Chapter 153: Women in Politics
Du Qingtang returned to the Du residence, walked through the hanging flower gate and into the courtyard, and saw three shadowy figures in the flower hall.
Du Qinglan and Du Qingju sat at the first seats on the left and right sides respectively, and Liang Chuxia sat below Du Qingju.
The three people were originally talking when they heard footsteps approaching from afar. The talking stopped abruptly and three pairs of eyes looked towards the door.
Du Qingtang: “…”
This situation looks like a trial by three judges.
Du Qingtang was distracted for a moment, then walked into the flower hall without changing his expression: "Why aren't you sleeping at this hour?"
Du Qinglan and Du Qingju said in unison: "We're waiting for you to come back."
Du Qingtang was silent and looked at Liang Chuxia.
Liang Chuxia's scalp tingled and her back felt cold. She clutched the jade pendant at her waist and reported in a very low voice, "Disciple has come to ask Master a question."
In fact, she was a little afraid of this Ninth Uncle who often had a cold face, and she couldn't help feeling scared every time she saw him.
Just like a small animal seeing a large beast, its fur stands on end and it wishes it could grow a pair of wings and run away at the speed of light.
If she had known this, even if someone had pointed a musket at her head, she would not have come to ask her master about medical questions at this hour.
We had just finished and sat down to have a sip of tea when Uncle Nine came back. I couldn't even leave.
Liang Chuxia inexplicably felt that there was a kind of calm before the storm in the flower hall. She was restless, sweating profusely, and digging her toes into the ground with nervousness.
Uncle Ninth Master, please stop staring at me. I’m just filling in the gaps. I just want to go back and study the medical books I borrowed from the Imperial Hospital. I don’t know anything!
Just when Liang Chuxia was secretly about to collapse, Du Qingju had already walked up to Du Qingtang and looked up at her.
Du Qingtang was completely confused by Du Qingju's gaze. He adjusted his sleeves and asked, "Eighth sister, you want to ask..."
The second half of the sentence was blocked in my throat by the sudden hug.
Du Qingtang was startled for a moment, and then a warm liquid flowed across her neck, burning her eyelashes.
"Xianyu, I'm sorry." Du Qingju sobbed softly, and said in a muffled voice, "Thank you."
Du Qingtang raised her eyes, and Du Qinglan's eyes were red as she smiled back at her.
Du Qingtang hesitated for a moment, then placed his palm on Du Qingju's back, patting her twice, and said in a steady tone, "There's no need to thank me between you and me."
Du Qingju shook her head vigorously, and the hairpin touched Du Qingtang's cheek, feeling cold.
"If it weren't for protecting me, why would you have clashed with Liang Qi? Lord Liang wouldn't have held a grudge against you and impeached you at the morning court today."
"If it weren't for the other party's notorious crimes, if Xianyu hadn't been prepared, you might have..." Du Qingju choked up, her shoulders trembling slightly, "I'm sorry for getting you into trouble."
Du Qinglan felt heartbroken, but she didn't show it on her face. Instead, she smiled and said, "I heard from the Princess of Changle about the dispute at the court this morning, so I hurried over to tell Xiao Ba. Xiao Ba burst into tears right then and there. She was terrified."
It wasn't that he was frightened by Liang Qi, but he was afraid of the evil of human nature and the fact that his youngest son had turned the tide and averted danger.
While being promoted to a higher position was certainly worth celebrating, the thrill of the morning court session was enough to make them nervous and uneasy.
Du Qingtang sighed softly and said soothingly: "No matter what the process is, at least the result is good, isn't it?"
Liang Wangjin and his son were imprisoned and executed at a later date.
She was promoted to the second rank official and was in charge of the Ministry of Works.
Although the Ministry of Works is a notoriously poor government agency, where officials do expensive work and suffer the greatest fatigue, the Ministry of Works is closely related to Du Qingtang's subsequent plans.
Du Qingtang wants to continue to deepen her influence in the court and even in the entire Daxia.
From strengthening the military to benefiting the people.
Du Qingtang wants to make sure that all officials and people cannot live without her.
At that time, we can implement the next plan.
Du Qingtang never worried that Emperor Qingyuan would intervene to stop him.
Emperor Qingyuan also needed her to charge into battle, cut through thorns and remove all potential obstacles.
Du Qingtang's thoughts raced as he took out a handkerchief to wipe Du Qingju's tears. He said slowly, "Besides, I can't just stand by and watch you put yourself in danger."
People are all made of flesh and blood, and we should exchange sincerity for sincerity.
The girls of the Du family treated her very well, so she naturally did her best to protect them.
Du Qingtang raised his hand and patted Du Qingju's bun: "Next time you encounter a similar situation during the free clinic, just have them beat you out. It doesn't matter if they're crippled or disabled. I'll take care of everything."
She is no longer the Du Qingtang who had nothing.
She is in the emperor's heart and holds power.
Before you cause trouble for her, it's best to think about Liang Wangjin's fate and be prepared to play with fire and get burned.
Du Qingju wiped her tears with a handkerchief, sniffed, and her tone was still tearful: "Don't be like this, it makes me look like a bully."
