On the other side, after leaving the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Sheng Ping left the palace and boarded a carriage.
She ate two more pastries in the carriage. In front of Consort Wang, she performed while wearing a mask and had no appetite.
We need some food.
The carriage headed towards Lin Yuanyao's residence.
She stayed at the Lin residence for only a quarter of an hour before going to the residence of the Minister of Works.
Maozheng the next day.
"Attend court!"
With Li Gao's high-pitched shout, the officials who were already standing in the hall knelt down respectfully, while those who had not yet arrived ran around in fear.
Ning Xuan walked steadily to the dragon throne at the top and sat down properly.
The crown tassels did not sway much and remained quite stable.
"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"
The ministers shouted in unison.
Ning Xuan was still angry when she thought of the memorial from yesterday. She glanced at the most arrogant ones without leaving a trace.
It's all related to his good son!
"Rise," he said calmly.
Upon hearing this, the ministers who had been eager to say something all fell silent and dared not speak.
I wonder who has offended His Majesty so much.
Sheng Ping didn't take the lead, but she gave Tao, the Minister of Works, a look.
Tao He broke out in a cold sweat, feeling utterly overwhelmed.
But remembering the memorial Princess Shengping had given him last night, he could only grit his teeth and step forward. "Your Majesty, I have great news!"
Ning Xuan snorted coldly, looking at him with disdain.
Tao He lowered his head even further. "According to the memorial from Chu Guan, the magistrate of Qinghe County, I have already ordered my men to make that curved-shaft plow. I also went to a manor in the suburbs of the capital to test it out, and it is extremely labor-saving and convenient!"
Chu Li and Su Yan both looked down, somewhat puzzled.
How could they not know?
Ning Xuan frowned. "Tell me quickly, how much effort can it save?"
Tao He dared not delay, "If we use this curved plow, we can save half the effort, and we can plow the same piece of land a third faster."
The court was in uproar, and the officials were greatly alarmed.
Su Yan said frankly, "With such a powerful tool, the people will be much more at ease! Your Majesty's virtue matches that of Heaven and Earth, hence this joy."
Upon seeing this, Wang Helu immediately chimed in, "This is all thanks to His Majesty; he is truly the father and mother of the people!"
Ning Xuan waved his hand, "There's no need to say anything useless. Tao He, I order you to quickly teach the curved plow to all the counties and prefectures, the sooner the better."
He personally plowed the fields every year and knew how tiring it was to pull a plow. Such a convenient farming tool for the people naturally had to be fast.
Tao He replied, “Your Majesty, Chu Guan’s memorial also stated that the Qingshui County government has made several curved plows for the people to use, and the expenses are all borne by the county government.”
Chu Li was sweating profusely. How did his son suddenly become so conspicuous?
Ning Xuan finally smiled, "Earl of Yongchang, you have truly raised a fine son! Very good, I hereby bestow upon him a reward. I hereby issue a special decree to promote Chu Guan to the seventh rank."
In an instant, Chu Li felt a barrage of piercing gazes directed at him.
He was promoted two ranks in quick succession and hasn't even left his post yet—that's some speed at which he's risen through the ranks!
So enviable!
He then asked, "Who made this curved plow?"
Tao He answered correctly, "It is Wu Gaoze, a craftsman from Yejiacun Village, Qingshui County."
Su Yan paused, then quickly looked up, his eyes meeting Ning Xuan's.
Ning Xuan originally intended to reward him handsomely, but did not intend to finalize the matter. "This is a great achievement. Let Chu Guan ask this person what reward he desires."
Tao agreed.
Sheng Ping stepped forward and said, “Your Majesty, I have been punished in the Six Ministries for more than half a month. I have learned and thought a lot. I have a question for Your Majesty and everyone.”
Ning Xuan said calmly, "Ask."
“Every member of a prominent family has a mother. If the head of the family suddenly passes away, leaving behind a young child and a widowed mother, how will they survive?”
Minister Shen smiled and said, "Your Highness's question is quite simple; it's simply due to the surplus wealth in my family."
Lin Yuanyao asked coldly, "Minister Shen is utterly ridiculous. How many ordinary families have enough money to raise their young children? How much extra money do they need? Does Minister Shen know the meaning of 'Why don't they eat meat porridge'?"
Minister Shen glared at him with a cold face.
Di Yushu, speaking in an aged voice, said, "This is the imperial court. Why should Your Highness overstep your bounds and bring such a trivial matter to the court?"
Sheng Ping remained silent, but smiled faintly. "May I ask Minister Di, what is considered a minor issue? How many young children and widows are there in the world? Are their lives and deaths trivial matters?"
Tao He was in pain, but he could only stand up and say, "In my opinion, the orphan and the widow should be able to support themselves."
He really didn't want to get involved in these messy affairs of the court; he just wanted to quietly wait in the Ministry of Works until he could retire and return to his hometown.
Sheng Ping countered, "When Minister Tao says he'll support himself, does he mean selling himself into slavery and becoming a beggar?"
Tao Heyang retorted angrily, "There can't be only these two paths to take! Your Highness, please stop your incessant chatter!"
The Third Prince Ning Shuo drank until midnight last night in high spirits, and was so sleepy that he didn't care about Sheng Pingyi's question.
The second prince listened quietly, pondering in his heart who was part of Shengping's faction.
The sixth prince felt that Sheng Ping's words made sense, but dared not say more.
Sheng Ping asked, "You ministers are all learned men, why don't you think of some solutions for me?"
What followed was a long period of condemnation, with the ministers offering various opinions. Shengping then pointed out the impasses, which made the ministers extremely impatient.
"Your Majesty is wise. If women do not attend academies, do not know how to read or understand reason, and are without talent or skills, how can they support a family while soldiers are fighting, and how can they survive when their husbands pass away?"
Minister Di was so angry upon hearing this that he jumped up and down. "I object! Confucius once said that women and petty men are the most difficult to deal with, and that a woman's virtue lies in her lack of talent! We must never encourage women to enter academies!"
The officials from the Ministry of Rites immediately knelt down behind him, pleading, "May Your Majesty be wise!"
Sheng Ping's hands were hidden in the wide sleeves of his robe, clenched tightly; he couldn't rush things.
Lin Yuanyao spoke first, “Your Highness, I agree. My father passed away when I was five years old. My widowed mother, who was illiterate and knew nothing else, had to raise me by sewing clothes to earn some money. Now, my mother has gone blind, all because she has ruined her eyes by sewing day and night! If the academy were to open to women, I believe my mother's eyes could be saved!”
Speaking of this, the unyielding general couldn't help but choke up.
He now wields great power, but he can never win back his mother's eyes.
His mother could not see his splendor, the grand mansion he had prepared for her, or what a life of comfort and ease truly looked like.
He was in great pain whenever he thought about this.
That's why he readily agreed when Sheng Ping approached him.
Sheng Ping looked at Di Yushu and said, "Minister Lin is a filial and righteous person. I believe that as long as he is a respectful person, he will not object to giving his mother another way out."
Di Yushu's eyes widened in disbelief. "If my mother has to show her face in public, she would rather die!"
Sheng Ping said coldly, "Minister Di's words are extremely inappropriate. To allow one's mother to abandon her life and face death is unfilial!"
Di Yushu hurriedly knelt down. He couldn't withstand such a heavy accusation. "I am by no means unfilial, but minor filial piety should give way to major filial piety. The laws of family, country, and the world must not be disordered!"
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