Chapter 184: Women's Imperial Examination

"Li Jin? Zhao Muqing? Judging from their names, they seem to be two women?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the Golden Palace fell into complete silence.

All the officials looked at each other in disbelief.

"Maybe it's just a feminine name, but he's actually a man?"

"There might be additional reinforcements. I don't believe two thousand bandits can defeat thirty thousand well-trained private soldiers."

Two women led two thousand bandits and defeated King Ping's 30,000 rebels with a smaller force?

This is simply a fantasy!

"Li Jin must be eight feet tall, with a leopard-like head and round eyes, and a voice like thunder, to be able to penetrate the rebel army so easily and capture Prince Ping alive."

An old man made such an inference in a firm tone.

——Rather than inferring, it’s more like convincing myself.

Somehow, they felt a sense of panic in their hearts, as if something was about to get out of control.

They didn't dare to think too much about it, their heartbeats quickened, their breathing became rapid, and they still looked at the bright yellow on the dragon throne with a hope.

It must be a man.

It couldn't possibly be a woman.

Women are weak, powerless, ignorant and stupid; only men can strategize and be invincible.

That’s right!

That's it!

Unfortunately, luck is just luck after all.

The deep and rich voice of Emperor Qingyuan resounded throughout the Golden Palace. He smiled as always, but it was like a heavy hammer hitting the hearts of all the officials.

"Lord Ye's guess was correct. Li Jin and Zhao Muqing are indeed women."

Everyone's heart sank to the bottom in an instant.

woman?

It's actually a woman? !

Why are they both women?

Can't it be a man?

"Although Li Jin and Zhao Muqing are women, they were instrumental in suppressing the rebellion. Not only did they defeat the enemy with fewer troops, they also captured the rebel leader alive. This is truly a great achievement."

Emperor Qingyuan looked down from his high position and took in the miserable and uneasy expressions of all the officials.

"My dear ministers, what do you think I should do to reward them? A generous reward for the two thousand female bandits who fought alongside Li Jin?"

Female bandit?

Two thousand female bandits?!

Everyone felt their vision go darker and darker as anger and panic swept through their bodies, driving them to speak out.

"I think that not only should we not reward them generously, but we should also send an order to the Tiger Guards and the Firearms Army to wipe out the Li Family Stronghold to reassure the people!"

"Master Zhang is absolutely right! There are two thousand bandits in the Li Family Village, and with the military advisor plotting, there's no guarantee they won't rebel someday. Just in case, I think it's best to eradicate them now and put an end to their troubles forever!"

"If everyone in the world knew that it was a group of female bandits who suppressed Prince Ping's rebellion, I'm afraid both the Tiger Guards and the Firearms Army would become laughingstocks. And where would the imperial court be?"

The Golden Palace was in an uproar. Except for a few officials who watched silently, eighty or ninety percent of them opposed Emperor Qingyuan's generous reward to the female bandit from Lijiazhai, and even insisted that Emperor Qingyuan send troops to suppress the bandits and eradicate the bandit problem.

The attitude was so intense that it almost blew off the roof of the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

Seeing that the situation was getting out of control, Fu Rui cleared his throat and said, "Silence! Silence!"

All the officials turned a deaf ear and roared like wild horses that had broken free from their reins.

"Your Majesty, please send troops immediately to suppress the bandits and kill the female bandits led by Li Jin and Zhao Muqing!"

"I second the motion!"

"I second the motion!"

——They are forcing me to compromise.

Emperor Qingyuan was clearly aware of this, and a mocking arc appeared at the corner of his mouth.

He worked under Cao Yuan and endured humiliation for many years before he gained the power he holds today. How could he allow himself to be manipulated by his subjects?

At this moment, the Minister of the Imperial Household, known for his pedantic and conservative ways, threw his head to the ground and shouted, "Your Majesty, if you insist on rewarding the female bandit from Lijiazhai, I will crash into the ground and die in this palace!"

Emperor Qingyuan's eyes moved slightly, and he said calmly: "Then you can hit it."

Minister of the Imperial Household: “???”

Officials: "!!!"

The noise stopped abruptly and everyone was stunned. They obviously did not expect Emperor Qingyuan to have this attitude.

Your Majesty, would you rather see two old ministers of the past dynasties die by banging their heads against pillars and being criticized than fulfill their wishes and send troops to suppress the bandits?

Is it really worth it to be with a group of lowly female bandits?

The Minister of the Imperial Household was even more stunned: "Your Majesty?"

He was responded with a sneer.

