When Ning Xuan thought of his deceased wife and children, the unhealed scars in his heart bled again, layer upon layer.

"For my wife, for my mother, and for my daughter, I am willing to face this wave again."

Su Yan finally breathed a sigh of relief.

At the morning court session the following day.

Ning Xuan first harshly criticized the various departments, especially the Ministry of Rites and the Censorate, for many of their shortcomings in squeezing each other out. The hall was deathly silent, and the court officials dared not even breathe loudly.

Just then, Ning Xuan spoke up, “Last night I dreamt of General Sun Lan. She asked me why it is so difficult for women to establish their own households, why women cannot show their faces in public, and why women cannot attend academies to study. I could not answer any of these questions, and I feel ashamed!”

Minister of Rites Di Yushu's temples were gray, and his breathing sounded much heavier. He knelt down and looked at several other officials who were also kneeling down, signaling with his eyes to answer.

The Vice Minister of Rites craned his neck and was about to speak when Ning Xuan waved his hand, not giving him the chance. "Li Gao, I recently received a letter from Bai Zhiyuan, the former tutor of the Crown Prince. Read it to everyone."

Li Gao unfolded the letter and read it aloud in a shrill voice, "This old minister respectfully wishes Your Majesty good health. It has been many days since we last met, and I have missed Your Majesty dearly!"

Ning Xuan thought of the funny things Bai Zhiyuan wrote about his childhood later, and said urgently, "Start from Bailu Academy."

Li Gao hurriedly went to Bailu Academy, saying, "Bailu Academy is able to provide education for the poor thanks to the sponsorship of the current Prime Minister, Lord Su Yan. By chance, I took in a few girls at the academy, and they study together with me; their learning is no slower than that of the boys..."

Bai Zhiyuan's letter was very verbose. After Li Gao finished reading it, the Vice Minister of Rites, who had wanted to speak, had already lowered his head.

Su Yan immediately bowed and said, "Your Majesty, since Princess Shengping has gone to Bailu Academy, why not invite her to court to discuss matters with us, your subjects?"

Di Yushu could no longer contain himself and shouted, his beard bristling and eyes wide, "Prime Minister Su, have you never heard of the principle of women attending court? Since ancient times, the imperial court has been a place for men. If women attend court, it will disrupt the order of the court! How will they face their ancestors in the afterlife?!"

Princess Shengping, who had been silently standing at the entrance of the main hall, stepped onto the court. "Minister Di, have you forgotten General Sun Lan? Even when the founding emperor of the Great Liang Dynasty was alive, he never forbade General Sun Lan from attending court. Today, I, Shengping, am merely answering questions with everyone. How could I possibly disrupt the court? Or is it that, in Minister Di's eyes, the court is so fragile that my mere presence in court can cause chaos? If so, shouldn't Minister Di reflect on why the court is in such a state? If the court is so fragile, it is tantamount to disregarding the well-being of the people!"

Her words were reasonable and well-founded, progressing from simple to complex. Di Yushu was so angry that he didn't even look at her, and forcefully flung his sleeves, "What a clever little brat! He doesn't even know the importance of the common people, yet he dares to speak so arrogantly!"

Su Yan remained silent, leaving Princess Shengping to answer all the questions.

Ning Xuan looked at his daughter in her court attire below the stage and felt quite proud.

The three princes were unlikely to amount to anything, and the remaining three county princes were even more timid and hesitant. With Chu Li standing in front, blocking the firepower of the aristocratic families, none of them dared to do anything.

How could he entrust the world to them? Fortunately, we have now seen Shengping again.

She is brave, intelligent, and possesses great kindness and compassion.

Moreover, she was his wife's only daughter, and she bore a resemblance to her mother.

Princess Shengping stood tall and proud, showing no fear whatsoever. "When I went to study at Bailu Academy, from the capital to Qingshui County, I couldn't help but peek through the curtains. What do the common people care about? All they want is to live in peace and prosperity, have surplus grain at home, and have justice from above! If the court doesn't wantonly enslave the people, that's good! If the civil and military officials don't collude with each other, protect each other, and seize profits from the people, that's a good government!"

She spoke eloquently, then abruptly shifted the topic, pointing directly at the Wang family: "The Wang family is the most powerful family in the world, yet the Yongchang Earl discovered that the Wang family is the one that has embezzled the people's land and moved the boundary stones the most! Could they be the most greedy family in the world?!"

Wang Helu was old and didn't realize how the fire had spread to him. "Stop talking nonsense! The princess is young and has only been taught about things like embroidery. Are you just spouting nonsense because you've been instigated by others?"

Chu Li was so angry that he spat at him, "Bullshit! I, Chu Li, dare to do what I do, unlike your Wang family! You only know how to use underhanded tricks! You deliberately harmed my daughter and spread rumors about the perfect couple! Bah!"

The court officials were in complete chaos. If Su Yan hadn't stood directly in front of Wang Helu, Chu Li's fist would have actually smashed into Wang Helu's face.

Sheng Ping was not afraid at all, and went straight to Wang Helu's throat, "Minister Wang dares to commit the crime of deceiving the emperor in the main hall! Did Consort Wang learn embroidery and such from a young age? I have long heard that Consort Wang is extremely talented. Wasn't it Minister Wang who carefully nurtured her?"

Wang Helu was at his wits' end. "How could anyone else compare to the Imperial Concubine's name?"

"Why can't we compare? They are both women. If you can teach a woman as capable as Consort Wang, why can't we open the doors of academies wider and let women enter them!"

These words caused an uproar within the Ministry of Rites.

Led by Di Yushu, several people started spitting at Sheng Ping, speaking with great excitement.

It was complete chaos, and no one could hear what they were arguing about.

Sheng Ping burst into laughter, and everyone stopped. "What a joke! You've read all those Confucian classics and forgotten them! Look at how you're arguing! How are you any different from those shrewish women haggling over prices at the marketplace? If you ask me, you're not even as clear-headed as them!"

Ning Xuan covered his mouth and coughed. Heaven knows how long he had wanted to curse like this. What kind of nonsense was this?

But on the surface he said, “Shengping, you mustn’t be rude.”

Princess Shengping bowed and admitted her mistake, saying, "Your Majesty, please have mercy. I was wrong."

Ning Xuan waved his hand, "All of you ministers are magnanimous people, how could you get angry over this? Right?"

The officials from the Ministry of Rites who were arguing the loudest were all like people with fire stuffed in their mouths but unable to spit it out.

Finally, the morning court session ended noisily.

Sheng Ping looked at the angry ministers with a happy expression, like a general who had won a great victory.

Ning Xuan patted her shoulder, "It's still early."

Sheng Ping smiled brightly, "I know, but this first step has been taken."

That evening, many officials waited outside the Su residence for Su Yan to alight from his carriage so they could vent their grievances.

Su Yan couldn't dodge in time, and his ears hurt from being lectured so much that he was tired of trying to persuade her.

Ye Panjiu could have imagined the commotion and activity in the imperial court.

The Great Liang Dynasty had its essence, but it had too much dross when it came to the status of women.

She was also a woman, and she understood that doing things for all the women of Daliang was also for her own benefit.

It's just that Su Yan and this enlightened emperor have suffered.

Yes, based on the rewards and imperial decrees bestowed upon her last time, she understood that this Emperor was not a bad person.

Putting everything else aside, he is certainly generous.

A generous emperor is not greedy.

She was sitting in her room with two bulging money bags in front of her.