Chapter 189: A Great Victory
Even after the ceremony was over, everyone was still in a daze, unable to distinguish between reality and illusion.
"Chiu~"
The magpie standing on the eaves flapped its wings and flew away, and everyone came back to their senses.
"So...what just happened is true?"
"It's true. Starting next year, women will be able to take the imperial examinations alongside men and become officials."
Everyone: “…”
During the long silence, everyone felt their hearts bleeding.
The blood gathered into a stream, flowing continuously towards the woman in the purple official robe.
The officials recalled what Du Qingtang said after the roll call: "!!!"
"This woman is so shameless!"
"How shameless! I hate it so much!"
"How could she...how could she make such an unethical request?!"
With all the new and old hatreds combined, Lu Sicheng shouted, "Du Qingtang, stop right there!"
Du Qingtang was talking to Fu Ci, discussing how to celebrate that evening, when someone suddenly called his name. He turned around and raised his eyebrows. "It's the Minister of the Imperial Household Department. What's the important matter?"
Fu Ci kindly reminded him, "Xianyu, this person is no longer the Minister of the Imperial Household Department. You should call him Lü Sicheng."
Lu Sicheng: "......"
Everyone: “…”
This is what it means to kill someone and destroy their heart.
Lu Sicheng's blood boiled, his face flushed and his neck thickened: "Du Qingtang, you... you..."
The unpleasant words were on the tip of my tongue, but I couldn't say them out of restraint.
Lu Sicheng took a deep breath and pointed his finger at Du Qingtang tremblingly: "You shameless villain! You will be punished!"
"I'll just take that as a compliment." Du Qingtang smiled faintly, not showing any annoyance. "This person should be a little shameless. If you're too concerned about your quality, people will accuse you of favoritism, corruption, treason, and the like. You won't know how you died then."
Fu Ci smiled, and was so angry he almost forgot to ask: "Oh, I almost forgot to ask——"
"Lord Lu, His Majesty has issued an edict opening the imperial examinations to women, allowing them to enter the government. Are you surprised? Are you happy?"
What's there to be surprised about?
What are you so happy about?
Lu Sicheng was almost furious. He stared at the two shameless people in front of him, wishing he could eat them alive.
As he stared, a thick "huh" suddenly came out of his throat, his eyes rolled up to the top of his head, and he fell straight back.
"Hey! Lord Lu, be careful!" Du Qingtang half-knelt down and felt for the pulse on the side of Lu Sicheng's neck. "I'm glad he's not dead. I don't want to be accused of angering my colleagues to death for nothing."
Everyone: “…”
Du Qingtang summoned two imperial guards and said, "Please, escort Lord Lu to the Imperial Hospital."
The imperial guards responded respectfully, carried Lu Sicheng and went straight to the Imperial Hospital.
"Let's go back to work." Du Qingtang bowed to the officials and led Fu Ci away leisurely.
Dominate the Court Achievement +1.
Today is also a sunny day.
Princes and officials: "......"
Newly-appointed Jinshi: “…”
Many pedantic and conservative old men were so angry that they gasped for breath and rolled their eyes. If their colleagues had not supported them, they would have followed in Lu Sicheng's footsteps and gone to the Imperial Hospital to lie down in a row with him.
"This woman is truly arrogant and domineering. Is there really no one who can control her?"
Everyone was silent for a while.
If there really was someone who could control Du Qingtang, they wouldn't be so cowardly. They were so angry that they didn't dare to vent it, for fear that she would go crazy again and cause them to lose their jobs at best or even their lives at worst.
"Even His Majesty is on her side, and she herself is a tough nut to crack. Who would dare to provoke her?"
Thinking of Du Qingtang's glorious achievements since he entered the court as an official, everyone shuddered.
"Mad! She's a madwoman!"
Calmly go crazy, calmly kill everyone!
"Forget it, forget it, let it be. I no longer have the energy to continue with her quarrel." The old man with white hair and beard coughed twice, his tone heavy, "In fact, if it weren't for your interference, if those eighteen people hadn't taken the risk and harmed Duke Wen, things wouldn't have developed to this point."
At least Fang Yong would not frame Du Qingtang, and His Majesty would not promise Du Qingtang a condition just to calm her down.
"After doing so much and making such a fuss for so long, in the end, we ended up making wedding dresses for women. It's really..." The old man's snow-white beard fluttered in the wind. He sighed deeply, his heart full of regret. "I advise you all not to look down on women anymore. They are far more outstanding than we think."
"If you continue to be hostile to women, constantly stirring up disputes and causing chaos in the court, I'm afraid it won't be long before they surpass us."
"Just like Duke Wen and Earl Haining."
Everyone wanted to refute, but they had nothing to say.
This Enke has taught them a hard lesson.
"That doesn't mean His Majesty can open the imperial examinations to women."
