Chapter 174 A woman ascends the throne as empress, starting with her...
Xiao Qiluo was aware of her uncles' ambitions, but she hadn't expected them to be so impatient. She had originally thought she would have to wait a while longer before taking action.
Xiao Qiluo spent a few days at the Ministry of Agriculture, where she and several students recorded some data.
The court was practically in an uproar.
Xiao Qiluo's actions during this period have indeed influenced some people. Some of them, with their own cunning, believe that since His Majesty has clearly decided to make Princess Qiluo the crown princess, she is very likely to ascend the throne as empress in the future.
They have already sent their daughter to a girls' school.
Some people supported Xiao Qiluo as the crown prince, while others still couldn't accept it and requested the emperor to rescind his decree and appoint a more suitable person as the crown prince instead.
The court is now divided into several factions arguing, with members of the imperial family secretly fanning the flames. When the arguments get heated, they even resort to physical violence.
Each of them felt that what they said made sense.
The moment Xiao Qiluo appeared, the entire court fell silent as they watched her walk in through the main gate.
As her gaze swept over the crowd, the officials felt a chill run down their spines and lowered their heads, not daring to meet her eyes.
"If you have any opinions, please feel free to speak them to my face."
The crowd exchanged glances, and finally someone stepped forward, cupped his hands in the direction of the emperor, and then cupped his hands in the direction of Xiao Qiluo, saying, "Your Majesty, I do not object to establishing Princess Qiluo as the crown prince, but whether the crown prince should be called the Crown Princess, to show the princess's status as a woman."
Xiao Qiluo looked at the man and smiled, “I understand what you mean, Liu Qing. Indeed, judging from the words and past facts, the position of Crown Prince is always for men. But don’t forget, Liu Qing, power has no gender distinction. In the end, Crown Prince is just a title, not exclusive to men. Men can be crowned, and women can be crowned as well.”
Yes, that's right. Women should aspire to power, should be ambitious, and should reach the highest point to look down upon the scenery below.
"What the princess says is absolutely right. I am ashamed."
The emperor looked at Xiao Qiluo, lost in thought. The prevailing sentiment in the court and among the people had changed from what it had initially been.
The establishment of girls' schools enabled women to enter the classroom.
They wore the uniform of the female students and could go to the study to buy writing brushes, ink, paper and inkstones just like the men. They could read books in the study and also compose poems and couplets with each other.
At first, they felt embarrassed to receive advice, but after a while, they realized it was nothing special. They could argue back or simply ignore it when others gave them advice.
Your own mindset is the most important thing.
In this capital city, more and more women are doing business, and more and more women are divorcing their husbands and establishing their own households.
Everything seems to have changed; women can now be self-reliant and independent.
The words of advice are still there, but not as many as before.
The princess said that they still needed to work hard, not only to give women in the capital a chance to rise in society, but also to strive to become officials so that more women in the dynasty could have the opportunity to participate in the imperial examinations and achieve success.
The emperor personally issued an imperial edict to announce it to the world, and also personally offered sacrifices to the ancestors in the Imperial Ancestral Temple, establishing his daughter Xiao Qiluo as the crown princess.
When this news came out, people were not initially shocked; instead, they felt it was only natural.
The girls, in particular, felt that the princess—no, the crown prince—was right; their future held infinite possibilities.
Besides classes, His Highness the Crown Prince also introduced them to many other things, such as how to cultivate wheat and rice to solve the problem of food and clothing for the people.
How to make soap for washing clothes, how to refine fine salt.
The Master knows a lot, but His Highness the Crown Prince knows even more.
His Highness the Crown Prince also said that students should not study all the time, but should combine work and rest. Only with a good body can they concentrate on their studies. They also need to exercise every day.
Xiao Qiluo, who has been named Crown Princess, has not yet moved to the East Palace; she still has many things to finish.
The previous batch of meteorite iron was used to forge many weapons. The swords, spears, and halberds were heavier than ordinary ones, but they were very effective.
Every single one is a masterpiece.
She specially chose a sword and went to the Imperial Ancestral Temple to worship her grandmother. She told her grandmother that they now had a lot of rare iron.
I'll also take a look at my ancestors while I'm at it.
Those pedantic people keep saying it doesn't conform to ancestral principles and laws, but she didn't see how those ancestors would be so angry they'd come back to life after she was made crown princess. They didn't say anything, which shows they were quite satisfied with her as crown princess.
