When Pan Yun saw Empress Wang's hesitation, she smiled. "There are precedents for ransoming servants. Grand Ancestor High Emperor himself repeatedly used money and grain to ransom servants, then set them free and allotted them land."
Empress Wang looked to the female official at her side.
The female official bowed. "What the National Preceptor says is correct. In the fifth year of Hongwu, Grand Ancestor High Emperor issued an edict ordering the Imperial Court to pay to redeem and restore to commoner status those impoverished people forced by famine to pawn or sell their children. In the nineteenth year of Hongwu, Henan Provincial Administration used more than 1,960 ingots of Treasure Notes in ransom money to redeem 274 people from among the populace and restore them to commoner status."
Do not underestimate the female officials in the palace. Every one of them was well versed in the classics and histories, serving as the Empress's assistants.
Whatever the Empress knew, they had to know too. Whatever the Empress did not know, they also had to know.
They were practically the Empress's walking textbooks, the equivalent of the Hanlin scholars at the Emperor's side.
The moment the female official recited the precedents, Empress Wang could not help but brighten. She looked at Empress Qian, raised her brows, and silently conveyed: This can be done!
Empress Qian smiled faintly as well and gave her a slight nod.
And just like that, the two settled the matter.
Pan Yun remained with them until dusk. She agreed to help the two Empresses inspect locations suitable for building workshops, and also agreed to draw up the designs for them.
As the sun dipped below the western hills and the Emperor was about to return, Empress Wang finally had a female official see Pan Yun out. After