Chapter 152: Women as Kings
As soon as Emperor Qingyuan gave his order, the Golden Palace fell into complete silence.
All the officials were stunned and thought they had heard it wrong.
"Du Qingtang? Minister of Works?"
"Du Qingtang is only in his early twenties, full of youthful energy and insufficient experience. How can he be qualified for the position of Minister of Works?"
"There are countless capable and experienced people in this court. Why did Your Majesty insist on making her the Minister of Works?"
Cao Yuan also didn't expect that Xia Ming had always been very stingy with the promotion of officials. It was common for officials above the fifth rank to sit in one position for more than ten years. This was the case with the former Minister of Works Han Zhijie, who hadn't moved from his position for 24 years. He was so unprincipled and had no bottom line when facing Du Qingtang!
He thought that the third-rank assistant minister was his limit, but unexpectedly, on the first day of his appointment to the third rank, Xia Ming promoted Du Qingtang to the second-rank minister.
This is a second-rank minister!
A second-rank minister in charge of a department with great power!
It is not a low-ranking and idle position that can be obtained through recommendation or buying an official position.
Cao Yuan thought again, if Du Qingtang had not interfered and cut off his wings, the Grand Secretary of Wenhua Palace would still be Liang Wangjin, and he would still have two helpers in the cabinet. Now he only has the Grand Secretary of Dongke left, and his heart is filled with hatred.
Now he has completely given up the idea of winning over Du Qingtang.
He and Du Qingtang will fight to the death!
Cao Yuan glanced at one of Cao's followers, who understood and, after a moment's hesitation, stepped forward and said, "Minister Du has only been in office for five years. He is young and inexperienced, and I'm afraid he's not capable of leading the Ministry of Works. Your Majesty, please reconsider!"
The other officials were eager to speak out in support, but finally gave up the idea.
The first rafters to stick out will rot first, so let Lord Zhao charge in the front and they can just watch from the sidelines.
If Your Majesty revokes your order, everyone will be happy.
If not, there is no loss to them.
Minister Qi couldn't bear to hear this. Before Emperor Qingyuan could speak, he spoke out, "Lord Zhao is mistaken. Although Minister Du has only been in office for five years, it's well known that under her governance, Shaoqing Prefecture has enjoyed abundant harvests and has become the most tax-paying pearl of the northwest. This year's top scholar is also from Shaoqing Prefecture. Not to mention, Minister Du once led the Shaoqing Prefecture's military and civilians to repel the Qi bandits, achieving a miracle of defeating a larger force with a smaller one."
"By the way, Minister Du also invented firearms, compasses, telescopes, and many other things that strengthen the army and benefit the people." Minister Qi's eyes were sharp and he spoke eloquently. "In my opinion, no one is more suitable to take over the position of Minister of Works than Minister Du."
Shi Zishan agreed: "Minister Du already works in the Ministry of Works and is very ingenious. He is indeed the best candidate for the Minister of Works."
He has no personal relationship with Du Qingtang, and this is his sincere words after weighing the pros and cons.
Lord Zhao was refuted successively by two important officials of the court. Both sides had good reasons and evidence, which made his face turn pale and blue and he was speechless.
Cao Yuan saw this and felt a pang in his heart.
In the past few years, Xia Ming has eliminated many of his capable generals, and most of those who remain are just showpieces who look good but are useless.
This Zhao Liangji was a complete idiot. Qi Jiang and Shi Zishan's few words had already made him lose his composure. He groaned for a long time and couldn't utter a single word.
Cao Yuan closed his eyes, a feeling of disappointment and powerlessness sweeping over his body.
Emperor Qingyuan sat on a high seat, taking in the changing expressions of all the officials, twirling his beard with considerable satisfaction. He was very satisfied with today's drama, so he didn't mind rewarding Du Aiqing with a little treat.
Emperor Qingyuan knew very well that power and status were exactly what Du Aiqing had been pursuing all his life.
Then he would put her in a high position with great power.
Only in this way can we stabilize the political situation and assist Zhaoyang in creating a prosperous era.
It’s just a mutually beneficial transaction, Emperor Qingyuan thought indifferently.
