From cute to empress

"Okay! I'll do as you say!" I stood up suddenly, a determined glint in my eyes. "Pass the order down. From now on, the Imperial College is recruiting talented people from all walks of life! Regardless of background or age, as long as you are knowledgeable and have a heart for teaching and educating people, you can apply!"

Zhen Youcai accepted the order with a bow, his eyes almost overflowing with excitement: "Your Majesty is wise! I will do it right away!" He made arrangements in a swift and decisive manner, and soon, the recruitment notices were posted in the streets and alleys.

The news was like a stone dropped into a calm lake, stirring up a thousand waves. The people were buzzing with discussion, and the students were eager to try.

"Have you heard? His Majesty is going to recruit new teachers for the Imperial College!" In the teahouse, the storyteller knocked the wake-up stick and spread the news with exaggeration, which immediately caused a burst of exclamations.

"Is this true? Even ordinary people can teach?" Some people expressed doubt.

"It's absolutely true! It's written right there on the notice! It says 'Talents are recruited regardless of their background'!"

For a time, there was a continuous stream of applicants, and the gate of the Imperial College was almost broken down.

I had originally thought that under such open conditions, the applicants' abilities would be uneven, but Zhen Youcai confidently told me, "Your Majesty, rest assured. This time, we've adopted a completely new assessment method and will definitely select the best talent."

I asked curiously, "Oh? Tell me about it."

"We've abandoned the old practice of solely considering background and qualifications, and instead adopted a combination of written tests and interviews," Zhen Youcai patiently explained. "The written test examines knowledge and insights, while the interviews, personally supervised by me and several highly respected professors, assess character and teaching ability."

I nodded, very satisfied with Zhen Youcai's arrangement. After a series of selections, a group of outstanding scholars and teachers emerged. Among them were old gentlemen with profound knowledge, young talents with profound scholarship, and even a scholar from a distant land.

Looking at these vibrant and talented faces before me, my heart was filled with hope. "Gentlemen," I said solemnly, looking around, "I am deeply honored that you have joined the Imperial College today and become part of our dynasty's educational endeavors..." My eyes fell on a slender, elegant figure in the crowd. He wore a washed-out gown, yet his air of scholarliness was unmistakable. It was none other than Master Wang, whom I had encountered on the street that day. Next to him stood a handsome young man, clutching a few books. I assumed it was his distinguished student, Scholar Sun.

I paused and continued, "I look forward to..."

"I hope that you gentlemen can cultivate more pillars for our dynasty and contribute your strength to the prosperity of our country!" I said in an excited tone, looking at everyone with burning eyes.

Thunderous applause erupted from the audience. The newly appointed gentlemen were all excited, as if shouldering a heavy responsibility. I noticed that Master Wang and Scholar Sun were among them. They had resolute expressions, their eyes filled with hope and anticipation.

I motioned for everyone to be quiet, my eyes fell on Master Wang, and I said with a smile, "Mr. Wang, do you still remember me?"

Master Wang was stunned when he heard this, but then he reacted and quickly bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you. Your Majesty is blessed with great fortune. I never expected..."

I waved my hand, signaling him not to be so polite, and said cordially, "Mr. Wang, there's no need to be so formal. I still remember the day we ran into each other on the street and had a lively conversation about academic matters. It was quite beneficial!"

Master Wang was flattered and said quickly, "Your Majesty, I am truly humbled and unworthy of your praise..."

"Sir, there's no need to be so modest," I said sincerely. "Sir, you are a man of profound learning and talent. I look forward to you displaying your talents at the Imperial College and cultivating more outstanding talents for our dynasty."

Master Wang knelt down excitedly and kowtowed, saying, "Your Majesty, I will never forget your kindness. I will do my best to help you."

I personally helped Master Wang up, then gave some words of encouragement to the other new gentlemen and announced the adjournment of the meeting.

The new teachers quickly immersed themselves in the intensive teaching preparation work. Zhen Youcai also arranged a series of training courses for them to help them better understand the new educational concepts and teaching methods.

However, during the training process, Wang Fuzi and his colleagues encountered some difficulties. They were all well-read scholars with profound knowledge, but they lacked practical teaching experience. Moreover, the traditional teaching methods they were familiar with seemed difficult to adapt to the new educational philosophy.

"Your Majesty, I have something important to report." A few days later, Zhen Youcai walked into the imperial study with a serious expression.

"What's wrong?" I put down the memorial in my hand and asked.

"It's about the new teacher at the Imperial College..." Zhen Youcai paused, his face showing difficulty. "I've noticed that they've encountered some difficulties during their teaching..."

"Oh?" I frowned slightly, "Tell me in detail."

"Most of the new teachers come from scholarly families and are well-educated, but they lack practical teaching experience. Furthermore, the traditional teaching methods they are familiar with seem difficult to adapt to the new educational philosophy..." Zhen Youcai said worriedly, "I am worried that if this continues, the teaching quality of the Imperial College will be affected..."

