Rebirth of Zhu Di's son

Chapter 91 Jinling Changke Academy
a few days later.

In the morning, the sun is shining.

After Zhu Gaoxu accompanied Zhu Di and Queen Xu to have breakfast in Qianqing Palace, he followed Zhu Di's instructions and left the palace to Jinling Academy.

Before leaving, he asked Zhu Di for an oral instruction to "order the attendant advisor Fang Xiaoru and the prince-in-law Mei Yin to concurrently serve as doctors of literature and history at Jinling Changke Academy."

So, when Zhu Gaoxu came to the gate of Jinling Academy, in addition to his highly skilled personal bodyguard Zhao Junchen, there were four more people behind him.

These four people were Fang Xiaoru and Mei Yin, who were brought in by Zhu Di's oral instructions, Xie Jin, who accompanied Zhu Gaoxu on his inspection tour of Jinling Academy on Zhu Di's orders, and Ouyang Lun, the consort who managed the Sihai Merchant Gang for Zhu Gaoxu.

In history, Ouyang Lun "went to Sichuan and Shaanxi as an envoy" in the late years of Hongwu, but he "sent private tea sellers out of the country several times" and made huge profits from it. The officials of the Shaanxi Chief Secretary did not dare to ask, and his servant Zhou Bao was even more arrogant, shouting frequently. There were dozens of civilian vehicles and they beat the tax collectors from the Heqiao Division of Lantian County.

The tax collector couldn't bear the humiliation and reported it to the court. When Zhu Yuanzhang learned about it, he was furious and ordered Ouyang Lun to die, and Zhou Bao and others were executed.

Today, history has been changed by the time traveler Zhu Gaoxu. In the 25th year of Hongwu, Ouyang Lun joined the Royal Commercial Bank and served the royal family. He was valued by Zhu Yuanzhang for his many achievements. Since then, he has been in charge of a business under the Royal Commercial Bank. These years can be regarded as hard work and meritorious service.

This time when Zhu Gaoxu went out of the palace to inspect Jinling Academy, he specially sent someone to call Ouyang Lun to accompany him, in order to let Ouyang Lun see the difference between the Changke Academy and the traditional local academies after the imperial examination reform was trialled.

"The gate of this academy is so impressive!"

Ouyang Lun was a Jinshi scholar and an authentic scholar.

In the past few years, he has been in charge of a company under the Royal Merchant House. He has seen many academies in his travels, but this is the first time he has seen an academy gate like this.

This gate is the main entrance of the academy. It faces east and faces west. It is a three-open vermilion lacquer gate. It is about three feet high. It is simple in style, solemn and elegant. There is a stone lion half a foot high on each side. Under the eaves is the imperial pen of Zhu Yuanzhang, Emperor Taizu of the Ming Dynasty. A plaque inscribed "Jinling Academy".

"Emperor Taizu had high hopes for Jinling Academy. The four words on the plaque were inscribed by Taizu's imperial pen."

Mei continued what Ouyang Lun said.

He was the supervisor during the construction of Jinling Academy and knew more about some details of the academy than others.

Looking at the entire Ming Dynasty, this is the only academy whose name plaque was inscribed by Zhu Yuanzhang, the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty.

Jinling Academy is located in the north of Mochou Lake, across the river from Qingliang Mountain on the other side of the Qinhuai River.

The academy faces east and west, covering a huge area.

Zhu Yuanzhang intended to make Jinling Academy the best academy in the world, so when the academy was first built, he ordered Mei Yin to encircle an unknown hill into the academy.

After that, he ordered Mei Yin to send people to dig a small ditch flowing around the hill from the southwest to become a small river.

The small river passes behind the hills in the academy, leads to the east, and flows into the Qinhuai River.

"His Royal Highness, this way please."

Mei Yin took the initiative to take on the task of introducing the academy to Zhu Gaoxu and others. He led a group of people into the academy.

Entering from the main entrance, there is an independent screen wall in the shape of a "[-]", about ten feet away from the door. It is built of blue bricks and red tiles, and the center and corners of the wall are decorated with carvings, which is quite gorgeous.

Behind the screen wall is a large open courtyard, about the size of two football fields in later generations. There is a green brick road in the middle, leading directly to the second entrance gate. There are green grasslands on both sides of the road, and there are no rockeries or rocks to serve as scenery. .

"Emperor Taizu once ordered that after the academy is completed, His Royal Highness will decide how to decorate the first courtyard." Mei Yin seemed to see the doubts of Zhu Gaoxu and others, and explained.

Everyone continued to walk in. In the second courtyard, there was a red brick road two feet wide. On the left and right sides of the road, there were three rows of school buildings in the front, middle and back facing west and east.

"This school building is five stories high. There are twenty school rooms on each floor. There are stairs at the north and south ends. They are all made of wood. There are two rows of toilets on the easternmost side of the school building near the courtyard wall."

Mei Yin continued to introduce to everyone.

"Captain Mei, how many students can each dormitory accommodate?"

Xie Jin raised his head and looked at each school building, and asked curiously.

Mei Yin replied: "Each school building is equipped with two wooden beds with bunk beds, which can accommodate up to four students."

Ouyang Lun calculated in his mind, and then said in surprise: "So, these six school buildings can accommodate [-] students?"

"It's all worth it, that's true."

Mei Yin caressed his beard and said: "Of course, if the student enrollment is full, including the lecturers who live in the academy and the guards who guard the academy, there should be close to 3000 people living in this academy on weekdays. "

"How many students are there in the academy currently?" Zhu Gaoxu asked.

Mei Yin bowed and replied: "Back to Your Highness, the academy is built around a hill. In addition, during the previous construction period, the craftsmen took turns working day and night. There was a lot of movement, so that many students around Yingtian Mansion gradually learned about the imperial court's construction of this academy. , so students came to register from time to time."

"A few days ago, at the order of His Majesty, I sent people to beat gongs and drums to announce the official completion of Jinling Changke Academy. It attracted many students. Therefore, the academy has currently enrolled [-] students."

When he said this, he made some calculations in his mind, and then continued: "Students should study literature and history with the professor in Zhengxin Hall today."

The newly established Jinling Academy quietly started construction a few months ago and announced its completion with great fanfare a few days ago. In just a few months, it has enrolled more than 100 students. This is definitely unmatched by traditional academies in the past. .

"How many professors are there currently in the academy?"

Zhu Gaoxu was quite satisfied with the number of students, so he asked again.

Mei Yin showed a trace of embarrassment on his face and said respectfully: "I dare not deceive His Highness. Counting Mr. Zhengxue and my ministers, there are currently only seven professors in the academy."

Zhu Gaoxu and others were a little surprised when they heard this.

Especially Xie Jin and Fang Xiaoru had no idea that the Jinling Academy, built under the auspices of the imperial court and under the auspices of the emperor, would only recruit five professors in several months.

"Why is this?"

Zhu Gaoxu asked a question that everyone else wanted to ask.

Mei Yin said respectfully: "Your Highness knows that according to the official regulations of the "Trial Rules for the Reform of Imperial Examinations" announced and issued by the imperial court, those who are qualified to serve as professors of the Standing Academy must either be scholars or civil servants who are not more than 75 years old. , Jinshi, or a child between the age of forty and under seventy-five."

"It has been 31 years since the founding of the Ming Dynasty. However, there are still only a few candidates and scholars, and most of them are officials. Most of the scholars work in local prefectures and counties as bookkeepers, scribes, etc. How can such people give up their fame and fortune to come here? Become a professor in the academy?"

PS: In two or three days, after I return home from visiting relatives, I can resume updating twice a day.Thanks for the support guys!

(End of this chapter)