The sunlight was a bit too bright.
Gu Yaoniang and Lu Zhaoan walked side by side through the bustling streets of Shuojing, neither too close nor too far apart.
"how?"
Thank you.
The two spoke almost simultaneously, glanced at each other, looked away, and then laughed.
Lu Zhaoan gestured for her to enter, and Yao Niang, without any hesitation, said, "The Li family's wife is seriously injured and has not yet woken up, but her life has been saved."
Lu Zhaoan nodded and told her everything that had happened on the street after Yao Niang left.
Yao Niang was somewhat taken aback upon hearing this: "So the Second Young Master reported it to the authorities so early in the morning?"
Lu Zhaoan smiled and said, "Of course. This scoundrel has already broken the law. You didn't have to agree to those things. You could have had Bitao take him to the Gu family to collect the money. If you wait a little longer, the officials will take him away, and you can also take Li Niangzi away to treat her injuries."
He chuckled softly again: "Luckily, he was greedy and wanted more silver, so he refused to leave with Bitao. Otherwise, I would have had to get the silver back for you."
Yao Niang shook her head: "Thank you for today. I don't understand those things. But even if I knew the officials would throw him into prison soon, I would still buy Li Niangzi."
Why?
"I just thought that if we took Li Niangzi away sooner, she could get her injuries treated sooner and have a better chance of surviving."
After saying this, Gu Yaoniang felt a pang of sadness. She sighed softly, "I never imagined that he would break the law and still be so fearless. So many people are watching, but they're all just there for the spectacle."
The air seemed to stagnate. The weather was muggy, and clothes felt stuffy and sticky against the skin.
For a moment, no one spoke; only the cries of vendors on both sides of the street could be heard.
"They're just used to seeing husbands beat their wives. Madam Gu, this kind of thing happens every day. Nobody takes it seriously, and the authorities don't care. It's quite normal."
After a long silence, Lu Zhaoan finally spoke.
“But is normal necessarily correct?” Gu Yaoniang stopped and looked at him stubbornly. “Boss Lu, when it comes to doing business, one must be good at considering the timing, location, and people, and weighing the pros and cons and the hierarchy.”
But today, a living, breathing person is about to be beaten to death by her husband! Her entire body is covered in sores, she lies there, unable to even open her eyes! Is this right?
"Does Madam Gu think I'm cold-blooded?" Lu Zhao'an's lips were pressed into a straight line, his voice revealing neither joy nor anger.
Gu Yaoniang turned her head away from him, staring at her pearl-studded shoes, and said softly, "How could that be? What you want is to punish the perpetrator, but what I want is for the victim to survive."
Mr. Lu, you are a good person.
But Madam Li was barely clinging to life. If we waited any longer, she might die. I couldn't wait any longer.”
She turned and walked forward again.
Lu Zhaoan followed her at a leisurely pace, and heard her say softly, "Boss Lu is a man, so he may not understand. As a woman myself, seeing Madam Li like this, I feel not only sympathy but also fear."
I am also a woman, and I may get married someday. Will my husband beat and verbally abuse me like this every day? Will my neighbors and relatives turn a blind eye? Will I also be covered in bruises and wounds, and then be sold by my husband into a ghost marriage?
Lu Zhaoan found it absurd and sighed inwardly that women's minds were truly as deep and unfathomable as the ocean.
He straightened his expression and comforted her with a gentle smile, "How could that be! Madam Gu will surely marry a good man in the future and will not suffer like this common woman."
Gu Yaoniang still shook her head: "Did Lady Li know that man was a scoundrel before she married him?"
Her voice was still very soft, as if it were drifting from the horizon.
“Boss Lu, since ancient times, when a woman marries, it is like being reborn. From then on, she entrusts her life, honor and disgrace to the man. She belongs to him in life and in death. How a man treats his wife depends entirely on his conscience.”
But how many men in the world can guarantee they will always love and cherish their first wife?
Lu Zhaoan found it somewhat amusing: "Madam Gu's words are tantamount to making enemies of all men in the world. A faithless man is inherently morally flawed. How can he be considered an enemy of all men in the world?"
"It's not just men who are like this; it's human nature. In marriage, men always hold all the power, and how well a woman lives depends entirely on the man's wishes. Over time, how can she possibly cherish him?"
Seeing that Lu Zhaoan didn't take it seriously, Gu Yaoniang continued, "Boss Lu, women are confined to the inner quarters and can't see the vast world outside. They only see a small area every day. Men, on the other hand, walk in the world and see countless different worlds. After the initial excitement of marriage fades, how much can a husband and wife talk about after a long time?"
If there's nothing left to say, how can one treat her well? Women are inherently sentimental; if they lose affection for their husbands, even if the husband doesn't beat or scold them, what hope is there for them in the deep confines of the house?
However, they are merely like pets kept in the inner quarters.
She felt a pang of sadness, and the conversation drifted off-topic. Wasn't it just that her husband was treating Li Niangzi like a possession, and now he wanted to sell her off?
Lu Zhaoan fell into thought.
"Does Madam Gu mean that even if a man is of good character, a woman will not be happy after marriage?"
Gu Yaoniang laughed: "I never said that! Boss Lu, don't misunderstand me!"
Lu Zhaoan smiled, and the tense atmosphere eased a bit.
He paused for a moment, then asked, "When a woman gets married, is true love really that important?"
How many marriages today truly stem from affection? They're often just exchanges of benefits.
Lu Zhaoan felt a touch of sarcasm in his heart. The Lu family's daughters and daughters-in-law were never involved in pointless deals.
Gu Yaoniang smiled relaxedly: "Boss Lu, I told you you don't understand women."
When a woman marries, she always hopes to have a loving relationship with her husband.
My future husband will treat me well because I am also a good person; he loves and cares for me. It's not just that my husband is inherently a good person, that he's kind to everyone, and that he's kind to me too.
She turned to look at Lu Zhaoan: "So I am truly grateful to the sage, who allowed women to walk in the world like men, and women are no longer confined to the four corners of the world within their secluded chambers. How wonderful!"
I can travel across mountains and rivers, taste all kinds of delicious food, and do what I want to do, instead of relying entirely on my future husband.
I can walk the world with my own dignity, as Gu Yaoniang, not as anyone's wife.
Lu Zhaoan looked at the girl before him. She tilted her head, her neck tracing a graceful arc. The carefree and radiant air about her was a noblewoman's demeanor he had never seen before.
Although she came from an ordinary background, he felt that she was like a goddess descended from heaven.
"So you have to be with Yao Yao."
They worked together to establish girls' schools and supported each other.
He didn't say it, but she already understood.
She rarely heard him refer to Princess Ruining as Yaoyao, but she always knew that he regarded Princess Ruining as a cherished younger sister.
She nodded.
“But it’s difficult. Madam Gu, this is not the path a shrewd businesswoman should choose.”
Lu Zhaoan said.
It's too difficult. No woman has ever been able to stand on the stage of history.
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