"Don't you understand by now? Your Majesty deliberately chose today to bring up this matter at the imperial ceremony, leaving us no chance to object."
"So there's no turning back?"
"That's right. There's no turning back."
Everyone's breath was held, and their hearts were broken.
A complicated look passed over the newly graduated scholar who was walking away. Shi Zishan twirled his beard and sighed softly, saying loudly, "Let's all go. Go do what you need to do."
When the Prime Minister spoke, all the officials dared not disobey. They bowed and saluted, then dispersed like birds and beasts.
Shi Zishan tilted his head and said, "Congratulations, Master Yan, your two young ladies have passed the imperial examinations."
Yan Tiande's expression remained solemn, and his tone was flat: "This is just the beginning. They still have a long way to go."
If Shi Zishan had not caught Yan Tiande's mouth corners rising and falling for a moment, he would have really thought that his old friend had reached the transcendent state of "not being happy with things or sad with oneself".
Shi Zishan: "..."
On the other side, the newly-appointed Jinshi went to the side hall of Jiying Palace to change clothes, in preparation for the necessary procedure after the ceremony of announcing the names of the successful candidates - the parade on horseback.
The women chattered, their voices filled with joy.
"Duke Wen is so courageous, a great woman should be like this!"
"That's awesome! I also want to be as unbridled as Duke Wen and scold whoever I want."
"Now that the dust has settled, I just want to return home as soon as possible to tell my family the good news that I have passed the imperial examination and give them a good slap in the face. When I first wanted to apply for the imperial examination, they ridiculed me and even planned to lock me up at home. Now that I have passed the imperial examination and become Master Hu, as long as I think of them crawling at my feet and relying on me for their livelihood in the future, my heart is sweeter than eating honey."
"Sister Chunyun, are you planning to continue living at home?"
Zhang Chunyun couldn't help but smile as he listened to the cheerful voices of his classmates. He shook his head slightly and said, "I plan to rent a house in the south of the city."
In the past, in order to study and not marry a fool, she lived a miserable half life. She had to compromise and let her family take away her monthly teaching salary.
After enduring for several years, she finally made the leap and no matter whether her career was successful or not, she didn't intend to endure it any longer.
From now on, she is Zhang Chunyun.
She is just Zhang Chunyun.
She is no longer Zhang Chunyun, who is about to be sold at a high price in exchange for a betrothal gift to help Zhang Yaozu save money to marry a wife.
The scorching August sun shines on my body, burning every inch of exposed skin.
Zhang Chunyun wiped the sweat from his forehead and smiled slowly.
The future is promising, isn’t it?
......
The newly-appointed Jinshi changed into Jinshi robes, while the three people in the first class wore double-winged hairpins with flowers on their heads, wore red robes, and mounted their horses under the guidance of eunuchs.
Wu Guang, the third-place winner of the imperial examination, stood beside the tall white horse. Seeing Ruan Ran approaching from afar, his eyes flickered. Suddenly, he coughed lightly, walked towards Ruan Ran, and politely extended his right hand: "Miss Ruan, I don't know the temperament of this horse. Just in case, I will help you mount it."
The imperial guard leading the horse: "?"
The imperial guards felt that this year's third place winner wasn't quite right. With a sullen face, they said in a gruff voice, "Don't worry, Master Wu! This horse has been meticulously trained by the imperial stables' horse stewards and is incredibly docile. The thing you're worried about will definitely not happen."
Wu Guang's smile froze, and he smiled again: "Is that so? But Miss Ruan still needs to be more careful, so as not to..."
Ruan Ran stepped on the stirrups and landed on the saddle as lightly as a butterfly. He looked down at the noisy and annoying Tanhua and interrupted his chattering with a distant tone: "No need. Ruan has learned riding and shooting since he was a child. He knows what to do."
Then, Ruan Ran added, "Master Wu, please address me as Master Ruan to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings."
What is Miss Ruan? It sounds weird.
Are they familiar with each other?
She is a woman who wants to make a big career, so men should stay away and stand aside!
Wu Guang's smile froze on his face. He responded dryly and stepped back.
Zhao Mucheng sat high on the horse, watching the whole process and almost laughed out loud.
Ruan Ran is really a good and honest girl.
Did Duke Wen's sister really think she was a simple person who could be lured into submission with just a flick of the finger?
Zhao Muqing glanced at the pale-faced Tanbailang, and had an inexplicable premonition that his future days in the Hanlin Academy would be very interesting.
As they were talking, all the scholars were ready.
As drums and music sounded, the ceremonial guard escorted the newly-minted scholar out of Zhengyang Gate.
The horse-riding parade of the special examination in the 23rd year of the Qingyuan period officially began.
-
Today is not a day off, and all officials have important tasks to attend to, so they can only regretfully miss the grand event of the horse parade.
