bullyxtreme Chapter 120 Orphanage
Chapter 120 Orphanage
Chapter 120 Orphanage
Since the pre-Qin period, there has been a custom of offering sacrifices at the beginning of the year to welcome spring and pray for blessings. Later, the Taichu Calendar, promulgated in the first year of the Taichu era of Emperor Wu of Han, determined that the first day of the first lunar month of each year would be the beginning of the year.
From then on, the custom of celebrating the New Year on the first day of the Lunar New Year has been passed down.
On the first day of the first month of the second year of the Jianlong era, which was the first New Year since the founding of the Song Dynasty, Zhao Kuangyin attached great importance to it and specially ordered the court to take a seven-day holiday and lift the curfew for seven days, so that all people could celebrate together.
As dawn broke, a cold wind, carrying lingering snow, swept through the streets and alleys of Kaifeng, and the gates of the Prince of Wugong's mansion slowly opened.
Zhao Dezhao, dressed in a black brocade robe, stood tall and calm, walking straight toward the palace.
According to etiquette, he was required to pay his respects to Empress Dowager Du, Empress Wang, and Zhao Kuangyin in that order.
His first stop was the Qingshou Palace, where Empress Dowager Du resided.
Since last winter, Empress Dowager Du's health has deteriorated drastically, and she has been bedridden ever since. Now, she even has great difficulty getting up. The Qingshou Palace is filled with the strong, bitter smell of Chinese medicine all day long, which cannot be dispelled.
If you calculate the time, Empress Dowager Du only has six months left to live.
Even so, Zhao Dezhao still couldn't feel any goodwill towards this old woman.
Ever since the news of the new imperial examination policy reached Empress Dowager Du's ears, this grandmother, who already disliked him, directly labeled him as "acting strangely and violating ancestral rules."
They grew tired of looking at each other.
Therefore, Zhao Dezhao simply paid his respects as usual, asking in a flat tone, "Is Grandmother well?" After receiving a cold response from Empress Dowager Du, he hurriedly left.
After leaving Qingshou Palace, Zhao Dezhao went straight to Kunning Palace, where Empress Wang was located.
Two-year-old Zhao Defang, dressed in a festive brocade jacket, was toddling around the hall. Seeing Zhao Dezhao enter, her eyes lit up, and she immediately opened her arms, taking tiny steps towards him, and softly cried out, "Brother, hug me!"
Zhao Dezhao's expression softened immediately. He smiled and hugged the future Eighth Prince in his arms, teasing him for a while. He then inquired about Empress Wang's health and told her some methods for recuperating in later generations before taking his leave.
He still has many things to do today and cannot stay any longer.
Next up is Zhao Kuangyin.
Even on the first day of the Lunar New Year, Zhao Kuangyin continued to handle state affairs in the Chuigong Hall without ever slacking off.
Upon seeing Zhao Dezhao enter, Zhao Kuangyin merely raised his eyes, gestured for his son to sit down, and then took out a pre-prepared list from under the table, handing it to Zhao Dezhao: "The names on this list are all those who have submitted petitions to resist the new imperial examination policy. Keep this in mind."
Zhao Dezhao took the list, quickly glanced through it, and only breathed a slight sigh of relief when he saw that Dou Yi's name was not on it. He bowed and said, "Father, there is still a vacancy for the chief examiner for this imperial examination. I believe that Lord Dou Yi is the most suitable!"
"Can.
Zhao Kuangyin agreed to his son's suggestion almost without hesitation, and immediately picked up his imperial brush and wrote the appointment edict.
After receiving the imperial edict, Zhao Dezhao bowed and then took his leave of Zhao Kuangyin, quickly leaving the palace.
With this imperial edict, his subsequent affairs will likely proceed much more smoothly.
After leaving the palace, Zhao Dezhao did not go to the Dou residence immediately, but instead went to the "Orphanage and Widows' Home" of the Great Song Dynasty.
——Tianqing Temple.
Today, Tianqing Temple has long been designated as a royal forbidden area, heavily guarded, yet it is also managed in an elegant and tranquil manner. The former Empress Dowager Xiao Fu and her son from the Later Zhou Dynasty, as well as Zhou Ehuang and her son, and Zhou Nüying, who were abducted by Zhao Dezhao, were all placed here.
When Zhao Dezhao arrived at Tianqing Temple, melodious zither music was coming from deep within the temple grounds. The music was clear and gentle, like the tinkling of a spring, flowing over the snow and into his ears.
Even though Zhao Dezhao was not knowledgeable in music, he was drawn to the sound of the zither and unconsciously slowed his pace, following the sound to the backyard of the temple.
All that could be seen was the pavilion.
Zhou Ehuang was dressed in a light blue robe with delicate orchid patterns embroidered on the hem. She sat gracefully in front of the zither, her eyes gentle and her lips curved into a faint smile. Her fingertips lightly plucked the strings, and the music flowed from her fingertips.
