent."