Traveling through time as a peasant girl to turn things around

The imperial examinations were approaching, and the new batch of students had moved into the back of the Chai Mansion. In front of the mansion, a clerk was recording the names of the guests staying there.

Guoguo has been busy again these past few days. Arranging the making of sergeant uniforms and preparing supplies. She's also teaching at the academy, explaining the key points of the subject!

Many students will be taking exams this year. Guoguo and the teachers are taking it very seriously! Guoguo even secretly uses spiritual spring water for snacks. There's plenty of rice, flour, vegetables, meat, and eggs to nourish the students. They're also given uniforms to wear during exams. It's easy to tell they're students from the best academy in the world.

There was no distinction between high and low, as everyone wore the same clothes. The only difference was the boots. The school bags were all distributed by the academy.

The day before the exam, Li Jingwen convened a general meeting to discuss the history of the school and the names of those who had passed. He also read out the list of those who had passed the previous year's exam from his own college, encouraging the current students. He also explained the answering system and the importance of strictly observing exam rules.

Guoguo gave a speech, "As the dean of the college, I am honored to welcome the students' fruitful achievements in this bright and refreshing autumn weather - the examination. This is also to train talents for the Great Yan Nation. With the joint cultivation of their parents and teachers, I hope that the students will have good results. They will contribute to the country and give back to their families and themselves! I won't say much. Prepare for the exam and have a good attitude!"

Vice Dean, "The meeting is dismissed. Go to bed early today. A carriage will take the students to the Imperial College early tomorrow."

Guoguo instructed the kitchen to prepare good food these days.

Guoguo arranged for cartloads of vegetables and food to be delivered. The students were picked up and dropped off in carriages arranged by the night steward, and the palace guards escorted them all the way.

Several children from Taohua Village came to take the exam, and Chai Zhenrang arranged for them to live in the backyard of the mansion. Jiaxing would pick them up and drop them off at the exam.

Chai Zhen told Guoguo that five children had come to his house. Guoguo: "I remember." Chai Zhen: "There's also a girl." Guoguo: "A girl is also here to take the exam?" "Yes, she's wearing boys' clothes." Guoguo: "I have to go to the palace to ask."

After saying that, Guoguo changed her clothes and went into the palace.

After everyone in the Imperial Study had left, Guoguo went in. She knelt down and said, "Guoguo pays respects to His Majesty!" The Emperor was delighted when he saw her and said, "Stand up!" Guoguo said, "I'd better kneel down." Then she said, "There is a girl from my hometown who wants to ask Your Majesty if she can take the exam. Moreover, the students from my hometown are also good at martial arts and are both talented in both literature and martial arts." Guoguo thought that if she talked more about the advantages of the students from her hometown, she could create conditions for them. It's free to say nice things. The Emperor looked at Guoguo and smiled, "Such a good talent really shouldn't be left out. Take the exam. If you are on the list, I will arrange an official position for you! From now on, girls will be allowed to go to school!"

Guoguo: "Okay, my daughter will go back and tell that child. They will not let down their parents and the village chief for their upbringing!"

Emperor: "Go ahead."

As soon as Guoguo arrived at the palace, she told Chai Zhen, "The emperor has agreed that women can take the exam!" Chai Zhen: "Great, great! The status of women will improve in the future."

As soon as the emperor said this in the court, an old minister stood up and said, "No! Your Majesty!" Then a young court official stood up and said, "Princess Chai Jin of our dynasty also took the exam and made great contributions to Dayan! Women can also go to school, then they can enter the court, be granted titles and become prime ministers! And work for the welfare of the people!" The emperor looked at the court, which was mostly made up of young people with advanced ideas. The emperor saw that more than half of them agreed that women could take the exam, so he passed this decision!

The Emperor has issued a decree, announcing to the world that women can now take the imperial examinations! Those with exceptional intelligence and exceptional performance can enter the imperial court as officials! They can participate in the national examination alongside men.

There are three examiners. The exam lasts nine days, with a three-day break.

The capital was overcrowded. All the inns were full. Even Jiaxing's guesthouse was completely empty. The several buildings behind the Chai Mansion were filled with students from all over the country. Some even came to the residence to seek shelter. Guoguo heard about this and told his men that there were simple shelters available for just ten cents a day. He went to the warehouse and brought out a number of tents. He arranged for the guards to set up tents in the open space nearby and sent someone to collect bedding and other supplies.

It greatly alleviated the housing problem! The Ministry of Revenue was so happy that they sent someone to express their gratitude! Chai Zhen: "Oh, no need to thank me. I will help you if I can."

The students were happy as long as the tent could shelter them from the wind and rain. Children from poor families did not have such high expectations.

Looking at the new quilt, Guoguo was very happy. He asked someone to bring in a table and use it as a makeshift tent. There were two of them living in one tent.

The big pot of rice cost three cents a meal. It was served both early in the morning and late at night. Guoguo instructed: The food must be good during the exam period.

Cook: "Princess, can we sell food in our house? If we do this for a long time, won't we lose money?" Guoguo smiled and said, "I can't. In the future, these people will work hard for our Great Yan Kingdom! They are all talented!" Cook: "Okay, Princess, you make sense."

In his spare time, Guoguo draws blueprints and designs winter clothes in the house.

Xia Hua was busy preparing her daughter's dowry. She asked Guo Guo to come over for advice. Guo Guo said, "First, pack the quilts and bedding into boxes. We'll need more than ten. It's too much. Pick out the good ones and pack them up. We made too much at home, so the palace has also prepared some."

Xia Hua: "Okay." Guo Guo: "I bought a down quilt. A silk cotton quilt. My family made a brocade quilt. I'll see if there are any cotton quilts and make a few more. I have a few sheets, so I'll pack the pillows and pillowcases first." Xia Hua: "Okay, I'll pack them right away." Grandma Li and Zhang Baohua both helped, and soon the ten large boxes were full. Fu Chaoxia watched from the side, holding the child. Guo Guo: "Keep it to ten large boxes." Several women tried to fill them in and press them down. Grandma Li: "It won't fit." Guo Guo smiled. "That's too many. Ten will be enough. Xia Hua, put the rest away and give it away later when you want." Xia Hua: "That's the only way." Guo Guo: "Five boxes of cotton and five boxes of cotton seeds." Grandma Li: "That's easy to pack." Several people worked together to pack the boxes.

Guoguo: "Pencils, inkstones, and other items are packed into five boxes, books into five boxes, white paper into five boxes, and scrolls and calligraphy into three boxes." Each family's additional boxes are all there. The headdresses, earrings, bracelets, necklaces, and matching clothes total over fifty sets, filling ten boxes. Old Lady Li took the rest: ten boxes of fabric, and thirty boxes of clothes for the prince. One box of jade, ten boxes of silver, and one box of gold.

Guoguo calculated that there were a hundred boxes. "That's enough." The royal gifts had to be packed. It would be quite a lot by then. Xia Hua had bought a lot of things in the modern era, but they hadn't been packed yet. Chai Zhen: "I'll send them to my daughter later." Xia Hua: "Okay."

It took three days to prepare the dowry. At the same time, the Ministry of Rites also prepared the betrothal gifts for the prince.

The grand examination ended and the Ministry of Rites began to leave.