Chapter 144 Confrontation in Court
However, at the morning court session a year ago, Emperor Qingyuan ordered Yan Tiande to go to Northwest Province to deal with the Northwest Governor and others.
Yan Tiande set out from Xiajing that morning, accompanied by fifty imperial guards bestowed by Emperor Qingyuan.
The group traveled day and night, sleeping in the open air, and finally arrived at the provincial capital of Northwestern Province on the 29th day of the first lunar month.
Yan Tiande entered the yamen unhindered with the "As if I were present in person" token bestowed by Emperor Qingyuan.
Cai Sheng learned that someone from Xia Jing had arrived. He hurried over and saw Yan Tiande. He was stunned for a moment, his eyes passing over the golden token without leaving a trace. "Why did Lord Yan come to Northwest Province?"
Cai Sheng's tone was very natural and also revealed a sense of familiarity.
This is because more than ten years ago, Yan Tiande was a colleague of Cai Sheng.
At that time, Cai Sheng was the prefect, and Yan Tiande was just a seventh-rank prosecutor under him.
As time passed, Cai Sheng became the governor of the remote and backward Northwestern Province, and was destined to stay there for the rest of his life. However, Yan Tiande had already entered the cabinet and became a close minister to the emperor, enjoying an extremely glorious life.
The subordinates who used to look up to him and follow his lead have now become his superiors. In officialdom, there is a distinction between high and low, and according to the rules he has to pay his respects to Yan Tiande. One can imagine how he feels.
Cai Sheng suppressed his jealousy and resentment and bowed. "Lord Yan has come all the way to Northwest Province, but what are your commands, Your Majesty?"
Yan Tiande looked at his former colleague, but he didn't intend to exchange pleasantries. He chose to get straight to the point: "How is the war in Shaoqing Prefecture going?"
Yan Tiande was exhausted from the long journey and was worried about the battle situation in Shaoqing Prefecture. He was also angry that Cai Sheng and others did not come to his rescue. After entering Northwest Province, he did not send anyone to inquire about the news, but went directly to the government office.
Cai Sheng knew the situation of the battle in a short time.
Cai Sheng's heart skipped a beat as a foreboding premonition washed over him. He remained expressionless and responded fluently, "More than a month ago, the prefect of Shaoqing Prefecture led the entire army and civilians to repel the Qi bandits and secure Shaoqing Prefecture."
Yan Tiande's heart, which had been tense all the way, suddenly calmed down, and his solemn expression visibly relaxed: "Then Your Majesty can rest assured."
Cai Sheng clenched his hands in his sleeves, ignoring the dryness in his throat, and tentatively asked, "May I ask, Lord Yan, did His Majesty send you to Northwest Province solely for the war in Shaoqing Prefecture? I haven't been to the capital in many years, and I wonder if His Majesty still remembers me."
Yan Tiande narrowed his eyes slightly and said with an ambiguous meaning, "Of course Your Majesty remembers Mr. Cai."
Remembering the mistake he made, which almost led to the death of Du Qingtang, a pillar of the country, in defending the city, he wanted to grind his bones into ashes!
Cai Sheng didn't notice the subtlety in his tone. He was overjoyed when he heard it. He pretended to wipe his eyes and said with a choked voice: "In this way, I, an old minister, can die without regrets."
Yan Tiande was disgusted by Cai Sheng and no longer tried to please him. His face darkened and his voice was as cold as snow: "Come here, bring the criminal Cai Sheng to me!"
The imperial guards rushed in and grabbed Cai Sheng's arms with lightning speed.
Before Cai Sheng could react, he was detained by the imperial guards as if he were a prisoner. After a brief moment of shock, he struggled uncontrollably, still crying out for justice: "Why do you treat me like this, sir? But what did I do wrong? Please explain, sir!"
Seeing that he didn't cry even after seeing the coffin, Yan Tiande waved his sleeves and sat at the head of the table, sneering, "Governor Cai Sheng of Northwest Province refused to rescue the prefecture under his jurisdiction and neglected his duties. His Majesty was furious upon hearing the news and specially sent me to deal with those involved."
Cai Sheng's face turned pale and his heart sank to the bottom.
Your Majesty still knows!
It must be Du Qingtang who complained to His Majesty!
Bitch! Bitch!
Inwardly, Cai Sheng cursed Du Qingtang furiously, but outwardly, he cried out in injustice: "Your Excellency, when Prefect Du sent a letter requesting assistance, I immediately had the Left Provincial Governor pass on my order to the Commandery Headquarters to dispatch 20,000 troops to support Shaoqing Prefecture. Unexpectedly, the Left Provincial Governor, driven by personal vendetta, acted insincerely and never relayed my order to the Commandery Headquarters."
Yan Tiande raised an eyebrow, his expression unfathomable: "So the fault lies with the Left Governor, not you, Cai Sheng?"
When his former subordinate called him by his name, Cai Sheng's heart skipped a beat. He gritted his teeth and lowered his head, not daring to let Yan Tiande see his ferocious expression.
"Last December, when the fighting in Shaoqing Prefecture subsided, officials learned that the Commandery hadn't sent any reinforcements. They immediately dealt with Left Governor Wen Tao, who had been seeking revenge for personal gain, by imprisoning him and also holding the Commandery General accountable."
Yan Tiande tapped the armrest with his fingers, smiling: "Let me guess, did Wen Tao commit suicide out of fear of punishment?"
Cai Sheng choked up: "Wen Tao realized the seriousness of the matter belatedly and committed suicide that night out of fear of punishment."
After saying this, he ignored the guards still holding his arms, slumped to his knees, and banged his head on the ground: "My lord, I really don't know anything. If I lied even a little, I will be struck by lightning and die a miserable death!"
People become more superstitious as they get older, and Cai Sheng is no exception.
But he knew that if he didn't treat himself harshly at this time, let alone retiring, it was still unknown whether he could survive.
