Chapter 282 Blessings for Generations
After ascending the throne, Li Yuanzhao did not appoint Su Qingci or Liu Jinzhang as his most important advisor, but Du Cong, who had a limp and a gloomy face.
This newly promoted Imperial Censor was well-versed in the ways of the emperor. After taking office, he fabricated charges, invented cruel tortures, and framed the innocent. He used swift and decisive methods to purge the opposition in the court on a large scale, greatly weakening the deeply entrenched power of the court and aristocratic families in just a few months.
Ye, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works, has served in the court for more than ten years and is considered a senior official with profound experience.
During the spring banquet, he drank too much and complained to his colleagues, "Your Majesty's heavy reliance on women may harm the vitality of the court." Little did he know that his words would reach Du Cong's ears without missing a single one.
No more than three days after the Spring Festival banquet, hundreds of officials of all ranks from all over the country submitted memorials, unanimously exposing Lord Ye.
Some say that his son had a close relationship with the deposed second prince.
Some say he secretly had close ties with the Cui and Zheng families, who were plotting a rebellion.
Some even presented "evidence" claiming that he had secretly kept letters from the anti-Party.
These officials who submitted the memorial came from vastly different backgrounds and positions, ranging from prefectural governors to minor county clerks, yet they all unanimously testified against Lord Ye.
This kind of "momentum" forced Li Yuanzhao to "take it seriously".
Li Yuanzhao immediately ordered the arrest of Lord Ye and handed him over to Du Cong for investigation.
Du Cong showed no mercy, throwing the man directly into prison and using torture methods he had invented, such as "finger nailing" and "branding iron."
Humans can accept death, but they cannot endure suffering.
In less than three days, Lord Ye could no longer bear it and confessed his guilt.
After Lord Ye lost his fighting spirit, Du Cong threatened him with his wife, children, and elderly parents, forcing him to recruit more "accomplices".
In utter despair, Lord Ye had no choice but to identify several officials that Du Cong "wanted," at Du Cong's prompting.
Taking advantage of this case, Li Yuanzhao killed or exiled more than thirty officials from the central and local courts, effectively wiping out almost all voices in the court that opposed the new laws.
For a time, the court was filled with unease and fear, and everyone was on edge.
Everyone fears this lame Yama, but everyone fears even more the person behind this lame Yama.
Many people have sought help from Liu Jinzhang.
After all, he was His Majesty's teacher and was known for his integrity. He would certainly not stand idly by while His Majesty abused torture and wronged innocent people.
But to everyone's surprise, Liu Jinzhang directly asked, "Who is the good person? Who is the bad person?"
If a person's existence is beneficial to the emperor, then even a bad person is considered a good person; if a person is detrimental to the emperor, then even a good person is considered a bad person.
These were the words of the lame Yama, and though they were cold, they revealed the current rules of the court.
What the emperor wanted was not "absolute fairness," but "absolute control."
As the emperor's tutor, Liu Jinzhang had already seen through the student's thoughts and naturally would not offer any futile advice.
Therefore, those who directly opposed or were dissatisfied with Li Yuanzhao were all eliminated.
Those who harbored resentment in secret also fell silent, afraid to utter a sound.
This meant that within a very short period of time, Li Yuanzhao had complete control over the court.
Six months after the new emperor ascended the throne, the new "Great Qi Law" was officially promulgated.
The new law explicitly declares: "At the beginning of human relations, husband and wife are one; yin and yang are in harmony and share the mandate of heaven. All my subjects, though men and women are different, all receive the righteous energy of heaven and earth and are the same essence and blood of their parents. Their personality, dignity, and rights are equal and without distinction of high or low. This is the foundation of the world and the basis of the law."
The new law is divided into several aspects, including "inheritance and property, marriage and childbirth, education and the imperial examination system, employment and salary, quota guarantee system, and personal safety".
I. Inheritance and Property
The "equal division among sons" system was abolished, and the "equal division among children" system was implemented. Whether it was a title, land, mansion, or other wealth, all children (regardless of gender or whether they were legitimate or illegitimate) had completely equal inheritance rights.
Daughters can establish their own households, and the taxes they pay to the state for the land under their names are the same as those paid by the male head of the household, and they bear the same obligations.
Any act of misappropriating women's inherited property in the name of the clan will be severely punished, with the crime being equivalent to misappropriating government property.
II. Marriage and Childbirth
The "seven grounds for divorce" were abolished, and free marriage based on affection was established.
Marriage requires the consent of both the man and woman; parents may not force them.
The minimum marriage age for both men and women must be above eighteen.
Either spouse may apply to the government for a "divorce".
As long as one is the head of the household, both men and women can marry a wife (husband) and take a concubine (servant).
After marriage, the income from the labor of both spouses, the income from farmland, and the profits from business are all considered joint property and shall be divided equally upon divorce.
III. Education and the Imperial Examination System for Official Career
All restrictions that prohibited women from participating in the imperial examinations or holding official positions were abolished.
The imperial examinations at all levels (provincial, provincial, and palace examinations) were open to all literate men and women, and the examination content and standards were completely uniform.
After passing the imperial examination, the standards for granting official positions were applied equally to all women, who could hold any position, from local county magistrate to central prime minister.
IV. Employment and Salary
All industries, including government-run handicrafts, commerce, and minor government positions, were open to men and women on an equal footing.
The law clearly stipulates "equal pay for equal work," meaning that men and women who perform the same work and exert equal labor must receive the same remuneration.
V. Quota Guarantee
From the first year of Zhaoming to the thirtieth year of Zhaoming, a transitional protection policy was implemented to overcome the long-standing customs of the past.
The regulations stipulated that the proportion of women in government offices at all levels and in the lists of candidates admitted to the imperial examinations at all levels should not be less than 30%, and should be gradually increased to 50%.
This is a mandatory national policy, and its implementation will be included in the performance evaluation of local officials.
VI. Personal Safety
Violence against women will be classified as a felony.
If a husband or in-laws assault their wife, the punishment is doubled. The wife can then initiate divorce proceedings and claim compensation.
All those convicted of rape shall be executed by hanging.
Drowning a female infant is considered murder; the parents are equally guilty, and neighbors who know about it but fail to report it will also be punished.
When the new law was promulgated, this time, no one in the court objected.
Outside the palace gates, the summer sun shone on the newly posted imperial edict.
The onlookers were surprised to find that today's imperial edict was unusual.
In addition to the official documents of the new laws, there was also an "Interpretation of the New Laws" written by the Emperor himself, which explained the principles in the simplest language.
Li Yuanzhao knew perfectly well that if women's power could not be increased, these men might submit to her out of temporary fear and dread.
After she passes away, women across the land who have lost the protection of supreme power will inevitably face an even more intense backlash and reckoning from men.
All her achievements will be smeared, altered, or even completely erased by men in later generations.
Therefore, she not only had to ensure that her successor was a woman, but also that women throughout the world could have the same rights as men.
Only in this way can the era she, Li Yuanzhao, created bring blessings to future generations.
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