Chapter 166 Liu Ruohua Leaves the Palace
That is why Lu Zhaoxue insisted on establishing girls' schools, teaching women a skill, and enabling them to serve as officials in the imperial court.
Similarly, Lu Zhaoxue also loosened the restrictions on widows. She did not expect every woman to hold a high position in the court or become extremely wealthy. She only hoped that all women in the world would have the confidence to choose and the foundation to stand on their own feet.
Lu Zhaoxue hoped that they would no longer have to depend on men for survival, no longer have to bind love and power, and no longer have to waste their lives in hopeless waiting.
As the days went by, the women of the Great Zhou Dynasty had changed their appearance.
In the capital, female officials, dressed in court robes, stood side by side with men in the Golden Palace, discussing matters of state with clear and logical reasoning.
In the girls' schools of various prefectures, the sound of girls reciting their lessons could be heard all around. Some were grinding ink and practicing calligraphy, some were identifying and tasting herbs, and some were sewing. Everyone was busy and fulfilled.
A female doctor in the countryside carries her medicine box and traverses the fields to relieve the pain of her neighbors and fellow villagers.
The female shopkeepers in the marketplace guarded their shops, their abacuses clicking away, their eyes brimming with confidence and composure.
Even the most conservative aristocratic families gradually put aside their prejudices and sent their daughters to school, hoping that they would learn skills and live a decent and comfortable life in the future.
Folk songs even began to circulate, singing, "The phoenix shines over the nine provinces, and women compete in elegance. Those with talent can enter the court, and those with skills can make a living. They don't need to climb the social ladder to bring glory to their families."
When the ballad reached the palace, Chu Siheng was accompanying Lu Zhaoxue to look at the list of female students taking the exams submitted from various places.
As they listened to the chanting coming from outside the palace, Chu Siheng took Lu Zhaoxue's hand, his palm warm, and his tone full of praise and tenderness: "Ah Xue, all the women in the world should thank you."
Lu Zhaoxue smiled faintly, her gaze falling on the thick register, her eyes filled with undisguised satisfaction: "I do not ask them to thank me, I only ask that from now on, all women in the world can live for themselves, live to their heart's content, and live with integrity, and that will be enough."
Lu Zhaoxue knew that this path was not easy, and she also knew that there might be criticism and obstacles ahead.
But now, looking at the thriving scene before her, and seeing countless women break free from their shackles and live out their own lives, she feels that all the hard work was worthwhile.
What Lu Zhaoxue didn't know was that the seeds she sowed today had already taken root and sprouted on the land of the Great Zhou Dynasty.
For the next hundred years, the spirit of women being able to be independent, strong, and autonomous will surge like a river, flowing endlessly, and Lu Zhaoxue's name will be remembered by generations of women, becoming the most dazzling highlight of women in history.
Later, Lu Zhaoxue petitioned Chu Siheng to establish a "Women's Examination" to compete with the men's examination. This examination was specifically designed to select talented women, with questions that emphasized practical skills and were relevant to people's lives, giving more women from poor families the opportunity to rise above their circumstances.
Lu Zhaoxue also ordered people to compile the finest works of women from various regions into a book, which was then printed and circulated, so that embroidery, medicine, and makeup skills could be passed down.
They even established exclusive guilds for women who were unwilling to enter the court and only wanted to make a living by their own crafts, protecting their livelihoods from oppression and ensuring that their skills could be passed down with dignity and that they could earn a stable living.
In the Great Zhou Dynasty at that time, women no longer needed to regard their husbands as their heaven or their children as their most precious possessions.
They could be female officials who uphold justice in the imperial court, female doctors who save lives in the countryside, shrewd and capable shopkeepers in the city, or embroiderers who guard a small courtyard and embroider beautiful landscapes.
They each have their own way of living, and their own wonderful lives. For Lu Zhaoxue and others like her, love is no longer a necessity, but an embellishment that adds to their happiness.
If I gain it, I am fortunate; if I lose it, it is my fate.
Even without romantic love, they can still create their own world with their own hands, living a brilliant and proud life.
Lu Zhaoxue, the empress who ushered in a new era for women, became Chu Siheng's most cherished confidante throughout his life.
They stood side by side, guarding this prosperous land, and watched as the women of the Great Zhou Dynasty, like phoenixes rising from the ashes, shone with their own unique brilliance.
...
As night deepened, the daytime hustle and bustle of Chengqian Palace had long been swallowed up by the darkness, with only the candlelight in the inner hall casting two overlapping faint shadows through the window lattices.
Lu Zhaoxue dismissed all the palace servants, and even Chu Siheng was not allowed to come to the palace today.
Only a few glass lamps were lit on the table, their wicks burning quietly, casting a soft glow on Lu Zhaoxue and Liu Ruohua's features.
The pre-rain tea on the table went cold and was refilled, the swirling steam resembling the long-hidden secrets of Liu Ruohua.
Liu Ruohua sat on the brocade stool, her fingers repeatedly stroking the edge of the teacup. The porcelain surface was cold, but it couldn't withstand the determination surging in her heart.
After a long silence, Liu Ruohua finally raised her eyes, her gaze clear and open: "Your Majesty, I apologize for disturbing you tonight, but I have a request for your assistance."
"I never want to stay in these deep palace walls again."
Lu Zhaoxue looked up at Liu Ruohua, her eyes showing no surprise, as if she had already noticed. She simply nodded slightly and said, "Tell me about it."
“When I entered the palace, I was originally a lure…” Liu Ruohua’s voice was soft, but every word was clear.
The days of scheming and being unable to control her own destiny flashed quickly through her eyes, eventually turning into a soft sigh.
"Now that the court is stable, those sordid matters have long been settled. This cage-like deep palace has no meaning for me anymore; it only holds me constraints and suffocation."
"I just want to find a place where I can be at ease and live a few days as I please."
Liu Ruohua spoke earnestly, her eyes filled with anticipation for life outside the palace, without a trace of falsehood.
Looking at the light in Liu Ruohua's eyes, Lu Zhaoxue understood.
She immediately agreed: "I thought it was something difficult, why not? You don't belong in this palace."
"Ruohua, I accept your request. I will arrange your departure from the palace tomorrow, ensuring your safety and smooth sailing, so that you will have no worries in the future."
Liu Ruohua had not expected Lu Zhaoxue to agree so readily. Her eyes instantly reddened, and she was about to kneel down when Lu Zhaoxue quickly helped her up.
"No need for formalities."
Lu Zhaoxue patted Liu Ruohua's hand and said solemnly, "After you leave the palace, change your name and sever all ties with the past. I will ask His Majesty to grant you the title of Princess and reward you with fertile land and silver, so that no one will dare to bully you in the future and you can live in peace."
Looking at Lu Zhaoxue's gentle eyes, Liu Ruohua was filled with gratitude. All her words were choked into a choked "Thank you, Zhaoxue."
That night, Lu Zhaoxue and Liu Ruohua talked intimately for a long time, from trivial matters in the palace to the scenery outside the palace, and the candles burned until midnight.
Before dawn the next day, Lu Zhaoxue went to the Imperial Study to see Chu Siheng and explained Liu Ruohua's feelings and past contributions. She earnestly requested His Majesty to grant Liu Ruohua permission to leave the palace and to bestow upon her a title so that she could live in peace.
Chu Siheng immediately granted the request and issued an imperial edict bestowing upon Liu Ruohua the title of "Princess Qinghe".
He also bestowed upon Liu Ruohua 300 mu of fertile land in the suburbs of the capital, 100 taels of gold, and 1,000 bolts of brocade. He also granted her special permission to leave the palace immediately without having to abide by palace rules.
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