Yan Tiande had been ordered to conduct inspections and had seen many corrupt officials. He could tell at a glance which of Cai Sheng's arguments were true and which were false. Now he was too lazy to even glance at him. Since Cai Sheng wanted to kneel, he could just keep kneeling.
Yan Tiande sent the imperial guards to arrest the prefects who had committed the same crime, and then summoned a group of officials from the provincial capital to interrogate them one by one.
Because of Cai Sheng's endless lies, Yan Tiande's occupational disease came back. He took advantage of the ample time now, which was enough for him to thoroughly investigate the provincial officials.
Provincial officials: “…”
It takes two and a half hours to get from the provincial capital to the farthest Jingdong Prefecture, which means five hours there and back.
During this period, a group of officials including Cai Sheng knelt on the ground, with their heads down and not daring to breathe.
Cai Sheng was over sixty years old, and his old bones could not hold on any longer. After a while, his face turned pale, cold sweat dripped down his face, and he supported himself on the ground with his hands, his body swaying.
Yan Tiande turned a blind eye and checked from top to bottom, finding that none of them were clean. He said with a sigh, "You all really make me look at you with new eyes."
The Right Provincial Governor kowtowed profusely, "Please spare my life, my Lord! Please spare my life! I can testify that the Governor-General is lying to you!"
When Cai Sheng heard this, his legs and waist no longer felt sore and he stood up straight and glared at the Right Governor.
However, Cai Sheng was now like a grasshopper in autumn, and he could not jump for long. The right governor was not afraid of him at all, and told Yan Tiande about the discord between Du Qingtang, Cai Sheng and several prefects like beans from a bamboo tube.
"...Since then, they have held a grudge against Lord Du. When Lord Du sent a letter requesting assistance, Cai Sheng, instigated by Wen Tao, ignored it."
Cai Sheng screamed hysterically, "No, sir! He is making up stories! You are framing me, and I will not let you go!"
The Right Governor curled his lips and said that Cai Sheng could hardly protect himself and might not be able to take care of himself in his lifetime.
"quiet!"
Cai Sheng met Yan Tiande's cold gaze, his fat body trembled, his eyes rolled back and he fainted.
Yan Tiande was too lazy to find out whether he was really fainted or pretending to be faint, so he asked the imperial guards to drag him aside to prevent him from freezing and dying of illness before the execution.
Not long after, the imperial guards came back with several prefects.
Seeing the solemn and dignified cabinet ministers, several of them trembled and knelt on the ground like dumplings, repeatedly crying out for justice.
"I have never received any letter from Shaoqing Prefecture requesting assistance, otherwise I would have sent troops to support them no matter what."
"I think so too. Most likely, the messenger had ulterior motives and deliberately lost the letter requesting help."
"Your Excellency, I am innocent!"
Yan Tiande laughed in anger. He always abided by etiquette, so he picked up the official document at hand and threw it at the prefect who was protesting his innocence.
The prefect of Jingdong Prefecture was not paying attention for a moment and was hit on the head, causing it to bleed. He covered his head and cried out in pain.
"Do you really think I'm a fool?" Yan Tiande sneered, "I advise you to confess the truth to avoid physical pain."
When investigating a case, it is important to have evidence. They have to sign and seal a confession before they can be sentenced.
When the prefect of Jingdong Prefecture heard about the physical pain, he was immediately shocked. He could not bear the pressure and fell to his knees, admitting his guilt. At the end, he still did not forget to excuse himself: "If Du Qingtang had not shamelessly seized my Jingdong Prefecture's business, I would not have ended up in this situation."
Yan Tiande thought he was mentally ill.
This is not a simple refusal to rescue. Once Shaoqing Prefecture falls, the consequences will be unimaginable.
Du Qingtang fell into the hands of the Qi bandits, and he would either die or be forced to defect. The fall of Northwest Province was only a matter of time.
These people obviously did not realize the seriousness of the matter, and Yan Tiande did not want to waste time arguing with them, so he ordered the imperial guards to bring the confession letter.
The prefect of Jingdong Prefecture was the first to sign and seal the document. Seeing that there was no room for maneuver, the others signed their names with a wry smile.
After receiving several confession letters, Yan Tiande's expression eased slightly. He raised his hand and ordered, "First, take them to prison. They will be executed at 3:30 PM tomorrow."
Behead? !
Cai Sheng and others were dumbfounded.
"Why should I execute him? I simply didn't send troops to support Shaoqing Prefecture. Why should I be sentenced to death?"
"I don't accept it!"
"Why do you sentence me to behead?"
"Only with this!" Yan Tiande offered the token that read "I am here in person" and declared, "Your Majesty has spoken with all due respect. I am ordered to arrest you all and then behead you in public."
Cai Shengcai had just woken up from a coma, and the ink on his hands was not yet dry when he heard the bad news. His eyes went dark and he fainted again.
His career!
His life!
It’s over!
It's all over!
Everyone regretted it deeply.
If I had known this, why would I refuse to rescue Shaoqing Mansion because of a petty personal grudge, and watch coldly as Shaoqing Mansion struggles to survive while outnumbered.
How pleasurable it was then, how painful it is now.
Unfortunately, there is no medicine for regret in the world, and they are destined to pay the price of their lives for this.
......
The next day, the executioner raised his knife and the heads of Cai Sheng and others rolled to the ground.
Yan Tiande drafted an urgent memorial to report the current situation in Shaoqing Prefecture and the crimes committed by officials in the provincial capital to the emperor.
Although these crimes are not punishable by death, they are enough to lead to dismissal from office and exile. It all depends on how the court handles them.
Yes, Yan Tiande did not intend to deal with them personally.
Firstly, it was beyond the scope of his duties. Secondly, Northwest Province had lost both its governor and prefect at the same time, leaving only one prefect, Du Qingtang, and someone was needed to take charge of the situation.
Once the Ministry of Personnel arranges people to fill the vacancies, these people will have their good days ahead of them as new officials will have to make their first big move.