She was at least a sixth-rank official. The doctors in the Imperial Medical Bureau all praised her for her understanding and kindness. The doctors in the Female Medical Bureau also respected her and believed she was not a bully who took advantage of her power to bully others.
Du Qingju has always been strong and independent. This is the first time Du Qingtang has seen her show her delicate side. It is quite novel and a smile flashes across his eyes: "I just want to reassure you."
A straight ball made Du Qingju stunned for a moment, and tears filled her eyes again. She crumpled the handkerchief into a ball in her palm, buried it in the crook of the youngest's neck, and after a long while, she uttered a "hmm".
Du Qinglan supported her chin and watched the scene with a smile. She felt relieved, and her heart finally settled down.
No wonder Jun Jieer likes the youngest one the most among all the aunts.
The youngest always inadvertently gives others a sense of security, as if as long as she is there, all problems are not problems.
She is the support and the confidence.
Du Qinglan felt a little sad again.
They were born into a deformed family.
My parents favor boys over girls and have always looked down on them, their daughters.
Especially the youngest one.
She was a woman, but because of that woman's selfish desires, she was forced to pretend to be a man for nineteen years.
During these nineteen years, she was forced to grow and become strong.
Because she knew that no one would protect her except herself.
She knows the difficulties of being isolated and helpless, so she tries her best to give them a sense of security and become their fearless support.
Du Qinglan looked outside the flower hall.
The night was dark, but she saw a glimmer of dawn.
She knew what the youngest wanted.
And she firmly believes that where there is a will, there is a way.
In the near future, the clouds will clear and the moon will appear.
......
Du Qingju was easy to coax, and Du Qingtang stopped crying with just a few words.
Du Qingtang breathed a sigh of relief and said slowly, "It's getting late, go to bed early."
After a fierce battle at the morning court, Du Qingtang immediately handed over affairs to Han Daxueshi. He had been working non-stop for nearly eight hours, so fatigue was inevitable. He continued to take a good sleep to recharge his energy.
Du Qingju blushed as she thought about her recent misstep. She carelessly stuffed the handkerchief into the hidden pocket of her wide sleeve, completely forgetting that it belonged to the youngest child. "I've discussed this with Dean Lan, and we're planning to have both male and female doctors on duty at the free clinic next time."
Don't those stinky men think that they are weak and powerless, so they speak frivolously and act in a very dirty way?
Although Du Qingju has always advocated the theory of gender equality, she has to admit that with the presence of male doctors, those people will be more cautious and restrained.
At the same time, more people can receive medical treatment and their pain can be relieved.
Du Qingtang had no objection and simply said, "You are the head of the Female Doctors Bureau, so make your own decision."
Du Qingju smiled, her eyelashes wet, and waved him away: "Go quickly, and rest early."
Du Qingtang responded, and the other two people in the hall nodded slightly, turned around and walked out of the hall and went to the second courtyard.
Du Qinglan finished the tea in her cup and stood up to go out. "I think Jun Jie'er has already met Zhou Gong. I have to go see if she kicked off the quilt. She must not catch a cold, otherwise she will suffer again."
Du Qingju watched Sixth Sister disappear into the night and waved, "Chuxia, you should go back too. You have to go to the Women's Medical Bureau early tomorrow morning."
Most of the medical staff have already learned how to sew, and next she plans to teach them how to use forceps correctly.
There is also the cesarean section to deliver the baby, how to make the cut and how to sew.
However, since the invention of forceps, fewer women have needed cesarean sections to deliver their babies. I don’t know when I will encounter this situation again.
Even if they were to encounter them, the doctors would have to obtain the other party's consent before entering the delivery room to watch the entire process of cesarean section and delivery.
And just seeing it doesn’t mean they have learned it. They need to simulate and try it over and over again before they can put it into practice.
This is a long and arduous process, and we will strive to have them successfully complete their studies within half a year.
Liang Chuxia suddenly came back to her senses, feeling extremely complicated.
She had never imagined that one day she would see her master, who was always calm and mature, lying in the arms of her ninth uncle, crying breathlessly.
Does this count as seeing something you shouldn't see?
She won't be murdered, right?
As soon as this thought came out, Liang Chuxia was so scared that she shook her head like a rattle: "No, no, no..." Impossible!
Master treats her like his own sister, so he definitely won't do that.
"No, what do you mean by no?" Du Qingju couldn't help but laugh at her little disciple's changing expression. She spread her hands and said, "I'm also a human being. I have emotions and desires. Naturally, I can't bear to see my sisters at home put in danger because of me."
Liang Chuxia didn't expect that her master could see through her thoughts. She scratched her head embarrassedly, bowed to Du Qingju, and went back to the room to rest.
She originally wanted to read a few more pages of the medical book, but after this incident, her head was dizzy, so she decided to go to bed quickly.
But Master is right, joy, anger, sorrow and happiness are human nature.
She had cried in front of her master before, and this time her master cried in front of her, so they were even.
Yay! Go to sleep!
-
The next day at the hour of Mao, in the Golden Palace.
Du Qingtang's position changed due to his promotion. He stood shoulder to shoulder with Qi Shangshu and other second-rank officials. He stood out among the group of old men with white hair and beards, like a crane standing out among chickens.
It was July and the heat was oppressive.
