Men farm and women weave. Women weaving is their job. If they become officials, they are not doing their job properly.

Xu Yanmiao spent the whole night carefully reading the scroll over and over again, thinking carefully, and generally determined that there was no fraud in this matter.

The next day was a day off, and Xu Yanmiao rested well at home for a whole day. On the third day, when he went to court, he stood up in front of everyone and said, "Your Majesty, I have a memorial to make."

The old emperor teased him, "It's strange. Tell me, what do you want to make?"

Xu Yanmiao bowed slightly and took out the scroll: "People in the capital, Huang Xiangniang, Lin Jinlan, Tang Chagu, Chen Sanniang and others, have come up with something that can make more cotton cloth weaving." "

Oh?"

The old emperor was very satisfied.

Although he hadn't read the scroll yet, he had already made an evaluation of it in advance: "Not bad, men farm and women weave, you have done your part, this is very good. You should be rewarded and set an example for the world."

He glared at his two concubines with a look of regret.

Look! Other women are so sensible! Only you, you are not doing your job!

The two princesses were skilled in observing each other's noses and hearts, and they focused on one thing, you say yours, I do mine.

The old emperor sated his desire to talk, opened the scroll, and his eyes lit up: "Is this... an improved rolling wheel?"

The rolling wheel is one of the cotton spinning production tools, and its function is to roll cotton. The existing rolling wheels only need one person to operate, and the efficiency is also very high. It can roll 100 kilograms of cotton a day.

The cart on the reel is different from the current style - it has wheels installed at one end of the cart.

The structure and operation method have not changed, but it will be more flexible after the wheels are installed.

"Not bad, not bad, it is quite ingenious. The Ministry of Works should make this and see if it is better than before."

The Minister of Works Yuan Zheng bowed: "Yes."

The old emperor glanced at Xu Yanmiao who was still outside the queue and smiled: "My dear minister, you have contributed a lot by presenting a new cart today. After the Ministry of Works has verified its authenticity, how about transferring you to a doctor in our department?"

Xu Yanmiao bowed: "Thank you, Your Majesty."

Lian Hang was happy for his friend, but also a little regretful.

Xu Lang was promoted, and they could no longer stand together.

But he had expected it long ago. After all, how could he be promoted every time Xu Lang was promoted? It was too obvious. Moreover, he didn't want to always rely on Xu Yanmiao. He also had his own ideas and ambitions.

'Xu Lang...'

Lian Hang bowed silently.

'I wish you a bright future and a steady rise.'

Xu ​​Yanmiao waited for a few breaths.

[Eh? No more?]

The old emperor laughed.

The brat still wants a reward, okay, then reward...

Before he could say what the reward was, Xu Yanmiao stepped forward and carefully chose his words: "Your Majesty, those ladies care about their country and improved the new carriage and immediately asked me to present it to Your Majesty. They are truly loyal and virtuous!"

The court was silent, and then many minor officials showed surprise and envy on their faces.

According to past practices, these women would at most be rewarded with some money. This has been the case in every dynasty. Who still remembers the first person to make paper? Who still knows who invented the curved plow? Most of the things made or improved by craftsmen will be counted as the achievements of their superiors, and those whose names can be remembered are because they are famous or have official titles, so they can be mentioned in history books.

But Xu Yanmiao's current attitude is clearly to ask for credit for a few prostitutes who have turned to good deeds!

Great! If only their superiors were like this.

*

The old emperor: "Of course I will reward them."

Xu Yanmiao was delighted: [Great!]

The old emperor asked seriously: "Then what do you want to reward? Gold, silver, jewelry? Cloth, silk, and satin?"

Xu Yanmiao hesitated.

[Just some money? The

emperor was not angry at all, but asked him with a smile: "Why, do you want me to give them official positions?"

Xu Yanmiao blinked and was about to nod: "I am..."

Suddenly a voice interrupted, scolding: "You are so bold!"

Xu Yanmiao turned his head and was surprised to see Liang Rui: "Liang, the Minister?"

Liang Rui frowned so much that wrinkles appeared on his forehead, and seemed very dissatisfied: "You are a brat, how dare you talk about giving women official positions! Don't you know that the rewards for this in all dynasties are nothing more than giving money!"

Xu Yanmiao blinked again, and before he could speak, Liang Rui continued: "Do you know the gunpowder method? How important is this thing? Those who advance this method are only given clothes and silk."

"Those who offer warships will only be rewarded with money."

"Those who offer eight chariots and ships will be praised by the emperor."

"It's ridiculous for you to ask for an official position for a woman like this!"

A series of words came out like a torrential rain hitting banana leaves, rapid and uninterrupted.

Liang Rui shouted, "Please confess your guilt!"

Xu Yanmiao was stunned.

Lian Hang was so anxious that he wanted to stamp his feet.

Xu Lang, don't stand there stupidly, confess your guilt! Liang Zhushi is afraid that you will touch the bottom line of His Majesty, so he is speaking for you! Some words don't matter how you say them in your heart, His Majesty will be annoyed with you for a while and then forget it, but you can't say them out loud!

Xu Yanmiao looked at Liang Rui, then at the emperor.

The old emperor's dark eyes were also looking at him.

Xu Yanmiao was silent for a moment, then turned to look at Liang Rui and bowed his hands in greeting: "Master Liang, please don't be anxious. I haven't even spoken yet, but you are complaining directly? I also want to say that giving them official positions is too much, but these weak women have only money and no family business, and it is quite difficult to live. So I want to ask Your Majesty to give them a few more houses as a token of your grace."

After a pause, Xu Yanmiao said: "But I still want to thank Master Liang for his kindness."

Liang Rui knew that Xu Yanmiao understood what he meant, so he smiled and bowed his hands: "No need to thank me."

He added a few more words to make things look good, "It's just that Liang is a mean person."

The emperor also smiled and said: "Mr. Liang is too impatient. How can you be so rash when doing things in the court?"

Liang Rui bowed: "I will listen to your Majesty's teachings."

The emperor looked at Xu Yanmiao again, and said in a tone that was neither light nor heavy: "My dear minister, it is good that you do not want to ask for official positions for them. You should know that men are outside and women are inside, men farm and women weave, and women weaving is their duty. If they come to be officials, it will be not doing their job properly."

Xu Yanmiao bowed slightly: "I understand."

Seeing Xu Yanmiao like this, the old emperor softened a little.

Was his tone too heavy.

"Actually..."

[But if so, then wouldn't the petition from the Changli County Magistrate be in vain? ]

[It feels a bit unfortunate... Changli County has a woman who is proficient in calendar and astronomy. The county magistrate is eager to recommend her, but seeing the old emperor's behavior, it is estimated that he will fight back. ]

[Although... there is no such thing, and the old emperor doesn't know whether he will accept it or not. 】

The old emperor: "..."

【By the way, the memorial is still under the old emperor's hand. Is it time to read the next one? 】

The old emperor lowered his head and looked at the pile of memorials under his arm. He was silent for a moment, picked up the grasshopper-legged glasses that were usually not used and placed on the table, and put them on his nose.

Then, he opened the memorial.

It did say that a woman who was proficient in astronomy appeared in his county, and described in detail how proficient she was. Then he said bluntly: Your Majesty, don't you want to recalculate the calendar? I think this woman can take on the task.

The emperor usually looks fierce and powerful when reading memorials, but today, he seemed to have aged all of a sudden and read the memorial slowly.

【Huh? Why don't you allow me to stand back after I started reading the memorial? Are you going to punish me by standing? 】 【Damn it, is this what it means to serve the emperor

like a tiger? 】

Lian Hang wiped his sweat.