History of Women in the Wei Dynasty

Chapter 265 Wei Yao Presents Test Questions
The residence of the eunuch Liu Teng was located in Yan Nian Li, north of the imperial road at the Xiyang city gate. By the time he finished his day's work and returned to his residence, it was already dark.

Liu Hun cried out, "Father, why did it take you so long to come back!"

Liu Teng's eldest son, Liu Shun, said, "Father, don't worry. The doctor has examined my sixth brother's leg. As long as he doesn't put weight on it for six months, it won't affect his ability to walk in the future."

Liu Hun sobbed, his hoarse voice sounding like ten ducks collectively hanging themselves: "How could I have fallen like this? Someone wanted to kill me! Father, you have to avenge me! Waaah—I won't be able to walk for half a year, so if I want to marry the female instructor of the palace school, I'll have to wait... hiccup! Father, why are you pointing at me, Father?"

Liu Teng asked softly, "Who do you want to marry?"

“The palace school, where Wei Yao teaches the Book of Poetry.” Liu Hun knew his father was angry, and immediately dared not howl.

Liu Teng asked again, "Miss Wei is a lecturer, not a female teacher. She was specifically promoted to a fourth-rank female official. Hun'er, you are not good enough for her. Tell me, did someone specifically mention Miss Wei to you? Or did you hear it from somewhere by chance?"

Liu Hun replied honestly, "The palace eunuch Su Xingshou often comes to our vegetable shop to buy vegetables. I know that my father and Eunuch Su are vying for the position of 'Leading the Yellow Gate Attendant,' so every time he comes to the vegetable shop, I eavesdrop on his conversation with the young eunuch."

Hearing this, Liu Teng could basically guess what was going to happen next. He sighed, patted Liu Hun's head with a loving expression, and instructed, "Lie down and get a good night's sleep."

Liu Hun nodded aggrievedly, not daring to say that his legs were getting more and more painful, making it impossible for him to sleep, and that the pain was strange, vaguely moving upwards.

Liu Teng and his eldest son walked out of the house, and Liu Teng said, "I have always been reluctant to talk to you about things in the palace, but I can't anymore. If I continue to spoil you, we father and son won't even know how we died in the future."

He gestured to stop his eldest son from interrupting and continued, "Several female officials in the Xi government office were killed before. Su Xingshou and I were both dismissed from our positions as 'redundant assistant ministers' due to negligence. A few days later, I made a contribution in the witchcraft case, and Su Xingshou, relying on our old relationship, went to the chief priest Wang Zhongxing to complain a few words, and then we were reinstated as 'assistant ministers'."

Liu Shun was furious: "This is so unfair!"

Liu Teng shook his head and smiled indifferently: "In the struggle for power in officialdom, everyone uses their own methods, and there is no such thing as fairness. Su Xingshou is competing with me at every turn, so why does he still often come to our family's vegetable shop to buy things? One reason is to put on a show for others, to make them think that he is on good terms with me."

"Secondly, if there is a problem with the food in the palace, my son and I will face a catastrophic disaster."

"Third, he comes often, so you let your guard down and always try to get information out of him, completely unaware that his words are full of schemes against you."

Liu Shun: "I understand. Su Xingshou and Wang Zhongxing served the late emperor together. Su Xingshou naturally knew about any edicts issued by the Zhaigong Palace before you did."

Liu Teng nodded in satisfaction: "Wei Yao's talent was first recognized by His Majesty, which is why the officials of Changqiu Temple recommended her. Because the Grand Changqiu Minister has just returned from an official business trip, he has no time to investigate the situation of the palace school."

"Most importantly, Wei Yao's mother is Zhao Zhi, the head guard of the Prince of Rencheng's mansion. Su Xingshou used a little trick to fool your sixth brother. It's really frightening to think about it now. Luckily, Hun'er fell down today, otherwise..."

Liu Teng chuckled bitterly as he spoke: "Ha, I understand now. How could Zhao Zhi not know that her daughter was granted an official position today? If she had gone to Qianqiu Gate early to wait for her daughter and encountered Hun'er's stupid and lecherous appearance, wouldn't she have been furious?"