More than a hundred people gathered together, but Emperor Qingyuan had not yet arrived. The entire Golden Palace was noisy and like a steamer. Just standing there made one sweat profusely.
Minister Qi frantically wiped his sweat with a handkerchief, his face gloomy, and sighed: "In the past two years, the summers have been getting hotter and hotter, and the winters have been getting colder and colder. I have such poor old bones that I can't bear it any longer!"
The Minister of Rites echoed, fanning himself with his hands, beads of sweat rolling down his forehead, and he panted heavily. "You must not offend the majesty of the Emperor in the Golden Throne Hall, or I will definitely carry a fan with me and fan myself wherever I go. I dare not imagine how comfortable I am right now."
Du Qingtang adheres to the principle of keeping calm and feeling cool, standing tall and graceful, without saying a word.
After hearing what the Minister of Rites said, Du Qingtang became inspired and came up with another way to make money.
As he was speaking, a shrill voice came from outside the palace: "Your Majesty has arrived——"
All the officials wiped the sweat off their faces with their sleeves, straightened their clothes, and knelt down to greet the emperor.
"Your humble servant pays respect to Your Majesty."
"Everyone, please stand up."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Du Qingtang stood still, and saw the Minister of Justice come out: "Your Majesty, I have something to report."
"allow."
The Minister of Justice bowed his head and said respectfully, "Yesterday, I sent people to interrogate the Liang family. So far, the identities of 260 deceased have been confirmed. The identities of the remaining 238 are still under investigation due to the long time."
"In addition, I have followed your instructions and imprisoned all those involved. I have also ordered the Liang family to compensate the family of the deceased with a thousand taels of silver."
The dead cannot be brought back to life. The murderer and his accomplices have all confessed their crimes. They can only ask the Liang family to compensate the family of the deceased in the form of money.
Liang Wangjin had been an official in the court for more than thirty years, and he used various excuses to make money for himself. Giving one thousand taels to a family, and a mere fifty thousand taels was no problem at all.
"I have retrieved the files from recent years and sent people to investigate. I have discovered that without exception, many of the families whose fires occurred had someone injured or killed by Liang Yixing, and had argued with Liang's servants. Soon after, the entire family perished in the fire, leaving no trace."
This means that in addition to the deaths in the residential houses in the west of the city, Liang Yixing has another crime.
Emperor Qingyuan's face turned cold as he said in a deep voice, "Liang Yixing has committed a cruel act and is to be beheaded. The Liang family is to behead anyone who knows about this and is to behead them."
The Minister of Justice bowed his head and said, "Yes, I will follow your Majesty's wishes."
There was a slight commotion among the officials. It was obvious that none of them expected that His Majesty would increase the punishment for Liang Yixing.
"Liang Qi killed so many people, he deserved it."
"If this happens, the entire Liang family will probably be wiped out."
"If they had known this would happen, why would they have protected Liang Qi? It is precisely because of their connivance that Liang Qi has become fearless and has killed more innocent people."
Some people also think of more.
"Wen Anbo is quite capable. On his first day in office, he overthrew a high-ranking official, nearly destroying his entire family."
"Women are the most vicious. This is indeed true."
"But she did act in the name of justice. If she hadn't exposed Liang Qi's evil deeds, I'm afraid more people would have died because of him."
Mixed opinions poured into Du Qingtang's ears from all directions, but he remained calm and focused on preparing his speech.
Compared to other people's opinions, Du Qingtang cares more about whether she can achieve her goal today.
At the head, Emperor Qingyuan said again: "Continue the investigation and find out everything. We must give an explanation to the people and the deceased."
Yesterday, the imperial guards turned the house in the west of the city upside down, dug out hundreds of corpses, and transported them to the charity cemetery on the outskirts of the city.
During the whole process, there must be many people witnessing it.
Emperor Qingyuan could be certain that within two days, Liang Yixing's crimes would be known to the whole city.
This matter involves a high-ranking official of the imperial court and hundreds of victims. The imperial court must give an explanation that satisfies everyone. Otherwise, it will easily cause panic among the people, make the imperial court lose trust with the people, and even worse, trigger unrest.
It was for this reason that Emperor Qingyuan asked the Minister of Justice to take over the case personally.
No matter whether it was Liang Wangjin, Liang Yixing, or other members of the Liang family, no matter what crimes they had committed or what laws they had violated, none of them could escape punishment.
After the Minister of Justice has found out everything, they will be punished according to the severity of their crimes.
The Minister of Justice responded respectfully and returned to his original seat.
After that, several officials came out to report on their affairs.
As the morning court session drew to a close, Du Qingtang stepped out, holding a tablet in his hand. "Your Majesty, I have something to report."
When Emperor Qingyuan saw Du Qingtang, he couldn't help but think of Fu Rui's report last night. Rong Jie'er and Du Aiqing met at the palace gate. They had a very pleasant conversation. In the end, Rong Jie'er even invited Du Aiqing to her house for a gathering.
Sister Rong is a bit of a loner, and has a mediocre relationship with the other princesses. She also doesn't have many friends in the capital, so this is the first time she has taken the initiative.
While surprised, Emperor Qingyuan was pleased to see this happen.
Even his loyal ministers would be prejudiced against Rong Jie'er because she was a woman and would not be loyal to her without reservation.