Empress Dowager Xiao Fu sat to one side, a doting smile on her face, watching Chai Zongxun and Li Zhongyu frolicking not far away.
In the snow, Zhou Nuying, dressed in a plain white dress, was dancing gracefully. Her figure was light and agile, and she stepped on the thin layer of snow. She was like a startled swan under the moon, with a touch of girlish charm and liveliness in her eyes.
The peaceful and serene scene brought a genuine smile to Zhao Dezhao's face.
He carried the pastries he had brought from the palace and slowly walked out from under the corridor.
The music stopped abruptly, and the dance also came to a halt.
When Empress Dowager Fu saw Zhao Dezhao, the smile on her face vanished instantly, replaced by a cold expression and silence. Zhou Nuying also turned her face away, letting out a soft snort of fear and anger, clearly still harboring resentment over her past experiences.
Only Zhou Ehuang slowly rose, gracefully bowed to Zhao Dezhao, and said in a calm tone, "Your Highness's arrival is an honor, I apologize for not being able to greet you properly."
Zhao Dezhao waved his hand, his expression calm and unconcerned about their attitude. He placed the pastries on the stone table and smiled, "Today is New Year's Day, so I've come to visit you all. I wonder how the Empress Dowager and the Crown Princess are doing lately?"
Zhou Ehuang nodded slightly and replied softly, "Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. Everything is fine."
She wasn't lying when she said that.
Zhao Kuangyin did not mistreat them, nor did he restrict their freedom. They only needed to bring guards with them when they went out, and apart from that, no one bothered them, so they lived a very leisurely and comfortable life.
They are just women, and it is truly remarkable that they can live such a peaceful life.
"That's good."
Zhao Dezhao nodded, his gaze falling on the guqin in front of Zhou Ehuang. Suddenly, a thought struck him, and he slowly asked, "Has the Crown Princess ever considered becoming a teacher?"
"To be a teacher?"
Upon hearing this, Zhou Ehuang was slightly taken aback, and Empress Dowager Xiao Fu and Zhou Nuying also looked at Zhao Dezhao with puzzled eyes.
Zhao Dezhao smiled and casually said, "It's nothing. I just had a sudden thought that if the Song Dynasty were to establish a girls' academy in the future, it might need some female teachers, so I was asking the Crown Princess for her opinion."
Upon hearing this, the pavilion fell silent instantly.
A girls' academy? This is unprecedented!
Since ancient times, women have been confined to their homes and courtyards, with very few being literate, let alone having academies established for women to teach and educate.
After a moment, Zhou Ehuang recovered her senses, a glimmer of light appearing in her eyes, and asked, "What does Your Highness intend to teach at the girls' academy?"
"There are many," Zhao Dezhao replied thoughtfully. "Music, chess, calligraphy, and painting are naturally indispensable. In addition, there are textiles, handicrafts, embroidery, or even miscellaneous subjects such as mathematics and pharmacology. Although they cannot teach the classics and cannot become officials in the court, at least they can learn a skill."
He made this decision on a whim, and had not yet given much thought to many of the details.
However, he also knew that even though the Confucian ethics had not yet been solidified in the early Song Dynasty, teaching women the classics and discussing politics was still a pipe dream.
However, it is still possible to teach various miscellaneous subjects.
Upon hearing this, Zhou Ehuang's eyes shone even brighter. Without hesitation, she immediately nodded in agreement: "Now that I am living here idly with nothing to do, if such a good thing comes along, I am willing to help Your Highness!"
"That's good then." Zhao Dezhao smiled. "However, this matter is still just an idea, and it's uncertain whether it will come to fruition. Today, I'm just discussing it with the Crown Princess to give her some mental preparation."
Zhou Ehuang nodded in understanding.
Just then, Empress Dowager Xiao Fu, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly spoke up, calmly asking, "Does Your Highness still remember those two cups of tea?"
Upon hearing this, Zhao Dezhao was slightly taken aback, but still nodded and replied, "I remember."
On the day of the mutiny, he came to Tianqing Temple and exchanged two cups of tea for two messages from Empress Dowager Xiao Fu.
A cup of tea is a promise.
"I would gladly offer a cup of tea in exchange for the smooth opening of the girls' academy in the future." Empress Dowager Xiao Fu raised her head, her gaze fixed intently on Zhao Dezhao.
Zhao Dezhao was taken aback again.
He hadn't expected that Empress Dowager Fu would be interested in this matter. After a moment's thought, he immediately smiled and nodded in agreement: "Alright, I agree to this."
"However, the Song Dynasty has just been established and there are many things to do. This matter may take some time. I ask the Empress Dowager and the Crown Princess to wait patiently. When the time comes, I will keep my promise."
