RWNEFE -Chapter 500 Expelling the Court Gentleman of the Imperial Banquets from the Court

Halfway back, Shen Lanxi suddenly remembered that today she had strayed from her original purpose.

“Today I had meant to see you off, but I didn’t expect something like this to happen.”

Wei Dongzhu seemed distracted. After a moment he came back to his senses and realized Shen Lanxi was speaking to him.

“It’s fine. The fact that you were able to spare time today is already very good,” Wei Dongzhu said, though his thoughts were still fixed on the case of the Assistant Minister of War’s nephew deceiving a woman into marriage.

From what had happened today, it was clear that Shen Lanxi deeply detested situations where a man already had illegitimate children before marriage, or concealed the existence of concubines or bedchamber maids.

A flash of pain crossed Wei Dongzhu’s eyes.

He hadn’t meant it—he truly hadn’t meant it.

Seeing that Wei Dongzhu had fallen behind, Shen Lanxi turned back.

“Come on, why have you stopped?”

“Or is it that you don’t want to stay in the palace tonight?” She now rarely returned to the Regent’s residence and spent most of her time living in the palace.

Panic flickered in Wei Dongzhu’s eyes. Afraid Shen Lanxi might notice something, he quickly lowered his head and walked forward.

“No, I was just thinking about today’s events.”

“The ministers didn’t react in time today, but tomorrow there will certainly be memorials submitted in opposition.”

Shen Lanxi laughed confidently. “They’d better submit more objections. I’ll use the ladders they send me to climb even higher.”

Thinking of the Assistant Minister of War’s expression when he left, Wei Dongzhu said worriedly, “This concerns his sister. His daughter is the Princess Consort of Prince Chen, and he has been entrenched in the court for many years, with deep roots and complicated connections. I’m afraid he might cause trouble in ways we can’t see.”

A sharp light flashed in Shen Lanxi’s eyes.

“Rather than waiting for the fish to bite, it’s better to strike first.”

Wei Dongzhu said anxiously, “Be careful. I’ll be leaving the capital in a few days. If the capital falls into chaos, I won’t be at ease.”

Shen Lanxi smiled. “Don’t worry. I never do anything without confidence.”

Seeing how certain she was, Wei Dongzhu smiled and followed her.

Just as Wei Dongzhu had predicted, memorials criticizing the revision of the marriage laws poured into court like snowflakes.

Sitting in the seat of honor, Shen Lanxi said coldly, “Do none of you have daughters in your households?”

She raised her hand and picked up one memorial from the table.

“Zhao Sheng, Court Gentleman of the Imperial Banquets—you have three daughters at home, and two of them are already discussing marriage, aren’t they?”

The named official immediately stepped forward and bowed. “Reporting to Your Highness the Regent, that is correct.”

Shen Lanxi said, “In your memorial, you wrote that I favor women and harm the interests of men. Let me ask you—has it harmed your interests?”

Zhao Sheng said nothing.

Shen Lanxi continued, “Besides your three daughters, you also have two sons. Both sons are already married, and both married daughters of official families. Do you dare let me read your memorial aloud in court?”

Zhao Sheng’s legs trembled, and he nearly collapsed to the ground.

“When you speak of harming men’s interests, are you referring to harming your sons’ interests, or your own?”

“Do you dare say that your sons may freely use their wives’ dowries?”

“Do you dare say that your household could take out your daughters-in-law’s dowries and turn them over to the state?”

“Do you dare say that if a daughter-in-law dies, her dowry should entirely belong to your family?”

“Do you dare?”

Shen Lanxi handed the memorial to Wang Bao. “Read it.”

Zhao Sheng could no longer stand and fell to his knees with a thud.

Wang Bao read aloud: “The Regent’s proposal to revise the marriage laws is an act that disrupts the foundations of Great Zhou. In Great Zhou, men are honored and women are subordinate. Marriage laws should place men first. Men labor outside the home to support the family with great hardship, while women sit idly at home, enjoying the fruits of men’s labor. Therefore, once a woman dies, her dowry should rightfully belong to the man to compensate for his losses.

