Chapter 190 The Worst Plan

After hearing this, Luo Yunzhen and Su Muyang touched their chins and fell into deep thought.

Su Muyang thought for a moment and shook his head.

"Your Majesty, while this plan is sound, its implementation is likely to be fraught with difficulties. Aristocratic families prioritize the status of a close relative and the crown prince... Given the choice between having their daughters enter the palace as concubines and becoming officials, they will likely choose the former. Furthermore, the conservative ministers at court will undoubtedly strongly oppose women entering the court as officials and engaging in real government."

Luo Yunzhen also shook his head repeatedly.

"Since ancient times, women have supported their husbands and raised children. Your Majesty is suddenly allowing them to serve in the court. This goes against ancestral rules. Civil and military officials will undoubtedly use this ancestral system to accuse Your Majesty of violating ancestral laws. Once public outrage is aroused, implementing this matter will be difficult."

"Even if the aristocratic families and civil and military officials reluctantly agree to allow women to serve in the imperial court, most of these women live in luxury, and whether they are truly capable of handling court affairs is also questionable. If they are not properly arranged, not only will they fail to assist the court, but they will also cause chaos within the court."

"Furthermore, once women are allowed to serve as officials, how should their status and power be defined within the court? If their power is too great, it may cause dissatisfaction and resistance from male officials; if their power is too small, they will not be able to truly play their role. It is difficult to strike a balance between the two."

Yan Shixu fell into deep thought.

He had thought about the questions raised by Su Muyang and Luo Yunzhen before.

But after careful consideration, he believed that the plan was still feasible.

There are also many talented women.

For example, his great-grandmother was more knowledgeable and insightful than many men.

For example, Su Muyang's mother was very good at business and earned more money than the national treasury.

Another example is Nangong Ziyun and her apprentice. Both of them are women, but they have amazing medical skills and can bring the dead back to life.

The old concept confined women to the inner courtyard of the house to take care of their husbands and raise children, or to compete with wives and concubines for favor.

This has resulted in too many talented women being buried.

If they could all serve the court and the country, perhaps they could hold up half the sky of Dayan.

"I will first establish a training bureau in the palace to allow these women to receive unified learning and training to improve their ability to handle affairs. As for the definition of power, I will formulate detailed rules and regulations to ensure that they can play their role without causing unnecessary disputes."

Su Muyang weakly raised his hand and asked, "Old Xu, don't you hate it most when women in the harem interfere in government? Now you're suddenly proposing that women serve in the court...are you sure you're not slapping yourself in the face?"

Yan Shixu almost couldn't help but kick him again.

"The imperial harem's interference in government is the process of concubines influencing state decisions through inner court channels, while the female officials I'm referring to are mostly limited to court positions. The boundaries of power between the two are fundamentally different and do not conflict. In the implementation process, I will first pilot it, selecting women from enlightened ministerial families to participate. After accumulating experience, I will gradually expand it. This will both reduce resistance and allow more people to see the benefits of women serving in government."

Su Muyang shrugged. "Although it makes sense, I still think that this is too difficult to implement, and it's unlikely to be effective in a year or two..."

Luo Yunzhen also said, "Your Majesty, I agree with what Mu Yang said this time. Although this policy is good, too few people can accept it in such a short period of time. I guess you will not be able to escape the fate of the draft in the end..."

Yan Shixu rubbed his aching brow.

One year after ascending the throne, he felt exhausted for the first time.

He looked up at the two of them and said quietly, "If I can't escape, I'll need your help."

Su Muyang patted his chest and said, "I will go through fire and water without hesitation!"

Yan Shi narrated another plan of his, with a hint of coldness in his eyes.

"If a selection is still necessary, help me secretly screen the backgrounds of the concubines and select the daughters of prominent families with ulterior motives to enter the palace. Preferably, those who are greedy, stupid, and vicious. I will send people to keep a close eye on them. If they commit any crime, their families will be implicated; in serious cases, all nine generations of their clan will be executed."

"As many as are sent into the palace, I will eliminate them all, to eliminate the harm to the people. As for those who are more honest, I will send them all out of the palace and give them freedom after I have grown strong enough to completely control the government."

"Of course, this is a bad idea. Bringing these people into the palace will inevitably lead to various unexpected problems. I need enough people to monitor them."

"As you all know, Uncle Wu has been training secret guards for me for the past six months. They will be useful when the time comes. I will leave the investigation of the concubine's matter to you. The more detailed the information, the better."

After Yan Shi finished his story, the hall fell silent for a moment, with only the slight sound of candle wicks popping.

Luo Yunzhen and Su Muyang both looked at him.

The two of them secretly sighed in their hearts that the dignified and gentle young man back then has become the meticulous, decisive, and ruthless emperor he is today.

Being in this position, there are many things that you have to do.

Just then, a palace servant brought in a midnight snack. The three of them ate some, then Luo Yunzhen and Su Muyang said goodbye and left.

Yan Shixu sat in front of the dragon table again, thought over his plan, and adjusted some of the shortcomings.

It was midnight when he got up and went out.

It was still a little chilly at night, and Yongtai dutifully put a cloak on the emperor and followed him silently.

Yan Shixu came to the Bixi Palace and walked straight in this time.

When the palace guards on night watch saw him at this time, they all saluted silently as usual and then stepped aside.

Yan Shixu went to the side hall to see Xiaoxiao first.

The little guy was sleeping soundly with his arms and legs spread out, smacking his lips and drooling at the corners of his mouth.

I must have dreamed of something delicious.

Yan Shixu laughed, helped him wipe it clean, and then went to Wen Li'er's bedroom.

She was also sleeping soundly, with her eyebrows and eyes curved, and her facial features looked even softer under the dim candlelight.

Yan Shixu leaned over and kissed her on the forehead.

Then he took off his coat, went to bed very quietly, and held her in his arms.

Wen Li'er seemed to feel a familiar source of heat in her sleep.

She murmured softly twice, subconsciously moved closer to the man, and arched her body into his arms, with her hands softly placed on his chest, showing a clinging look.

The soft hair brushed against Yan Shixu's neck. He rubbed his chin against the top of her head and closed his eyes.

Soon, he fell into a deep sleep.

The moonlight outside the window sprinkled on the ground, like a layer of frosting. Occasionally, in the silent night, the sound of insects could be heard, as if singing for the two people hugging each other in the hall. It was an indescribable peaceful and beautiful place.

…

My dears, the heroine will definitely not be tortured, and the hero will not sleep with other women anymore... but there will still be women entering the palace, they are just for show.

Also, some people asked if there could be more...

I'm really sorry, I'm a part-time worker and I'm usually super busy. If I update more, I won't have time to sleep at all...

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