When Du Qingtang returned to the cabinet, the cabinet officials, regardless of what they thought, all congratulated him with a smile.
"Congratulations to your sister and nephew for passing the imperial examination and becoming Jinshi."
"Your sister and nephew are truly talented and promising young people. They have much of the charm and grace of you in your youth."
In the past, Du Qingtang won the top six places in the imperial examination and was unrivaled. Today, Duke Wen's Mansion has produced three more Jinshi, one of whom is the second place.
A fifteen-year-old runner-up is a rare existence in today's world.
All the officials said that Duke Wen had no children and that the glory of Duke Wen's mansion was destined to end in her generation.
Who would have thought that once the imperial examinations were opened to women, three outstanding young people emerged from the Duke Wen's Mansion.
With Duke Wen protecting them, the three of them will surely have a bright career.
Besides being shocked, everyone felt sad.
Why don’t they have such promising children and grandchildren?
Du Qingtang sent the man away with a few words and met Yan Tiande on the way back to the duty room.
"Congratulations, Master Yan."
"Congratulations."
The two men bowed and then passed each other.
From an outsider's perspective, these two are just colleagues with a dull relationship.
No one knew that the two of them had once had an argument.
The dispute finally ended with Du Qingtang persuading Yan Tiande and dragging him onto the pirate ship.
Du Qingtang entered the duty room and the officials surrounded Yan Tiande again.
"Congratulations to your daughter on passing the imperial examination."
Yan Tiande was happy in his heart, but he didn't show it on his face. He said a few words humbly and went to the duty room to handle official business.
......
On the other side, the horse parade ended and the scholars dispersed.
Yan Zhixi and Yan Zhiyan returned to the Yan Mansion happily, wearing blue Jinshi robes, and were greeted by the bright smiles of their family members.
Except for the grandfather, father, uncles and brothers who were officials in the court, all the members of the Yan family gathered together, and even the married daughters came back with their young children.
Everyone looked at Yan Zhixi and Yan Zhiyan with smiles on their faces, filled with immense joy and pride.
"Congratulations to Sister Xi and Sister Yan for passing the imperial examination. From now on, just like your father and brother, you will be addressed as Master Yan whenever you go out."
"They are all good girls, and they are the pride of the Yan family."
The two girls sat down next to their grandmother. Yan Zhixi said in a soft and coquettish voice, "Grandma, we were so hot during the parade just now. Sister Xi wants to drink some sweet lychee paste water."
Yan Zhiyan was not willing to be outdone: "Sister Yan wants to eat too."
"Eat, eat, eat. Both of you." Old Madam Yan was so happy that she couldn't stop smiling. She asked the maid to go to the main kitchen to get lychee paste water and prepare a bowl for everyone present. She said angrily, "You two have become Master Yan, and you still like to act like spoiled children."
Yan Zhiyan leaned lightly on her grandmother's shoulder and said in a soft voice, "Even if I'm seventy or eighty years old, I'm still your sister Yan."
Old Madam Yan gently tapped the tip of her granddaughter's upturned nose, a smile plastered on her plump face. "Did you secretly eat some honey?"
Everyone burst into laughter.
Girls of the same generation as Yan Zhixi and Yan Zhiyan sat together, their eyes full of admiration and envy.
"The Jinshi robes worn by my elder and second sisters are so beautiful. I wish I could wear them too."
"Study hard, and when you grow up, take the imperial examination."
"That's right! Now that the imperial court has officially opened the imperial examinations to women, we can apply for the exams together with the men, starting with the county exams, and strive to excel as soon as possible and bring honor to our family."
The girls' eyes were sparkling and their fighting spirit was high.
Yan Tiande's legitimate daughter, Yan Yuyi, hugged her eight-year-old daughter and silently gazed at her two nieces, with obscure emotions deep in her eyes.
She couldn't help but wonder, if all this had happened twenty years earlier, would she have been able to pass the imperial examination and become an official like them, and live a successful life.
Instead of marrying a man, taking care of the backyard for him, giving birth to children, worrying about all the trivial matters in the house all day long, becoming a virtuous wife in the eyes of her husband, a kind and gentle mistress in the eyes of her concubines, and a benevolent and kind mother in the eyes of her illegitimate children.
Unfortunately, there is no if.
"Mom, when I grow up I want to be like my cousin, take the imperial examination, and become a high-ranking official!"
Yan Yuyi suddenly came back to her senses, her eyes moved slightly, and she chuckled as she looked down at her daughter. Her voice was as gentle as ever: "Of course, but from now on, you have to get up early and stay up late, study hard, and have endless books to read and endless exams to solve every day. You can no longer eat, drink, and have fun as you please."
Meijie'er, her daughter, opened her eyes wide in fear and grabbed her mother's sleeves, swallowing nervously: "Does it have to be like this?"
