nucmednet Chapter 214 Is it wrong for women to serve as officials?
Chapter 214 Is it wrong for women to serve as officials?
"Hmph, what else do you have to say? You disobeyed my orders, do you know your crime?" Shen Yunzheng glared at him, her eyes seeming to see right through him.
"Your Highness, the female official of Xinyang County, Miss Shi, has done many practical things for the people since she took office. Xinyang County was originally a poor place, but under her governance, the water conservancy has been repaired, the farmland has yielded a bumper harvest, and the people live and work in peace and contentment."
“Her abilities and talents are no less than those of any male official. I truly cannot bear to dismiss her simply because she is a woman; this would be a tremendous loss to the people of Xinyang County.” Cui Zhihao spoke earnestly, his eyes filled with admiration for Miss Shi and concern for the people.
"Women should stay in their proper place. What kind of decorum is this? As an official, don't you know the rules of the court?" Shen Yunzheng remained unmoved. In her view, women serving as officials broke with thousands of years of tradition, which was unacceptable.
“Your Highness, times are changing, and we cannot cling to the old ways. It would be a loss for our dynasty if talented people were buried because of their gender. Miss Shi’s achievements are obvious to all, and we cannot ruin a good official because of prejudice.”
Choi Ji-ho argued his case forcefully, knowing it was a tough battle, but he couldn't give up.
Shen Yunzheng was speechless for a moment; her beliefs had been challenged. However, she was unwilling to easily change her mind, as it concerned the face of the royal family and traditional etiquette. The atmosphere in the main hall was extremely tense, as if it could explode at any moment.
Cui Yuanqi looked at the two of them and sighed inwardly. He hoped to find a compromise that could resolve the matter while maintaining harmony between his family and the court.
Ye Wenshu watched quietly from the side, feeling a sense of curiosity and admiration for Miss Shi, while also pondering the fate and value of women.
Meanwhile, in Xinyang County, Miss Shi was handling affairs at the county government office, unaware that her fate was being fiercely debated in the Princess's residence.
She was intently reviewing the official documents, her focused expression like a beautiful painting. Her heart was only for the well-being of the people, unaware that a storm was about to strike her.
Hearing Cui Zhihao's words, Shen Yunzheng trembled with anger, her eyes filled with shock and fury: "Cui Zhihao, how dare you! As an official of Cangling, how could you do such a heretical and treasonous thing?"
Her voice echoed in the hall, like heavy hammer blows striking everyone's heart.
"Who exactly is that woman? For her to make you disregard social norms and etiquette, you are a scholar, do you know how many scholars in this world still have unfulfilled ambitions?"
Shen Yunzheng's eyes widened in anger, her gaze seemingly piercing through Cui Zhihao. She simply couldn't understand what kind of woman could drive the usually composed and polite Cui Zhihao to such madness, disregarding centuries-old traditions and rules.
"But what about you? For the sake of a woman, you dare to defy the world and do such a thing." Shen Yunzheng paced back and forth in the hall, waving her long sleeves, revealing her fury.
Countless thoughts flashed through her mind: disappointment with Choi Ji-ho, worry about the potential consequences of this matter, and deep curiosity and resentment towards the woman she had never met.
Cui Zhihao was not intimidated by the princess's anger. He frowned slightly and looked at Shen Yunzheng with a firm gaze: "Your Highness, I know that this is a great act of treason in your eyes, but given Miss Shi's talent, I have no choice but to speak up for her."
"She was no ordinary woman. She was well-versed in poetry and literature from a young age and had the well-being of the people at heart. The people of Xinyang County had suffered greatly from floods and oppressive government policies. However, since she took office, she first went deep into the countryside to investigate the disaster situation and then worked tirelessly to formulate countermeasures."
"She organized the people to build water conservancy projects and personally supervised the projects, which revitalized the abandoned farmland. Not only that, she also reformed the tax system and severely punished corrupt officials, which made Xinyang County a place of clean governance and where the people lived in peace and prosperity."
"Hmph, even so, it is against the natural order and human ethics for a woman to serve as an official. Since ancient times, when has a woman ever served in the imperial court? This is a violation of the laws of our ancestors." Shen Yunzheng retorted angrily, her views as firm as a rock.
“Your Highness, the laws of our ancestors are not immutable. If we stick to the old ways, how can we make progress? Miss Shi, as a woman, performs the duties of a man, and does them better than most men. Doesn’t this prove that women can also hold official positions?”
Choi Ji-ho spoke earnestly, attempting to persuade the eldest princess.
"Absurd! If all women were to show their faces in public like her, what use would we men be? Family ethics would be in chaos, and the world would surely descend into chaos."
Shen Yunzheng's face turned ashen with anger. She looked at Cui Yuanqi and said, "Look at your cousin, he's completely bewitched by that woman."
Cui Yuanqi looked troubled. He knew that both sides had their reasons and didn't know how to persuade them. "Wife," he said, "my cousin may have acted impulsively and been misled by that woman's appearance. But he meant well and wanted to think about the people. Let's calm down and discuss this further."
"Take a long-term view? He has already disobeyed my orders, what is there to take a long-term view of? If this matter is not dealt with today, more women will try to follow suit in the future, and then the moral order and etiquette of my Cangling will cease to exist." Shen Yunzheng's eyes grew colder.
At this moment, Ye Wenshu, who had remained silent, mustered her courage and said, "Your Highness, I have something to say, but I don't know if I should."
Shen Yunzheng looked at her: "You speak."
"Although Wen Shu also believes that women should keep to their proper place, after listening to what Lord Cui said, this female official of Xinyang County seems to really be working for the benefit of the people."
"Perhaps we can observe her first. If she is as outstanding as Lord Cui says, could we consider giving her a chance?"
Ye Wenshu spoke cautiously, afraid that the princess would take her anger out on her, but also feeling that there might be a better solution to the matter.
"Hmph, what do you know, an unmarried woman like you? This isn't just about the well-being of the people; it concerns the very foundation of our dynasty's millennia-old traditions and customs," Shen Yunzheng rebuked. Ye Wenshu was so frightened that she quickly lowered her head and dared not utter another word.
Seeing this, Cui Zhihao felt a pang of gratitude towards Ye Wenshu. He said again, "Your Highness, I am willing to stake my career on this and earnestly request that Your Highness give Miss Shi a chance to continue serving the people of Xinyang County. If she makes any mistakes in the future, I am willing to bear all the blame."
"You...you're so stubborn!" Shen Yunzheng pointed at Cui Zhihao, too angry to speak. Just then, a commotion suddenly broke out outside the door. It turned out that an elder of the Qinghe Cui clan had learned of Cui Zhihao's situation and rushed over.
As soon as the elder entered, he bowed to Shen Yunzheng and said, "This old minister greets Your Highness the Princess. I have heard that this rebellious son Zhihao has committed a heinous act, and I have come to beg for forgiveness."
He looked at Choi Ji-ho, his eyes filled with disappointment and anger, "You wretched child, you have brought shame upon your family for the sake of a woman."