Chapter 267 Missing (3)
As Shen Miao walked, she carefully looked at the lanterns and riddles scattered around the streets. Shen Xin and his friends hated riddles the most, simply because they were all rough men from military families and couldn't afford to bother with such elaborate and flowery things. In Shen Qiu's words, "If you like the lanterns that are used as lucky numbers, I'll go to the capital tomorrow and find a master to carve an identical one for you. Why bother with all that effort?"
Shen Qiu was unable to appreciate the "elegance" of Chen Ruoqiu and his group. After waiting for Chen Ruoqiu and his group to finish guessing the lantern riddles, as they were walking forward, Aunt Wan suddenly said to Shen Gui, "Master, I heard that there will be a Jade Rabbit Fairy dancing at Wanli Lake tonight. This year, the Jade Rabbit Lantern will also be set off by the lake. Let's go over there and take a look."
Chen Ruoqiu frowned upon hearing this and whispered, "The Jade Rabbit Fairy is from Baoxianglou. We're bringing the girls with us today, so I'm afraid it might be a bit awkward." Baoxianglou was the capital's most expensive place, the most beautiful women there. Countless men had abandoned their wives and lavished fortunes just to sleep with one of its girls. Even the wives, at least, were scornful of the place. However, no matter how much the wives despised it, it couldn't change the fact that the girls there were exceptionally talented. Therefore, this year, the Jade Rabbit Fairy had once again fallen to one of its girls.
"Second Madam," Aunt Wan said softly, "Although that's the case, it's just an act after all. I think the Jade Rabbit Fairy will never do anything inappropriate in front of so many people. She's just watching the fun. There's no need to take it so seriously." Aunt Wan hadn't wanted to argue with Chen Ruoqiu at first, but like Ren Wanyun, she just couldn't stand Chen Ruoqiu's aloof appearance. She always had to put on airs as a scholar. Even compared to Ren Wanyun, Aunt Wan hated Chen Ruoqiu more because she herself was from an opera troupe. Chen Ruoqiu's suppression of Baoxianglou today undoubtedly showed his disdain for her behavior.
Their tit-for-tat exchange was heard by everyone, and for a moment, the atmosphere became somewhat exciting. Men would not interfere in women's arguments. Shen Dongling simply held Aunt Wan's hand, her lips tightly sealed, and remained silent. Shen Yue wanted to argue for Chen Ruoqiu, but felt that doing so would be beneath her status as a legitimate daughter, so no one spoke for a moment.
"Who said going to Wanli Lake is just to see the Jade Rabbit Fairy?" Shen Miao spoke softly in the silence, "The grand spectacle of thousands of people lighting lanterns is not something you can see every day. Moreover, one's background, whether rich or poor, is not a choice, so there is no need to look down on others because of it. Regardless of her status, today she is the Jade Rabbit Fairy. With a clear mind, why should she care about these external things?"
Everyone was stunned at first, and Shen Xin was the first to laugh: "Jiaojiao is right, you can't choose your background of poverty or wealth, so what's the point of looking down on others!"
Luo Xueyan also smiled. They were fighting on the battlefield. Some of the soldiers in the army came from official families, but the majority were ordinary people. Some of them couldn't even afford to eat, while others had elderly people at home who were starving to death. When it came to their backgrounds, everyone had their own hardships. Therefore, they never looked down on the poor. Shen Miao's words resonated with both of them.
“Sister,” Shen Qiu patted Shen Miao’s shoulder, “You sound like a great man who cares about the world. With such a broad mind, even I, your elder brother, am ashamed of myself.”
Although she knew that Chen Qiu was joking, Shen Miao was slightly distracted. In her previous life, she married Fu Xiuyi and became the Queen. While it was indeed for love, as the Queen, the responsibilities she shouldered were no less than those of others. The phrase "Mother of the Country" simply meant ensuring that all the people lived and worked in peace and contentment. The ruler should love their people. This was what Fu Xiuyi taught her, even though he himself hadn't lived up to it.
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