The proper separation between men and women is a topic that cannot be fully discussed.
Huan Yue said in broad daylight outside Xuande Gate: "I think the separation of men and women has two main purposes. First, to prevent philandering. When a man sees a beautiful woman, he may think of other women. Of course, objectively speaking, there are bad men and bad women. Second, to protect. I think protection is more important. Women are vulnerable, so in addition to self-respect, they should also keep their distance from men. Therefore, this separation, apart from certain formalities, should be taken seriously."
Many people found it novel.
Huan Yue spoke frankly: "Now, studying has become associated with hooliganism, and cultivating the Tao has become a heretical path. The true separation between men and women is sometimes distorted. Some women want to climb into a man's bed as soon as they see it, so this is also a way to protect men."
Laughter erupted all around.
Someone jeered, "Is the Empress protecting His Highness?"
Huan Yue said, "Your Highness doesn't need my protection. I'm more worried about those candidates next year who might be chosen as husbands after the results are announced. You're a scholar, and you shouldn't be too harsh on women. Sometimes, women and petty people are really hard to deal with."
The crowd roared with laughter!
Huan Yue laughed and said, "Everyone should sort out their manners and many other things properly, and stop being unrealistic and inhumane."
Someone chimed in, "They should at least understand the hierarchy."
Huan Yue said, "I don't think everyone should kneel down and not stand up when they see me, because some people are shameless and kneel down more eagerly than others."
Quite a few people were laughing; the atmosphere was good.
Some say, "The Empress is merciful!"
Huan Yue said, “Actually, I feel even more sorry! Has anyone calculated how much it costs for a scholar to pass the imperial examination? Although some people pass in their twenties and some in their fifties, there is definitely a limit. When they are young, their families support them, and the whole clan supports them; when they are older, their wives support them. Many women support their husbands, and when the men finally pass the imperial examination, they become haggard and worn out, either dying or bowing down to young and beautiful concubines.”
Everyone knows this better than anyone else.
Huan Yue said, "That's why I feel sorry for his ancestors! I feel sorry for his parents! I feel sorry for that poor woman! I feel sorry for the common people! The government pays for the scholars' exams, but isn't it the common people who pay for them? They finally succeeded in their studies, but instead of thinking about what they can do for the court and the people, they only think about how to get more benefits for themselves! The successful candidates can be exempted from taxes, but who will bear the cost? It's still the common people! So, aren't they ashamed of studying so much without considering the common people?"
Many people lowered their heads.
Some people thought to themselves, "Our Lady Huan is bringing up the common people again."
Huan Yue shouted, “If we supported two fewer students to go to school, the common people would be much more at ease. Why did he support them? Wasn’t it because he hoped for a better future? Since you accepted, you fulfilled your promise. But after you went to school, you started to break your promise! You have no shame before Heaven or man, who have you been fair to? You take the simple honesty of the common people for granted, how is that any different from riding on your parents’ backs? The common people call you their parent official, isn’t that because they raised you? Look at those common people who are starving and cold but still raise you to be plump and healthy, how much like your kind and simple mother?”
Di Baose said, "Not all mothers are simple and kind."
Huan Yue asked, "So it's acceptable to be unfilial then?"
Di Baose didn't say.
But the atmosphere was a bit strange.
Huan Yue quickly changed the subject: "Has anyone calculated how much it costs to support those people in front of Duanmen Gate? The individual costs and the court's costs. Especially the court's costs, including the annual tax exemptions. Let me see just how much the common people have sacrificed to raise this bunch of bastards!"
Many people were in an uproar!
Since the Empress is calculating things this way, there are naturally some people who don't want to be included.
However, there is indeed a number.
Just like the annual accounts of a government office, every official's salary is accounted for.
Someone angrily rebuked Huan Yue: "All you care about is money!"
The maid retorted, "If you don't have money, you'll eat shit! If the common people didn't farm, you'd eat shit! If you didn't have money, how could you enjoy wealth and luxury? Enjoying it while complaining—I've never seen such shamelessness!"
Someone chimed in, "Don't you have to pay to buy books?"
People know more.
"Scholars also like to compare themselves with others, which makes poor families lose face."
"It costs money to treat someone to a meal."
"That's shameless!"
Some people mocked: "They pretend to be high-minded on the one hand, while busy with tax exemptions for their land; their behavior is disgusting."
Huan Yue said, "I've heard that tax evasion is also very serious, and in the end, it's the ordinary people who bear the burden."
Everyone probably knows this, but we have gained a better understanding of ordinary people.
After all, Lady Huan liked to talk.
Huan Yue added, “The common people are not born to be oxen and horses, nor are they grass in the field. They are human beings! I don’t mind if the common people live a good life.”
Di Baose said, "Don't even think about it."
Huan Yue said, "Thinking about it, it's still a possibility."
Many people laughed.
But some people have noticed that Lady Huan really wants to be a village girl?
Huan Yue said, "If I am rich, the world is rich; if I am happy, the world is happy. If I bask in the sun, the country folk can bask in the sun too."
Everyone shouted in unison, "Long live the Empress!"
Huan Yue waved his hand: "Let's disperse."
She stood up and returned to the palace.
Even after entering Xuande Gate, the shouts behind us continued to be deafening.
You could hear it even in the Xuanzheng Hall.
The Xuanzheng Hall was crowded with people, who were very cautious about the situation outside the Duanmen Gate.
Now I sit on the throne and look to the east.
Long live the Emperor!
The shout was loud enough that even Wen Zhongqing, who was quite old, could hear it.
Therefore, the King of Wu took the lead in kneeling down: "Long live the Emperor!"
I'm in a good mood today, everyone get up.
An official rushed over to report: "Empress Huan has suggested calculating the cost of the scholars."
I agree now, great idea!
Wen Zhongqing said, "I once estimated that a successful candidate in the imperial examinations earns about thirty taels of silver a year."
We'll see if it's approved or not.
The King of Wu said, "There are thousands of people outside Duanmen Gate, and they can earn tens of thousands of taels of silver a year."
Are we keeping them around just to rebel?
The Zhu and Xue families, in particular, suffered even greater losses.
Even if a scholar were to support that family, where would the money come from?
Xie Zhou estimated that a successful candidate in the imperial examinations would consume more than fifty taels of social resources per year.
The more you occupy, the bigger your ambition becomes.
No one dared to openly speak up for them.
Xie Zhou misses his wife.
I'll just glance at him now.
Xie Zhou is very obedient. His wife is amazing, and he can't let her down.
As for other things my wife does, they're not a big deal.
The problem would be if she were too perfect.
If he's too perfect, he's useless.
Besides, nothing in this world is perfect; if you are perfect, then others are not.
Why bother with all that effort? Xie Zhou thought his wife could just sunbathe.
A palace attendant came to report: "More than twenty women have committed suicide."
Fang Ke didn't mince words: "Is this suicide out of fear of punishment or just plain stupidity?"
Several people who were about to speak backed down.
Wen Zhongqing said without hesitation: "Some women are really stupid, harming themselves and others. They don't know how to be good wives and mothers, nor can they treat their daughters-in-law and granddaughters well. They are truly despicable."
It's not that he's too old to argue with a woman.
But some women can really drive people crazy.
It seems that Dong is a typical example. She is particularly unvirtuous and yet thinks she is clever.
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