The Great Zhou Dynasty had precedents of women serving as officials. The last female official in the outer court was eight or nine years ago, serving as an advisor in the court. At that time, there were not many formalities and restrictions on women.

Later, Emperor Shunhe ascended the throne and implemented new policies, reviving Confucianism and reinforcing the Three Cardinal Guides and Five Constant Virtues. He also restricted people's words and actions in order to centralize imperial power.

Gradually, although she held the position of a censor, she was practically invisible. So she resigned in anger and went into seclusion. She died of illness due to excessive worry after only half a year.

Four years ago, a woman dressed as a man passed the imperial examination and became a Jinshi. However, she was impeached for being immoral, unchaste, and a hen crowing at dawn. In the end, Emperor Shunhe punished her by parading her through the streets as a form of public shaming, which served as a warning to women throughout the land to be obedient and not to aspire to stand shoulder to shoulder with men.

The woman then hanged herself, and from then on, it became a customary rule that women could not participate in the imperial examinations.

All eyes were fixed on Sun Zhaoxun, whose body was taut to the extreme. Her back and shoulder blades were stretched into two vertical lines, clinging to her clothes and revealing her slender bone structure, like a swan that refused to bow its head.

She suddenly knelt down, her head slightly lowered, and she didn't speak. Strands of hair fell onto her cheeks, and you could see that her molars were clenched and her cheeks were slightly bulging.

Li Jingxian glanced at her and continued, "I do not wish to drive a weak woman to the brink of despair. I also have a younger sister at home. My mother has taught her since childhood to be gentle, obedient, and thrifty in managing the household. She only hopes that Madam Sun can be a virtuous wife and loving mother in the future, rather than thinking of competing with men. After all, this world is still dominated by men..."

“I am not a weak woman.” Sun Zhaoxun interrupted him with a resounding voice, her tone trembling as if a cry from her soul. She finally raised her head, looked at Zhao Xiheng at the head of the table, and kowtowed to her. “Although I am a woman, I do not consider myself weak. I do not need a man’s pity or care. I only hope that if I make a mistake, I will be punished like a man, and if I make a merit, I will be rewarded like a man.”

The oily sweat on Li Jingxian's face glistened slightly in the candlelight. He wiped it with his sleeve, a little exasperated. "How can women be the same as men?"

“Women are just like men! Weren’t you born of a mother? Or did you have a father but no mother to raise you, which is why you hate women so much?” Sun Zhaoxun stared at him intently.

Li Jingxian had been mindful of Zhao Xiheng, who was seated at the head of the table, and dared not speak too harshly. However, he was disturbed by Sun Zhaoxun's remarks and began to shout, "Women in the world all depend on men. Men are born more noble than women. Otherwise, why would children take the man's surname? Why would women marry into their husband's family? Just because you have food to eat, you expect equality? How ridiculous!"

If one day men can give birth, then you women will have no reason to exist! Women are also not suited for official positions; they are narrow-minded, preoccupied with petty emotions, unlike men who have broader perspectives and can see the bigger picture.

These words were a bit too extreme. Everyone in the surrounding households had parents and siblings, and they all showed incredulous expressions after hearing Li Jingxian's remarks.

A surge of anger welled up inside Zhao Xiheng, but she forced herself to remain calm and watched him continue.

Sun Zhaoxun gritted her teeth, wishing she could pounce on him and tear him to pieces, but she felt that even looking at him was dirty, so she simply looked away.

She could have argued back, but this person could even utter such extreme remarks, so his thinking must have been distorted to the extreme. He was no good, and arguing with him was a waste of breath.

Seeing that Sun Zhaoxun remained silent, Li Jingxian felt that he must have been right to prevent her from arguing. He breathed a sigh of relief, his voice grew louder, and he even rallied the people around him, asking, "Does everyone agree with this?"

The people around also turned their heads away.

Li Jingxian then turned his gaze to Zhao Xiheng, "Madam, since you are the wife of the lord and a princess, you are a model for all women. I suppose you also believe that women should be gentle, virtuous, and good at managing the household, right?"

Zhao Xiheng didn't respond to her question, but instead turned her gaze to the crowd below, "What about you? Do you think he's right?"

“We think this is a bit extreme. Since ancient times, our ancestors have emphasized the harmony of Yin and Yang, and that men and women together constitute a human being. As the saying goes, all things grow together without harming each other, and the ways of the world coexist without contradicting each other. Even the way of the world and all things must live in harmony, let alone men and women. So how can you say such things so easily?” One of them stepped forward and cupped his hands in greeting.

The others nodded in agreement, indicating that they thought so too.

"I think this young master Li Jingxian doesn't seem to have read many books. Reading makes people wise and insightful. His remarks are so extreme, it's really inappropriate."

Li Jingxian, embarrassed by the rebuttal, retorted angrily, "I'm talking about Sun Zhaoxun deceiving her superiors and participating in the imperial examinations despite being a woman! Why are you spouting this nonsense?"

“The proclamation clearly states: Anyone who is fifteen years of age or older, possesses both virtue and talent, and is interested in an official career may participate in this imperial examination. It does not emphasize gender. I am twenty years old this year, and I believe that I am of good character. I have been well-versed in the classics since childhood, and I am interested in an official career. Why can’t I participate?” Since the topic had been brought back, Sun Zhaoxun took the opportunity to say.

