Chapter 099.2: Verbal Sparring in the Imperial Study, Princess Anle (2)

“Great idea, Grand Prince He!” Du Xiaoli smiled sarcastically. “If I may, I’d like to ask… what do you usually eat, Grand Prince?”
“Rice, noodles, and vegetables.” Grand Prince He didn’t know why Du Xiaoli was suddenly asking this, but he answered anyway.
“What do you usually wear, Grand Prince?”
“This Prince wears clothes, of course!”
“Then I’d like to ask another question. Where did the rice, noodles, vegetables, and the silk and satin clothes on your body come from? Did you make them yourself, Grand Prince?” Du Xiaoli said.
“How impudent! How could This Prince go do such lowly work?!” Grand Prince He chided furiously.
“Then Grand Prince, I wonder what it means since you eat the rice, noodles, and vegetables that were farmed and produced by such lowly people and wear comfortable clothes that were also made by lowly people?” Du Xiaoli countered with a question. “Since you hold those lowly people in so much contempt, you should refuse to eat the food they produce and not want to wear the cloth they weave. Otherwise, wouldn’t that make you the same as them?”
The people in the imperial study all lowered their heads in muffled laughter. Grand Prince He usually flaunted his status as the late emperor’s younger brother and often looked at people with his nose in the air. He looked down the most on those with a lower status. It could be said that all the princes and cabinet ministers here, even Han Mingze had all been subjected to his disdainful attitude!
“You! Such preposterous reasoning!” Grand Prince He was left speechless and stared ferociously at Du Xiaoli.
“Grand Prince He feels that this my reasoning is preposterous? But I don’t think so!” Du Xiaoli said. “Those common people weren’t born into noble families and don’t have abundant wealth. They only have a field the size of 1.3 acres and spend all day long with their faces to the ground and backs to the sky, each one toiling away assiduously at their section of the field. They use their physical labor to put purpose into their lives. They are much better than those who idle about all day with nothing to do and end up spending their time drinking and indulging in sensual pleasures! Their hard work produces food that keeps us alive. The mulberry trees they grew to raise silkworms and then gather their silk allow us to have clothes to cover our bodies. Without them, what would our lives be like?”
The people in the study fell into silence. There was nothing wrong with what Du Xiaoli said. It was just that they had always thought from the point of view of someone with high status. They had never even thought of such an issue before.
“Wine and meat rot away behind the vermilion gates of the rich, while along the road lie the bones of the poor who froze to death. Even if they work arduously, they can’t ensure that everyone would be able to eat their fill or have warm clothes to wear!” Du Xiaoli thought of the natural disaster back then and drew a deep breath. “This lowly official grew up in a village, so I understand the common people. Their requests are very simple. It’s merely that they want to be able to eat their fill when they’re hungry and to have warm clothes to wear when it’s cold. They would feel very blessed with just these. If we can give them greater consideration and give them more ways to survive, they’ll endorse His Majesty even more.”
While Han Mingze listened to Du Xiaoli’s words, his right hand tapped lightly on his throne. Then upon seeing that Du Xiaoli had stopped talking, he said, “Imperial Physician Du, continue.”
“Eh…” Du Xiaoli felt somewhat agitated. However, she had already said so much that she could not simply stop here. So she continued, “For a simple example of this is, consider another group of common people. If they cherished their country and support the emperor, they would eagerly join the army to fight enemy forces to protect their country when war broke out. However, if these people were living miserable lives in raggedy clothes and hunger every day when enemy forces invaded… Let’s not even mention proactively joining the army. It would be fortunate if they didn’t betray their country and open the city gates to welcome the enemy forces!”
“How could This Prince possibly commit treason?!” Grand Prince He was still refusing to admit his mistake, but he was no longer as fierce as before.
Du Xiaoli’s words were clear and logical, giving him no reason to refute them.
“The ruler has to love the people, and the people have to support the rule. This is how Feng Ming will be able to grow even stronger!” Du Xiaoli said.
“Hahaha, what a brilliant argument!” Han Mingze applauded. He never imagined that today’s matter would cause Grand Prince He to get involved, unexpectedly allowing him to hear such great reasoning.
Han Mingze had always accepted the teaching that the imperial power reigned supreme. However, the argument he heard today allowed him to reflect on the matter from a whole new perspective. Perhaps because Du Xiaoli had grown up in a village, the words she said represented the heartfelt wishes of the people at the lowest rung of society. Moreover, her suggested arrangement was simple and practical. It was thoroughly convincing, making it very easy to accept.
“Imperial Physician Du, you’re a woman, yet you empathize with the feelings of the people and consider their needs. You are truly a rarity.” Elder Prince
, who was the oldest prince present, gazed at Du Xiaoli admiringly.
“Thank you for your praise, Elder Prince.”
“Haha, I didn’t finish giving out your rewards earlier,” Han Mingze said. He gazed at Du Xiaoli with an ambiguous expression and stated, “Imperial Physician Du, you will be bestowed with a title.”
B-Bestowed with a title?
Du Xaoli looked over at Du Yunhan. The emperor didn’t say the wrong thing, did he?
She wasn’t the only one who was astonished. Every single person in the imperial study was also very surprised. What a massive reward it was to be bestowed with a title!
Seeing there was no reaction from Du Xiaoli, Eunuch Shan said, “Imperial Physician Du, you’re still not kneeling to receive the title?”
It was only then that Du Xiaoli knelt down and replied, “This lowly official is present.”
Everyone else in the study knelt down as well.References 1. — The title that’s used could mean prince/marquis/nobleman, so I’m not sure if this is right. MoonWhisperer, TWIP's Thoughts

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