Heartstrings Resonance: The Beloved Princess of the Female Power

Then he said, "Mrs. Xiao Mu is a very measured person. She will never do anything lightly unless she is absolutely sure. So far, I have never seen her suffer any loss!"

Emperor Qing Zhao nodded slightly in agreement, then said, "That's true, but this situation might be a bit tricky! I'm very curious and want to see how she will resolve this problem..."

Eunuch Fu echoed, "In my opinion, Lady Xiao Mu must have a plan in mind. After all, with her intelligence and strategy, she will surely come up with a foolproof solution."

Emperor Qing Zhao slowly cast his gaze outside the palace gate, his eyes deep and unfathomable. After a moment's silence, he said firmly, "If she can truly defeat the combined forces of these aristocratic families this time, in the future... I will confer upon her the title of Marquis and appoint her as Prime Minister!"

Meanwhile, Mu Yunxi had long anticipated that these aristocratic families would unite against Yongle. The reason was simple: the mere existence of the two courses, farming and medicine, was enough to stir these families into conflict. These families controlled vast quantities of grain and precious medicinal herbs. If the academy achieved significant results in these areas and disseminated them throughout Zhao State, the local people would no longer need to rely on these aristocratic families, and their constant flow of wealth would cease. More crucially, if they lost control of the local areas, their former days of dominance and arrogance would be gone forever. For those families unwilling to change, only gradual decline awaited.

Yongle had discussed this in depth with Mu Yunxi. However, Mu Yunxi's words at the time held a deeper meaning: "As the saying goes, 'A lean camel is bigger than a horse.' The wealth of these aristocratic families is mostly earned through brutal exploitation. And those who earn their living through legitimate means, why would they care whether we open this academy?"

Within just a day or two, the entire capital was awash in rumors. Groups of people gathered in the streets, whispering and chatting. One rumor particularly caught their attention: "Have you heard? Princess Yongle and that Lady Mu are co-founding an academy that teaches women medicine. It's completely immoral for any woman other than a female physician to be a doctor!"

"That's right. You actually dare to compete with men. You are simply overestimating yourself and don't know your place!" The fat man standing next to him shook his head and touched the sparse beard on his chin with his hand, saying contemptuously.

At this moment, another person quickly chimed in, "That's right. Since ancient times, women have been expected to stay home and do their duty, taking care of the household, serving their parents-in-law, and raising their husbands and children. How could they possibly go out into the world and study these things at an academy? Isn't this a blatant violation of natural law and morality? Many people are now saying that such an academy shouldn't even exist!"

Just as everyone was whispering, a mean-looking man with a pointed chin and monkey-like features suddenly emerged from the crowd. He looked around furtively and said in a low, mysterious voice, "Did you know? That college is so audacious that they allow men and women to study together. This is unheard of!"

"Oh? There's such a thing?" Another equally mean-spirited street kid opened his mouth in astonishment, then shook his head and sighed, "Oh, this is outrageous! I heard that male and female students even live together in that academy. How ridiculous! It's totally outrageous!"

Hearing this, a well-mannered man in a long gown couldn't help but interject, "Humph, what's even more ridiculous is that they are said to not only teach those female students to read and write, but also teach them skills like farming, healing and saving lives. This is clearly a delusion that women can be on an equal footing with us men. It's simply a foolish dream and a fantasy!" After saying this, his fair face revealed a look of disdain.

Facing the surging wave of public opinion, Mu Yunxi felt as if a mirror was hanging high in her heart. She knew very clearly that all of this was deliberately planned and manipulated by someone behind the scenes.

Moreover, thinking about the rumors that were all directed at women, she couldn't help but snort coldly, "Humph! It's obvious that they can't find any other reasons to criticize, so they're just harping on the issue of recruiting female students and making irresponsible remarks."

However, through these remarks, Mu Yunxi also gained a deeper understanding of the traditional roles set for women in this era. People always expected women to strictly follow the so-called "womanly virtues," wholeheartedly assisting their husbands and raising children, but never truly encouraged them to bravely pursue their own personal achievements or freedom.

