Empress Chu

"I heard it a long time ago. His Majesty's new policy abolishes recommendation and recruits talented people from all over the world."

"No, besides Your Majesty, the empress also has to take a scientific examination, and the examination is for women."

"Women! What are women doing in the scientific examination! Do you want to be an official too!"

The dynasty is now strictly guarded by the guards, and it will not be like the past when the emperor sneezed a few times and it will spread all over the world, but if there is news, it must be true.

Although this news sounds absurd and unprecedented, if it is the empress's proposal, it must be true.

What the queen has to do has always been what she says and what she does.

The people are boiling, discussing this matter everywhere, and all kinds of outrageous words are indispensable. Although the queen has always acted very domineering and terrible, it is related to the way of yin and yang, and the subversive ethics. Forbearance, some even ran to the gate of the government to scold loudly, with the purpose of sacrificing their lives to warn the world.

But no matter whether it was the government or the private guard Long Yiwei, they did not arrest anyone openly or secretly.

The government even convened these protesters and suggested to them: "It's useless to tell us, it's all decided from top to bottom, how about this, you can take the scientific examination at ease, wait until you get to the capital and before the queen, and then go Speak up with her and get her to change her mind and get back on track."

It sounds very good, but some scholars think that it is not right, what if you fail the test?

"Can't pass the exam? If you don't pass the exam, study hard. You haven't read the books of sages and sages clearly, what's the point!"

The women who got the news were also shocked.

This time at the Queen's Palace banquet, more people came than at other times, and there were many familiar and unfamiliar faces from other places.

Familiarity means that many of them are Chu Zhao’s former playmates. Strangerness means that they have been married and had children for a long time.

"Your Highness, do you really want us to take the exam?" A woman asked straight to the point, "If you pass the exam, can you really become an official? Wear court clothes like my father, ride a horse, go to the government office, or even come to the court?"

A woman next to her couldn't help muttering, "Qi Leyun, your father is not qualified to go to court."

The other women burst out laughing.

Chu Zhao also laughed, looking at Qi Leyun who was already dressed as a woman, her facial features and temper were still that of a girl.

"It's a real test. You have to compete with the men, just like our Chuyuan Wenhui back then." Chu Zhao laughed.

When it comes to the Chu Garden Cultural Society, the women around here look excited.

It has been more than seven years, everyone got married and had children, the past time is blurred, and sometimes I don’t even know if the things about my teenage years were just a dream.

At this time, when the queen mentioned it, the memory was clear for a moment. If it was a dream, it was the most beautiful dream in their life, and they couldn't bear to forget it.

"This time, everyone is not competing in a small garden, but in front of the world."

Chu Zhao continued, raising his eyebrows at Qi Leyun.

"Are you afraid?"

Qi Leyun said: "I, Qi Leyun, have never been afraid!" He said and looked at Chu Zhao, "I, I dared to bully you at that time."

The girls were amused again, some slapped her, some ouched her.

Qi Leyun was also a little embarrassed, and subconsciously wanted to find her mother, but then thought that she was also a mother herself, and her mother was no longer by her side.

Chu Zhao snorted: "Qi Leyun, you are quite proud of bullying others."

The woman in the queen's dress in front of her looked annoyed, but Qi Leyun didn't feel scared, but couldn't help laughing.

Chu Zhao, he was so fierce back then, he hasn't changed at all.

"Don't be angry, I won't bully people anymore." Qi Leyun said with a smile.

"I don't think you dare anymore." Chu Zhao smiled, with a bit of pride, "Because you bullied me and suffered a lot, and learned a lesson."

Qi Leyun blushed with a smile.

The other women laughed too.

"After you pass the exam, you can really be an official, have official uniforms, ride a horse, and go to the government office." Chu Zhao continued, smiling slightly, "As for whether you can do what your father, brother, and husband can't do, that depends on you." It's your own business."

Sure enough, the women were excited for a while.

"I'll just say it's true." Chu Tang said while holding a teacup, "I'm a princess after all, why don't you believe me when I tell you?"

