Free Web NovelChapter 1019: Chapter 740: A Woman’s Infatuation Can Also Be Spoken Of_4
Although she was drunk and speaking incoherently, the words she could utter at that moment were certainly true, just misunderstood. Now that Shen Wuzheng brought this up, it implied that in her world, women could have careers, and not just engage in tasks like spreading manure, chopping wood, farming, or weaving.
Yu Wenye was somewhat surprised: "Women can study? Just like men?"
Shen Wuzheng nodded.
"They can also take the imperial exams?"
"They probably can. But what she mentioned was—getting ashore. Although I didn’t understand why these two words relate to the imperial exams, she talked about it for half a day, suggesting it means passing the exams."
This realization made the two even more astonished.
It’s noteworthy that since Emperor Wen’s reign, Empress Du, being a woman herself, stood up for all the women in the empire. After becoming Empress, she not only established the National Academy and accepted female disciples but also saw the emergence of female officials in the court. However, there were still far fewer female disciples at the academy compared to male ones, and female officials were directly appointed based on character and lineage, not through exams.
Unexpectedly, during Yu Mingyue’s time, women could take the imperial exams.
Shang Ruyi murmured, "No wonder she said women don’t necessarily have to marry. If one can do other things, marriage indeed isn’t the only option."
She recalled discussing with Yu Wenye before about the saying "A man’s excessive passion can be overcome, but a woman’s cannot." At the end of the day, it was because a woman’s perspective and opportunities for action were too limited, with many only indulging in romance. But if there were vast worlds to achieve wonders, who would care whether the man they love arrives today or tomorrow?
Who would care if he rests at their place or at his concubine’s?
Thinking of this, Shang Ruyi glanced at Yu Wenye.
Feeling the peculiar meaning in her gaze, Yu Wenye immediately asked, "What are you looking at?" freēwēbηovel.c૦m
"No, nothing at all."
Shang Ruyi felt somewhat guilty, lowering her head—she hadn’t forgotten how little tolerance this man had. Just the suggestion that he spend a few more days with Chu Ruoyan had him tormenting her beyond recognition. If he knew what she was thinking right now, wouldn’t he dismantle her bones when he returned tonight?
Though Yu Wenye sensed some of Shang Ruyi’s obscure thoughts, he didn’t dwell on them at the moment. He was still shocked by what Yu Mingyue had said. He lifted the teacup to take a sip and remained silent for a while, eventually saying, "A few hundred years later, women have such great power."
Shen Wuzheng laughed and said, "Studying brings wisdom, making them naturally no less than men."
Yu Wenye said, "But where did all those academies come from? Emperor Wen’s reign spent so much money opening academies among the populace and establishing the National Academy, yet could only educate a millionth of the people."
"..."
"Furthermore, the tuition, book fees, and travel costs—can those people afford it?"
Shen Wuzheng said, "I also asked her about that, and she said the court had money, and the people could afford it."
Shang Ruyi widened her eyes: "Their people are so wealthy?"
"Indeed,"
Shen Wuzheng said, "That night I asked her many questions, and actually the strangest thing is this. People seemed extremely affluent a few hundred years later, so wealthy that even as a bureaucratic offspring, I find it unimaginable. So I spent a long time talking with the drunkard just to learn why their court and people could be so wealthy."
Yu Wenye and Shang Ruyi simultaneously asked, "Why?"
Shen Wuzheng said, "I questioned her about all aspects of daily life, and it boiled down to two reasons. The first is—many tasks in their world don’t require people to do them."
"Don’t require people?"
Yu Wenye and Shang Ruyi almost spoke at the same time again, their expressions equally astonished. Although both were worldly-wise ladies and wouldn’t be startled so easily, every word Shen Wuzheng heard from Yu Mingyue was beyond their expectations and impossible not to be surprised by.
Shang Ruyi said, "If people aren’t doing it, what is?"
Shen Wuzheng said, "She gestured with me for half a day without explaining clearly, but generally speaking, some tough, exhausting, and heavy tasks don’t need people to do them, but those things are done easily. For instance—"
Shang Ruyi’s mind suddenly lit up, instinctively saying, "Spreading manure, chopping wood, perhaps?"
Yu Wenye glared at her.
Shang Ruyi then realized, after all, the three of them were in a tavern with tea and snacks in front of them. Those words indeed ruined the appetite. Fortunately, no one overheard, and Shen Wuzheng didn’t mind her gaffe, merely smiling and saying, "Exactly, as she said. But that’s not all, even building houses, digging canals, building bridges, and paving roads, these major projects don’t require many people. They can effortlessly lift giant timbers and stones dozens of feet high, easy as pie."
Shang Ruyi couldn’t help murmuring, "It’s truly like an Immortal Realm."
At this moment, she felt utterly envious and began to understand why she couldn’t comprehend what Yu Mingyue said that night—because what wasn’t said was something she dared not even imagine.
Compared to her envy, the nearby Yu Wenye became quieter, his pupils growing increasingly deeper, as if lost in thought.
Shang Ruyi asked again, "Brother, what’s the second reason?" frёewebηovel.cѳm
Shen Wuzheng smiled as he looked at her, saying, "Let me first ask you this. Do you know how much grain a farmer can produce per mu in a year currently?"
This question left Shang Ruyi stunned.
She wasn’t completely unfamiliar with domestic matters, especially after marrying into the Yuwen Family, where she became more interested in learning about people’s livelihoods, but she knew little about grain production and dared not blurt out anything.
Beside her, Yu Wenye said, "If the weather is favorable, farms in the Central Pass area have higher yields, reaching about three hundred jin."
"..."
"I’ve heard from Shu and the South that they have even higher yields."
"..."
"But the North yields are lower, and due to wars, taxes are hard to collect there."
Shen Wuzheng nodded lightly, knowing Yu Wenye wouldn’t be stumped by this. After all, as a soldier who fought in various places, sometimes needed to obtain supplies locally, he had to be familiar with grain yields across different locales.
After answering, Yu Wenye asked, "Why are you asking this—"
Shen Wuzheng said, "I heard from Yu Mingyue that in their place, grain harvest per mu—over a thousand jin."
"What!?"
This made not only Shang Ruyi’s eyes widen, but even Yu Wenye couldn’t suppress a gasp of astonishment, as if unable to believe his ears. But looking at Shen Wuzheng’s earnest expression, it was evident there was no exaggeration.
Even if Yu Mingyue was bluffing, his character would discern truth from lies during the conversation before relaying it to them.
That is to say—
The "Immortal Realm" they mentioned earlier was insufficient to express their envy of the world Yu Mingyue came from, and Yu Wenye became breathless, silent for who knows how long, before gravely stating, "Do they... have divine assistance?"
Shen Wuzheng said, "I heard her mention seemingly indeed a Lord Yuan, a Rice Saint."
"..."
"Those rice grains were bestowed to the world by him."