"My dear ministers, do you think that if I don't reward the female bandit from Lijiazhai generously, the people of the world won't know who put down the rebellion?"

"Under such circumstances, you, my dear ministers, are pressing me to send troops to wipe out the Li Family Stronghold. Do you want the people of the world to think I'm a tyrant who slaughtered meritorious individuals? Do you want me to be condemned by thousands of people and be infamous forever?"

All the officials were horrified and knelt on the ground in a huge crowd: "Your Majesty, please calm down! I dare not do that!"

"Calm down? How can I calm down when you're pointing fingers at me and trying to influence my decisions?" Emperor Qingyuan pointed at the Minister of the Imperial Household, "Aren't you going to bang your head against the pillar? Do it now, in front of me and the entire court!"

The Minister of the Imperial Household fell to the ground, cold sweat dripping down his face, not daring to move or respond.

The so-called hitting the pillar was just a threat from the Minister of the Imperial Household. He had painstakingly planned for thirty years to get his current third-rank official position. How could he be willing to die?

Seeing that the Minister of the Imperial Household was pretending to be dead, Emperor Qingyuan decided to send him off: "Come here, lend a hand to Minister Lu."

Immediately, the imperial guards entered, clamped the arms of the Minister of the Imperial Household, and pretended to ram him into the Panlong Pillar.

The Minister of the Imperial Household was so frightened that he lost control of his bladder and wailed, "Your Majesty! Spare my life, Your Majesty! I know I was wrong, please spare my life!"

Emperor Qingyuan just watched coldly and said nothing.

The Minister of the Imperial Household's pleas were in vain, and he could not break free, so he could only watch helplessly as the coiled dragon pillar came closer and closer.

"ah!"

The severe pain made the Minister of the Imperial Household scream, roll his eyes and faint.

"Lü Shao, the Minister of the Imperial Household, was demoted to the position of Minister of the Imperial Household and fined two years' salary for misbehaving in front of the Emperor."

Si Cheng, the sixth grade.

After three consecutive drops, there is no hope of promotion.

Realizing Emperor Qingyuan's determination, everyone was panicked.

Even though I was unwilling, I didn't dare say another word.

......

The Minister of the Imperial Household was dragged away by the imperial guards, and other palace servants came in to clean the dirt on the floor tiles.

It was so quiet in the Golden Palace that you could hear a pin drop. Everyone lowered their brows and eyes, held their breath, and dared not make a sound.

Emperor Qingyuan twirled his beard and asked slowly, "I wish to reward Li Jin and the others generously. What do you think of the specific rewards?"

After a long while, someone finally stood up and asked tentatively, "How about a reward of a thousand taels?"

This sentence seemed to turn on a switch. Seeing that Emperor Qingyuan's anger seemed to have subsided, everyone began to "offer advice."

"Why not register them and free them from their bandit status? Let them marry and have children like ordinary women, enjoy the company of their elders, and have grandchildren around them."

"Those women were born in Hunan and would certainly not want to leave their homeland. How about Your Majesty select good men from the Hunan garrison and arrange marriages for them?"

"Master Huang's words are very insightful. Your Majesty's granting of marriage is a great honor, and it is also a generous reward for the women of Lijiazhai."

Du Qingtang stood at the front of the civil service. Hearing these officials constantly talking about marriage and having children, he sneered inwardly and stepped out to say, "Your Majesty, since you all consider Li Jin and the others to be bandits and unforgivable, and since they have performed great service in saving the people of Hunan from the suffering of war, why not send someone to recruit them and allow them to serve the court?"

As soon as these words were spoken, they were strongly opposed by all officials.

"No! For women to participate in politics or the military is against the principles of yin and yang. If they anger the heavens and punish them, it will be the common people who will suffer. The country will be shaken and unstable, and the consequences will be unimaginable!"

"Throughout the past and present dynasties, over the past thousands of years, it has always been men who have held official positions, and there has never been a precedent for women serving as officials. Lord Du, please do not assume that just because you are an official yourself, His Majesty will violate the laws of our ancestors and make an exception to allow women into the court."

"Lord Du, although you are also a woman, you are taking the proper path to the imperial examination. Don't be confused with those women in Lijiazhai."

"Master Yuan is absolutely right. Those female bandits are barbaric and undisciplined. Most of them can't even read a single word. How can they be used by the imperial court?"

"Your Majesty, Du Qingtang's actions are motivated by selfish motives and may even be suspected of forming a clique for personal gain!"

Facing the malicious speculation of a certain old man, Du Qingtang said calmly: "The national strength of Daxia is far from what it used to be, but in my humble opinion, this is far from enough."

