Meng Yulan is, after all, a daughter-in-law; searching her father-in-law's yard would likely draw criticism.
Meng Yulan shook her head and said, "I'll handle things in the manor myself. Your Highness, the child..."
All she wanted was for Tang Zhuyun to save her child.
She can handle everything else herself.
She was being foolish; she completely forgot that someone might have targeted her father-in-law.
But even after a tiger has finished its nap, it's still a tiger.
Tang Zhuyun quickly comforted her, saying, "Sister-in-law, don't worry, the child is fine. I'm here!"
If it's delayed for another month or two, the consequences will be dire.
Meng Yulan felt a great weight lifted off her shoulders.
Thank goodness she made the trip.
After she left, Xiu'er rested her chin on her hand and asked, "Who could be so vicious? Could it be Yingxue?"
Tang Zhuyun said, "She doesn't have that ability."
"It can't be the late emperor, can it?"
Tang Zhuyun: "..."
The late emperor has been dead for a long time.
"Never mind," Xiu'er muttered to herself, "No matter who it is, Madam will definitely be able to dig them out."
Tang Zhuyun nodded. "I believe it too."
"You can't just believe it; you also have to learn!"
Putting everything else aside, just the speed and precision with which he dealt with Yingxue and her mother is something worth learning for a year.
Tang Zhuyun joked, "How about I ask the Emperor to find a few people to practice with?"
It wasn't that no women wanted to be with Emperor Wen; rather, these troublesome matters didn't even reach her before Emperor Wen dealt with them himself.
What to do if your husband is too easy to take care of?
They should be secretly happy!
Tang Zhuyun prescribed a formula for Meng Yulan to nourish her pregnancy, and sent it along with precious medicinal herbs to the Tang Family.
The long-planned academy has finally opened.
Tang Zhuyun appeared at the academy, although her arm was still in a sling.
Looking at the girls in the audience, ranging from a few years old to their teens, she was filled with emotion.
What she is doing will change the lives of so many girls.
"... I don't have any grand principles to preach to you," Tang Zhuyun said gently, "But I want to give you another chance to change your destiny, besides being born into the right family and getting married."
"Here, no sweat is shed in vain, no hardship is endured for nothing."
"In most of your lives, this is one of the few opportunities where hard work can change your destiny."
You may feel apprehensive, doubtful, confused, or bewildered... but I hope you remember that these are not reasons not to try your best.
Even as an empress, I must admit that my abilities are limited.
Everyone standing here today is fortunate; countless eager eyes are watching from outside.
"Here, it's either move forward or fall behind."
She meant dropping out of school.
Resources are limited, so we can only give them to the hardest-working children.
She can tolerate imperfections, but she will not tolerate indulgence or slackness.
These children don't have the option of being lazy and unambitious.
Having said almost everything, Tang Zhuyun reached out her hand, and the little eunuch respectfully presented her with a bright yellow imperial edict.
"This is my gift to you."
"By the mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees—" The eunuch's shrill voice echoed across the vast playground, stirring the hearts of everyone present.
The Emperor has decreed that women may participate in the imperial examinations and serve as officials in the court!
This imperial edict was nothing short of earth-shattering.
Tang Zhuyun and Emperor Wen discussed it carefully. She was originally quite conservative and suggested that the women could first step out from the backyard.
However, Emperor Wen believed that without the guidance of women from the upper class, it would be difficult to succeed.
For upper-class women, the imperial examinations and becoming an official in the court were undoubtedly the best options.
Moreover, for the girls at the academy, this was the most exciting source of inspiration.
Looking at the excited, innocent faces below the stage, Tang Zhuyun thought to herself, "You're happy, but my man is miserable."
She could foresee that tomorrow's flood of memorials would subject Emperor Wen to a torrent of abuse.
Emperor Wen: When they fart.
Why couldn't women hold official positions?
Even on the battlefield, there are female generals like Xiao Mo who shine brightly; how much more so in other fields?
Is his Yanran inferior to anyone's son?
Ministers: Your Majesty, you are a tyrant! You have changed ancestral rules and acted against the tide of history; you will be infamous for eternity.
Emperor Wen: Heh, after I die, who cares about the deluge?
Besides, how many years will he be emperor?
Ten years, at most ten years!
Over the next ten years, he will tackle the toughest challenges and then hand them over to Linlin.
Just thinking about this makes me happy; everything else is nothing!
After Tang Zhuyun finished speaking, the class officially began.
The trivial matters of class assignments had already been completed; in order to welcome Tang Zhuyun, these girls had actually been training for several days.
Tang Zhuyun toured the academy.
"Your Majesty, Lei Qun is outside," the female official stepped forward and reported softly. "He says it's because he didn't manage his household properly that you're in this state, and he's come specifically to apologize."
Tang Zhuyun said calmly, "Let him go back. He just needs to take better care of his own family from now on."
Lei Qun made great contributions to the construction of the academy, but he also made serious mistakes. Tang Zhuyun was able to save his life in the end, which can be considered as doing her best.
Will you hear him weep bitterly when we say goodbye?
Tang Zhuyun didn't want to waste time.
"Yes!" the female official replied respectfully.
Tang Zhuyun hesitated for a moment between returning to the palace and returning to her parents' home, but ultimately decided to return to the palace first.
Going back to one's parents' home in full view of everyone would be too conspicuous.
At a command, the palanquin that Emperor Wen had specially prepared for her was carried by eight men, surrounded by palace maids, eunuchs, and guards, and the Empress set off to return to the palace!
Emperor Wen seems to be quite ill lately, and he keeps nagging at his ministers.
They impeached the Empress, but he deliberately gave her face; they said the Empress was like a hen crowing at dawn, but he deliberately spread rumors of a "two emperors" to elevate the Empress.
Tang Zhuyun: So cringey...
But to be fair, this chair is really comfortable to sit in.
Unlike a sedan chair, which is stuffy and airtight, or a horse-drawn carriage, it's not bumpy at all, except that it's a bit tiring.
As the palanquin emerged from the academy, a vast crowd of people knelt on the ground outside.
Tang Zhuyun calmly looked out.
This glance was significant; her gaze fell upon one person.
The man lowered his head and knelt by the roadside with the others, looking no different from anyone else.
However, the royal blue robe he was wearing, embroidered with copper coins, was far too conspicuous.
It's Lei Qun.
He seemed to have a special fondness for this garment; regardless of the season, he wore it eight out of ten times when I saw him.
He came, and that was that; Tang Zhuyun hadn't really thought much of it.
But as the palanquin moved slowly forward, and Lei Qun's lowered face changed from front to side, Tang Zhuyun's eyes suddenly flashed.
"Stop!" she couldn't help but call out.
The palanquin immediately stopped, and the female official stepped forward respectfully, saying, "What are your orders, Your Highness?"
Upon hearing this, some of the bolder locals mustered up their courage and secretly watched.
Tang Zhuyun's gaze lingered on Lei Qun for a moment, then, as if nothing had happened, she said calmly, "Let's go."
However, this trip out of the palace may be destined to be unsuccessful.