nyslfriends Chapter 92 The Shen Family
Chapter 92 The Shen Family
"What could be wrong with me? What's wrong with the palace? Is life bad there?" Shen Shixi pointed at the two sisters.
"Don't worry about me. You two are getting older now. When you get married, never put your fate in someone else's hands, and never easily give your feelings to a man. Love yourself before you love others."
The two sisters nodded solemnly.
Shen Shixi stopped there, saying, "Alright, this is the happiest time of your lives. Study hard, but don't read those pedantic books. Learn accounting from your grandmother. In the future, you won't depend on anyone or rely on anyone, and you won't be controlled by anyone."
If you encounter any difficulties, submit a petition to the palace. Unless the sky is falling, I can lend you a hand, but you must strive to be strong."
"Yes, Second Sister, I understand!"
The two girls squeezed into Shen Shixi's arms, one on each side. Shen Shixi felt incredibly heavy on her shoulders and pushed them away. "Alright, stop crying. What's this talk of life and death?"
The old lady sent someone to invite her, saying she had something to say to Jieyu.
Shen Shixi knew exactly what the old lady wanted to ask, and with some helplessness, she had no choice but to follow the old lady's maid.
Sure enough, the main room was full of women, including the old lady and her three daughters-in-law, who were waiting for Shen Shixi.
The old lady hugged Shen Shixi tightly and burst into tears, "My child, they say entering the palace is like entering a deep sea. If you hadn't left the palace, I don't know when I would have seen you again!"
Shen Shixi was afraid of this, so she struggled to get out of the old lady's arms. "Why are you crying? Try to live a few more years, become a centenarian, stay healthy, walk and jump, and enter the palace. Then you'll be able to get a chance to be with her, won't you?"
The old woman's grief vanished instantly, replaced by rage as she grabbed the jade ruyi she had just acquired and prepared to hit someone, yelling, "You wretched monkey, you heartless wretch, are you trying to drive me crazy?"
Shen Shixi laughed, snuggled into the old lady's arms, and said coquettishly, "Grandmother, I miss you so much too. I used to see you fanning me when I woke up at night."
Upon hearing this, the old lady burst into tears again.
The First Madam hurriedly asked, "Xi'er, how are you in the palace? Is the Emperor and Empress treating you well?"
Shen Shixi said, "Who needs to be good to me? I'll just be good to myself, won't I? Would the Emperor dare to be bad to me? Would the Empress dare to be bad to me? Mother, Grandmother, Second Aunt, Third Aunt, don't worry about me, I'm doing just fine."
Madam Shen came over and touched her temple. "It's good that you're alright! We're relieved that you're alright! If you have any difficulties, be sure to tell the family."
"There's nothing difficult, everything's fine. I'm relieved that you're all doing well at home. Just one thing: don't let anyone bully you anymore. It's too embarrassing to be schemed against like this."
Madam Shen was a little embarrassed. "I've remembered what you said, Second Miss. Your Third Sister has always been a bit too weak-willed. She should try to change that in the future. I'm afraid you don't have any money in the palace. Your Second Aunt has saved some. I'll take it with me to spend later."
There are many people in the palace, so don't be stingy with your rewards to the eunuchs and maids; don't be reluctant to spend money where necessary. If you run out, your family can save up for you.”
Shen Shixi thought to herself, "If I have to rely on you guys to save money for me to spend, I'll be broke for the rest of my life."
"Second Aunt, no, the Emperor usually gives me a lot of gifts. He is my husband. If I run out of money, I will ask him for it. There is no reason for me to ask my family for it. You all eat and dress well and don't worry about me. I don't want the family's money."
"You child, you can't keep your mouth shut. How could you ask the Emperor for money?" The First Madam was very worried.
Her daughter's personality is such that she's only easy to manage when she's at home.
Shen Shixi said, "A woman marries a man for food and clothing. Shouldn't he support me? Alright, in short, I won't take any of the family's money. You should save it up for your third and fourth sisters' dowries."
The Shen family was poor, to put it nicely, but to put it bluntly, they were so poor that even rats wouldn't bother with them. If she were to ask her family for money again, her already dwindling conscience would tremble.
Lunch was served at a table set in the main hall of the old lady's house, with one table for men and another for women, separated by a screen, where everyone gathered together.
It's clear that this feast today is quite lavish.
