Although Jiangnan's new policy has been fully implemented and many matters related to maritime affairs have been arranged, Zhang Yan has not relaxed yet.
Because next spring, the first academic examination after the reform of the imperial examination will be held. It only takes half a year. However, the colleges that Zhu Cihong ordered when he left are still under construction and renovation, and there are still many examination rooms in various provinces and state capitals.
It was not completed, so Zhang Yan had to focus all her energy on the imperial examination.
Several large colleges were transformed from the gardens left by the former nobles. Among them, the College of Physics is huge in area, with laboratories, teaching buildings, dormitories and living areas, and can accommodate up to 20,000 students.
The former garden, rockery, pool, and attic in the college have been preserved. The elegant environment is comparable to a royal garden. However, such a luxurious and huge college still has no students or teachers.
Today, early in the morning, in front of the gate of the School of Physics, located in the east of Nanjing City, countless literati came to watch, because today is the day when the school is completed and the plaque is hung, and it is said that the Queen Mother and the Princess will come in person.
Everyone is very curious about this physics college called Laoshizi, which is even bigger and more luxurious than the Imperial College. What exactly is this physics? Of course, there are also many who reject it.
When Zhang Yan's Feng Chu arrived, thousands of people had gathered outside the college, almost all of whom were talented scholars, including many famous Confucian scholars, but none of them were civil or military officials.
Many of these people were invited by the royal family, and many came uninvited to join in the fun. When the huge plaque was hung up, everyone couldn't help but look up at the six huge words: Royal Institute of Physics, and then
Looking at Zhang Yan, I wanted to hear her explain what physics was.
But Zhang Yan didn't understand it herself. She just followed Zhu Cixiang's instructions and simply announced that those who are proficient in physics can apply to become teachers in the college, and literate teenagers aged ten to fifteen can apply to become students in the college.
The result is self-evident. Naturally, not a single teacher was recruited, and there were also no students who signed up. The situation was very embarrassing.
Zhang Yan had no choice but to end the establishment ceremony in a hurry and took Princess Kunxing back to the palace. She sighed inwardly. She could naturally see that Xun'er valued physics very much, otherwise she would not have spent such a high price.
To build such a huge college, no one is interested in or understands physics.
"Auntie, we haven't recruited this student or husband. Brother Huang will definitely be very disappointed if he knows this."
"Alas! The Chemistry College will be completed in a few days, and I'm afraid it will be like today. Then, Nuo'er, don't follow me." Zhang Yan sighed, giving up hope for the Chemistry College.
"No, the more this happens, the more Lou'er will come, otherwise it will only make those literati despise this physics and chemistry even more."
Princess Kunxing stubbornly shook her head. Naturally, she could see that the emperor valued physical chemistry very much. Now that the emperor was away, she had to come on his behalf on the day of the establishment no matter what.
"It's up to you."
Zhang Yan didn't say anything more, and began to complain about Zhu Cixiang in her heart. She didn't blame Zhu Cixiang for leaving these matters to her and just ignore them, but she complained that he didn't make it clear when he left, which caused such a big joke today.
Facing the inquiries from those great scholars, I didn't know how to answer them at all.
In fact, Zhang Yan had wronged Zhu Cihong. It was not that he did not want to explain it clearly, but that the physical chemistry was not clear at all.
Although she knew that there would be embarrassing situations, Zhang Yan still decided to make a big deal and invited countless talented scholars to attend the founding ceremony of the School of Chemistry.
However, compared with when the School of Physics was established, no teacher or student, and no one knew what physics was, the situation was slightly better when the Department of Chemistry was established three days later.
First, having learned from the past experience when the School of Physics was established, everyone suppressed their curiosity and stopped asking any more questions, so as not to embarrass the Queen Mother.
Secondly, Princess Kunxing learned the lesson from the last time and not only found two Taoist priests who could make alchemy to serve as master chemists, but also found several children of craftsmen who could prepare gunpowder to serve as students.
All the talented scholars were surprised when they looked at the two Taoist priests who were talking about Taoist classics with excitement on their faces.
A talented scholar couldn't help but whispered to the classmate next to him: "I think it would be more appropriate to change the name of the Royal Chemistry College to the Royal Taoist Temple!"
"That's right, that's right!"
As the two Taoist priests talked about physical ascension, the surrounding discussions became louder and louder. Princess Kunxing could only cough lightly in embarrassment, reminding the two old gods not to go off topic and not to confuse chemistry with those illusory ascension of monks.
The two Taoist priests stopped the car and began to explain the method of alchemy. However, they started to go off topic again. Zhang Yan saw this and had to end the ceremony in a hurry again.
"Your Majesty, what the old Taoist said is true. This is the way of chemistry..."
"Queen Mother, I have a beauty elixir here, which is made from hundreds of precious medicinal materials that have been passed through seventy-seven forty-nine times..."
"Get out!"
Zhang Yan blushed and waved her hands angrily, completely ignoring the nonsense of the two Taoist priests.
The two Taoist priests were obviously unwilling to give up. They were dragged out of the palace by the imperial guards while shouting loudly, hoping to impress the Queen Mother and the princess and let them stay and become bachelors of the School of Chemistry.
Not to mention that Princess Kunxing was really moved when she heard about the efficacy of the Beauty Pill. She looked at Zhang Yan and opened her mouth.
Zhang Yan obviously saw what she was thinking, glared at her, and said: "If the Beauty Pill can maintain youth forever and prolong life as they say, how can they themselves turn gray and become so old?
What does it look like?”
"This, isn't it better to believe that something is there than to believe something is nothing? It doesn't hurt to give it a try, just in case..." Princess Kunxing said weakly.
"I'm confused. If these two people are allowed to stay, this Chemistry College will probably turn into a Taoist temple in the future. Chemistry together will really become the way to refine elixirs and seek immortality. Where did you find these two people?"
Zhang Yan had a straight face. Originally, although everyone did not understand physics and chemistry, they still maintained a thirst for knowledge and awe in their hearts. Now, it is better. After being disturbed by these two Taoist priests, chemistry has completely become a laughing stock, and may even be implicated.
As for physics, I don’t know how to explain it when Xinger comes next year.
"They were hired by themselves. They said they were proficient in chemistry. Erchen saw that what they said was very clear. Some of the things they performed seemed to be somewhat similar to the chemical reactions that the emperor had mentioned before. Erchen then..."
Obviously, the two Taoist priests still had some tricks. However, those tricks could fool Princess Kunxing, but they could not fool Zhang Yan.
"Okay, that's the end of this matter. Whether they are really proficient in chemistry or not, we can wait until Brother Qin comes to talk about it."
Zhang Yan waved her hands, already feeling a little exhausted.
The subsequent completion and establishment ceremony of the School of Liberal Arts was finally not as embarrassing as that of physics and chemistry. It actually recruited some masters of calligraphy and music, and many students came to sign up.
The Royal Academy of Literature not only includes music, chess, calligraphy and painting, but also poetry, poetry, poetry, etc. It is the most complex academy, and it is also the only one among the four academies that everyone can understand thoroughly.
As for the last Royal Mechanical College, although everyone can understand it from the name, it is the most rejected and despised college.