Chapter 153: Sky Screen Broadcast System (28)

"Your Majesty..."

The Director of the Imperial Academy was dumbfounded after hearing the Emperor's clear intent.

Is the Emperor planning to implement physical education in schools from the top down, starting with the Imperial Academy?

Xiao Yanze looked down at him from his high position, eyes narrowed: "You have often complained to me that civil officials are physically weak, and that every time the seasons change, they are constantly attended by imperial physicians and manor doctors. Now that we have finally found the root cause and can solve this problem at the source, why do you hesitate and refuse to implement it?"

"..."

It was not that he was unwilling to implement it, but rather...

The students who could enter the Imperial Academy were all fine seedlings and the best of the best selected from every region.

Those who achieved success at a young age were, after all, in the minority; most were already married and fathers, and some might even be grandfathers. To make them play Cuju, run around the Courtyard, or pull on tree branches to train their arm strength, this...

He wanted to say, what kind of decorum is this!

But their Emperor waved his hand: "I will announce this policy at the Great Court. It will be vigorously implemented not only in the Imperial Academy but also in all local government schools and private academies. I summoned you here not to discuss it with you, but to have you draft the notices in advance to be posted, setting an example for the government schools of Daliang."

"..."

Just like that, the Imperial Academy, under the high-pressure policy issued by their Emperor's golden words, became the first to implement physical education classes in schools.

Fortunately, the Emperor did not blindly imitate the Heavenly Palace, but started from the actual conditions of Daliang, adding three physical education courses to the Civil Service Examination schools: "Archery," "Horse Riding," and "Cuju."

Two sessions per day, placed before morning reading and before school ended, respectively. The former was similar to morning exercise, and the latter was similar to a physical activity class before dismissal.

As for local government schools and private academies, they added corresponding physical education classes based on the students' ages.

Schools for young children only offered "Radio Gymnastics" and "Cuju," modeled after the large recess of the Heavenly Palace;

Older students had "Archery" and "Horse Riding" added, which matched the national conditions of their country.

In other words, "Cuju" was the only physical education item retained from the Imperial Academy down to the various private academies and schools among the people.

On one hand, because it was small in size and had no requirements for the venue; as long as there was a ball, a match could be played anytime, anywhere.

Unlike Archery and Horse Riding, which not only required specialized venues, but bows, arrows, and horses were also not cheap.

And the cost of Cuju could be high or low; wealthy and influential families used Cuju sewn from sheepskin;

The common people at the bottom did not have such conditions, so they used bamboo strips to weave a frame and filled it with straw, which could also be kicked.

Of course, the addition of physical education classes in schools was initially resisted by many, and the resisting group was mostly the common people at the bottom, for no other reason: it was caused by poverty!

Although they also envied the innocent, lively, happy, and fulfilling daily life of the children in the Heavenly Palace schools, they were unhappy at the thought of their own children spending money at school to neglect their proper work.

However, this policy was implemented from the top down, and in the Spring Examination of the following year, the imperial examination would add assessments for the three physical education courses. Not only would the Military Service Examination require these three, but Civil Service Examination students would also be tested, though the assessment standards would differ slightly.

In this way, even if there were voices of opposition, they quickly died down.

Are you kidding! The imperial court was going to add physical education exams; how could one not study?

Not only did they have to study, but they also had to consolidate and review after class, lest they fail to become a Cultivated Talent or Recommended Man and miss the path to success because of these three physical education courses.

As time went on, Cuju became a national sport; regardless of gender, age, or status, anyone who got a Cuju could kick it a few times.

If Xie Yang knew, she would definitely give the Emperor of Tianye a thumbs up: as expected of an emperor, he implemented two policies at once—"National Fitness" and "Starting Football from Childhood"—both of which were vigorously advocated by the country in the modern era!

In a blink of an eye, the two children had been in school for more than half a month, and in another week, they would welcome the National Day, a festival celebrated by the whole country.

When Feng Zinuo's mother came to pick up her child, she chatted along the way and asked Xie Yang what plans she had for National Day.

"Nuo Nuo Ba said there are too many people traveling long distances during National Day, and a lot of time would be wasted just on the road, so it would be better to find a farmhouse or an RV base nearby where we can pitch a tent and camp, and take the children to play for two or three days. If you don't have other plans, would you like to join us?"