Looking at the sword forged from meteorite iron in her hand, Xiao Qiluo sent this sword, specially made for her grandmother, to the imperial mausoleum and placed it beside her grandmother.
Seeing the meteorite iron inevitably reminds one of Cui Fang. She had instructed her guards not to report any unusual activity to her, which shows that Cui Fang has been behaving very well lately. I wonder if this has been a blow to him.
His guardian spirit didn't appear in her mind to say anything nonsensical.
The Empress Dowager is right. It's bad luck to be a man who pampers men. Ever since she stopped caring about men, all the power has fallen into her hands. Just the other day, Xingzhi said she looked radiant.
Since keeping him will still be useful, let's keep him for fun for now.
Meteorite is really beyond Xiang Bei's mission scope. She never imagined that the male lead could get such a good thing.
If it's a gift from God, you shouldn't refuse it.
Anyway, she can't make this thing.
Xiao Qiluo frowned as she looked at the words floating in front of her, puzzled. "Mother, didn't you say before that men are just for fun and shouldn't be taken to heart?"
Silly child, I mean you shouldn't have a man in your heart, not that you shouldn't have a man by your side.
Xiang Bei thought the emperor in the matriarchal world made a lot of sense. Men, you can give more favor to the ones you like, but you still have to be clear-headed and never lose yourself for a man.
If Xiao Qiluo were to become emperor and still be subservient to men, Xiang Bei would really want to shake her head to see if it was filled with seawater.
As Xiao Qiluo watched the words drift by, she could feel the excitement in her mother's emotions. Fortunately, she hadn't told her father that she could see her mother's presence; she dared not tell him any of this.
After becoming the crown prince, she had more things to do. Since her mother provided the teachers at the girls' school, she didn't have to worry too much. Her father also entrusted her with reviewing memorials.
Recently, my father has hardly ever attended court and rarely makes an appearance.
Even Xiao Qiluo was nowhere to be found, which she found rather strange.
When she went to find her father, she discovered that he had suffered a lot, and his everyday clothes were loose and baggy on him.
"Father?"
The emperor looked at Xiao Qiluo, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "You've come?"
"Father!"
"It's nothing serious, don't worry," the emperor waved his hand.
He doesn't look like he's alright at all.
Only after inquiring did they learn that even the imperial physicians could not find the cause of the illness, and the body was deteriorating day by day.
Looking at Xiao Qiluo kneeling before him, the emperor placed his hand on her shoulder and tightened his grip slightly. "Qiluo, this is the path you chose yourself. Your father wants to tell you that this path is not easy, but since you have chosen it, you must continue down this path."
“I know, I know, Father.”
"We must keep going." The emperor swayed, his body falling to the side.
The imperial physicians could not diagnose the cause, only knowing that the emperor's health was deteriorating.
He lay on the bed, emaciated, his gaze fixed on his weeping daughter beside him, then on the curtains above. “A few days ago I had a dream in which I passed the throne to someone else.”
The scene in his dream was blurry; he couldn't see who he passed the throne to. He only knew that the person was neither Qiluo nor a member of the royal family.
He could even clearly sense that he did not pass the throne to that person voluntarily, but it was as if he was being controlled by an invisible hand. After issuing the imperial edict, he died just like he is now.
But at least this time, he willingly gave the throne to his daughter.
Xiao Qiluo also sought help from Xiang Bei, begging her to save her father, the Emperor.
"It's no use, the emperor's life force is almost exhausted." The system shook its head and sighed.
In the original text, the emperor is portrayed as a tool to pass the throne to Cui Fang; once the task of passing the throne is completed, his mission is accomplished.
Xiao Qiluo heard a very soft sigh and knew that her father was powerless to change the situation.
The emperor simply patted her head as he had when she was a child, and then fell into a coma.
Three days later, the emperor died.
The Ministry of Rites was extremely busy preparing for both the national mourning and Xiao Qiluo's coronation ceremony.
This was the first female emperor in history to ascend the throne, and the historians were always ready to record this event truthfully.
After her initial heartbreak, Xiao Qiluo quickly recovered.
After the emperor's burial, the Ministry of Rites also rushed to make Xiao Qiluo's dragon robe.
