Chapter 703 Public outrage
Xiao Yan thought for a moment and nodded in agreement.
The two came to the flower hall, and Zhang Heyao was standing in front of the window with his hands behind his back.
Hearing footsteps, he suddenly turned around and saw Xiao Yan coming with him. A complicated expression flashed in his eyes, but he said nothing more. He only said to Lu Qiniang urgently, "Qi Niang, have you been preaching around the capital these days, encouraging women to go out of their homes?"
Seeing his serious expression, Lu Qiniang knew that something important must be going on. She nodded and said, "Yes, I am following the Queen's orders. What's the matter?"
"Something's happened!" Zhang Heyao said in a serious tone. "Someone is fanning the flames in the counties surrounding the capital where you preached, distorting your original intentions and spreading rumors that you're encouraging women to abandon their husbands and children and violate their chastity, causing panic among the people. Furthermore, they're blaming the recent Yellow River floods and earthquakes in the south on 'hens crowing at dawn,' drawing punishment from the heavens!"
He took a deep breath and continued, "Thousands of incited people are already gathering, intending to enter the capital to petition you. And along the way, more people are constantly joining, making the movement even more powerful. Qi Niang, this matter is of no small importance. You... should leave the capital for a while and avoid the spotlight."
Lu Qiniang frowned, "Isn't this nonsense? When did I ever encourage others to abandon their wives and children and be unfaithful to their husbands?"
It would be fine if it were just one or two fools.
Now they can actually mobilize thousands or even tens of thousands of people. Is it because they don’t have enough brains?
If only the true meaning she wanted to convey to women all over the world could spread as quickly as the false rumor.
"Besides, if I really had the ability to shake the heavens and the earth, I would just let the thunder strike those nonsense people to death."
"Now is not the time to talk about that. Three people can make a tiger, and public resentment is boiling. You can't be the first to bear the brunt of it." Zhang Heyao looked anxious. "This is not the time to be stubborn either. You need to leave the capital as soon as possible and stay out of the spotlight for a while."
Lu Qiniang shook her head: "No, I won't leave."
"Abandoned Mother!" Zhang Heyao's tone was urgent, even tinged with anger. "This is not the time to show off! Once public outrage boils over and floods into the capital, even if the Empress wants to protect you, she'll probably be forced to push you out to appease the public anger. Your departure now isn't a retreat, but a temporary retreat, waiting for the future..."
He knew the queen too well.
When necessary, no one is expendable for the Queen.
"Don't lie to me." Lu Qiniang said, "If I leave now, it means I admit that I was wrong. What's the future?"
After taking the first step with great difficulty, if you back down, these men who think they have succeeded will become complacent and intensify their suppression of women who try to leave the house.
What woman would dare to believe it and try it again?
If you don't even have the courage to face doubts and resistance, what hope is there for this matter?
She paused, her voice low but remarkably clear: "No matter how many people come, I will go and meet them. I'll find out why they're so angry, and what rumors they've heard that would make them lose their minds and even their heads and come to Beijing to cause trouble."
"You don't care about your head at all! The law does not punish everyone. Do you think the Queen will chop off so many people's heads for you? It's more likely that she will push you out to appease the public anger!" Zhang Heyao's tone was almost exasperated.
Forget it, I won’t tell her.
This stupid and stubborn temper hasn't changed at all.
Probably meant to be taken to the coffin.
Zhang Heyao couldn't help but look at Xiao Yan, feeling almost angry.
Aren't you two good?
Then you persuade her!
Xiao Yan received his gaze, but he just looked at Zhang Heyao calmly and said lightly: "Thank you, Prime Minister Zhang, for coming to inform me of this matter."
He had no intention of trying to persuade Lu Qiniang at all.
Zhang Heyao was furious for a moment.
Lu Qiniang saw his anxiety and softened her tone: "Brother, I know you are doing this for my own good."
The word "brother" made Zhang Heyao pause slightly and look at her with complicated eyes.
Lu Qiniang continued, "Is there little resistance to what you're doing? The nationwide land survey and investigation of hidden farmland have affected the interests of countless powerful and influential people. I heard that you've faced assassination attempts more than once or twice. But did you back down? You didn't. You still insisted on doing what you believed was right. No matter how hard, difficult, or dangerous it was, you never thought of giving up."
"You have your persistence, which is admirable. I have mine too." Lu Qinniang's eyes were clear and firm. "This matter is unavoidable. Now that it's here, let's face it directly."
She always said that men and women are the same, and what men can do, women can do too.
Although she had not read many books and did not understand many great principles, she still learned the four words "unity of knowledge and action".
There was silence in the flower hall for a moment.
Zhang Heyao looked at Lu Qiniang, who was even more difficult to persuade and more confident than before, and understood in his heart -
I can't persuade her anymore.
Zhang Heyao looked at the two people who were so stubborn that he felt a tightness in his chest. In the end, all his words turned into a silent sigh.
"You—take care of yourself."
He turned and left, and in the bright light of early summer, his back revealed an indescribable desolation and loneliness.
After Zhang Heyao left, the flower hall became quiet.
Xiao Yan held Lu Qinniang's hand, his palm warm and dry: "Don't worry, I'm here."
Lu Qinniang yawned, looking nonchalant: "I'm not worried. Even if the sky falls, I have to sleep first. I've been up all night and I'm so sleepy. I'm going back to catch up on some sleep."
She said she was really asleep. Not long after she returned to the room and her head touched the pillow, her breathing became even and long.
Thanks to Zhang Heyao, she was able to finally fall asleep after interrupting her excitement of becoming a grandmother.
Xiao Yan sat by the bed and watched her for a while, then tucked in the quilt for her. Then he quietly got up and went out, whispering to the maid waiting outside, "Listen to the noise in the room and take good care of the lady."
He did not return to his room to rest, but went straight out of the house and said to his followers, "Go to the Ministry of War."
On the other hand, Daya had also heard that Zhang Heyao had come to her house, and urged Jiang Xuan to go and ask what was going on.
Jiang Xuan was trimming her nails.
Because she exerted too much force during childbirth, several of Daya's nails were broken.
"I'll go ask about it later. I don't think it's anything serious, otherwise my father-in-law would have already come to me. You should get some rest first and stop worrying about things outside. You should take good care of yourself during the confinement period, otherwise you will develop a chronic illness."
"Yeah." Daya nodded with a smile.
But for some reason, she always had a feeling that a storm was about to come.
I hope it’s just because she just gave birth and is emotionally unstable and having all sorts of crazy thoughts.
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