What's worse, some people's speeches reveal undisguised contempt, degradation, and discrimination against women. They completely regard women as appendages of men, or even playthings for entertainment, completely ignoring the personality and dignity that women should have as independent individuals.

In a male-dominated society, women are often forced to find themselves in a relatively disadvantaged position. This deeply unequal social structure, like a giant, invisible net, tightly binds women's hands and feet, directly leading to their degradation and oppression.

Although Mu Yunxi didn't intend to single-handedly shake this indestructible mountain and change the status quo of the entire Zhao Kingdom, she knew that allowing these malicious rumors to continue to spread was ultimately not a solution. Therefore, no matter what, she felt that these rumors should be stopped promptly and effectively.

She did not show up in person, but simply discussed with Yongle and wrote a statement in Yongle's name and posted it on bulletin boards in various places. As before, she arranged for people to read it aloud there so that even illiterate people could understand it: "College Statement":

Recently, rumors have been circulating about the academy run by this princess and Master Mu. I'm deeply saddened and helpless about this. Although I have no intention of changing everyone's perceptions, as the founder of the academy, I have a responsibility to clarify the facts and stop the spread of these rumors.

First, I want to make it clear to everyone that male and female students live separately in the academy. We have separate dormitories and courtyards to ensure the privacy and safety of each student. The academy is a pure place for learning and must not be tainted by any impure thoughts.

Furthermore, I've given deep thought to why women are being allowed to learn these knowledge and skills, once considered the exclusive province of men. In our time, men often pursue careers in government, yet many fields of knowledge and skills require specific talent. Our academy firmly believes that as long as someone can benefit the nation and contribute to its prosperity, why should we care whether they are male or female, young or old? We seek talent and contribution, not gender or age.

At the same time, I must emphasize that the academy will never admit those who commit petty thieves. Anyone harboring ill intentions within the academy will be severely punished by Princess Yongle. The laws of Zhao State are not merely formalities. Our academy is a just and rigorous place, and no evil forces will be tolerated.

Furthermore, I would like to emphasize that we must learn to embrace new things. We should not reject the old, but rather innovate! This is the inevitable trend of the times and the philosophy that our college upholds. We hope that everyone will progress with us and contribute to the prosperity of Zhaoguo.

"Did the eldest princess say this herself?" Someone in the crowd was the first to raise the question. Although the voice was not loud, it was particularly clear in the slightly noisy environment.

The person standing on the podium, in charge of reading the message, immediately raised his voice and replied loudly, "Indeed, that is exactly what the Princess ordered. If you have any further questions, please feel free to ask me. I will answer them with all my knowledge."

As soon as he finished speaking, a cautious voice came from the crowd again: "I heard that male and female students in that academy live separately, and even females can learn the knowledge and skills that males have learned. I wonder if this is true?" The speaker was a woman. As she spoke, she secretly observed the reactions of the people around her with the corner of her eyes.

"Absolutely true!" The man who read the statement nodded without hesitation, his tone firm and powerful.

However, at this moment, a malicious voice suddenly emerged: "But, there are still some unbearable rumors circulating in the market. It is said that in the college..." The man stopped talking halfway because his words were interrupted by the man rudely.

The man's face darkened, and he sternly declared, "This is pure nonsense! The academy hasn't even started recruiting students yet, and nothing has happened yet. Anyone with a common sense should understand that this is nothing more than a malicious rumor deliberately fabricated by someone with ulterior motives! Everyone, please don't let yourself be taken advantage of by those with ill intentions!"

As soon as these righteous words were spoken, everyone present looked at each other in bewilderment. After all, who would want to publicly admit that they had no brains? So, everyone nodded in agreement, expressing their deep agreement with the man's words.

Then, the man continued, "Please consider this: the skills the students learn in the academy will ultimately benefit ordinary people like us. Once they have completed their studies, they will undoubtedly bring us greater benefits and assistance. Therefore, we should support such a good cause that benefits the people, rather than blindly believing unfounded rumors. Do you know Lord Mu, the man who built bows, crossbows, and warships?"