Even Xiang Bei was excited when she saw Xiao Qiluo put on the dragon robe. Knowing that Xiao Qiluo was about to ascend the throne, she was even more excited than Xiao Qiluo herself.
At this moment, Xiao Qiluo truly escaped her fate as the female protagonist in a tragic novel.
[Your Highness, oh no, Your Highness the Crown Prince, please ascend the throne!]
Until Xiao Qiluo ascended the throne, the female lead's halo exerted its greatest effort, suppressing Cui Fang's male lead halo to 20%.
Xiang Bei glanced at it and frowned, saying, "The male protagonist of this world is really hard to kill."
Even after all this, he's still not dead.
The system, which was preparing a grand gift for Xiao Qiluo's coronation, came over to take a look upon hearing this. "The world consciousness is still protecting him. We should be more careful; he might just turn the tide."
Xiang Bei finds this male lead incredibly annoying; he's like an unkillable cockroach, and she can't see any redeeming qualities in him that make him worth protecting.
It's better to look at your own daughter a few more times to cleanse your eyes.
After Xiao Qiluo ascended the throne, she set the reign title as Qiyuan.
The beginning of all things is called Qi, and a woman ascends the throne as empress, thus beginning this era.
The historians recorded her as Empress Qiyuan, but Xiao Qiluo was not satisfied and insisted that the historians recorded her as an emperor.
If you must write about a female emperor, then record her father as a male emperor, and label all emperors of all dynasties as male emperors.
She doesn't need to be treated specially. She can be addressed as she was by the emperors of past dynasties, and her story can be recorded truthfully.
These are all facts, and the historians could not say anything, so they recorded Xiao Qiluo's story truthfully.
After ascending the throne, Xiao Qiluo became even busier, with endless state affairs to handle every day, and even trivial matters had to be presented to her, which was a real waste of time.
Xiao Qiluo promoted two deputies, who distributed the memorials daily, setting aside the minor greetings and inquiries for later reply when she had time.
Important matters were addressed and responded to according to the dates the memorials were submitted. By eliminating minor issues, major matters could be handled much faster and more promptly.
For her health, her mother prepared delicious food and drinks for her every day and told her to take good care of herself.
Xiao Qiluo naturally did not forget important matters after ascending the throne. The students in the girls' school still had to continue their studies, and she would occasionally go to check on their progress.
Seeing young girls receive their early education, able to compose poetry at three and write prose at five, proving themselves no less capable than the boys at the Imperial Academy, Xiao Qiluo felt that everything she had done was worthwhile.
After she ascended the throne, she set a great example, and many more women came to the school.
The students who participated in the imperial examination were all women carefully selected by Xiao Qiluo. Only if they worked hard and eventually achieved the highest rank could they open up a way out for other women. Therefore, she was stricter with them.
Xiao Qiluo had high hopes for them and promised that if any one of them made it onto the list, she would write down all their names and pass them down to future generations, so that they would know that women were able to participate in the imperial examinations because they had earned their own path.
Their enduring fame has indeed inspired these children.
Judging from the current situation, Xiao Qiluo's efforts have not been in vain.
Even Xia He, who was by her side, was found and brought back.
The four girls, Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter, were naturally quite talented. Xiao Qiluo asked her if she would like to stay at the girls' school.
Xia He nodded vigorously. She had heard about His Majesty's actions on her way here. "This servant is willing."
"Your indenture has been returned to you. You no longer need to refer to yourself as a servant. Xia He, if you choose to stay, I hope you can do the same. If you make a mistake, I will never show favoritism or cover it up."
"I understand."
The number of women in the girls' school is increasing, the categories are becoming more detailed, and the rules are being improved.
Women with a skill, if willing, can also become female teachers and teach other women how to survive.
Xiao Qiluo's school was separate from other places. She looked at the girls in the school, who were now also able to learn courses that were only for boys.
The children listened very attentively, and would ask the teacher questions when they had any. As the teacher explained things to them again and again, many of them seemed to have found the key.
The Four Books and Five Classics, which only men could study, official documents and judgments required for use in officialdom, and practical strategies related to governing people's livelihoods, military affairs, and diplomacy.
Not only did they learn in the school, but Xiao Qiluo would also take her students to the farmland in the suburbs to see for themselves and help the tenant farmers with planting and fertilizing.