Sounds scary QAQ
Yan Yuyi smiled, but nodded seriously: "If you want something in return, you have to give something, right?"
Mei Jie'er puffed up her cheeks and hesitated for a long time: "Then, then can I have two more cakes every day?"
Yan Yuyi was startled for a moment, then burst into laughter. She pinched her daughter's baby fat and said in an incredibly soft voice, "Of course."
"Great!" Sister Mei raised her hands and cheered.
Yan Yuyi stared at her daughter's carefree smile, feeling an inexplicable sense of relief in her heart.
Some things are destined to become eternal regrets that cannot be made up for.
But she never likes to look back and feel sad because of regrets.
Laughter and joy echoed in her ears, and a genuine smile appeared on Yan Yuyi's lips.
Being able to see my niece and daughter pass the imperial examinations and become officials, and rise step by step, during my lifetime is also another form of perfection.
......
Yan Tiande didn't know that his daughter had let it go, and Du Qingtang was even less aware of it.
In the evening, Du Qingtang returned to Duke Wen's Mansion in the bright sunset. Her sister and brother-in-law had arrived home earlier and were chatting and laughing in the dining room.
Du Qingqin was sitting opposite the door and was the first to notice Du Qingtang. She couldn't stop smiling: "Present the jade."
Du Qingtang responded, washed his hands upon entering, and then walked past Ruan Ran. He raised his hand and gently patted her flowing bun. The butterfly on her hairpin trembled, as if it was about to flap its wings and fly away. "You did well on the test."
Ruan Ran touched the butterfly hairpin and smiled: "Ninth sister and teacher taught me well."
Du Qingtang patted his two nieces again, worried that they would be disappointed by being ranked second, so he subtly comforted them, "If nothing unexpected happens, you two should be appointed to positions in the six ministries and five temples. Work hard, and you will definitely be promoted once you have accumulated enough merits."
Du Qingtang did not recommend them to become local officials. Although it would be easier to accumulate merits, it was not safe after all.
As the first group of women to enter officialdom through the imperial examination, it goes without saying how much malice those officials harbored towards them.
Working in Xiajing, Du Qingtang can protect them.
If he went to be an official in the local area, the emperor would be far away and Du Qingtang would inevitably be out of reach.
Fortunately, Feng Xiu and Qian Ran understood what their aunt had not yet said and nodded obediently.
"I understand. I will work diligently."
"I will never bring shame to my aunt!"
Du Qingtang curled his lips and said okay.
That night, seventeen members of the Du family gathered together to celebrate the fact that their three daughters had passed the imperial examinations and become Jinshi.
Everyone was toasting each other, chatting and laughing, and it was not until midnight that they wore off and dispersed.
-
The next day, the court held a Qionglin Banquet for the new Jinshi.
Emperor Qingyuan squeezed out time from his busy schedule to attend the Qionglin Banquet in person.
The newly-appointed Jinshi were extremely excited, and the banquet was filled with lively atmosphere, like the Eight Immortals crossing the sea, each showing off their magical powers.
The third place winner Wu Guang composed a poem and after sitting down he looked across at the second place winner Ruan Ran without leaving a trace.
Unlike the men who gathered in groups of three or five, the 248 women got along very harmoniously. After a few cups of imperial wine, they quickly became friends and laughter could be heard from time to time.
Wu Guang picked up the wine glass and took a sip. A trace of thought flashed across his eyes. After hesitating for a while, he finally stepped forward.
"marriage?"
Ruan Ran's slightly confused tone made Wu Guang pause.
"Yeah, getting married." Zhang Chunyun's cheeks were red from drinking. She burped slightly and covered her face with her hands in embarrassment. "You're coming of age this year. Are your family members urging you to get married and have children?"
Ruan Ran held his chin and played with the wine glass with his fingers: "Not really, they respect my decision very much."
Zhang Chunyun frowned and said, "I'm only eighteen this year. After the parade yesterday, I returned home and my parents started arranging a marriage for me."
She paused, as if she found it difficult to speak: "Do you know who they are looking for me?"
Ruan Ran observed Zhang Chunyun's expression and hummed softly, "It doesn't look good."
Zhang Chunyun chuckled lightly, but her tone lacked much laughter, instead tinged with bitterness. "A wealthy merchant, over forty years old, promised to give the Zhang family one hundred thousand taels of silver if I married him and gave him a smart son."
"I refused, then moved out of the Zhang family's house overnight and spent the night at the charity house run by Princess Zhaoyang and your sister, Duke Wen. I planned to find a place to live in the south of the city later."
Ruan Ran's eyes lit up and she gave him a thumbs-up. "Well done! You still have a long life ahead of you. You should be making great strides in the court and rising to higher positions, instead of bearing children for a man older than your father and becoming one of his many women."
