Although Ms. Pei found it strange, she was not an old-fashioned person like Kong Yingda. Moreover, it was her daughter who had an official status, so it was inevitable that she had some selfish motives. She asked Pearl to keep the seal and told her to act in a low-key manner.
Stay in the limelight to avoid criticism.
Wei Yingluo agreed one by one and advised Pei to keep the money, but Pei refused to take any money.
"Yingluo, you'd better take this money back. The family is not short of money now." Seeing Wei Yingluo's confusion, Pei explained: "Your Majesty fined Zhulu Marquis half a year's salary to your father and sent it over. Now the family has enough money.
.You don’t need to support the family anymore. Your father is a spendthrift and soft-skinned. If the family saves money and a relative comes to visit, your father will have to point it out. His personality will be difficult to change in this life, so he can’t be a drag.
Although I have an official status now, I still have to think about the future and save some dowry money so that when I get to my husband’s house, I won’t be looked down upon.”
Wei Yingluo didn't say anything, but Pearl was unconvinced and said: "Old madam, who is looking down on whom? Our young lady is so beautiful and capable, and she is an official. She is not more than enough to match the young master of any family. We
I still have to choose."
Mrs. Pei glanced at Pearl and said: "Little Pearl, don't think I didn't tell you, you are the same! Women will get married sooner or later, how can they still live their lives as they please? You two are seventeen after the Chinese New Year.
If you don't marry within this year, you will be gossiped about."
Pearl murmured in a low voice, "Mrs. Marquis, she didn't get married until she was twenty..."
Hearing Pearl talking about Bai Qiaoqiao, Pei suddenly remembered what Wei Zheng had mentioned, her eyes lit up, and she suddenly grabbed Wei Yingluo's hand and said, "Daughter, I want to ask you something.
Answer honestly."
Wei Yingluo was stunned for a moment, but she still said obediently: "If my mother asks, my daughter will answer naturally."
"You have been with Li Mu for so long, how has he treated you?"
"Okay, the Marquis treats his daughter very well..." Wei Yingluo thought for a while and said: "The Marquis always encourages his daughter. There are some things that the daughter doesn't know if she can do well, but the Marquis said that she will definitely do it. He has never done it.
He didn't look down on me because I was a girl, and he treated his daughter very well."
"Then you like him?"
"Ah?!" When Wei Yingluo heard this, she understood what Pei meant. Instantly, Xia Fei's temples fluttered and she said in a panic: "What are you talking about, mother? My daughter and the Marquis are innocent, and there is no personal relationship between them.
Absolutely not."
"Look, you're so scared." Mrs. Pei hurriedly comforted Wei Yingluo and said, "Didn't Mom say that you had an affair with him? Mom still doesn't believe in her daughter? Mom is asking you, Zhu Luhou is so outstanding, you and him
He spends a lot of time together, so don’t you have any feelings for her?"
"I..." Wei Yingluo couldn't answer immediately because she couldn't be sure. When she reaches the age of marriage, which girl wouldn't want to do this? Wei Yingluo naturally noticed Li Mu's talent, but
She really hadn't thought about these things. First of all, it was because Li Mu already had a wife and several concubines. Although Wei Yingluo's family was poor, she was very high-spirited under the influence of Wei Zheng.
How could she be willing to let her be a child?
Furthermore, the longer she spent with Li Mu, the more she felt that the gap between her and Li Mu was getting bigger and bigger. Li Mu's abilities seemed to be like stars in the sky. As soon as she learned a little, she discovered that there were more
There were things she didn't understand, and she wouldn't be discouraged if she could see the end. But Li Mu knew too many things, and she gradually became numb. In the process, she subconsciously distinguished herself from Li Mu.
After all, she felt that she was inferior to Li Mu in everything. If she was with Li Mu, he would feel very bored.
Mrs. Pei is someone who has been here before. When she saw Wei Yingluo like this, she felt a little enlightened in her heart. She couldn't help but sigh secretly. She had always known her daughter's personality. She didn't pay attention to the so-called talents in general, but now she faced
Li Mu actually felt ashamed of himself, so he naturally felt in his heart that Li Mu was very human.
Suddenly there were footsteps at the door. Wei Zheng entered the house with a tired look on his face. When he saw Wei Yingluo and Pearl, his expression became even more ugly. Wei Yingluo noticed that something was wrong, so she quickly stood up and stood beside her with her hands tied.
.
Wei Zheng sat down, glanced at the master and servant, and said, "Have you two obtained official status?"
"How does daddy know?"
"Although the appointment of the Ministry of Internal Affairs does not need to go through the Ministry of Personnel, it still needs to be registered with the Ministry of Personnel before a seal can be issued. For a woman to be an official, such a big event has already spread throughout the world. You are my daughter, and it is difficult for me not to know about it.