"The future is changing rapidly, and no one knows what will happen. All we can do is to make Daxia even stronger, so strong that all other countries will be wary and even afraid of it."

"It is simply that talent is scarce in the court, and Your Majesty is also lacking in available personnel. Therefore, I have the audacity to request Your Majesty to set aside gender distinctions and make an exception to recruit Li Jin and others."

"Li Jin is brave and skilled in battle, and Zhao Muqing is resourceful and decisive. One civil and one military, they can serve as capable ministers and generals to Your Majesty."

"Except for those two, the 2,000 female bandits in Lijiazhai completely defeated the 30,000 rebels. This shows how skilled they are in martial arts. They are truly rare and remarkable women in this world. Why can't they be used by the imperial court?"

As Du Qingtang finished speaking, Fu Ci stepped forward and said, "This will not only help the court recruit talented individuals, but also prevent them from harboring any rebellious thoughts. It's a win-win situation, so why not do it?"

Fu Ci looked around with neither arrogance nor servility, his voice clear and bright: "My Lords strongly oppose this, is there a better solution? I am willing to listen."

Officials: "......"

Everyone glared at Du Qingtang and Fu Ci, almost having a heart attack because of them.

"Fake talk!"

"Regardless of whether there are better ideas or not, this old minister firmly disagrees with the offer of amnesty!"

They knew that the words spoken by the Nanzhao Princess at the palace banquet would cause women to have inappropriate thoughts.

Women serving as officials?

Maybe in the next life!

As long as they are alive, this will never happen!

......

Du Qingtang, Fu Ci and the civil and military officials each held their own opinions and neither side gave in.

Seeing that half an hour had passed, Emperor Qingyuan urgently called a halt: "For the time being, summon Li Jin and others to the capital. How to reward them will require further consideration. Prince Ping and his subordinates will also be escorted to the capital to await their fate."

Everyone said reluctantly: "Your Majesty, I will obey your majesty's command."

An early morning court meeting ended in a bad mood.

Du Qingtang and Fu Ci walked out of the Golden Palace. Everyone who passed by them glared at them, as if they wanted to bite them to death.

"Only women and villains are difficult to raise!"

"Human greed is like a snake swallowing an elephant. Do you really think the court is your backyard, at your mercy?"

"A hen crowing at dawn is an ominous sign. Beware of divine punishment, or you'll be struck by five thunderbolts and die a miserable death!"

Fu Ci couldn't stand hearing this and rolled up his sleeves to argue with them, but was stopped by Du Qingtang, who said angrily: "Xianyu, they..."

Du Qingtang shook his head: "If a dog bites you, you can't bite it back."

"Du Qingtang!"

"I am still your senior, be careful or I will report you!"

Du Qingtang held the tablet in his hand and looked back calmly: "I was talking about dogs, but you were so anxious that you jumped up and down. If you didn't know, you would think you were dogs."

Officials: “…”

Du Qingtang completely ignored the other party's sullen face and bowed leisurely: "I have important matters to attend to, so I will leave first."

After saying that, he led Fu Ci away, leaving a group of officials furious and unable to help cursing.

Yan Tiande passed by and couldn't help but frown when he heard it, showing an expression of disapproval.

After a round of cursing, everyone scattered like birds and beasts.

Yan Tiande shook his head: "It's really terrible."

Shi Zishan, who was traveling with him, put his hands in his pockets, his back straight as a pine tree. "Master Yan, do you think His Majesty would agree?"

Yan Tiande's mind was moved, but he didn't show it on his face: "Whose proposal do you agree with?"

Shi Zishan gave him a knowing look.

Yan Tiande laughed and twirled his beard, saying, "Your Majesty has always been good at selecting the right people for the right positions, isn't that right?"

Shi Zishan was speechless for a moment, then sighed, "If Lord Du insists on doing this, there will be more quarrels in the future."

Yan Tiande did not comment.

But he knew that the winner would be that person.

......

On the long road to Youchang Palace, Fu Ci poked the person beside him with his tablet: "Xianyu, is this the opportunity you mentioned?"

Du Qingtang hummed softly: "I guess so."

She died early in her previous two lives and had no idea that King Ping was raising an army to rebel.

But she had lived for more than thirty years in her third life, so she naturally knew what happened in the twenty-third year of Qingyuan.

In the previous life, the two thousand female bandits of Lijiazhai defeated the enemy with a small force, put down the war, and caused a great sensation among the government and the people.

