Sky Curtain: With a vermilion mirror, Jing travels through the modern world, shaking all dynasties.

Zhu Jingjing tilted her head, asking curiously, "Brother, what do the private schools here teach? It's not just Confucian classics like the Four Books and Five Classics, is it? All that quoting Confucius and poetry all day long, it's so boring!"

"Although we do teach some Confucian classics, the proportion is so small as to be negligible." Jiang Chuan counted on his fingers, "The courses are generally divided into mathematics, Chinese..."

Hearing him rattle off words like a machine gun, Zhu Jingjing was completely bewildered. "Your students here have so much to learn! Can one teacher possibly cover all those courses?"

"Jingjing, calling it a private school is just to make it easier for you to understand." Jiang Chuan stood up and pulled out a photo album from his student days from the bookshelf. "Our modern schools are completely different from private schools! Take nine years of compulsory education, for example; it gives every child the opportunity to go to school!"

Zhu Jingjing took the photo album and excitedly flipped through it.

Upon seeing the students' neat and uniform school uniforms in the photo, she exclaimed in bewilderment, "Brother, your rules here are so strange! In our Great Ming Dynasty, only the students of the Imperial Academy wear Confucian caps and robes; they are symbols of status! Students in private schools have no such requirements; they can wear whatever they want. You're doing it the other way around here!"

"It's probably because those still in private schools are all children, young and their minds are not yet settled," Jiang Chuan tried to explain. "If there isn't a uniform, it might cause a series of problems such as comparison. But when they get to the Imperial Academy, everyone is an adult and has their own judgment, so the rules are naturally more relaxed."

Zhu Jingjing nodded thoughtfully. "Brother, you still haven't answered my question! How are you going to teach so many courses?"

Jiang Chuan took the photo album and turned to the page with the graduation photos.

In the photo, dozens of young students surround more than a dozen teachers, taking a group photo in front of the teaching building.

Jiang Chuan pointed to the photo nostalgically, "Back here, there was more than one teacher in the private school! Look at these people not wearing school uniforms, they were all my teachers, each responsible for a subject."

"So many gentlemen, then..." Zhu Jingjing glanced at her palm and subconsciously pulled her hand away. "What if someone makes a mistake? How many strokes of the cane will they have to endure?"

"The ruler is ancient history! Back when I was in school, I'd occasionally see teachers use it to discipline students." Jiang Chuan closed the photo album and said, "But now, corporal punishment is much less common; it's mostly verbal reprimands!"

Upon hearing that she wouldn't be punished with a ruler, the little princess instantly became interested.

"Brother, when are you going to take me to school?" She grabbed Jiang Chuan's arm and shook it gently. "I want to study hard and make more friends!"

Seeing the expectation on her face, Jiang Chuan felt a little sorry for her.

He gently shook his head and said, "Jingjing, your condition is not suitable for going to school. From now on, your sister Xiaoyu and I will teach you."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Jingjing lowered her head and gave an unpleasant "Oh".

The Great Tang Dynasty, Taiji Palace.

After breakfast, inside the Golden Palace, Li Shimin was holding the little rhinoceros and gazing at the sky, listening to "Jiang Chuan" recount the strange tales of "private schools" in later generations.

"Father, I want to go to school too!" Little Sizi pointed to the sky, his small body bouncing around in front of the desk, his voice as clear as a silver bell.

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin

The emperor was overjoyed. He walked behind her, bent down, and gently picked up his beloved darling.

"That's easy!" he laughed loudly. "When Sizi comes of age, I will select a learned scholar from the Imperial Academy to teach you in the palace. What do you say?"

Little Sizi shook her head vigorously, her dark hair fluttering slightly. "Sizi doesn't want a teacher! Sizi wants to go to that 'school'! To be with everyone, wearing those clothes called 'school uniforms,' studying and playing!"

Li Shimin was in a dilemma. Official schools did not accept women. Should he break this rule for the sake of Xiao Sizi?

As for private schools, they are a mixed bag and would never be of any interest to him!

"My little one, don't be anxious." He hugged the little boy even tighter and promised, "Father promises you, I will definitely think of a foolproof plan for you!"

The Great Ming Dynasty, Fengtian Hall.

"The 'compulsory education' of later generations is remarkably similar to the 'community schools' I established!" Zhu Yuanzhang stroked his beard and laughed heartily, his brows furrowed with self-satisfaction. "It seems that the education of later generations is precisely a continuation of my legacy, hence this system that benefits all people!"

Upon hearing this, Empress Ma frowned slightly, a hint of worry flashing in her eyes.

She naturally remembered that in the eighth year of the Hongwu reign, Zhu Yuanzhang issued an edict that every fifty households should establish a community school to enroll children aged eight to fifteen.

While the initial intention was good, and it does bear some resemblance to later compulsory education, the content learned is vastly different!

"Chongba," Empress Ma carefully chose her words, advising, "I have heard Jiang Chuan say that although schools are widespread in later generations, Confucianism accounts for a very small proportion. In my humble opinion, it would be better to follow the system of later generations and add some practical knowledge to community schools, so that children can understand the ways of the sages and also know practical skills. Wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?"

"As you say, madam!"

modern.

"Jingjing, how much do you know about mathematics?" Before starting the formal lesson, Jiang Chuan planned to assess the little princess of the Ming Dynasty's knowledge.

"Mathematics?" Zhu Jingjing scratched her head slightly, hesitatingly asking, "Is it the arithmetic of our Great Ming Dynasty?"

"Mathematics?" Zhu Jingjing scratched her head slightly, hesitatingly asking, "Is it the arithmetic of our Great Ming Dynasty?"

Jiang Chuan nodded and casually asked, "What is seven plus eight?"

Zhu Jingjing rolled her eyes at him and said reproachfully, "Brother, do you think I'm a three-year-old? I not only know the Nine-Nine Song by heart, but I can also use it fluently!"

"Oh, really?" Jiang Chuan was a little surprised. He didn't expect that the little princess could even recite the multiplication table. It seems that Old Zhu hadn't neglected his children's education.

"Of course!" Zhu Jingjing raised her head and patted her chest proudly. "Father often praises me, saying that I'm much better at mathematics than my brothers!"

Although Jiang Chuan knew that the "brothers" she was referring to were Lao Zhu's sons, he was still an older brother now!

"Then calculate it for me..."

Jiang Chuan asked several questions in a row, and Zhu Jingjing answered them correctly without hesitation.

"Jingjing, I'm going to give you a tougher challenge!" Jiang Chuan leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "What's 25 times 25?"

Zhu Jingjing was taken aback. Jiang Chuan had just asked about single-digit multiplication problems included in the multiplication table, but suddenly the question had moved to ten-digit multiplication, and she couldn't calculate it for the time being.

Jiang Chuan laughed and said, "Jingjing, is this all you mean by 'proficient use'?"

Zhu Jingjing's pretty face flushed red, and she pouted, "If you're so capable, bring me an abacus! I'm good at abacus calculation; if you give me an abacus, I'm definitely no worse than you!"

"An abacus? That's outdated!" Jiang Chuan smiled mysteriously and said, "I have something that can instantly answer even the most complex calculations, let alone the questions I give you!"