"The last woman who thought like you is probably already buried with grass three meters tall!" Li Jingxian retorted smugly.

The remaining nineteen students in the hall were candidates of the same year as Sun Zhaoxun. Seeing her outstanding talent, they couldn't help but feel a sense of kinship with her, even though she was a woman. They couldn't bear to see her suffer such a tragic end, so they all knelt down.

Shen Du'an stammered nervously, but still said, "The law does not explicitly state that women are not allowed to participate in the imperial examinations, and there are precedents of women serving as officials many years ago."

He is the most important among them; of the top twenty candidates, he is the only one who has received an official title.

“The law only stipulates the punishment, but there are still public order and good morals that are not recorded in the law. Does that mean they don’t need to be observed?” Li Jingxian argued skillfully.

"Is it morally wrong and reprehensible for women to participate in the imperial examinations?"

...

Zhao Xiheng noticed that although most people didn't explicitly say whether they supported or opposed women participating in the imperial examinations, they all disapproved of Li Jingxian's disdain for women. This made her feel slightly better, showing that her judgment was not bad and that the twenty people she had selected were all quite good.

Seeing that the argument had subsided and everyone's stance was clear,

"Bring me a copy of the list of candidates who passed the imperial examination in the countryside," Zhao Xiheng instructed.

Soon after, Song Xuan brought over a notice and read it aloud to them, "Today, anyone who is fifteen years of age or older, possesses both virtue and talent, and is interested in an official career may participate in this imperial examination."

"So, the proclamation in Pingzhou did not say that women were not allowed to participate in the imperial examinations. It only required that the participants be individuals. Are women not individuals?" Zhao Xiheng lowered her eyes and glanced at Li Jingxian indifferently. "I do not like the tone and content of your words just now."

As soon as Zhao Xiheng spoke, the matter was settled. Sun Zhaoxun seemed to lose all strength, and his body went limp.

"You keep saying you look down on women, but you still kneel before me and treat me with utmost respect. You're nothing but a bully who preys on the weak."

The rigid social norms of etiquette confined women to their inner quarters, preventing most from receiving an education. Over time, some were forced to depend on their husbands, resulting in a lower social status than men. Women in Pingzhou enjoyed a slightly higher status, able to work and trade alongside men, largely due to the harsh climate and the less prevalent adherence to traditional social norms.

You may have grown up in a place where traditional ethics prevailed, and you are used to the benefits of being a man, so you can easily exploit your mother and sisters.

But now suddenly a woman appears, someone you thought was originally on the same level as you, or even someone you could have been superior to, but she's about to suppress you instead. So you want to drag her down and trample her into the mud.

Li Jingxian licked his dry lips, "I..."

"Stop talking. I've had enough of what you've said and tolerated you for too long. You're jumping around under my nose. Are you trying to dig your own grave? Don't forget I'm a woman too. I'm not your mother, spoiling and pampering you. How is it any different for you to belittle women in front of me than to curse your mother in front of your child?" Zhao Xiheng waved her hand.

“Sun Zhaoxun, as a woman, was able to consistently rank first in an unfair educational environment, which shows that her talent and diligence far surpass those of men. How dare you look down on her because of her gender? Who do you think you are to dare to look down on her? Did you even get first place in the exam to dare to look down on her?”

Sun Zhaoxun's shoulders slumped, tears streaming down her face, but she had no time to wipe them away, letting them fall to the ground and form a small puddle.

The other candidates also pursed their lips, looking slightly ashamed.

The aristocratic children reflected that they had received the best education, yet they had only produced such a poor student. They thought that if Sun Zhaoxun had been born into their family, he might have achieved even more.

Some students from poor families feel resentful because they feel there is a gap between their education and that of children from aristocratic families. However, Sun Zhaoxun, as a woman, faced even greater pressure, yet she still managed to rank first. What right do they have to complain? In the future, they should look for the reasons within themselves instead of blaming external factors.

“I’ve always wanted to open a girls’ school in Buxian. Now we have the money and the teachers, but we need some menial workers. I think you’re a good candidate. After all, a girls’ school in Buxian is an official school. If you work as a menial worker there, you’ll be eating the government’s food. It’s a respectable job. Don’t you want to stay in Buxian? I’ll give you a chance.” Zhao Xiheng thought for a moment and then clapped her hands.

She thought this was a good idea, even quite considerate. "Sun Zhaoxun, from now on you will be the headmistress of the girls' school. I'll assign this Li Jingxian to your academy as a handyman. Don't let him get too close to the students, I'm afraid he'll corrupt the young ladies."

Li Jingxian was shocked. He was to be a menial servant? And under Sun Zhaoxun? This was worse than being a minor official in the prefecture!

"I refuse to accept this! I demand to see my lord!" he screamed.

"Are you sure you want to see the lord?" Zhao Xiheng's tone was full of doubt. "The lord is busy fighting and has no time to see you. I'm in charge of Pingzhou now."

Wei Li always listened to her; whatever she said went, and he would never argue with her. If Li Jingxian insisted on seeking justice from Wei Li, Wei Li would probably find him annoying to death. Her punishment would be more humane; Wei Li would likely die a gruesome death, left to rot in the wilderness.