However, Emperor Qingyuan was still constrained by Cao Yuan at that time. Cao's party could not bear to see a woman in the limelight, so they instigated Cao Yuan to send troops to encircle Lijiazhai.

The ending is predictable.

Those women saved Hunan Province and saved countless people, but no one saved them.

They died under the iron hoofs of the 3,000-camp cavalry, their bodies torn to pieces. In the end, the leader of the troops burned down Lijiazhai.

Those women turned into ashes, with no trace of their bodies left.

Just as Du Qingtang said at the morning court, Li Jin and Zhao Muqing were capable and should serve as officials in the court. The two thousand female bandits could also be the beginning of Daxia's recruitment of female soldiers.

They should be alive.

Live brilliantly.

Correspondingly, Emperor Qingyuan should have learned about Prince Ping's rebellion from Qi Heming, otherwise he would not have acted so calm when the news reached the capital two days ago, as if he had already seen through the outcome.

Fu Ci rubbed his face vigorously with both hands, the corners of his mouth curled up wildly, "Is this how it felt when you used to slaughter everyone in the Golden Palace? It's so satisfying to see them mad with rage but helpless!"

Du Qingtang smiled and said, "If I give in, they will definitely become aggressive. It's better to overthrow them in one fell swoop and put an end to this trouble forever."

Fu Ci nodded in response and asked the same question as Shi Zishan: "Do you think His Majesty will agree to our proposal?"

"Yes." Du Qingtang said firmly.

Fu Ci grabbed Du Qingtang's wide sleeves and shook them lightly twice: "Tell me in detail."

Du Qingtang poked back with his tablet: "I'm already there. If you have anything to say, we can talk when I get back tonight."

Fu Ci smacked his lips and compromised: "Okay, come back early tonight, and don't stay up until the middle of the night."

Du Qingtang waved his hand as a gesture of agreement, and the two parted ways at the door of the cabinet.

After finishing his official business, Du Qingtang went to the research institute again.

On the way, they met many officials. They looked at Du Qingtang with strange eyes, thinking that her heroic speech at the morning court had spread.

But it's not a big problem.

My elementary school teacher taught me that there is no rainbow without wind and rain.

For the sake of a lifelong wish, being looked down upon is nothing.

A new batch of tungsten ore has been shipped back from Yunnan Province and is now piled up in Du Qingtang's laboratory.

Practice makes perfect, and Du Qingtang easily extracted a can of tungsten powder and handed it over to the researcher for further processing.

Taking advantage of this time, Du Qingtang went to Liulichang to make another hundred glass bubbles.

Two hours later, Du Qingtang returned to the laboratory with a hundred freshly baked glass bubbles and headed home under the rosy sky.

We got home early today and had a meal together as a family.

At the dinner table, Du Qingju mentioned Prince Ping's rebellion: "I heard that it was a group of bandits who suppressed the rebellion?"

Du Qingtang lowered his head to eat his meal, and Fu Ci responded, "Still a group of women."

Everyone exclaimed and stood in awe.

“They are amazing.”

"She defeated the enemy with fewer people and turned the tide, showing her true daughter nature."

"It really makes us women proud!"

Du Qingju asked again, "I heard from Dean Lan that some lord seemed to have proposed surrender, causing chaos in the morning court."

Du Qingtang raised his head from the bowl and pointed at himself in sync with Fu Ci: "It's me/her."

Everyone: “???”

Du Qingzhu was the first to react and applauded: "If there is one, there will be two. Maybe in the future the court will allow women to take the imperial examinations."

The eyes of the four girls at the next table lit up.

"My aunt is truly farsighted. She must have known this day would come sooner or later, which is why she gave us such instructions and asked us to do the imperial examination."

"If I could take the imperial examination and enter the officialdom like a man, I would accept it even if I had to work myself to death doing exams."

"puff--"

Everyone couldn't help laughing.

After a satisfying meal and a good drink, Du Qingtang returned to the main courtyard, with Fu Ci following closely behind her: "Xianyu, Xianyu, do you still remember what you promised me?"

Du Qingtang certainly remembered, and dragged Fu Ci into the main room. "The imperial edict behind the "Zhengda Guangming" plaque that designated the crown prince had Princess Zhaoyang's name written on it."

Fu Ci ate too much chopped pepper fish head, and as soon as he sat down, he drank tonnes of water.

As soon as she said this, she suddenly opened her eyes wide and then spat out a mouthful of water with a "puff".

Du Qingtang saw that the situation was not good, and narrowly avoided it. He stared at the wet table, his face turning pale: "Fu Ci!"

