Chapter 438 Drag Others Down
"Considering that I am acquainted with Jiang Wanjun's elder sister, the Princess of Langya, and since you can't memorize this article, I can give you another chance. You can choose one yourself to test Jiang Wanjun."
"How about Jiang Wanjun chooses an article to test you?"
"Your Highness, I will leave everything to Your Highness's discretion." Jiang Wanjun said neither humbly nor arrogantly. The Empress Dowager on the throne nodded slightly, her eyes full of satisfaction and a hint of admiration for Jiang Wanning.
The woman hesitated for a moment, but finally agreed.
The two each submitted a poem; the woman's was the most difficult, while Jiang Wanjun's was the simplest.
Jiang Wanjun could still recite it fluently, while the woman did memorize it, though she made one or two mistakes and stumbled a bit.
After memorizing,
The two stood quietly. Prince Jin glanced at the Empress Dowager before saying, "You accused the third-ranked scholar and the female official. Are you convinced now?"
"Furthermore, when the third-ranked scholar was found, she tried her best to prove her innocence, while you immediately admitted your mistake."
"Your Highness, I was wrong, I was wrong." The woman knelt on the ground with a thud and began to beg for forgiveness.
Prince Jin looked at Jiang Wanjun and said, "Since she framed you, then you shall decide this matter."
Jiang Wanjun thanked the Prince of Jin, then turned to the woman who had falsely accused her and said, "Originally, I felt quite sorry for you."
"Thinking about this opportunity to enter the palace and meet the emperor, I can mention to His Majesty the reform of the imperial examination system and give you another chance. I know you don't want to take shortcuts, you just care too much about this opportunity."
“I’ve seen you before. Besides studying, you also work to earn money, so you have very little time to study. If you were given a year, you would definitely pass the high school entrance exam.”
"But you have ulterior motives. Not only did you have wicked thoughts, you also wanted to drag others down with you."
When the woman heard Jiang Wanjun say this, tears streamed down her face. "I didn't want to either, but I don't have your good fortune. You have money at home and people supporting you."
"I can only change my destiny through my own efforts, and this is my only chance."
“This is not a reason for you to frame me,” Jiang Wanjun said.
The woman kowtowed to Prince Jin and the Empress Dowager on the throne, saying, "I know I was wrong. I am willing to accept punishment. I beg Your Majesty or Your Highness to imprison me or exile me."
“I don’t want to go back. I don’t want to marry someone who can be my grandfather for the sake of my family.”
The King of Jin remained silent.
Jiang Wanjun said, "Cheating in the imperial examinations is not serious enough to warrant imprisonment or exile."
“But I would rather be imprisoned and exiled,” the woman cried.
Jiang Wanjun bowed to the Empress Dowager and Prince Jin, saying, "Your Highness, why not let her work as a cleaner at the academy for a year before she can return home? If she performs well during this year, her eligibility for the imperial examinations can be restored."
"If she makes another mistake, we will send her home and hand her over to her family."
Prince Jin glanced at the woman next to Jiang Wanjun and said, "Since the third-ranked scholar has pleaded for you, then this time we will do as the third-ranked scholar says."
The woman was stunned for a moment, then excitedly kowtowed, "Thank you, Your Highness, thank you, Your Majesty, thank you, Empress Dowager."
Then she turned around and bowed to Jiang Wanjun, saying, "Thank you, thank you."
"I, Su Qing, will never forget your kindness today, and I will repay you tenfold in the future."
Jiang Wanjun smiled and helped the person up. Her older sister had taught her that some people are eternal enemies, while others can be both enemies and friends.
It's better to have one more friend than one more enemy.
She felt that Su Qing was not a bad person at heart, and she would leave the future to the future.
“Your Highness, I have another matter to discuss,” Jiang Wanjun said.
“This lady did not do anything wrong. When she found out that I had cheat sheets in my bag, she was indeed ruthless. However, after I proved my innocence, she did not insist on her own opinion.”
"This humble woman wishes to ask Your Highness for permission to allow these female officials in the palace to participate in the imperial examinations."
Prince Jin and the Empress Dowager exchanged a glance. "I was just discussing this matter with the Prince."
"I think this matter is worth considering."
"I will discuss this matter with the Regent in due course."
"Alright, you may all leave now. You may rest in the warm pavilion for a while, and I will send someone to fetch you when the banquet begins."
"Thank you, Empress Dowager."
As Jiang Wanjun withdrew from the main hall, a female official called out from behind, "Miss Jiang."
Jiang Wanjun turned to look at the female official, "Does Your Excellency have anything else to say?"
“When we meet again in the future, I should address you as ‘Sir,’” the official said. “Thank you for your help earlier. I’d like to ask how you knew I had always wanted to take the imperial examinations?”
Jiang Wanjun smiled and said, "I watched it carefully."
"I think the adult will definitely pass the high school entrance exam in the future."
"Then I accept your kind words," the official said.
The dinner began.
The top three stood in the center of the main hall.
The Prince of Jin was assigning official positions to everyone. When it was Jiang Wanjun's turn, the Prince of Jin had not yet spoken.
Jiang Wanjun spoke first, "Your Highness, I have a request."
Everyone was surprised by Jiang Wanjun's boldness; why did she have to ask for something at this time?
“Speak freely, my esteemed scholar,” said the Prince of Jin.
"This humble woman begs Your Highness to allow her to establish a Women's Hall, to provide a fair place for women who suffer humiliation in the inner quarters."
"In my Dongling Kingdom, men are no longer superior to women; we have achieved true gender equality."
"My lord, can't the Dali Temple and the prefecture handle grievances just the same way? Why is there a separate place for women to seek redress? Isn't this just giving women special treatment?"
"Wouldn't this put women above men? The third-ranked scholar is the only female official in Dongling right now, and she's already creating conflict before she's even been officially appointed."
"Yes, Your Highness, I also think this matter needs to be carefully considered."
"This third-ranked scholar has ulterior motives."
“I have said long ago that this woman is not fit to be an official. She is only suited to stay at home and be a wife and mother. Why does she have to go out and become an official?”
"......"
Everyone voiced their opposition.
"So, Lord Li, you meant that it's wrong to establish a civil service examination for women?" the Empress Dowager said calmly from her throne. "In that case, Lord Li, why don't you go down and talk to the late Emperor about it?"
"Let's see if the late emperor agrees."
"Your Majesty, this official...this official didn't mean that." The official who had just spoken was so frightened that he quickly came out and knelt on the ground.
Jiang Wanjun continued, "Empress Dowager, Your Highness, I have no intention of creating conflict."
"It's not that women have it easy to live in this world. If they go to prison or are tried, how many families would accept them back when they return to their husbands' homes?"
“They would all say that their bodies had been touched or seen by others during this period, etc., in order to divorce the other party.”
"What I want is that in the future, all trials should be conducted by women, and the Women's Court should only imprison women, just like a women's prison. In this way, if I am released in the future, my husband's family will have no reason to divorce me at will."
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