Love Lock

Chapter 357 Convinced
The weather is getting colder and colder, and today it even started to snow lightly in the gloomy sky.

Fine snowflakes drifted sparsely from the leaden sky, unlike the flamboyant snowfalls of large blizzards, yet carrying a damp chill that seeped into the bones. Before long, a thin layer of shimmering white covered the majestic eaves and brackets of the Golden Palace.

After the court session ended, the civil and military officials left the main hall in order, their heavy official boots making a dull sound as they stepped on the slightly damp palace bricks.

The biting wind, carrying snowflakes, pierced through people's necks. Many instinctively shrank their necks, tucked their hands into their sleeves, or tightened their cloaks, hurrying straight out of the palace, eager to return to their homes with warm stoves burning.

However, there is a group of people who are going against this trend of eagerly returning home.

They walked in twos and threes, not in a hurry to leave the palace, but instead turned around with great interest and headed towards a side hall not far from the Golden Palace.

Snowflakes fell on their official hats and shoulders, but they didn't seem to care; their faces even showed a hint of anticipation.

Hua Tianyou wrapped his thick cloak with a fur collar tighter around himself and breathed white breath into his palms.

He turned to the portly, good-natured man beside him and said with a smile, "This awful weather, but it's good too, a good snow promises a good harvest! Let's hurry, there are more people in the classroom, it should be warmer than outside."

The chubby man rubbed his fleshy hands together and nodded repeatedly. "That's right! The Empress's lessons are interesting and educational. They're much more engaging than going back to that desolate mansion."

Big Fatty is now particularly fascinated by the "tricks and gimmicks" that Han Lei taught him. He has been tinkering with them in private, hoping that one day he can make a new gadget himself.

The two of them, with their necks hunched, walked into the side hall that had been converted into a classroom, chatting and laughing.

This side hall was specially prepared by Zhao Zun to prevent Han Lei from feeling lonely in the deep palace and secretly running away again.

The day after Han Lei complained that life in the palace was like being in prison, Zhao Zun acted swiftly, ordering palace servants to clean the unused hall thoroughly, move in neat tables and chairs, and set it up as a proper classroom. The purpose was for Han Lei to use this space to teach ministers who were still interested in learning after court, or palace servants who wanted to improve themselves during their days off.

Even Zhao Zun himself, when he had free time, would quietly sit in the back row and listen to one or two classes.

In his words, this place is located in the core area of ​​the palace, guarded by imperial guards and palace attendants. Those who come to listen to the lectures are either officials who have just finished court or palace servants with impeccable identities, so Han Lei's safety is not in question.

This classroom was originally intended for Han Lei to pass the time, but even Zhao Zun didn't expect it to become so popular once it opened.

A group of civil officials, led by Grand Secretary Zhang, were the most enthusiastic. Since learning Pinyin from Han Lei in Cangzhou, Grand Secretary Zhang had deeply felt the convenience and power of this phonetic tool. He not only attended every class himself, but also encouraged several of his colleagues from the Hanlin Academy to come.

The imperial physicians of the Imperial Hospital, having heard of the Empress's extraordinary medical skills, all attended her every lesson, eager to hear her profound insights into medicine.

The largest number of people were the palace maids and eunuchs. After Zhao Zun emptied the harem, a large number of palace staff were left idle.

Zhao Zun decreed that eunuchs, being physically disabled, were unable to perform heavy physical labor; and that palace maids, whose youth was wasting away, were not a long-term solution. If they could learn skills here and pass the examinations, eunuchs could be assigned to management positions in departments such as the Textile Bureau, while palace maids would have the opportunity to be sent to schools in various places as teachers or to clinics as nurses.

This path was worlds apart from the days of trembling with fear and serving others, naturally igniting a tremendous enthusiasm for learning among the palace servants.

For Hua Tianyou, attending this class had a double motivation. In the past, after court sessions, he would rush to the construction site outside the city to supervise the construction of the new workshop. But now it was different; his first priority after court was to rush to this classroom.

The reason was simple: upon returning to the capital from Cangzhou, Zhao Ling'er was bestowed the title of Princess and, according to custom, moved into the inner palace. The red walls and green tiles, the deep courtyards, though incomparably noble, also acted as an invisible barrier, separating the two of them.

As an official serving outside the capital, how could Hua Tianyou easily enter the inner palace without a summons? Zhao Ling'er, having just entered the palace, also needed to familiarize herself with etiquette and adapt to her new identity, making it equally inconvenient for her to leave the palace at will. The opportunities for the two to meet drastically decreased, and the pain of their longing grew stronger with each passing day.