Fu Ci quickly took out a handkerchief and wiped it, guilt written all over his face. He said weakly, "I didn't mean to do that. It's really... too unbelievable."

Emperor Qingyuan was a man, yet he appointed a princess as the crown prince. The probability of this happening is even lower than a turtle climbing a tree!

Fu Ci wiped the table clean and sat down in a daze: "Xianyu, how did you know this?"

"You should know what I did in Shaoqing Prefecture during those three years." Fu Ci nodded. He had mentioned this when they exchanged experiences that night. Du Qingtang continued, "He kept sending people to monitor me, but he didn't stop me from doing what I did. I had some suspicions at the time, and after returning to the capital, he dragged me into this conspiracy. Only then did I truly confirm it."

"I see." Fu Ci sighed, "It's still hard to believe, but it's better than a man ascending the throne and killing both of us."

When Princess Zhaoyang ascends the throne, she will certainly appoint women as officials and vigorously promote women.

By then, perhaps the so-called equality between men and women can be achieved?

"It's not easy for Arong." Du Qingtang felt that she would never forget the look of Princess Zhaoyang when she returned to the court that year. She looked like a withered flower. "I also believe that she can become a wise ruler."

"A Rong?" Fu Ci said sourly, "That's a really intimate name."

Du Qingtang glanced at her and said, "How sour."

Fu Ci felt even more sour, sniffed, and moved closer with a wronged look.

Du Qingtang let her head hit his left shoulder, sitting still as steady as a rock. "Your Majesty wants me to clear the obstacles for Arong to enter the Eastern Palace—or rather, to ascend the throne. I also intend to make friends with her so that I can benefit from her."

"She's a really good friend. Although she's from a wealthy family, she's considerate of other people's feelings, thoughtful, and can take a joke."

Du Qingtang didn't say that she suspected Princess Zhaoyang had some psychological problems.

Anyone who has been humiliated for ten years as a princess would become abnormal, just like she was back then.

Fu Ci became even more curious about Princess Zhaoyang. "What kind of person is she to receive such high praise from you? It's a pity that I haven't seen Princess Zhaoyang in such a long time since I came back. She didn't seem to be at the palace banquet that night either."

Du Qingtang took a sip of the tea, which had cooled somewhat, and felt cold in his stomach, so he put it down and stopped drinking. "She left Beijing on the second day of the first lunar month."

Cao Yuan raised private soldiers in Hanzhong Prefecture, the ancestral home of the Cao family, so there was no guarantee that he would not have a backup plan.

Princess Zhaoyang used the excuse that she had caught a cold in the twelfth lunar month and had been unable to recover, so she took her people to a farm in the suburbs of Beijing to soak in the hot springs, but in fact they went to Hanzhong Prefecture.

Du Qingtang calculated with his fingers: "It is estimated that it will take until March or April, or even longer before he can return to Beijing."

Fu Ci held his face in his hands, exclaiming in admiration: "She's amazing! I love women with determination the most!"

Du Qingtang: “…”

Who was it that said those sour words earlier, as if he had drunk ten jars of aged vinegar?

Du Qingtang secretly criticized Fu Cizhi's fickleness and waved him away: "I'm tired after a whole afternoon. I'm going to sleep."

"Go to sleep, I won't disturb you." Fu Ci stood up and walked out. "Get some sleep. I don't think you'll be able to rest peacefully at court tomorrow morning."

Du Qingtang said it wasn't a big deal: "It's not like I haven't had verbal fights with others before, it's just a matter of who's more shameless."

Fu Ci: “…???”

-

For several days thereafter, the officials argued dozens of times about how to reward Li Jin and others.

They quarreled before and after the morning court session, and even when they met on the palace road, not to mention when they were on their way to and from work, and when they saw the familiar carriage, they would curse at each other from a distance, and they were almost rolling up their sleeves and starting a fight.

Of course, the two parties in the quarrel were always Du Qingtang, Fu Ci and eight or nine out of ten officials in the court.

As for the remaining one or two dozen, they were either officials like Yan Tiande and Qi Daxueshi who were on good terms with Du Qingtang and remained neutral, or officials who had been disciplined by her and dared not interfere.

At the morning court that day, Du Qingtang once again confronted someone.

The reason was that Li Jin and others had already taken the train to Beijing, and after checking into the post station, they quickly became friends with the overseas envoys.

When the court officials learned about this, they were furious and reported the matter to the Imperial Palace.

"We shouldn't let them stay at the inn. What if the envoys mistakenly think that all women from Daxia are as vulgar as they are?"