Only Du Aiqing.
Only she and Sister Rong share the same goal.
"allow."
Du Qingtang bowed and said, "I intend to establish a research institute in the Ministry of Industry, recruit skilled craftsmen from all over the world, and develop things that benefit the country and the people. I pray for your approval, Your Majesty."
Emperor Qingyuan stared in deep thought, while the officials looked around and talked among themselves.
"In my humble opinion, there's no need to establish a research institute. It's not like Lady Du has brilliant ideas all the time. Not only would it be a waste of time and money, but it would also cost the national treasury money to support a group of craftsmen who might not necessarily benefit the country. The Ministry of Industry already has many craftsmen, so who knows if she's trying to profit from this?"
"Lord Du has already created gunpowder and muskets, two powerful weapons that strengthen the army. Even with ingenuity, I'm afraid it will be difficult to reach the heights of the past."
"Indeed, gunpowder and muskets have probably reached their limit. If that's the case, why bother with such fanfare and massive construction projects? Just focus on the Ministry of Revenue or the Imperial Estate."
"Your Majesty, please reconsider."
"Your Majesty, please think twice!"
Emperor Qingyuan tapped the armrest of the dragon throne with his fingers. The sound was subtle, but it instantly silenced the officials who had dared to speak out.
At this moment, Cao Yuan stepped forward and said, "Establishing a research institute is no small matter. Master Du, why don't you make some achievements first so that we can be convinced."
After saying this, he raised his head and looked at Emperor Qingyuan: "Your Majesty, what do you think?"
Emperor Qingyuan's eyes dimmed slightly as he twirled his jade ring. "Lord Cao is absolutely right. I will allow you to enter and leave the Imperial Estate freely, and to deploy the staff there at will. If you can produce something that satisfies me within a month, I will allow you to establish a research institute."
Du Qingtang bowed and saluted: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your permission."
Cao Yuan slowly returned to his original position, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes.
After calming down yesterday, he thought more and more that Du Qingtang's impeachment of Liang Wangjin was a warning to him.
If he sent someone to kill her, she would clip his wings and cut off his left and right arms.
Cao Yuan was so furious that he wanted to skin Du Qingtang alive.
Since Du Qingtang proposed to set up a research institute, he naturally had to intervene.
No matter what the result is, as long as it can make Du Qingtang upset, it's fine.
Cao Yuan was not afraid that others would think he was too serious or petty.
He fell from a high place to the bottom of the valley, like a stray dog. He could hardly maintain the honors of the Prime Minister and Duke Cheng'en of the dynasty, so why should he care about the opinions of others.
......
After the morning court session, Du Qingtang walked down the stairs.
"Master Du! Master Du!"
Du Qingtang stopped and looked back. Minister Qi was smiling and walking towards her with big strides. He stopped three steps away and bowed.
Du Qingtang asked directly, "What can I do for you, Lord Qi?"
It took me six hours yesterday to sort out the affairs of the Ministry of Works, but I still had no time to summon the officials of the Ministry of Works.
A new official should start his job with three things: combining firmness and flexibility, and applying both kindness and severity. Only in this way can he quickly establish himself.
Minister Qi ignored the inquiring glances from those around him and whispered, "Master Du, could you please tell me a little bit about what you plan to develop?"
Du Qingtang had once made meritorious contributions to the Ministry of Revenue and had some friendship with Minister Qi, so he said cryptically, "I'll have to trouble you to take care of me when the time comes."
Minister Qi's eyes lit up, and he was very excited: "Qi understands, thank you Lord Du for your advice!"
If nothing unexpected happens, the Ministry of Revenue will welcome another big treasure that can make money!
Minister Qi paused, then continued, "It's just that I feel that something that benefits the people might not be enough to convince Your Majesty to agree to establish a research institute."
Mainly on Cao Yuan's side.
Everyone in the court knew that Du Qingtang was Emperor Qingyuan's man. This time Cao Yuan stood up to oppose her, and he was just using her to make trouble for Emperor Qingyuan.
Thinking about the changes in the court in recent years, Minister Qi could only sigh.
Since ancient times, there has been a distinction between the ruler and his subjects, with the ruler being superior and the subjects being inferior. If Cao Yuan still refuses to calm down, I'm afraid that when Your Majesty's patience runs out,...
"Thank you, Master Qi, for reminding me. This is exactly what I was thinking."
Du Qingtang had long expected that someone would speak out to stop her, all she wanted was a promise from Emperor Qingyuan.
With more than twenty years of experience in modern times, Du Qingtang has a lot of good things in her hands. Even without skilled craftsmen from all over Daxia, she can support the research institute on her own.
To satisfy Emperor Qingyuan...
Du Qingtang pondered and made a decision in his mind.
Minister Qi knew the power of the man before him, so he stopped talking and said jokingly, "I heard that when Lord Du left office, the people of Shaoqing Prefecture presented you with an umbrella for all the people and built a longevity temple and statue for you. It was truly enviable."
Du Qingtang raised his eyebrows slightly: "It spread to Xiajing so quickly?"
Minister Qi replied, "Years ago, when Scholar Shi was serving in a local government office, the local people built a longevity temple for him when he left. Many years have passed, and only one person like you has emerged. By now, the news has probably spread far and wide."
