Empress

Xu Yanmiao left the capital with the imperial sword in hand, and the old emperor rebuked the Minister of Works.

"A family that receives salary should not compete with the people for business! Do you have to copy this sentence 10,000 times and then eat the words?"

"You have become a minister, and your family is just short of this little money?"

"I know that you must have some business in your hands, but I don't pursue it on weekdays - your wife is really capable, her business methods are comparable to Tao Zhugong, should she be awarded the title of the richest businessman in Daxia?" The

Minister of Works bent over and listened to the lecture.

He did not dare to explain at this time that his wife was born to like doing business, and in order not to cause trouble for him, she usually kept her real name hidden, and no one knew that she was the wife of the Minister of Industry, and she did not mobilize the official power of her family to arrange things for him - but it cannot be said that there was no influence at all. Even if she did not ask and he did not mention it, after living together for a long time, she could easily detect the policy trend from him and take the lead.

"Your Majesty! I will let Zhuo Jing disband the family business and report the bribes. This is my fault."

There are many ways to punish officials or their family members for doing business, such as demotion, dismissal, salary deduction, or confiscation of property... The specific punishment depends on the person in power.

The Minister of Works did not dare to speak lightly, and added: "I am not a strict steward, so I will take off my official hat and return to being a commoner to atone for my crime."

"Okay, it doesn't have to be so serious." The old emperor said casually, and his brush was still correcting the official documents: "You will wear the shackles for three months and be whipped 100 times to serve as a warning to others."

The Minister of Works reacted as fast as lightning. As soon as the emperor finished speaking, he immediately knelt down to thank the emperor.

This was much better than losing his job as he thought.

"Your Majesty is merciful, but I must not be arrogant! Please allow me to atone for my sins with my family's property. Your Majesty can use it for the people, and my sins will be reduced a little." The

old emperor glanced at him, knowing that if he didn't accept it, his family would not be at ease, so he nodded and said, "If there is a shop in your wife's dowry, no matter how much, it does not need to be handed over."

Although officials and their families are not allowed to do business, the dowry shops of the wives of each family are not subject to this regulation. But the wives generally do not do business themselves, they just look at the account book. These shops will not grow bigger and bigger like the business of merchants.

If you must say, it is that you can open a shop to make a small living, but you can't make a national chain and make a fortune.

When the Minister of Works heard this, he said more sincerely: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your mercy!"

The old emperor looked at the sun.

At this time, he was going to have lunch with the empress.

"Okay, you can go back."

He sent the people away and drove quickly to the Pepper Room. Seeing Xiangyang was also there, his smiling face suddenly turned into disgust. Xiangyang smiled and clung to Empress Dou, and refused to leave.

The old emperor: "..."

Dear concubine. Endure.

After the meal was served, the old emperor pretended not to see this annoying thing that ruined his and his sister's time together. While eating, he chatted with his sister about the affairs of the court.

"You said that Xu Yanmiao is really a troublesome person. There are so many capable merchants in the world, why is he targeting the family of the Minister of Works?"

He seemed to be complaining, but his face did not show any dissatisfaction. He was quite friendly while laughing.

Princess Xiangyang seemed to be sitting at the table very obediently, keeping her mouth shut like a clam. Only after listening to her father's words, she looked at him again and again. She always felt that her father's words seemed to have other meanings, but she couldn't think of it for a while.

Empress Dou smiled: "This child may see that you first let Huachun enter the court, then let Shengxian become an official, and didn't care about the matter of the female prince consort, and even let Xie Luoshui go to sea, so she thought you support women entering the court."

It was like a revelation. Princess Xiangyang suddenly woke up and stared at her father with wide eyes.

The old emperor didn't notice and was very proud: "I knew that young people are not good at talking and can't do things well. His method is very good, but he has to ask the Minister of Works about his wife. I need to take the essence and discard the dross."

Princess Xiangyang's eyes were full of fire.

Her father is still her father! What he said was 'there are so many capable businessmen in the world', but it was actually 'there are so many capable male businessmen in the world'! He just thinks that women should not be asked about political affairs! She was about

to slam the table and stand up, but Empress Dou gave her a look and she became silent again. She pouted and sat there poking her chopsticks.

Then, she heard her mother say in a gentle tone: "Yes, men are responsible for external affairs and women are responsible for internal affairs. It has always been like this."

Princess Xiangyang blinked, but suddenly remembered a sentence he said when chatting with Xu Yanmiao.