"Your Majesty, please immediately order the female bandits in Lijiazhai to move out of the posthouse to avoid affecting the relationship between the two countries."

"The most despicable thing is that they actually took the messenger to a brothel! How can a group of women linger in a brothel?!"

"As expected of a humble background, they're not qualified for the upper echelons of society." A certain old man with white hair and a beard looked disdainful. Thinking of Du Qingtang's proposal a while ago, he became even more furious and couldn't help but grumble, "If we really follow Lord Du's proposal and allow those women to serve in the court, I'm afraid it won't be long before this Golden Palace is ruined by them and turned into a filthy place!"

Du Qingtang was thinking about going to the research institute in the afternoon to check on the progress after finishing his official business, when he was suddenly called and turned to look at Lord Sun who was speaking.

"Dirty places? You mean the brothels?" Du Qingtang said, half-smiled. "Looking across Xiajing, there are countless men who frequent brothels. If you say so, then don't they become filthy things from dirty places?"

Lord Sun: “…”

Emperor Qingyuan: “…”

Officials: “…”

Lord Sun's face turned pale and blue, and he stiffened his neck and said, "A man works hard outside all day, so what's wrong with going out to have some fun?"

Du Qingtang parroted, "Li Jin and the others narrowly escaped death after suppressing the rebellion. What's wrong with them just having some fun?"

Officials: “…”

Lord Sun glared, "Nonsense! How can a woman be compared to a man?"

"Why not?" Du Qingtang sneered. "We're all human beings, with the same two eyes and one mouth, breathing the same way, eating the same way, and sleeping the same way. How come you men can visit brothels, but we women can't?"

"If you ask me, a man should have three wives and four concubines, and a woman should have three husbands and four maids..."

Before he could finish his words, the old and pedantic people in the court started cursing.

"Shameless!"

"All the female rings were eaten by the dog!"

"What do you mean by three husbands and four maids? I think you've really lost your mind!"

Du Qingtang was not afraid at all despite being outnumbered. He raised his chin slightly, his expression mocking, yet revealing an unprecedented toughness.

"Don't tell me that ancestral rules cannot be violated. Rules are dead, but people are alive. And don't tell me about the moral code, the three obediences and four virtues, women should follow the rules, and support their husbands and raise their children. That doesn't work. I don't believe in it."

"The reason you oppose the imperial court's offer of amnesty is simply because you fear that women will have the same rights as you. They will no longer grovel at your feet like they did in the past, and they will no longer be like dodder, forever relying on you for survival."

"Oh, yes, there's one more thing." Du Qingtang smiled faintly, calmly meeting the angry gazes. "You're worried that once a woman stands shoulder to shoulder with you, she'll soon be far superior to you, and from now on, you won't be able to satisfy your ridiculous male chauvinism anymore."

"Oh, man."

As soon as he finished speaking, there were splashing sounds one after another.

Those elderly people felt a surge of blood and energy, their vision went dark, and they fell down.

But in the blink of an eye, the throne room collapsed.

Du Qingtang: “…”

Emperor Qingyuan: “…”

Officials who remained firm: "......"

Because twenty or thirty officials fainted one after another, the grand court meeting was forced to end early.

Du Qingtang caused chaos in the Golden Palace, then waved his sleeves and led Fu Ci away, leaving a group of officials staring in anger.

"This is too much! This woman is too much!"

"What's with all that male chauvinism? Women should always put their husbands first. If everyone were like those two, all the women in the world would probably be unable to get married and would live out their lives in loneliness!"

"No, we can't go on like this."

Du Qingtang is extremely shameless and only knows how to act recklessly and use any means to achieve his goals.

If the stalemate continues, they will be the only ones who get hurt.

Given His Majesty's indulgence towards Du Qingtang, it is very likely that he will compromise with her and agree to surrender.

No matter whether they were civil or military officials, they would not allow any more women to enter the court. They colluded with Du Qingtang and Fu Ci and persecuted these poor people day after day!

-

Overnight, Duke Wen and Earl Haining strongly recommended the female bandit from Lijiazhai to serve as an official in the court, and the news that many important officials in the court were so angry that they fell ill spread like wildfire.

Hundreds of members gathered in the Qiong English Society.

"Duke Wen and Earl Haining bravely went against the entire court to allow women to serve as officials. They are true heroes!"

"It's a pity that we can't do anything. We can't debate with those old stubborn people, let alone meet with His Majesty and convince him."

The Princess of Changle County said without hesitation, "Who said I can't? I'll go to the palace right now to find my uncle and ask him to agree to the recommendation of Duke Wen and Earl Haining!"