Du Aiqing is the sword he carefully selected for Zhaoyang. It is sharp and can break through any obstacle.
If Du Aiqing cannot accept this immense wealth, or develops inappropriate thoughts, then he can only discard this knife and choose someone else.
"I have made up my mind. There is no need to mention this matter again."
The officials could not ignore the firmness in Emperor Qingyuan's tone. Knowing that the matter was a foregone conclusion, a variety of emotions flashed through their hearts, and they responded in unison: "Yes, Your Majesty is wise."
Beside the dragon throne, Fu Rui flicked his whisk with a look of unsatisfied satisfaction. This scene today was truly interesting, and it made him extremely happy. "If you have something to say, please report it. If not, please dismiss the court—"
Immediately, an official stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty..."
Another half hour passed and the morning court finally came to an end.
Because of the previous farce, including impeachment and investigation, the morning court session, which was supposed to end in one hour, was delayed for more than an hour.
"Withdraw from the court——"
Emperor Qingyuan boarded the dragon sedan chair and rode away.
All the officials beat their waists and legs and cried out in pain.
"My old arms and legs have suffered greatly."
"And my old waist... Ouch, it crackles every time I turn it. It sounds creepy."
"Let's go, hurry up and get on duty."
Because of the mischief of Liang Wangjin and his son, the morning court session was delayed for an hour, and the next shift will probably be postponed.
Ma Yuncheng, the right assistant minister of the Ministry of Works, looked at Du Qingtang and felt sour in his heart as if he had fallen into a vinegar jar.
He was promoted from the fourth rank to the third rank just yesterday, and today he was promoted from the third rank to the second rank. Among the tens of millions of officials in the world, only Lord Du is so lucky.
But no matter how jealous he is, Minister Ma is not the kind of fool who can't hide his thoughts and speaks without thinking.
This person will be the head of the Ministry of Industry from now on, and we cannot afford to offend him easily.
Besides, with Lord Du's promotion, there is a vacancy for the Left Vice Minister in the Ministry of Works. Maybe he can be promoted?
Minister Ma, holding onto a glimmer of hope, smiled and bowed, "Congratulations, sir, on your promotion."
Upon hearing this, the surrounding officials also came forward to congratulate him.
Many of these people had previously spoken harshly to Du Qingtang and made unwarranted accusations. Now that Du Qingtang was promoted to the Minister of Works, they quickly slid to their knees and spoke in a fawning manner, showing how adaptable they were.
Du Qingtang remained neither humble nor overbearing, neither arrogant nor impatient, and responded calmly, as if the previous difficulties had never happened, which made people surprised and sigh.
After she left, an old man with white hair and beard took out a handkerchief to wipe his sweat and let out a long sigh: "This woman does not show her emotions on her face. She can take things as they come. She is a real person."
It also means that she is as slippery as a loach, making it difficult to get hold of her.
"So that's it from now on?"
"What's this like?"
"...You know it clearly in your heart, so why pretend to be deaf and dumb?"
Several officials choked and their old faces turned red.
"Even Liang Wangjin, a First-rank Grand Secretary, couldn't do anything to her, so what can we, the little soldiers and generals, do to her?"
"From this, it can be seen that this woman is extremely vindictive. Just because Liang Qi offended her, she had people collect evidence of the Liang family's crimes."
"I'm sure that even if Liang Wangjin doesn't impeach her, she will take the initiative and expose all the Liang family's dirty deeds."
"Only she could use such sinister means to eliminate dissidents."
"In fact, I think that what she did today is most likely aimed at the position of Minister of Works."
As soon as these words were spoken, the discussion among the crowd paused for a moment.
"Impossible? She can't predict the future."
"Master Qian, you're worrying too much. Although she has considerable abilities, she's still only a mortal. How can she predict the future? Not to mention the emperor's unpredictable mind. Even we can't fathom His Majesty's intentions, let alone her."
In fact, it was just as Lord Qian said, Du Qingtang was aiming for the position of Shangshu.
Yesterday afternoon, Du San sent evidence of the Liang family's crimes, and Du Qingtang was secretly planning how to remove Liang Wangjin from his position as the Grand Secretary of Wenhua Palace.