"You are the princess, but you are not an official." Qi Leyun said, "Of course we don't believe you."

Chu Tang put the teacup heavily on the table: "Okay, after this time, you will be able to see my authority in the future."

Qi Leyun laughed loudly: "A Tang, can you do it, let's be a princess with peace of mind."

Hearing their laughter, the woman who had been standing quietly at the back stepped forward.

"Is the women's scientific examination also selected from the bottom to the top like men?" she asked.

A woman saw her and couldn't help but said, "Zhou Jiang, you really will come to take the exam."

She still remembered that Zhou Jiang used to be quiet and didn't like to fight. It wasn't until the Chuyuan Wenhui that he revealed his true nature—as expected of a person who likes to play chess, and loves to win and lose the most.

Zhou Jiang frowned and said, "I didn't care about it at first, but my grandfather wanted me to come to the capital to become an official, and asked me to bring my husband and son-in-law to move here together. If that's the case, give me the chess records handed down in my family."

It turned out that it was for the chess record, the girls laughed again, as expected of Zhou Jiang.

Chu Zhao also laughed, and said: "Because this is the first time, there will definitely not be many people participating, so I will only take a big exam in the capital, and I will only be an imperial official if I pass the exam, and I won't really be like a man. You can go anywhere and do everything.”

Having said that, I look at everyone again.

"This is just the beginning, and the goal is to get everyone to accept it."

"As long as you accept it, you can do more step by step."

"When the women become officials, then they can promote women's schools in various places."

"Let the world know that reading and learning skills can also become the foundation of women's livelihood."

"In this way, more women will come to take scientific examinations and become officials. If there are more people, there will be more opportunities and more attempts."

When she said this, she smiled slightly.

"So what will happen in the future is up to you."

Qi Leyun put his hand on his heart and murmured: "Am I so important? I can decide the future and take on this important task."

This life is not in vain!

Someone next to him chuckled and said, "Let's pass the exam first."

Qi Leyun snorted: "What are you afraid of? I can't pass the exam. I let my daughter take the exam. My daughter can't pass the exam. There is also my granddaughter."

The women all laughed, yes, they can't do it, and there are daughters and granddaughters, as long as they have the opportunity, it will be different.

Seeing laughter at the banquet, Chu Tang approached Chu Zhao, and said in a low voice, "Remember to give me the best official position for selfishness."

Chu Zhao said in a low voice: "Of course, if you have an official status and the title of princess, I will point to you to sit in power and support everyone."

Chu Tang glanced at her reproachfully: "I knew I wouldn't be idle." He smiled again, "I want to say what my father secretly said at home."

She imitated Chu Lan's voice and let out a long sigh.

"Forget it, we're here to pay off her debt."

Chu Zhao smiled and said, "Almost, it's right to think so."

……

……

Although there is a lot of discussion, but as expected, what the queen is going to do, as long as she says it, it is really unstoppable.

In the autumn of the fourth year of Jianning, the women rushed to the capital to prepare for the examination, and men's scientific examinations began in various places. They had to take the examination step by step from the county, county, and state capital to the capital.

"It's really interesting." In the county government office, an official was sorting out the roster of scholars while joking to his colleagues, "Do you know what people say? It is said that the head hangs from the beam, the awl stabs the buttocks and the wall steals the light, in order to compete with the women. Up or down."

Another official shook his head: "Don't worry about it, those who didn't pass the exam are talking sour words."

"I know, people always have to talk, and I don't think the empress doesn't mind. Recently, the guards are very free and don't go to arrest people." The official said, and his voice suddenly babbled, "This name——"

The official next to him asked, "What's wrong with the name? Is it a taboo?"

The imperial examination is very strict. If you break a taboo, you may really not be able to participate.

The official shook his head, holding the roster in a daze: "No, it's a little bit familiar."

The name is still familiar?There are so many people with the same name and surname in the world, the official next to him was amused: "What's so strange about this." He stretched out his hand to take it, looked at it, and his smile paused.

