Ancient women awaken: loving yourself is the way to go

Many young ladies present were stunned by Shen Xingxi's words. Time is fleeting and unforgiving. In the future, they will never be able to compare with beautiful flowers. Who can guarantee that men will not change their minds?

Taking a concubine for the husband is a necessary thing, and the feelings will eventually be separated. At that time, the vows of love will be like flowers in the mirror and the moon in the water, illusory and vague.

Miss Wang couldn't accept it and asked, "Princess Yun, are you saying that we don't deserve love?"

Shen Xingxi looked back and curved her eyebrows: "It's right for people to pursue beauty, but you have to open your eyes. People who truly love each other will consider each other, which is not contradictory to knowing how to love yourself.

"Ms. Wang, have you ever thought about what kind of reputation you will get from this slap today? You gave up your reputation and bet on the other party's unswerving love for you, but why did I hear that the eldest son of the city gate captain has now climbed up the social ladder?"

The eldest son of the city gate captain's face turned red, but he was angry but dared not say anything.

Listening to the voices pointing fingers at him, he turned around and left.

Miss Wang covered her face and sat on a stone bench sobbing.

The fourth young lady pursed her lips, took out a handkerchief and handed it to the eldest sister, saying in a timid voice: "I'm sorry, eldest sister."

The eldest lady wiped her tears and asked, "What are you apologizing for?"

"I..." The fourth lady lowered her head: "I shouldn't do anything to make you sad."

The eldest lady held the fourth lady in her arms, her voice choking with sobs: "Why are you so stupid? I almost hit you.

Fourth sister, I should be the one who feels sorry."

"Big sister, you are right. Princess Yun is right. The one who is wrong is the eldest son of the city gate captain."

The scene of the sisters hugging each other was very touching, but the ladies present couldn't help but question themselves. There are many cases of sisters fighting over a man, but why have they never thought that the man is also at fault?

Xinghuo walked over as expected: "My two ladies, the princess has arranged a guest room for you. Let's go there and have a good chat! But I have to say one more thing. Miss Wang, please don't be so impulsive in the future. If what you said today gets out, the reputation of the fourth lady will be ruined.

There will be no chance for the relationship between you two sisters to be reconciled.

But can I ask you a question? Even if the fourth lady is interested in the eldest son of the city gate captain, it is her freedom, so how can it be said to be seducing? If the eldest son of the city gate captain responds, and they are in love, why do you only say that women seduce men? Under normal circumstances, women will be more reserved and shy, right? "

Miss Wang was stunned for a moment, then suddenly slapped her thigh, "Yes! How could my sister, who is so timid, seduce me? I was really blinded by my own ignorance, and my first reaction was that my sister seduced me."

She apologized again, "Fourth sister, it's my fault."

"Sister, you won't misunderstand me. Our relationship has not changed, so I am content. How could I blame you?"

The two of them held hands and followed Xinghuo to the wing room.

The remaining ladies couldn't help but talk about it.

"Honestly, when I saw my sister talking to my husband, my first reaction was that my sister was seducing me."

"This is really strange. She could be the principal wife, so why do I think my sister seduced my husband? And I never thought there was anything wrong with my husband."

"The more I think about it, the scarier it gets. Are we being possessed by some kind of spirit?"

"I have thought of a solution! Didn't Princess Yun say that if our husband really cares about us, it doesn't conflict with our love for ourselves? And the pearl hairpin on Princess Yun's head is really beautiful! My husband will definitely not want to buy it for me. I also want to try doing business. If it works, I will have the pearl hairpin. If it doesn't, I will just lose some money. And I heard that those who graduated from business schools all make money."

"Come on, let's talk to my mother."

Shen Xingxi, who was eavesdropping from a distance, curled the corners of her lips and said, "Take it slow. There are more and more women willing to walk out of the backyard. One day, girls will not be bound by the word fame."

"Princess Yun is so capable." Madam Zhai saw everything that happened just now, and only came over from the darkness after she saw that the matter was settled.

"My concubine greets Princess Yun."

"Sister Huo, please stand up." Shen Xingxi gave Madam Zhai a light support.

Madam Zhai was stunned for a moment when she heard Princess Yun address her. "I haven't heard this address for a long time."

"Sister Huo, do you think you will take your husband's surname after you get married?" Shen Xingxi took Madam Zhai's hand to comfort her, "At least the name of the shop is ours now."

Madam Zhai smiled and said, "I just lament that it's not easy to be a woman."

"It will be fine." Shen Xingxi led Madam Zhai to the wing room: "Sister Huo, if the news that women can take the imperial examination is spread, will there be women willing to study? Even if the purpose is to marry into a wealthy family, studying and becoming an official can raise their horizons, and their mentality will always be different then."

"That's true, but I have always had a question, what is Princess Yun's purpose?" Madam Zhai never figured it out. Opening the imperial examination to women would do no good to Princess Yun at all. After all, Princess Yun's status was already noble enough.

