bayedsolid Chapter 995: The teachers gathered together to discuss the curriculum of the girls' academy.
Chapter 995: The teachers gathered together to discuss the curriculum of the girls' academy.
She listened quietly, and instead of showing any sign of backing down or embarrassment, she gave an approving smile.
"Mr. Qian truly deserves to be called a leader in Qingzhou's business community. His words are insightful and every one is precious."
She first affirmed the other person's point of view, skillfully defusing the tense atmosphere.
Then, she picked up her teacup, took a small sip, and began her counterattack unhurriedly.
“Sir, your three questions were excellent.”
Although I am not very talented, I would like to humbly answer each question.
She put down her teacup and met Qian Duoduo's scrutinizing eyes with clear eyes.
"Let's first answer the teacher's third question: Why should we learn?"
What's the use of learning this?
"Sir, do you know that in the Great Wu Dynasty today, the dowries of women from wealthy families often amount to hundreds or thousands, or even tens of thousands of taels?"
This money, nominally the wife's private property, is mostly managed by the husband's family and used for investments, land purchases, and lending.
If they profit, it's the husband's family's achievement; if they lose, it's because the wife is unlucky and brings misfortune to her husband.
"The woman herself had no idea where the huge sum of money went or what the profit or loss was."
"May I ask, sir, is this fair?"
Qian Duoduo raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything.
He'd seen this kind of thing far too many times.
"If they understand business principles, they can read accounts, assess investment risks, preserve and increase the value of their dowry, and even offer helpful advice to their husbands' families, making the family's wealth grow bigger and bigger."
Is this considered useful?
"Furthermore, women from ordinary families toil all their lives, spinning and weaving, and at the end of the year they can only earn a few taels of silver, and they are still exploited by cloth merchants at every turn."
"If they understood the principles of business, they would know what costs are, what profits are, and what supply and demand are..."
They can unite, procure raw materials collectively, and sell finished products collectively, bypassing middlemen and firmly grasping the profits in their own hands...
Is this considered useful?
"As for the techniques of weighing options, negotiating, and managing people that you mentioned... why can't women learn them?"
"Isn't being a butler considered managing people?"
Isn't managing relationships between sisters-in-law and mothers-in-law a form of strategic maneuvering?
"The world that women face is never simpler than the battlefield that men face."
"The more wisdom you have, the more resources you have to make a living."
"Isn't this useful?"
Qian Duoduo's gaze began to turn serious.
He discovered that the girl before him wasn't appreciating romance and fleeting beauty, but rather the most authentic aspects of human life.
Without pausing, Bai Yiyue continued, "Now, to answer your second question: risk."
"The gentleman said that this matter is extremely risky and the possibility of success is extremely slim."
"I admit."
The creation of the world was never a smooth journey.
But the gentleman seems to have overlooked one thing—”
"Risk and opportunity always coexist."
She leaned forward slightly.
"Mr. Qian, have you ever thought about what it would be like once the Seven Fairies Girls' Academy is established?"
"It will be the first and only academy in the entire Great Wu Dynasty to teach women practical skills."
"Girls who graduate from our academy are skilled in medicine, agriculture, law, and business."
"They will be the most sought-after wives, housekeepers, workshop owners, and business partners in the world."
"At that time, which wealthy merchant in the world wouldn't want to find a wife for their son who could not only provide a huge dowry but also increase the value of their family business?"
"Which far-sighted aristocratic family wouldn't want to cooperate with our academy to inject new vitality into their clan?"
In this era, it was impossible for a woman not to get married.
Therefore, the girls' academy did not emphasize that women should not get married, but rather that they should have more choices.
She can choose to marry or not, as long as the woman makes the choice willingly, happily, and will be happy in the future.
Her voice wasn't loud, but it stirred up a storm in the private room.
For the first time, a terrifying light flashed in Qian Duoduo's deep eyes.
He was shocked.
"And you, Mr. Qian Duoduo,"
A knowing smile appeared on Bai Yiyue's lips. "As the only and pioneering head instructor of business studies at this academy, your name will be forever bound to this epoch-making academy."
"What you're investing in is no longer a particular business, but the future..."
What you gain will no longer be mere gold and silver, but immeasurable prestige, connections, and...
"A unique voice in the future business world."
"Sir, this is a long-term investment with a view to ten, twenty, or even a hundred years from now."
Do you think the risk of this investment is still high?