It is true that there is no vacancy for the second-rank official position, but it is not a big problem. If there is no vacancy, one can create one.
Du Qingtang brought out all the second-rank officials in the court and found that the Minister of Works had the longest seniority among them.
Du Qingtang was the Left Vice Minister, second only to the Shangshu, and had many merits. Emperor Qingyuan also intended to promote her. Meanwhile, Liang Wangjin was convicted and imprisoned, and Han Zhijie took over. Her promotion was an expected result.
The July morning light was shining brightly on my face. It was not as scorching as at noon, but rather warm and comfortable.
Du Qingtang was in a good mood and planned to hand over affairs to Han Daxueshi first and take over the Ministry of Works as soon as possible.
Every day of hers is precious, and there are many things waiting for her to do, which cannot be wasted.
"Master Du is quite capable. He displayed his prowess at the morning court today. It really opened my eyes!"
A cold voice suddenly rang out. Du Qingtang looked in the direction of the voice and his good mood disappeared in an instant.
Du Qingtang showed no emotion on his face. He stopped and bowed, "Your humble servant greets His Highness the Fifth Prince and His Excellency the Prime Minister."
Cao Yuan looked at Du Qingtang, his heart filled with rage, wishing he could strangle this woman who had repeatedly opposed him.
Just as he was about to give a lecture, relying on his position as the head of the civil service, the Fifth Prince suddenly said, "Grandfather, didn't you say that the cabinet had urgent business to attend to? Please go ahead. I have a few words to say to Lord Du."
Cao Yuan turned his head, and the Fifth Prince looked at him calmly, smiling nonchalantly, looking like a reckless person.
Cao Yuan had another heart attack. Thinking that the other party was the only legitimate prince with Cao's blood flowing in his body, Xia Ming would no longer be as obedient as before. His plan of sending a young and fertile girl from the Cao family into the palace and giving the prince to Empress Cao to raise would not work, and he could not help feeling desolate.
He took a deep breath and turned away.
With the Cao family in decline, his grand plan might be hopeless in this lifetime.
The Fifth Prince stood with his hands behind his back, his smile harmless and warm. He stared deeply at Du Qingtang, a man-eating monster hidden in his eyes: "It's been many years since we last met. Lord Du seems to have become more beautiful."
Eyes like stars and moon, cold as ice.
It made the fakes in his house look like dirt under his feet.
"Your Highness, please be careful with your words." Du Qingtang said expressionlessly, "The Ministry of Works is busy, so I will take my leave first."
After saying this, he gave a perfunctory bow and left.
The fifth prince stood on the jade steps and watched the thin figure walk down the stairs.
A gust of wind blew, making the purple official robe rustle, and the corners of the robe were lifted up, the curve as sharp as a knife.
The fifth prince uttered a delighted sound and looked back towards the throne room.
The golden dragon throne is out of reach and can easily arouse the ambitions deep in one's heart.
Lord Du, I'm afraid you never thought that your attempt to divert the blame would cause me and my fourth brother to fall out, and even make my fourth brother die of anger.
Now he takes over everything that his fourth brother did during his lifetime.
The status of the legitimate son, the support of the Cao Party, and all the connections.
If you do something wrong, you will have to pay the price.
......
Du Qingtang returned to the Ministry of Works and immediately went to hand over the work to Han Daxueshi.
She was not a newcomer to the officialdom. After passing the initial novice period and with the guidance of Han Daxueshi, she quickly sorted out the complicated affairs of the Ministry of Works.
Han Daxueshi's usually serious face showed a hint of smile. He twirled his beard and said, "Your Majesty has entrusted you with an important task. I believe that with your ability, you can manage the Ministry of Works well."
He paused, then said earnestly, "Remember to guard against arrogance and impatience, and proceed steadily to achieve long-term success."
The greater the power, the more temptations you face.
Han Daxueshi had lived through two dynasties and been immersed in officialdom for more than forty years. He had seen many people die for their integrity, and he had also seen many people controlled by desires and trapped in their own webs.
Most women in the world have a hard time, especially the one in front of me.
