Chapter 148: Academy Reforms Stir Up Storms, Conservative Factions Block the Road Ahead

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Chapter 148: Reform at the Academy Stirs Trouble as the Old Guard Blocks the Way

Lin Shiya gently pushed open the door. Its creak broke the academy’s quiet.

She gazed at the familiar bricks and tiles, and the young faces once bent over their books seemed to rise before her eyes.

Drawing a deep breath, she stepped into the academy, her heart brimming with resolve.

The road ahead was fraught with difficulties, but she would not retreat.

Inside, the students were buried in their studies. The sound of recitation rang clear, as though the academy were cut off from the outside world.

Lin Shiya’s footsteps echoed through the silent corridor, drawing the attention of several students, who looked up to watch her pass.

She made her way to the main hall, an important place where teachers and students met and exchanged views.

“Shiya, you have come.” Old Master Song had already taken his seat in the hall, with a stack of books beside him.

When he saw Lin Shiya, his brows drew together slightly. His tone held unmistakable displeasure. “I hear you intend to introduce some new educational principles. Pray tell us what great insight you have in mind.”

Lin Shiya smiled faintly and replied with courtesy, “Old Master, you know that the education of women has long been neglected. We cannot allow their talents and wisdom to be buried. The reforms I propose are meant to give more women the opportunity to receive an education and to cultivate more talented women for the nation.”

Old Master Song’s frown deepened. He answered firmly, “Shiya, though you are undeniably gifted, this proposal of yours is far too radical. The academy has followed an established system of education since ancient times. To change it rashly will only invite needless disorder. The students’ futures and the dignity of their families—how can such things be altered on a whim?”

Lin Shiya did not yield an inch. “Old Master, I understand your concerns. But times are changing, and our education must move with them. Women have as much right to be educated as men, and their intelligence is no less than theirs. I have prepared detailed lesson plans and case studies to prove it.”

A trace of disdain crossed Old Master Song’s face. He gave a cold laugh. “Lesson plans and case studies? They are nothing but empty talk. The results you hope for may never come to pass. You are treating the students’ futures as an experiment. I cannot accept that.”

“Please allow me to show you the actual cases,” Lin Shiya said. “Perhaps you will see the matter differently.”

Old Master Song’s gaze sharpened. He gently rubbed the booklet in his hands and fell silent in thought.

Just then, hurried footsteps sounded outside. Qian, one of the parents, and Li, the academic supervisor, rushed into the main hall, evidently drawn by the commotion surrounding the reforms.

Lin Shiya’s heart stirred faintly.

“Old Master, please look…” Her voice echoed through the hall, firm and powerful, but then stopped abruptly, leaving behind a heavy silence.

Lin Shiya opened the booklet and pointed to a page. Her voice was clear and resolute. “Old Master, look here. This is a case study from a women’s academy in Jiangnan. The subjects they study are not limited to needlework and poetry. They also include arithmetic, geography, and even some basic agricultural knowledge. Their results are outstanding; in certain areas, they have even surpassed the boys.”

She paused, then turned another page. “And this is the new curriculum I have drawn up based on the academy’s present circumstances. It does not reject tradition wholesale. Instead, it preserves what is valuable while adding more practical knowledge, so that we may cultivate students with a broader and more well-rounded education.”

The booklet was filled with neat, graceful handwriting. Its charts and figures were detailed and immediately comprehensible.

Old Master Song put on his reading glasses and studied the pages carefully. The furrows in his brow gradually eased. The younger instructors around him also crowded forward, curious to examine the booklet, whispering among themselves.

“This… does seem to make some sense,” one young instructor murmured.

“Yes. If the students can learn such practical knowledge, it will greatly benefit them in the future,” another agreed.

Old Master Song coughed lightly, drawing everyone’s attention back to him. He set down the booklet, pondered for a moment, and finally said slowly, “Shiya, your ideas are indeed novel. But this matter is of great importance. We must consider it carefully and at length.”

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Lin Shiya smiled faintly. She knew this was a sign that Old Master Song’s attitude had begun to soften, and she pressed her advantage.

“Old Master, so that more people may understand the benefits of these reforms, I have arranged a meeting with the parents this very day. I hope you will attend and discuss the matter with us.”

By evening, the academy lecture hall was filled with the students’ parents.

Qian sat in the front row, turning his prayer beads restlessly between his fingers. His face was etched with worry.

Standing at the lectern, Lin Shiya explained the reform plan to the parents in detail. Her tone was gentle, yet filled with strength.

“Honored parents, I know that all of you are deeply concerned about your children’s futures. I assure you that the new method of education will only help them grow stronger and give them a wider world in which to flourish.”

Qian, however, was the first to rise. His voice was anxious. “Top Scholar Lin, we all believe in your talent. But the imperial examinations test the sages’ classics. If you keep changing everything, will our children still be able to pass? This concerns the course of their entire lives!”

His words struck a chord with the other parents. They chimed in one after another, and the lecture hall erupted like a boiling pot with voices of doubt and opposition.

Maid Wu moved through the crowd, doing her best to explain the advantages of the new education, but the parents repeatedly interrupted her with questions and objections.

“We do not understand this new-style education, and we cannot feel at ease about it!”

