Over several days, Madam Lu took in more than 30 girls who had run away from home.
Everything was relatively calm a few days ago, but early in the morning of this day, someone suddenly came to the gate of the girls' school to ask for help.
"Is this a school or something else? Hand over my daughter!"
"If you don't hand him over, we will file a complaint with the emperor!"
The girls listened to the noise outside and hugged each other pitifully.
Madam Lu was also in a very difficult situation.
These are still children. If their parents insist on coming to take them back, she really has no reason to keep them.
But looking at these injured girls who had escaped with great difficulty, Madam Lu really couldn't bear to send them back home.
What should I do?
Madam Lu was in a very difficult situation and didn't dare to open the door at all. She could only send someone to sneak out through the back door to inform Prince Rui's mansion.
However, there has been no response from Prince Rui's Palace.
The stalemate lasted for the entire morning, and suddenly there was a noise outside again.
The person who had been leaning against the crack in the door and looking out shouted excitedly, "Madam Lu, it's someone from Prince Rui's mansion.
"The princess has arrived with the guards from Prince Rui's palace."
Upon hearing this, Madam Lu became even more worried. She was afraid that Qingtian would be offended by someone, and she was also afraid that Qingtian was too young to handle these things. If he said something he shouldn't say, it would affect the relationship between Qingtian and Prince Rui's Mansion if it got out.
Thinking of this, she quickly asked someone to open the door and went out to greet him.
"Princess, why did you come here in person?"
The people who came to ask for the child had all knelt down when they saw the princess's ceremonial procession and the guards of Prince Rui's mansion.
But there are still people behind the scenes who keep instigating.
"Even if you're a princess, you can't detain someone else's child, right?"
"That's right, even a princess can't ignore the law!"
"We raised this child with so much effort, and you're just going to take him away like that?"
At this point, anyone with a discerning eye could see that this incident was caused by someone fanning the flames behind the scenes.
It must have been done by those court officials who disliked Prince Rui.
Madam Lu said to Qingtian, "Princess, this matter requires further consideration!"
Qingtian glanced at the people who were stopped outside by the guards. Without saying a word, he walked directly into the gate of the girls' school and said, "Bring up everyone who has come to register in the past few days."
Soon, more than thirty girls were brought into the hall.
"You should have heard that some people's parents are blocking the door right now, wanting to take you back."
After hearing this, some of the girls who were already scared couldn't help crying.
"You are all still children now. I cannot forcibly take you away from your parents."
Hearing even the princess say this, the dozen or so girls who had sneaked out became even more desperate.
"But I've thought of a solution for you," Qingtian said. "If your parents firmly disagree and you still want to stay in the girls' school, you can write an IOU for ten taels of silver to your parents in the presence of an official. You can pay it back when you make money in the future."
As soon as these words were spoken, the girls below felt a chill in their hearts.
Ten taels of silver is not a small amount!
Madam Lu couldn't help but frown, and she thought further.
Girls did not have to take the imperial examinations. In fact, they could basically leave after studying in girls' schools for a few years.
By then, many people will be controlled by their parents again.
She had studied in a girls' school, but there were only a few people as lucky as her.
Just when Madam Lu was thinking about how to persuade Qingtian without hurting her face, she heard Qingtian speak again.
“I went to the palace early this morning and asked the emperor for a favor.
"As long as you study hard in the girls' school and graduate successfully, you can live independently in the government office.
"You may not know what it means to live independently. It means that from now on you will make all the decisions about your own affairs, and even your parents will have no right to interfere with you.
“As for the IOU for ten taels of silver, there is no need to worry.
“I believe that as long as you study hard in the girls’ school, it will be impossible for you to not earn even ten taels of silver in the future.
“Let’s take a step back and say, even if you really can’t make any money, you can still come and work for me.
"I guarantee you'll be able to pay off your debts in one year at most."
Madam Lu never expected that Qingtian would consider everything so carefully.
No wonder she came so late after receiving the news. It turned out that she went to the palace to ask the emperor for this grace.
Being able to live independently really allows these girls to stay in the girls' school without any worries.
After Qingtian finished speaking like a little adult, he waved his hand and said, "Think about it carefully!"
After returning to the back, Qingtian stuck out her tongue and said to Madam Lu, "Master Lu, did I perform well?
"Those words I just said were also taught to me by my father. Luckily I have a good memory."
Madam Lu laughed when she heard this. It made sense. No matter how smart Qingtian was, he was still a child. How could he think so carefully?
The girls in the hall were confused at first, but soon began to talk among themselves.
Most of the girls who ran away from home were around ten years old and already understood a lot of things.
"I believe the princess. After all, I have escaped, so it is absolutely possible for me to go back."
"That's right, if I go back I'll be beaten to death by my parents!"
The girls, whose bodies were covered with wounds, were very determined. Not to mention the IOU for ten taels of silver, they would even agree to sign a contract to sell themselves to Qingtian right now.
Yaer looked around and said bravely, "I, I think the princess is right. At worst, I can go to the palace to be a maid. It's better than going home to work every day and being married off by my parents in the future to exchange for dowry for my brothers to marry wives."
"But ten taels of silver is so much... Can we earn it in the future?" Some people were unsure and kept wiping away their tears.
"If you're afraid, just go home and don't try to shake our morale!"
In the end, except for the girl who had been crying just now, all the more than thirty people agreed to the conditions proposed by Qingtian.
Soon, the parents who were making trouble outside were invited into the girls' school one by one by the guards of Prince Rui's Mansion. After seeing their daughter, they received an IOU with their fingerprints.
The louder these people were outside before, the more cowardly they became after being brought in one by one.
No one had any objections, and they all left obediently with the IOUs.
The only girl who did not put her fingerprints on the IOU was also taken out and returned to her parents.
The last few people left at the door were the ones who had been making the most noise just now, but they were not anyone's parents.
Before they could say anything, they were gagged and taken away by the guards from Prince Rui's mansion.
Looking at the remaining girls in the girls' school, Madam Lu smiled gently and said, "Don't worry, this will be your home from now on."
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