mtl008 Chapter 336: Fight with reason
Chapter 336: Fight with reason
The next morning, as the sky began to lighten, the layers of palace walls were tinged with a faint golden hue.
The bronze bells on the eaves of the Golden Palace jingled softly in the breeze, their sounds mingling with the distant drumbeats.
Shen Yuxi, dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe, the dragon pattern gleaming with a majestic luster in the morning light, sat upright on the dragon throne, his eyes sharp and cold, slowly sweeping over the assembled officials below.
Prime Minister Lin Zhengyuan stepped forward first, his white beard trembling slightly with excitement. His voice echoed in the empty hall: "Your Majesty, it is against ancestral rules for women to serve in the court! Minister Shi's actions are truly absurd. I beg Your Majesty to rescind your decree!"
As soon as he finished speaking, a murmur arose among the officials, and many nodded in agreement.
Shi Wanxia, dressed in a scarlet official robe, stepped forward with an upright posture and her red lips parted slightly: "Lord Lin, times have changed. Now the country is in a period of development and needs to recruit talents widely."
"The talents shown by Liu Qingci and others in movable type printing are in no way inferior to those of men. If they enter the court as officials, they will surely contribute to the country. What's wrong with that?"
Her voice was clear and firm, breaking the noise in the hall.
Lin Zhengyuan was so angry that he glared and clenched his fists: "Since ancient times, women have been expected to be good wives and mothers. It is against the rules for women to show their faces in public, and it is even more outrageous for them to participate in politics! If this precedent is set, where will the laws and regulations of the court be?"
Shi Wanxia did not back down. Her eyes flashed like lightning, and her words were sharp: "Lord Lin, if we talk about the rules and regulations, His Majesty once issued an edict to employ talents without being bound by convention. Now, you are rejecting them just because they are women. Isn't this a self-inflicted blow to the edict?"
"Furthermore, the rise and fall of a nation depends on its talent, not its gender."
"To miss out on talented individuals due to outdated and rigid views would be irresponsible to the court!"
Wang Chong, the Minister of Rites, stepped forward and bowed, saying, “Your Majesty, what Prime Minister Lin said is not without reason! Since ancient times, men have been in charge of the home and women have been in charge of external affairs. If Your Majesty agrees to allow women to serve as officials, it will surely dishearten men and scholars throughout the land! I urge Your Majesty to reconsider.”
He then turned his attention to Shi Wanxia, his face full of disdain: "She's just a woman with a little bit of cleverness, yet she acts so lawlessly and contrary to common sense."
Minister of War Zhao Xun hurriedly echoed, "Your Majesty, this old minister seconds the motion."
Shen Yuxi's face darkened, and he gestured to Cui Zhe and Crown Prince Shen Yanzhou.
Shen Yanzhou immediately understood and stepped forward to refute: "Lord Lin, Lord Wang, Lord Zhao, you are mistaken! Lord Shi's actions have not only significantly reduced the cost of manufacturing books, but also greatly reduced the cost of printing them."
"Many students from underprivileged backgrounds will no longer be deterred by the high cost of books!"
"Moreover, the revenue from these books and paper went into the national treasury. Lord Zhao, with your help, the safety of Cangling is greatly ensured, as you military officers guard the border and sometimes even the soldiers' pay and provisions are more secure!"
Seeing this, Cui Zhe quickly added, "Your Highness is absolutely right. Colleagues, Lord Shi's words are also correct. In any case, there is already one female official in the court. What difference would it make if there were one or two more?"
Cui Zhihao chimed in, "I second that. What you say makes sense. Lord Shi has brought new revenue to the imperial treasury this time, which can be used to do more for the people and the soldiers!"
Fan Peng, the Minister of Revenue, stepped forward with a broad smile: "Your Majesty, the movable type printing promoted by Lord Shi has greatly increased the national treasury's revenue."
"With the border war in full swing, this income can provide much-needed relief."
