Regardless of loyalty, this has damaged the peaceful lives of countless people... Because of the extra money he printed, the people are starving.
Lu Zhaoan took a step forward: "Let's not talk about him anymore. I thought you had already gone to sleep..."
Before he could finish speaking, Gu Yaoniang interrupted him: "Knowing that I should already be asleep, why did you come?"
Lu Zhaoan's eyes gleamed: "I always have to come and see if you are alright."
Gu Yaoniang's face flushed.
Lu Zhaoan stared at her, his eyes piercing: "Why are you still awake? And why are you dressed so formally? Is something the matter?"
Gu Yaoniang shook her lips, thought for a moment, and then told Lu Zhaoan the part of her story about Qiaoniang that she could tell him.
She didn't expect Lu Zhaoan to be able to empathize with her. After all, Lu Zhaoan was a man, and Zuiyuelou was located at the entrance of Tonghua Lane. Could it be that he had never been to those brothels in Tonghua Lane?
But she secretly harbored her own plans. She was also curious to know how Lu Zhaoan would react to such a matter.
He had considered that Lu Zhaoan might not care, that it wasn't a bad thing for the girls to enter the Wufan Pavilion, and that he might say that Qiaoniang's actions were wrong in order to please him. But he didn't expect Lu Zhaoan to laugh.
Lu Zhaoan chuckled softly, extended his right hand, bent his middle finger, and gently tapped Gu Yaoniang's forehead: "Do you know that the girls in your Wufan Pavilion all entered the pavilion voluntarily, and they don't have to entertain customers like the girls in other brothels?"
Gu Yaoniang nodded: "I know. But she is still a courtesan after all, and it's not a good thing to say that out loud."
Lu Zhaoan shook his head: "Have you ever thought about the identities of those girls?"
Gu Yaoniang was taken aback. What was his identity?
"Aren't they all just unfortunate women? They've run out of options, have nowhere to go, and are just looking for someone to rely on."
Lu Zhaoan nodded: "Three years ago, the Emperor just issued a new policy allowing women to attend school and establish female households. Most of those women had nowhere else to go because they were poor from a young age. Even if their families were relatively well-off, they were not valued by their families, which is why they ended up in Wufan Pavilion. Do you agree?"
Gu Yaoniang nodded.
Lu Zhaoan continued, "If that's the case, what advantages do you think these women have besides their looks if they want to be self-reliant?"
Gu Yaoniang felt a sharp tremor in her heart—this was an angle she had never considered. But…
Even if you don't know how, you can learn!
Lu Zhaoan interrupted him: "That's too slow. It's difficult to master refined skills like literacy and needlework without three to five years. Most of these women will still get married, but after three to five years, they will be too old. Even if someone doesn't mind, having children will inevitably be difficult."
The Pavilion of No Return has already given them the best path to choose from. While their skills in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting should be carefully cultivated, matters of romance and nature are ultimately for enjoyment, not for mastery. These women have seen much, and naturally, they understand much as well. If they meet someone who truly understands them, they can leave if they wish; if their hearts grow cold, they can stay at the Pavilion of No Return and find a way to make a living.
Gu Yaoniang stubbornly said, "But in the end... there are clearly better ways. They took the Gu family's money to do business..."
Lu Zhaoan laughed: "Not everyone is like you, taught to be independent and self-reliant. Many of them were raised from childhood to live by depending on others, so how can you expect them to learn to do business on their own? Even if the Gu family gave them money, they couldn't protect it. I think that's why Qiaoniang didn't give them money directly back then; if they couldn't protect it, giving them money would only harm them. Besides, the Gu family shouldn't do such a shallow favor."
He stared intently at Gu Yaoniang: "Don't forget, back then, Dacheng did not allow women to show their faces in public."
Gu Yaoniang seemed to be deep in thought.
After Lu Zhaoan left, Gu Yaoniang clutched the corner of the quilt and thought for a long time before falling asleep without realizing it.
The next day, Gu Yaoniang was dressed and helped by the maids when she left the courtyard to find Qiaoniang.
But as soon as they reached the courtyard gate, they saw Qiaoniang carrying Gu Yaoniang's favorite candied cherries, walking towards them.
She had seemed a little uneasy at first, but when she saw Gu Yaoniang smiling sweetly at her, she immediately relaxed.
The two smiled at each other and walked towards one another.
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