Another day passed like this.
On the 31st day of the first lunar month, Yan Tiande went to Shaoqing Prefecture to convey the imperial edict.
-
If we have to use two words to describe Shaoqing Prefecture, they would be chaos and violence.
Chaos is the local custom, and violence is the local people's fault.
This was not just Yan Tiande's first impression of Shaoqing Prefecture, but also the same for all the civil and military officials in the court.
“Even dogs don’t come to Shaoqing Prefecture” is no joke.
Over the past few decades, the imperial court has sent more than a dozen officials to serve as prefects of Shaoqing Prefecture, hoping that these officials can clean up the local atmosphere and allow Shaoqing Prefecture to truly return to the embrace of Daxia.
However, the fact is that these officials were either assimilated and became corrupt officials who exploited the people, or because they were too upright, they died at the hands of local officials or local tyrants before they could take any action.
By now, all officials had long given up hope on Shaoqing Prefecture.
Everyone avoided Shaoqing Prefecture. They would rather demote themselves to become Tongzhi or Tongpan than be the prefect of Shaoqing Prefecture.
Therefore, when Du Qingtang committed the crime of deceiving the emperor and was sent to Shaoqing Prefecture to serve, many people believed that she would definitely die.
Even Yan Tiande had expressed regret that the child who had never forgotten his original aspiration and was determined to be loyal to the emperor and serve the country might die in Shaoqing Prefecture.
The result is——
It took Du Qingtang only a few months to completely control Shaoqing Prefecture, and last year he generated 1.16 million taels of tax revenue.
This huge tax caused an uproar in the court and was also Yan Tiande's most profound impression of the current Shaoqing Prefecture.
He guessed that Du Qingtang must have spent a lot of effort to make Shaoqing Prefecture prosperous.
But seeing is believing. It was not until he entered the territory of Shaoqing Prefecture with the imperial guards that he had a more real feeling about the four words "good weather and good harvest".
Although the people's clothes were simple and patched, they had smiles on their faces and firm eyes, and they had an excellent mental outlook that was rare among the people living under the emperor's feet.
Yan Tiande was a little surprised. He was galloping on the official road, and the biting cold wind blew the people's words into his ears.
"The garment factory is hiring again next month. I plan to sign up and earn some extra money so that I can support my eldest and second children's education in the future."
"Your eldest child is a boy, so it's fine for him to go to school. But your second child, a girl, only needs to go to school for three years. After graduation, she can't continue to receive scholarships. Isn't that a waste of money?"
"Why can't girls study? Look at the girls in the Qiong English Club. They're beautiful and elegant. Even if their clothes are patched up, they're still different from ordinary girls."
"That's true. Girls can still go to school to teach. I heard the salary is quite good, enough to support the family."
Yan Tiande tightened the reins and stopped in front of the tea stall, curiously asking, "Excuse me, everyone, what is the tuition fee? How can a girl from Shaoqing Prefecture be able to attend school and teach?"
The common people sitting and chatting at the tea stall saw Yan Tiande wearing an official robe and followed by imperial guards who looked very tough to deal with. They had a preconceived notion that they were here with ill intentions, and their hearts were in their throats, and they answered tremblingly.
"The school was founded by the prefect. All boys and girls over the age of six can go to school for free. They can also receive a monthly tuition of one penny, which lasts for three years."
"The prefect also divided the school into male and female classes, with male and female teachers in charge of teaching respectively."
Yan Tiande was in a complicated mood.
Having been an official for more than 20 years, he certainly knew what Du Qingtang's purpose was.
In an era when men were generally valued over women, Du Qingtang used money as bait to allow more women to have access to books and schools.
Yan Tiande remained calm and asked, "What do you think of the women's class? Should there be female teachers?"
"The girls' class is great. My daughter used to just play around, but now she's much more sensible. She knows filial piety is the most important virtue. Every night she makes water for me and her father to wash our feet. She speaks elegantly and always talks about wanting to teach and educate people in the school like the teacher. She's like a little adult."
"Although some people send their daughters to school for the money, as long as they learn to read and write, they will definitely be able to find a good job when they grow up. Now many shops in the city have begun to recruit female workers, and those who can read and write are very popular."
"Why shouldn't there be female teachers?" An old man couldn't stand hearing this. He mustered up the courage to look at Yan Tiande with disapproval. "Sir, you're not like some people who think women are inferior to men, are you?"
Yan Tiande is not such a pedantic person, otherwise he would not have risked pleading for Du Qingtang after her identity was exposed and she was thrown into prison: "I..."
Grandpa, however, had a preconceived notion that he was just like that. He shook his head and sighed, "It's precisely because of people like you that so many people abandoned and killed baby girls."
"Before?" Yan Tiande's eyes moved slightly, "What about now?"
Yan Tiande served as a local official for more than ten years, and was later ordered to conduct inspections, traveling almost all over the country. Naturally, he knew that many people in the folk valued boys over girls. Those who were poor but wanted a son to carry on the family line would keep having children until they had a son.
During this period, some people who gave birth to daughters but did not want to raise them would abandon them or give them away. Some even drowned newborn baby girls.
Yan Tiande had also tried to curb the above bad habits, but the effect was minimal. The people still did as they pleased, which gave him a headache but he could do nothing about it.
Grandpa twirled his beard and said cheerfully, "The government has issued a clear order prohibiting the people from abandoning and killing baby girls. We encourage everyone to actively report it. If the case is true, we will reward the informant with silver."
"In addition, the government also gives each newborn child ten taels of silver as a birth allowance. As long as you spend it frugally and have a little conscience, it's enough to raise a child."
"In the past two years, the trend of favoring sons over daughters was quite serious, with people losing their heads almost every day. This year, I haven't heard of anyone being executed for abandoning and killing baby girls. I think the results are quite effective."
Shaoqing Prefecture is an autonomous prefecture that can add or delete regulations based on the laws of Daxia.