I pondered for a moment and asked, "Gentlemen, do you have any suggestions?"

"Master Wang once proposed this to me..." Zhen Youcai hesitated for a moment and said, "He said, why not... why not..."

"Not as good as what?" I asked.

"Why not...invite some foreign education experts to come and exchange ideas..." Zhen Youcai finally plucked up the courage to say this.

"Invite foreign education experts?" I put down the memorial in my hand and pondered for a moment. "That's a novel idea. Tell me about it."

"Yes, Master Wang believes that working in isolation isn't a good idea. We should learn from the advanced experiences of other countries." Seeing I didn't object, Zhen Youcai softened his tone a bit. "He said he'd heard of a country called 'Athens' across the ocean. Their educational philosophies and methods are very advanced, and they've cultivated many outstanding talents."

I nodded, understanding. "Master Wang is right. 'A stone from another mountain can polish jade.' Learning advanced experiences and drawing on their strengths to overcome our weaknesses is the only way to better promote the development of education in our country." I stood up and walked to the window, gazing at the towering palace in the distance. My mind raced. "However, inviting foreign experts across the vast ocean is far from easy..."

"Your Majesty, as long as you agree, I am willing to go to Athens in person. I will travel thousands of miles to invite these education experts to our court!" Zhen Youcai knelt on one knee with a firm tone.

I turned around, looking into his resolute eyes, a warm feeling welling up in my heart. "Youcai, I'm very pleased that you have this heart. However, I can't bear to let you take this risk. The journey to Athens is long, the dangers are unpredictable..."

"Your Majesty, rest assured. I will fulfill my mission and escort these education experts to you safely!" Zhen Youcai said in a firm tone, his eyes full of confidence.

I was finally moved by his determination and agreed to his request. Soon, a delegation led by Zhen Youcai, carrying the friendship of our dynasty and the desire for knowledge, embarked on the long journey to "Athens".

Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, a year has passed. During this year, our dynasty's educational reforms have achieved initial success. Influenced by new educational concepts and methods, the students of the Imperial College have shown unprecedented enthusiasm for learning, a strong thirst for knowledge, and unprecedented vitality. However, just when everything seemed to be going smoothly, a sudden natural disaster shattered this tranquility...

"Your Majesty! It's bad! Outside the capital... there's an earthquake... an earthquake is happening!" The young eunuch stumbled into the imperial study, his face pale and his voice trembling, as if he had seen something terrible.

I stood up suddenly, my heart sank, and an ominous premonition came over me: "What did you say?!"

"Quick! Pass on my order to quickly mobilize the Imperial Guards and follow me to the disaster area!" I suppressed my uneasiness and quickly issued the order. Without waiting, I rushed straight to the city gate with Zhen Youcai, who had hurried over.

The scene before me was even more horrific than I had imagined. The once bustling streets were now a scene of devastation, houses collapsed, dust billowed, and the cries and groans echoed endlessly, filling me with fear. Without time to grieve, I directed my soldiers to treat the wounded, set up tents, comfort the victims, and do everything in my power to stabilize the chaotic post-disaster situation.

Zhen Youcai led the charge, wherever the danger was greatest, he was there. Seeing him working tirelessly for the people, I felt both distressed and moved.

"Your Majesty, you haven't slept for three days and three nights. Please eat something." Zhen Youcai walked up to me with a bowl of steaming porridge, his brows full of worry.

I shook my head and rubbed my temples tiredly. "I'm not hungry. I can't sleep or eat well until the people are well settled."

"Your Majesty, you are worth a fortune, so you must take care of your health. If you continue like this, your body will collapse." Zhen Youcai said with a hint of pleading in his tone.

"I know, but..." I gazed at the devastation before me, a mixture of emotions welling up in my stomach. This sudden disaster not only destroyed the people's homes but also disrupted our original plans. The national treasury funds we had so hard to secure now had to be prioritized for post-disaster reconstruction. Without sufficient funds, how could the university's construction project continue?

"Your Majesty, are you worried about the affairs of the academy?" Zhen Youcai seemed to see through my thoughts.

I nodded and sighed, "I wonder how many more children's studies will be delayed because of this disaster..."

"Your Majesty, rest assured. I will find a way to raise funds and resume construction of the school as soon as possible!" Zhen Youcai said in a firm tone, as if he was assuring me.

I looked at him, a glimmer of hope igniting in my heart: "Youcai, I'm very pleased that you have this heart. However, the national treasury is empty now..."

Before I could finish my words, I was interrupted by the sound of hurried footsteps.

"Report—" A guard ran over in a panic and knelt on the ground, "Your Majesty, the Minister of Revenue requests an audience. He said he has something important to report!"

My heart sank, and a bad feeling came over me. Could something have happened again?