Zhao Qingbei clasped his hands in a respectful bow, "Your Majesty declares that this humble subject did indeed write a sketchbook."
The new emperor smiled.
“Nowadays, some people are criticizing you, saying that the picture book you wrote is alarmist, affects the education of women, and goes against the virtues, precepts and teachings for women.”
Do you recognize him?
Zhao Qingyi naturally wouldn't admit it.
"Your Majesty, I consider myself to be of limited talent and learning. I write some picture books only to make a living."
Over the years, from travelogues to illustrated books, everything depicted in these books is based on reality.
All of this is based on evidence. It is not something I, your humble servant, have fabricated.
As long as someone is sent to investigate the area, they will surely find out that it is true. I am simply making the facts public.
They did not believe that the woman had been led astray.
However, women often grow up in seclusion, rarely seeing outsiders, and are mostly raised to be unaware of human suffering and danger.
It's possible that you might accidentally be taken advantage of by some unscrupulous people.
I believe that if women read more of these real-life stories, they may learn to nip problems in the bud and prevent tragedies from happening again.
This does not conflict with the principles of female virtue and female precepts.
They've just become a bit smarter.
I wonder which great ginseng minister this humble servant is?
Could it be that this gentleman intends to emulate the villains in the story and harm someone's good young lady?
Zhao Qingbei's last sentence effectively nailed the person who impeached him to the pillar of shame.
Yes, it's not that I wanted to trick anyone, so why make such a fuss about the drawing and bring it up at the grand court assembly?
As soon as Zhao Qingni finished speaking, the ministers who had just made their solemn accusations against him felt as if they had thorns in their backs.
It was as if their wicked schemes had been laid bare before everyone.
Zhao Qingbei followed everyone's gaze and looked at the ministers.
He bowed deeply once more.
"My lords, I only wrote some sketchbooks to make a living."
Could it be that the sketchbook I wrote has affected the business of your bookstores, or that you gentlemen are trying to take advantage of your marriages to embezzle your wives' dowries?
Or perhaps, in order to climb the social ladder, he plans to kill his wife and marry a new one?
If there weren't various conspiracies, why would you single out my sketchbook for discussion?
I am but a humble commoner with a meager salary. I wrote down some facts for the sake of making a living. In principle, I have no conflict of interest with you gentlemen.
Moreover, I had an agreement with the bookstore that my identity could not be revealed.
I imagine that you gentlemen have put in a lot of effort to uncover my identity.
How much money did you spend to find out?
Look, I am short of money. If you gentlemen had any silver, you would give it to me. I would be grateful and remember your kindness.
Are you admiring my talent, sir, or do you feel that my sketchbook is particularly vivid?
If you gentlemen wish for me to write a few picture books about you, that would be perfectly acceptable.
But we need to discuss the compensation.
After all, my writing fee is negligible, and I prefer to speak the truth; it's unlikely I'd be asked to expose something completely untrue.
Zhao Qingni chuckled as he spoke the most infuriating words, and the officials who had just impeached him turned ashen with anger.
That little bastard Zhao Qingbei has ruined their children's marriage prospects. Even if they didn't have bad intentions, after this incident, probably no family of equal social standing would dare to marry them.
They seemed to have nothing to say, and could only roar, "How dare you, you brat!"
The new emperor sat at the head of the table, watching the spectacle.
He summoned the chief eunuch, whispered a few words to him, and the chief eunuch bowed and left.
The other ministers who participated in the trial of Zhao Qingbi looked at the young man in the hall and thought to themselves, "Truly, a newborn calf is not afraid of a tiger; he dares to say anything."
Coincidentally, they actually quite liked what I said.
Since the stories in the picture book are all true events, I have to buy it and take a good look at them to see what exactly happened that caused such a big commotion.
Unwittingly, Zhao Qingbei's sketchbooks saw another surge in sales.
Zhao Qingbei wasn't worried about being reprimanded by those officials. "My lords, what I said comes from the bottom of my heart."
"I am young and new to officialdom, and all I know is that one must be utterly loyal. I cannot lie before His Majesty, so why do you gentlemen seem so displeased with hearing such things?"
Just kidding, even the one in the Golden Palace didn't call for a stop, what is he afraid of?
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