The opening of this classroom conveniently provided the perfect place for them to meet legitimately.

Zhao Ling'er also felt bored in the deep palace, so she came to listen to her sister-in-law Han Lei's lessons every day.

Thus, the classroom in the palace became a bridge for the two to express their feelings, and the short breaks between classes became their precious time to pour out their hearts to each other.

As Hua Tianyou and Da Pangtou stepped into the palace, a scent that blended the warmth of charcoal fire with the faint fragrance of ink wafted towards them, instantly dispelling the chill from their bodies.

The classroom was already quite full, with people seated clearly on either side: officials on the left, and palace maids and eunuchs on the right. Although they were in the same room, the invisible class divide that had initially existed still remained.

Hua Tianyou's eyes searched eagerly on the right, and soon landed on that slender figure.

Zhao Ling'er had arrived and was sitting quietly in the front row of the palace maids, holding a notebook in her hands and reading silently with her head down. Her profile looked particularly gentle and charming in the soft light of the hall.

Hua Tianyou felt a surge of warmth in his heart, and without thinking much, he immediately smiled and walked over quickly.

"Ling'er!" His voice wasn't loud, but it was filled with uncontrollable joy.

Zhao Ling'er looked up when she heard the voice. When she saw it was him, her clear eyes instantly lit up with a smile, like ripples on spring water. Two blushes involuntarily rose on her cheeks, making her even more beautiful than the snow outside the window.

"Brother Tianyou," she replied softly, her voice as gentle as a feather.

Hua Tianyou walked to her table in a few steps, his eager expression truly embodying the saying, "A day apart feels like three autumns."

He looked Zhao Ling'er up and down without any hesitation, and asked with concern, "Have you been waiting long? It's snowing, the roads are slippery, be careful."

As he spoke, he pulled out a small package wrapped tightly in oiled paper from his pocket and presented it to Zhao Ling'er like a treasure, lowering his voice to say, "Here, freshly baked osmanthus sugar steamed chestnut flour cake, still warm. You love this the most, try it!"

This thoughtful gesture filled Zhao Ling'er with sweetness, yet she also felt a little shy because it was being done in front of everyone.

She glanced around quickly and saw several elderly scholars with gray hair and beards, dressed in solemn official robes, on the left. They were frowning and watching them whisper to each other. Although she couldn't hear the specific words, their disapproving eyes and slightly shaking heads clearly indicated that they were discussing their "improper conduct," "frivolous behavior," and "disrespect for royalty and officials."

Zhao Ling'er's face flushed even more. She gently pushed away the bag of pastries and whispered, "Brother Tianyou, this...this is the palace, and many people are watching. Rules are important. You can keep them for yourself."

Hua Tianyou, however, paid no attention to those gazes. He was by nature free and unrestrained, and with his deep affection for Zhao Ling'er, he didn't care about such old-fashioned words.

Seeing that Zhao Ling'er refused to accept the pastries, he simply placed them on her table and then suggested, "Alright, alright, leave them there for now. Ling'er, why don't you sit a little closer and sit next to me? I have to rush to the construction site after lunch, and I won't see you again until tomorrow. Let me talk to you a little longer while I can."

He pointed to the empty seat in front of him, his eyes filled with anticipation.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Ling'er shook her head repeatedly in embarrassment, her voice barely audible: "How can this be! There is a difference between men and women, especially in the classroom. I'm perfectly fine sitting here with my sisters."

The sisters she referred to were the palace maids who had also come to listen to the lesson. Although they dared not look directly at Hua Tianyou and the Princess, their eyes held kind smiles and a hint of envy.

Seeing her resolute attitude, Hua Tianyou knew the palace rules were strict and she didn't want to give anyone a handle to use against her. Although he was somewhat disappointed, he understood. However, he still leaned close to Zhao Ling'er's ear and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Alright, whatever you say. But I have good news for you. The family has already chosen an auspicious day for us, set for the first day of the third month! I've calculated it, and by then, the major events at the construction site will be basically finished, so we can focus on preparing for our wedding."

This unexpected good news was like a warm current flowing through Zhao Ling'er's entire body.

She looked up abruptly, her eyes filled with surprise and happiness, the shyness on her face washed away by joy.

Looking into Hua Tianyou's smiling eyes, she felt her heart pounding like a drum and her cheeks burning. For a moment, she couldn't speak and could only nod vigorously.

The first day of the third lunar month would be the day she left this deep palace and embarked on a lifelong journey with him. This news warmed her heart and filled her with anticipation, even more than the warm pastries in her arms.

