Chapter 698 Telling Women All Over the World

She did not have any fancy writing skills, so she wrote down her experiences over the years, the stories of the women she had met and heard, as well as the Queen's determination to implement the new policy and the changes it might bring, one by one, in the simplest and plain language.

She revised it repeatedly, striving to make it understandable to every ordinary woman with limited literacy skills.

She also asked Xiao Yan and Daya to be her audience and practiced over and over again to overcome her nervousness.

On the day of the speech, the venue was chosen at a relatively spacious market entrance in the capital, and the government posted a notice a few days in advance.

On the actual day, there were a lot of people crowding around the stage, including curious men, but more women carrying baskets, holding children, standing far away and looking around, most of them with doubts, shyness and curiosity on their faces.

Several yamen runners who were maintaining order stood by, their expressions calm.

Lu Qiniang took a deep breath, clenched her slightly sweaty palms, and stepped onto the makeshift wooden platform.

Today she is still dressed in clean cloth, without any makeup, and looks no different from the working women in the audience.

"Hello, aunts, sisters-in-law, sisters, and all the young and old gentlemen. My last name is Lu, Lu Qiniang. I was once a child bride of an ordinary family. Later, my family fell into poverty and I became a servant..."

She came straight to the point and introduced herself, which brought her closer to the audience.

Sure enough, after hearing about her ordinary background, the alienation in many women's eyes lessened a little, and instead a bit of curiosity arose.

Many of them only knew that Lu Qiniang was the Marquis' wife, and had vaguely heard some legends about her.

But today I am here to tell you in detail, which is really attractive.

"...I know everyone must be wondering, why is this woman showing up here instead of staying home? What is she trying to say? Is the government assigning her some work again?" Lu Qiniang said in a relaxed tone, "No, none of that. Everyone, put your minds at ease."

She changed the subject and became serious. "I'm standing here today not because the government wants to assign me a share, but because I want to chat with you all and talk about our own affairs as women."

"As women, it seems like our lives are meant to revolve around the stove, around men and children. When we were young, we listened to our parents. When we got married, we listened to our husbands. When we were old, we listened to our sons... It's like we've never lived a day for ourselves. Are you tired? Are you suffering? Do you feel suffocated? I think the sisters here have all experienced this."

Her words were simple, but they struck many women's hearts like a hammer. The expressions on their faces gradually became focused, and some even nodded subconsciously.

"If you have a good father, that's fine. But many are born unlucky. They do the most work, eat the worst food, and are beaten and scolded. That's still considered good. Many are even drowned or sold..."

"When it comes to getting married, no one cares whether you're willing or not. As long as the other party gives a large gift, no matter if he's innocent or not, or if he has a good temper or not, you can get into the bridal sedan anyway. In our own marriage, our own opinions are the least important."

At this time, some women in the audience had already remembered their past and began to wipe away their tears.

"But are we women really inferior to men? I don't think so. Those diligent girls in our women's academy all came from poor backgrounds, but they were able to work hard and write brilliant essays. They're even better than those men who are supported by their entire families to study!"

"We are very clever and can embroider such beautiful patterns. Is it possible that we can't learn other skills if we have the chance?"

"As long as you have learned the skills, why worry about not being able to eat your own food? Why rely on your father and brothers, rely on men, and look at other people's faces?"

"Yes, there are some women who are lucky, born into noble families, marrying good husbands. Their husbands are rich and their wives are honored, and they can order servants around... But think about it, is this their own glory? They are just relying on the power of others, having to look after others' faces. They are just servants of a higher status. Once their family falls on hard times and their husbands change their hearts, they will be miserable..."

"People always say that women should accept their fate, but why should we accept our fate? Only when we take control of our own destiny can we feel at ease!"

"Even if your father is unkind, your husband is unfaithful, and your children are unfilial, you can still stand firm on your own. This is the life a woman wants!"

"Some people might say, 'Hasn't this been the way our ancestors have lived for generations?' Yes, it has been the way our ancestors have lived for generations, but does this mean it's right? Does it mean it can't be changed?"

Lu Qiniang's voice rose a little. "The Empress is kind-hearted and sees the difficulties we women face. She said that women are not confined to the small world of the backyard. We can also read and write, earn a living with our own abilities, and even... we can take the imperial examinations like men, become officials, contribute to the court, and bring honor to our ancestors!"

As soon as these words were spoken, there was an uproar in the audience.

The men were mostly shocked and questioning, while the women were more likely to be confused and incredulous.

"I know you all don't believe me," Lu Qiniang was not surprised and continued, "The Queen said this isn't charity, it's about giving us 'fairness'! No one has to give in to us, it's the same exam questions and standards as for men, whoever is capable can pass! If we really can't beat the men, then we'll admit it! But what if there are smart and capable people among us? Why can't we give it a try?"

She swept her gaze over the women in the audience, whose eyes began to flicker with a mixture of desire and timidity, and her tone became increasingly earnest: "The Queen asked me to tell everyone that the court has made up its mind! This is not a joke! From now on, any daughter who wants to study will be accepted into the government-run charity school! Any daughter-in-law who has the ability can also go out to work, even engage in business and become an official, and no one can stop her! The court supports us!"

"Some people may be afraid, afraid of being criticized if they step out, or afraid of their husband's family not allowing them to..." Lu Qiniang nodded in understanding, "It will definitely be difficult at the beginning. But we have to stand up on our own feet first! Think about our daughter, do we want her to repeat our old path? Think about ourselves, are we willing to just live our lives in a muddle?"

"I can't recognize a few big characters, and I can't speak profound truths." Lu Qinniang's voice was a little hoarse with excitement, but it was particularly powerful. "I just know that life is short, and we must live a good life to show ourselves! The Queen has given us this opportunity, and the road is right under our feet! Whether we dare to take this step depends on us!"

"If we have ambition, we should find a way to survive for ourselves and not depend on men's opinions."

"When we can achieve success in our own careers, we can make our family business more prosperous and earn the respect of men. Even more powerful, we can achieve great achievements and leave our names in history."

(A tribute to the martyr Qiu Jin's "A Warning to China's 200 Million Female Compatriots." You can read the original text. It is so thought-provoking that it still has a profound impact on us today.)