"You're right," Zhang Chunyun smiled, his breath filled with the aroma of wine. "I've suffered a lot since I was a child, all thanks to my parents. Now I finally have the ability to jump out of that deep pit and get rid of them. Even if my brain is broken, I won't jump into another deep pit and end my wonderful life."
"Now that you've made up your mind, don't regret it, and don't be soft-hearted." Ruan Ran patted Zhang Chunyun's shoulder, his eyes full of approval. "Anyway, I don't plan to get married and have children. Once I have children, I'll probably be tied to my house, unable to go anywhere, and I won't be able to realize my ambitions."
Zhang Chunyun nodded and whispered, "To be honest, I have this plan, but I didn't dare to say it because I was worried that others would think I was crazy."
Ruan Ran disagreed: "What's the big deal? You are an independent individual. The path you take in life is your own choice. Your body, your mind, and your uterus are all yours. No one—not even your parents—can make decisions for you, let alone criticize you."
Zhang Chunyun's eyes lit up as he raised his glass: "To freedom!"
Ruan Ran also raised his glass: "Cheers to ideals!"
The two men smiled at each other and drank the wine in their glasses.
Wu Guang retreated quietly and remained silent for a long time, but finally gave up some dark thoughts.
......
On August 26, the newly-appointed Jinshi gathered at the Meridian Gate.
The court awarded Zhao Muqing, the top scholar, a sixth-rank court crown, court robes, patched robes, belts, boots and other items. It also awarded each of the successful candidates five taels of silver and a length of outer and inner clothing material.
On August 27, Zhao Muqing led the other Jinshi candidates to present a letter of thanks.
On August 28, Zhao Muqing led the other Jinshi scholars to the Confucius Temple to perform the ceremony of releasing the monks from their official positions.
On that day, the Ministry of Works allocated one hundred taels of silver to the newly-appointed Jinshi and erected a stone tablet in the Imperial College.
The names, native places and rankings of 600 Jinshi are engraved on the stone tablet so that their names can be recorded in history and used for research by future generations.
After finishing his official business, Du Qingtang met the scholars on his way to the research institute.
Wearing a purple robe and with a cold look in his eyes, he was exactly like the rumored Duke Wen.
The scholars stopped and saluted, saying in unison: "Your humble servants pay their respects to you, sir."
Du Qingtang, who had originally planned to pass by quietly, said: "...No need to be so polite, are you going to the Confucius Temple?"
"Your Excellency, we have already completed the ceremony of release from prison and are planning to return to the city to pack our bags and head back home."
Du Qingtang understood, as she had done the same thing back then: "Bon voyage."
"Thank you for your good wishes."
Du Qingtang rode away on her horse, but the scholars' eyes were still glued to her back, unable to be taken away for a long time.
One man breathed a sigh of relief and sighed to his companion, "Just now I was particularly worried that Duke Wen would take advantage of this situation, but I didn't expect her to be so easygoing."
"Lord Wen is very generous and doesn't bother with us."
"Some people are just judging others by their own standards. If I were Duke Wen, based on the commotion you caused that day, not only would I never forgive you, I would constantly be trying to trip you up and make things difficult for you!" A woman muttered loudly, unable to conceal her disdain. "If Duke Wen hadn't practiced virtue and received divine protection, and hadn't uncovered that man's scheme in time, he would have been accused of favoritism and corruption, and her career and title would have been completely ruined."
The woman pointed and said, "If Fang Yong is the mastermind, then you are accomplices, equally despicable!"
The sharp remarks turned into sharp blades, piercing deep into the hearts of the men, making their faces turn pale and they wished they could find a hole in the ground to crawl into.
"And that Zhang Jianhong? He failed the exam because his skills weren't as good as others, but instead he started to doubt the fairness of the exam and went to beat the drum to report it, causing a huge uproar in the city. He's even more despicable!"
"You believed the rumors and caused a disturbance in the palace. In the future, when you serve in the court with Duke Wen, you will see each other every day and it will not be embarrassing."
"They don't feel embarrassed. They just regret that Duke Wen is innocent and that we wrote the article ourselves."
"Oh, yes, they must be very scared right now, worried that Duke Wen and Earl Haining will make things difficult for them."
The women were talking to each other, and the mocking tone in their voices made the men's faces turn pale and blue, as if they were running a dyeing factory. It was extremely exciting.
Xia Duo curled her lips and said, "But don't worry, Duke Wen and Earl Haining are both principled and good people. They would never do such a shameless thing."
A man was skeptical: "Really?"
"Of course." Xia Duo said firmly, "You all may not know that Liang Yixing killed countless women back then, one of whom was my sister, with whom I had a very close relationship."
