There is a happy inn in the capital.

Chapter 492 System Departure

The news of the commencement of construction on Yuxiu Academy spread like wildfire, and naturally reached the ears of the newly appointed Prime Minister, Cheng Zhi'an.

After court that day, he changed into casual clothes and quietly went to the backyard of the Happiness Inn.

Li Shuchen was scratching his head over a stack of lumber lists when he saw him arrive. His eyes lit up, and he immediately tossed the lists aside, grinning as he went to greet him.

"Lord Cheng is so busy with official duties, how come you have time to grace my humble abode with your presence?" She deftly brewed a cup of her favorite pre-Qingming Longjing tea and handed it to him.

Cheng Zhi'an took the teacup, his fingertips casually brushing against hers. A smile played on his gentle eyes as he spoke a seemingly unrelated remark.

"The political situation is now stable, and new policies are gradually being implemented. Even if... there are any rumors or gossip in the future, given the current circumstances, no one should be able to make a big deal out of it and endanger the foundation."

Li Shuchen was taken aback at first, then realized what he meant.

She waved her hand dismissively and chuckled in a low voice.

"I told you to relax! Women can take the imperial examinations and become officials now, so who still clings to those old-fashioned ideas? Even if someone brings up your past, we'll just say... say you did it out of necessity to serve the court, and now that you've achieved success, it's only natural to restore your true self. You and I, a 'heroine,' are a match made in heaven! Maybe it will even become a beautiful story!"

She spoke with great enthusiasm, which amused Cheng Zhian. He shook his head, but his eyes held a warm glow.

“You…you’re always so optimistic,” she said, taking a sip of tea before getting to the point: “I heard you’re undertaking a major construction project in the western suburbs, planning to build a girls’ academy?”

“Yes! Yuxiu Academy!” Li Shuchen immediately perked up at the mention of this. “The blueprints are beautiful! There are already hundreds of girls who want to enroll! I’m thinking about where to find some truly talented and enlightened teachers!”

"Do you need my help?" Cheng Zhi'an asked gently. "I might be able to introduce you to some of the most esteemed scholars in the court. You could also consult with them on compiling teaching materials and drafting academic regulations."

"no, I'm fine!"

Li Shuchen shook his head vigorously, his face beaming with pride and certainty.

"You're busy enough with court affairs, how could I trouble you with such a small matter? I've already made some progress in choosing a teacher. Changning knows several female doctors with superb medical skills who are willing to teach, and Ziying also knows several talented young ladies and poets."

"As for the school rules and teaching materials... hehe, I have my own way of doing it! The person who should be most grateful for this success is you! If it weren't for your reasoned argument in the court, who knows when this opportunity would have come!"

"One's duty"

Cheng Zhi'an spoke of it casually, as if the confrontation with the conservative forces before the emperor was just an ordinary event.

She put down her teacup, her expression becoming more serious as she looked at Li Shuchen.

"There is one more thing... Our engagement has been delayed until now, I'm sorry for the inconvenience. Once the academy is on track and the court is more stable, I will definitely find a suitable opportunity to plead with His Majesty, but..."

A hint of guilt flashed in her eyes: "But if we do this, there will probably be a lot of gossip, and even... it might damage your reputation. In the end, it's me... who's dragging you down."

"What nonsense are you talking about!"

Li Shuchen interrupted her, reaching out to poke his shoulder with a gesture as natural as if he'd done it a thousand times.

"What's this about being a burden? Can those gossips feed us or give us money? Have I, Li Shuchen, ever cared about that? Living our own lives well is more important than anything else!"

Her eyes were bright and open, without a trace of hesitation or grievance.

Looking at her, the last vestige of gloom in Cheng Zhi'an's heart caused by the secret of his identity seemed to be dispelled by her unreserved sunshine.

She chuckled softly, said nothing more, and simply took a neatly folded silver note from her sleeve and gently pushed it in front of her.

"This is..." Li Shuchen picked it up and his eyes widened immediately. "One million taels?!"

“Building an academy will undoubtedly be extremely expensive,” Cheng Zhi’an said gently. “This is all my savings. Consider it my contribution to this ‘Yuxiu Academy’ and to all the women in the world who aspire to learn. Please do not refuse.”

Li Shuchen held the heavy silver note, his heart feeling heavy and warm.

She knew that this was not just about money, but also about his silent support and deepest understanding.

She didn't stand on ceremony any longer, carefully put away the banknotes, and smiled brightly.

“Great! Then let’s consider this ‘Yuxiu Academy’ library a joint project between the two of us! I was just worried that some rare and valuable books were too expensive, now we can go ahead and buy them!”

The sixteenth year of the Purple Star Dynasty, the eighth day of the fifth month, an auspicious day according to the Chinese calendar.

On what was once an empty plot of land in the western suburbs, a brand-new complex of buildings with blue bricks and gray tiles, spacious and bright, rose from the ground.

Above the central gate hangs a plaque personally inscribed by the Emperor – “Yuxiu Academy”.

Today marks the official opening of the academy.

The sound of firecrackers echoed through the sky, and red paper scraps flew everywhere.

Invited guests and local residents who had heard the news crowded the area outside the academy's gates.

The most eye-catching were the neatly dressed girls, with their hair styled in double buns or simple braids, ranging in age from six or seven to twenty-five or twenty-six.

Led by their families or the academy's female deacons, they lined up, their little faces filled with excitement, nervousness, and boundless anticipation, their eyes sparkling as they gazed at the open door.

"The auspicious time has arrived—please enter the academy!" the master of ceremonies announced loudly.

The girls immediately flew in like a flock of joyful birds released from their cages, yet they tried their best to maintain order as they filed in.

They passed through the moon gate adorned with inscriptions such as "Cultivating Virtue," "Investigating Things," and "Striving for Excellence," ran across the courtyard planted with green bamboo and orchids, and eagerly surged into the spacious and bright schoolroom.

Wow! What a huge window!

"The table is so new! And it even has drawers!"

"Look! There's a map hanging on the wall!"

"There are bookshelves here! Lots of books!"

Exclamations of wonder and laughter filled every corner.

Li Shuchen, Gu Ziying (carrying the curious Ping An and Xingfu), Liang Yuying, Princess Changning, Ye Bingli, and others stood under the corridor of the main school, watching the girls inside curiously touching the brand-new desks and chairs, standing on tiptoe to look at the bookshelves, and pointing at the calligraphy and paintings on the walls. Their faces were filled with gratified smiles.

Li Shuchen's gaze swept over the simple yet neat dresses of the young girls (some of which were newly made by their families for school enrollment), and a surge of indescribable emotion welled up within him.

She sighed softly, as if talking to herself, yet also as if addressing her sisters beside her: "Look... finally, there are skirts fluttering in the air in this school."

These words were spoken softly, yet they struck a heavy weight in everyone's heart.

Gu Ziying's eyes welled up with tears, Princess Changning turned her face away and cleared her throat, Liang Yuying straightened her back even more, and Ye Bingli's lips curved into a gentle smile.

Amidst this clamor brimming with hope and vitality, the long-absent electronic notification sound rang out in Li Shuchen's mind one last time, with crystal clarity.

[The key milestone of 'popularizing women's education' in this timeline has been established, the vector of civilization evolution has been significantly optimized, and the core derivative task is: 'to improve and stabilize the overall happiness index of women's lives' – the final closed loop has been achieved.]