Xie Yang actually did have plans: "There happens to be a Grand Military Parade this year, and I want to take Jinbao and Linbao to watch it in person. I have already booked a hotel in the best viewing position on Chang'an Avenue."

"That's great!" Feng Zinuo's mother's eyes lit up, "Our Nuo Nuo hasn't seen the Grand Military Parade either. I wonder if the hotel rooms are fully booked. If there are still vacancies, I'll book one too. Let's go watch the Grand Military Parade together on the 1st. How about we go to the farmhouse together after watching? Play until the 4th or 5th and come back, leaving two or three days for them to settle their minds, so they don't have their hearts still outside when school starts."

"Sure."

Xie Yang felt that going as a group to watch the military parade was also good; National Day should be lively.

The subsequent three-day farmhouse tour was also good. The children had experienced camping in those three months before school started, but that camping involved renting a tent in a valley to watch fireflies and the starry sky, which was a different matter from a farmhouse.

When Feng Zinuo came out after school and heard his mother say that she would take him to watch the Grand Military Parade on National Day and also go to the farmhouse to feed the Alpaca and deer, he couldn't care less that he was still at the school gate and excitedly pulled Xie Jilin to spin in circles.

"Aow—that's great! Linbao, let's go watch the Grand Military Parade together! Let's go feed the sika deer together! I know about the Grand Military Parade; Grandpa showed me a video, it's so majestic!"

"What is a Grand Military Parade?" Xie Jilin asked because he didn't know.

"You don't even know what a Grand Military Parade is?" Little Feng Zinuo widened his eyes exaggeratedly.

Just as he wanted to show off the knowledge he had heard from his grandfather, he received a knuckle rap from his mother.

"Know when to stop, Feng Zinuo! You better study hard for the next few days. If I receive another private message from Teacher Li saying that you interrupted in class, talked during writing class, or chased and played after class, don't mention the Grand Military Parade; even the farmhouse will be canceled by your father! You are not allowed to go anywhere! Stay at home and reflect properly!"

Feng Zinuo let out an "Aow" and dragged his mother's arm, wailing on the ground: "This is unfair!"

It was evident that he also knew how difficult it was to not interrupt in class, not talk during writing, and not chase and play after class.

Xie Yang and her nephew looked at each other and couldn't help but laugh.

What is a Grand Military Parade?

The Daliang citizens watching the Sky Screen broadcast were just as curious as their Little Marquis.

The core members of the imperial court gathered in the Imperial Study to discuss it, but they were able to decipher a thing or two from the literal meaning:

"A Grand Military Parade, as the name implies, should be an inspection of the strength of the Ministry of War, but this is a top-secret matter of our dynasty. Why can even six or seven-year-old children in the Heavenly Palace watch it at will?" The Minister of War was extremely shocked.

If it weren't for the fact that the Emperor and all the other colleagues heard it clearly, and the words "Grand Military Parade" were indeed mentioned on the Sky Screen, he would have suspected that something was wrong with his ears.

Xiao Yanze's heart was also like crashing waves.

As the actual person in power of the Ministry of War and the commander of Daliang, he was more wary than anyone else about the leakage of the Ministry of War's strength.

How dare the Heavenly Palace display such important things to the general public, including women and children?

Even if the people in the Heavenly Palace all had great divine powers, gods were still divided into different ranks, and there were heavenly soldiers and generals in the Heavenly Realm.

He did not believe that the heavenly soldiers and generals of the Heavenly Realm would dare to show their own strength to a group of minor immortals for appraisal.

What's more, after these days of observation, the Heavenly Palace and the Heavenly Realm were not the same thing; the Heavenly Palace... seemed to be the human world as well, only that the people in that place lived more affluent lives, had more convenient travel, and the environment was more beautiful...

Unable to figure it out after much thought, he simply stopped wasting his brain on it.

"Forget it, we shall see how the 'Grand Military Parade' of the Heavenly Palace truly turns out in a few days."

The various ministers nodded.

The Little Marquis's aunt said that the day of the Grand Military Parade is in one week.

One week equals seven days; this they already knew.

The Book of Changes says "seven days to return," seven makes a week and then it begins anew, which is quite easy to understand.

It is only waiting seven days, it will arrive very soon.

(End of this chapter)