Chapter 810 The True Colors Are Revealed
As soon as Li San Niang finished speaking, without giving the people in the hall time to think, Bi Qionglan, who had been silent all along, suddenly stepped forward from the group.
"Your Majesty, I, Bi Qionglan, have something to say. Please grant me permission."
Wang Da Dang saw Emperor Wu nod slightly, then stood up and said loudly, "Granted."
Bi Qionglan was shorter than Li Sanniang, and because she worked in the fields all year round with her back bent, she looked even shorter.
But when Bi Qionglan, dressed in a green round-necked official robe, stepped out, none of the officials in the court dared to underestimate her status as a woman.
It should be noted that Bi Qionglan had entered the Ministry of Agriculture earlier because she was good at farming and increased the yield of wheat per mu. At that time, some officials wanted to provoke her.
Before Bi Qionglan could even offer a defense, Yao Chong personally rebuked the official, making him blush and wish he could disappear into a hole on the spot.
This is because Bi Qionglan's actions truly bring tangible and visible benefits to the entire Tang Dynasty.
No matter how fierce the factional struggles were in the imperial court, these officials still had their bottom line: no matter how much they fought for power internally, their goal externally was the same: the Tang Dynasty should become the supreme empire, surpassing all the surrounding countries.
Anything that is conducive to the prosperity and development of the Tang Dynasty is good, should be protected, and should be encouraged!
So what if Bi Qionglan is an old woman at this point?
As long as she is useful and capable of bringing high-yield and high-quality seeds to the Tang Dynasty, they will flatter her, value her, and give her an official position!
The saying "Food is the first necessity of the people" is not just a casual remark.
Therefore, Bi Qionglan approached Li Sanniang. She bowed to the emperor at the head of the table, then bowed to the dozen or so high-ranking officials in front of her, before speaking: "Your subject is not as knowledgeable about national affairs as you all. I may know how to farm, but I know the importance of the population that Physician Li mentioned to our Great Tang Dynasty."
I come from the countryside. Twenty years ago, many families in the village would simply abandon their newborn daughters.
It wasn't that they were heartless; it was just that even the able-bodied men in the family weren't getting enough to eat, let alone have the resources to raise a baby.
If it were a young man, at least we could save some food and raise him to be a useful laborer. But a young woman isn't naturally strong enough, so how could we even think about raising her?"
The civil and military officials in the imperial court were not unaware of the saying among the common people that some people did not pass the imperial examinations, but how could they truly understand it?
Most of them came from wealthy and powerful families, and with generations of land annexation, how many children could they not support?
Therefore, upon hearing what Bi Qionglan said, the somewhat soft-hearted young official couldn't help but show pity and distress on his face.
However, most of the officials remained expressionless. It wasn't that they were heartless; it was simply that the Tang Dynasty was too vast, and often, even if they had the will, it was impossible to do anything if their productivity was insufficient.
However, they all knew in their hearts that if Bi Qionglan could stand up and say such a thing, then her next words must have a solution.
As they expected, Bi Qionglan continued, "So, from that time on, I have been thinking about how to cultivate this land well, so that we can get more grain and feed one more person."
Today, the improved varieties I cultivate can increase yield by 50% on top-grade land, and even on lower-grade land, they can increase yield by 15%.
I believe that as long as people are fed, they can naturally think about other things.
What Dr. Li said now has the prerequisite for implementation!
Li Sanniang followed up Bi Qionglan's words at the opportune moment, saying, "Your Majesty, everyone," Li Sanniang bowed again to Emperor Wu and the officials, "This humble official thanks Director Bi for his support and approval of what I have proposed!"
"I did not speak rashly on a whim. I have carefully considered the training of female military doctors and nurses, modern midwives, and even the recruitment of female doctors into the maternity ward. I have written down how to implement these plans and the potential obstacles we may encounter."
After saying that, Li San Niang took out the folded document she had prepared beforehand from her sleeve pocket.
"This official position was bestowed upon me by the wise and discerning Emperor. I am a native of Chang'an in the Great Tang Dynasty. Although I am a woman, I also wish to make our Great Tang Dynasty better and better."
My thoughts and reflections are contained in this memorial; I humbly request Your Majesty and all the officials to offer their corrections.
Li San Niang stood there, bowing her head and holding the memorial high above her head.
Wang Da Dang received Emperor Wu's signal, walked down the steps to Li San Niang, took the memorial, and presented it to Emperor Wu.
When Emperor Wu received it, the first thing he noticed was the handwriting. It wasn't particularly good, just neat and tidy.
Then Emperor Wu carefully read the contents of the memorial. Li San Niang's writing in the memorial was much more detailed than the few points she had mentioned in the main hall. She also wrote down the possible obstacles and difficulties and how to solve them.
That's not all. Li San Niang also wrote down what the possible results might be if the plan were to succeed, even if it took six months, a year, or even ten years.
In reality, it's just empty promises.
Li San Niang is best at this. Just think about modern society and enjoy it. Li San Niang can write something that is both elaborate and extravagant.
Finally, it all comes down to money, people, and power.
This was shown to Emperor Wu, who began to laugh as he read it.
The civil and military officials standing below were truly baffled as to whether Li San Niang's memorial was exceptionally well-written or exceptionally poorly written.
"Da Dang, take it down and show it to Prime Minister Yao and the others."
Wang Da Dang obediently accepted the memorial handed to him by Emperor Wu with both hands, and walked down the steps to Yao Chong's side.
Yao Chong took the thick folded document and began to read it from beginning to end. The other officials had to wait for Yao Chong to finish reading it before they could proceed.
Yao Chong remained noncommittal about Li San Niang's calligraphy, but he was genuinely surprised by the tone that Li San Niang set off at the beginning of her memorial.
Li San Niang started off on a very high note, stating directly that women giving birth was all for the sake of the Tang Dynasty. With more people, more things could be done, and the Tang Dynasty could continue to be the supreme empire. The people of the Tang Dynasty would be the envy of the surrounding small countries.
As the Tang Dynasty grows stronger, its people will become increasingly proud of being Tang people, and this positive feedback loop will make the Tang Dynasty even stronger and better.
As for the subsequent recruitment of female doctors to establish maternity clinics and train new-style midwives, the benefits were not only to women's physical health, but also to the visible effects of stabilizing society, developing the economy, and promoting productivity.
For example, improving medical care for women and mothers requires more medicinal herbs, facilities, and personnel, which creates employment opportunities and promotes the development of various industries.
At the same time, by protecting the women and their children, they protected their husbands and the entire family for three generations. Wouldn't the men of those three generations fight to the death for the Tang Dynasty?
Furthermore, Li Sanniang also suggested that now that the Tang Dynasty is in its prime and capable of waging naval warfare and conquering surrounding small countries, it is the perfect time. Where can't some money be obtained to fund Li Sanniang's work?
In short, following Li San Niang's advice was the right thing to do!
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