Just as this tender moment arrived, a slight commotion arose at the palace entrance. The previously noisy classroom quickly fell silent. All eyes turned to the direction where Empress Han Lei had entered.

Today, Han Lei is wearing a unique outfit unlike any other in this era—a light gray, hooded, fleece-lined sweatshirt, paired with well-fitting dark jeans and white sneakers.

Her long, glossy black hair wasn't styled into any elaborate bun, but simply tied into a neat ponytail, swaying gently behind her head with each step. She looked refreshingly capable and full of energy.

When Han Lei first stepped onto the podium in this appearance, everyone in the classroom, except for Hua Tianyou and others, was stunned.

The officials were dumbfounded, the palace servants whispered among themselves, and the old-fashioned ones nearly fainted. Privately, they criticized the Empress for being unbecoming and improper. But as time went on, everyone had more contact with this unpretentious, knowledgeable, and innovative Empress, and gradually they got used to her.

Some palace maids even privately felt that the Empress's attire made her move around more easily and made her look exceptionally energetic, unlike their usual skirts which swept the floor and dragged on.

"Greetings, Your Majesty the Empress!" Everyone in the classroom, regardless of rank or status, stood up in unison and bowed respectfully.

Hua Tianyou quickly returned to his seat and bowed along with everyone else.

Han Lei walked confidently to the podium, put down a stack of lesson plans, glanced at the entire room, and smiled sweetly and infectiously: "No need for formalities, please sit down. It's cold, let's get right to class."

She never taught those romantic poems and songs. In her words, "When the world is at peace, poetry can add a touch of elegance to life. But now, with everything in ruins and in dire need of development, what we need more are professionals from all walks of life who can solve practical problems. If we want the people to live a better life as soon as possible, we need to learn some real skills."

Therefore, her course content is extremely practical, covering basic mathematics, basic physics, principles of simple machines, hygiene and epidemic prevention knowledge, basic accounting, and even an introduction to management.

Through this period of teaching and the homework and small projects assigned after class, Han Lei has indeed discovered a group of people who are quite talented in different fields.

In addition to lecturing in large classrooms, she also taught according to students' individual needs, providing them with categorized training and even giving them individual basic books. For example, Big Head showed great interest in various mechanical principles and ingenious structures, often staring blankly at the simple lever and pulley diagrams drawn by Han Lei, and even trying to make models with wooden sticks and ropes.

Hua Tianyou, on the other hand, is a typical tech enthusiast. He was obsessed with improving glassmaking techniques when he was in Cangzhou. Now that he is in charge of the construction of the new workshop, he has developed a strong interest in textiles and studies blueprints whenever he has free time.

This classroom, converted from a side hall, not only changed the students but also greatly enriched Han Lei's life. Although she was busy every day, she felt extremely satisfied.

The guards standing watch inside the palace, in addition to ensuring her safety, also became her teaching assistants, helping to distribute learning materials, move teaching aids, and occasionally even act as "experimental subjects."

What's even more encouraging is that this classroom, like a miniature furnace, is subtly changing some ingrained beliefs.

At first, officials and palace maids and eunuchs kept a clear distinction between themselves and did not talk to each other. The class divide and the strict separation between men and women were like an invisible wall between them.

However, after more than a month, as Han Lei frequently organized group discussions, interactive Q&A sessions, or small tasks that required collaboration in class, everyone had to start communicating in order to complete their assignments.

Gradually, the rigid boundaries began to blur. Although etiquette remained, a sense of "classmate" affection slowly grew between them.

Especially those ministers who were originally high and mighty, they gradually discovered that by lowering their status and learning and discussing with these "lowly people" in their eyes, it didn't seem like they lost anything. On the contrary, they could sometimes gain inspiration from the other party's different perspectives, and everything seemed not as unacceptable as they had imagined.

Han Lei stood behind the desk, cleared her throat, and announced in a loud voice: "Everyone, today we will begin to learn two new things: the multiplication table and the application of mental arithmetic."

As she spoke, she wrote these words in large characters on the whiteboard behind her.

Upon hearing this, most of the people in the audience showed expressions of curiosity.

They had already begun to appreciate the benefits of Pinyin and Arabic numerals; the Hanlin Academy had even started using Professor Han Lei's movable type printing and Pinyin to compile and print new introductory textbooks. But what exactly were these "multiplication tables" and "mental arithmetic"?
Han Lei smiled slightly at the puzzled looks from the audience and then made an even more shocking statement: "I can tell you all that as long as you master these two things, you will be able to calculate numbers many times faster in the future, and even... you can put your abacus aside most of the time!"

