My sister became the empress, but I'm still growing vegetables and raising chickens

The younger sister was taken aback: "I can understand fairness and justice. Nowadays, education still favors aristocratic families, and to achieve fairness, certain methods are needed. But this forced education... can education be forced? If the people don't want the flower arrangement to send their children to school, they are punished? That's unreasonable."

Si Muyan nodded: "Yes, it's unreasonable to pay for school, but it would be much more reasonable to go to school for free."

The younger sister immediately gave up.

The second sister quickly figured it out: "Big sister means that all children in the Great Zhou should go to school for free. But now the Great Zhou is enjoying good weather and the people are living well, so there are many more children being born. I saw at the Northeast Household Registration Office that there are a lot of children born in recent years. If everyone has to go to school for free, the local finances will probably be under tremendous pressure."

The younger sister nodded in agreement: "Yes, in recent years, the pressure on local finances has inevitably increased in order to popularize basic hygiene and law. The imperial court has been reducing taxes on local areas again and again. If a policy of free schooling is introduced, the finances will probably be strained."

"Everything is difficult at the beginning," Si Muyan said. "Nothing can be built without breaking down the old. If we don't start because of various difficulties, when will things ever change?"

She stood up, looked earnestly at her two younger sisters, and said, “Over the years, because our parents were still alive and Xia’er was still young, I haven’t traveled far. Now that our parents are gone and Xia’er is grown up, she has told me many times that she wants to travel around like her parents. Moreover, I haven’t personally visited the businesses I run in various places yet, and I want to take this opportunity to go and see the world.”

The younger sister asked, "Are you leaving Kyoto too?"

Si Muyan said, "Yes, there's one more thing I plan to do on this trip. Wherever the Si family's business is located, I will set up literacy classes. These classes will be open not only for children but also for adults. Those who pass the literacy class will have priority to work in my business. All the current workers in the business must also attend the classes and pass the assessment."

The second sister asked in surprise, "Literacy class... what does that mean?"

"..." Si Muyan replied, "It's about enabling everyone to learn to read and write, so that no one is illiterate. This literacy class is run by the merchant guild, and the expenses are naturally covered by the merchant guild."

The second sister frowned and asked, "Eldest sister, I know you've always treated the shop's workers well, giving them fewer hours, easier work, and higher wages than other shops. Now you're going to spend money to start this literacy class... Is that really okay?"

“Of course,” Si Muyan said. “My workers already receive better treatment than those from other businesses, so isn’t it only right to raise the bar a little?”

The second sister scratched her head: "What I mean is, you'll be under even more pressure."

Si Muyan smiled and said, "It can be said that the commercial empire of the Great Zhou is headed by me. I have earned more money than I could spend in several lifetimes. Moreover, my status and position have reached this point. If there is anything else I want, it is to work with you to build the Great Zhou into an even better place!"

“Okay.” The younger sister also stood up, cupped her hands and said, “Big sister, thank you! After I go back, I will also gather Feng Ziheng and the others to discuss the matter of compulsory education in detail and see how we can come up with a plan.”

Si Muyan acted immediately. After her parents' funerals were over, she took Xia'er and her younger brother to say goodbye.

The younger brother cried, "Big sister, my parents have left me, and I only have you left. Are you going to leave me too?"

Si Muyan patted his shoulder and said earnestly, "Little brother, you've grown up and are now a pillar of the Great Zhou. Always remember your identity. We siblings may not be together, but our hearts are together. The Great Zhou is your responsibility as the third sister, and it's also our shared responsibility, understand?"

She claimed she was going to visit every Si family business in the Great Zhou Dynasty to see how the businesses operated, but in each business, Si Muyan actually set up literacy classes.

The literacy class is named Da Zhou Education Elementary School. It is divided into adult and children's classes. Adults can choose the evening school mode, and the course lasts for two years.

The duration of classes for children varies from two to five years, depending on the child's age and whether they have received prior education.

Furthermore, all literacy classes were free. Anyone who was willing to enroll, abided by the school's rules and regulations, and paid a deposit of one or two taels of silver could enroll.

If a student withdraws within half a month, their deposit will be refunded. If they withdraw after half a month, their deposit will not be refunded. If they complete two years of study, their deposit will be refunded, and each student will receive an additional tael of silver.

This is to prevent many people from not genuinely learning but simply joining in the fun.

However, the Si family business was very famous. When people heard that the primary school was run by the Si family business, they were very curious and came to inquire.

The manager smiled and said, "Our business was founded by our owner, who, as you all know, is His Majesty's own sister. Hearing that His Majesty is troubled by the lack of talent, he hopes to select a wide range of capable individuals."

“Our master said that there are many talented people in the countryside, and many children cannot go to school because they cannot afford tuition. They are obviously talented but their talents are wasted. So he funded the opening of a primary school. Our school is the first primary school in the entire Great Zhou.”

Hearing this, a familiar merchant couldn't help but ask, "If we're selecting talent from all sides, how do we know that our children aren't talented? Nowadays, ordinary people's children can go to school, but our children can't..."

Others teased, "Boss, you're being greedy. Your children can't take the imperial examinations because they're from merchant families, but they can still study. You have money, why don't you just pay for their education at the school? Why do you have to compete with us for this primary school education?"

In fact, better-off business owners will send their children to school, not so that they will become rich and powerful in the future, but because they know that more education will make them more sensible and make it easier for them to take over the family business in the future.

Upon hearing this, the manager quickly said, "Don't worry, our primary school admissions are open to everyone, regardless of their background, even if your family owns a business..."

His eyes darted around, and he lowered his voice: "I've heard that Princess Xintong has already submitted a memorial to the emperor, saying that she wants to abolish the restriction that prevents sons of merchants from taking the imperial examinations and serving as officials in the court."

"really?"

The manager shrugged: "But whether it will work out or not, I have no idea."

Several shop owners who had come to join the fun slapped their thighs in disbelief upon hearing this.

"If it's Princess Xintong's memorial, even if it doesn't succeed now, it will eventually succeed! Is there anything in this world that Princess Xintong can't accomplish? She's a princess who does practical things for our people!"

"That's right, I need to hurry and get my two brats here to start school!"

Someone next to him pulled him back: "Hey, don't you have a daughter? Aren't you going to send her over?"

"Why send this young lady here if she's not taking the imperial examinations?"

Although the shop owner said that, he was tempted when he thought about how many female officials were in the court these days, and he turned around and ran away even more eagerly.