Yan Tiande knew this very well. After a moment of silence, he asked, "You are also a man. In your opinion, are the laws of Shaoqing Prefecture too harsh?"
Grandpa curled his lips, not wanting to agree with this: "The law is for those who break the law. A girl is also a living being. Giving birth to a child and not raising her is not human. Those people are worse than animals, and they deserve to die."
Although this statement is a bit vulgar, it does make sense.
Yan Tiande felt mixed emotions. He agreed but also felt it was shocking.
What does Du Qingtang want to do?
She allowed women to receive the same education as men. These women, after being educated and having their horizons broadened, would certainly not be willing to be ordinary women, taking care of their husbands and children and doing housework.
This was a subtle process. Perhaps Du Qingtang had never made it clear, but Yan Tiande could imagine it.
As more and more women became wise, commoner women, wealthy women, official women and even royal women stood up, learned to resist and fight for equal rights with men.
If the resistance is successful, men working outside and women working inside will become a thing of the past, and the world will change from one where men are superior to women to one where men are equal.
Women enjoyed the right of inheritance, as well as the right to participate in the imperial examinations and serve as officials in the court...
Yan Tiande's heart was beating wildly and he closed his eyes tightly.
If he had not come here by imperial decree, he would not have known that Du Qingtang was trying to fight against the feudal ethics that had existed for thousands of years, and wanted to change the deep-rooted ideas in the hearts of the people by his own strength.
To put it mildly, this is heresy and audacity.
To put it more seriously, this is a heinous act that may shake the foundation of the Great Xia nation.
If the news gets back to Xiajing, those pedantic and conservative officials in the court will surely rise up and attack him.
At that time, Du Qingtang would lose his job at best, or even his life at worst.
Yan Tiande took a deep breath, his heart felt cold, and his hands gripping the reins trembled slightly.
He didn't know how he left.
For the next incense stick of time, Yan Tiande could no longer see the solemn guards standing by the city, nor the flat and wide concrete road, nor could he see the prosperous city filled with hope and vitality of rebirth after the disaster.
The seven big words "Du Qingtang is seeking his own death" bombarded his mind repeatedly, and Yan Tiande was both angry and disappointed.
It is easy to imagine how difficult it is for a woman like Du Qingtang to have the status and position she has today.
How could she act so rashly and bring disaster upon herself?
Stupid!
So stupid!
“Whoa—”
Yan Tiande dismounted at the gate of the government office and turned around to see Du Qingtang, whom he had not seen for three years.
He kept reminding himself in his heart that business was more important. After all, Du Qingtang was the head of a prefecture, and he must not lose face in front of her subordinates.
Yan Tiande took a deep breath and said loudly: "Shaoqing Prefecture Governor Du Qingtang accepts the order!"
......
Time goes back to the present.
Du Qingtang held the imperial edict in his hands and felt like he was dreaming, it was so unreal.
She was a little happy.
The last time he was so happy was because he passed the imperial examination with a score of six and was qualified to enter the officialdom.
This is a super-class earl, and there are only more than ten such people in Daxia, not to mention that Du Qingtang was granted the title as a woman.
She is not only the first female countess of Daxia, but also the first one in history.
Du Qingtang thought that at least the news of victory had to reach Xiajing, or even the 2.43 million taels of tax silver had to be delivered, before Emperor Qingyuan would give any reward.
Judging from the time it took for the urgent report to be sent to Xiajing and for Yan Tiande to travel to Shaoqing Prefecture, Emperor Qingyuan should have only known that the plague was over, but not that the war was over.
Could it be that it was because of the list of spies planted by Da Qi in Da Xia that Emperor Qingyuan decided to confer the title of Wen'an Earl on her?
Or is it the accumulation of multiple merits?
The heart of an emperor is hard to predict, and the heart of Emperor Qingyuan is even harder to predict.
Du Qingtang couldn't figure out the exact reason, so he just gave up and focused on enjoying the joy of being conferred the title of Earl.
Yan Tiande stared at Du Qingtang, then withdrew his gaze before anyone noticed what was going on. He said solemnly, "The imperial edict has been read. My Lords, please stand up."
"Thank you, sir."
Du Qingtang stood up first, followed by Zhou Tongzhi and others.
Yan Tiande said in a deep voice, "Years ago, Lord Du's urgent petition was sent to the capital. His Majesty was furious when he learned that Lord Du's request for assistance was rejected. Fortunately, Lord Du was both wise and brave and successfully repelled the Qi army. Otherwise, Cai Sheng and others would have become criminals of Daxia and would have been infamous for eternity."
"I came to Northwest Province to read the imperial edict and to punish Cai Sheng and others. Now that the guilty officials have been beheaded, I have given an explanation to Lord Du and the people of Shaoqing Prefecture."
Du Qingtang held the imperial edict in his hands and bowed gracefully under the gaze of the crowd: "This humble official would like to thank you on behalf of the people."
Turning her head inadvertently, Du Qingtang noticed that Yan Tiande was looking at her with a look of scrutiny. She thought to herself, "Your Excellency has come a long way and must be exhausted from the journey. Why don't you rest for a while in the government office? I will host a banquet at Xiankelai to welcome you."
"No need." Yan Tiande felt his tone was a little stiff, so he softened it a little. "In addition to the imperial edict conferring the title of Earl of Wen'an on Lord Du, there is also an imperial edict from your sister, the Lord of Deyang Township. I wonder where the Lord of Deyang Township is now?"
Du Qingtang paused and answered truthfully, "My sister went to Heyang County for a free clinic this morning and she probably won't be back until the evening."
Du Qingju was kind and generous. When he was seeing patients at Xinglin Hall, he often waived the consultation fees for poor people.
She knew that many people in the world suffered from illness because they had no money to see a doctor. Since Liang Chuxia was able to work on her own last year, she went to various places in Shaoqing Prefecture under the protection of Du Jiu and Du Shi to provide free medical treatment to the people.