"what?"

"No abacus? How do you calculate then?"

"How can this be!"

"Your Majesty, is this statement perhaps a bit too much...?"

These words immediately caused an uproar in the classroom, like cold water being poured into boiling oil.

Those officials and eunuchs who were accustomed to using the abacus, or who knew nothing of other efficient calculation methods besides the abacus, were particularly incredulous.

Several people, who were rather impatient, couldn't help but raise their questions directly.

An old official from the Ministry of Revenue stood up, cupped his hands, and said, “Your Majesty, it’s not that we don’t believe you, but this abacus has been passed down from generation to generation and has been tested for thousands of years. It is reliable and without error. How can we perform complex calculations without an abacus? Especially for our Ministry of Revenue and Ministry of Works, which are involved in money, grain, and engineering projects, the amounts are enormous. Without an abacus, wouldn’t we be unable to move an inch?”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” another chimed in, “words are no proof, this…this is truly unimaginable.”

Han Lei had anticipated this reaction, and she wasn't angry. Instead, she felt it was a good opportunity to motivate them to study.

She chuckled lightly, her tone calm and confident: "I understand your concerns, sirs. Seeing is believing. How about we have a contest right here and now?"

She turned to the guards standing guard beside her and ordered, "Go and fetch a few abacuses and distribute them to these gentlemen."

Soon, several abacuses were presented to the ministers who had raised the questions. They took the abacuses, skillfully positioned themselves, and placed their fingers on the beads, looking ready for action.

Han Lei stood empty-handed and relaxed in front of the podium, addressing the crowd below: "Now, everyone here, please pose any questions you like. The numbers can be large, and the questions can be complex. These gentlemen will work with me to calculate them, and we'll compete to see who can arrive at the correct answer first."

This completely ignited the atmosphere in the classroom! Everyone got excited and started whispering among themselves, trying to figure out the questions.

Hua Tianyou and Zhao Ling'er exchanged a glance, both seeing absolute trust and intense interest in Han Lei in each other's eyes. Big Fatty craned his neck, afraid of missing a single detail.

"I'll go first!" a young eunuch shouted, mustering his courage. "What is the answer to 347 plus 589 plus 213?"

As soon as the question was posed, the old ministers immediately lowered their heads, their fingers flying across the abacus, muttering to themselves, "Seven up, two down, five carry one, nine down, one carry one..." The beads rattled and clattered as their fingers moved.

However, almost simultaneously, Han Lei blurted out: "One thousand one hundred and forty-nine."

The guard responsible for recording the answer had just written down the number when the old ministers finished calculating and checked it. Sure enough, it was one thousand one hundred and forty-nine!

They exchanged glances, somewhat embarrassed, but forced themselves to remain calm and said, "This is just simple addition, nothing special! Let's try again!"

"Eight hundred and seventy-five times forty-eight!" A Hanlin Academy official posed a multiplication problem.

The difficulty had clearly increased. The veteran abacus users looked solemn; they had already learned the multiplication tables on the abacus, and their fingers moved even faster as they needed to use the tables to perform multi-digit multiplication operations.

The audience below held their breath, feeling that the Empress might not arrive so soon this time.

Han Lei only hesitated for a moment, the mental calculation process flashing through her mind like lightning, and then she clearly gave the answer: "Forty-two thousand".

When the veteran ministers, sweating profusely, finally calculated the result and confirmed it to be "42,000," the exclamations in the classroom were already overwhelming.

Next, they competed in several more questions, including complex calculations involving longer strings of numbers. Without exception, no matter how complex the questions were, Han Lei could always give the correct answer at a speed far exceeding that of an abacus, and she looked relaxed, as if it were effortless.

Those veteran officials who initially raised doubts were now flushed and sweat beading on their foreheads.

Looking at the abacus that had been with them for most of their lives, they felt a sense of shock and...outdatedness for the first time.

They put down their abacuses, stood up, and bowed deeply to Han Lei with heartfelt admiration: "Your Majesty the Empress is a divine strategist! We are completely convinced! We humbly request Your Majesty to teach us this method!"

"We humbly request Your Majesty to teach us this method!" The crowd below the stage, whether officials or palace servants, all spoke in unison, their eyes filled with a burning desire to learn.

They seemed to see a door to a faster, more convenient world of computing slowly opening in Han Lei's hands.

The snow outside the window continued to fall silently, the chill in the air profound. But inside the side hall classroom, the atmosphere was warm and lively, filled with the anticipation of new knowledge. Everyone felt a surge of curiosity and boundless hope for the future.

It suddenly got cold!