This is an important moment that determines the fate of women in Daxia.

If they succeed, they will open up the imperial examinations to women and allow them to serve as officials in the court. If they fail... No! They will definitely not lose!

Princess Changle decided to go all out. Even if it meant losing her status as a princess and being despised by her grandfather, she was determined to fight for the same rights as men for herself and for all women in the world.

"No! You can't!" Du Qinglan held onto the Princess of Changle, her expression serious. "If you go over now, it might backfire and harm Duke Wen and Earl Haining."

The Princess of Changle was stunned for a moment: "Then what should we do?"

"Wait, we can only wait." Du Qinglan took a deep breath. "Duke Wen and Earl Haining are fighting for the interests of women in the court. The only thing we can do is read more and do more exercises."

"Only in this way, when the court allows women to take the imperial examinations, can we surpass those men and not let down Duke Wen and Earl Haining's efforts."

Du Qinglan was worried, but compared to Xianyu and Zizhan, their power was insignificant and they could do nothing.

They could only wait quietly.

Waiting for the moment when day breaks.

......

When the people heard the news, they had mixed reactions.

"Although Lijiazhai is a den of bandits, those girls have made great contributions and should be rewarded generously."

"If His Majesty agrees, doesn't that mean that more and more women will serve as officials in the court in the future?"

"Indeed, once the door is opened, it can never be stopped."

"Ridiculous! This is absolutely ridiculous! What kind of official positions do a bunch of girls hold? If they have that much time, they might as well get married and have more children."

"Duke Wen and Earl Haining did a great job! Maybe my sisters will become officials in the future!"

"Women are supposed to take care of their husbands and children, manage the household, and be filial to their parents-in-law. Why would they want to study or become an official?"

There were also those pedantic and radical scholars who scolded Duke Wen and Earl Haining in the street.

"A hen that crows at dawn will die a miserable death!"

"It's no use meddling in other people's business. They're already heretics, disguising themselves as men to take the imperial examinations, but why are they trying to coerce others into joining the government?"

"No, we must not let Duke Wen and Earl Haining succeed! If we allow women to serve in the court, the positions and achievements that belong to us will be taken away by them, and our chances of promotion will be reduced."

Realizing this, the scholars in Xiajing City took action, writing articles to denounce Duke Wen and Earl Haining, and asking their families to go to the gates of Duke Wen's and Earl Haining's mansions to cause trouble, including but not limited to throwing rotten vegetable leaves and rotten eggs, and splashing feces and black dog blood.

Du Qingtang and Fu Ci were not vague either. They directly arranged guards to guard the door. All the troublemakers were arrested and sent to the government, where they were detained for ten days or half a month before being released.

At the same time, Du Qingtang and Fu Ci's daily travel has become dangerous.

Today the shaft of the carriage breaks, tomorrow the horse goes crazy, and all kinds of accidents happen one after another.

Fortunately, Du Qingtang and Fu Ci were alert enough, and the guards were also very skilled, so they were able to escape danger every time.

But people make mistakes and horses stumble.

On the tenth day of February, Du Qingtang spent the morning handling official business and rode to the research institute after lunch.

Halfway through the journey, when passing the corner of T Street, two little beggars suddenly jumped out.

The horse chasing the wind was frightened and raised its hooves and neighed.

The sudden change caused Du Qingtang to fall off his horse accidentally, and his head hit the cart on the side of the street, causing him to bleed on the spot.

.......

Within an hour, the news of Duke Wen's injury spread throughout the entire Xiajing City.

When all the officials in the court heard the news, they all rushed to tell each other and celebrated with their hands clasped.

"This is just a small warning. If she still refuses to give up, don't blame me for sending her to the palace of Yama."

"Du Qingtang is seriously injured and will have to stay home to recuperate for a long time. We must quickly deal with the group of female bandits in Lijiazhai."

"Master Fang is absolutely right."

But no one expected that Du Qingtang would appear at the morning court the next day with injuries.

The young woman was wearing a purple robe but no official hat. Her head was wrapped in a thick layer of gauze, and her slightly pale face indicated that she was not in good condition.

But this did not stop her from distributing the rice paper to the officials in the hall one by one, muttering to herself, "Ever since I proposed that Your Majesty recruit Li Jin and other women, all sorts of unexpected events have happened to me and the Earl of Haining."

"I thought someone must be jealous of me and wanted to kill me, so I sent someone to investigate."

"The paper in your hands details the 'accidents' encountered by Mr. Du and Earl Haining, as well as the masterminds behind these 'accidents'."

