Shocking! Five men are in love with the same woman!

Emperor Jingzhao looked at the Ninth Princess with eyes full of satisfaction and pride.

Then, he nodded slightly, signaling the Ninth Princess to stand up.

Then, looking at Jiang Muxue with admiration in his eyes, he said, "Princess Wenyi, Jiang Muxue, you and the Ninth Princess led the army to destroy Bei Li this time, and your contribution was invaluable. With the spirit of a heroine, you rushed to the battlefield, displayed outstanding talent and courage, led the three armies, defeated the formidable enemy, and made immortal achievements. You have contributed extraordinary strength to the stability and prosperity of Da Zhao. Your achievements are remarkable and can be proven by the sun and moon. Therefore, the following rewards are specially granted to recognize your merits."

"Firstly, he was promoted to the rank of Marquis of Anguo, and was granted ten thousand taels of gold and a thousand bolts of silk to show his nobility. He was also rewarded with a hundred pearls, ten boxes of gemstones, and a magnificent mansion located in a scenic spot in the capital. The mansion was exquisitely built with carved beams and painted rafters, and had gardens, ponds, and pavilions, making it a beautiful sight."

"Secondly, he was granted specially made armor, a set of armor meticulously crafted by royal craftsmen, with plates forged from fine steel, which was extremely sturdy yet lightweight and flexible."

"Thirdly, a hot spring resort will be granted. The resort is located in a scenic area with natural hot spring resources. The hot spring water is of excellent quality and has therapeutic effects."

"Fourth, appreciate precious medicinal materials, such as thousand-year-old ginseng and lingzhi, which can nourish the body and prolong life."

"I hope you will cherish this honor, continue to uphold your loyalty and courage, and strive tirelessly for the prosperity and stability of the Great Zhao. I firmly believe that with loyal and courageous men like you, the Great Zhao will surely enjoy long-term peace and prosperity and its glory will last forever."

Upon hearing Emperor Jingzhao's reward and words, Jiang Muxue immediately stood up straight and respectfully to express her gratitude, saying, "Your Majesty's kindness moves me to tears. Your Majesty's reward is the greatest honor for me. I will cherish this favor and live up to Your Majesty's expectations. From now on, I will dedicate myself to the Great Zhao and continue to serve Your Majesty and the Great Zhao with unwavering loyalty."

Emperor Jingzhao looked at Jiang Muxue, who was expressing her gratitude, with eyes full of satisfaction and admiration.

He nodded slightly, his expression solemn yet gentle.

At this point, all the rewards had been given.

Lingyan and the other two should have returned to their seats to continue the celebration.

But at this moment, Lingyan looked directly at Emperor Jingzhao at the head of the table.

He said calmly, “Your Majesty, I believe that after the incident with the Northern Li, the performance of Princess Huguo and Marquis Anguo has shown you the ability and potential of women. In addition, since I entered the court, Your Majesty and all of you should understand how capable women really are. The reason why only a few of us have emerged over the years is because they have not had the opportunity to step out of their homes and let everyone see their abilities, not because they are incapable.”

Lingyan's gaze was firm and clear as she continued, "At this time, Beili has just been pacified, and everything is in need of rebuilding. Not only Beili, but also the northern deserts, the southern border, and the Great Zhao, all need a large number of talents. Among women, there are many intelligent, wise, talented, and resolute women. Some are proficient in poetry and literature and can govern the country with literature; some are good at strategy and can plan ahead; some have a sense of righteousness and are willing to seek the well-being of the people. If their talents are buried simply because of their gender, wouldn't that be a huge loss for the court and the people?"

Her voice echoed in the hall, clear and powerful: "Therefore, I propose that an additional autumn examination be held, and that women from all over the country be allowed to participate. Talent knows no gender, and there are so many outstanding women in the world. Let them also showcase their talents on the stage of the imperial examination, and select more pillars of the nation for the court. Not only this autumn examination, but every future imperial examination should allow women to participate, so that they can also serve the court and the people."

The hall fell silent for a moment, everyone shocked by Lingyan's bold suggestion.

Some ministers looked thoughtful, as if considering the feasibility of the proposal.

Others frowned slightly, still harboring doubts about women participating in the imperial examinations.

Ling Yan remained calm despite observing everyone's reactions.

She knew that this proposal would inevitably cause controversy.

She had already made all the necessary preparations to persuade them.

She had actually been thinking about this for a long time, but now was undoubtedly the most opportune time to bring it up.

The Ninth Princess and Jiang Muxue made such great contributions, in addition to her own previous achievements.

The chances of three women simultaneously achieving extraordinary feats are extremely rare.

If you bring it up at this time, the resistance will be much less than usual.

If we miss this opportunity, we don't know when we'll get another chance.

That's why she seized the opportunity.

Princess Jiu and Jiang Muxue were genuinely surprised that their sister-in-law/Ya Ya would make this suggestion at this time.

However, after their initial surprise, they also strongly agreed that the matter should be brought up at this time.

They were very happy to see this happen and were willing to contribute their efforts.

Then the Ninth Princess spoke first, her clear voice ringing out in the hall: "Father, what my sister-in-law said is absolutely right. I also believe that women's abilities should not be ignored. Now that the country is in dire need of rebuilding, it needs all kinds of talents. If women can be allowed to participate in the imperial examinations, they will surely be able to select more talented people for the court and contribute to the prosperity and strength of the Great Zhao."

Jiang Muxue then added, “Your Majesty, I also agree with the Ninth Princess’s words. I believe that talent should not be judged by gender. The prosperity of the Great Zhao requires the efforts of everyone. There are many talented and ambitious women. If they can be given the opportunity to participate in the imperial examinations, it will surely inspire more women’s ambition and cultivate more pillars of the nation.”

Upon hearing this, the Ninth Princess spoke again: "Father, throughout history, although women have rarely been seen in the court, there have been many outstanding individuals. For example, there was Lady Xian, who used her extraordinary military talent and leadership wisdom to protect the peace of the region; and there was Li Qingzhao, whose poetic talent amazed the world. These women have proven that women are not limited to being confined to their boudoirs. Now, times are changing, and we should keep pace with the times and give women equal opportunities so that they can showcase their talents through the imperial examinations and contribute to the development of the Great Zhao."

Jiang Muxue added, “Your Majesty, the fact that the three of us were able to achieve such merits has shown the world the capabilities of women. If we can take this opportunity to promote women’s participation in the imperial examinations, it will surely generate a positive response among the people. This is not only an affirmation of women, but also a manifestation of the enlightened approach of the Great Zhao. I believe this move will attract more talented people to serve the Great Zhao and allow the Great Zhao to flourish in all aspects.”

Afterwards, the Ninth Princess looked at Emperor Jingzhao with a firm gaze and continued, "Father, I am well aware of the importance of the imperial examination system to the country. But precisely because of this, we cannot miss this opportunity. Allowing women to participate in the imperial examination is not something that can be done overnight. It can be implemented gradually, starting with this autumn examination. We can continuously summarize our experiences and improve the system to ensure that truly talented women are selected to serve the court. I am willing to work with my sister-in-law and the Marquis of Anguo to do our best to promote this matter."

Jiang Muxue continued, "Your Majesty, the three of us are willing to set an example and encourage more women to bravely pursue their dreams and contribute their strength to the prosperity of the country. We believe that under Your Majesty's wise leadership, Da Zhao will surely create a brand new situation, allowing women and men to work together for the future of the country."