Empress Dowager Xiao Fu and Empress Zhou Ehuang both nodded.
They also knew that such unconventional things could not be accomplished overnight, and that receiving Zhao Dezhao's promise was already an unexpected surprise.
Zhou Nuying, who was standing to the side, also stared wide-eyed at Zhao Dezhao in disbelief.
She had initially thought Zhao Dezhao was just talking casually, but she never expected that he would actually plan to establish a girls' college.
This thief-killer—seems quite different from other men.
Zhou Nuying looked at Zhao Dezhao with a hint of curiosity in her eyes, but when Zhao Dezhao seemed to sense something and turned his head to look at her, she immediately tightened her little face, let out a soft snort, and turned her face away.
Zhao Dezhao smiled and didn't mind. He then said to Zhou Ehuang, "After the New Year, there may be another matter that I need the Crown Princess's help with. Please do not refuse."
"What is it?" Zhou Ehuang asked in surprise.
"Play a piece on the zither for me," Zhao Dezhao said with a mysterious smile.
Upon hearing this, Zhou Nuying turned her head sharply again, her almond-shaped eyes wide open, glaring angrily at Zhao Dezhao.
This scoundrel actually made his sister play the zither for him. Does he think she's some kind of actress?
"How dare you! My sister will not tolerate this!"
"Very well, Your Highness, I agree."
Zhou Nuying was stunned. She stared at her sister with her mouth agape, her face full of confusion and bewilderment.
How could my sister agree to such an unreasonable request?
"His Highness is not such a rude person."
Zhou Ehuang smiled gently at her younger sister, patted her hand lightly to calm her down, and then turned to Zhao Dezhao, saying with a smile, "Your Highness, I am no longer the Crown Princess. You need not address me as Crown Princess. Just call me by my name."
Zhao Dezhao readily agreed, smiling as he said, "Yes, Sister Ehuang."
Zhou Ehuang's body stiffened instantly, and a faint blush inevitably crept onto her cheeks. Empress Dowager Xiao Fu also glanced at Zhao Dezhao with surprise, seemingly lost in thought.
The term "elder sister" is generally only used to address close, intimate women unless they are blood relatives.
Zhao Dezhao didn't think that much about it. Zhou Ehuang was a few years older than him, so it wasn't inappropriate for him to call her "elder sister."
After receiving Zhou Ehuang's promise, Zhao Dezhao did not linger. After exchanging a few more pleasantries, he bowed and took his leave, turning and departing from Tianqing Temple.
After Zhao Dezhao left, the pavilion returned to its usual tranquility, with only the soft sound of the wind blowing through the strings of the zither.
Zhou Ehuang slowly sat down, raised her eyes to look at Empress Dowager Fu, and said softly, "Sister Fu, if this girls' academy can really be established, it would be a great thing for women all over the world."
Empress Dowager Fu nodded slightly upon hearing this, her expression filled with bitterness and emotion: "You might not believe it, but when he first proposed this idea, I actually hoped that he could sit on the throne and unify the world—"
Only women truly understand women.
Although they came from prominent families, they were well aware that in chaotic times, women suffered far more miserably than men.
Men can still join the army, but if a calamity strikes, they will only become food for others.
For some women, however, even becoming someone else's breadwinner is a luxury.
If Zhao Dezhao could truly establish women's academies, perhaps the circumstances of women across the world would be different.
Zhou Ehuang sighed softly, her expression complex. Then, as if remembering something, she tentatively asked Empress Dowager Xiao Fu, "From what I overheard of your conversation with His Highness, it seems you two have a past acquaintance. What is your impression of His Highness?"
"Skilled, decisive, extremely shrewd, and eccentric in his actions—"
Empress Dowager Xiao Fu pondered for a moment, her fingertips lightly tapping the stone table, and slowly said, "With such a temperament, one would either be a wise ruler or—a scourge to the country and its people."
Upon hearing that Empress Dowager Fu had such a high opinion of Zhao Dezhao, Zhou Nuying couldn't help but purse her lips.
A wise and benevolent ruler? Forget it. No matter how you look at it, that traitorous killer was a tyrant who brought disaster to the country and its people!
Zhou Ehuang nodded knowingly, then glanced thoughtfully at her sulking younger sister beside her.
Now the sisters are living under someone else's roof. Although Zhao Kuangyin and Zhao Dezhao have treated them well, in this chaotic world, people's hearts are unpredictable. Who can guarantee that such peaceful days can continue?
In particular, they no longer have any value to be exploited.
Without any emotional ties between them, if the Southern Tang and the Song Dynasty were to clash again in the future, their fate would be unpredictable.
Thinking of this, Zhou Ehuang had an idea.
My younger sister is growing up now, and she is outstanding in both looks and talent. Perhaps it's time to find her a reliable partner.
She thought Zhao Dezhao was a good match.