PFC Chapter 424 Shaohua Division
Chapter 424 Shaohua Division
Zhang San once again stood in front of this majestic palace. Although it was not his first time here, his steps were still a little unsteady and his expression was full of fear and trepidation.
He was originally an ordinary commoner in the city, a real "mud-legged peasant".
Who could have expected that His Majesty's decree would throw him into this officialdom and grant him a seventh-rank official position.
When he first entered the officialdom, Zhang San was filled with fear and anxiety. He secretly speculated about the intricacies of the officialdom and was deeply afraid that he would lose his way and find it difficult to adapt to this completely unfamiliar environment.
In the eyes of ordinary people, being an official is something they dream of and a glory that brings honor to their family. But for him, this sudden change of identity only made him feel pressured at first.
However, when Zhang San learned that his responsibility was to repair the loopholes in the law, his eyes lit up instantly.
Although he was not good at speaking and socializing, he had an innate keenness and persistence in legal provisions.
This job seemed to be tailor-made for him. He could immerse himself in the vast legal texts without distraction, pondering and studying them word by word, looking for hidden errors and flaws. He only needed to focus on the task at hand every day, and after completing it, he could return to his warm home with peace of mind.
In this way, Zhang San gradually found his own rhythm and became adept at his work. He was even praised by His Majesty many times for his outstanding performance, which gradually gave him some confidence in this officialdom.
Led by the shrill voice of the young eunuch, Zhang San slowly walked into the Liangyi Hall.
As soon as he stepped into the palace, the aura hit him in the face, making it difficult for him to breathe.
He subconsciously wanted to perform the courteous ceremony, but before he could do so, His Majesty's gentle voice echoed in the hall: "No need for formalities."
Zhang San's body suddenly paused, and he stood there in a daze, his hands trembling slightly as he tightly grasped the corners of his clothes. His eyes lowered, he quietly waited for His Majesty's orders.
Li Chengqian's eyes slowly swept over Zhang San, and he nodded slightly, with satisfaction in his eyes. He said softly, "My dear Zhang, I summoned you here because I have a very important matter to entrust to you."
After saying this, Li Chengqian's expression became solemn.
"Nowadays, there are frequent cases of people abandoning their own baby girls, completely disregarding blood ties and failing to fulfill their responsibility to raise them. I am deeply saddened to hear of this, and therefore I have decided to ask you to formulate a comprehensive and complete Tang Dynasty law to correct this evil practice."
Li Chengqian's voice gradually became louder.
"Anyone who gives birth to a child but fails to raise it, regardless of gender, will be severely punished and will not be tolerated."
"If there are those who are so heartless and cruel as to drown a baby, they must be punished as murderers and made to pay a heavy price."
"Anyone who dares to harm children, whether by abducting and trafficking them, separating them from their families, or molesting and harming a young child physically or mentally, will be sentenced to a minimum of death. If the circumstances are extremely egregious, the crime will be aggravated, with no upper limit on the sentence."
"Lord Zhang, do you understand my intentions?"
After saying that, Li Chengqian stared at Zhang San closely.
Zhang San quickly straightened his back, nodded vigorously, and replied seriously, "Your Majesty, I understand. I will do my best to live up to your trust."
"Well, in that case, you will step aside and do your job with all your heart. If you do this well, I will reward you with a promotion at the end of the year. Go."
Li Chengqian waved his hand, signaling Zhang San to leave.
"Yes! Your Majesty!"
Zhang San felt as if he had been pardoned. He took a deep breath and slowly left the Liangyi Hall.
It was not until the moment he stepped out of the palace that he felt his tense nerves relax a little. He secretly sighed that the pressure in the Liangyi Palace was too heavy. Every time he was in it, it felt like he was carrying a heavy burden.
After Zhang San left, Li Chengqian turned his gaze to Wu Meiniang. At this moment, Wu Meiniang was standing there quietly, with a somewhat empty look in her eyes, as if she was immersed in her own thoughts and was completely unaware of everything around her.
"My dear Wu." Li Chengqian called softly.
Wu Meiniang's figure trembled slightly, as if she was awakened from a dream, and she quickly responded: "Your Majesty, I am here!"
Li Chengqian looked at Wu Meiniang's dazed look and couldn't help but laugh. He said softly, "My dear Wu, do you know that you are now the only female official in the Tang Dynasty to enter the cabinet? What an honor this is."
At this point, Li Chengqian's expression slightly restrained.
"Everyone says that the queen should be a role model for all women in the world, but in my opinion, it is just an empty title."
"The position of queen does not bring much benefit to women in the world, nor does it allow them to achieve any commendable achievements."
"It's just some flattery."
"Therefore, the position of a role model for women in the world remains vacant to this day."
Li Chengqian raised his head slightly, with a sharp look in his eyes.
"Today, I will break these centuries-old conventions and show the world that women can also hold up the sky."
When Wu Meiniang heard this, she couldn't help but widen her eyes, her eyes full of surprise and sparkling.
Her lips trembled slightly, and she asked in disbelief, "Your Majesty, are you serious?"
Li Chengqian glanced at her, his eyes firm as he spoke in a resounding voice, "Of course I'm serious! From now on, I will establish a new position of Third Rank Shaohua Supervisor, and this position will only be held by women from now on."
"At the same time, I will also establish the Shaohua Division and order the Ministry of Personnel to allocate 300 official positions. These positions will all be appointed by me personally."
"As for the responsibilities of the Shaohua Division, I will clearly inform you now. Its purpose is to support women throughout the world, allowing them to have more rights and protections in this world, and no longer suffer from unwarranted bullying and oppression."
"You, Wu Meiniang, are the number one person in the Shaohua Division, the Shaohua Chief."
As soon as Li Chengqian said this, there was an uproar in the hall, and everyone looked shocked.
A third-rank official position is a high position with real power and respected status, but now His Majesty wants to set up a brand new government office, and a woman is in charge.
This is simply unprecedented!
Li Chengqian ignored everyone's reaction, his expression remained firm as he continued, "I will also allocate 500 elite Jinyiwei to your disposal to assist you."
"Lord Wu, what you have to do is actually not complicated. I will give you one year. You only need to accomplish one thing, and that is to show me that men and women are equal in the Tang Dynasty."
"Divorce procedures must be handled more simply and fairly. If a husband dares to abuse his wife, you can send him directly to the prison and punish him severely according to the law."
“On the other hand, if your wife does something bad, you should treat her equally and never show partiality.”
"To help you achieve this goal, I am issuing an edict today. From this day forward, all of the Tang Dynasty will follow the same path as Xianyang, implementing the system of monogamy without concubines. Eighteen years of age will be the age of majority. No one is allowed to violate ethical principles or go against public order and good customs."
"I believe that Lord Wu will have extraordinary abilities and will not let me down."
"Also, if a man who has taken a concubine does not wish to disband it and wants to maintain the relationship, and the woman is also willing, then he must pay a fine to the court every year. Of course, from the time the law is promulgated, taking concubines is prohibited."