Rebirth of the Ming Dynasty: Sixth Generation of Glory, I don't want it

"The batch I borrowed last time has not been returned yet."

Zhang Xin took a look at the booklet that Wanxiu handed over.

From last year to now, I have borrowed five or six times. The previous batch has been paid off, but the most recent batch has not been settled yet.

"Please be more lenient with us this time, Princess. We really can't repay you in a short time. Since last year, the population of Peking has increased by 100,000. Even if we give the governor a cornucopia, the grain we produce in various ways will not be enough."

Mrs. Zhang smiled bitterly.

This overwhelming wealth had come at this moment, but the couple really didn't want it and couldn't afford it.

"Mrs. Zhang, as the saying goes, if you borrow, you must return. It's not difficult to borrow again. You're borrowing again and again, which is unreasonable."

Zhang Xin raised her eyebrows and glanced at the governor's wife, who looked several years older in just half a year.

According to my father-in-law, the governor also seemed to be in a very troubled situation. This couple was really unlucky.

"Princess, I really can't pay it back, not that I won't!"

There was a frown between Mrs. Zhang's brows.

"The court still won't give it to us? Resettling disaster victims and increasing population is a great achievement. Why are you so upset?"

Zhang Xin acted curious.

"Oh, don't mention it. The Crown Prince's Consort knows about the drought in Shandong this year. Last year, Yanzhou Prefecture failed to collect grain, so they transferred grain from other prefectures to deal with the emergency. They emptied half of their granaries. This year, all the prefectures in Shandong are unable to collect grain, and the rats in the granaries are almost starving to death. Because Shandong has no grain, even the grain in the capital is not enough, so all the grain has to be transported from the south. When it was transported here, the capital kept a batch, and the prefectures in Shandong intercepted a batch. When it came to us, there was only a small amount left."

Mrs. Zhang had a lot of grievances. She knew she shouldn't tell Zhang Xin, but she couldn't hold it in. It wasn't easy to find someone who knew the situation to vent to.

"The new emperor ascended the throne in a year like this, so things are going to be very hectic."

Zhang Xin took the opportunity to show some eye drops, thinking that others would understand.

"Who says it's not? Alas."

Mrs. Zhang really understood what he said and resonated with it.

This new emperor is really too unlucky to be controlled. From the time he ascended the throne to now, the only thing missing is an insect plague.

"It's hard for Master Zhang. He has been in office for half a year and there is still no peace."

Zhang Xin acted sympathetically again.

"The emperor's grace is great. I and my wife have done our best. It is good enough for the common people to live and work in peace and contentment."

This time, Mrs. Zhang responded in a proper manner.

"Yes, the people in the city live well, and we feel comfortable watching them. By the way, I want to set up a girls' school. Nowadays, many ancient sayings are misinterpreted. Some scholars do not understand what they read, and they always say that women are virtuous if they are not talented. In fact, it is just argument. I want to teach some female students to give those ignorant male students a slap in the face."

As Zhang Xin spoke, he wrote the whole sentence on his hand and asked Wanxiu to pass it to Mrs. Zhang.

[A man with virtue and eloquence is his talent, while a woman without talent and eloquence is her virtue]

"Ah, I am not very literate either? Could you please explain it to me, Princess?"

Mrs. Zhang was a little confused by Zhang Xin's sudden change of subject.

"'A man can show his talent by arguing, but a woman can better show her generosity and cultivation by not arguing with others.'"

Zhang Xin explained it in the simplest words.

"Does it mean that gossipers are undesirable?"

Mrs. Zhang understood.

"Anyway, it doesn't mean that women are virtuous if they don't read."

Zhang Xin nodded.

"So, this female student?"

Mrs. Zhang asked again tentatively.

To open a mere school, Prince Yan's Mansion certainly has no shortage of money, so they must be short of people. Does she need her to arrange for people to go to school?

Where is she going to make arrangements?

Are you going to tease the officials’ wives again?

"Someone has to come to school first. And if there is a female tutor, Madam Zhang will have to take care of it. If there is a male tutor, I would welcome him too."

Zhang Xin smiled reservedly and picked up the tea bowl on the coffee table.

As the smooth action of serving tea and seeing off the guests took place, Mrs. Zhang had no time to breathe out before she was forced to hold back her breath.

"I understand. I will take my leave."

"Well, go ahead and wait for good news from Madam Zhang. The school will be ready in the next two days. The auspicious day for school opening is seven days from now."

"Yes, Crown Princess."

Mrs. Zhang answered respectfully, but in her heart she was cursing.

She had heard last year that some scholars couldn't bear to see the Crown Prince's wife and the two princesses working outside with the officials' wives to distribute porridge and work, so they set up a women's workshop to recruit female workers.

It was said that the Crown Prince's Consort of Prince Yan's Mansion took the lead in showing up in public, corrupting morals, and not observing her chastity as a wife.

It was also said that the Crown Prince indulged the Crown Princess to cause trouble in Beiping, which was like a hen crowing at dawn.

The saying that a woman's virtue lies in her lack of talent has been almost chewed out by those pedantic scholars.

Because of this, many officials in the Chief Secretary's Office did not allow the women in their families to help.

As a result, all the disaster relief work in the later period was personally organized by the Crown Princess.

She had already borrowed the food at that time, so she didn't want to care about this matter at all.

When entertaining the wives of subordinates, it was also said that women should be demure and quiet. The people in Prince Yan's Mansion are royal family members, so it's okay for them to behave in an outrageous manner.

Unexpectedly, the Crown Prince's Consort was waiting for her here.

They want to get back their grievances.

Only after the Crown Princess regained her position, could she borrow food!!!

After walking out of the gate of Prince Yan's Mansion and getting on the carriage, Mrs. Zhang slapped herself! She decided to slap her husband when she got home.

What is this all about!

Life in the capital was originally good.

There are no unlearned people among my husband's friends, and all the great scholars are there to chat and laugh with.

As the wife of the Minister of Works, she was flattered every day.

After taking on this job with the new emperor, he was promoted to a higher rank, the Governor and the Governor's wife, which sounded very nice.

But since taking office, he has been living like a grandson.

It was okay for her to endure Zhang Xin's anger, after all, she needed help from others.

After her husband took over the Peking Provincial Government, there were countless incidents in Peking, either the garrisons were short of clothing and bedding, or the border troops were short of fodder.

Dealing with the soldiers is annoying, but dealing with the soldiers in the capital is even more annoying.

Since last year, the new emperor has sent me numerous letters questioning me.

Why does Yan need so much food?

Why is there a constant shortage of food in Beijing? This has never happened in previous years. What is happening now?

Why would the disaster victims go north for no reason?

The tone of the letters became increasingly negative.

She suspected that her man was having an affair with Prince Yan's palace and secretly storing grain for Prince Yan.

A recent letter also questioned why the Prince of Yan's madness had not been reported. By not reporting such an important matter, he was trying to put his nephew in an unjust position.

Is this new emperor's head full of mosquitoes?

Mrs. Zhang would greet Nanfang in her heart almost every day.

If she really speaks from her conscience, even though she can't stand some things Zhang Xin does, what the Prince Yan's Mansion does is truly for the country and the people!

No comparison, no harm.

The new emperor can be described in four words: petty and narrow-minded!