Hongwu Era, twenty-sixth year, autumn!
In the blink of an eye.
More than half a year had passed since the start of the year.
Yet for the entire Ming Dynasty, great changes had taken place every single day.
These were not changes for the worse, but changes for the better.
The Grand Ming Empire was transforming every day.
National policies were being implemented.
Especially the policy to Enlighten the Populace.
Over the past half year.
With the full support of the Ming Dynasty's treasury, and the cooperation of the Ministry of Revenue, Ministry of Personnel, and Ministry of Rites.
Schools had been built throughout every prefecture of the Ming Dynasty, with every county seat required to have one.
And under the national policy.
All children under the age of thirteen, regardless of gender, could enter school and study literacy.
This year.
Marked the day when schools were truly established across the realm.
Allowing girls to attend school had also set an unprecedented precedent in Chinese history.
And this.
Naturally drew opposition from many censors.
However, Zhu Ying made the final decision. Girls also had the right to learn to read.
Still.
Allowing women to take the imperial examinations and truly shatter conventional prejudices remained far in the future, and Zhu Ying naturally could not force it.
However.
As schools rose throughout the realm and the imperial court fully supported education.
The common people naturally seized the opportunity. In this era, even if ordinary folk lacked the knowledge of the nobility, they still understood one thing: only by studying and learning to read would they have a chance to rise in the future. If they remained farmers forever, they would never be able to get ahead.
Under this shared understanding.
After the schools were built, countless commoners sent their children and