The wives of the concubines are empresses

Shangguan Wanjun was the empress, so she did not need to report when entering Anhe Palace and could enter directly with the concubines.

The eunuch at the gate took one look and immediately bowed respectfully, "Your servant greets the Emperor."

"No gift."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

After standing up, he cleared his throat and announced loudly: "The Emperor has arrived, the Imperial Concubine Wen has arrived, and the Imperial Concubine Wu has arrived!"

When the Empress Dowager Xigong heard the announcement, she was stunned for a moment and quickly put down her embroidery.

"My sons and ministers see my mother and concubine."

"Your Highness pays homage to your mother."

Queen Mother Xigong smiled and said, "No need to be polite, please take a seat!"

Consort Wenwu bowed again and said, "Thank you, mother!"

The Empress Dowager Xigong patted the seat beside her and said, "Emperor, come and sit down."

Shangguan Wanjun walked over gracefully, stroked her dress and sat down.

"Mother, I have brought them here to serve you tea today."

The Empress Dowager Xigong was surprised when she heard this, but then she remembered that her own son was the empress, and she suddenly understood.

"Then let's get started."

The Empress Dowager Xigong glanced at Nanny Cui, who understood and ordered someone to bring cushions.

The Imperial Concubine Wen and the Imperial Concubine Wu offered tea in turn, and the Empress Dowager Xigong presented greeting gifts: Imperial Concubine Wen a jade pendant and Imperial Concubine Wu a jade crown.

The three of them chatted with the Empress Dowager Xigong for half an hour. Aunt Cheng looked at the Emperor, their eyes met, and Shangguan Wanjun looked at the Empress Dowager Xigong again.

"Mother, I am busy and cannot accompany you for the time being. Let's have dinner together in your palace."

When Empress Dowager Xigong heard that her daughter was busy, she did not try to keep her.

"Then the Emperor, please go quickly."

Shangguan Wanjun stood up and bowed, then left with the concubines.

When preparing to get on the dragon chariot, Shangguan Wanjun thought of the two people around her.

"Are you going back to the palace, or are you coming with me?"

Concubine Wen naturally wanted to spend more time with the emperor: "Your Majesty, your husband is with you."

Concubine Wu bowed and said, "I will obey the emperor."

Shangguan Wanjun pursed her lips and nodded: "Then let's go together."

Three people walked into the imperial study one after another.

Concubine Wen looked at the imperial study. Today was her first time as a concubine to come to the place where the emperor worked.

Concubine Wu followed the emperor with her eyes fixed on him.

"You are welcome to do as you please. You can have lunch in the Imperial Study. I need to deal with the memorials."

The two men bowed, but Shangguan Wanjun ignored them and walked straight to the couch and began to read the memorials.

She has been studying for a month and knows thousands of words. Can she be considered to have a good memory?

After reading a few books, she annotated them with her red pen and felt tired after relaxing today.

When Eunuch Lin saw the emperor put down his red brush, he looked over in confusion.

"Call the Grand Tutor and the others here for me."

The treasury was empty, natural disasters continued to occur, and the people were living in dire straits.

She has too many things to deal with, such as making money to fill the national treasury, solving natural disasters, and making the people rich, so that they can at least live and work in peace and contentment.

It seems simple, but it is actually very difficult.

When Master Yun walked in, he found that the two imperial concubines were also there, and he was even more confused for a moment.

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you, to Noble Consort Wen, and to Noble Consort Wu."

"No courtesy, please sit down!"

Six eunuchs brought chairs and sat down one by one, waiting for the emperor to ask questions.

"Teachers, can the ladies, sons, servants, and others in your family all read and write?"

The ministers were stunned. Tutor Yun was about to stand up and bow, but Shangguan Wanjun raised her hand to stop him.

"Just sit down and answer, otherwise I'll have to look up."

Taifu Yun bowed and said, "Yes, Your Majesty."

"The ladies and young ladies of each family know a little bit, but most of the servants don't know anything."

Shangguan Wanjun listened quietly and said, "Even the servants of the royal family and the nobles don't know how to do it. I'm sure most of the common people don't know how to do it either."

