Killer Queen: Tyrant, prepare to die!

Chapter 97 The Liu Family Makes an Attack! Ye Huang Refutes in Court: Are Women Deserving to Be Confined to the Inner Quarters?

After Ye Huang took her seat, an eerie silence fell over the hall.

The music stopped sometime ago, and the dancers quietly withdrew.

Everyone's gaze remained seemingly fixed on the woman in red, but recoiled as if electrocuted when it fell upon the throne.

After a round of drinks, the dishes were not all served.

The oppressive atmosphere was finally broken by a clear cough.

One of the civil officials stood up.

Approximately forty years old, dressed in a fourth-rank scarlet robe, with a fair complexion and no beard, he was none other than Sun Jingting, the Right Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate—one of Liu Chengzong's most prized students.

He first bowed to the throne, then turned towards Ye Huang, his voice not loud, but deliberately slow, to ensure that every word could be clearly heard throughout the hall:

"Lady Yehuang, I have long admired your name."

Ye Huang paused in her cup-holding hand, looked up, and her expression remained calm and undisturbed.

Sun Jingting continued, his tone gradually becoming sharper: "For a woman like you to manage the Jiangnan Jinxiu Workshop and become so wealthy is truly astonishing."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the breathless ladies in the women's section, his voice suddenly turning stern:

"However! There is something I do not understand and would like to ask you, Madam—since ancient times, women have been expected to be virtuous and gentle, and to be good wives and mothers."

"For a lady to appear in public, engage in business, and mingle with all sorts of people—isn't such behavior morally reprehensible and contrary to ethical norms?"

hiss--

A collective gasp filled the hall.

coming!

As expected, the Liu family couldn't hold back any longer and was the first to jump out!

Moreover, the first thing they do is use the most ruthless "reputation" and "womanly virtue" sticks!

Countless gazes instantly focused on Ye Huang.

With a hint of worry, Xiao Jue gripped his wine glass tightly.

Some were gloating, but Liu Chengming lowered his eyes, a barely perceptible smirk playing on his lips.

Some watched with indifference, while Prince Jing swirled the wine in his cup with great interest.

More than anything, it's about scrutiny and waiting.

Let's see how she responds.

Watch how she defends her "unorthodox" behavior in the Taiji Hall, the most etiquette-conscious place in the world.

Nangong Ye sat on the throne, his face revealing neither joy nor anger. He simply held the wine cup and slowly stroked the raised dragon pattern on the cup's surface.

Ye Huang put down her wine cup.

The white jade cup touched the rosewood tabletop with a soft "tap," which was somewhat startling in the otherwise quiet hall.

She slowly stood up.

Dressed in fiery red, her posture was as straight as a pine tree.

She didn't look at Sun Jingting, but instead bowed again towards the throne.

His posture remained composed, even carrying a hint of...casual respect.

Then, she turned to Sun Jingting.

When he spoke, his voice remained clear and calm, without a trace of anger.

"I do not understand what Lord Sun means by 'immorality'."

She paused, her gaze sweeping over the assembled officials and scholars: "This humble woman asks Lord Sun and all of you—what is 'wind'? What is 'transformation'?"

Sun Jingting was taken aback. He hadn't expected her to not only not defend herself but also to ask a question in return. He subconsciously replied, "The wind is education! Education is the customs of the people! Women showing their faces in public is naturally..."

"Does nature hinder moral education?"

Ye Huang continued, her tone remaining calm.

"Then the commoner asked Lord Sun again—In the sixth year of Jinghe, there was a flood in Jiangnan, with 100,000 disaster victims. The disaster relief funds from the imperial court were deducted at each level, and in the end, less than one-tenth of them reached the disaster victims."

Who opened the granaries and set up seventeen soup kitchens at that time, spending 80,000 taels of silver to save more than 37,000 disaster victims?

Before Sun Jingting could answer, she turned her gaze towards the Minister of Revenue: "The Ministry of Revenue should have a record of this matter. It's Jinxiufang."

A slight murmur arose inside the hall.

Ye Huang continued, speaking slowly but clearly:

In the seventh year of Jinghe, Jiangzhou was plagued by bandits. The government tried to suppress the bandits three times but failed. The bandit leader became arrogant and kidnapped local gentry for ransom.

And who was it that, through clues from traveling merchants, helped the prefect of Jiangzhou locate the bandit's den and donated 5,000 taels of silver to help with military expenses, ultimately quelling the banditry?

This matter should have been mentioned in Prefect Zhao's report on his duties last year. It also pertains to Jinxiufang.

Her gaze swept over several local officials in the hall; some nodded slightly, clearly aware of the situation.

"From the eighth year of Jinghe to the present, Jinxiufang and its affiliated businesses have paid commercial taxes, tea taxes, and silk taxes to the imperial court every year, totaling..." she reported a figure.

boom!

This time, a real commotion broke out inside the palace.

That number is equivalent to the total tax revenue of some impoverished provinces for a year!

Even Nangong Ye, sitting on the throne, twitched his eyebrows almost imperceptibly.

Seeing Sun Jingting's increasingly unpleasant expression, Ye Huang's voice suddenly turned cold, carrying a chilling question:

"Lord Sun, you keep talking about 'morality' and 'ethical principles'."