"Do these names look familiar to you?" Du Qingtang chuckled, his smile not reaching his eyes. "They are all colleagues you've worked with day and night."

"Today, they brutally murdered Du because of a minor disagreement. I can't guarantee they won't treat you the same way in the future."

The officials looked at the names on the paper with confused expressions.

The officials whose names were written on the paper sneered and tore the rice paper into pieces.

"That's nonsense! When has anyone ever harmed you?"

"Master Du is truly capable. After failing to form a clique for personal gain, he even staged a crime himself, framing others. I have never seen anyone as shameless as you!"

"You can convict me based on just a piece of paper? This is a huge joke!"

"Whether it's true or not, you gentlemen know better than I do." Du Qingtang bowed and said in a resounding voice, "Your Majesty, I implore you to throw all these people into the Ministry of Justice's prison, send someone to interrogate them strictly, investigate this matter thoroughly, and bring justice to me!"

When these officials heard that they were going to be sent to the Ministry of Justice, they panicked.

"Your Majesty, I have never done such a thing!"

"Your Majesty, please do not believe Du Qingtang's one-sided words. This is blatant slander!"

"Perhaps Du Qingtang had already bribed the jailer and planned to torture him into confessing in order to eliminate dissidents."

“…”

Everyone was talking at once, as if millions of ducks were quacking. Emperor Qingyuan's already dizzy head felt a sharp pain. He slapped the armrest of the dragon throne, and the rice paper recording the actions of the eighteen officials fell to his feet.

"That's enough! How long are you going to keep making trouble?"

Du Qingtang readily bowed and said, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. I just want the perpetrators to pay the price they deserve."

Emperor Qingyuan raised his hand and said, "Since that's the case, I will do as Lord Du says. Come, take them to the Ministry of Justice and interrogate them strictly."

The imperial guards entered and forcibly dragged the eighteen officials away.

"Your Majesty! I am innocent!"

"Your Majesty, please spare my life. It is because Du Qingtang has gone too far, and I have no choice but to resort to this desperate measure!"

"His Majesty......"

The cries for justice and pleas for mercy faded away, and the throne room was filled with dead silence.

The officials held the thin rice paper in their hands, feeling terrified but also extremely relieved.

Du Qingtang is a lunatic, fortunately they did nothing.

Or rather, there was no time to do anything.

Otherwise, they would be the ones who would be imprisoned and their careers would be ruined.

At this moment, the deputy minister Yan Tiande stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, I have a humble opinion."

Emperor Qingyuan raised his hand: "Approved."

Yan Tiande said respectfully, "I think that since both sides have been arguing endlessly and making this matter a big fuss, why not compromise?"

Emperor Qingyuan raised his voice at the end of his words, as if he was interested: "What do you mean, Lord Yan?"

Yan Tiande spoke eloquently, "Lord Du and Lord Fu support the amnesty and allow Li Jin and others to serve the court. Many others feel that they are unworthy of their positions. In this case, why not hold a special examination and allow them to participate in the civil and military examinations?"

The officials' faces changed slightly, and they were about to speak out in protest, but Yan Tiande said, "Let Li Jin and the others take the civil and military examinations with the men. If they are on the list, it means they are worthy of the title. This will convince the public and we can recruit them with justification."

"It would be unfair to allow only the two thousand women of Lijiazhai to participate in the civil and military examinations. It would be better to directly allow women from all over Daxia to participate in this year's special examination."

"This will not only demonstrate the court's respect for meritorious individuals, but also show the envoys of overseas countries our attitude towards women. When they return home, they will surely speak well of us, thus strengthening the relationship between the two countries and promoting more cooperation."

As soon as these words were spoken, the whole audience was in an uproar.

"Is he crazy?"

"Isn't he afraid that the woman will become increasingly out of control, causing unrest in the family?"

Unexpectedly, Yan Tiande immediately followed up with another sentence: "On the contrary, if no woman passes the civil or military examinations, Master Du will no longer be allowed to raise the issue of women serving as officials."

Everyone's heart was moved.

Men study hard for ten years, while women have limited knowledge and may not even have read the Four Books and Five Classics.

Comparing the two, the superiority and inferiority are immediately apparent.

They also didn't want to continue wasting time with Du Qingtang, lest they end up like the eighteen officials.

At the head of the table, Emperor Qingyuan asked, "What do you think, my dear ministers?"

The officials said without hesitation: "I have no objection!"

On that day, Emperor Qingyuan drafted an edict to announce to the world that a special imperial examination would be held, allowing women to take part in it.