Chapter 209 Controversy
"Hmph, you have no shame! Women should follow the Three Obediences and Four Virtues. Your behavior is against ethics!" said an old scholar, shaking his head.
Ye Jin sneered, "Etiquette? Those so-called etiquette are nothing but shackles that bind women! Men can read and write, and pass the imperial examinations, so why can't women? I, Ye Jin, am going to break this unreasonable rule today!"
At this time, the Minister of Personnel Lin Zhengnan, who had been silent all this time, stood up and said, "You are a woman who has some eloquence, but the reason you were convicted is because you impersonated someone else, sneaked into the officialdom, and violated the court's laws. Does it have anything to do with whether you have talent or not?"
Everyone was stunned. Yes, this woman's guilt had already been established. What was the point of bringing her to this palace? Was it to listen to her big talk and let her name go down in history?
Hiss, this woman is really deep-minded and hard to guard against! I almost fell into her evil scheme!
……
The emperor sat on the dragon throne with a gloomy face. He stared at Ye Jin sharply and said coldly:
"Ye Jin, you have committed such a heinous crime, yet you still dare to speak so eloquently here! I remember that you have made some minor contributions, so I sentence you to exile. You will be escorted out of the city from today, and you will never be allowed to set foot in the capital for the rest of your life! Come, take her away!"
The guards on both sides immediately stepped forward, grabbed Ye Jin's arms, and tried to drag her away.
Ye Jin struggled hard and shouted, "Your Majesty, this is unfair! You men are so afraid of women standing in the court. Are you afraid that women's talents will surpass men and the husband's authority will be weakened?"
However, her cry did not change the emperor's mind, and the guards took her away without mercy.
Ye Jin's voice quickly disappeared outside the hall.
However, the court fell into a brief silence.
Minister of Personnel Lin Zhengnan stepped forward, cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, although Ye Jin's crime is unforgivable, what she just said is indeed thought-provoking."
The emperor's eyes were full of majesty, and it was hard to guess what he was thinking. He just said calmly, "Lord Lin, if you have any ideas, just tell me."
Lin Zhengnan cleared his throat and said, "Your Majesty, in my opinion, although Ye Jin's case seems to be an isolated case, it also reflects some deeper reasons. This woman dared to take the crime of deceiving the emperor and insisted on entering the officialdom. It may not be just her recklessness and impulse. I think this may represent the hidden aspirations of many women in the world."
The emperor frowned slightly, stared at Lin Zhengnan, and said, "My dear Lin, why do you think so?"
Lin Zhengnan bowed and took a small step forward. "Your Majesty, women in our dynasty have always been restricted by many etiquette and rules, and have nowhere to display their talents. Ye Jin's move shows how strong their inner desire is to realize their ambitions. Today we have Ye Jin, and there may be Li Jin and Wang Jin in the future. If we just block them, I'm afraid it will be difficult to eliminate future troubles."
The emperor held the armrests of the dragon throne tightly with both hands, his expression solemn, "Then according to Lord Lin's opinion, how should we deal with it?"
Lin Zhengnan took a deep breath and said, "Your Majesty, it is better to ease the situation than to block it. I dare to suggest that we should create some specific positions and allow women with real talents and knowledge to serve. In this way, we can not only satisfy the wishes of some women to display their talents, but also bring them under the control of the court and use them for our dynasty."
The emperor was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "Lord Lin, this proposal is of great importance. If this precedent is set, it may cause a lot of controversy."
Lin Zhengnan bowed again and spoke earnestly, "Your Majesty, I know this move will be risky, but if it is handled properly, it can be a revolutionary move for our dynasty. There are also talented women among us. If they can serve the court, it will be a blessing for our dynasty."
At this time, Lord Li, the Minister of Rites, stepped out and objected, "Minister Lin, what you said is wrong! Women entering the court is against the ancestral system and will definitely disrupt the court order and cause chaos."
Lin Zhengnan turned to look at Lord Li, "Minister Li, the times are changing, and the laws of our ancestors should also change with the times. If we just stick to the old rules, how can we make our dynasty prosperous?"
Lord Li snorted coldly, "Minister Lin, don't let Ye Jin's words mess your mind. Women should stay at home to take care of their husbands and children and do their duty."
Lin Zhengnan's face darkened. "Minister Li, you are prejudiced! If women have the ability to govern a country, why can't they be given a chance?"
As he spoke, he bowed respectfully to the emperor and said,
"Your Majesty, I believe that there are indeed many talented women among them.
Just like the current Queen Mother, who supported Your Majesty in ascending the throne and stabilized the political situation, and then handed over the power to Your Majesty without any reluctance after Your Majesty took power. She is truly a heroine.
I dare to suggest that this movement, which is destined to go down in history, should be carried out in the name of the Queen Mother, in the name of Your Majesty's gratitude for the Queen Mother's kindness. It must not be taken advantage of by people like Ye Jin who impersonate her and violate the law!"
If you want to leave your name in history in this way, you have to ask Mr. Lin whether he agrees!
A woman who dares to ask to marry his daughter is really asking for trouble and is courting death!
Taifu Liu on the side nodded and agreed, "Master Lin is right. The Queen Mother's virtue and wisdom are rare in the world. If we want to change, we really need someone like the Queen Mother to lead us."
The emperor thought for a moment and said, "The Queen Mother has made great contributions, but this matter is of great importance. My dear ministers, please withdraw first. I need to consider it again."
Lin Zhengnan returned to his original position, feeling uneasy.
……
After retiring from court, Lin Zhengnan returned to his mansion and paced back and forth in his study.
Seeing this, the lady stepped forward and asked, "Master, is there anything troubling you in the court today?"
Lin Zhengnan stopped and sighed, "Madam, today I made a suggestion in the court regarding Ye Jin's matter, suggesting that women should be given the opportunity to serve as officials, but His Majesty has not yet made a decision."
The lady was surprised and said, "Master, such a bold proposal will probably cause an uproar."
Lin Zhengnan shook his head. "Madam, I was not impulsive. Ye Jin's words made me see the helplessness and desire of women. If we can give them a chance, maybe we can discover more talents for our dynasty."
Madam nodded gently, "Master has the world in his heart, I understand. But the resistance must be great."
Lin Zhengnan's eyes were firm. "No matter how great the resistance is, as long as it is beneficial to the court and the people, I will do my best to fight for it."
……
At the same time, the emperor also paid a visit to the empress dowager in the imperial garden.
The emperor said respectfully, "Mother, recently a woman's incident in the court has sparked a debate about women's status and opportunities."
The Queen Mother smiled slightly and said, "Oh? That's true."
The emperor detailed Ye Jin's case and Lin Zhengnan's suggestion to the empress dowager. The empress dowager pondered for a moment and said, "This matter is indeed difficult. It is unprecedented for women to enter the court, but if they can be properly guided, it may not be a bad thing."
The emperor nodded slightly and said, "I think the same thing, but I am worried that the ministers in the court will oppose it and the people will talk about it."
The Queen Mother looked determined and said, "If this move is beneficial to the country, why should we care about those voices of opposition? Back then, I helped you ascend the throne. We faced many difficulties and obstacles, but you survived, didn't you?"