Liu Shun was shocked: "Father means... Sixth Brother's leg was injured by Guard Zhao?"

“Very likely.” Liu Teng immediately ordered, “Hun’er can’t stay in the capital. Tomorrow morning, find a few reliable servants and send him to the clan’s territory in Qiao County.”

Liu Shunying replied "Yes," and then asked, "Since Su Xingshou is so vicious, how does Father plan to retaliate? What do you need me to do?"

Liu Teng: "There's nothing we can do, at least not right now. I know Su Xingshou; he wouldn't resort to such a tactic. Someone must be trying to harm Lady Wei, and he's just adding fuel to the fire so he can sit back and watch the fight. I deduce that the side trying to harm Lady Wei is a force I can't afford to offend." Seeing his eldest son's depressed and worried expression, he gently patted his shoulder and said, "Waiting isn't inaction. The person trying to harm Lady Wei will make another move if their first plan fails. Once I find out, I'll tell Guard Zhao, and that will direct her resentment towards the real culprit."

Liu Shun immediately exclaimed happily, "Father is mighty! In that case, Father will be the one sitting on the sidelines watching the tigers fight!"

At midnight, in the village of Quanxue.

Wei Yao was working on exam questions at her desk.

During the day, Hong Shunu advised her to "relax the monthly assessment by three points." Wei Yao understood her good intentions, but good intentions don't equate to correctness. The court had granted her a female official position, so why was she still allowed to serve as a lecturer for the imperial readings? Only the emperor dared to break the old edict that women should only serve as female officials in domestic affairs!
The emperor disregarded the system of aristocratic families and promoted her to a high position in accordance with the "outstanding talent" decree issued by the previous emperor. Was it to let her enter the officialdom and learn about human relationships?
No, the emperor elevated her to a higher position so that more Xianbei scholars could see her, and from then on, it would not be only Han aristocrats who produced precocious children, nor only Han Confucian scholars who were quick-witted and studious.

The Confucian scholars of the Xianbei people could also be devoted to learning and well-versed in the classics and history.

What she should do is to uphold the academic integrity of the palace schools! The new educational decree should be rigorously implemented first in the palace schools, and then extended to the surrounding areas!
The first step in this move will begin with this month's performance review!
The questions that Wei Yao came up with were densely packed, and the overall topic was the "all-encompassing" question that Pingcheng students dreaded the most. Each question contained knowledge points, and the coverage was so comprehensive that it was several times more detailed than the questions posed by Imperial Physician Sun Huiwei.

The candlelight flickered, and the rooster crowed at dawn.

Wei Yao wrote all night long, and her back was almost numb, but she was still in high spirits and showed no signs of fatigue from staying up all night.

Arrange the exam papers in order, roll them up and tie them up one by one.

Without disturbing her sleeping parents, she shouldered her satchel, checked one last time that she had her official seal and badge, and quietly left.

The area where Dingzhou, Yingzhou, and Jizhou meet.

The warriors of the Qihu tribe followed the directions given to them by the post station official and found a forest, the place where Gong Ai and other criminals had disappeared.

"Dismount and search thoroughly!"

Erzhu Maiti's wife, Tie Duohu, was one of the warriors. She and another female warrior set off in a certain direction.

A companion's warning echoed through the woods, startling the birds into flight: "There's wolf droppings, be careful."

Under a large rock, there was a clump of human hair, blown by the wind. Tie Duohu saw it and had a bad feeling. They had been enduring wind and rain, desperately wanting to find Gong Xiaoniangzi, but now they desperately hoped they wouldn't find her.

The warriors successively discovered shredded clothing and skulls.

"The post station official's badge! It belongs to the post station where criminals are escorted."

Finding this official token makes further searching pointless, because everyone knows that the post station officials all died here, and the criminals either scattered and fled, making them impossible to track, or they also died here.

The leader decided, "Miss Wei is the young master's senior sister. We cannot simply reply to her with such a hasty request. I will lead my men to continue towards Pingzhou. You will inquire at the post stations along the three prefectures, asking the officials which bandits are currently wanted. We must obtain all the arrest warrants and portraits of all the fugitive bandits!"

"Yes!" the Iron Fox warriors responded in unison.