Upon hearing this, everyone burst into laughter, their eyes scrutinizing Abiya as if they were genuinely trying to determine whether she was a woman.
Abiya snorted coldly, raised her chin high, and said irritably, "Although I am not a man, my riding and archery skills, which I have learned since childhood, are in no way inferior to those of men. In fact, this princess can even go to the battlefield."
And you will forever be trapped in this tiny space, obsessed only with these storybooks.
Although this was her first time meeting these women of the Great Jin Dynasty during her trip to the capital, she had heard quite a bit about them, but they were just a group of people who could only live in the inner quarters of the palace forever.
How dare they compare to the people of the grasslands?
Upon hearing this, many people were stunned and their spirits plummeted.
In fact, just as this person said, they would be trapped in the inner quarters for their entire lives.
The various etiquette skills and arts learned from childhood seem to have no effect; in the end, everything will be the same.
Chen Feiyan frowned, feeling that something was off about what she was saying. She wanted to refute it, but for a moment she didn't know how to start.
Abiya, however, was full of smugness, and her contempt for these people only grew stronger.
The women of the Great Jin Dynasty are indeed a bunch of ignorant people, and they are weak and frail. They are not as good as the Tuyuhun people.
Seeing that she was getting more and more smug, Jiang Yimian said lightly, "Women in the capital learn etiquette, music, chess, calligraphy and painting from a young age, and they are all well-bred ladies; women in the village know how to plant rice seedlings from a young age and are very familiar with all kinds of crops."
As for the fact that women on the grasslands have to learn riding and archery from a young age, this is simply because different living environments lead to different skills being learned.
Besides, not all women in the capital were skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting; many were also skilled in riding and archery.
What you're so proud of, others may not necessarily lack; on the contrary, you're probably completely ignorant of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting.
Upon hearing this, Abiya's expression immediately changed, and she said with displeasure, "Don't talk nonsense. Who do you think can ride and shoot? I was born and raised on the grasslands, and I am first-rate in riding and shooting. I am better than many warriors of Tuyuhun. Don't bring up your petty tricks. It is an insult to this princess."
She couldn't stand these young ladies from the inner chambers, their weak and delicate appearance was extremely annoying.
It's laughable that they dare to boast about their riding and archery skills now.
If knowing how to ride a horse is the same as knowing how to shoot, then every one of the Tuyuhun people would know how to do it.
Chen Feiyan immediately retorted with dissatisfaction: "Leaving aside the princess, let's talk about me. I grew up with my father in the military training grounds since I was a child. I can ride and shoot. Don't think that only you Tuyuhun women can do it."
Also, you say you grew up on the grasslands, but we all grew up in Beijing. I used to long for the grasslands, but if everyone on the grasslands were like you, then I think Beijing is better.
At least no one would be so arrogant as to look down on us young ladies.
Although young women from secluded families may never have seen the vast grasslands, they don't need to be displaced or have to forcibly seize other people's homes.
If the grasslands are truly so wonderful, why do these Tuyuhun people still constantly harass the borders of the Great Jin Dynasty, plundering all kinds of grain and supplies?
As soon as he said that, the others chimed in.
“That’s right, Sister Feiyan is right. We didn’t laugh at you for being uncivilized and vulgar, but you laughed at us for not growing up on the grasslands.”
"Of course! If you insist on a contest of horsemanship and archery, then we can compete in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting! Don't accuse us of bullying you then."
"That's right. If the grasslands are really that good, why do you Tuyuhun people always harass the borders of the Great Jin? Are you just inherently cruel and determined to start a war?"
If that's really the case, then I think the people on the grasslands are still inferior to us.
Upon hearing this, Abiya's face grew even darker. She coldly glanced at Jiang Yimian and Chen Feiyan and sneered, "That sounds nice. You young ladies are so delicate and frail. How could you possibly know how to ride and shoot? Don't joke around."
And those arts like music, chess, calligraphy, and painting—only you guys like them. Those are boring things; they have no fun at all.
As for the turmoil at the border, it's a matter that can't be explained in a few words, so I won't go into it for now. Anyway, I, the princess, have no interest in the things that you women of the Great Jin like, and I don't understand why you can be so proud of them."
Jiang Yimian merely raised an eyebrow, staring at the person in front of her and smiling as she said, "What, to me, it sounds like you envy those young ladies in the capital who are well protected by their families from a young age and don't have to endure the wind and sun."
So it seems that growing up on the grasslands isn't so good after all.
As far as she knew, the small countries on the border of the Great Jin were almost all nomadic peoples. Because they could not farm, they could only herd livestock. They had no fixed abode and were constantly moving around, so naturally they needed to know how to ride horses.
In addition, one might encounter various wild animals on the vast grasslands, so archery became an essential skill, as it was a means of survival.
As for the young ladies in the capital, they all had guards when they went out, so they hardly had to worry about danger. They didn't need to learn any life-saving techniques; they just needed to be good ladies from respectable families.
Abiya choked and froze on the spot, unable to believe that her thoughts had been seen through.
She truly envied these young ladies who were well protected by their families from a young age, never having to worry about encountering danger at any time, and only needing to learn things to improve their etiquette, instead of learning riding and archery, and being exposed to the wind and sun every day.
Although she thought this in her heart, she would never admit it. She just sneered, "I envy you? What a joke! What do you have that I can envy?"
They were just a group of delicate, sheltered young women who had never seen any danger.
I grew up on the grasslands and have seen the vast sky. Why should I envy you, people who can only see a square patch of sky?
Jiang Yimian simply said, "Princess, your words are somewhat ambiguous. In terms of territory, the territory of the Great Jin is much larger than that of Tuyuhun. The vast sky you speak of is not as vast as the sky of the Great Jin."
Furthermore, does the princess think that women in their boudoirs are confined to the inner quarters? We are also capable of seeing much more scenery. It's just that after seeing many sights, we decided to guard our home and ensure that the pillars of our family can effectively defend against external enemies.
Not all young women are as delicate as you describe, nor are all women from the grasslands like princesses.
Abiya was furious at these words and pointed at Jiang Yimian, saying, "You, you're just making excuses. Anyway, you young ladies are no better than us grassland women."
How can these people, who can be blown down by the wind, be compared to the women of the grasslands?
Jiang Yimian simply said, "Why don't you have a contest with us, Princess? If you lose, you will apologize to all the young ladies of the Great Jin. If you win, we will admit that the young ladies of the Great Jin are inferior to the women of the grasslands. How about that?"
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