!”
Wei Yingluo lowered her head. She knew that this matter must have brought trouble to her father.
Wei Zhengchang sighed and said: "That kid Li Mu, he is trying every possible way to make things difficult for me! I know that I am no match for him, and he also knows it well. If he hates me, he can get rid of me at any time. Why do I have to stay?"
I'm in court, but he targets me all the time. Is he trying to make fun of me?!"
"Dad..." Wei Yingluo whispered: "How about my daughter goes to the Marquis and tells him not to become an official, so as not to bring criticism to her father..."
"Why don't you do it?" Wei Zheng snorted and said, "Don't we, father and daughter, owe something to someone? That guy is very shrewd. Since he is using you, he must value your ability. He will also accept a little criticism.
There must be a way to deal with it. I just told those people that I don’t know about these things. They can make trouble as they please. I just practice the law..."
Suddenly Wei Zheng stopped. He frowned and thought for a while, and suddenly realized: "This kid actually...he dares!"
Everyone was confused, and Mrs. Pei couldn't help but ask: "Old man, what are you doing in this sudden surprise, what is unexpected, what is so bold, you should explain it more clearly!"
"Oops!" Wei Zheng knocked his head and said angrily: "I finally figured out what Li Mu is going to do. He doesn't get rid of me, and he hates me. He wants to conquer me and use me for his own purposes! Wolf ambition! Wolf ambition! He regards me as a human being.
What's wrong? How can I do what he wants?"
"This..." Wei Yingluo was also surprised, and she understood most of it immediately. In fact, she had never figured out why Li Mu always opposed her father, but never made a killing move. I don't know how many times, as long as Li Mu took another step, Wei Zheng could only
It was his duty to retire and go home, but he always stopped at the last minute. Wei Zheng exposed this method of trying to keep the eagle off his back, but thinking about it on the other hand, isn't that what happened!
But in order to save Wei Zheng's face, he couldn't say that this was the case. He hesitated and said: "Dad, maybe you are wrong. The Marquis has never mentioned this."
"Humph!" Wei Zheng was not a fool, he was just a fan of the authorities. He figured out the joints and was able to straighten things out. He took a deep breath, calmed down, and said: "Daughter, please give him a message for dad, let him
Don't have wishful thinking, I have my own opinions on what I do, and he cannot control it!"
"Oh." Wei Yingluo agreed. She knew that now was not the time to persuade. But although she agreed, she never told Li Mu. Maybe Li Mu really didn't think so. If she
If you spread the word, won't it cause more conflicts?
Wei Zheng gradually calmed down, let out a long sigh, and murmured: "Li Mu is young, and his intelligence is almost that of a monster. Who can control him in a few years?"
Wei Yingluo heard this and couldn't help but ask: "Dad, why do you always want to control Mr. Hou? Mr. Hou has never done anything illegal. In my daughter's opinion, it is all beneficial to the country."
Why should we restrict the good things of the people?"
"Hmph!" Wei Zheng glanced at Wei Yingluo and said, "What do you know? No matter how smart Li Mu is, he is still a minister. If he is a minister, if there are no restrictions, how can he be more successful than his master? Your Majesty takes care of him in every possible way.
Because he was young and had no power behind him, he wanted to train him to be the prince's assistant. However, Li Mu has now become a powerful force on his own. Your Majesty is now in the prime of life. When the prince comes to the throne, I don't know how many years will pass. By then, Li Mu will be like a powerful man.
He is the only tyrant in the country, and no one can compete with him."
"At that time, can His Majesty still trust Li Mu to assist the Crown Prince? Will he not worry about Li Mu rebelling after his death?"
This time it was Wei Yingluo's turn to be frightened, she murmured: "Daddy, will it get to that point?"
"Really?" Wei Zheng snorted: "You forgot what dad told you, how did His Majesty sit on the throne today? As an emperor, how can he care about personal affairs? Not to mention Li Mu, anyone,
Without restraint, threatening the imperial power is a dead end. If Li Mu doesn't know how to restrain himself today, no one will be able to save him in the future!"
…
The next day, in the court hall, there was a matter of the censor impeaching a female official. At first, there were only three or two, but later when Li Mu did not come to the court, there was a faint trend of concatenation, and they all stood up to impeach.
Li Shimin also had a headache. When he was hesitating whether to call Li Mu for an explanation, Changsun Chong stood up. He was Li Mu's eldest disciple and served in the Ministry of Internal Affairs. He was responsible for reforms and often came to attend court meetings on Li Mu's behalf.
, seems to be Li Mu’s spokesperson, and everyone was not surprised when he stood up.