"Master Du, you really kept it a secret. If Qi hadn't heard it from someone else, I really wouldn't have known about it!"
Thinking of the people of Shaoqing Prefecture and the day when they shed tears and saw him off for dozens of miles, Du Qingtang's eyes softened: "I just did my duty. How could I have deserved the people's kindness? I am truly ashamed and unworthy."
Lord Qi shook his head and said, "Lord Du, this is wrong. As the saying goes, you work hard for the people. You are wholeheartedly working for them, ensuring that they have enough food and clothing. Naturally, the people will remember your kindness."
Du Qingtang smiled and no longer denied her contribution to Shaoqing Prefecture.
It is sufficient to say something humble once. Saying it too many times can easily annoy people and appear pretentious.
Du Qingtang spoke a few more words to Minister Qi, and then left first, claiming that he was busy with the Ministry of Works.
Minister Qi stood on the jade steps, watching Du Qingtang walk away, twirling his beard and sighing, "Who could have imagined that the young woman who was denounced by her own mother and imprisoned would reach such heights today?"
It’s the time, the luck, and the fate.
Regardless of gender or background, some people are destined to stand in the government, make decisions and rule the country.
"Master Qi, have you found out what Master Du is planning to do?"
"Could it be another thing like glass that makes a country rich?"
Just now, the officials saw Du Qingtang and Minister Qi having a very pleasant conversation. After Du Qingtang left, they swarmed over and asked questions impatiently.
Minister Qi claimed to be a close friend of Lord Du, so how could he do such a thing as betraying his friend?
If you ask, they just don't know. If you ask again, they'll just slip away.
Everyone: “…”
Old boy, you run away really fast!
But this also just shows that the old guy Qi Jiang definitely knows what Du Qingtang is planning to do.
"Why don't you ask again?"
"Never mind. It'll take about a month. Just wait."
"In fact, among the many achievements of Wen Anbo, only his firearms and high-yield crops have impressed me. The rest... while useful to the country, they are all just strange and ingenious techniques. This time is probably no exception."
"Master Sun is absolutely right. God is fair. He even allowed Wen Anbo to create firearms, so how could he favor her again?"
"After hearing what you said, I'm not that curious anymore. They're just some money-grubbing things."
......
Du Qingtang was unaware of these remarks. After returning to the Ministry of Works, he summoned all officials above the seventh rank.
As early as yesterday, the Ministry of Personnel urgently issued an appointment, promoting the Right Vice Minister to the Left Vice Minister, and also promoting Gao Zijin, who was originally a prefect in another place and had returned to Beijing to report on his work, to the Right Vice Minister.
The staff below the level of Vice Minister remained unchanged and were still the same as when Han Daxueshi was in office.
Sixty-two officials gathered together, and because they were unsure of the Shangshu's intentions, they were trembling with fear and were extremely respectful.
Du Qingtang didn't waste any time. He called out a few officials and criticized them for the problems he had discovered after working late into the night for two hours.
The tone was neither light nor heavy, but it made these people sweat profusely and their faces turned pale. The other officials also felt as if they were facing a great enemy. They huddled in the corner like quails, trying their best to reduce their presence, for fear of being singled out for a lecture.
After a round of beatings, Du Qingtang said calmly, "Since this is your first offense, I will forgive you this time. If you do it again, you will be fined one month's salary."
One month's salary is nothing, but if this matter gets out, where will they put their faces?
Their knees went weak and they kowtowed and begged for mercy.
"Please forgive me, sir. I will never do it again!"
"Thank you for your leniency. I will do my duty to the best of my ability!"
Du Qingtang raised his hand, asked them to stand up, and called a few officials.
These people came forward to listen to the lecture with sad faces, as if they had lost their parents.
The other officials gloated and were glad that they had escaped disaster.
Unexpectedly, the Shangshu opened his mouth with praise: "I reviewed the documents and files of several of you yesterday. You are so meticulous, rigorous and accurate. I am deeply pleased. Keep up the good work. The rest of you should also learn from them."
The official who thought he was going to be scolded was delighted, and he nodded repeatedly and bowed to express his gratitude.
The others were dumbfounded. Where was the lecture?
Du Qingtang sat upright behind the desk and said solemnly, "I summoned you all here today mainly to get to know each other. From now on, you will be colleagues, and it would be best if you can get along peacefully with each other. If not, don't blame me for being ruthless."
No matter what they thought in their hearts, everyone responded respectfully, and their attitude was so sincere that they were almost swearing to the sky.
Du Qingtang added, "Doctor Su stays, the rest of you can go."
In fact, we don’t need to investigate to know that there must be people in this group who abuse their power for personal gain and make a fortune by taking advantage of their positions.
But Du Qingtang was well aware of the principle that when the water is too clear, there will be no fish. As long as he was not too greedy and made too much trouble, she could turn a blind eye and pretend not to see it.
Those who deserve to be criticized should be criticized, and those who deserve to be praised should be praised. This will also help to tighten their skin.
"Yes, I will take my leave."
Sixty-one officials filed out, leaving only Doctor Su, who was in charge of the Yuheng Qingli Division, standing there with a nervous look on his face.
