What is the difference between opposing won entering the school to take imperial exams and opposing Bai Qingyan, a woman, ascending the throne?
The officials of the Zhou Dynasty did not dare to oppose, but this decree stirred up a great storm in the hearts of the Yan envoy, Xiao Rongyan, and the Xiliang envoy and Li Zhijie.
Li Zhijie’s palm tightened, in Xiliang... the status of won is higher than that of won in the Jin Kingdom, yet even their Empress of Xiliang did not dare, after ascending the throne, to go against the world’s tradition and have the idea of appointing won as officials.
Bai Qingyan dare to make such a move upon her initial ascension. Is it truly feeling assured of success, or is it acting impulsively, thinking she can challenge the established protocol simply because she beca the Empress of Zhou?
Xiao Rongyan, standing behind the "Ninth Prince of Yan," nonchalantly glanced around, noticing that almost half of the Zhou Dynasty officials looked displeased. He subtly sweated on behalf of Bai Qingyan.
Bai Qingyan seed too hasty in employing won as officials...
Haste is not always a good thing. Xiao Rongyan’s mother, Empress Ji, once wanted to elevate the status of won, allowing them to enter the court as officials, but eventually caused Yan Kingdom scholars to oppose, even causing them to gather at the palace gates, fiercely criticizing his mother as a demon empress misleading the country.
King of Hedong lowered his eyelids, his lips slightly curved. Indeed... Bai Qingyan is indeed moving forward with the idea of employing won as officials.
In this way, the efforts made to influence the scholars during this period were not in vain, and he could make sothing out of this matter.
When the decree was read, the officials of Zhou kneeled in gratitude.
"Thank you, Your Majesty! Long live Your Majesty! Long live Zhou!"
The enthronent ceremony ca to a close amidst the shock of envoys from various nations.
After the ceremony, there was a banquet to host envoys from various countries. The female relatives of important ministers entered the palace and reached the Xuanming Palace where the banquet was set. They sat in the places led by attendants, conversing quietly to each side.
So won from noble families, well-versed in poetry and books, heard today Bai Qingyan issued a decree to establish won’s schools, allowing won to participate in imperial exams and beco officials, and trembled with excitent. Years of good upbringing and reservedness made them restrain their surging emotions, sitting and smiling expectantly, imagining joining their fathers in court as officials, making their fathers proud.
All the noble ladies were knowledgeable, knowing Bai Qingyan planned to elevate the status of won, which was reasonable since Bai Qingyan herself was a woman.
The entire Xuanming Palace was discussing Bai Qingyan’s new policy about allowing won to take exams and beco officials.
Previously, one of the new policies encouraged widows to remarry. If a woman was widowed and had children, she shouldn’t remarry; the clan could not forcibly seize her husband’s estate. If the widow’s parents-in-law were still alive and she remarried with children, regardless of dowry, she must hand over half of her husband’s estate to her parents-in-law. If a woman stayed single with her children and remarried, she must leave her husband’s estate to her children. This new policy stirred much anger among scholars, violating traditional familial norms, creating a great stir among the populace.
But officials know Bai Qingyan’s move was to increase the national population. After all, with the nations at war, soldiers dying on the battlefield, there were many widows.
Won had to raise children and manage crops, and many families were left with no labor, causing fertile lands to be neglected.
Yet many won, after their husbands died, were driven out by the clan after seizing their estates, causing widowed mothers and young children to starve in the streets; even the Bai family, an aristocratic family, nearly faced such a fate.
Every decree Bai Qingyan issued was a challenge to the old traditions, truly spectacular.
Li Mingrui personally explained to the common people, encouraging widows to remarry for them and their children to sustain themselves. The logic was clear, but most n would not want their wives and children to take their estate upon their death to remarry.
In the main hall, the won discussed eagerly, each eager to try the imperial exam to see if they could win a rank.
A widow from the Bai Clan attended the palace banquet as a royal relative today, twisting her handkerchief, her lowered eyes and heart pounding continuously.
The new policy previously ca out encouraging widows to remarry; she thought it was an empty threat, but today Bai Qingyan imdiately established won’s schools and allowed won to take exams and beco officials; it seed serious. Should she take this opportunity to leave the Bai family? Her cousin had never remarried since losing his wife, all for her; if she could marry her cousin... it would fulfill their regrets of many years.
The Bai woman’s hands were full of sweat, she wiped them with a handkerchief, cautioning herself not to be hasty... this matter must be absolutely certain before proposing it.
Not long after, envoys and ministers entered the hall, and all the ladies used round fans to partially cover their faces, eyes curiously gazing at the masked Ninth Prince of Yan and the Rong Ghost-faced Prince.
They were interested in the Ninth Prince of Yan because they had seen the extraordinary Emperor Yan, Murong Yu. At least for now... these noble ladies had never seen a man more outstanding and handso than Murong Yu; they wanted to know whether the Ninth Prince of Yan under the mask was as handso as his brother.
They were interested in the Rong Ghost-faced Prince because they heard the prince was extrely ugly; curiosity drove these innocent ladies to see what kind of ugliness lay beneath the mask.
As for Li Zhijie, most of the noble ladies who ca to the Xuanming Palace today had already seen him and were not very curious.
Li Zhijie took advantage of how Yan previously allowed Xiliang to see their treaty with Rong as a pretense to present himself favorably to the Ninth Prince of Yan, talking with him about the new policies of the Zhou Empress Bai Qingyan.
"This Zhou Empress has just ascended the throne, and every new policy challenges the conventional etiquette and aristocratic interests, too abrupt without comprehensive planning. If not for the military power in hand... it would be hard to stabilize the position!" Li Zhijie kneeling before the table, unfolded a sturdy folding fan, fanning occasionally.
The masked Ninth Prince of Yan sat upright, his voice steady: "Whose royal position is not stable due to the military power in hand? In the chaos of Yunjing... if it weren’t for King Yan’s escort with troops, perhaps the Empress of Xiliang’s position would be unstable as well."
Li Zhijie chuckled, his gaze drifted toward Xiao Rongyan seated behind the Ninth Prince of Yan: "I heard... Mr. Xiao and the Zhou Empress have an engagent, today the Ninth Prince brought Mr. Xiao, does it intend an alliance through marriage? If so, why not have Emperor Yan grant Mr. Xiao a title, elevate his status, establishing good relations between the two countries?"
Li Zhijie intentionally flattered Xiao Rongyan, nodding with a smile toward him.
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