Chapter 798 Even a woman can live a happy life!
The audience below, listening to Li's father's praise of Li San Niang, thought she was something special. But Li San Niang, who stepped onto the platform, was indeed extraordinary. After saying a few words, Li Si Lang struck the gong and the banquet began.
"Such a decisive and efficient young woman is truly a rare sight. No wonder she was granted an official position by the Emperor."
Hearing his old friend's words, Mr. Li felt very pleased. He stroked his beard and said, "Not at all, not at all. She was just impatient with me talking a few more words."
But there was no sign of dissatisfaction on Li's father's face; he was just complaining.
Jinmanlou's service was impeccable; once the gong was struck, it meant the banquet had truly begun.
On the Li family's side, servants dressed in blue short jackets each carried a tray. The four of them split up and started serving cold dishes and delicate snacks, the kind of food only wealthy families would eat.
Father Li, accompanied by Third Sister Li, began by toasting at the table in the main hall where Physician Sun and Doctor Gao were present. They then moved to the second table in the side hall, where wealthy families who were on good terms with the Li family, such as Fang Chengxian, Junior Brother Shaoyang, and Xing Yu, were seated.
Li San Niang was thus pulled along by her father, and together with her elder brothers, she visited all seven or eight tables.
The first few tables were fine; most of the people there were quite reserved, and when they offered compliments, they did so in a very subtle way.
But the people at the tables outside, especially those living on the same street as the Li family, had watched Li San Niang grow up, get married, divorce, and return home. They had also watched her become a doctor and eventually become an official. The things they said were so blunt that even though Li San Niang was drinking a sweet fruit wine that was only slightly sweet, her cheeks turned red and she was too embarrassed to raise her head.
"...On the day Third Sister was born, I saw the sky filled with colorful clouds. At that time, I knew that Third Sister would have a great destiny in the future!"
Look, look, isn't that how it is now?
"It's not that we don't have officials in our streets, but a woman like Third Sister is truly the first of her kind to hold that position!"
After finally finishing her socializing at the Li family's place, Li San Niang quickly followed Li's mother and the others who were waiting at the door to the Women's Assistance Association next door.
It's probably because all the customers here are women, there isn't a single man, and even the people serving the dishes are all young maids from Jinmanlou who wear the same beige dresses.
Therefore, as soon as Li San Niang entered, she was met with curious glances from all the other women.
Those with a lively personality, like Yin Liuniang, would directly say, "Well, it's quite something that Master Li only comes over when the hot dishes are almost served. He must be punished with three cups of wine."
Sisters, am I right?
When one person speaks, all directions echo in response.
Why would Li San Niang be afraid of this?
She walked over to the table where Yin Liuniang was and poured herself three cups of fruit wine.
A high platform was also erected here. Li San Niang walked directly onto the platform with a freshly poured cup of wine. Standing on the platform, she looked at the dozens of women of different ages below and shouted loudly, "It is an honor for you all to come to my banquet today. I thank you very much."
Li San Niang raised her cup to the guests, saying, "This cup is a toast to everyone!"
After finishing her drink, Li Sanniang bowed to everyone again.
"Without further ado, everyone, I only wish you all a good meal and drinks today. If there are any mistakes, please forgive me."
After saying this, Li San Niang was about to leave the stage when she heard Yin Liu Niang's voice from below the stage again: "Doctor Li, don't rush to leave the stage."
Can you say a few more words to us?
There are women who can become officials; I know there are female officials in the imperial palace.
But you're the first woman to hold an official position in the Imperial Medical Bureau!
Dr. Li, please say a few more words to us; we want to hear them.
Yin Liu Niang stood up and looked around: "Ah, sisters, am I right? Don't you all want to hear more from Doctor Li?"
Some of the bolder ones echoed loudly, "We want to hear it! We want to hear it! Dr. Li, please say a few more words!"
Unable to refuse such hospitality, Li San Niang took two steps back and stood in the center of the platform again. After she settled down, she did not say anything immediately, but instead looked at everyone below the platform from left to right.
After pausing for a couple of breaths, seeing that the women below the stage were not urging her, Li San Niang swallowed and then slowly spoke.
“My mother was a midwife,” Li San Niang said, looking at her mother in the audience. “I’m sure many of you know that.”
"Everyone knows this, right? All three of my boys were delivered by Midwife Zhao."
Li San Niang smiled and nodded at her neighbor Aunt Zhao who answered, "My mother is still delivering babies. Even though the establishment of this Women's Assistance Association has kept my mother very busy, she still delivers babies for women in the outer three cities, charging only a dozen or so yuan each time."
To the women and girls present, a dozen or so coins wasn't a lot, but it wasn't so little as to be worthless.
The women were puzzled. How did Li San Niang suddenly bring up the matter of how much money Li's mother charged for midwifery?
However, no one urged or asked any questions; everyone wanted to hear what Li San Niang would say next.
“My sister-in-law,” Li San Niang said, looking at Li’s sister-in-law standing next to Li’s mother. Li’s sister-in-law was a little confused. Why was she being mentioned?
"My sister-in-law, Jiang Meihua, comes from a family of martial artists. She can ride horses, shoot arrows, and also knows some martial arts."
When she married my eldest brother, I was still very young. My mother was always busy, so it was thanks to my sister-in-law that I was taken care of.
Sister-in-law Li was puzzled. She felt that since her husband's younger sister was young and her mother-in-law had things to do, she should take care of her younger sister and live a good life together.
Why should Li San Niang say this in front of everyone?
Sister-in-law Li felt a little embarrassed. Listening to Li San Niang's words, Li's mother guessed what she wanted to say, so she reached out and patted Sister-in-law Li's arm lightly, indicating that she didn't need to be embarrassed. It was what she did, and there was nothing wrong with talking about it.
"My second sister-in-law, Wu Lan, comes from Wujia Village on the outskirts of Beijing. She is the eldest granddaughter in the family. She has been diligent and efficient since childhood and is a very capable person."
After she married my second brother, she helped my mother and sister-in-law a great deal at home.
Li Ersao was stunned for a moment. She didn't expect that after such a conflict with Li Sanniang in the past, Li Sanniang would praise her in front of everyone!
"As for me, since I was the youngest daughter in the family, my father, mother, elder brother, second elder brother, and even my elder sister-in-law all doted on me. When I was young, apart from learning medicine with my father, I did very little to help with household chores."
Ladies and gentlemen, I am fortunate to be granted an official position by the sage today. This is not just my personal glory, but the glory of me and my family!
Because of their help and support, I am who I am today!
Therefore, ladies, a woman can certainly marry a husband and have children, or she can find a way to make a living outside, like my mother who delivers babies, or like Lady Yin who runs a silk shop. These are all good options.
Of course, a woman can also become an official through her own abilities, just like me.
"Don't just look at me and think I'm the only one who's become an official. I also know that there's a woman in the Ministry of Agriculture (Bi Qionglan) who's over fifty years old and became an official even earlier than me, simply because she's good at farming."
Li Sanniang looked around the room from left to right again. "Ladies and gentlemen," she said, "a woman can live just as happily as a man. Whether at home or outside, a woman is the best!"
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