Master Yun cupped his hands and said, "Indeed."

Concubine Wu felt something vaguely, but she couldn't grasp it at once.

Shangguan Wanjun continued on the soft couch, "I want all the people in the world to be able to read and write. What do you think?"

The six people were shocked, and Concubine Wenwu was also shocked.

Concubine Wen interrupted: "Your Majesty, why do the people learn to read and write?"

"That's a good question. I want a civilized country, and the quality of people from all walks of life should be improved. The prerequisite for this improvement is literacy, and ideally, writing. This will also promote the economic development of the entire country. The people will also have jobs and earn money, which is the first step towards achieving a peaceful and prosperous life."

This passage shocked everyone.

Taifu Yun was overjoyed: "Your Majesty, may I ask if there are any rules in mind?"

He could imagine that if the emperor's wishes were really followed, the Yuan Dynasty would surely become even stronger and more prosperous.

Everyone looked at the emperor quietly, only to see the young emperor's thin lips slightly opened.

"I intend to open a private academy, and both men and women will be admitted."

The Grand Tutor bowed and said, "Your Majesty, both boys and girls must go to school? This is not appropriate."

Shangguan Wanjun frowned: "I am the empress now. If my female subjects can't do anything, it will bring shame to me and the court, and make the court look incompetent."

The Grand Tutor choked, but felt that what the Emperor said made sense, so he asked the question in a different way.

"But if it weren't mandatory, I'm afraid it would be hard for anyone to send their children to the academy. And if it were mandatory, I'm afraid the people would be very resistant."

The other five ministers nodded.

"I have considered that by making people learn to read and write to earn money, I will force people to learn to read and write for money, so that they will have passion and interest in it."

The Junior Master bowed and said, "That sounds quite good, but I don't know what the Emperor's rules are. I'd like to hear the details."

"If you can recognize five characters or write five characters and pass the test, you will be rewarded one penny each."

Shao Bao was delighted when he heard this: "That's a good idea."

"I originally intended to offer free admission, but after considering the high costs of admission, I have decided to charge a fee. However, the fee will be set at one wen per day, or twenty wen per month. The food fee will also be one wen per day, or twenty wen per month. Later, we may also offer accommodation, also at one wen per day, or twenty wen per month.

By then, there will be introductory classes, junior classes, middle school classes, advanced classes, and university classes. Later on, there will be an adult class, mainly for men who are sixteen years old or older."

Taifu Yun was shocked and delighted when he heard this: "I think this is a very good idea. May I ask when the emperor plans to start it?"

"Let's start today. Six teachers, please help write eight notices. I say, you write them."

The six people stood up and bowed: "We obey your order."

"Pen, ink, paper and inkstone are at your service."

In the study, several ministers were writing notices carefully.

Public Notice

A private academy was established. For children aged three to sixteen, the tuition fee was one coin per day, 20 coin per month. The boarding fee was one coin per day, 20 coin per month. The boarding fee was one coin per day, 20 coin per month. The boarding fee was one coin per day, 20 coin per month. Those who could read and write five characters each were rewarded one coin each.

After a few people finished writing the notice, they picked it up and gently blew dry the ink.

"Your Majesty, we have already written everything."

Eunuch Lin thought of something and stepped forward to speak: "Your Majesty, how about this whole academy come out from the palace?"

When Concubine Wu heard this, she also agreed, "Your Majesty, I think it can also be applied in the army."

Shangguan Wanjun pondered for a moment and tapped the table lightly.

"Well said, I'll give you two a ten-cent reward each."

Eunuch Lin and Concubine Wu looked at each other, then bowed in thanks.

Why was the reward only ten cents? Because the national treasury had no money, and she had no money either.

The two people who received the reward smiled. They didn't expect that just one sentence could earn them a reward from the emperor.

Concubine Wen looked unhappy and said, "Your Majesty, your husband just asked a question, didn't he?"

Everyone looked at him, but Concubine Wen raised her head and didn't look at them.

Shangguan Wanjun knocked on the table. "You're right, and the question you raised is also very good. I'll give you ten coins as a reward. Before you leave, go to Muxiang to collect the money."

The three were stunned. Not using the national treasury?