Chapter 344: Debate among Various Parties
After Zhao Yuanxi figured it out, he relaxed a lot and said to him with a smile, "It's nothing, I just missed you."
Such straightforward words made Ying Zheng a little surprised, and then he lowered his eyes, "It's my fault. I have been too busy these days and have not been able to visit you."
"If you don't come, it's the same if I come."
Three days later——
Ying Zheng was having dinner with Zhao Yuanxi, and the two of them were talking about what had happened recently.
The system ding-donged, "The mission has failed. The host has three years left to accumulate willpower. If the goal cannot be achieved, the host's life in this world will end."
Zhao Yuanxi paused, and the fish fillet he was holding with his chopsticks fell back into the bowl.
"What's wrong? But this fish is not to your taste?"
"No, I just slipped." Zhao Yuanxi casually explained and continued the previous topic, "The emperor mentioned the big exam just now. I do have another suggestion. Since we are selecting talented people, it doesn't make sense to only select men and ignore women. After all, talent is not determined by gender."
Ying Zheng frowned and thought, what the Queen Mother said did make some sense, but there had never been a woman serving as an official from ancient times to the present.
Although there were women who participated in political affairs, they mostly dealt with palace affairs and did not involve the affairs of the previous dynasty. When women participated in political affairs, it was only the concubines who interfered in politics, or the empress dowager who governed the country.
"Since ancient times, there has never been a precedent for women serving as officials."
"There has never been an emperor like you since ancient times! The things you do have precedents everywhere, didn't they all start with you? If so, what's the point of letting women serve as officials starting with you?"
Ying Zheng was speechless.
Zhao Yuanxi explained: "If I were not the Queen Mother, but just an ordinary woman, no matter how powerful I am, I probably would not be able to appear before you. My appearance is an accident, but the existence of someone like me is not."
Whether it is her or people like Mrs. Mi, they all need opportunities given by this world.
She is lucky because she doesn't need others to give her opportunities, but she is the one who can give opportunities to others.
"But women are destined to marry, raise children, and be wives and mothers. How can they be good officials?"
Zhao Yuanxi raised an eyebrow and disapproved, "Men are also husbands and fathers. There's no reason why they wouldn't have this concern."
"Women are only inconvenienced from working when they are giving birth, but bearing children is a sacrifice for the continuation of the race and the family. Their inconvenience during this time should not deprive them of the same rights as men."
"If their ability to reproduce means they have to lose the qualifications to move up, then I think some of them will definitely give up this ability."
Of course, this would be a last resort.
Ying Zheng frowned even more tightly, and after a long moment he sighed deeply, "You really are always causing trouble for me."
"I know this is not an easy task, but you have already done so many impossible things. This little bit won't make a difference. Besides, I will help you!" Zhao Yuanxi's eyes lit up. He knew that Ying Zheng was finally willing to give in, and he was extremely excited.
"I can issue this decree, but the controversy that will ensue will have to be quelled by you, Queen Mother."
If this problem cannot be solved, then the matter of women serving as officials in the court will have to be postponed!
Zhao Yuanxi smiled and said, "Don't worry! I won't make things too difficult for you."
As soon as the decree was issued, it indeed caused even greater waves inside and outside the court.
Originally, they were only opposed to allowing the sons of lowly commoners to pass the imperial examination and become officials. Now that they saw that the candidates were not limited to either gender, both the conservatives who wanted to maintain the feudal system and the Confucian scholars who firmly believed that husbands were the most important thing in life stood up to oppose it.
For a time, all the voices of opposition focused on the issue of allowing women to take the college entrance examination.
Zhao Yuanxi ordered the prime minister to print a wide range of stories about women, such as the story of Fu Hao, the queen of King Wu Ding of Shang, who quelled a rebellion; the story of Hua Mulan joining the army to replace her father; and the story of a female consort disguising herself as a man to save her husband and becoming the consort of a princess.
Various popular stories allow people to see another wonderful world.
The newspaper also published several issues in a row analyzing the feasibility of women taking the imperial examinations to become officials, engaging in a lengthy debate with conservatives and Confucian scholars.
Zhao Yuanxi issued another imperial decree in her capacity as Empress Dowager. She planned to compile a set of books covering all the classics, history, and miscellaneous books from ancient times to the present, as well as the most advanced knowledge in astronomy, geography, yin and yang, medicine, history, agronomy, etc.
It includes all the advanced cultures of the various schools of thought as well as all the countries during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, and the person in charge of editing it was Lady Mi.
Everyone knew that this would be a rare book, and the Confucian scholars also wanted to be involved, but when they heard that the editor-in-chief was a woman, they really couldn't bring themselves to do it.
Some people can't bring themselves to do this, but there are always some people who understand what the situation is!
In particular, the Confucian scholars who had helped Zhao Yuanxi write children's enlightenment books expressed their support without hesitation. The old nobles of the six countries who had been instructed by Madam Mi also expressed their support when they knew that she wanted to compile a book that could record their past and preserve their country's culture.
Because of their status, it was difficult for them to gain a foothold in the Qin court. Even if they could no longer restore their country, if they could preserve their country's cultural knowledge, it would be considered that they had contributed to the old country.
Seeing the enthusiasm of the people from the six states, the officials of Qin became unhappy. This book was to be written by their Qin state, so why let the old people from the six states do it?
But the emperor remained indifferent, which made it impossible for them to sit still.
In a short time, Madam Mi gathered countless people from the seven countries under her command.
"You're not afraid that I won't be able to do it well!" Madam Mi didn't expect that the Queen Mother would actually entrust her with such an important task. Although she had led people to compile many old books from the Six Kingdoms in these years, this might be a book that could protect the country. How could she do it?
"What's there to worry about if you can't do it well? I'm here for you, right? Besides, I didn't ask you to do it alone. There are so many people out there who are your assistants. All you have to do is extract the essence and discard the dross, and write down all the good stuff!"
"Can……"
Zhao Yuanxi interrupted her and encouraged her, "No buts. People don't believe in women's abilities, but don't you? If you don't do it, I really won't be able to find anyone else to do it. Don't you want your name to be recorded in this wonderful book?"
"Okay, but let me be clear first, don't blame me if I can't satisfy you!" Mrs. Mi is not without ambition, but the responsibilities she has undertaken for a long time have prevented her from showing her ambition.
Zhang Liang was also surprised when he heard that his mother had taken on this matter. However, he was busy with the major examinations and could not go to help his mother, so he could only send a few outstanding students from the academy.
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