The Fallen Nation System, Turning the Tide - Chapter 105: The End

Chapter 105: The End

“If I pass away, there must be at least three generations of female emperors to follow.”

Xu Ge glared angrily at Xu Lian, frustrated that his efforts seemed wasted. When Xu Ying considered succession, Xu Chong was her first choice. It was bad enough that Xu Lian himself lacked ambition, but he even went out of his way to cover up for Xu Chong.

If he hadn’t gone to the Imperial Academy to find Xu Lian and overheard the royal clansmen mocking Xu Chong behind his backhow precious he was, never leaving his wet nurse’s side, even needing her alone when changing clothes or using the restroomhe wouldn’t have grown suspicious. He went to confront Xu Chong’s wet nurse, Yuan Shi, and learned the truth. Otherwise, Xu Chong might have truly become the crown prince.

Today, the truth would likely be revealed here. Yuan Shi, Xu Chong’s wet nurse, knew she could no longer hide it. She knelt and whispered tearfully, “Your Majesty, please forgive this offense. It was not the intention of my lord or the Wangfei to deceive. It’s just that back then, the Wangfei had not borne a child for many years, and the Dowager Consort was dissatisfied, wanting to arrange a new marriage for my lord. At that time, the Wangfei became pregnant, which should have been a joyous occasion. But who could have expected that, despite the Dowager Consort’s high hopes, the Wangfei gave birth to a daughter? In a moment of confusion, my lord and the Wangfei announced to the outside world that a son had been born, and thus it was recorded in the Imperial Genealogy. They never imagined that he would be chosen to come to Youzhou. By the time my lord and the Wangfei regretted it, it was too late.”

It sounded like a tragedy. Xu Ying sighed and said, “Since it was a mistake, it should be corrected in time to avoid further errors and greater losses.”

Xu Ge’s eyes flickered. “What about Xu Chong’s position as heir…”

Xu Ying slapped her forehead. “That was my oversight. I forgot to tell you all that from now on, whether it’s the inheritance of the throne or the division of family property among commoners, daughters will have equal rights of inheritance.”

Xu Ge froze in place. Xu Ying’s gaze fell on Xu Chong, gentle and soft. Xu Ying said, “It was you who noticed something was wrong in time and saved me from danger. The position of heir is rightfully yours. The mistakes of the past can be corrected; there’s no need to dwell on them further.”

Xu Lian’s tear-reddened eyes showed a hint of a smile, but he didn’t realize that Xu Ge’s face had fallen, glaring fiercely at him.

This was no longer Xu Jin’s empire. The ancestral laws had completely lost their effect on Xu Ying. In the past, one might have dared to murmur a few words of dissent, but now that the reign title had changed, everything was decided by Xu Ying, and no one could question it.

Xu Chong was stunned for a moment, her eyes widening in surprise and joy. But the happiness on her face vanished as quickly as it appeared. Xu Chong quickly knelt down and said earnestly, “I, the offender Xu Chong, thank Your Majesty for your leniency. However, offenses must be punished, and mistakes must be corrected. This must be done according to the rules. Your kindness in saving me should not excuse my deception, lest my rescue be seen as having ulterior motives. I beg Your Majesty to strip me of my position as heir as punishment.”

With that, Xu Chong kowtowed deeply.

When she learned she was actually a girl, she felt both shocked and somewhat relievedfinally, an explanation for why she had always felt different from others. But deep worry also settled in her heart.

On the day her secret was revealed, Xu Chong had feared that Xu Ying would be angry and strip her father of his title. Instead, not only did Xu Ying not punish her, lightly overlooking the matter, but she also allowed Xu Chong to retain her position as heir. Suddenly, Xu Chong felt ashamed.

Moreover, requesting punishment was also a way to dispel the emperor’s suspicions. Just because Xu Ying was not pursuing it today didn’t mean she wouldn’t change her mind in the future.

Seeing Xu Chong’s insistence, Xu Ying devised a solution: “The concealment of your true gender was orchestrated by the Hengjiang Prince and Wangfei, not you. As punishment, the Hengjiang Prince shall be tasked with handling cases related to daughters inheriting family property, ensuring the public divides assets in compliance with regulations. Daughters also have inheritance rights. Households that deny daughters their share of property will be ineligible for tax benefits, and their daughters may refuse family debts and establish independent female households.”

For those who wouldn’t even leave property to their daughters, she had no intention of granting them tax reductions.

“Thank you, everyone,” Xu Chong and Yuan Shi said in unison, bowing in gratitude.