He also took them to the Ministry of Agriculture to see the rice and wheat being cultivated.
And how to irrigate farmland.
These students are all from or near the capital.
"What we see now is only the situation in the capital. The students participating in the imperial examinations come from all over the country, and each place has a different situation. We not only need to know this, but also need to learn to adapt to local conditions."
“Your Majesty, I know that my maternal grandfather’s family is in Huzhou, and the terrain there is indeed different from ours.”
Xiao Qiluo nodded and then asked others to give some examples.
She also showed the students past cases of floods and snow disasters, telling them that those were not divine retribution, but natural disasters.
"These natural disasters are unavoidable. What we need to do is know how to respond after a disaster occurs and how to minimize the harm to the people. If you pass the imperial examinations with flying colors, you will become officials in the future. Your names will be recorded and your deeds will be passed down. I hope you will remember what I said today: women should be self-reliant."
The other students echoed, "Women should be self-reliant."
Xiao Qiluo also made this sentence into a plaque and hung it in the school. Xia He was carrying something and passed by when she turned around and saw Qiu Yan standing not far away.
"His Majesty seems to have changed a lot," Xia He remarked.
"Yes, I feel that His Majesty is radiating light these days."
Xia He smiled and said, "I think Her Majesty herself hasn't changed; she's still the same kind person."
The only change is in the way things are done. In the past, when His Majesty saw others suffering, he would feel sorry for them and cry, then give them money so that they could recover.
His Majesty now also feels sorry for those who suffer, but instead of tearfully giving them money, he finds more suitable ways to help them escape their misery as much as possible.
I heard that His Majesty has recently been reorganizing the army, not only in terms of troop deployment but also by establishing several inviolable military regulations.
Anyone who violates military regulations will be killed without exception.
I also heard that His Majesty is building a large ship and has found a group of people skilled in swimming to go out to sea in search of something called potatoes and sweet potatoes.
Seeing His Majesty the Emperor playing hand in hand with the children, Xia He and Qiu Yan couldn't help but laugh.
Everything is moving in a positive direction.
Xia He went to do her work. Qiu Yan glanced at the scene and saw that His Majesty was explaining the students' questions in a very clear and logical way, and was even able to offer his own insights. He also encouraged them to try to understand those things themselves and to express their own opinions.
The people in these schools also need to undergo regular training.
His Majesty also established a newspaper and encouraged everyone to write and publish articles.
Everything that happens is published in the newspapers to ensure that the public feels involved in matters big and small in the country.
The changes in the capital are too great. The officials from all over the country who had been attending the funeral of the late emperor were already surprised enough when they learned that Princess Qiluo was the one who ascended the throne. Looking at the atmosphere in the capital, the more shrewd ones had already gone back to follow suit in order to curry favor with the new emperor.
This is exactly the ending Xiao Qiluo wanted.
In the quiet of the night, she would talk to her mother. Only when facing her mother did she dare to say a few words from her heart.
She was heartbroken by her father's passing, but there was also a hint of relief mixed in. Her father did love and care for her, but he had never considered passing the throne to her before she mentioned her ambitions.
If her father were still alive, and he ever changed his mind, he could take back everything she had given her.
At that time, she, who has been raised to be ambitious, will certainly not be willing to sit idly by and wait for her death, and it will be inevitable that father and daughter will fight each other.
Xiao Qiluo clasped her hands together and said, “I know that thinking like this is unfair to Father Emperor, but it’s fine as it is now. In my heart, I will always be grateful to Father Emperor. In order to repay Father Emperor, I will definitely urge the historians to praise Father Emperor in the history books.”
Of course, we can't forget the Empress Dowager either. It is thanks to the Empress Dowager that she is who she is today.
Xiang Bei was quite happy and hugged the system tightly, saying, "As expected of my precious daughter, you're thinking the same thing as me."
The late emperor's affectionate character was given by the original text. Although it served the plot, before Xiao Qiluo ascended the throne, she was also worried that the emperor would suddenly realize his mistake and regret passing the throne to his daughter.
As an emperor, he still possessed certain rights.
The male lead is already annoying enough, but if the former emperor awakens and causes trouble, it will be even more annoying.
Even if she claims to be Xiao Qiluo's mother, it doesn't mean she's willing to have any connection with the late emperor.
At this moment, all she wanted to say was, "Rest in peace, Your Majesty."
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