The Female Psychology PhD Who Time Traveled to the Royal Harem

"Dang dang dang dang..."

The yamen officers, emerging from the government office, beat gongs and drums, instantly drawing the attention of the common folk.

On the notice board outside, the old announcements were torn down, and someone swiftly pasted up a new one. A literate person immediately began reading aloud: "By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Having been favored by the late Emperor, since ascending the throne, We have diligently attended to state affairs, never allowing a single day of negligence. Now, having found a virtuous wife, We have established her as Empress. She has borne Us children, managed the imperial harem with diligence and grace, and possesses a gentle and pure character. Therefore, We hereby confer upon Empress Lady Jiang the title of Heavenly Empress of Great Yan, granting her the authority to assist in governance, to stand alongside Us in creating a prosperous era for our dynasty. So it is decreed—"

"What? What does the Emperor mean by this? Conferring the title of Heavenly Empress upon Empress Jiang? And allowing her to assist in governance? Isn't this a case of the harem meddling in state affairs?"

"Since when have women ever handled state affairs? Such a thing has never happened in any dynasty throughout history. What has come over the Emperor?"

"Women entering the court? What a joke! With their limited perspective, how could they possibly manage the affairs of a nation?"

"The Emperor must be blinded by beauty. Since when have imperial consorts ever meddled in governance? In previous dynasties, such a thing would have cost them their heads!"

"So, does this mean the Empress will now stand on equal footing with the Emperor? Could it be that women will also be allowed to hold official positions?"

"Hahaha... Dream on! I bet this edict is just the Emperor's way of amusing Empress Jiang. How could the Emperor's bed tolerate another's presence?"

"Who says women can't hold office? What's so great about you men? If the Emperor can elevate Empress Jiang to Heavenly Empress and share the empire with her, what do you have? Nothing! Yet you still look down on women. How about you never marry and see who will carry on your family line?"

"Enough arguing! There's more!"

The yamen officers pasted another large yellow sheet of paper beside the edict conferring the title of Heavenly Empress: "The matter of Empress Jiang becoming the Heavenly Empress has little to do with you. That is the Emperor's affair. But pay close attention to this new law. Failure to comply will result in imprisonment."

The crowd turned their attention to the new announcement. This one contained more text, and as it was a newly issued law, the government scribe had set up a desk and chair to copy it down.

As he copied, he read aloud: "From the fifteenth year of Xuanwu, women in our dynasty must be at least eighteen years old before they can marry. The law forcing women to marry by the age of twenty is hereby abolished. After marriage, if the husband is at fault—including but not limited to domestic violence, keeping mistresses, gambling, or plotting to harm the wife—the wife may petition for divorce or separation. The government will investigate and rule on the matter. If the husband is found guilty, the wife may demand that he leave the household with nothing or divide the family property equally."

"The court encourages talented women to open businesses and schools, supports women in stepping out of the inner courtyards, allows them to study in academies, train in martial arts schools, and, as long as they do not violate moral standards, pursue any endeavor they wish."

"In the next imperial examination, a separate examination hall will be established for women. Those who pass will be appointed to official positions by the Heavenly Empress. From this day forward, women shall stand on equal footing with men, competing fairly for all privileges men enjoy."

The announcement caused an uproar throughout the land.

In every street, alley, tavern, and teahouse, people were discussing the newly issued law.

"Have you heard? Starting today, court officials can only take concubines if they have no sons by the age of forty, and even then, they must obtain their wives' consent. If they are found keeping mistresses without permission, they could lose their positions or even be ruined financially."

"Is this for real? I thought it was a joke. This is absurd!"

"How can men not take concubines? Spending a lifetime with just one woman? What's the fun in that? Did all the officials agree to this?"

"Agree or not, it doesn't matter. I heard the Emperor spoke to each of them individually. Those who disagreed were forced to retire, and their positions were given to those who agreed. Who dares to object now?"

"Besides, this law was jointly drafted by the court officials and the Emperor. If they don't follow it, how can they expect the common people to comply? They must lead by example, don't you think?"

The Emperor has set a fine example. To this day, he remains devoted to Empress Jiang—no, now she is the Heavenly Empress.

The Emperor's exclusive devotion to the Heavenly Empress serves as a model for all officials.

While men grumbled about the new law, women cheered.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

"The Heavenly Empress is truly a role model for us. Not only has she won the Emperor's love, but she has also earned his respect."

"If the most esteemed man in the world can respect his wife, refrain from indulging in frivolous affairs, and genuinely consider the welfare of women, then what excuse do other men have? Some men are utterly unremarkable—lacking talent and looks—yet they still look down on us. Who do they think they are? The late Emperor?"

"In the end, it is the Heavenly Empress who has secured these benefits for us. The higher her status, the more we can hold our heads high."

"For the sake of ourselves and our daughters' futures, we women must unite and strive for respect. We cannot let the Heavenly Empress's efforts go to waste."

"You're right. Now that we have the opportunity to take charge, we can no longer allow men to mistreat us. We must, we must reclaim our dignity."

**In the Imperial Palace—**

The scorching heat of June made the air restless. The sun hung in the sky like a massive fireball, mercilessly baking the earth.

In the imperial study, the ice was being used up faster than usual.

Jiang Xinyue sat behind the desk, a vermilion brush in hand, her brow furrowed as she looked at the Emperor. The Emperor sat beside her, amused. "Didn't you say you wanted to stand on equal footing with Us? Now that We've granted you that, why aren't you happy?"

Jiang Xinyue tossed the brush aside and pouted. "What I meant by 'equal footing' was for Your Majesty to genuinely regard me as an equal partner, a lifelong companion, not as a tool to share the burden of governance."

She wrapped her arms around the Emperor's neck and said coquettishly, "I know nothing about handling state affairs. How am I supposed to review these memorials?"

The Emperor pulled her onto his lap, took the memorial from her hand, and said, "What don't you understand? Let Us explain it to you..."

"Here..."

"And here..."

The language of the ancients was always ornate, emphasizing phrasing, structure, and rhythm, often making it obscure and difficult to understand.

A simple matter could be expressed straightforwardly, but they insisted on using flowery language, as if writing an imperial examination essay.

Though Jiang Xinyue was intelligent, she was still a modern person. Many of the dialectal expressions or the officials' convoluted writing styles were still a bit challenging for her.

The Emperor, however, was an excellent teacher, and Jiang Xinyue was a diligent student.

Often, after just one explanation from the Emperor, she would grasp the concept immediately.

The Emperor found it effortless, and Jiang Xinyue enjoyed the learning process.

It must be said that the Emperor was erudite, well-versed in both ancient and modern knowledge. What she learned from him enriched her own reservoir of knowledge.

In the future, she would have even more to teach the Crown Prince.