Chapter 292 Finale (Part 2)

After failing to show off in front of his daughter, Ji Changqing decided to get back at the court.

He put forward three drafts in one go.

First, abolish slavery and prohibit human trafficking; second, implement compulsory education, and all children over the age of six, regardless of gender, must go to school; third, allow women to take the imperial examination and enter officialdom.

After the draft was read, the room fell silent.

Ji Changqing smiled and said, "Why are all the nobles silent? Don't you have any objections?"

courtier:"……"

No, it's just that there are too many slots but no openings.

The Minister of Personnel came out holding a hu tablet.

"Your Majesty, 'Men govern externally, women govern internally' is the way of heaven and earth. If women are allowed to enter the government, who will take care of their husbands and raise their children? If this continues, families will cease to function, and how will the country survive?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Qi Yuzhen, the Minister of War, said in a loud voice, "When the cannons I built defeated the pirates, why didn't Lord Zou say 'Men handle the outside affairs, women handle the inside affairs'?"

Minister Zou: “…”

I almost forgot there is a female official in the court.

Wen Jiming, who had been transferred from the Ministry of War to the Ministry of Rites to avoid suspicion and had been promoted to Minister of Rites, echoed this:

"I personally believe that men shouldn't underestimate themselves. Men can do a great job as homemakers. They shouldn't be afraid of being homemakers and push household responsibilities onto women, even using the excuse of the Way of Heaven and Earth to cover up their shame."

Then he took himself as an example.

"At first, I was so flustered when faced with crying children that I just threw them to their mothers. Later, after learning pediatric nursing, I became so adept at caring for them that I haven't even had to see a doctor in the past ten years."

"The Great Kingdom is at a peak of development and is in urgent need of personnel. You must not conceal your own cowardice by trapping women in the harem and delaying the great era."

Minister Zou: “…”

He wanted to refute it, but the firearms forged by Qi Yuzhen were indispensable for enriching the country and strengthening the military.

Zhang Zhilin, the Minister of Justice and former Chief Justice, said, "Women are very attentive and good at observing even the smallest details. We at the Ministry of Justice have long been looking forward to adding a few female prison warden officers. Your Majesty's proposal is a very good one."

Minister Zou: “???”

The Criminal Justice Department is a place where even men's legs would tremble when they enter it, and you actually want to arrange a female prison warden?

Minister Zhang: Haha, that’s because you haven’t seen the Queen’s interrogation style.

Just as Minister Zou was feeling depressed, another person spoke up, "I believe that once Your Majesty proposes these three proposals, everyone, regardless of social status or gender, will enjoy equal rights. This is the spirit of a holy dynasty. The great prospects will be for peace and prosperity, a peaceful nation, and lasting prosperity."

It was Qu Mingzhang who was promoted from Tongzhengshi of Hezhou to Minister of Revenue.

Minister Zou: “…”

So you all agreed to show your support, but he was left out and acted like a clown?

Are we still colleagues?

He looked at the Minister of War who had been silent. Among the six ministers, he and the Minister of War were the only senior ministers. They should always have the same opinion, right?

The next moment, the Minister of War said, "I second the motion."

Minister Zou almost vomited blood.

After Ji Changqing ascended the throne, he abolished the post of prime minister and directly took charge of the six ministries. Now that several ministers agreed to the proposal, the decree was issued.

He Qianqian, who had just left Guifu, was shocked when she received the news.

"Mom, I want to take the imperial examination."

Lady Changning, who was trying to persuade her to reconcile with her ex-husband, was stunned.

"What did you say?"

"I want to take the imperial examination." He Qianqian said seriously, "Doesn't the imperial court allow women to take the imperial examination and enter the government now?"

Lady Changning: "..."

"Let's not even talk about whether you can pass the exam with your literary talent, or whether it's worthwhile to become an official. Don't you see how old you are? You're almost thirty, and you already have three children. Why are you taking the imperial examination? By the time you pass, you'll be a grandmother."

He Qianqian raised her hand to stroke her cheek, which had begun to sag, and said firmly, "The imperial court doesn't limit the age of the imperial examination. Even if it takes me ten or twenty years to pass, I have to take the exam."

Lady Changning: "..."

"What do you want?"

"I just want to vent!"

He Qianqian gritted her teeth.

