Chapter 96
"Your Majesty, this is against the rules!"
The next day at the morning court session, the officials who had heard the news protested.
"Since ancient times, women have not held official positions, let alone women from the harem!"
"Our Jing Country has no such precedent!"
The civil and military officials, along with some elderly and conservative scholars and soldiers, could not accept this.
Traditionally, men handle external affairs, women handle internal affairs!
"Does this mean that harem women will join us in court sessions from now on?"
Even martial arts masters like Duke of Dingguo opposed it!
Originally, these warriors did not object much to the Emperor's choice of Crown Prince.
Now, they were enraged that Xiao Yunzhou wanted to appoint a female official.
If women could attend court, where would the men stand?
"Concubine Liu has been sewing clothes for the refugees, but Your Majesty, even lowly concubines have assisted Concubine Liu in making winter clothes. Does this mean we can become officials too?!"
Duke of Dingguo was seventy years old, still energetic, a rough man who practiced staff exercises daily.
"Not only the lowly concubines, but also this old man's daughters-in-law, granddaughters-in-law, and granddaughters all helped!"
"Does this mean my entire female household should be given official titles?"
"Your Majesty, please don't mind my blunt words, but if we follow what you say, does that mean all who participated in making clothes should be given official ranks?"
"We risked our lives for the people, our necks bearing scars as big as bowls, while they were still suckling at their mothers' breasts!"
Disagreement!
The warriors strongly disagreed.
Sewing clothes and getting official ranks, what did that make of their life-and-death struggles?
Emperor Xiao Yunzhou took a deep breath.
He hadn't even said a word yet!
These old folks...
Even without Xiao's consort's reminder, he knew these people were clearly not absolutely loyal to him!
He could hardly get a word in before they talked back for hours!
Xiao Yunzhou had a headache.
The warriors disagreed, and the civil officials also disapproved.
But the civil officials were cunning, letting the warriors take the lead in opposing.
"Your Majesty, please reconsider the hardships of the soldiers. After all, they had to kill five enemies on the battlefield to gain one rank in the past."
Since the founding of Jing Country, military merits were still calculated by the number of enemy heads taken.
One could only be promoted step by step after accumulating battle merits.
The case of Pang Rusong, who captured ten thousand rebels directly, was an exception.
Most soldiers had to fight bloody battles time and again to be promoted from common foot soldier to commander of hundreds or thousands.
"Lord Liu, what do you think?" Duke of Dingguo turned to Liu Wenchang angrily, "Do you also think your little girl should be given an official rank—"
"Hey, that's nonsense!"
Duke of Dingguo nodded, indeed it was!
"Your Majesty, that's utter nonsense!"
Duke of Dingguo nodded and nodded, but halfway through, he froze, his face stiff.
He had voiced his inner thoughts!
He was over seventy and considered an elder relative to the Emperor, being from the generation of the Emperor's grandfather and a veteran commander. But to say the Emperor was talking nonsense, that was highly disrespectful!
Duke of Dingguo felt he had been reckless and should not have been so arrogant, especially during the morning court session.
If he didn't give face to the Emperor, the Duke would not have a good end.
Duke of Dingguo wanted to cover his mouth, but when he turned around, he realized—damn, he hadn't said a word, his mouth hadn't even opened!
That wasn't him speaking just now—
Who the hell was even bolder than him?
Duke of Dingguo turned his head in shock, then froze completely.
"Hey, I object too, I think it's nonsense, Duke of Dingguo."
It turned out the one cursing was none other than Liu Wenchang, Concubine Liu's own father!
Duke of Dingguo's mouth gaped open, never expecting Liu Wenchang to be this kind of father.
"How could my little girl become a female official?"
Liu Wenchang shook his head with concern.
"I was just about to stand up and say it's unacceptable."
All the civil and military officials, except for Duke of Dingguo who was elderly and did not attend the morning court sessions regularly, were stunned.
Liu Wenchang's words sounded familiar?
All of them had an ominous feeling, and sure enough, in the next moment, Liu Wenchang began his familiar gesticulations of pounding his chest and stomping his feet.
"My little girl, what merits does she have? She only led the women of the capital in sewing five thousand winter clothes."
"She only organized a charity sale that raised one million taels of silver."
"Alas, what merits does she have to become a female official?"
Liu Wenchang shook his head, "As your subject, I am the first to disagree. She could not have accomplished anything without the help of other women!"
"If she is to be promoted, every woman who participated in sewing clothes and the charity sale should be rewarded accordingly."
Duke of Dingguo and all the civil and military officials were left speechless.
"Duke of Dingguo is right, his entire female household participated, and each one should be rewarded for their contributions. None should be left out!" Liu Wenchang spoke, leaving Duke of Dingguo dumbfounded.
On the dragon throne, Xiao Yunzhou was also full of admiration. He had underestimated this great man.