"At that time, I had lost all interest in life and was so depressed that I threw myself into the river. It was Duke Wen who saved me and even petitioned His Majesty to take me to the execution ground as an executioner, allowing me to resolve my obsession."
"Don't be fooled by the fact that Duke Wen is aloof and quiet. She is actually a very gentle person."
Xia Duo thought about what happened back then, her eyes reddened slightly, she sniffed, and glanced at the dumbfounded men: "But Duke Wen is very busy with official duties, so he might not even remember who you are."
Men: “…”
Du Minjing clapped her hands and smiled, "What a coincidence! Lord Du also saved us!"
Everyone pricked up their ears.
"My family lives in Sanli Village, Qingyang County, Shaoqing Prefecture. To continue their family line, the men in the village do all sorts of immoral things, even throwing newborn baby girls into stone pagodas, leaving them to starve or freeze to death."
"When the prefect... Lord Du learned of this, he sent troops to arrest all the men in Sanli Village and the women who had aided the tyrant. They were severely tortured and executed, and the remaining innocent people were given a place to stay."
"If it weren't for Lord Du, there would have been more victims in the past few years, and more baby girls would have been abandoned, turned into a pile of bones, and piled up like a mountain inside the stone tower."
Everyone exclaimed.
"Abandoned Baby Tower?"
"Even if you prefer boys to girls, you can't throw baby girls into a baby tower and let them die miserably."
"In fact, this kind of situation happens all over Daxia, but no one cares. Or perhaps most people think that women are inferior to men, unable to inherit the family business, and even less able to become the pillars of the family like men."
A trace of sadness flashed in Du Minjing's eyes. She and her sister were victims of the idea of favoring boys over girls.
"My name is Du Minjing, but it wasn't originally called that." Du Minjing sniffed. "In order to help us get rid of the shadow of the past, Lady Du gave us her last name."
Everyone was stunned.
"I originally thought it was a coincidence that your last name is Du and Duke Wen's last name is Du. I didn't expect there to be such a connection."
"No wonder the people of Shaoqing Prefecture gave the Wanmin Umbrella to Duke Wen and built a longevity temple and a statue for her."
Du Minjing looked proud and raised her chin: "Tens of millions of people in Shaoqing Prefecture were saved because of Lord Du. She deserves it!"
From then on, all the men's eyes were filled with a mixture of amazement and contemplation.
As they parted ways, one man put his fist to his lips and coughed twice. "After spending the past few days together, I feel those women are quite nice. They are graceful and heroic. Perhaps they are not as bad as the rumors say."
"Seeing is believing, hearing is not. We have been misunderstanding them, including Duke Wen."
For many years before, many of them had set their sights on becoming Duke Wen, hoping to achieve the same high score as her and be promoted to higher positions.
It was not until the imperial court opened a special examination system and allowed women to take the imperial examination that their mentality gradually became unbalanced out of fear and anger, and they began to blame others and were full of resentment towards Duke Wen.
Therefore, when Zhang Jianhong beat the drum to report the incident, they took advantage of the situation and tried to make a big deal out of it, forcing the court to give them an explanation.
It would be best to strip those women of their official titles and then deal with Duke Wen and Earl Haining.
Now it seems that everything stems from their selfishness and narrow-mindedness.
"We did make a mistake."
"Next time I have the chance, I intend to apologize to Duke Wen and Earl Haining for nearly hurting them with my actions."
"Me too."
"And me."
......
Du Qingtang was unaware of the conversation among the scholars and went straight to the research institute after leaving the city.
Halfway through the journey, a convoy came towards us on the official road.
Du Qingtang didn't pay much attention at first until Xia Feng blew a clear voice into her ears.
"Offer jade!"
Du Qingtang subconsciously tightened the reins and looked in the direction of the sound.
The girl with heroic eyebrows and eyes, with a sharp beauty and smiling eyes, was none other than Princess Zhaoyang, whom I had not seen for eight months.
Du Qingtang blinked: "A Rong?"
Princess Zhaoyang smiled, stretched out her right hand from the carriage, and gently waved it twice: "It's real, not an illusion."
Du Qingtang: "...Did Arong's trip go smoothly?"
After not seeing each other for a long time, Princess Zhaoyang had lost a lot of weight, but she looked in good spirits, which made Du Qingtang feel a little relieved.
Princess Zhaoyang nodded: "Everything went well."
Du Qingtang curled his lips: "As long as Ah Rong returns safely, His Majesty often thinks of you."
Princess Zhaoyang brushed her hair with her fingertips and asked casually, "Where's the jade?"
Du Qingtang readily replied, "I was thinking of Arong yesterday."
She was thinking at the time that if Princess Zhaoyang was in Xiajing, she would be extremely pleased to see the woman wearing a red robe and being appointed as an official.