Qian Duoduo fell completely silent.
He could feel his heart pounding wildly.
He began to recalculate the gains and losses of the deal.
The risks still exist, but the potential rewards are so great that he cannot ignore them, or even resist them.
Bai Yiyue knew that the time was almost right.
She began to answer the last, and most crucial, question.
Finally, to answer your first question: What direct benefit can I bring you?
She took something else out of her sleeve and gently placed it on the table.
It wasn't some rare treasure, but a handwritten business plan.
"Sir, this is my detailed plan for the promotion and sales of denim, as well as three other new products that I believe have great potential..."
She slowly pushed the proposal in front of Qian Duoduo.
"I don't want any share of these deals."
All I need from you is a promise.
"You have become my instructor, and this is your tuition fee."
"Moreover, I guarantee that in the future, whenever the academy develops any new products with commercial value, you and your Jinxiu Pavilion can sell these new products."
And it's exclusively sold there.
This is Bai Yiyue's true trump card!
What she offered was not a one-off deal, but a treasure trove that continuously produced golden eggs!
Qian Duoduo stretched out his hand, his fingertips even trembling slightly.
He picked up the plan, glanced at it a few times, and his breathing became rapid.
"Soap...made with lard and wood ash, plus fragrance, has a cleaning power far exceeding that of soapberries..."
"Matches... made of sulfur and red phosphorus... ignite instantly, replacing flint..."
He had never heard of these things before, but with his businessman's intuition, he instantly judged that any one of them was enough to set off a commercial revolution throughout the Great Wu Dynasty!
And Bai Yiyue was actually willing to give all of this up, just in exchange for him becoming some kind of instructor.
He raised his head and stared intently at Bai Yiyue, his gaze extremely complex.
"why?"
He finally asked the question that had been lingering in his mind for so long, "You have such amazing business talent, you can totally become the next Qian Duoduo, or even surpass me."
She could even become your mother, the White Snake.
Why...why are you entrusting all of this to me?
"Just to establish a vague and unreal girls' academy?"
This was his final question.
He couldn't understand why anyone could resist the temptation of such immense wealth.
Bai Yiyue met his gaze, and this time, her eyes held a touching sincerity.
"Because, Mr. Qian, even if Bai Yiyue is as rich as a country, he is still just a drop in the ocean."
"But an academy can cultivate thousands of Bai Yiyues who know how to be independent, have self-respect, and know how to create value."
"My strength is limited."
But the power of knowledge is limitless.
"What I want to do is not to make a lot of money, but to light a lamp and open a window for women all over the world, so that they can see that there is another possibility in life besides being a good wife and mother and being confined to the inner quarters."
"Money? I can earn it anytime I want."
"But if we don't do this now, we may never have another chance."
The private room was completely silent.
The hustle and bustle outside the window seemed to be isolated in another world.
Qian Duoduo looked at the girl in front of him, at the light in her eyes that shone brighter than any jewel...
He suddenly felt that his calculations about benefits and risks had become somewhat ridiculous.
He slowly and solemnly closed the plan and pushed it back in front of Bai Yiyue.
"Do not."
He shook his head. "This fee is too much; I cannot accept it."
Bai Yiyue was taken aback.
Qian Duoduo stood up, bowed deeply to her, a businessman performing a respectful bow to a young girl, like a disciple to a teacher.
"I, Qian, am unworthy of the position of instructor."
"But I am willing to serve the Seven Fairies Girls' Academy in the name of honorary director of the Business School."
I will not take a single penny, but will do my utmost.
"As for these businesses,"
He pointed to the proposal and smiled, "We'll cooperate."
"Profits, you get 70%, I get 30%."
"You provide the ideas, and I'll provide the manpower, money, and effort."
"This is a fair trade."
Bai Yiyue looked at him and finally revealed a genuine, radiant smile.
The mathematics master Song Jiuzhou, the surgical genius Liu Sanniang, the agricultural expert Shi Man, the legal prodigy Du Jiu, the business tycoon Qian Duoduo... I finally managed to visit them all.
......
Under the old locust tree in the courtyard, there was a huge octagonal table.
The seven Bai sisters stood on one side.
On the other three sides of the table sat four people with very different styles, who could even be described as incompatible.
To the east is Song Jiuzhou, a master of mathematics.
He wore a faded blue cloth gown, and his hair and beard were meticulously groomed.
