At the same time, on a hillside somewhere in the suburbs of Beijing.
Several carriages that looked low-key but were luxurious inside were slowly approaching the capital.
Finally, the carriage stopped at a teahouse outside the city. The curtain was slightly lifted, revealing a bright and flamboyant face - it was the Princess of the Great Qin, Qin Jialuo, who had come from a long journey.
Behind her, there were two carriages, one carrying the Prime Minister Ge Zhong of the Qin Dynasty, and the other carrying the General Meng Ping.
They were on this trip as a delegation from the Great Qin, one purpose was to establish friendly cooperation with the Great Chu, and the other was to welcome their eldest grandson Qin Yuan, also known as Pei Yuan.
"This teahouse in Da Chu is really interesting." Qin Jialuo and his party walked into the teahouse, looked at the classical yet elegant decoration, quickly chose a seat by the window, and ordered a pot of good tea.
At this time, several scholars at the next table were talking loudly.
"Have you heard? Her Royal Highness the Princess submitted a new policy a few days ago, saying that she would reduce taxes in Jiangnan for three years to give the people who suffered from the flood a break!"
"Not only that! She also proposed setting up 'relief warehouses' in each state, saying that they would store food in good years and provide relief in bad years. This is a real good policy!"
"Alas! What a pity..." An old scholar shook his head and sighed, "The princess is so talented, but she met the wrong man. She married the number one scholar in Qi at an early age, and divorced him and wasted her youth. Otherwise..."
The old scholar didn't say the rest of the words, but everyone present felt a sigh of regret.
At this moment, the teacup in Qin Jialuo's hand hit the table with a loud bang.
She turned her head sharply and looked at the scholars at the next table:
"Wait! What did you just say? Your princess was divorced? And she even participated in politics?"
Several people were startled by her sudden reaction. One of them nodded and said, "Yes, Princess Zhaoyang divorced her husband several months ago and now lives alone in the princess's mansion."
Qin Jialuo's eyes widened, and she looked at Ge Zhong and Meng Ping in disbelief: "How can a princess of the Great Chu participate in politics as a divorced person? And she is so popular among the people?"
Prime Minister Ge Zhong stroked his beard, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes.
Meng Ping whispered, "I think this Princess Zhaoyang must have some extraordinary qualities. We are new here, so we should be careful with our words and not draw attention to ourselves."
But Qin Jialuo couldn't hold back. She was also the legitimate princess of the Qin Dynasty and the youngest daughter of the Qin Emperor. She had always wanted everything she wanted since she was a child. But even so, the Qin Emperor never allowed her to participate in politics.
If she hadn't been persistent and pleaded for mercy, her father would never have agreed to let her go to Da Chu this time.
Qin Jialuo stared at his reflection in the tea, feeling an indescribable bitterness and unwillingness in his heart.
As princesses of the same country, Zhaoyang could participate in politics openly, but she was not allowed to even touch the memorials.
"Princess!" Seeing that she looked unhappy, Meng Ping wanted to persuade her again.
"Humph!" Qin Jialuo snorted coldly, with a fire of unwillingness to admit defeat burning in his eyes: "What's so special about Chu Qingluan? Didn't she just propose a few new policies? If I could be given a chance, I might not be worse than her!"
Thinking of this, she shouted at the scholars, "Where are the etiquette and rules of your Great Chu? Shouldn't a woman stay at home after divorce? How can she still attend court to discuss politics?"
The old scholar was stunned by the question, then smiled and said, "I'm afraid this girl is from a foreign country? Our princess has been personally cultivated by His Majesty since she was a child. She is well-versed in ancient and modern times and the six arts. Most of the new policies in the court are from her. As for etiquette..." The scholar took a sip of tea: "Rules are dead, but people are alive."
Qin Jialuo let go of his hand and stood there in a daze.
She originally thought that Chu Qingluan was just like herself, a spoiled princess who relied on her status, but she never expected that she was actually a person who could break the shackles of the world and truly hold power.
Seeing this, Ge Zhong reminded her in a low voice: "Princess, this woman can gain a foothold in the court as a woman. She must have something extraordinary. Our trip..."
Qin Jialuo narrowed his eyes and suddenly smiled.
"Interesting! This princess wants to see why she can make my Great Qin's eldest grandson so devoted to her!"
…
Soon, the Qin envoys arrived in Beijing in a low-key manner and stayed in a restaurant.
Originally, Ge Zhong planned to reveal his identity and live directly in the inn, but Qin Jialuo refused and said: I want to walk around the city first, understand the customs and culture of Da Chu, know ourselves and the enemy, so as to gain an advantageous position in the subsequent trade negotiations between the two countries.
Ge Zhong thought so too and simply went along with Qin Jialuo.
On this day, Qin Jialuo heard that the easiest place to become famous in the capital of Da Chu was Sifang Pavilion, so she changed into men's clothes, took a maid with her, and soon set off for Sifang Pavilion in a carriage.
Sifang Hall was the most popular place for elegant gatherings in the capital of Dachu. All the people who came and went were famous scholars, dignitaries and talented people. The hall was decorated with carved beams and painted buildings, and the scent of ink filled the room. On every day of the festival, there would be meetings to discuss politics and classics. If one could become famous here, his fame would spread throughout the capital within a day.
Qin Jialuo was wearing a moon-white brocade robe, a jade crown to tie her hair up, and holding a folding fan in her hand.
When she stepped into the museum, she looked around and saw that everyone was talking loudly, some were reciting poems, some were criticizing current social ills, it was very lively.
Just as she found a seat and was about to sit down, she suddenly heard a heated debate coming from the podium in the middle of the hall.
"......Princess Zhaoyang actually issued an order to reopen girls' schools, and even said that 'women can also understand worldly affairs'? This is simply a hen crowing at dawn! Where are the ancestral etiquette and laws?"
The speaker was an old Confucian scholar named Wang. He was a very rigid and stubborn person. He had failed the imperial examinations for more than ten years. This time he wanted to try his luck in Sifangguan and see if he could be noticed by some powerful person and become his aide.
"You are wrong, old man!" the young scholar opposite immediately retorted, "Since Her Royal Highness Princess has been regent, the canal has been diverted and wasteland has been reclaimed. Which one of these is not beneficial to the country and the people? It is not harmful to the family or the country for women to learn to read and write..."
"But when women interfere in government, the government will be in chaos! When Wu Zhou replaced Tang... "
At the side, Qin Jialuo, who was just about to taste the tea, had a flash of light in his eyes and a sneer on the corner of his lips.
——The opportunity has come!
She opened her folding fan, walked forward and said in a clear voice: "This old gentleman is right! As a woman, you should stay at home, take care of your husband and children. Wouldn't it disrupt the moral order if you participate in politics?"
The whole room fell silent, and everyone looked sideways.
Qin Jialuo straightened his clothes and was about to speak when a scholar in a green shirt frowned and said, "This young man looks very unfamiliar. Princess Zhaoyang's political achievements are obvious to all. How can we judge the superiority of a man by his gender?"
Qin Jialuo gently waved her folding fan and said slowly, "Political achievements? She is just relying on her status as a princess. If she were really a man, I'm afraid even a third-rank minister might not be able to implement these policies, right?"
She deliberately raised her voice so that the entire Sifang Pavilion could hear clearly: "After all, women's participation in politics is ultimately - unworthy of the position!"
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