PDLP Chapter 355: Fierce Debate among the Ministers
Chapter 355: Fierce Debate among the Ministers
As Lan Qingwu expected, on the second day in the court, the ministers engaged in heated debate and all pointed their guns at the Imperial City Governor Lin Suzhi.
One Hanlin Academy official fired directly at Lin Suzhi, "Lord Lin, it's been said since ancient times that women obey their fathers at home, their husbands after marriage, and their sons after their husbands die! Hundreds of years ago, the evil concubine who brought chaos to the government was a divorced concubine who entered the harem. Therefore, the Dasheng law states that women must remain faithful to their husbands until death. They must not divorce while their husbands are still alive, and must not remarry after their husbands die. This is to prevent future troubles. Now, you've just ordered the Anping Marquis' wife to divorce. Aren't you changing the law again? And are you going to plunge the Dasheng Dynasty back into the crisis and turmoil of women's infidelity?"
Censor Yan glanced at Emperor Shenwu on the high platform from the corner of his eye. He saw that the emperor's expression was motionless and unfathomable, and he quietly watched the ministers below quarreling in chaos.
Censor Yan was a loyal and honest minister. He immediately tensed up and said, "Master Ren, you are too kind! Our Great Sheng is now peaceful and prosperous, with good weather and good harvests. There is no sign of crisis or unrest! As for Master Lin, you were a little impulsive. The laws of the Great Sheng have not been revised yet..."
Lin Suzhi stiffened his neck and replied, "Then change it! Once the changes are completed, I will immediately execute the divorce case for the Marquis of Anping's wife!"
Censor Yan choked: "You!"
Lin Suzhi refused to yield in the face of the siege from numerous ministers. No matter what these high-ranking officials said, he remained steadfast in his words, "To deny them a divorce is to send them to death. Now that the petition has been submitted to me, I must grant them a chance to live! Lord Wang, Lord Yan, Lord Ren, if I give in, some of these women will commit suicide by hanging. Can you be held responsible for so many lives?"
The ministers were so angry that they dared not agree to it. After all, human lives were at stake, so who would dare to agree to it in one breath?
When Master Ren turned around and saw Lan Shuren standing calmly in front of him, he perked up again: "Master Lan, please say something! Since ancient times, the husband is the head of the family, and women should obey the three obediences and four virtues, and kneel and kowtow six times..."
The Blue Tree Man suddenly spoke up, "I wonder if any of you gentlemen have mothers?"
Lord Ren was stunned: "What?"
The Blue Tree Man's voice came steadily: "Do you gentlemen have your own mothers, wives, and daughters?"
Lan Shuren looked at them one by one. He had the temperament of bright moon and fresh breeze. At this moment, his pair of black and white eyes like glass fell on every opposing minister. Some ministers could not resist this seemingly pure yet oppressive gaze, and turned their eyes away in disappointment and did not look at him.
Lan Shuren stepped out of the group, bowing but speaking in a clear and resolute voice, "Your Majesty, I believe that as long as one is a citizen of the Dasheng Dynasty, he must be protected by the laws of Dasheng! I only ask one question: Are these women citizens of the Dasheng Dynasty? Are they Your Majesty's subjects? If so, then regardless of whether they are married or not, the laws of Dasheng must protect them!"
The fingers of Emperor Shenwu paused on the armrest of the dragon throne, and his phoenix eyes finally showed some ripples, shooting straight at the blue tree man in the front.
Leng Qujing watched the civil officials squabbling in the hall. A flashback to the scene at the General's Mansion a few days earlier flashed before his eyes. The Empress had sent a maid to visit Yu'er, his and Piao Lan's daughter. The maid, without a single word, simply played with Yu'er for the better part of the day, leaving her with many gifts from the Empress before departing. These gifts were mostly tributes from the palace, ranging from rare and precious fabrics, expensive and beautiful jewelry, to various rare and century-old medicinal herbs... Leng Qujing understood that this was simply the friendship between the Empress and Piao Lan, which was why the Empress treated Yu'er so kindly. The special regard from the mother of a nation had only heightened Yu'er's value.
Leng Qujing's eyes flickered slightly, and the generals were no longer silent. General Wei Yanting stood up first, "I agree! This general thinks it's a good thing. I don't know where you guys get all these excuses to complain!"
Someone else objected, "What do you uncouth people know? How could you reverse the yin and yang and let some little woman stand above us?"
Qian Hui said coldly, "We rough men don't mistreat women, nor do we torture our wives and daughters, so we're not afraid of the divorce law! Speaking of which, the gentleman who objected just now, you are the accused Gao family, right? I wonder if your niece-in-law, Yan, has found out how she died? Her sister is still complaining relentlessly!"
The tall man who had just spoken shut up and retreated with a dark face.
At this time, Leng Qujing also stepped forward and said, "I second the motion!"
An official from an aristocratic family almost gasped for breath: "You! General Leng, you also come from an aristocratic family, how could you agree to such a ridiculous thing!"
Leng Qujing slowly turned his head and said word by word, "I am doing this for my own daughter! Yan married into the aristocratic Gao family, but died in less than six months. This general is terrified! Don't you gentlemen have daughters?"
The minister who was talking to him choked and was speechless.
Mr. Gao remained silent, his face turning even green and purple. He could not help but step back silently.