She didn't spend much time at home before, and every time she came back, her meals were almost always the best, on par with the old lady's, and even better than her parents'.
Everyone says she works very hard outside, and so on.
After dinner, Shen Shixi didn't have much time left, and she certainly wouldn't come back for no reason.
Her father then took her, her second and third uncles, and her two older brothers to the study in the front yard to talk.
"Is Consort Jieyu doing well in the palace?" Shen Xianzhang asked.
Actually, from his two encounters with Shen Shixi in the palace, his clothes and the gifts she brought back, he could tell that she was doing well in the palace. But how could he feel at ease if he didn't ask?
"That's great, you've seen it all! Just say it directly, stop with the formalities."
Shen Xianzhang blushed. "Just take care of yourself in the palace. Don't worry about the family. Sending you to the palace was a last resort. We don't rely on you to bring glory to our family. For families like ours, studying and cultivating oneself are the most important things. Your own life is the most important thing."
Don't ruin your life!
"I understand. I came back this time because I have something to tell my family."
Shen Xianzhang hurriedly replied, "Please give your orders, Consort!"
My second and third uncles were also busy and solemn.
Shen Shixi rolled her eyes. "Father, how's your job as the Left Vice Minister of Rites? Do you aspire to become the Minister of Rites in the future?"
Shen Shiyu chuckled, but was glared at by his father and quickly sat up straight.
"Just say what you have to say."
"Father, I have made many enemies in the palace, and I am certainly capable of protecting myself. But with your personality and high position, I really can't guarantee whether you can protect yourself and the Shen family."
One sentence terrified the whole family.
"You, you, you... I knew you weren't going to be well-behaved. Oh dear, Xi'er, what did I tell you..." Shen Xianzhang slapped his thigh.
"Stop!" Shen Shixi pressed down on her father. "Father, even if you become the Minister of Rites in the future, the greatest achievement of this official position will be to support the Crown Prince."
But the Emperor is so young now; it's unlikely he'll be able to establish a crown prince for at least ten or twenty years. If I have a son in the future, he must be the crown prince. What role would you, as a member of the imperial family, play in supporting him?
"Ah! Xi'er, how can you say such things so casually?" Shen Xianzhang was terrified of his daughter's loose tongue. He looked around, his soul nearly leaving his body.
Shen Shixi said, "Father, please resign!"
She took out the 50,000 taels of silver notes given to her by the emperor and handed them to her father, nearly scaring Shen Xianzhang to death. "This, this, where did you get this?"
"Take this silver note and go open an academy to support more students from poor families. However, before that, you must complete one task: you must advise the Emperor on the imperial examination system. The current examination for the lowest degree is too difficult and disadvantages students from poor families."
The imperial examinations for Jinshi (进士) focused on poetry and prose, offering little benefit to governance. The Mingjing (明经) examination involved rote memorization; what use were so many successful candidates? The Mingshu (明书) examination was even worse—just memorization, like testing children.
"Then what do you mean?" Shen Xianzhang immediately thought it made a lot of sense.
His daughter has exceptional insights, which he has already experienced firsthand. He is used to listening to her, and if he doesn't, she throws a tantrum.
It's giving me a headache.
Even if you make a fuss, she won't listen. She'll just go against your wishes and make sure you can't get things done. She's really wicked.
"Combine these subjects and test them step by step." Shen Shixi drew on the imperial examination system that became popular in the Ming Dynasty. Although it was a dreg for later generations, it certainly had its merits for that era.
"At the county level, a simpler exam is conducted first to select a certain number of people to participate in the prefecture-level exam. Then, the education supervisors dispatched by the imperial court organize a unified exam to award them academic titles, such as Xiucai, and grant them certain privileges."
At the prefectural and county levels, the imperial court organized a unified examination, and those who passed were awarded the title of Juzi (举子). Only Juzi were eligible to participate in the examinations organized by the Ministry of Rites, which awarded the title of Gongshi (贡士). The emperor then organized a final imperial examination, which did not eliminate candidates but only ranked them, symbolizing a leap forward from the dragon gate, or becoming a disciple of the emperor.
To put it bluntly, the emperor granted official titles to win over scholars from all over the country.
Shen Xianzhang understood immediately, and his eyes lit up. If he could just accomplish this one thing, he would be remembered for all time.