She will face more hardships, setbacks and temptations than an ordinary woman. Whether to stick to her heart or let it go depends on one thought.
Putting aside the gender difference, Han Daxueshi sincerely hopes that this child, who is about the same age as his granddaughter, can walk more steadily and go further in his official career.
Du Qingtang bowed and said solemnly, "Thank you for your teachings, sir. I will keep them in mind and will never forget them."
"clang--"
The long gong sounded, and it was time to go off duty.
Han Daxueshi helped Du Qingtang up, patted her shoulder gently as an elder and senior, and smiled, a rare smile in a century. Finally, he encouraged her: "From now on, you will be the Minister of Works. Work hard and don't let down His Majesty's high hopes."
He knew that Du Qingtang was loyal to His Majesty and had no objection to this.
Your Majesty is no longer the constrained Majesty of yesterday, and he will not force everyone to be like he was back then, not participating in the party struggles and being a steadfast lone minister.
Moreover, given Du Qingtang's situation, if he had no one to protect him, he would have been eaten alive by those selfish people in the court.
Du Qingtang bowed again and promised respectfully, "I, your humble servant, will perform my duties diligently and conscientiously, and will never let down the high hopes of Your Majesty and the Lord."
Han Daxueshi walked out of the Ministry of Works and took a last look at the vermilion gate and the officials who were coming in one after another.
He has been here for twenty-four years, and there is no need to explain the deep feelings he has for the place.
Now that he has entered the cabinet, he personally hands over his old friend who has been with him for many years to another person.
May he, the child and all the officials of the Ministry of Industry have a promising future and a bright future.
-
After Han Daxueshi left, the officials of the Ministry of Works also left their posts and returned home one after another, but Du Qingtang did not leave and continued to look through recent documents and files.
The head of the Ministry of Works is a second-rank minister, and the deputy heads are left and right vice-ministers of the third rank, who assist the minister in handling various affairs of the ministry.
There are four departments under the Ministry of Works, namely the Department of Construction and Maintenance, the Department of Yuheng, the Department of Water Resources and the Department of Military Farms.
Each department has a fifth-rank doctor, under whom are several assistant doctors, principals, and craftsmen, with clear division of labor and each performing their duties.
In addition to the four departments, there are also departments such as the Manufacturing Warehouse, the Savings Warehouse and the Material Valuation Institute, which are not listed here one by one.
Generally speaking, there were dozens of officials above the seventh rank in the Ministry of Works, and countless craftsmen.
Although he had taken over and roughly straightened out all the affairs of the Ministry of Industry, the relevant departments and officials under the Ministry of Industry still needed a deeper understanding and had to be fully controlled as soon as possible.
Time passes by bit by bit, the golden crow sets in the west and the jade rabbit rises in the east.
Du Qingtang closed the doors and windows, lit a candle, and then sat under the lamp, continuing to work hard.
The flickering candlelight brings silence to the room.
......
On the other side, Du Qinglan finished the class, gave homework to the students, and said goodbye with the books.
He originally planned to go straight home, but halfway he remembered that he had left something at the Qiong Yingwen Society, so he asked the driver to change the route.
The Qiongying English Society in Xiajing is located in the south of the city. It is a five-courtyard house provided by the Changle County Lady, the granddaughter of Prince Wen.
Prince Wen was the uncle of Emperor Qingyuan. He was a leisurely prince who did not like to seize power and loved polo.
Emperor Qingyuan had a very good impression of this gentle uncle and was very kind to his descendants. Specifically, he granted his son the title of Prince Wen a hundred years later without being demoted, and he also made an exception to confer the title of Princess Changle on his granddaughter.
When Du Qinglan entered the room, the members headed by the Princess of Changle County had not left yet and were sitting in the yard to enjoy the cool air.
The servants of the Prince's Mansion had fumigated the yard with mugwort in advance, so mosquitoes dared not approach, and there was a faint fragrance lingering in the air.
At this time, palace lanterns were hanging high, and the women were arranging flowers, drinking tea, reciting poems and composing couplets. Their laughter was as cheerful and pleasant as silver bells, and just listening to it made people's lips curl up involuntarily.
Du Qinglan walked over with a smile, and the members saw her and greeted her warmly.
