The Flourishing Era of Female Merchants

"Yes, it's her. I've seen her once before. In our Great Jin Dynasty, very few women show their faces in these industries. I was just curious and took a few more glances."

People around started whispering among themselves, but Anmi remained calm and composed as she watched the scene unfold.

His gaze fell upon a pair of smiling eyes. Who else could it be but Bai Yi? Remembering Shuang Yue's words, Bai Yi had indeed come.

Just as she was turning her gaze away, she accidentally met another gaze. An Mi was slightly taken aback. Who else could it be but the King of Donglin?

Wow! Today is really lively!

Standing beside King Donglin, Yu Ling'er was also watching this scene. That Yan girl? A sneer curled her lips, and Yu Ling'er whispered in King Donglin's ear, "Brother-in-law, that divorced woman is truly foolish. These are all ladies and young women from wealthy families in Rongjin City. Now, isn't she just telling everyone that the manager of Shengshi Lieyan is actually a divorced woman? Now, let's see who will still buy embroidery from Shengshi Lieyan; they'll probably avoid it like the plague!"

Yu Ling'er was extremely excited. Just now, she was displeased to see Miss Yan here, but now it seemed that her displeasure was completely unnecessary. Miss Yan's own people had pushed her to the brink of ruin. She would see how Miss Yan's magnificent flames would continue to sweep through Rongjin City.

King Donglin's gaze darkened, but he remained silent, still looking in Anmi's direction. He felt that Anmi would not let the situation Yu Ling'er described happen. This woman, from the moment he met her, was different from any other woman he had ever met. And the people who followed her and were valued by her were probably not simple characters either.

King Donglin glanced at Cheng Ying and recognized her immediately. She was the woman he had met on the street at the city gate that day, the one who had been beaten by her mother-in-law and husband.

Although the time difference was not long, Cheng Ying at this time was vastly different from the woman she was back then.

Besides them, the Prefectural Governor's wife and Madam Liu, who had just come out, also witnessed this scene. When Madam Liu saw the woman with her face veiled in white, she couldn't help but frown. "Why did you invite her here as well?"

"Who is she?" the governor's wife asked, frowning.

"Who could it be? That woman from Shengshi Lieyan, Miss Yan!" Madam Liu said unhappily. The mere mention of Miss Yan filled her with rage, almost setting her ablaze. The Liu family had suffered in silence at Miss Yan's hands.

Thinking about the current situation of the Liu family, Madam Liu's brows remained furrowed, and a faint sense of unease lingered in her heart.

"Oh? Is that the woman wearing the veil? Is she Miss Yan? This is the first time I've seen her. She truly deserves to be called a girl who can embroider such exquisite works." The lady of the prefecture praised, her eyes full of admiration. She had missed Liu Zhan's wedding last time due to other commitments, but she had heard her husband mention Miss Yan. This Miss Yan had caused the Liu family quite a bit of trouble.

This reaction greatly angered Madam Liu, who glared fiercely at the Prefectural Governor's wife. "You sent her an invitation? Are you out of your mind? How could you invite her here?"

“This… can’t we invite her? You didn’t say anything beforehand, and I… I just had a handkerchief she embroidered that I liked, so I invited her along with it. You… don’t you like her? But I’ve already invited her, so I can’t…” The prefectural lady frowned, her face showing worry.

"Enough, enough! You've made a mess of this little thing. Where did your quick wit go?" Madam Liu interrupted the prefect's wife impatiently, looking like she was scolding a servant.

The maid supporting the prefectural lady felt her resentment rising and was about to say something when the prefectural lady glanced at her, signaling her not to say anything more.

The maidservant reluctantly fell silent, but she saw the corners of the lady's mouth lift slightly, a smile that seemed somewhat different from her usual gentle one, and she felt a strange sensation in her heart.

Madam Liu naturally didn't notice the interaction between the mistress and servant. At this moment, she was only looking at Miss Yan, her brows furrowed and unable to relax.

Meanwhile, everyone was watching the three people. Mei Ningxiang, overhearing their conversation, was taken aback. This woman… this woman had actually become the female manager of Shengshi Lieyan? A surge of resentment rose within her, and she chuckled, “Did you hear that? She’s so arrogant!”

"Who dares to speak so arrogantly?!" An Mi suddenly interrupted Mei Ningxiang, her gaze sweeping over everyone as she spoke, word by word, "You are all women, and perhaps you all have daughters. Why should a woman who has been divorced be unable to face others? Think about it, if one day a woman like Miss Mei appeared in your and your husband's lives, forcing your husband to divorce you, what would your fate be? How would you feel?"

Many women were stunned for a moment, and a thoughtful look appeared on their faces.

"If your children were to encounter such a situation in their future marriages, would you be able to bear watching your daughter be scorned by the world?" Anmi asked, observing the reactions of the crowd.

These words were like a heavy hammer blow, striking the hearts of most people present, whether they were middle-aged women or young ladies, like a wake-up call.

“She is my housekeeper, I don’t need to hide it. So what if she was divorced? She can still live on her own with her daughter!” An Mi’s voice was unusually loud. Looking at everyone’s reaction, she could undoubtedly figure out what they were thinking.

They are all women, and should understand women's thoughts best. These women, suppressed by so-called traditions and customs, can only silently accept the arrangements of fate!

Thinking back to her past life, she realized that because she had given birth to two daughters, neither she nor her daughters were tolerated by the Liu family. This ignited her resentment. She hated the Liu family, and even more so, she hated the shackles of tradition.

“My Shengshi Lieyan accepts all women, even if you are a divorced woman. As long as you want, Shengshi Lieyan is your home. I, Miss Yan, will never discriminate against you. Even a woman, even a divorced woman, can have a new life and rely on herself!” An Mi’s gaze swept over the crowd, and the corners of her mouth under her veil lifted slightly.

In the eyes of the crowd, she saw a surge of excitement!

An Mi paused abruptly at this point, not continuing. She knew that she had said all she could say, and the rest was left for the ladies and young women to process.

However, she didn't see the change in expression in the eyes of several men who were looking at her.

A moment of silence fell over the crowd, as if they were still reeling from the shock of the woman in white's words. Yes, shock! This was something they had never heard before, something so outrageous in the eyes of the world. Their upbringing taught them that men were the highest authority and women had to be subservient to them. They had wondered before why things were this way, why women had to be so subservient.