As Nalan Yunzhi finished speaking, all the ministers in the hall immediately turned their eyes to Hua Qingcheng.
Hua Qingcheng bowed to Nalan Yunzhi, who sat on the throne, and replied respectfully, "Your Majesty, I believe that Gongsun Mulin, despite being a man, stands out among the many officials for his talent and wisdom. He understands Yuheng County to the core, and has unique and effective methods for handling government affairs and governing the people."
"Ever since Gongsun Mulin took over Yuheng County, in just a short period of time, he has already achieved remarkable results that are obvious to all. Today, Yuheng County is experiencing a period of vigorous development, and the people have gradually let go of their resistance to the Laifeng Kingdom and are gradually accepting their identity as Laifeng citizens. In my opinion, Gongsun Mulin is not only fully qualified for the important position of Yuheng County Governor, but can even be said to be able to handle it with ease."
Hua Qingcheng's words were clear and well-reasoned, and the ministers in the hall began to whisper again.
Leng Qiu Shuang frowned slightly upon hearing this and said, "But Your Highness, we should select a suitable person from among the many outstanding officials to serve as the prefect of Yuheng County. This is the only way to ensure the stability of local governance. Otherwise, once we set a precedent for men serving in official positions, I'm afraid those men will start to become restless. They will no longer be content to stay in the backyard and will all want to run away. This will have a negative impact on the governance of the country and the stability of the country!"
As Leng Qiu Shuang finished speaking, the atmosphere in the court instantly became tense. The ministers began to whisper and discuss.
Sitting upright on the throne, Nalan Yunzhi gently raised her hand, signaling for silence. Her gaze first fell on Hua Qingcheng, then swept across the hall's civil and military officials. Then, with a profound tone, she asked, "My Lady, what Lord Leng said does make sense. So, I'd like to ask you, what were your considerations when you appointed Gongsun Mulin?"
After a moment's thought, Hua Qingcheng said, "Queen Mother, my Lords, how can we deny a person's ability based solely on their gender? Although Gongsun Mulin is a man and has lived in the countryside for years, his talent is unquestionable. During his time as the governor of Yuheng County, he has proven to us with his actions that he—Gongsun Mulin—is as capable as any man and the perfect choice for the position."
Hua Qingcheng glanced calmly at everyone in the hall and continued, "Although our Laifeng Kingdom is a country where women are respected, I believe that rules are like shackles and people are like birds. For those who are truly talented, what's wrong with making exceptions and appointing them to official positions? It is well known that the reason why our Laifeng Kingdom is richer and stronger than other countries is not only due to the rich resources created by its unique environment, but also the wise and powerful decisions of the emperors of all generations. If we blindly cling to prejudice, we will only bury talents, which is truly detrimental to the development of our Laifeng Kingdom."
"Thinking back to the past, wasn't my maternal grandfather, Mu Lanjin, also a formidable warrior on the battlefield, his aura unwavering. The reason he was able to become the revered Vice General Mu, despite his own loyalty and courage, and his exceptional martial arts skills, was naturally inseparable from the foresight and vision of my Imperial Grandmother and the Empress Mother. Their unconventional approach to employing talented individuals made Vice General Mu's legend a reality."
After hearing Hua Qingcheng's words, many civil and military officials nodded, especially the military commanders. They thought to themselves: Mulan Jin, as a man, can still be given important positions. As long as they are dedicated to serving the court and being loyal to the country, they will naturally have a bright future.
"Your Highness the Crown Princess is absolutely right!" Just as everyone was whispering, General Feng Cailan was the first to stand up and support Hua Qingcheng.
"I second the motion!"
"I second the motion!"
"I second the motion!"
…
Following Feng Cailan's lead, the generals in the right column of the Jinluan Hall all stood on Hua Qingcheng's side. In a short time, Hua Qingcheng had won the support of more than half of the officials in the hall.
Nalan Yunzhi, who was sitting on the golden throne, curled her lips slightly when she saw this. She secretly complained: It seems that the princess has become more and more influential. I may be able to relieve myself of my important responsibilities soon...
Then, Nalan Yunzhi glanced at Situ Luoyun, who was standing at the head of the civil officials, and directly called her name and asked, "Lord Situ, what are your thoughts on this matter?"
Prime Minister Situ Luoyun, who had been resting with her eyes closed, isolated from the chattering discussions of the ministers, slowly opened her eyes after hearing Nalan Yunzhi's call on her. She glanced at everyone leisurely, and then spoke softly, "Your Majesty, the eight cities of Yuheng County originally belonged to Lengyue Kingdom. The reason they are now part of the vast territory of our Laifeng Kingdom is because of the strategic planning of Her Highness the Princess. With the strength of only 60,000 patriotic women, they were able to defeat Lengyue Kingdom's 500,000-strong army. At least so far, no other country has been able to achieve this."
Situ Luoyun paused briefly before continuing, "Not only that, Her Highness also signed an agreement with the Lengyue Kingdom. Not only did they cede territory, but they also paid a compensation of five million taels of silver. This has greatly reduced the pressure on our treasury, freeing up more money to invest in water conservancy projects and other livelihood projects. Furthermore, over 80,000 Lengyue prisoners of war are currently serving as laborers for the Laifeng people's livelihood projects, significantly saving our country's manpower and resources."
Situ Luoyun's voice was sonorous and powerful, stirring everyone's heart. Finally, she concluded, "Yuheng County exists because of Your Highness. For our Laifeng Kingdom, both Yuheng County and the five million taels of silver are like pie in the sky. They're all free, so why would you care about their flavor? Therefore, I believe there's nothing wrong with Your Highness appointing the skilled Gongsun Mulin as Yuheng County's governor."
Leng Qiu Shuang was silent for a moment, as if she was considering what Hua Qingcheng and Situ Luoyun had said. Although she still had doubts in her heart, she also knew that as the princess, Hua Qingcheng's decision would not be a rash one.
In the end, Leng Qiushuang bowed slightly to show her respect for the princess's decision. Although she still had reservations about Gongsun Mulin's appointment, she also understood that in Laifeng Kingdom, the princess's authority could not be ignored.
The controversy surrounding Gongsun Mulin's appointment as Yuheng Commandery Governor had temporarily subsided, but Hua Qingcheng knew this was likely just the beginning. In Laifeng State, having a man in office was a bombshell, difficult for those in high positions to accept. Her decision would also stand the test of time.
Nalan Yunzhi had almost finished his discussion, so he said, "Your Highness and the other ministers are right. Since Gongsun Mulin possesses great talent, I might as well give him a chance to demonstrate his abilities."
"Your Majesty is wise!" There was a sudden cheer in the hall.
"If you have a petition, please proceed with your report. If you don't, please leave the court!" After a moment, the voice of the eunuch chief Guo Dongbing sounded again in the hall.
"Report—"
At this moment, a guard suddenly ran in from outside the Golden Palace. She bowed to Nalan Yunzhi and said, "Your Majesty, a letter has arrived from the Kingdom of Zhaoyang..."
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