Princess Changle tilted her head, the tassel of the rabbit hairpin swaying gently in her bun, and her voice was soft, "Why are you here, Sister Lan? Sister Jun can't wait for you at this hour, I'm afraid she will cry secretly."
Du Qinglan took a lily from the body, caressed it with her fingertips, and said in a sentimental tone, "A few days ago, my younger sister went to Beijing. Sister Jun was very happy and left me and her father to accompany her aunt."
"Don't be sad, Sister Lan. Come and have a cup of nectar tea. We just made it. It's delicious." Princess Changle handed her a cup of tea with a smile and took a sip of the honey-infused tea herself, which was sweet to the heart. "Is your sister interested in joining the Qiong Ying English Society?"
Du Qinglan did not intend to tell anyone about her relationship with the youngest brother.
Gu Tai has gained many benefits by virtue of his identity as the youngest brother-in-law, and has been doing well in the Dali Temple. She must not be greedy and publicize the relationship between the sisters for the sake of attracting attention.
No matter how good the friendship is, it cannot withstand being overdrawn at will.
Du Qinglan calmed herself down and said calmly, "My sister is very busy with her work and probably has no time to join the club."
“What a pity.”
"I'd also like to meet Sister Lan's sisters. I wonder what kind of family could raise a beauty like Sister Lan."
Du Qinglan's face flushed slightly as she held the nectar tea in her hand and said angrily, "You're always so talkative. Aren't all of you here beautiful women like delicate flowers?"
The members were overjoyed, with smiles in their eyes and eyebrows.
The Princess of Changle County cordially invited: "We are having a poetry competition. Sister Lan, would you like to join us?"
Du Qinglan declined politely: "I just finished teaching Miss Liang and was about to go home when I suddenly remembered that I left something here, so I came here to get it."
"Miss Liang? Are you the daughter of the great philanthropist Liang from the south of the city?"
Du Qinglan nodded: "Exactly, she is a smart girl, lively and clever."
"I wonder how many students Sister Lan has now?"
Du Qinglan gestured: "Six."
The members couldn't help but be amazed.
"Sister Lan is truly amazing! I'm exhausted from teaching just two students. I wish I could split myself in half, with the left half going to the Zhang family and the right half to the Li family. This way, it'll only take two hours, and I can spend the rest of the time enjoying myself!"
Du Qinglan raised her eyebrows and jokingly said, "Then I have to break it into six petals?"
In fact, she also knew that compared with other members of the Qiong English Society, she had the most students.
Gu Tai is not one of those corrupt officials who embezzle bribes and enrich themselves. He only has a fixed salary every month.
She does have a shop in Qingyuan County, which makes stable profits every month, but as a parent, she always wants to give her children the best.
Jun Jie'er is seven years old this year. She has to earn more money to save up a good dowry for Jun Jie'er so that she won't be looked down upon when she goes to her husband's family.
In Xiajing, a female teacher's monthly salary is at least twenty taels. She can earn more than one hundred taels by teaching six students. In a year, she can save a lot of money!
The women were so amused by Du Qinglan's exaggerated tone that they laughed out loud. Before the laughter had died down, they heard the Princess of Changle County cry out softly.
"What's wrong?"
The Princess of Changle County blinked and said frankly, "It's just that I just heard Sister Lan talking about the Liang family, and suddenly I remembered something my eldest brother told me before we left this afternoon. It was about another Liang family."
This aroused the curiosity of the women and they asked questions one after another.
"What's going on?"
"Hurry up and tell me, don't keep me in suspense!"
The Princess of Changle County cleared her throat and said, "Everyone knows that my eldest brother is an official in the court and is qualified to attend the morning court."
"Yeah, we all know that."
The Princess of Changle fiddled with the jade bracelet on her wrist: "At court this morning, someone impeached Wen Anbo..."
"Mr. Wen Anbo?"
"Isn't that Master Du?"
Du Qinglan frowned.
The Princess of Changle nodded and said softly, "The Grand Secretary of Wenhua Palace impeached Wen Anbo for committing a crime in the street. Many officials followed suit and urged His Majesty to punish Wen Anbo severely. My eldest brother said that it caused a huge uproar. Guess what happened?"
