The three princesses fell into deep thought. Their stubborn beliefs of the past decade or so were instantly overturned by Lanqin's words, and they naturally needed some time to adjust. Seeing their hesitation, Lanqin pulled them to sit around her and earnestly persuaded them: "Actually, your thoughts are not wrong. Since ancient times, men have been superior to women, and men are responsible for external affairs while women are responsible for internal affairs. Even if men have multiple wives and concubines and indulge in debauchery, it is all justified..."
The three remained silent.
"However, this is not an excuse for us to be submissive. In order to live well in our husband's family, in addition to giving birth to a son to secure our position, the most important thing is to win the man's heart..."
Lanqin's words made the three princesses blush.
"Most men are fickle and easily bored. They may be able to gain favor when they are young because of their beauty, but they will lose that love once their looks fade. So we women should learn to use our strengths to capture a man's heart and gain his respect..." Lanqin patiently advised.
The three were bewildered and couldn't quite understand what Lanqin meant.
Lanqin sighed, "Although I know it's difficult to change your minds, I hope you understand that your lives are not just for your husbands, but for yourselves..." Lanqin paused, then continued, "Only when you live happily and confidently will your husbands be attracted to you, discover your inner beauty, and not easily abandon you because of your appearance..."
Qing'an was somewhat moved and muttered to herself, "Living for myself?"
Lanqin nodded solemnly: "Yes, live for yourselves. Although you didn't choose this marriage, you can choose your life after marriage..."
Qing Le said sadly, "Your Majesty, I understand a little... My mother was Father's concubine. Because she wasn't the principal wife, she was never well received in the Prince's residence. At first, my mother was young and beautiful, and Father doted on her. My mother placed all her hopes on Father and had no opinions of her own. She listened to Father's arrangements in everything..." Qing Le couldn't help but sob as she spoke of Consort Tian.
Qing'an patted Qing Le and comforted her, "Yes, later on, Mother got older and her appearance wasn't as beautiful as before, so Father got tired of her and stopped visiting her often. The three of us, mother and daughters, were like being forgotten in the Prince's mansion... We had to be mindful of others' opinions in everything we did, and if anything didn't go our way, we'd get a beating or scolding..."
Lanqin tenderly wiped away Qingle and Qing'an's tears. Qingle smiled bitterly and said, "Mother relied on Father too much and made her husband her everything, which is why we're in this situation now. And we were sent to the palace because we had to follow Father's wishes..."
Lanqin, her eyes red, sobbed, "It's alright, all of that is in the past. You're still young, and you have many opportunities ahead of you. As long as you seize them, you'll definitely live a happy and fulfilling life..."
The three nodded tearfully, their resolve hardening, and said, "Your Majesty, you are right, we will all listen to you..."
Seeing that the three had finally put aside their concerns, Lanqin began to explain her plan: "Besides what I mentioned before, there is another important thing: to strengthen your bodies. Princesses of the Qing Dynasty who marry far away rarely have a good ending, mainly because they are too weak. So the first thing you need to learn is to adapt to local customs as soon as possible."
The three looked hesitant, exchanging glances, somewhat lacking confidence. Lanqin smiled and said, "It's alright, I've thought of everything for you... I've already invited a female martial arts instructor from outside the palace to teach you some boxing techniques and self-defense skills..."
Before the three could refuse, Lanqin smiled and said, "Starting tomorrow, you should change your clothes and practice boxing with the female master after breakfast every day. We'll start by learning to exercise..."
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