Chapter 12 – Women Can Hold Up Half the Sky

When Mu Nanjin returned to her room, the first thing that hit her was the strong scent of medicinal herbs. She suddenly remembered the herbs she had bought earlier that day.

They weren’t particularly valuable, but they carried a faint spiritual aura that ordinary people wouldn’t notice. Precisely because of that, they hadn’t been added to Old Madam Tang’s storage room.

Mu Nanjin glanced at the pile of herbs, then started toward her bedroom—but halfway there, she stopped. Thinking about how she could use these to make a fortune and finally escape her penniless life, she turned back.

She picked a few different herbs and placed them on her palm, then gathered spiritual power in her hand. Under the flow of her energy, the herbs slowly rose and began to spin rapidly. One by one, they compressed into three glossy Beauty Pills.

“Ugh, not having a pill furnace is really inconvenient,” she muttered.

Thankfully, this world had cultivators too.

So far, she had only met the National Preceptor—a cultivator—but that meant finding a pill furnace wouldn’t be impossible.

Mu Nanjin refined several more types of pills before finally going to sleep.

Barely three hours later, the household servants woke her for breakfast.

Mu Nanjin’s face was full of resentment.

She really wanted to quit her job with the Jinyiwei, but the system’s mission was likely tied to it, so she had no choice but to endure.

After breakfast, Mu Qinyi announced that he would be leaving the capital again to carry out another mission.

Tang Liuzhao stayed silent.

Seeing that she didn’t object, Tang Wenzong decided not to say anything more and joined Tang Liuzhao and the others to see Mu Qinyi off.

The servants had already prepared the horses and carriage by the main gate.

When Mu Qinyi saw the black horse, he turned to Mu Nanjin and asked, “Have you decided what to name it?”

Without thinking, Mu Nanjin replied, “Heitan.”

Tang Wenzong and Tang Jingrui: “…”

That name sounded more like it belonged to a dog—not at all fitting for such a tall and handsome steed.

“Black Charcoal? Great name!” Mu Qinyi laughed heartily. “It is as black as charcoal, after all.”

He always kept a straight face around others, but only in front of Mu Nanjin would he truly laugh out loud. He had even gifted her this horse worth over fifty thousand gold taels—no wonder Tang Liuzhao was feeling jealous.

Mounting his horse, Mu Qinyi looked straight ahead and said, “Take good care of her.”

Black Charcoal neighed loudly.

Tang Jingrui nodded. “I will.”

Mu Qinyi cast him one last glance, then gave a sharp command and galloped away.

Tang Liuzhao silently turned back toward the house.

Tang Wenzong wanted to offer a few comforting words, but with the morning court about to begin, he had no time and had to leave.

Mu Nanjin swung herself onto Black Charcoal’s back, patted its neck, and said, “To the palace.”

“Hyah!”

The black horse bolted toward the imperial palace at lightning speed.

“Wait—Mu Nanjin can ride? That’s bad news!” Tang Wenzong shouted as his carriage raced after her. “Mu Nanjin, listen to me! Your horse stands out too much—you’d better not ride that thing to the palace, or you’ll invite trouble!”

But Mu Nanjin ignored him and dozed off instead. Her horse ran so fast that, in the blink of an eye, she vanished from sight.

Tang Wenzong slammed his fist against the seat in frustration. “The Tang family is doomed to fall because of her one day.”

At the hour of mao, the court assembly began.

The Emperor wasted no time. “My loyal ministers, have you considered my proposal to establish a National Academy for Women?”

The officials exchanged uneasy glances.

The Left Chancellor stepped forward and bowed. “Your Majesty, the ancients have said that ‘a woman’s virtue lies in her lack of talent.’ Since ancient times, women have only needed to be virtuous, modest, gentle, and obedient—filial to their parents, faithful to their husbands, and good mothers to their sons. With such virtuous wives, families remain harmonious.”

The Right Chancellor followed suit. “Your Majesty, there has never been a women’s imperial examination in Great Qian. Establishing a National Academy for Women would serve no real purpose. Why should women parade themselves in public and bring shame upon propriety?”

The other ministers murmured in agreement.

“Besides,” one said, “only daughters from wealthy families can afford schooling. Commoners’ daughters have neither the time nor the means to study.”

“Indeed,” another added, “wealthy families prefer to hire private tutors for their daughters. Why open a women’s academy at all? Learning music, chess, calligraphy, painting, and needlework is enough—anything beyond that is useless for them.”

“Yes, yes.”

The Emperor’s expression darkened with every word. “Then what if I not only open the National Academy for Women but also hold Imperial Examinations for women? That would surely make the academy meaningful, would it not?”

The ministers all dropped to their knees. “Your Majesty, please reconsider!”

“You…” The Emperor slammed his hand on the dragon throne, nearly storming off in fury.

【Tch, a bunch of stubborn old fools.】

The ministers froze in horror.

The Emperor’s anger softened slightly, and his brows rose with interest.

【Haven’t you ever heard the sayings ‘women can rival men,’ ‘soft shoulders can bear heavy burdens,’ or ‘women can hold up half the sky’? If you haven’t, then all those books you’ve read might as well have been thrown into a cesspit!】

The ministers’ faces turned red.

They wanted to argue with Mu Nanjin, but they couldn’t let her know they could hear her thoughts.

【You’re just sore losers, afraid that women might outshine you. Take the Left Chancellor’s wife, for example—the tigress at home. Didn’t she make him kneel on an abacus last night for coming home drunk? Hmph, if it were me, I’d have made him kneel on a nail board instead. Let’s see if he’d still dare say ‘a woman’s virtue lies in her lack of talent.’】

Several ministers struggled to hold back their laughter as they glanced toward the Left Chancellor.

“I suddenly recall,” one whispered, “the Left Chancellor often came to court with bruises, claiming he’d walked into something. Looks like it was his tigress of a wife all along! And he calls her a virtuous woman?”

“No wonder he rarely invites us to his home—he’s afraid we’ll see the truth.”

The Left Chancellor’s face turned an alarming shade of red. He wished he could bury his head underground.

The Emperor was delighted. Let’s see if he dares oppose me again.

【With a wife like that, no wonder the Left Chancellor doesn’t want women studying. If that illiterate tigress gained some education, she’d probably end up ruling over him completely.】

【As for the Right Chancellor—sure, he doesn’t have a tigress at home, but he’s a total mama’s boy. He obeys his mother’s every word and doesn’t even dare rebel. No wonder he panicked when he heard about the Women’s Academy—he’s terrified all women will turn into his mother, controlling men’s lives. Honestly, how did such a man ever become a chancellor?】

【And that General of the Western Campaigns—don’t be fooled by his tall, intimidating look. In front of his wife, he’s actually—】

“Your Majesty—!”

The General of the Western Campaigns, who had been quietly enjoying the show, suddenly roared, cutting her off mid-thought. The ministers and the Emperor all jumped.

Mu Nanjin’s inner voice stopped abruptly. She leaned out the window to look at the court below, just in time to see the general stride forward and kneel beside the Left Chancellor. “Your Majesty, I have something to say!”

The Emperor raised a brow. “Speak.”

“I believe the Left and Right Chancellors are wrong. Women may be physically weaker than men, but they are braver, more meticulous, and just as intelligent and resolute. If one day they were to take to the battlefield, I daresay their courage would rival any man’s.”

The Emperor suppressed a grin. “Go on.”

“I think Your Majesty’s idea of establishing a Women’s Academy is a wise one. In fact, I believe women should not only study literature but also martial arts. Someday, women will fight alongside men to defend our nation. When that day comes, Great Qian will grow stronger than ever—surpassing all other kingdoms!”