Changsun Chong was also crisp and quick, without a word of nonsense. He took out a piece of rice paper from his arms and unfolded it for the impeachers to see. On the rice paper, he saw five big characters written on the back of the paper: Guan Er and other bullshit! Domineering air.
, almost showing through the paper and hitting everyone's faces.
Changsun Chong threw the paper to the impeachment crowd, turned around and said to Li Shimin: "Your Majesty, please forgive me. Due to your Majesty's ban, my mentor could not come to court in person, but he guessed that there would be some scoundrels who would make a fuss about the female official's status.
, I wrote a special handwritten letter to explain. My mentor said that the affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs have always been independent of the three provinces and six ministries. When His Majesty established the Ministry of Internal Affairs, he had already given his teacher the power to appoint officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of sixth grade and below.
These are all stated in the imperial edict, but it is not stated in the imperial edict that women cannot be officials. There is also no law in the Tang Dynasty laws and regulations that women cannot be officials. Therefore, he has not exceeded his authority and violated the law at all. Your Majesty, please be clear.
.”
"Indeed." Li Shimin nodded and said: "In the laws of the Tang Dynasty, there is no law that women cannot be officials, but this is a conventional rule. Li Mu's arrangement is still inappropriate."
Changsun Chong said again: "Your Majesty, this is a reflection of my mentor's thoughtfulness. The Fengchen Bureau is responsible for the palace expenses and is responsible for communicating with the inside and outside of the palace. It is bound to be frequent in and out of the palace. If a man is used as an official, there will be many inconveniences. So use a woman.
, you can avoid embarrassment. Before Wei Yingluo was in the Ministry of Industry, she had been acting as her mentor's assistant. All the merchants and officials were convinced, and her ability was obvious to all. Her mentor appointed Wei Yingluo purely for the sake of the palace, and he did not hesitate to delay the appointment of the Ministry of Industry.
Please let your Majesty know clearly what is going on."
"Well," Li Shimin nodded and said, "There is some truth to it." Suddenly he smiled and said, "Wei Aiqing, Wei Yingluo is the apple of your eye, what do you think about this matter?"
Wei Zheng said with a straight face: "Your Majesty, I have severed the father-daughter relationship with Wei Yingluo half a year ago. Everything about her has nothing to do with me. I have no opinion on whether she should be an official or whether she should be dismissed. It all depends on my opinion."
Your Majesty will decide with a word. If there is a need to amend the laws and regulations, I can write it down first and return to Haechi Academy to discuss it with the scholars."
"Alas," Li Shimin wanted to tease Wei Zheng about this matter, but he didn't expect that Wei Zheng didn't fall for the trick. He couldn't help but feel a little bored, pursed his lips and said: "Since there is a reason for everything and it doesn't violate the law, then so be it.
However, it is limited to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the imperial court and local governments, and it is still inappropriate to use women as officials."
"Thank you for your understanding, Your Majesty." After Changsun Chong finished speaking, he returned to the corner and stood still, turning back into a little transparent person.
Seeing that Li Shimin was taking sides again, everyone who was impeaching them had no choice but to return to their positions, as if they were mourning for their heirs.
"Your Majesty, I have something to say!"
Suddenly a rough voice made a sound, and everyone looked over and saw that it was Cheng Yaojin. This surprised everyone. Cheng Yaojin was very smooth and never put forward any opinions, but he liked it when others spoke.
Today he stood up, and everyone couldn't help but wonder what he was going to say.
Li Shimin was also curious and said with a smile: "Cheng Zhijie also has something to say, what's the matter?"
"I would like to ask Your Majesty, does the land need to be reformed?"
Li Shimin nodded and said: "We must change it. If we don't change it, it won't work. Why, does Zhijie think there's anything wrong with it?"
"It's totally inappropriate!" To everyone's surprise, Cheng Yaojin, who had always been regarded as Li Mu's ally, turned against him. Cheng Yaojin cupped his fists and said in a low voice: "I heard what Li Mu said the other day.
There are so many, and I think it makes sense, but when I went home and thought about it, I felt that it was inappropriate. Your Majesty, I and others who have titles and military achievements are all given land. If he changes the law, what will happen to the lands given by me and others?
Forget it? You can’t take it back!”
"This..." Li Shimin was confused by the question, but the other people in the court looked as if they had just woken up from a dream and were enlightened, and everyone looked happy!
Yes, why did you forget this problem? Li Mu is not afraid of the powerful family, because no matter how big the powerful family is, they are still people, they are common people, and they have no capital to fight for. However, this is not the case for nobles. You dare to take back the land that was exchanged for their military exploits.
?If you don’t take it back, let’s see how you give me an explanation!