The entire court was against Lin Yan at once, and the discussions and condemnations washed over her like a storm.
However, Lin Yan, at the center of the storm, paid no mind to what people thought or said.
The imperial decree appointing her as Crown Princess had already been written, and on the day of the Crown Prince's capping ceremony, she had attended in women's attire, announcing her identity to the world.
Now, she was merely waiting for the matter to reach its climax before revealing the outcome. She would stand proudly in the court as an official.
And as a woman, she would stand shoulder to shoulder with all men.
"I truly didn't expect you'd have the time to come see me," Wang Lin Lang said as she opened the door and saw Lin Yan drinking tea by the window.
Lin Yan was still dressed in a scholar's long robe, her hair casually tied up with a jade hairpin, exuding an air of unfettered elegance.
"You're actually a woman?" Wang Lin Lang was surprised that the story of a woman disguising herself as a man to take the imperial examinations, which only existed in novels, was actually happening in reality.
A princess disguised as a man, and a top scholar and imperial son-in-law disguised as a man – it was a truly captivating drama.
"What, doesn't it seem so?" Lin Yan's posture and movements still lacked any feminine grace, appearing completely unrestrained like a man.
"It really doesn't seem like it," Wang Lin Lang was truly impressed with Lin Yan; her male disguise was too successful.
"It's right that it doesn't," Lin Yan's voice changed subtly, from clear and resonant to soft and gentle, her pitch noticeably higher. "If I looked too much like a woman, wouldn't I be discovered quickly? How could I have kept so many people fooled?"
"That's true. But you're amazing! By the way, why did you ask me to come today?" Wang Lin Lang didn't know how Lin Yan would deal with those officials, but she knew she wouldn't be idle enough to simply chat.
The place they arranged to meet was a teahouse. When she arrived, she could still hear the teahouse patrons discussing the matter.
Although their voices weren't loud, she didn't catch much, but "women's attire" and "official" – weren't they talking about Lin Yan? And judging by their expressions, the words probably weren't good.
"Miss Wang, do you want to be an official?" Lin Yan no longer called her Madam Xu but addressed her by her surname.
"Miss Wang? I haven't been called that in a long time," Wang Lin Lang sighed softly. "But being an official, I fear I'm not suited for it. And it's not as simple as wanting to be an official, is it?"
"Miss Wang, just tell me if you want to. Don't you want to live more freely?
Confined to the inner courtyard, even if you can do business, the money you earn with your own efforts can't be in your own name. Are you content with that, Miss Wang?"
In this era, women had no personal property beyond their dowry. Farmland and houses could only be registered under men's names.
Just like in Lin Yan's family, even though her mother and wife were still alive, without a male heir, they couldn't keep their family's property.
After Lin Yan was born and registered as a male infant, all their assets suddenly had an inheritor. How absurd!
Money earned by oneself couldn't be possessed, and wealth had to be attributed to others.
The Three Obediences and Four Virtues tightly bound all the women of this era.
Lin Yan couldn't stand it herself, and she assumed Wang Lin Lang, who also came from modern times, couldn't either.
"But I only know how to do business, and the ideas I come up with can only be realized with your help. I don't know why you want me to be an official?"
"Because Miss Wang understands how I feel. I am a woman who has enjoyed privilege and freedom, and I don't want to return to the cage of the Three Obediences and Four Virtues. Your words and actions tell me you are the same kind of person."
"Yes, but this path will likely be very difficult, won't it?" All awakenings in history require a heavy price to be paid. Wang Lin Lang didn't believe she had such noble aspirations.
Although she also felt constrained by ideology and freedom, she didn't have such grand ambitions; she just wanted to live a stable and happy life.
"Don't worry, the focus of the court will be on me. The censors' main targets will be me, and you won't be affected.
Moreover, I will have the support of the Emperor and the Crown Prince behind me. If nothing else, at least your safety can be guaranteed," Lin Yan simply wanted to set a precedent, to let everyone know that women could indeed be officials.
She was an exception, not representative. If one more person joined, then those who wanted to walk this path would increase.
"Then what kind of official can I be?" Wang Lin Lang asked with great curiosity.
"Miss Wang is excellent at mathematics and would be a skilled hand in the Ministry of Revenue."
"Then please, Assistant Minister, offer your guidance," Wang Lin Lang cupped her hands towards Lin Yan.
"I will have the transfer order sent to your residence as soon as possible, and your official robes will also be delivered to you shortly. Minister Wang, the road ahead is difficult. I hope we can walk hand in hand and not give up halfway."
"Alright! A gentleman's word-"
"Is backed by four horses!"
Wang Lin Lang's appointment was quiet, without causing any ripples.
Although Xu Kang didn't understand why his wife wanted to get involved in this mess, his persuasion was useless, and he could only watch his wife put on her official robes and head to the Ministry of Revenue with the transfer order.
Ever since his wife became a County Princess, he had found himself increasingly unable to keep up with her.
He felt that sooner or later, his wife's official position might be higher than his, as he knew his wife very well.
His wife was truly talented, not in writing poetry or prose. He could serve as an official without any worries precisely because of his wife's help.
It seemed he needed to work harder. Although he didn't know why Minister Lin wanted his wife to be an official, since his wife had entered the political arena, she would certainly not want to leave easily.
Although female officials were rare throughout history, they were not unheard of. Xu Kang didn't find it as unacceptable as his other colleagues.
He just didn't want his wife to become such a conspicuous figure. Since that Minister Lin said she would bear all the storms, why couldn't he support her?
Although this transfer order was an official document from the Ministry of Personnel, it originated from the Crown Prince's Palace, personally written by the current Crown Prince.
When the Ministry of Revenue received this transfer order, they were also quite helpless. The last female official had already caused an uproar in the capital that had not yet subsided, and now another one had arrived, bearing the Crown Prince's directive. Wasn't this putting their Ministry of Revenue on the spot?
There were so many departments in the capital, why did they have to single out their department to trouble?
Although the officials in charge at the Ministry of Revenue were all troubled, this was, after all, the Crown Prince's wish, and they dared not openly object. Thus, they could only accept this outcome and assigned Wang Lin Lang some trivial tasks.