"What's going on? Wen Anbo is so powerful, she will be fine, right?"
"Hey, if you keep keeping me in suspense, I'll tickle you!"
Du Qinglan's heart was in her throat. After careful consideration, she thought that the man that the youngest brother had taught a lesson was most likely the son of this university scholar.
The Grand Secretary is of the first rank, while the youngest is only of the third rank. He will probably suffer if he confronts him this time.
Thinking of this, Du Qinglan's heart was in a knot, her breathing became rapid and her heart was pounding like a drum. She wished she could immediately grow a pair of wings and fly to Du's house to find out what was going on.
But she finally held back and didn't rush to get anything. She lifted her skirt and sat down on the straw mat.
The youngest always reports good news but not bad news. Even if he is wronged, he will not tell his family. It is better for him to listen carefully here.
Knowing the result, I won’t be fooled by the youngest one.
The Princess of Changle County was extremely afraid of being tickled, so upon hearing this, she quickly begged for mercy and continued, "As a result, Earl Wen An turned around and impeached the Grand Secretary of Wenhua Palace and his youngest son... the infamous Liang Qi."
The term "famous" here is undoubtedly a derogatory term.
"I know Liang Qi, he's a well-known bully in Xiajing City."
"Last time he saw me, he whistled at me. It was disgusting. I went back and told my parents and brothers, and they were all furious. But Liang Qi has a father who is a university scholar, and my father is just a seventh-rank official. I can only swallow my anger."
"Well, there are too many dandies in the capital who rely on their family background to do evil things." The Princess of Changle County said casually, and then returned to the topic, "But this Liang Qi is a ruthless person who takes human life lightly."
"The Imperial Guards dug up four to five hundred corpses in a house west of the city. They were all killed by Liang Qi. My eldest brother said that one of them was several months pregnant. The methods used were so bloody and terrifying that it was horrifying."
The women exclaimed, all with disgust on their faces.
"Liang Qi is such a bastard. How could those dead be so innocent?"
"Has your majesty punished him severely?"
"My uncle, the emperor, hates evil with all his heart. He sentenced the Liang family father and son to be executed on the spot." The Princess of Changle County raised her chin proudly. "It can be said that Earl Wen An turned a disaster into a blessing. He was promoted from a third-rank assistant minister to a second-rank minister."
Du Qinglan breathed a sigh of relief and wiped away the tears of excitement from the corners of her eyes without leaving a trace.
Although it is worth being happy about the promotion, the best news is that the youngest child is safe and sound.
If the youngest one is criticized for this, or even demoted or fired, Xiaoba will probably feel guilty for the rest of his life.
The women gasped, their eyes filled with joy and admiration.
"Wen Anbo is a second-rank official at such a young age. I'm afraid he'll be able to enter the cabinet soon!"
"That's what a great woman should do!"
"If I can...if I can also...that's all. Not everyone has Wen Anbo's courage and insight, nor does everyone have Wen Anbo's talent and ability. It's a rare opportunity to become a female teacher and teach and educate people in this life. I should be content."
"Do you think... the imperial court will one day allow women to take the imperial examinations and become officials?"
The Princess of Changle County was silent for a while. She didn't use any white lies to coax people, but shook her head and said in a difficult tone, "I don't think it's likely."
"Why not? With the example of Wen Anbo, even if there are few women in the world as talented and brilliant as her, how many men in the court can surpass Wen Anbo? We women are not necessarily inferior to men. We just lack an opportunity to display our talents."
"To be disrespectful, if it weren't for Wen Anbo, how could we have successfully repelled the Qi bandits at Loushan Pass and recovered Princess Zhaoyang?"
"Hmph! Those stinky men would love to lock us up in our homes, never letting us go out until we die. How could they allow women to take the imperial examinations, let us stand in the court, and share the power that belongs to them?"
"Their minds are smaller than the tip of a needle, so small that they can't even accommodate a Qiong English Society. Every few days they write poems and essays criticizing us. They are so hypocritical and abominable!"
The women were filled with indignation, their eyes turning red as they spoke.