“That’s right. If it ruins our children’s futures, who will take responsibility?”

Lin Shiya surveyed the disorderly scene. She drew a deep breath and was just about to speak when a clear voice rose from the crowd.

“Honored parents, please hear me out…”

Student Zhou rose from his seat, determination shining in his eyes.

Chapter 148: Reform at the Academy Stirs Trouble as the Old Guard Blocks the Way

Lin Shiya looked into Student Zhou’s resolute eyes, her heart filled with emotion.

She gave him a slight nod, signaling him to come forward.

Student Zhou took a deep breath and walked steadily to the lectern, taking his place beside Lin Shiya.

“Honored parents, my name is Zhou. I have studied at this academy for several years. To me, Top Scholar Lin’s reform plan is a rare opportunity.”

His voice was clear and steady, echoing through the lecture hall and drawing everyone’s attention.

His eyes shone with enthusiasm, as though he were painting a picture of a brighter future.

“Since childhood, I have had a deep interest in arithmetic and geography, but the academy’s traditional curriculum barely touches upon either subject. Top Scholar Lin’s reforms will not only broaden our knowledge but also give us more possibilities for the future.”

His speech was like a shot of strength. The murmurs in the hall gradually subsided, and the worry on the parents’ faces eased somewhat.

Lin Shiya took up the thread at just the right moment. “Honored parents, Student Zhou has given voice to what many students are thinking. This new approach to education will not only help our children develop more fully; it will also cultivate more pillars of talent for the nation.”

Qian’s expression softened a little, but his brows remained knitted. Clearly, he was still struggling inwardly.

He turned his prayer beads, his tone somewhat gentler now. “Top Scholar Lin, these new subjects sound promising, but we must also consider the financial burden. Reforming the academy will require considerable funding, and that will place no small strain on families as well.”

At that moment, Sun the treasurer emerged nervously from the crowd, holding a densely written list.

He came to the lectern and bowed to Lin Shiya. “Top Scholar Lin, this is a list of the financial risks the reforms may bring. New teaching facilities, the recruitment of instructors, the preparation of textbooks… every item will require substantial funding. If the matter is not handled properly, the academy could find itself unable to continue operating.”

Li, the academic supervisor, followed close behind him and nodded gravely. “Top Scholar Lin, the financial issue truly cannot be ignored. The academy’s finances are already stretched to the limit. We must proceed with caution.”

Lin Shiya calmly accepted the list. Her tone remained firm. “Thank you for the warning, Treasurer Sun and Supervisor Li. Finances are indeed crucial to the reforms. But please rest assured—I have already prepared a detailed plan that will ensure their smooth implementation.”

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The lecture hall once again fell into contemplation. A hint of expectation and curiosity appeared in the parents’ eyes.

Just then, Lin Shiya’s gaze met Qian’s. She smiled faintly, already knowing what she would do.

“Honored parents, let us work together to open a new world for our children’s future.”

With composure, Lin Shiya unfurled the scroll in her hands. It was covered in lines of graceful, minute handwriting, yet everything was arranged with such clarity that it could be understood at a glance.

“First, as for the new teaching facilities, we can seek support from the imperial court and solicit charitable donations from the public. I believe many people of conscience will be willing to contribute to the cause of education.”

She pointed to the figures on the scroll and continued fluently, “Second, where teaching staff are concerned, we can hire experienced scholars from among the people, as well as women with expertise in specific fields. This will not only reduce costs but also enrich the curriculum.”

The tension in Treasurer Sun’s shoulders slowly eased. The worried look on his face gradually gave way to astonishment.

Pushing his spectacles up the bridge of his nose, he studied the scroll carefully, uttering a few murmurs of admiration from time to time.

Supervisor Li also leaned forward. The suspicion in his eyes gradually softened as he reconsidered Lin Shiya’s plan, tapping his fingers lightly against the table as though deep in thought.

“As for preparing the textbooks,” Lin Shiya continued, her voice clear and confident, “we can have the academy’s teachers work on them together. This will not only save expenses but also improve the teachers’ own abilities.”

She paused and swept her gaze across the room. “I believe that as long as we stand united, we will overcome these financial difficulties.”

A burst of enthusiastic applause filled the lecture hall. The worry on the parents’ faces gradually disappeared, replaced by anticipation for the future.

Even Qian found himself nodding. The prayer beads in his hand slowed.

Yet while everyone was celebrating, Old Master Song quietly left the lecture hall.

He strode hurriedly through the secluded corridors and came to a quiet study.

Inside, several senior instructors from the academy sat upright, their expressions solemn.

“Old Master Song, what do you think?” one of them asked in a low voice.

Old Master Song’s face was dark. “We cannot let her have her way.”

“Then how should we respond?” another instructor asked.

A cold smile curled across Old Master Song’s lips. “We must join forces and create some difficulties for her…”

His voice was low and chilling as it echoed through the silent study, as though foretelling the storm that was about to break.

Night descended, and the academy returned to its former tranquility.

Lin Shiya stood alone before the window, gazing at the pure moonlight outside, her mind crowded with thoughts.

Suddenly, a frantic knock shattered the stillness of the night.

“Top Scholar Lin, something terrible has happened…” Maid Wu’s voice carried a trace of panic.

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