Last October, Du Qingju went to Qingyang County, but was delayed for two months due to plague and war. She was not able to resume her free medical consultation until the first month of the lunar year.
Yan Tiande readily agreed and said, "Well, as the sister of the Lord of Deyang Township, Wen Anbo can accept the imperial decree on my behalf."
Du Qingtang pursed his lips and knelt down again to receive the order.
Now she was sure that Yan Tiande had something against her.
Not knowing what he was thinking about, Du Qingtang lowered his eyebrows and eyes, his gaze flickering slightly.
The imperial guards presented the imperial edict, which Yan Tiande slowly opened and read aloud: "By the providence of Heaven, the Emperor decrees that the Deyang Township Lady has contributed medicine and saved the people. This is deeply gratifying to me. I hereby establish a Women's Medical Department within the Imperial Hospital and appoint the Deyang Township Lady as the sixth-rank deputy director of the department. She will be in charge of the Women's Medical Department and will recruit female doctors from all over the country to serve the court. I also grant her one hundred taels of gold as a reward. This is my decree!"
Du Qingtang took the imperial edict and said, "I thank you for your grace."
After Du Qingtang stood up, Yan Tiande reminded her, "Please ask the head of Deyang Township to leave for Beijing as soon as possible and take charge of all matters related to the Female Medical Bureau."
Du Qingtang responded respectfully.
Yan Tiande stood with his hands behind his back and said calmly, "I'm a little tired. I want to go back to the inn to rest first."
Du Qingtang said, "Please allow me to take the imperial edict back to the inner house, and then I will personally escort you to the post station."
Yan Tiande already had something to say to Du Qingtang, so he readily agreed when he heard it.
The group entered the government office. Yan Tiande went to Binxing Pavilion to sit for a while, while Du Qingtang went straight to the third hall.
Zhou Tongzhi suppressed his excitement and served tea to the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet: "Please enjoy your meal, sir."
Yan Tiande held the teacup, skimmed off the foam with the lid, and asked casually, "This official has just arrived in Shaoqing Prefecture. I wonder if you could tell me what Wen Anbo has done in the past three years?"
After more than two years of domestication and training, Zhou Tongzhi has evolved into a qualified Du Chui. Upon hearing this, he cleared his throat and started talking freely.
From suppressing bandits to recruiting refugees, redressing unjust cases, reclaiming wasteland to build factories, opening schools, restarting the imperial examination system, punishing local tyrants, promoting high-yield crops, and leading the military and civilians to defend the city and repel the enemy.
"......To be honest with you, sir, I have been in office for more than 20 years. Your Excellency the Prefect is a rare honest official and a rare capable minister in the world." Zhou Tongzhi concluded in a shocking voice.
Even though he felt that some of Du Qingtang's actions in Shaoqing Prefecture were tantamount to seeking his own death, and was annoyed, Yan Tiande had to admit that what Zhou Tongzhi said was true.
Yan Tiande looked at the warm sunlight outside the house and let out a sigh.
Du Qingtang quickly returned: "Sir, let's go."
Yan Tiande put down the teacup, left the government office, and rode to the post station under the leadership of Du Qingtang.
After entering the inn, the imperial guards dispersed, leaving only Du Qingtang and Yan Tiande in the huge main hall.
Yan Tiande sat down at the main seat, slapped the armrest, and shouted sternly: "Du Qingtang, do you know your mistake?"
Du Qingtang stood below, his expression showing just the right amount of confusion: "This humble official is stupid, I don't know what I did wrong."
Yan Tiande, with his piercing eyes, couldn't help but see that Du Qingtang was playing dumb. He laughed in anger, "Du Qingtang, you're so bold! Are you relying on the fact that the emperor is far away and thinks no one knows what idiotic things you've done in Shaoqing Prefecture?"
"What nonsense?" Du Qingtang suppressed his doubts and said calmly, "Sir, are you talking about opening a women's class? Or hiring female teachers? Or forming a women's barracks?"
Female barracks?!
Yan Tiande's vision went dark, and he nearly fell to the ground. He leaned on the armrest and said in a trembling voice: "You...you dare to recruit female soldiers?"
Du Qingtang proudly introduced to him: "Currently, Shaoqing Prefecture has 6,000 female soldiers. They are all brave and good at fighting."
"Du Qingtang!" Yan Tiande's head was buzzing, and he slammed the armrest angrily. "Do you know what you are doing? Do you know how difficult it is for you to reach your current position? Do you know that if certain people in Xiajing find out, everything you did in Shaoqing Prefecture will become evidence that will push you to the guillotine?"
He asked three questions at the top of his lungs, all expressing his frustration at the failure of his students.
"I know." Du Qingtang looked Yan Tiande in the eye. "I know what I'm doing. No one knows better than me how difficult it has been to get to where I am today. I also know that my actions will be condemned by thousands of people, and even put my life in danger."
"Then why do you still do it when you know it's impossible?"
"But so what?"
Two voices sounded almost simultaneously, the former concealing anger, while the latter was calm and revealed an inorganic indifference.
Yan Tiande was stunned on the spot.
Du Qingtang's eyes moved and looked towards the orchid painting on the east side.
"I just can't accept it. Why should I, after studying for ten years and taking the imperial examinations, have to face a much harder path to officialdom than men who are far inferior to me, just because I'm a woman?"
"No, if I hadn't been disguised as a man since I was young, I wouldn't even be qualified to take the imperial examination. After my identity was exposed, I would be imprisoned and my life would be in danger."
Yan Tiande said as a matter of course: "The crime of deceiving the emperor should be punished with the punishment of all nine generations of the clan."
Du Qingtang sneered, full of sarcasm: "We are all human beings, born from the same mother's womb. Why should women be inferior to others?"
"Women have been indoctrinated into the idea that their husbands are their gods, and they are constantly reminded of the Three Obediences and Four Virtues, the rules and regulations for women, and etiquette. They live without dignity or self-identity."