He had nothing in front of him; he simply closed his eyes to rest, his hands tucked into his sleeves.
To the south sat Liu San Niang, a renowned surgeon, and Shi Man, a leading agronomist.
Liu San Niang was still dressed in her neat short outfit, but she looked somewhat uncomfortable.
A cup of tea sat on her table, but her hand unconsciously rubbed the cloth bag at her waist, where her precious surgical instruments were stored.
Shi Man, standing next to her, seemed out of place.
He had just come from the fields, his trousers still covered in fresh mud. His dark face showed a mixture of unease and curiosity. He looked at the flowers and plants in the yard with a much more affectionate gaze than at people.
To the west, sitting alone, was none other than Qian Duoduo, a business tycoon.
Today he changed into a more exquisite dark purple Shu brocade robe, trimmed with gold thread, with a jade pendant hanging from his waist, and crystal glasses that gleamed in the sunlight.
The tea in front of him remained untouched; in its place sat a small sandalwood abacus and an account book.
As for Du Jiu, the legal prodigy, he did not take a seat.
He was walking around the yard with his hands behind his back, looking around with great interest, sometimes glancing at the cracks in the brickwork at the corner of the wall, sometimes looking up to estimate the height of the eaves, muttering to himself.
This is the founding teaching team of the Seven Fairies Girls' Academy.
A group of top talents, considered freaks by the world, were brought together by a young girl in an almost absurd way.
"cough."
Bai Yiyue cleared her throat, breaking the eerie silence.
"Gentlemen, I am Bai Yiyue. Thank you again for coming and making this a great occasion."
She bowed deeply, and her six sisters behind her followed suit.
Song Jiuzhou slowly opened his eyes, his gaze sharp as lightning, sweeping over everyone before finally landing on Qian Duoduo. "Hmph, money-grubbing."
Qian Duoduo narrowed her eyes behind her glasses and retorted without any politeness: "It's still better than some people who are penniless and clinging to a bunch of useless gears and levers."
"Knowledge that cannot be converted into cash is like a dragon-slaying technique—it looks impressive but is useless."
"you!"
Song Jiuzhou raised his eyebrows; he hated nothing more than people saying his mechanical skills were useless.
"Gentlemen, please calm down!"
Bai Yiyue quickly tried to smooth things over.
She knew that this group of people could never get along harmoniously.
"Mr. Qian, if Mr. Song's mechanical skills were applied to people's livelihoods, such as improving looms and boosting canal transport, their value would be far more than ten thousand gold pieces."
"Mr. Song, Mr. Qian's business acumen can promote your inventions to every corner of the Great Wu Dynasty, allowing your wisdom to truly benefit all people."
"Your knowledge complements each other and is indispensable."
Song Jiuzhou snorted coldly and turned his head away, but his tense expression eased slightly.
Qian Duoduo pushed up her glasses, revealing a "you know your stuff" expression.
At this moment, Liu San Niang finally couldn't help but speak up: "Miss Bai, let's cut to the chase."
"You've summoned us here, so what exactly do you want us to teach?"
Shi Man also chimed in with a simple smile, "Yes, all I know is farming, understanding the seasons, and cultivating good seeds."
"We can't expect all the girls to actually carry hoes and go to the fields, can we?"
Their bodies can't withstand the sun.
The conflict has once again been brought to the forefront.
This was precisely the purpose of Bai Yiyue's convening of this meeting—to unify teaching philosophies.
"Mr. Liu, Mr. Shi, this is precisely the core issue I want to discuss with you all."
Bai Yiyue remained calm and collected, taking a stack of prepared booklets from Bai Sisi behind her and distributing them to everyone.
"This is the preliminary teaching syllabus I have prepared for the academy. Please take a look."
Qian Duoduo opened it first and read it very quickly.
Song Jiuzhou and Liu Sanniang also accepted it.
Shi Man was illiterate and was so anxious that he scratched his head and cheeks. Bai Wuyue then came close to him and softly recited the text for him.
"Course outline!"
"The foundation of elementary education: recognizing characters and understanding arithmetic."
Business of governing the world:
1. [Investigation of Things and Extension of Knowledge] (Teacher: Song Jiuzhou): He taught the essentials of geometry, the principles of investigating things, and the techniques of mechanisms.
The aim is to cultivate students' logical reasoning skills and develop their practical abilities.
In the early stages, students can independently draw patterns of spinning wheels and waterwheels, and even make their prototypes by hand.