"The taxes collected by Jinxiufang supported the officials of the three prefectures in Jiangnan, provided relief to tens of thousands of disaster victims, and assisted the court in quelling local banditry."

In your eyes, are all these things less important than the fundamental ethical question of whether women should go out?

"Or perhaps," she tilted her head slightly, her gaze sharp as a knife, piercing directly at Sun Jingting, "that is..."

"In Lord Sun's view, women should be confined to the inner quarters, supported by their fathers, brothers, and husbands, unable to lift a finger or carry a load, and only able to cry and beg for men's protection when things go wrong, helplessly watching the country and people suffer from turmoil."

Is this what it means to uphold "feminine virtues" and fulfill your so-called "duty"?

Whoosh—!!!

These words, once spoken, were like a boulder thrown into a deep pool, stirring up a thousand waves!

In the women's section, many young women subconsciously straightened their backs, their eyes flashing with excitement and empathy.

The older ladies had complex expressions; some frowned, while others seemed lost in thought.

Among the civil officials, the group of upright officials led by Shen Anbang remained silent due to the occasion, but their eyes clearly showed their approval and admiration.

Shen Anbang even nodded almost imperceptibly.

Meanwhile, the conservative veterans were all red-faced with embarrassment.

Sun Jingting was so angry that his finger trembled as he pointed at Ye Huang:

"You...you're just making excuses!"

"A woman's virtue lies in her lack of talent, as the ancient saying goes! You...you're turning things upside down!"

"Ancient teachings?"

Ye Huang chuckled softly, her laughter carrying undisguised mockery.

"Lord Sun, you are well-versed in the classics and history. Do you still remember the saying in the Rites of Zhou, 'Women each wear what they should wear to serve their superiors'?"

Do you still remember Empress Zhangsun, the compiler of the "Rules for Women" from the previous dynasty? She also assisted Emperor Taizong, offering advice and suggestions, and leaving behind the famous saying, "Be mindful of danger in times of peace."

She took half a step forward, and although she was a woman, her imposing aura made Sun Jingting subconsciously take half a step back.

"What I have done is nothing more than using my own strength to do things that benefit the country and the people."

The taxes collected replenish the national treasury; the good deeds performed comfort the people; the assistance provided to the government stabilizes the region.

She glanced around the room, her gaze finally settling on Sun Jingting's flushed face.

"If such actions are still considered 'immoral' in Lord Sun's eyes—"

She paused, then spoke each word clearly and distinctly:

"Then this humble woman must wonder whether what Lord Sun is upholding is truly 'morality,' or merely a fig leaf used by some to imprison women and maintain their own privileges!"

"How dare you!" Sun Jingting finally couldn't hold back and shouted angrily.

That's enough.

A deep, authoritative voice came from the direction of the throne.

The voice was not loud, but it carried an undeniable power, instantly suppressing all the commotion and whispers in the hall.

Nangong Ye had put down his wine cup at some point, leaned forward slightly, and looked down at the red-clad figure standing proudly below the steps.

His eyes were extremely complex.

There was scrutiny, shock, and exploration... and a glimmer of light that even he himself hadn't noticed.

The light reflected the almost scorching gleam in her eyes as she argued her case.

So bright.

So intense.

So... it's full of life.

She was completely different from the gentle, timid, and tearful Shen Qingci he remembered.

Yet, strangely enough, it made his heart pound like a drum.

He looked at her for a long time.

The air inside the hall was so thick that it almost solidified.

Then, he slowly shifted his gaze to Sun Jingting, whose face was ashen and who was trembling all over. His tone was flat, revealing neither joy nor anger:

"Minister Sun, today's palace banquet is to celebrate the great victory in the north and to share the joy with all of you. Matters of commerce and discussions of women's virtues are not topics for discussion at this time and in this place."

He paused, then said, "Lady Yehuang has rendered meritorious service to the country and benefited the people. I am aware of this."

Just two short sentences.

This both refuted Sun Jingting's accusations and provided a definitive conclusion for Ye Huang.

What's even more subtle is that he didn't refer to her as "commoner" but instead used "madam".

Sun Jingting's face turned from red to white, cold sweat beaded on his forehead, and he knelt down with a thud: "Your Majesty, I... Your Majesty, I misspoke!"

Nangong Ye waved his hand, signaling him to return to his seat.

Sun Jingting felt as if he had been granted a pardon, staggered back to his seat, and dared not raise his head again.

The storm seemed to have subsided.

But the atmosphere inside the hall had completely changed.

The way everyone looked at the woman in red no longer held any contempt.

All that remained was deep apprehension, curiosity, and... an indescribable shock.

Ye Huang slowly sat down.

I picked up the glass of wine that I hadn't drunk yet, and finally brought it to my lips, taking a small sip.

The wine is sweet and refreshing.

She lowered her eyes, her long eyelashes concealing the fleeting cold light in them.

first round.

It's just an appetizer.

She put down her wine glass, her gaze seemingly unintentionally sweeping across the table opposite her—Liu Chengming had raised his head at some point and was quietly watching her, his eyes deep and unfathomable, like a venomous snake eyeing its prey.

Ye Huang met his gaze.

The corners of her lips curved slightly.

Extremely provocative.