"But you men can do whatever you want. You can study, take the imperial examinations, serve as officials in the court, and even have three wives and four concubines."
"It's not fair! It's so unfair! It's so unfair!"
The resentment and disgust in Du Qingtang's words almost solidified into reality. Although this strong emotion was fleeting and quickly returned to calm, Yan Tiande still caught it.
He opened his mouth and found that he couldn't refute.
Because this is the way the world is.
Every word Du Qingtang said was an indisputable fact.
Yan Tiande blushed and said dryly, "The world is inherently unfair. You should accept reality. His Majesty has already made an exception and allowed you to serve as an official in the court as a woman. What else are you dissatisfied with? Why are you stirring up trouble?"
"The world is ever-changing. If it's unfair now, I'll try to make it fair."
"As the Analects says, 'What we worry about is not having enough, but having unequal distribution.' Everything in the world should be distributed fairly. Why should you men take all the benefits?"
Yan Tiande glared: "You are just making up stories!"
What’s more, “we are worried about scarcity and inequality” is not what she meant!
Du Qingtang retorted, "I was just telling the truth, and yet you became so angry and spoke harshly to me. Women have endured injustice for millennia, oppressed by the mountain of feudal ethics, unable to resist and suffering endlessly."
"Sir, I know you are an upright and honest official. I also know that if it weren't for your strong recommendation, I would not have caught the eye of His Majesty and earned his appreciation. I have always been grateful to you and regard you as my mentor."
"But sir, you must admit that discrimination and oppression against women are everywhere in this world."
"I myself am a typical example in the officialdom. They insult me, curse me, and wish I would die in Shaoqing Prefecture, and wish Zizhan would die at sea."
"The court will continue to be dominated by men, and those women who look up to me and Zizhan as role models will be forced to retreat to the inner chambers, like caged birds, to be amused when they are remembered, and discarded like worn-out shoes when they lose interest."
"My sister has studied medicine for many years and possesses exceptional skills, yet her colleagues and patients have always looked down upon her. Even after she developed the Tianju Drink and the plague remedy, some in the court still felt she was unworthy of the title of Deyang Township Master, let alone a position within the Imperial Hospital."
Thinking back to that morning court session when His Majesty proposed to appoint the Lord of Deyang Township as the Vice-Chancellor, and an imperial censor immediately stood up to obstruct it, Yan Tiande looked a little unnatural.
Yan Tiande subconsciously wanted to say that he had not, and that he had never discriminated against or suppressed women. The words were already on the tip of his tongue when he realized that he had been easily led astray by Du Qingtang, and he couldn't help feeling ashamed and annoyed.
"I'm asking you why you're doing such a ridiculous thing in Shaoqing Prefecture. Don't try to avoid the topic!"
"It's fine if you're going crazy by yourself, but you're dragging a woman from the mansion with you. It's totally unreasonable and ridiculous!"
"Do you know the consequences of doing this? Can you afford the consequences?"
"Fortunately, it was me who came to Shaoqing Prefecture to deliver the imperial edict today. If anyone else had seen this, they would have already sent an urgent memorial to the Emperor, severely accusing him of you!"
Du Qingtang didn't answer but asked, "How do you know that the women in Shaoqing Mansion aren't acting according to their hearts? If they can get what they've always dreamed of, what's wrong with going crazy?"
Du Qingtang's lips curled up, and a fierce edge appeared on his usually indifferent face.
Yan Tiande saw this and was shocked.
He suddenly realized that his understanding all along was wrong.
Du Qingtang's so-called original intention was probably not to be loyal to the country and never disobey the emperor.
From the very beginning, Du Qingtang's goal was very clear, which was to allow women to walk upright in the court as a woman, and at the same time allow women to be equal to men and enjoy equal rights.
Yan Tiande: “…”
Under the huge blow, an unbelievable thought came to my mind.
Yan Tiande raised his hand to cover his eyes, his voice trembling, "When your mother beat the Dengwen drum, was it an accident or was it intentional?"
Is it Du Yuanshi’s own decision, or is it a step in your plan?
Du Qingtang said nothing, just smiled slightly.
Yan Tiande: “…”
Yes, if Du Yuanshi’s beating of the drum to file a complaint to the emperor was unexpected, how could Du Qingtang have invented gunpowder and muskets just on the eve of his identity being exposed?
Everything is too coincidental, so coincidental that it is shocking!
Du Qingtang seemed to think the blow he had suffered was not severe enough, and maliciously added fuel to the fire: "Your Majesty also knows this, but Your Majesty is kind and generous, and has forgiven my deception and exploitation."
Yan Tiande: “…”
I'm afraid I have to forgive you because I'm concerned about the gunpowder and musket in your hands?
"Do you know about the Qiong Ying English Society? From the beginning, I was the one who proposed to my sisters to establish the Qiong Ying English Society. Later, it gradually expanded its scale and spread throughout Daxia. Now there are 379 of them."
Yan Tiande: “…”
He knew that the Qiong English Society only accepted women, and members could read and learn to read without having to pay a penny in tuition.
Because his granddaughter was interested in joining, Yan Tiande specially investigated the Qiong Ying Literature Society and found that the Qiong Ying Literature Society was first established in Qingyuan County, Baoding Prefecture, and it has been nearly ten years since then.
At that time, he was surprised that the Qiong English Society was actually in Mr. Du’s hometown. What a coincidence.
Who would have thought that the Qiong Ying English Society was actually the work of Du Qingtang.
Yan Tiande's beard trembled as he spoke with difficulty: "You...don't try to change the subject!"
"Please forgive me, sir. Let's get back to Shaoqing Prefecture." Du Qingtang said confidently, "Shaoqing Prefecture is an autonomous prefecture. As its highest administrator, I am fully qualified to transform it into the Garden of Eden I envision."
Yan Tiande didn't know what "Garden of Eden" meant, but based on the meaning of the word, he could roughly infer that it meant the same thing as Utopia.