"That bastard Qi Yuanxiao called me a hen that couldn't even lay eggs properly, and couldn't even give birth to a penis after giving birth to three. If I could pass the imperial examination and get a government job, he would kneel down when he sees me!"

Lady Changning: "..."

He Qianqian originally wanted to rely on her family background and beauty to marry a marquis's son, but after the death of the third prince, those young masters from noble families who had tried their best to please her now avoided her.

After asking privately, she found out that they were wary of her identity as the third prince's fiancée and didn't want to get involved in trouble.

She waited for two years before someone came to propose marriage.

This is about Qi Yuanxiao, the second son of Anyuan Marquis Mansion.

Qi Yuanxiao has an acceptable appearance, but he has an older brother who cannot inherit the title, a long list of younger brothers who cannot share much of the family property, and he himself has no achievements.

She never took such people seriously before.

However, no one was interested in her and she was not young anymore. If she waited any longer, the man she found might not even be as good as Qi Yuanxiao, so she had no choice but to marry him.

At first, Qi Yuanxiao held her in the palm of his hand and took away no concubines, only keeping her with him.

When she gave birth to three daughters in a row and her appearance and figure were not as good as before, he became like a different person. He looked at her nose as if it was not a nose, and her eyes as if they were not eyes. Not only did he mock her, but he also took concubines one after another.

Those concubines all gave birth to daughters. She just said that he was probably destined to have no children, and he slapped her.

She could no longer bear it, so she took her three daughters and divorced and returned to her parents' home. Thanks to the new law, divorce only required the consent of both husband and wife, and did not require the approval of the clans of both sides.

Lady Changning sighed deeply.

"It's common for couples to end up fighting after a quarrel. If you endure it, it will pass. A divorce is a happy one, but what will you do in the future? It's not easy to arrange marriage for Ru'er and the other two after they leave the Anyuan Marquis' Mansion."

He Qianqian said: "Mom, I used to think that finding a good marriage would allow me to live a good life, but after experiencing it, I realized that it is better to rely on yourself than on others."

"Like Qi Yuzhen, who single-handedly became the Minister of War, without having to rely on men for favors, that's what a good life is. I want to be like her and carve out a career with my own hands."

Lady Changning: "..."

"Forget it. If you study for a few days, you will know that the hardships of the imperial examination are not something that everyone can endure."

He Qianqian had never suffered hardship since she was born, and she didn't think she could endure it.

What Lady Changning didn't expect was that He Qianqian actually survived.

She found a scholar to be her teacher and studied with him for two years. Then she was admitted to Bailu Academy, where she studied for three years and passed the examination to become a scholar.

In the second year after passing the examination for a scholar, he passed the examination for a juren, and in the third year, he passed the examination for a jinshi.

Her three daughters followed her and were influenced by her, becoming very studious. The eldest daughter was admitted to medical school in the same year that she passed the imperial examination.

The second and third daughters are among the top students in public colleges.

What made He Qianqian particularly happy was that after her divorce, the Anyuan Marquisate bet on maritime trade, exchanging most of their farmland for a sea license, but suffered heavy losses due to improper storage.

——They took glassware and tea out to sea. Most of the glassware was broken in the bumpy ride, and all the tea leaves became moldy.

The Anyuan Marquis Mansion quickly fell into decline.

Qi Yuanxiao was separated from the family and lived a tight life. His concubines abandoned him with their children. He went back to He Qianqian to reconcile, but was spat at by He Qianqian.

"Get away! Seeing you is bad luck!"

When Lady Changning saw that He Qianqian had joined the Ministry of Personnel and her granddaughter had been admitted to the medical school, her mind began to waver again.

"I heard that the Queen often visits the Queen Mother at the Medical College. If Ru'er wins the favor of both of them, she might be able to become the Crown Princess."

He Qianqian said with a smile: "Mom, you are still daydreaming like this."

Lady Changning rolled her eyes.

"How can it be a daydream? Ru'er is so beautiful and hardworking, who wouldn't like her?"

He Qianqian: "Just dream on your own, don't encourage Ru'er. If it affects her studies, don't blame me for turning my back on you."

Lady Changning snorted coldly.

"What if Ru'er is blessed with this?"

She was looking forward to the return of the prince who was studying abroad, but when that day came, she was greatly disappointed.

The prince brought back a pair of twins, a boy and a girl.