After leaving Azure Wave Study, Xu Ge grabbed Xu Lian and smacked him twice on the bottom. “I’ve been fighting tooth and nail outside to plan for your future, and you go siding with outsiders? I’ll teach you a proper lesson when we get home.”

Dragging the wailing Xu Lian back, Xu Lian cried out to no avail, tears scattering along the way. The onlookers cast curious glances but pretended not to notice, continuing with their own affairs.

Xu Lang deliberated with the women of the Hall of Gathered Talents on the issue of female inheritance rights. Though the concept seemed straightforward, the practical complexities required three months of careful consideration.

Wu Zhaoyan compiled case records on property division from various regions, examining diverse scenarios with real-life examples. Through collective brainstorming, they drafted preliminary legal clauses, which were then debated in court for over a month before being formally added to the legal code.

When Liu Xu returned to Qingzhou, his clansman asked him to assist with teaching. After a few days, he found it more exhausting than serving as an official.

“I’ve repeated it so many times, yet you still can’t rememberyou’re not even trying! If any of you pass the imperial exams, it’d be a travesty of justice!” Liu Xu fumed.

The students remained silent. After class, Liu Xu turned back midway to retrieve a book he had left behind and overheard them scoffing: “His exam was from ages agothe difficulty isn’t the same now. I heard he took the Winter Examination, and even his subordinates passed, but he failed…”

The group burst into laughter. “And he dares to teach us? I’m aiming for the Winter Examination myselfI wouldn’t dare learn from him!”

Rounding a corner, they collided, and Liu Xu’s darkened expression silenced them instantly. The students froze in place, awkward and speechless.

The next day, Liu Xu pleaded illness and resigned, telling his clansman he would never teach again. He retreated to the countryside to clear his mind and, chancing upon a river teeming with fish, took up a fishing rod.

Early one misty dawn, unable to sleep, he rose and headed out with his rod. Facing the tranquil river, he finally felt a sense of peace.

Suddenly, a clear child’s voice pierced the quiet countryside. Liu Xu listened closelyit was the “Three Character Classic,” a primer for beginners. Parting the reeds, he saw two girls around five or six years old, carrying baskets on their backs. Their clothes, though patched, were clean and tidy.

“Hurry, San’niang! I found a great spot yesterdaylots of wild vegetables ahead. Once we gather them, we can listen to the female teacher’s lesson without worry,” the taller girl urged, cutting short her recitation.

“We mustn’t call her ‘female teacher,’ Hehua Jie. It’s ‘teacher’we must respect our educators,” the other girl, though young, spoke with the gravity of a seasoned scholar.

The taller girl tapped her forehead sheepishly. “I forgot again. Yes, ‘teacher.’ Let’s hurry.”

As the children walked away, Liu Xu felt a wave of emotion. Even impoverished girls valued learning and inquiry, while some others remained oblivious.

He thought of Xu Ying in Youzhou, hearing that she had placed education as the top priority, requiring children of appropriate age to attend school, and even incorporating it into the lawfailing to send children to school was illegal. Such an action was truly rare.

Monarchs of every dynasty wished for the common people to remain ignorant, needing only to obey obediently and farm for their entire lives.

Reading too much made people prone to thinking, and at times, it could lead to some extremely dangerous ideas. This was not beneficial for the emperor. If the generations of farming commoners became educated, the social hierarchy would be shaken, which was unfavorable for the emperor’s rule.

Liu Xu had initially disapproved of Xu Ying’s approach. At present, the masses placed her in a supreme position, but after her death, the subsequent emperors would find it difficult to rule. Without the people’s approval, there would be a risk of the nation’s collapse.

However, today, upon seeing the two young girls joyfully heading to school, Liu Xu felt deeply moved.

If the entire nation was united and of one mind, what difficulty could not be overcome? Everyone hoped for the country to grow stronger and contributed their efforts to ithow could such a nation perish?

When Xu Ying first ascended the throne, he had been filled with anxiety. Yet, Xu Ying firmly held her position, expanded the territory, and generously bestowed favors. The damage caused by the three-year drought was swiftly restored.

Perhaps he was truly growing old and could no longer discern the trends of the times. Such changes might not necessarily be a bad thing.

Liu Xu sought out his clansman and asked, “If I were to open a free school in the countryside to educate children, whom should I approach in the government?”

His clansman widened his eyes in astonishmentit was as if the sun had risen from the west.

Gao Yun had read extensively in medical texts and, in her spare time, assisted midwives, learning from their experiences while continuously compiling medical books. Unexpectedly, before she could finish her medical texts, due to her role as an Imperial Secretariat Drafter in charge of urgent and important matters, she gradually became the highest-ranking official in the Secretariat, effectively becoming an unofficial chancellor.