"At the same time, Your Excellency can consider Shaoqing Prefecture as a testing ground. I believe that in time, I will be able to spread the Garden of Eden throughout the country."
Yan Tiande stared at Du Qingtang deeply, his tone unclear: "Wen Anbo really makes me look at him with new eyes."
Du Qingtang said modestly, "Your Excellency is too kind."
Yan Tiande: “…”
"I know that as a man, it's difficult for you to empathize with a woman." Du Qingtang locked his gaze on Yan Tiande's face, not missing a single change in his expression. "But I beg you to pretend you didn't see anything."
Yan Tiande frowned. "You're even hiding this from His Majesty? Have you forgotten the consequences of deceiving the emperor?"
Du Qingtang asked in return: "Do you think His Majesty is unaware of this?"
Yan Tiande was stunned for a moment, then smiled bitterly.
Yes, how could Your Majesty not know about this?
Du Qingtang was armed with firearms and was far away in the northwest. Given His Majesty's desire for control, how could he allow Du Qingtang to escape his control?
Yan Tiande sat there for a long time.
During this time, Du Qingtang stood in the main hall without saying a word.
"You..." Yan Tiande raised his hand and rubbed his brow, "Please let me think about it."
Du Qingtang bowed solemnly.
-
When Du Qingtang left the posthouse, the news had spread that the prefect had been conferred the title of Wen'an Earl and that the Lord of Deyang was about to go to Xiajing to take up a position in the Imperial Hospital.
Along the way, many people bowed to Du Qingtang and congratulated him.
"Congratulations, sir!"
"Now it's time to call me uncle."
Du Qingtang smiled and said, "Here, I am just the prefect of Shaoqing Prefecture."
The people were so moved that their eyes were filled with tears and their voices were choked with sobs.
"Okay, then we'll still call you Sir from now on."
"You are truly remarkable, my lord. You have become an uncle at such a young age, and you have brought honor to us."
Du Qingtang was in a good mood, and the slight curve of his lips remained until he returned to the government office.
When I met my colleagues, I congratulated them again.
Just at this moment, the gong sounded for the end of the shift, and the officials tactfully said goodbye so as not to disturb the prefect and the two young ladies who were celebrating at home behind closed doors.
When Du Qingtang returned to the third hall, Youyou was playing with a ball of wool in the yard, flapping its little paws quickly.
Hearing the familiar footsteps, Little Lihua instantly pricked up his ears, the tips of his ears twitched, and then he turned his head to look over -
“Meow meow meow!”
It meowed fiercely, then greased its paws and disappeared in a flash.
Du Qingtang: “…”
Last year, the Qi army was at the gates of the city. Du Qingtang was busy fighting the enemy, and Du Qingzhu and Du Qingju also had their own things to do and had no time to take care of Youyou, so they sent her to a charity.
There are many young girls in the charity hall. They don't need support from the rear and are the perfect people to take care of little Lihua.
But after the war subsided, Du Qingtang was busy with official business at the government office, and Zhu Ju and others had their own business, so they forgot about Youyou until the second day of the first lunar month.
The little tabby cat is very vengeful and has not been in a good mood towards its three owners until now. Every time it sees them, it will meow and curse them dirty.
Du Qingtang knew he was in the wrong, so he let her make a fuss and went back to his room to change into casual clothes. When he came out again, he saw Du Qingzhu and Du Qingju walking into the inner house gate side by side.
Du Qingju walked hurriedly, her face full of anxiety and she looked impatient.
Du Qingtang reminded: "In your room."
Du Qingju didn't even have time to put down the medicine box. She turned around and rushed into the west wing like a gust of wind.
She came out quickly, holding a bright yellow imperial edict in her hand. Her eyes moved back and forth, as if she had read the short three lines of text over and over again.
After a long while, Du Qingju raised her head, her voice hoarse and tearful: "This is true, isn't it?"
Du Qingtang and Du Qingzhu looked at each other and said in unison, "It's true."
Du Qingju blinked, and the next moment, tears fell like beads from a broken string, instantly wetting her face.
"I really went to the Imperial Hospital!"
"He's still the vice-president!"
"Female Medical Bureau...female doctors finally have a place!"
"Seventh sister, Xianyu, I am so happy. I have never been so happy in my life."
"Wow... I don't want to cry, but... wow... I just feel that getting to this point today, getting His Majesty's permission to enter the Imperial Hospital, was truly a struggle. I'm lucky I persevered."
Du Qingju hugged the imperial edict tightly and cried inconsolably under the brilliant sunset glow.
Du Qingtang and Du Qingzhu stood in the yard, and no one spoke to interrupt her.
Du Qingju vented her anger fiercely, her eyes red and her cheeks flushed. She rubbed her eyes a little embarrassedly and whispered, "It feels so good to have my dream come true. I can die without regrets."
Du Qingzhu's face changed drastically: "Pah! Pah! What do you mean by dying without regrets? We want to live a long life!"
Du Qingju rubbed her hands and begged for mercy, then talked about business: "Seventh sister, Xianyu, time is running out, I have to go to Xiajing to take up my post as soon as possible."
Du Qingtang said considerately: "It's okay, we can be together again in a few months."
"Originally I wasn't sure whether to go to Xiajing or return to Baoding Prefecture, but now I've decided. I'll go to Xiajing with Xianyu to find you." Du Qingzhu held his chin, "But Xiaoba, have you figured out how to settle Xinglintang and Chuxia?"
Du Qingju pondered for a moment: "I have to ask Chuxia's opinion first, as for Xinglin T Hall..."
Du Qingtang suggested to her, "Why not let the government buy it? I will then arrange for military doctors to provide free medical treatment to the people at Xinglin Hall every ten days?"
Du Qingzhu clapped his hands: "That's a good idea!"
Du Qingju hummed softly, "Then it's settled. Chuxia and I will clean up the clinic tomorrow, and I'll leave the day after tomorrow. You can send someone to take over then."