Princess Zhaoyang was very satisfied. Seeing Du Qingtang in his official robes and in a hurry, she smiled and said, "Xianyu, go and do your work. I have been tired from the journey, so I need to go back and rest."
Du Qingtang bowed, shook the reins, and rushed out at full speed.
Princess Zhaoyang watched Du Qingtang go away, her smile gradually fading until it disappeared completely. She lowered the curtain and leaned against the carriage: "Go back."
The carriage rumbled and drove towards the princess's mansion.
It was late August and the weather was still hot.
Princess Zhaoyang always suffered from summer heat. After being stuck in the steaming carriage for two hours, her head felt splitting and as if it was about to explode.
However, she still forced herself to take a shower and change her clothes. After washing off the sweat, she put on some light underwear and leaned on the chaise longue.
The collar of her undergarment was loose, revealing the fair skin of her chest.
Below the left collarbone, a hideous scar was half-hidden.
It is certain that the situation was extremely dangerous, the wound was extremely deep and very close to the heart.
Yuan Shuang withdrew her gaze unnoticeably, rubbed Princess Zhaoyang's aching forehead, and reported in a soft voice the intelligence of Xiajing over the past month.
From the story of Duke Wen being framed to the story of 248 women passing the imperial examinations, he finally said, "The Marquis Wenyuan's Mansion sends gifts every day. What do you plan to do with them, Your Highness?"
Princess Zhaoyang tapped the inside of her arm with her fingertips, her expression icy and indifferent. "Lord Du's ability is obvious to all, and he didn't disappoint me this time either. As for the Wenyuan Marquis' Mansion..."
In the past two years, he has been busy clearing out spies from various countries stationed in Daxia and has no time to deal with the old man Lu Jianshan.
Now that the dust has settled, it's time to put an end to it.
-
The next day, officials from Hanzhong Prefecture, wealthy merchants and others arrived in Xiajing under the escort of three thousand troops.
In addition to these people, the imperial envoy who was ordered to go to Hanzhong Prefecture to eradicate the remnants of the Cao family also found out that many powerful families in Xiajing City were secretly supporting the rebels.
For example, the Mansion of Marquis Wenyuan.
For example, the Duke of Changguo’s Mansion.
The Wenyuan Marquisate and the Cao family were once relatives by marriage. Later, Cao Yuan was convicted and Cao's daughter committed suicide. Considering that the eldest son of the Wenyuan Marquisate was only a fifth-rank official and a nominal position, Emperor Qingyuan spared him.
——Of course, this was just an external statement. Emperor Qingyuan simply wanted to leave Lu Jianshan to Princess Zhaoyang for disposal.
The Duke of Changguo's Mansion was originally the maternal family of the second prince. When the second prince died suddenly, the Duke of Changguo and the third master Qi were reluctant to give up their loyalty and so they secretly defected to Cao Yuan.
The imperial envoy found out from Cao's accounts that the two masters of the Duke of Changguo's Mansion would give Cao Yuan tens of thousands of taels of silver every year as a filial gift.
Cao Yuan used this money to raise private soldiers for five years, totaling 350,000 yuan.
Upon learning of this, Emperor Qingyuan was furious and slammed the table in anger, "Assisting the rebels is tantamount to treason. Confiscate your property! And punish your entire clan!"
......
When the imperial guards broke in, Lu Jianshan was sleeping soundly with his concubine in his arms.
I drank and had fun last night and didn't go to bed until the second half of the night. I have only slept for two hours so far.
“Bang, bang, bang!”
There was a violent knock on the door, and before Lu Jianshan could get angry, the servant's anxious voice rang out.
"Oh no, my Lord! A lot of soldiers and officers have arrived outside. They say that the Wenyuan Marquis's mansion has committed treason and they are here on the orders of His Majesty to search and confiscate the property. They also want to imprison all nine clans!"
Lu Jianshan shuddered and immediately woke up.
The crime of treason?
His good father only knew how to eat, drink and have fun all day long, so how could he have the courage to rebel?
The only one who committed the crime of treason recently was...Cao!
Lu Jianshan cursed Cao Xuanjiao inwardly for implicating him even after her death. He didn't care about anything else at the moment. He pushed his concubine away, hurriedly put on his clothes, and climbed out the window.
The mansion was in chaos, with curses and cries coming one after another.
Lu Jianshan vaguely heard the voices of his parents, but he did not look back, nor did he stop, and went straight to the back door of Wenyuan Marquis Mansion.
Wenyuan Hou raised many dogs and had several dog holes opened in the wall so that his dogs could come in and out freely.
Lu Jianshan crawled out from the dog hole on the wall to the left of the back door and headed straight for Princess Zhaoyang's mansion.
Treason is a serious crime and the penalty is death.
Lu Jianshan didn't want to die, and he didn't want to lose the honor of being the eldest son of the Marquis's Mansion.