Princess Changle felt very uncomfortable, but she could do nothing about it.
She is a woman and comes from a royal family. She can have the honor of being a county lady today only because of her grandfather's love.
Therefore, even though she envied Wen Anbo's powerful position in the court, Princess Changle did not dare to run to her uncle the emperor and say that she also wanted to serve as an official in the court, let alone ask her uncle the emperor to allow women to take the imperial examinations.
If she angered her uncle, her grandfather would surely abandon her.
By then, fancy clothes and hordes of servants will be a thing of the past.
Without the status of a county lady and the favor of her grandfather, Xia Huali was nothing.
Princess Changle lowered her head. After all, she was still cowardly and selfish.
Du Qinglan was so attentive that she could see the uneasiness and guilt in Princess Changle's heart at a glance, and patted her arm gently.
The Princess of Changle County looked up and met her gentle eyes. The girl, who had not yet reached the age of marriage, pursed her lips and almost burst into tears. She twisted her fingers and choked with sobs, "I'm sorry, everyone. I could have gone to the Emperor's uncle to make a suggestion, but, but I didn't dare..."
The women were stunned, and then they didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
"There's nothing to be sorry about. This is the way the world is. We are as insignificant as ants. How can we shake up the moral principles and change the world?"
"Actually, I think it's pretty good now. My parents don't restrict me anymore. They let me study those rules and regulations for women all day long. I've made friends with you all and even have a few students. In my free time, I can just wander around and relax. I'm carefree and happy. It's just that I feel a little bit unwilling now and then."
"Although I have never met His Majesty, I know without a doubt that His Majesty is the true dragon emperor, with overwhelming power. Even the officials in the court would probably not dare to give you any advice, let alone a girl like you, Changle."
"Changle, there's no need to blame yourself. We are friends, sisters. How could I bear to let you take such a huge risk and make a statement before the emperor?"
"Although I long for a life as eventful as Wen Anbo's, we are all ordinary people. We can only go with the flow and take things as they come. If one day the court really allows women to take the imperial examinations, I would be willing to give it a try and trample those stinky men under my feet."
The Princess of Changle County was so moved that she sobbed and burst into tears: "You are so kind. I want to be your friends in my next life!"
The women were at a loss whether to laugh or cry, feeling both soft-hearted and sad.
After all, she is just a little girl who has not yet reached the age of marriage. Everyone present is older than her. How can we ask too much of her?
Du Qinglan coaxed the Changle County Lady, who was a generation younger than her, with just a few words, and left with the books left there.
Now that the dust has settled, it's time to have a good talk with the youngest.
......
Du Qingtang worked hard for an hour and a half and finally managed to put all the departments under the Ministry of Industry into order.
Guessing that the palace gate was about to be locked, Du Qingtang didn't have time to clean up the table and ran all the way to the palace gate.
No matter how hard he tried, he was still a step too late. He could only watch the palace gate in the distance slowly close with a "bang" sound.
Du Qingtang: “…”
After a brief silence, Du Qingtang decided to shamelessly negotiate with the imperial guards to reopen the palace gates and let her out.
——You can't spend the night in the palace. Once you are discovered by the patrolling imperial guards, you will most likely be arrested as an assassin and brought before the emperor.
If Emperor Qingyuan knew that she was arrested for this reason, this incident would probably become a reason for him to laugh at her for the next ten years.
Du Qingtang rubbed his eyebrows and just took a step forward when a soft yet steady female voice came from behind him.
"But Lord Du?"
Du Qingtang looked in the direction of the voice and saw the person coming in dressed in gorgeous clothes, with double buns on his hair. He walked with a graceful and leisurely gait, swaying his steps.
It’s Princess Zhaoyang.
Du Qingtang's heart moved slightly, and he bowed and saluted: "Your humble servant greets Your Highness."
Princess Zhaoyang walked forward slowly, raised her hand to support Du Qingtang's right arm, and said with a smile: "Master Du, please stand up quickly. It has been many years since we last met. I never thought we would meet again here. It is truly fate."
"Thank you, Your Highness." Du Qingtang glanced at Yuan Shuang behind Princess Zhaoyang. The latter smiled and nodded at her. "I didn't expect to meet Your Highness here."
