The messenger pigeon was raised by Golden Mountain Temple and flew swiftly. In less than three days, it could fly from Southern Mei to the Ninth Prince's Residence in Great Xia's Capital.
Xia Siheng opened the secret letter. After skimming its contents, his phoenix eyes narrowed slightly.
Was the sky over Southern Mei about to change?
"Father, did Sister Zhong send a letter back from Southern Mei?"
Xia Wanwan tugged at the hem of his robe, pressing her chubby little face against his leg.
Xia Siheng crouched, picked the little girl up, and sat down at his desk.
"You said Commandery Princess Jade Glass was in Southern Mei?" Xia Siheng handed the little girl a pastry and took a sip of tea himself.
His daughter must have divined the situation in Southern Mei and deliberately told him Zhong Youyan was there.
"Yes, yes! Sister Zhong said men and women were equal in Southern Mei, so she wanted to go there to do business and see what a truly equal world was like."
Wanwan opened her little mouth, took a big bite of the pastry, then chewed and chewed.
"Southern Mei has advocated equality between men and women since its founding. Its two founding rulers were the Eldest Princess's great-grandfather and great-grandmother. Back then, they ruled together as emperors, believing that neither of the world's two sexes was higher or lower, nobler or baser than the other. That was why, a hundred years ago, they allowed women to take the Imperial Examination and enter official service, as well as participate in government and fight in wars."
Xia Siheng told the little girl what he knew, then added in puzzlement, "But by the generation of the Princess of Southern Mei, her Imperial Father seemed somewhat afraid of women. So he passed the