However, the Wenyuan Marquis Mansion has been in decline for many years, and there is no one available among the relatives.
Lu Jianshan was left with no other options and had to ask Princess Zhaoyang for help.
I hope Your Highness will take into consideration our past friendship and plead for the Wenyuan Marquis’ Mansion, asking His Majesty to show leniency and spare them.
Lu Jianshan ran as fast as he could, his disheveled clothes attracting countless people's attention along the way.
He quickly ran to Princess Zhaoyang's residence and hurriedly said to the doorman, "I have an urgent matter and would like to see His Highness immediately!"
Originally thinking that this time would be like the past eight months, where he would be turned away when he went to ask for a meeting, Lu Jianshan had even prepared to kneel down for a long time. Unexpectedly, the doorman changed his usual arrogance and welcomed him in with a smile.
"His Highness just returned to the capital yesterday and specifically instructed that if you, the Crown Prince, come over, there's no need to notify us and we can just let you in."
Lu Jianshan was delighted, he knew that His Highness still cared about him!
Once His Highness secures the Marquis Wenyuan's Mansion, he will bring His Highness home in a sedan chair carried by eight people.
From now on, they will live in harmony, play the zither and qin in harmony, and become a happy pair of mandarin ducks!
Lu Jianshan quickly arrived at the main courtyard.
Princess Zhaoyang was sitting in a pavilion hung with gauze to enjoy the cool air. A palace maid was holding a hand-cranked fan and gently turning the handle, bringing a cool breeze.
"Your Highness!" Lu Jianshan fell to his knees outside the pavilion, his head banging on the ground, sobbing, "Please save the Wenyuan Marquis Mansion!"
Princess Zhaoyang picked up a piece of watermelon from the icy jar with a silver fork and took a bite. The sweet juice burst into her mouth and she squinted her eyes in satisfaction. "What happened?"
Lu Jianshan explained the matter, speaking earnestly, "I can swear to heaven that the Wenyuan Marquisate has never committed any act of treason. I beg Your Highness to plead with His Majesty to show some leniency and spare the Wenyuan Marquisate!"
Princess Zhaoyang stood up slowly, lifted her veil, and walked out of the pavilion.
Lu Jianshan raised his head, a hint of obsession flashed across his eyes, and then he lowered his head again.
Princess Zhaoyang looked down at Lu Jianshan from above, seeing him lying on the ground like a dog, and raised the corner of her lips: "According to you, the Wenyuan Marquis Mansion is innocent?"
Lu Jianshan said without hesitation: "Yes."
Princess Zhaoyang asked again, "You want me to plead for you so that the Wenyuan Marquisate can be acquitted, right?"
Lu Jianshan did not answer, but said in a trembling voice: "When we parted that year, you and I almost regretted it for the rest of our lives. Now that Your Highness has returned safely, I have no wife at home. If Your Highness does not mind, once the Wenyuan Marquis's residence is out of danger, I will ask His Majesty for permission to marry you, and I will take you to a sedan chair carried by eight people..."
Princess Zhaoyang frowned slightly and interrupted Lu Jianshan's crazy talk: "Let me ask you, when I was in danger, was it an accident or man-made?"
Lu Jianshan was stunned for a moment, and just as he was about to speak, Princess Zhaoyang said again, "I want to hear the truth."
Lu Jianshan swallowed his saliva, clenched his hands, took a deep breath, and said affectionately, "Back then, the deposed queen approached me and asked me to play a hero and save the beauty. I have been in love with Her Highness for a long time, but I was worried that she would find another man, so I agreed."
As he spoke, he pointed to the heavens and swore, "My feelings for Your Highness are evident to all, and I have never forgotten Your Highness over the years."
"It's a shame that Cao was so cruel and savage that she forced me to marry her. Otherwise, we could have resumed our relationship the year Your Highness returned to the court."
"If I tell even a single lie, I will be struck by lightning and die a miserable death!"
"No need to be struck by lightning." Lu Jianshan was delighted, but Princess Zhaoyang changed the subject and said, "I will send you on your way now."
Lu Jianshan was startled. When he looked up, he saw a long sword being unsheathed. Princess Zhaoyang raised the long sword high and stabbed him from behind.
The sharp blade pierced through his chest, nailing Lu Jianshan to the ground.
"That sounds nice, but unfortunately, I cannot tolerate traitors around me."
The helpless little princess met a villain, and a handsome man fell from the sky and saved her from danger.
The little princess fell in love with the man at first sight and secretly promised to spend her life with him.
What a wonderful love story.
Sadly it was a scam from the beginning to the end.
Lu Jianshan's eyes were wide open, with a look of deep disbelief in them, and he took his last breath.
Princess Zhaoyang threw away the blood-stained handkerchief and entered the pavilion: "Drag it to feed the dogs."
"yes."
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