Originally, he thought Liu Wenchang was foolish, but now he realized he was greatly mistaken.
Concubine Liu's kind treatment of those around her, the sincere appreciation she received, was mostly learned from Liu Wenchang!
Listen, the venerable Liu Wenchang demanded rewards for all women who sewed clothes and participated in the charity sale.
And this included the Empress Dowager's share!
Xiao Yunzhou's eyes were opened, looking at Liu Wenchang with the realization that as the Emperor, he should learn from this great man.
Not a wolf in sheep's clothing, but rather, bringing everyone together for a win-win situation!
Xiao Yunzhou's eyes sparkled as he looked at Liu Wenchang, reaching out and patting him, "Lord Liu speaks correctly, I have been negligent."
All the civil and military officials: "..."
"But I want to confer a title on Concubine Liu not only for the two past deeds Lord Liu mentioned, but also because yesterday, Concubine Liu performed another great service."
All the civil and military officials were stunned.
Liu Wenchang's brows twitched, his daughter had performed another service? Don't mention it, it must have been with the help of his granddaughter.
He immediately understood, his face showing humility, "Your Majesty overpraises me. If it were not for my daughter in the palace, perhaps she would never have had the chance to perform any service in her life."
Xiao Yunzhou's dragon body shook.
He now realized that Liu Wenchang's skills also included flattering the dragon!
He flattered better than all the civil and military officials combined.
Listen, he implied that his daughter's wisdom all came from his teaching as her husband!
"Lord Liu, there is no need for modesty," Xiao Yunzhou suppressed a smile, "Concubine Liu's pure heart and kind nature, her concerns for the common people and frontier soldiers, her efforts to provide welfare—these are her own virtues, unrelated to me."
"Haha," Xiao Yunzhou could not help but laugh at this point, "At most, I have only provided Concubine Liu with some opportunities to demonstrate her abilities."
"Unlike other men, I am not so petty as to prevent my wife from taking the spotlight," Xiao Yunzhou scanned the civil and military officials. "I disdain such behavior."
"Other than that, I have not helped Concubine Liu at all. Lord Liu, please do not attribute Concubine Liu's merits to me anymore."
Old Liu nearly had a facial spasm.
In good conscience, he had no intention of praising the Emperor, he was praising his precious granddaughter.
How brazen of the Emperor!
"Ahem," Liu Wenchang was afraid that if he listened to the Emperor's nonsense any further, he would be guilty of disrespect. He quickly interrupted the Emperor's self-deprecation, "Your Majesty, you just said that my daughter has also worked to provide for the soldiers?"
"I dare not claim that. She has merely used the proceeds from her charity sales to supplement the military provisions, but that was still thanks to the efforts of Chancellor Fu Cha and a few other scholars."
"My daughter did not create money out of thin air; she relied on everyone's help."
Chancellor Fu Cha's face stiffened upon hearing this.
None of them scholars could have accomplished this feat on their own.
This meant that Concubine Liu was no ordinary woman.
But to confer an official title on her for just this one deed, the Emperor must have gone mad.
"Not just this one deed," Xiao Yunzhou interrupted his disdainful thoughts.
Chancellor Fu Cha took a deep breath and stepped forward, "Your Majesty, I also heard from Jiang Li yesterday that Concubine Liu has developed a new type of winter clothing."
"But winter clothing is ultimately the work of merchants and cloth makers. Does Your Majesty intend to confer official titles on cloth makers as well?"
The Duke of Dingguo nodded in agreement, "That's right."
But as soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Yunzhou narrowed his eyes.
"What if I said this was no ordinary winter clothing?"
The entire court of civil and military officials was taken aback.
What was it?
Edible winter clothing?
"Heh, unless this winter clothing is as valuable as military provisions worth tens of thousands of taels of silver, even if it were made of gold, what of it?" The Duke of Dingguo scoffed.
"What difference is there between cotton and cloth clothing? Unless this winter clothing can serve the purpose of military provisions worth tens of thousands of taels, aiding our frontier soldiers on the battlefield, then today, not only would I confer an official title on a woman, I would confer a hundred official titles without hesitation!"
Liu Wenchang, who had already heard about down jackets from his son, closed his eyes in dismay.
Sure enough, in the next moment, Xiao Yunzhou's eyes flashed and he slammed the table.
"As expected of the well-traveled Duke of Dingguo, his words hit the mark."
"!?"
"The new down jacket developed by Concubine Liu is a lightweight winter clothing that allows frontier soldiers to easily engage in battle, slay enemies without hindrance, yet stay warm in the cold!"
"It is not military provisions, but in the biting winds, it is no less valuable than military provisions! On the frozen battlefield in December, it can save a soldier's life!"
The Duke of Dingguo suddenly looked up in astonishment.