"Master Du, have you just come out of the Ministry of Works?" Princess Zhaoyang's eyes flickered, landing on the tightly closed palace gate with a hint of mischief in her eyes. "What a coincidence! The palace gate is locked."
Du Qingtang: "...I was so busy with my official duties that I forgot the time. I tried my best but still couldn't catch up."
It is true that like father, like daughter. Her evil nature is exactly the same as Emperor Qingyuan's.
Princess Zhaoyang glanced at Yuanshuang, who understood and stepped forward to negotiate with the imperial guards.
"Unfortunately, I also forgot the time. I rushed all the way from Yufu Palace and saw Lord Du standing here."
Yufu Palace was the residence of Emperor Qingyuan before he ascended the throne.
Du Qingtang lowered his brows and eyes, "To be honest, Your Highness, I was planning to have a discussion with the Imperial Guards, otherwise I really would have nowhere to go tonight."
Princess Zhaoyang smiled and said comfortingly, "Don't worry, Master Du. I'll take care of everything."
As she was speaking, Yuan Shuang returned: "Your Highness, you may leave the palace now."
Du Qingtang looked forward and saw that the palace gate was wide open. The imperial guards had lit torches, making the area as bright as day.
"Master Du, let's go."
Du Qingtang leaned forward and said, "Your Highness, please go first."
Princess Zhaoyang was in front, Du Qingtang was behind her on the left, and Yuan Shuang was behind her on the right.
With the help of the firelight, Du Qingtang was able to see the appearance of this beautiful lady.
Princess Zhaoyang did not wear any makeup today. She had light eyebrows and a plain face, but her eyes and eyebrows could not hide her heroic spirit, and she had a quite sharp beauty.
Her black hair was like clouds, adorned with gold and jade hairpins, making her look extremely noble.
Du Qingtang couldn't help but think of the first time they met. She was 25 years old then, the prime of her life, but her eyes were dull, her black hair was frosted, and she was skinny, like a dead branch with an intricate and gorgeous dress hanging on it, swaying in the wind.
Ten years of negotiations with the enemy country made her wither and lose her flower-like bright color.
Although she was alive, she was as good as dead.
Looking at her now, Princess Zhaoyang has clear eyes, a well-proportioned body, and no trace of frost or snow in her hair.
After returning to its homeland, the flower bloomed again, gorgeous and dazzling.
"What is Lord Du thinking about?"
Du Qingtang's eyes moved slightly, and as soon as he came back to his senses, he met Princess Zhaoyang's smiling eyes.
I wonder if you are capable of ruling a country and if you are a monarch who is worthy of my loyalty.
Du Qingtang recalled the rumors about Princess Zhaoyang in the capital—
He was arrogant and domineering, and kept many concubines.
Are you hiding your incompetence, or are you really so ridiculous?
Du Qingtang's thoughts raced, his face a respectful expression: "I was thinking, after so many years, Your Highness is much healthier than when I first met you."
"Thanks to Lord Du, I was able to return to my homeland. Otherwise, I would have died in a foreign land."
Princess Zhaoyang spoke in a calm tone, as if she had long since become indifferent to life and death. The indifference that she inadvertently revealed was just an illusion.
Du Qingtang offered his response to Emperor Qingyuan: "Your Highness is the bloodline of His Majesty. The golden branches and jade leaves of Daxia should flourish on Daxia's territory, nurtured by the people."
Princess Zhaoyang stared at Du Qingtang for a moment, then looked away. She chuckled and said, "When is Lord Du free? I'd like to host a banquet in my residence to thank you for saving my life. Lord Du, please do me the honor of coming."
Du Qingtang knew he couldn't refuse, so he said, "I'm taking a day off in five days. How about setting it up on that day?"
Princess Zhaoyang readily agreed: "Then I will prepare a bed to welcome you."
Du Qingtang responded respectfully and stood beside Princess Zhaoyang's carriage. He waited until Princess Zhaoyang entered the carriage and the carriage drove away before he walked towards his own carriage.
"go back."
"yes."
Du San cracked the whip and the carriage started rumbling towards the south of the city.
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