Though she lacked the title of chancellor, she wielded the authority of one. As power was distributed across various departments, forming a system of multiple chancellors jointly managing state affairs, it was no longer unusual to address others as “Your Excellency,” let alone someone like Gao Yun, a close confidant of the emperor. All officials respectfully referred to her as Chancellor Gao.

On days without urgent official duties, Chancellor Gao would wander around, helping women with gynecological issues and childbirth, making her days incredibly fulfilling. Compared to being called Chancellor Gao, she seemed to prefer the title Divine Physician Gao.

As the Secretariat’s affairs grew increasingly burdensome, Gao Yun eventually requested to resign from Xu Ying, dedicating herself entirely to her medical career. Even so, people still habitually called her Chancellor Gao.

Similarly frustrated was Zhang Yu, who had worked tirelessly to climb to the position of Right Chancellor, only to find that within a few years, more and more people held chancellor-level authority. With the rise of female chancellors, his title of Chancellor Zhang no longer held much distinction and was even less special than before.

The sweet potatoes brought back by Wang Qiu were vigorously promoted after trial planting, alleviating food shortages. Meanwhile, the steam engine, studied by the Academy of Sciences, revealed its mysteries and was successfully replicated, beginning practical applications with the construction of a steam-powered ship.

Wang Qiu and the Women’s Army set sail, traveling to foreign lands in search of vegetables and fruits, hoping to find more foods like sweet potatoes.

Xu Ying was greatly astonished, fearing that the talented individuals of Wu You Guo and Tong Wan might collaborate to handcraft a generator for her. Despite being the one who had traveled through time, it was Wang Qiu, Tong Wan, and other “natives” who were diligently unlocking these technological advancements. Xu Ying felt deeply ashamed.

Moreover, Zhang Keqian was originally destined to be a virtuous minister, yet he ended up planting apples in the Western Regions. After domesticating and introducing apples to the country, he devoted himself to studying various fruits. Xu Ying ate a slice of cut apple and sincerely suggested to Zhang Keqian, “Would you consider returning to handle court affairs?”

Zhang Keqian, his skin darkened as if he had been mining coal, declined, “Your Majesty, self-awareness is precious. I lack the talent for governing the state. Now that I have found my place in orchards and fields, I am content.”

Xu Ying opened her mouth but didn’t know what to say. A generation’s worthy minister and capable chancellor had, under her reign, ended up farmingand he was not only content but utterly unwilling to turn back, as if nine oxen couldn’t drag him away.

Fortunately, Liu Xu didn’t know about this, or he would surely be infuriated that his own disciple was so enamored with fruit cultivation.

Xu Ying respected his choice and let him be.

After implementing women’s inheritance rights, the imperial clan speculated that Xu Ying was highly likely to pass the throne to a woman. Especially Xu Chong, who gritted his teeth and hurriedly looked among his daughters to see if any were exceptionally talented, sending them to Youzhou.

Xu Ying accepted these imperial clan daughters, secretly observing their temperaments and characters to determine who was suitable to inherit her throne.

Xu Lang looked them over and disdainfully commented, “None compare to you.”

Xu Ying blushed. She thought they were all quite good, even more capable than herself. But in Xu Lang’s eyes, aside from her younger sister being perfect, everyone else was inevitably subject to criticism.

The evaluation process lasted several decades. Xu Ying repeatedly instilled in them the idea that a good emperor must forget they are the emperor. On her deathbed, she summoned Xu Lang, Xu Chong, and Xu Chong’s daughter to her bedside to entrust the imperial seal.

Xu Ying instructed, “After I am gone, the throne must pass through at least three generations of empressesdo not pass it to a man. Remember, the world does not belong to one person but to all people under heaven. The imperial system will eventually perish; do not cling to it obsessively.”

Xu Chong nodded with tears, “We respectfully obey Your Majesty’s decree.”

Xu Ying’s gaze turned to Xu Lang, who tightly held her hand, tears streaming down her face.

Xu Ying passed away from illness at sixty-five, mourned by the entire nation. Commoners hung white banners at their doors, merchants closed their shops, students suspended classes, and the people were overwhelmed with grief.

Court officials posthumously honored her with increasingly lengthy titles, to which no one objected. The dispute lay in her temple namewhether it should be Taizu or Shizu.

Since the foundation was inherited from the Jin dynasty, the imperial clan leaned toward Shizu, while court ministers believed Taizu was more appropriate. Ultimately, Xu Lang decided on Taizu: Emperor Taizu Wen.

The following winter, Xu Lang succumbed to illness brought on by prolonged grief and passed away.

Author’s Note:

Thank you all for your support. I’ll keep working hard!