Du Qingtang nodded in agreement.
The next day, Du Qingju went to Xinglin Hall early in the morning.
After entering the door, Liang Chuxia smiled and congratulated: "Congratulations, Master, you finally got what you wanted."
Du Qingju smiled brightly, raised her hand to stroke the little apprentice's hair, and whispered softly: "Chuxia, I plan to take you to Xiajing."
Liang Chuxia was overjoyed and excitedly hugged her master, cheek to cheek, rubbing against him like a spoiled child. "Master, you're so kind to me. But even if you didn't tell me, I'd still shamelessly go to Xiajing with you. I'd also like you to take us in... Don't worry, my mother and I will take care of all the housework. You won't have to worry about anything."
Du Qingju did not refuse, if this would make them feel at ease: "But your mother..."
Liang Chuxia said seriously, "My mother came to see me during the Chinese New Year. She said she was planning to find a time to ask for a divorce from my father."
Du Qingju's smile deepened: "What are you waiting for? Hurry up and go to the Liang family to pick up your mother and sign the divorce agreement as soon as possible."
Liang Chuxia nodded and went to Liang's house during the lunch break.
It was dinner time and the Liang family was having dinner.
To be more precise, it was Doctor Liang, Liang's father, and Liang Chuxia's two brothers. Liang's mother was a woman and had no right to sit at the table for dinner in the Liang family.
Liang Chuxia entered the house and directly stated her purpose.
Father Liang slammed the table and stood up, angrily scolding: "You evil creature, don't think that I can't do anything to you just because you are close to Wen Anbo and Deyang Township Lord. I am your father, no one would dare to say anything even if I beat you to death."
Liang Chuxia said expressionlessly: "Oh, I will complain."
Liang's father: "...Liang Chuxia!"
Liang Chuxia added, "Isn't the family clinic's business getting worse day by day? If you don't want the clinic to close down, let my mother leave with me."
"Dayong."
Doctor Liang suddenly spoke, and Liang's father snorted and sat back with a stern face.
Doctor Liang looked at Liang Chuxia, a kind expression on his face that she had never seen before: "Why don't you ask your mother first if she is willing to divorce your father and go to Xiajing with you?"
His daughter-in-law was weak in character. The only time she exploded was because Liang's father disliked Liang Chuxia because she was a girl and wanted to throw her away.
To put it bluntly, Liang's mother is a weakling and a coward. How could she dare to divorce her own man without fear of being criticized?
As long as they can control Liang's mother, they won't have to worry about having a bad life in the future.
Liang Chuxia went to the kitchen and called Liang's mother over. In front of everyone, she asked, "Mom, do you want to go with me, or stay at the Liang family?"
The Liang family is full of confidence that Liang's mother will definitely choose them.
No matter how capable Liang Chuxia is, she is still a girl after all. She cannot take care of Liang's mother in her old age and see her to the end of her life, let alone smash the pot for her.
Mother Liang smoothed her hair down, a look of determination flashing across her face, which bore a 60% resemblance to Liang Chuxia. Her tone was gentle but firm: "I choose Chuxia. I want to leave with her."
The Liang family was stunned.
Liang's father was furious and raised his hand to slap her: "You stinky woman, if you say that again..."
Seeing that the palm leaf fan was about to fall on Liang's mother's face, Liang Chuxia dodged and stood in front of her mother: "Dad, I am no longer the Liang Chuxia who allowed you to beat and scold me before. If you dare to speak rudely to me and my mother again, I will complain to Master and Uncle!"
The Liang family's expressions changed instantly.
Doctor Liang was still unwilling to give in: "Chunjuan, have you really decided?"
Mother Liang nodded without hesitation. Her voice was gentle, but it infuriated the Liang family. "Your grandfather is disrespectful, your father is mean and heartless, and your brothers are two ungrateful wolves. I might as well have had a dog instead of you. At least a dog can guard the house. What about you? You can't do anything but bully my Chu Xia."
She endured for so many years, firstly because her family was gone, and secondly for Chuxia.
Now that Chuxia has jumped out of this fire pit, there is no need for her to stay here anymore.
With the support of her master and uncle, Liang's mother quickly divorced Liang's father, and the government also stamped the divorce agreement.
From then on, we parted ways and had no further contact.
......
Du Qingju and Liang Chuxia spent a day cleaning up the clinic, but left all the medicinal herbs behind to save the military doctor from wasting time preparing them later.
That night, Du Qingzhu prepared a sumptuous dinner, with Du Qingtang and Du Qingju helping him.
Perhaps realizing that the second poop scooper was about to leave, Youyou unilaterally decided to forgive her and condescended to lie down at Du Qingju's feet during the meal.
Du Qingju was flattered. She quickly picked up the little raccoon and held him in her arms, sucking him again and again. She smiled with satisfaction and said, "Youyou, listen to your seventh and ninth sisters for the next few months while your eighth sister is away. Be a good boy, okay?"
Du Qingzhu clamped her throat: "Okay~"
Du Qingtang couldn't help laughing, and Du Qingju also burst out laughing.
The sadness on the eve of departure disappeared completely.
"Come on, stop talking and eat your food. Try the new dish I just invented yesterday."
"This is the wine I bought from the market. Try it."
"tasty."
"Sweet, a little bit sour."
The three sisters ate, drank, talked and laughed until midnight when they dispersed.
The next day, Du Qingju and Liang Chuxia boarded a carriage to Xiajing, accompanied by Du Jiu and Du Shi.
Du Qingtang was worried and hired a team of bodyguards.
"Be careful on the road and stay safe."
"Remember to write to us when you get to Xiajing."
Du Qingju waved to her sisters, tears welling in her eyes, and said softly, "I will. You should also take care of yourselves and remember to write back."
The carriage slowly drove out, and Du Qingju looked at the rising sun in front of her with a bright smile.
Now, she is heading for her bright future.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