After leaving the house, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, as if they had been pardoned.
"You can't judge a person by his appearance. The Shangshu is a woman, but her aura is no less than that of the one before her."
"He's not asking us to come over and recognize his face. He's giving us a candy after a beating. It's clearly a warning to us."
"A new official has three things to do when he takes office. Anyway, everyone should be careful and don't let her catch you making any mistakes and embarrass you."
"Master Deng is absolutely right. As long as we don't make any mistakes, even if she intentionally makes things difficult for us, she has no legitimate reason. If a scene gets out, she'll be in the wrong."
"But why did the Minister leave only Lord Su behind?"
Lord Su himself also wants to know.
Unfortunately, after the Shangshu kept him, he ignored him and instead held a wolf-hair brush and wrote something on the paper.
Doctor Su wanted to find out the truth, but he was intimidated by the other party's power and did not dare to act rashly.
His legs were sore from standing so long, the Minister finally raised his head and handed him the rice paper. He said, "Arrange a few craftsmen to make fifty according to the blueprint."
Doctor Su, who had been with the Yuheng Qingli Division for over a decade, immediately saw the mystery in the blueprint. His eyes lit up, "Sir, is it possible to turn the handle to activate the mechanism inside, causing the blades to spin at high speed, creating a gust of wind?"
Du Qingtang nodded: "Lord Su has a sharp eye, that's exactly what he meant."
At the previous morning court session, the Minister of Personnel's words gave her inspiration.
Folding fans are large and conspicuous, so they should not be brought into the throne room.
What if you make a hand-cranked fan?
It is only the size of a palm. You only need to set up a simple mechanism and turn the handle to enjoy the summer coolness anytime and anywhere.
As soon as Emperor Qingyuan appeared, the fan could be stuffed into the secret pocket in the wide sleeves, without revealing it at all, and naturally there would be no risk of offending the majesty of heaven.
After it is made, it can be sold in official stores.
Fans are inexpensive and can be purchased by everyone from the rich and powerful to the common people.
In this way, the national treasury will have additional income.
However, the fan was obviously not enough to impress Emperor Qingyuan. She had to go to the imperial farm tomorrow and try to make the product by July.
Doctor Su read the drawings over and over again, and felt that they were extremely exquisite. He could not let them go. All his dissatisfaction with Du Qingtang, a woman, being in charge of the Ministry of Works disappeared completely.
"Make it within two days." Du Qingtang ordered.
Doctor Su came back to his senses and nodded vigorously: "Don't worry, sir. I will arrange for a craftsman to make this..."
Du Qingtang: "Fan."
"Fan... that name is quite fitting," Doctor Su exclaimed, clapping his hands. "I will immediately arrange for a craftsman to make a fan and have it delivered to you tomorrow morning."
Doctor Su left in a hurry and immediately gave orders.
Although he had never seen this so-called fan before, the craftsman who could enter the Ministry of Industry was definitely not an ordinary person. After a little thought, he understood the mystery and picked up the tools to make it.
On the other hand, Du Qingtang spent two hours to finish his official duties for the day, and then went straight to the imperial farm, returning to the city in the evening.
It was already past the end of the shift, so Du Qingtang did not go to the Ministry of Works but went straight back to the Du residence.
Du Qinglan and Jun Jie'er had already gone home. Du Qingju was sitting in the flower hall, drinking tea and flipping through something with a focused expression. She did not notice Du Qingtang's return.
The maid waiting beside her bowed and said, "Master."
Du Qingju raised her eyes, smiled at Du Qingtang, and raised the letter in her hand: "A letter from Baoding Prefecture."
Du Qingtang walked into the flower hall, waved the maid away, poured himself a cup of tea, and sat down next to Du Qingju: "What does the letter say?"
Upon hearing this, Du Qingju didn't hand the letter to her. She summarized it, "Eldest sister said they planned to go to Beijing with Seventh sister, and Guo Qian also came along."
Before Du Qingtang could speak, she continued, "Not only Guo Qian, but his parents and that widow cousin also came along."
Du Qingtang: “???”
Du Qingtang: “…”
There was dead silence in the flower hall.
Du Qingtang and Du Qingju looked at each other in silence for a long time before they found their voices again: "Fifth sister agreed?"
In fact, this question is equivalent to asking in vain.
If Du Qingmei didn't agree, Guo Qian's parents and mistress would never dare to come.
Du Qingju clutched the letter tightly. "The only good news is that the Guo family plans to buy a separate house outside. My eldest sister and the others can live with us in the Wen'an Marquis's mansion."
Du Qingtang rubbed his brows, swallowing back the words that were about to come out of his mouth: "Forget it, let her be."
Du Qingju shook her head. Fifth Sister was truly confused. She set the letter aside and said, "I heard that you proposed establishing a research institute at the morning court. His Majesty wants you to produce something that satisfies him within a month before you can establish it?"
Du Qingtang was a little surprised: "It spread so quickly?"
Du Qingju spread her hands and said, "You are a popular figure around His Majesty. They are envious and jealous, and they wish to replace you. Naturally, they watch your every move and spread it widely, hoping to see you make a fool of yourself."
"But Xianyu, tell me, how confident are you about this?"
Du Qingtang crossed his arms: "I'm absolutely sure."