"Yeah." He stroked his short beard, "This name is quite familiar."

Deng Yi.

He actually had the same name as the previous Tai Tuo who vigorously started as a Tuogu and ended vigorously on the charge of treason.

Chapter 20 Idle

Compared with the busyness of the local government, Chaozhong is more leisurely.

Therefore, Xiao Yu had half a day free, happily holding the longbow.

"My sister said last time that my arm strength is too weak, so let me practice more." He said, "I'll let my sister guide me."

Seeing the emperor who was about to run out, Eunuch Qi hurriedly stopped him by straightening his robes, and said in a low voice, "The queen is not in the palace."

Xiao Yu lowered his hand holding the bow and said, "Sister, have you gone home?"

He wouldn't say such things before, home, this is my sister's home, but now, he knows it's not.

Eunuch Qi looked at him lovingly: "The Queen came to see Her Majesty specially when she went out. Your Majesty was discussing state affairs with the courtiers, so I didn't bother you."

A smile appeared on Xiao Yu's face, and he looked at Eunuch Qi: "Eunuch Qi, don't worry, even if my sister doesn't come to tell me, I know she still misses me."

Raise the bow and arrow in your hand.

"Let's go, let's go to my sister's place to play, so that others will not notice that she is not there."

Eunuch Qi also laughed, and said, "Your Majesty is still smart."

Xiao Yu said: "Eunuch Qi, please stop coaxing me, I am no longer a child."

Eunuch Qi followed him and walked out, saying: "In the eyes of this old servant, Your Majesty will always be a smart and lovely child."

Xiao Yu laughed, put the longbow behind his back and strode towards the harem.

"Would you like to ask the queen that you also go to see Young Master Ah Jiu?" Eunuch Qi couldn't help but asked again in a low voice, "He is also your uncle after all."

Xiao Yu glanced at the direction outside the palace, and shook his head: "Uncle never wanted to be my uncle, so don't bother him."

This time Eunuch Qi looked at the young man, and solemnly leaned over to answer yes.

Xiao Yu withdrew his gaze from outside the palace: "Let's go, let's wait for my sister to come back." He smiled a little smugly, "Uncle is recovering from his injuries, so he definitely won't play bow and arrow with her."

……

……

In the Chu Garden in autumn, the water in the pond was shaking, and a fat fish swayed away.

Chu Zhao picked up the fishing rod: "This fish is too full to even look at the bait."

There was silence around me.

Chu Zhao looked back at Xie Yanlai lying behind him in the shade, his eyes closed as if he had fallen asleep, the sunlight was beating briskly on his face through the branches and leaves.

She pursed her lips into a smile, pulled off the hook, and threw the rod over.

As soon as the fishing line flew over, Xie Yanlai closed her eyes and raised her hand to catch it.

"If you can't catch fish, come and catch me?" he said.

Chu Zhao laughed: "Because fish are too smart to catch."

"That's because you're too stupid." Xie Yan said, closing his eyes, he took the fishing line in his hand, and then pulled it hard, Chu Zhao rushed over.

Xie Yanlai stopped talking, shook off the fishing rod and only held her hand, and continued to close her eyes.

Chu Zhao half sat and leaned against him, letting him hold one hand, jumping with the other hand following the sunlight on his face, jumping over his broad forehead, high nose tip, smooth chin, and then jumping to the clear Adam's apple, along the Slip down with your Adam's apple——

Because at home, Xie Yanlai dressed very casually, and the skirts would loosen as soon as they slipped.

Just when her fingers were restless and about to swim into her chest like fish, Xie Yanlai raised her hand to hold her down.

"Be gentle!" He opened his eyes and said.

Chu Zhao smiled and leaned on his shoulder: "This is already very polite, if you are rude, it should be tearing—"

She wanted to tear her clothes, but both hands were held by Xie Yanlai and she couldn't move.

Although it couldn't be torn apart, leaning on his shoulders, one could see his chest through the skirt from this angle, and there were hideous scars on his fair skin.