"It has always been like this..." is it right?

Then she heard her mother continue to say: "But, Wulang, are other merchants reliable?"

Her father paused while picking up food, and asked in surprise: "What reliable?"

Her mother said: "Merchants value profit. If they are allowed to pass the administrative path and make money openly, I am afraid that they will form huge companies one after another and shake the country. What's more, they are not our family after all..."

Princess Xiangyang was in awe.

Her mother was so powerful! She hit the nail on the head! Her father really trusted his family the most!

Just after she finished thinking, she saw that her father's face was not very good, and his brows were wrinkled: "Indeed. But we don't have anyone in our family who knows how to do business. It's too late to cultivate one now."

Her mother didn't say anything else, but just picked up the chopsticks to pick up the dishes, leaving her father there muttering: "Our family... our family..." Suddenly she slapped her thigh: "Thinking about it this way, the wife of the Minister of Works is really the best choice!"

Princess Xiangyang said "Ah?", and seeing that her father was alarmed, she simply asked: "Dad, why is she the best?"

The old emperor With a slight smile, he felt a sense of accomplishment for being able to teach his daughter: "Although she is not a relative of ours, she is related to the Minister of Works. She became a 'money-grabbing official'... Well, the functions are different, and she will definitely not be called that in the future. I just haven't started to think about it yet, so I'll call her that for now - she became a 'money-grabbing official', and she has to think about her husband being the Minister of Works when doing anything. If she makes a mistake, her husband and son will be implicated..."

As he was talking, Empress Dou gave him his favorite braised pork in red sauce, which was really a good wife.

This made the old emperor more certain of his thoughts: "That's right! Her husband and son are both in the court, how could she not think about them?"

Empress Dou looked at him tenderly, smiled and nodded.

The old emperor also smiled at her, and then continued: "Of course, Shengxian, you have to remember that no matter men or women, they all have their own little thoughts. What you have to do is to restrain their little thoughts."

Princess Xiangyang tilted her head: "Just like using the Minister of Works to make his wife dare not do anything wrong?"

The old emperor: "I can't be sure that she won't do anything wrong, but it's better to have some consideration than not to have any consideration."

Princess Xiangyang was thinking about something, and she heard her mother say with a smile: "Wulang, arrange a few more women to be 'money-catchers'."

The old emperor couldn't help wondering: "Why?"

Empress Dou: "Women are only a little smart, and after all, they are not as capable as men. But since you, Wulang, want to use her, you want her to form a check and balance with those men, but she is not capable enough, why not add a few more allies for her? Moreover, if the 'money-catchers' are not of one mind, it will be easier for the emperor not to be deceived."

The old emperor was persuaded. But she still had some doubts: "If so many women are added to the court, won't it make women all over the world restless?"

As if she thought of something, her tone suddenly became hard: "In recent years, women have been arrogant and unwilling to enter the kitchen. It is really not a good wife."

Empress Dou said: "Willn't it be able to tell who is a chaste woman? It is better than having women be cunning after getting married."

Suddenly, she softened her voice: "Wu Lang, a real chaste woman , will never abandon the family."

The old emperor sat up straight suddenly: "Sister, you are right! For example, sister, you also had an official position at the beginning. If you want to enter the court, I am willing, but the world is just beginning to settle, you should take off your military uniform and wear a skirt to manage the harem for me. A woman who is really restless at home can attract bees and butterflies even if she is locked up at home - you can eat the food slowly, I will go to Wuying Hall first!"

After making up his mind, the old emperor left in a hurry.

Empress Dou was about to lower her head to eat, and saw the concubine staring at her with big eyes.

"Shengxian?"

"You were also an official in the past. If you want to enter the court, I would also be willing--" Princess Xiangyang shook her head like those old scholars, and imitated like a parrot: "Mother, were you also an official in the past? Or a military officer?"

"Not really a military officer. When we were conquering the world, I brought a lot of women to help your father with logistics, and we sewed the soldiers' robes. We also learned how to defend the city, and those who were strong helped transport supplies. Your father jokingly called us the women's camp."

Princess Xiangyang was fascinated by what she heard: "Then what happened later?"

"When the world was first settled, both men and women longed for a family, so those women returned home. Some reunited with their husbands, and some prepared to get married."

Princess Xiangyang nodded, "Oh, then, my father said to let you enter the court as an official..."