When a man betroths a woman as his wife, the bride price buys out her ties with her natal family. Thereafter, whatever happens to her in her husband’s household is no longer the concern of her natal family, nor may they interfere.

The Seven Grounds for Divorce should not be altered. After marriage, a woman serving her mother-in-law and raising children is only natural. If a woman cannot bear children, or cannot bear a son to continue the lineage, she has committed one of the Seven Grounds and may be dealt with at the husband’s family’s discretion.

Taking wives and concubines is proper custom. When a man takes concubines, the wife must not obstruct him and should even take the initiative to help her husband expand the family line…”

Someone in the court could not hold back any longer.

“Bah! Zhao Sheng, you have no shame!”

“Zhao Sheng, you are despicable, belittling women like this. Do you not have a mother or daughters?”

“If I don’t beat you to death today, I’ll be letting down the women in my household!”

Ji Xiuran raised his court tablet and swung it toward Zhao Sheng’s head.

“Hey—stop him, stop him…”

The ministers hurried to hold Ji Xiuran back.

Ji Xiuran was now the head of the women’s academy. He had only three daughters and was famous in the capital for doting on both his wife and daughters.

Zhao Sheng had kicked a steel plate this time.

The tablet hadn’t struck his head only because the others reacted quickly.

Wang Bao stopped reading, closed the memorial, and covered his mouth to hide a laugh.

After watching enough of the commotion, Shen Lanxi spoke to stop them.

“Lord Zhao, how did you end up sitting on the floor?”

“Quickly, quickly, get up. With things this chaotic, be careful not to get stepped on.”

“Are you tired, feeling unwell, or perhaps… feeling guilty?”

Zhao Sheng’s face had long since lost all color. So many officials had submitted memorials criticizing Shen Lanxi—why had she singled out his to read aloud?

Heaven truly intended to destroy him!

“Your Highness the Regent, spare my life. I only… I only…”

Shen Lanxi chuckled lightly. “You merely spoke what was in your heart.”

“No—no, that’s not what I meant. I only saw… saw that others were submitting memorials. If I didn’t follow, I feared being excluded,” Zhao Sheng said, his voice growing softer and weaker.

Shen Lanxi let out a contemptuous laugh. “What the court needs are capable ministers who can offer genuine insight—not parrots who merely echo others.”

“Zhao Sheng, for failing to distinguish right from wrong and for disrupting the order of the court, you are to return home for one year of reflection, demoted two ranks. If after a year you still cannot distinguish right from wrong, then there will be no need for you to attend court again.”

Zhao Sheng was filled with regret. He should never have listened to others.

One year…

After a year, would there still be a place for him in the court?

Like a dead dog, Zhao Sheng was dragged out of the court by the Imperial Guards.

In less than an hour, storytellers in teahouses throughout the capital were already condemning Zhao Sheng as worthless.

“Bah, and he dared to look down on women?”

“He got carried away and forgot who sits above him.”

“Was he born from a crack in a rock?”

“To be a daughter-in-law or daughter in his family would be the unluckiest fate imaginable…”

And that was not all. That very day, Zhao Sheng’s two daughters-in-law demanded divorces, and the marriages that had been arranged for his daughters were broken off, with the betrothal tokens returned.

The once-powerful Court Gentleman of the Imperial Banquets had, in less than a day, become like a collapsing wall that everyone pushed down.

Shen Lanxi addressed the court again:

“It is not only the marriage laws—there are many imperfections in the laws of Great Zhou. In the future, I will rely on all of you ministers to deliberate and revise them together.”

“As the ancient saying goes: to know one’s mistakes and correct them is the greatest virtue. Laws that were suitable in the past may no longer suit the present. Even the sages of old knew to make changes; we must not cling rigidly to the old ways.”

“My lords—do you agree?”