She never fights a battle unprepared.
Du Qingju was quite surprised and couldn't help but laugh: "Then I'll wait for your good news."
Du Qingtang responded and listened to Du Qingju talk about the interesting things in the Female Medical Bureau, and put the matter of Guo Qian going to Beijing out of his mind.
Just a piece of trash, can't get out of her Five Finger Mountain.
......
The craftsman was extremely efficient. The next day, when he started work, Du Qingtang received fifty hand-cranked fans.
In addition, a craftsman learned from the experience and made a luxury version of a hand-cranked fan.
The craftsman fixed the six round fans on a rotatable wooden frame and ingeniously painted patterns on the frame that matched the round fans.
Du Qingtang presented the deluxe and ordinary edition hand-cranked fans to the emperor. Emperor Qingyuan fell in love with them and immediately ordered the palace maid who was fanning him to replace the round fan with the deluxe edition fan.
The palace maid did as she was told and carefully turned the handle under Du Qingtang's instructions.
The round fan sped up little by little, and a cool breeze blew across my face.
Emperor Qingyuan felt refreshed and waved his hand, "Reward!"
On that day, Du Qingtang received a reward of 500 taels of silver, the craftsman who made the luxurious fan received 50 taels, and the other craftsmen received 10 taels.
The craftsman who made the luxurious fan held the fifty taels in his hand, his mouth grinning from ear to ear, making the other craftsmen jealous and wishing they were the ones to receive the extra reward from His Majesty.
At the same time, all the important officials in the court received rewards from His Majesty——
A hand-cranked fan.
"This fan is lighter and more portable than a fan, and it has strong wind power and is quite comfortable to use."
"With this, I won't feel dizzy from the heat in the throne room."
"I have never seen this thing before. Could it be that it was created by Wen Anbo again?"
"This thing is not worth much money. Even if we can sell it at a low profit, it is not worth your Majesty's approval to establish a research institute for it."
"Master Fang is absolutely right. Now, Mr. Wen Anbo should finally calm down."
-
Four days later, the hand-cranked fans were put on the shelves of government-run stores selling groceries.
As the first beneficiaries, important officials in the court spontaneously recommended it to their colleagues, friends, family elders, wives, concubines and children.
Word spread quickly, and on the first day of being put on the shelves, the one thousand fans made day and night by the craftsmen of the Ministry of Industry were sold out.
The owner of the grocery store was dumbfounded and quickly reported the matter to the Ministry of Revenue, asking them to replenish the stock as soon as possible.
It’s a pity that today is a holiday and there are only a few minor officials on duty in the Ministry of Revenue. They can’t make the decision and can only wait until tomorrow when the holiday is over and Minister Qi will make the arrangements himself.
On the other side, Du’s house.
Du Qingtang adjusted his clothes in front of the mirror, boarded the carriage at 5 p.m., and headed for Princess Zhaoyang's residence to keep his appointment.
Princess Zhaoyang's Mansion is located in the east of the city, where there are many royal princes, high-ranking officials and powerful ministers. It is also located in the best area in the east of the city, and even the prince's mansion has to be a step back from it.
Everyone said that Emperor Qingyuan compensated Princess Zhaoyang generously because she married into the country for the sake of peace, and sent the best things in the world - silks, satins, jades and delicacies - to her house.
Little did people know that since the construction of Princess Zhaoyang's Mansion twelve years ago, it had already laid the groundwork for Emperor Qingyuan to choose someone to enter the Eastern Palace and succeed the throne.
Poor princes, they were fighting like black-eyed chickens, but they were making things difficult for others.
However, Du Qingtang was happy to see this happen.
Even if Princess Zhaoyang was not a wise ruler, but just a ruler who maintained the status quo, she was still a thousand times better than other princes.
She is Du Qingtang's only choice.
The carriage stopped at the gate of Princess Zhaoyang's mansion. Du Qingtang leaned out of the carriage and was surprised to find that Princess Zhaoyang had come out to greet him in person.
A flash of surprise flashed across Du Qingtang's eyes. He jumped onto the ground, stepped forward with a horse stool, and strode forward, bowing and saying, "I am guilty of making Your Highness wait here for so long."
Princess Zhaoyang lifted Du Qingtang up, then twisted her wrist and gently grasped her wrist through her robe. She smiled and said, "What crime has Lord Du committed? I just came out of the mansion and hadn't even found my feet when you, Lord Du, arrived."
Du Qingtang glanced at Princess Zhaoyang's hand inconspicuously. Isn't this person... a little too enthusiastic?
"Master Du, please come in quickly. I have had the banquet prepared this morning. Now that you are here, I can order the servants to start the banquet."
It was the first time that Du Qingtang was approached by a woman other than the Du family girl and Fu Ci, and he felt a little awkward.
She resisted the urge to pull her hand back and walked into the princess's mansion almost side by side with Princess Zhaoyang.
The banquet was held in the front hall, with a rich variety of food and wine, and only Princess Zhaoyang and Du Qingtang were present.
If I'm not mistaken, this banquet should be the highest standard of hospitality in the princess's mansion.
Du Qingtang: “…”
In a moment of distraction, Du Qingtang was already sitting side by side with Princess Zhaoyang.