"It would be a real shame to shut out such talent because of gender bias."
The two sides went back and forth, neither willing to give in, and their words became increasingly heated.
Seeing this, the other ministers split into two factions: one supporting Lin Zhengyuan, who believed that women should not participate in politics;
The other faction sided with Shi Wanxia, advocating for meritocracy.
Both sides stuck to their own arguments, creating an uproar in the imperial palace, the atmosphere as tense as a taut bowstring.
Just as the situation reached a stalemate, Shen Yuxi raised his hand to signal everyone to be quiet. The hall instantly fell silent, and all eyes were on him.
Shen Yuxi slowly spoke: "I have decided to let Liu Qingci and others enter the Ministry of Works for internships for three months."
"If they can achieve results during their internship, I will officially appoint them as officials."
Shi Wanxia was overjoyed and immediately knelt down to express her gratitude: "Your Majesty is wise!"
Liu Qingci and the others were also very excited and knelt down to express their gratitude: "Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty!"
After the court session, Shi Wanxia walked out of the Golden Palace. Sunlight shone on her, highlighting her resolute features.
She knew that this was just the beginning, and the road ahead would be full of thorns, but she would never back down in order to enable more talented women to realize their ambitions and for the prosperity of the country.
The golden sunset cast a warm glow on the vermilion gates of the Ministry of Works, and Shi Wanxia's carriage came to a steady stop.
With a flick of the curtain, she stepped gracefully out of the carriage, her official boots embroidered with gold cloud patterns making a crisp sound as they trod on the bluestone slabs.
Upon seeing this, the guards on duty in front of the Ministry of Works immediately knelt on one knee and shouted in unison, "Welcome, Lord Shi!"
Upon entering the Ministry of Works courtyard, the officials, who were originally performing their duties, all stopped what they were doing and bowed in unison: "Your subordinates respectfully welcome Lord Shi!"
The sound echoed in the courtyard, startling the white doves perched under the eaves.
Shi Wanxia quickly raised her hand to signal everyone to stand up, then stepped aside to lead Liu Qingci, Lin Xu and others to the front, and said to Wang Bojun, the Vice Minister of Works, "Lord Wang, please arrange workstations for Miss Liu and the others."
Wang Bojun comes from the Wang family of Taiyuan, a family with a history spanning over a century, possessing profound cultural heritage and producing many talented individuals.
He was over seven feet tall, with a handsome face, and exuded an innate air of nobility in every gesture.
At this moment, he was dressed in a moon-white long robe, the hem of which fluttered in the wind. He held a book in his hand, and his expression was calm and serene, like an elegant ink painting.
Shi Wanxia was quite satisfied with Wang Bojun. He was originally a servant of the Crown Prince's Eastern Palace, but was later specially arranged by His Majesty to enter the Ministry of Works to assist Shi Wanxia in handling various affairs.
During our time working together, Wang Bojun demonstrated exceptional talent and competence. He handled complex engineering planning and intricate personnel allocation with remarkable efficiency.
"Lord Wang, although Miss Liu and the others do not yet hold official positions, they have played a crucial role in promoting movable type printing. I am at ease entrusting them to your care!"
Shi Wang Bojun bowed slightly and said respectfully, "I will certainly not fail the princess's expectations."
In his mind, Shi Wanxia's ability to become one of the six ministers despite being a woman was by no means solely due to luck.
His Highness the Crown Prince spoke highly of her, and His Majesty trusted her implicitly, which was enough to prove her extraordinary qualities.
"Your subordinate will obey the princess's orders!" As soon as he said this, Wang Bojun noticed that Shi Wanxia was slightly taken aback.
Shi Wanxia said, "Lord Wang, when we work together in the future, you may address me as Lord Shi."
“The title of Princess is just a noble title. In the Ministry of Works, it is more appropriate to address her by her official position.”
Her gaze was firm, and her words revealed her dedication to maintaining order in the work. Wanxia spoke earnestly.