"I want to live a freer life." Shen Xingxi told me truthfully: "Sister Huo, I believe you have investigated me. My father always told me that an elder sister is like a mother. She should find a way out for her younger brother and make contributions to the family. He asked me to learn music, chess, calligraphy and painting, and would beat and scold me if I couldn't learn it.

When I was sick, they still said I was useless. Isn't that ridiculous? They asked me, a useless person, to contribute to the family.

They also asked me not to eat too much at one meal, saying that girls are delicate and weak, which makes men feel sorry for them. But why can't girls have the dream of being chivalrous and righteous? Why do men have to feel sorry for them?

But almost everyone thinks so. Girls seem to be defined by gender and we must act this way. But it is obviously just a gender. I can also learn martial arts and I can be stronger than men.

Later I felt that this environment was too bad. To go out, women had to dress up as men, or they had to wear a veil.

I want to change. I feel that my experience is quite unfortunate. I can’t bear to see others get wet in the rain with me.”

She looked up at the sky and sighed, "I think when most people stop getting wet in the rain, my sky will also be clear, right?"

Mrs. Zhai took a deep breath and suppressed the bitterness in her heart.

She was able to learn martial arts because she had a good father. In fact, she wanted to give up at first. The voices saying "it's against common sense" and "it's laughable for a girl to learn martial arts" were too harsh.

It was her father who showed his support by carrying a spear. She didn't want to disappoint her father and tried hard to ignore those voices.

Later, she really liked the feeling of sweating profusely. The combination of strength and beauty in each move made her intoxicated.

She discovered that martial arts is not only a physical exercise, but also a spiritual training.

Every time she falls and gets up, she becomes more resilient and confident.

She had to admit, “Princess Yun, your words really moved me.

But I still have a question, if Prince Yun takes a concubine, can you still remain calm?"

"Sister Huo, let me tell you this, I have a mysophobia, if Prince Yun takes a concubine I will despise him for being dirty, and I would like to push him to someone else's yard. But as long as I can stand on my own, who can surpass me?

Love is just a passing moment of romance, which can be worn away by loneliness and disappointment. How can a woman who truly loves her husband not be jealous? Being jealous is a crime that can lead to seven grounds for divorce!"

"But how can it be so easy to wake up?" Mrs. Zhai thought of herself and sighed.

Young feelings are the most sincere. She and Zhai Lang were in love with each other at the beginning, so she married him.

Isn't it because of the affection at the beginning that you have been forgiving me all these years?

Shen Xingxi: "But isn't Sister Huo awake now? What's the reason for Sister Huo's awakening?"

Mrs. Zhai was stunned. The reason she woke up was that she was tired and wanted to live a more comfortable life.

"So the real purpose of what you said to the two Miss Wangs today was to make them think more about themselves?"

"Sister Huo is smart."

Madam Zhai lowered her eyes and changed the subject: "I haven't thanked Princess Yun for the gift yet. The Huo family will never forget your gift of books. The issue of women taking the imperial examination does not count. It is also what I wish for."

"Sister Huo, you're too polite. This is what I should do."

Shen Xingxi pointed to a side room and said, "I heard that the wife of the chief of the clan affairs office likes to set rules for the eldest daughter-in-law. Every time she comes to burn incense, she must copy ten scriptures before she can leave. When the wife of the chief of the clan affairs office was a daughter-in-law, she almost had her legs crippled because of the rules she was set."

"What does Princess Yun want to say?"

"Let's try to ask the wife of the Minister of the Imperial Clan Affairs Bureau to change her ways. If women don't help other women, what will happen to this world?"

Mrs. Zhai's heart was slightly moved. Even though she knew that Princess Yun said these words specifically for her to hear and wanted her to join, she was still moved.

After all, Princess Yun is not seeking benefits for herself, but helping others.

The two of them came to the side room of the wife of the Minister of the Imperial Clan, and Xingyin bowed and said, "My princess heard that Madam Ren was here, and she wanted to pay her a visit."

Although Madam Ren's maid didn't know when Madam Ren became friends with Princess Yun, she didn't dare to be negligent and hurried into the house to report.

Upon hearing this, Madam Ren hurriedly took her eldest daughter-in-law out to greet her: "I didn't know Princess Yun was coming. I am sorry for not coming out to greet you. I hope Princess Yun will forgive me."

Shen Xingxi waved her hand, "No need to be polite, I just wanted to ask for a cup of tea."

Madam Ren quickly invited Princess Yun and Madam Zhai into the side room.

The wing room was very simple, with a couch, a few futons and two low tables.

It can be seen that Mrs. Ren's eldest daughter-in-law was kneeling on a cushion and copying scriptures.

Shen Xingxi knelt on the futon and pointed at a low table in confusion: "What are you doing?"

Madam Ren replied: "Every time Wanqing comes to the temple to burn incense, she always wants to copy a few scriptures to offer as sacrifices, and I can't stop her."

She couldn't help but have a bit of complacency on her face, as if she was saying how obedient the daughter-in-law she had trained was.

Unexpectedly, Shen Xingxi chuckled: "The Buddha saves all living beings and hopes that the world will be peaceful. If you knew that someone was willing to let his wrist ache to show his sincerity, how would you feel?"