The melodious sound of stringed instruments rose, and a group of beautiful dancers entered the stage and danced gracefully.
Moving your eyes to the right, you will see that the musicians have different styles: some are gentle and elegant, some are cold and exiled, and some are sickly beauties.
There are only types that she can't think of, but there are no types that Princess Zhaoyang can't collect.
Du Qingtang: “…”
This is stamp collecting.
Princess Zhaoyang personally poured wine for Du Qingtang, then raised her glass, a smile on her fierce face: "Thank you very much, Lord Du, for saving me. I will drink this glass of wine first as a token of my respect."
After saying that, he raised his head and drank the wine in the glass in one gulp, decisively and refreshingly.
Du Qingtang also said modestly, "Your Highness, you are too kind. I was just following the trend. And the victory we had in that battle was the result of the joint efforts of all the soldiers at Loushan Pass and the Firearms Army. It was not something I could have accomplished alone."
Princess Zhaoyang chuckled softly, her hairpin swaying as she tilted her head. "I'm very curious about what Lord Du has been doing in Shaoqing Mansion. Today's a rare opportunity, why don't you talk to me?"
Du Qingtang agreed and told Princess Zhaoyang about her actions in Shaoqing Mansion.
Princess Zhaoyang was very supportive and generous with her praise. It can be said that she gave just the right emotional value.
......
As the banquet was drawing to a close, Princess Zhaoyang suddenly said, "Xianyu, I plan to build a charity hall specifically for the shelter of abandoned children."
Du Qingtang was startled when Princess Zhaoyang called her by her given name, but the princess was completely oblivious. She said rather embarrassedly, "It's just that I'm usually very busy with my duties and I'm afraid I won't have time to take care of it. How about we build a school together? I'll be the manager and you'll be the deputy manager, and we'll manage it together."
"When they grow up a little, the girls will go to the Qiong English Society to study, and the boys will be sent directly to the academy to cultivate useful talents for our Great Xia."
Princess Zhaoyang had drunk quite a bit of wine, her fair face flushed pink, her brown eyes slightly moist. She tilted her head and looked at Du Qingtang: "Xianyu, what do you think?"
Du Qingtang said without hesitation, "It is truly an honor for me to be able to work with Your Highness to build a charity hall and do things that benefit the people."
"Then it's a deal!" Princess Zhaoyang's voice was soft and joyful. "Xianyu, you don't have to call me Your Highness anymore. It seems too distant. I call you Xianyu, and you can call me Zhaoyang, or Arong."
Princess Zhaoyang said this, dipped her fingertips in the wine, and wrote her name on the table -
Xia Danrong.
Du Qingtang lowered his eyes, his throat rolling softly: "A Rong."
Princess Zhaoyang smiled slowly.
Her eyebrows and eyes are curved like a crescent moon.
......
A two-hour banquet ended with all the guests having a great time.
Princess Zhaoyang wanted to personally escort Du Qingtang out of the house, but was sternly rejected by the latter.
"Arong, you've drunk quite a bit. You'd better rest early. I'll go by myself."
Princess Zhaoyang did not force Yuan Shuang to see the guest off.
Yuan Shuang bowed, a gentle smile on her lips, and raised her hand to signal, "Master Du, please come this way."
Du Qingtang bowed to Princess Zhaoyang, and his thin figure disappeared into the dark night.
Princess Zhaoyang sat in the empty hall and watched her leave.
The sounds of stringed instruments faded away, and so did the laughter.
The wind blew, lifting her long raven hair, and vaguely frost and snow could be seen flying.
Princess Zhaoyang sat alone for a while, drank the remaining wine in the cup, and then stood up and went to the main courtyard.
After entering the bedroom, she turned the jade ornaments on the antique display cabinet with her slender white fingers.
“Crack—”
The antique display case slowly moved away, revealing a long and secret passage that led to an unknown destination.
Princess Zhaoyang entered the secret passage, walked slowly, and reached the end after an incense stick of time.
Inside the magnificent palace, Fu Rui stood at the exit of the secret passage, bowing with a smile on his plump face: "Your Highness, your servant respectfully welcomes you."
Princess Zhaoyang responded lazily, walked to the long table, lifted her skirt and sat down calmly.
Yu Jue knelt aside, grinding ink quietly with a respectful attitude.
Fu Rui presented a bowl of hawthorn tea and whispered, "Your Majesty anticipated that Your Highness would drink a lot of alcohol, so he ordered me to make hawthorn tea to sober you up."
Princess Zhaoyang took a sip of tea, picked up her red brush, and began to review the memorials.
The strokes are sharp, horizontal, vertical and diagonal.
The handwriting was exactly the same as that of Emperor Qingyuan.
......
On the other side, Du Qingtang leaned against the carriage, closed his eyes and dozed off.
She had also drunk quite a bit of wine and was a little tipsy at the moment, so she simply stretched out her limbs and let her mind go blank.
Think nothing, do nothing, and just quietly enjoy this hard-earned tranquility.
At this moment, Du San's voice was heard outside: "Master, it seems that someone is about to jump into the Jinshui River."
Du Qingtang frowned, lifted the curtain and looked out——
Under the bright moonlight, a woman in white jumped into the Jinshui River.
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