I traveled back to the Qin Dynasty, and the First Emperor begged me to become his empress.

Chapter 138 Ying Wuyou and Kong Jia's Rebuttal

"Lord Kong, please don't be hasty," Ying Wuyou said calmly. "In my opinion, women serving in the court will not affect their families. On the contrary, if women are capable enough, they can certainly manage their household affairs well while handling government affairs. Besides, who says that taking care of the family and educating children is only a woman's responsibility? Men can also undertake these tasks."

Kong Jia trembled with rage, his white beard twitching, his eyes wide as saucers. He roared, “From ancient times to the present, it has always been women who manage the household and men who work outside! When women are young, they obey their fathers' teachings. After marriage, they must obey their husbands. If their husbands unfortunately pass away, they must obey their sons. Women should stay at home to manage the household, support their husbands, and raise their children. What reason is there for women to go out and make a living? Conversely, how can a man stay at home taking care of the children while women go out to earn money to support the family? This is simply a violation of the fundamental principles of morality and ethics!”

Ying Wuyou smiled slightly and said, "Lord Kong, you are sorely mistaken! Think of Fu Hao of ancient times, so brave and skilled in battle, who made great contributions to protecting her country. Now, in this prosperous Qin Dynasty, I, the princess, first invented paper, greatly improving the difficulty of writing and reading, benefiting countless students. Then I invented the curved plow, solving the problem of food shortages for the people. Today, I have proposed the economic zone plan, a policy that benefits the country and its people, allowing millions of ordinary people to live in abundance and peace. But I must ask you, Lord Kong, you claim to be a descendant of Confucius every day, constantly proclaiming your high moral character and prestige, but what substantial contributions have you actually made to Qin and to the people of this world?"

Upon hearing this, Kong Jia's expression changed, and he argued forcefully, "Fu Hao was merely an exception; how can it be taken as a general phenomenon? Since ancient times, women have been considered inherently weak and unable to shoulder great responsibilities. Your Highness, as a person with a title, should set an example for other women. Yet you are so pleased with yourself for such a small and insignificant achievement; this is truly unbecoming. As for myself, I have taught more than a hundred disciples, all of whom are highly learned and will surely make a difference in the future. Isn't that a contribution?"

Ying Wuyou smiled slightly and replied calmly, "Oh? What contributions have Master Kong's disciples made? I've never heard of them. And Master Kong, in ancient times, people didn't even have decent clothes. Some wore tree bark to cover their shame, and some were simply naked. But now, Master Kong, aren't you dressed properly? Are you suggesting that you'd rather be naked like the people of ancient times?"

Kong Jia was momentarily speechless at the question, but quickly recovered and said with a stiff neck, "People back then didn't know shame or etiquette. But nowadays, humans are no longer comparable to those barbaric ancient beings, so of course we need clothes to cover our bodies!"

Ying Wuyou nodded slightly, then slowly looked around, his gaze firm and profound, and said, "So, Lord Kong, you also agree that times are constantly changing and developing. If that's the case, shouldn't people's ideas and concepts also keep pace with the times and make corresponding changes?"

Kong Jia opened his mouth, wanting to refute, but found himself unable to find a suitable response. Seeing this, Ying Wuyou pressed his advantage, continuing his eloquent speech: "Therefore, we must not blindly follow the old ways and stick to conventions, but rather adapt to the trends of the times and discard those outdated and pedantic ideas. Women also possess intelligence and extraordinary abilities; they deserve a stage and opportunity to showcase themselves and display their talents. Only in this way can society truly progress and develop."

At this moment, the hall was silent as all the ministers fell into deep thought. Some began to nod slightly, indicating their agreement with Ying Wuyou's point of view; others, however, remained frowning, seemingly still weighing the pros and cons.

King Qin watched with smug satisfaction as Kong Jia stood speechless and blushing, a surge of indescribable joy welling up within him. He had long harbored resentment towards Kong Jia. This Kong Jia constantly boasted of being a descendant of Confucius, acting as if he were the most superior person in the world, always looking down on everyone with disdain, always haughty and condescending. But who would have thought that today, with just a few words from Jia Yang, he would be utterly refuted, unable to utter a single word! This was truly gratifying!

With a smile on his face, the King of Qin announced loudly, "Alright, since that's the case, let Jiayang take charge of the Ministry of Culture. My mind is made up, and there's no need to discuss this matter further! Now, let's discuss some important issues related to how to manage the economic zone after its establishment, such as how to collect taxes."

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Si immediately stepped forward, cupped his hands in a respectful bow, and said, "Your Majesty, I believe we should establish specialized tax collection agencies within the economic zone, assigning dedicated personnel to oversee tax collection. Furthermore, a reasonable and fair tax rate standard must be established. In addition, daily supervision of the economic zone must not be relaxed; we must severely crack down on unscrupulous merchants who attempt to evade taxes through various illegal means. Only by taking a two-pronged approach can we ensure the stable growth of Qin's fiscal revenue."

The King of Qin nodded slightly in agreement: "Yes, what Minister Li Si said is very reasonable! However, as for how to formulate the most appropriate tax policy, we still need all of you ministers present to work together and discuss it carefully, so as to come up with a truly practical and perfect solution."

The ministers readily agreed and began to discuss the matter. Some proposed taxing goods based on their type and value, while others suggested taxing them based on the transaction amount.

Just as everyone was arguing, Ying Wuyou spoke up: "Father, I have a plan. We can implement tiered management for businesses within the economic zone, determining tax rates based on their business scale and creditworthiness. Businesses that operate legally can be given certain tax incentives; while those that violate laws and regulations should be severely punished. This will both guarantee the country's tax revenue and promote honest business practices among merchants."

Upon hearing this, the King of Qin's eyes lit up, and he praised, "Wuyou, this plan is brilliant! Do any of my beloved ministers have any objections?"

After some discussion, a set of tax policies and management methods were finally determined.

King Qin sat regally on his dragon throne, his face solemn, and declared, "Tomorrow, Li Si, Chunyu Yue, and Yao Jia, the three of you will be sent as envoys to Qi, Wei, and Chu respectively. This mission is arduous, concerning the interests of our Great Qin; you must proceed with utmost caution!" As soon as he finished speaking, Li Si, Chunyu Yue, and Yao Jia immediately stepped forward and respectfully replied in unison, "We obey! We will certainly not fail in our mission!"

The King of Qin nodded slightly, his piercing gaze sweeping over the assembled ministers in the court. He said in a deep voice, "Furthermore, regarding the matter of the economic zone, all of you ministers must go back and carefully consider it. How to make it more prosperous and its system more complete and reasonable requires everyone's collective wisdom and efforts to improve and supplement it."

Upon hearing this, all the ministers in the court bowed and shouted in unison, "Yes! We will obey the king's command!" For a moment, the court was filled with such a great noise.

Immediately afterwards, a young eunuch standing to the side shouted loudly, "Court adjourned!"

With this shout, everyone cried out in unison again, "Long live the King!" The sound resounded through the sky and echoed in the palace for a long time.

Then, the King of Qin slowly rose and, surrounded by his guards, left the court first. The rest of the officials followed in order of rank, and the court gradually returned to calm.