Chapter 447 Forced to Produce Customers
“Someone like me, who became the top courtesan here through my dancing skills, might be spared such suffering if I were more valuable to them.”
“But even if those powerful and wealthy people give me some face, I am still just a woman of lowly status. I am already considered to be doing quite well.”
“There are also younger sisters here who are not even of marriageable age yet, but they were implicated by their clan and sent here to be forced to serve customers.”
"I beg Your Majesty, I beg Lord Jiang, even if our clan has made a mistake, even if we women are sent to prison, forced to do hard labor, or become servants, please do not reduce these women to objects for serving men."
"We don't want to."
"Initially, I wanted to get close to the Princess of Langya to resolve this matter, but there are court officials coming and going here every day, and I also know some things about court affairs, so I didn't want to cause trouble for the Princess."
"Furthermore, regarding the late Emperor... I'm also afraid that if my identity were discovered, it would implicate Your Highness and the Princess..."
Empress Dowager Song Zhuyi helped the person up, saying, "I know what you're thinking."
"The Princess Consort mentioned this matter to me, and Lord Jiang also mentioned it to me."
“The new laws are being drafted. You are a smart woman and should know that although I am the Empress Dowager, the powerful families and clans of the court and the inner palace cannot be decided by my words alone.”
“Those men are used to standing on women’s bodies, and not many of them would agree immediately, so this matter has been slow, but it’s almost over now.”
"From now on, those who wish to stay on this pleasure boat may do so, while those who do not wish to stay may go out and find their own way to survive."
"As for the household registration, Lord Jiang proposed that there will be no such thing as a lowly status in the future."
“Every profession must have a reason for existing. Besides, if someone in the clan commits a crime, it is mostly a man who commits the crime. Why should women be classified as lowly?”
"Even girls who have made mistakes and come here only sell their art, not their bodies."
After hearing Empress Dowager Song Zhuyi's words, Lady Qu was so excited that she was about to kneel down again, but Song Zhuyi quickly reached out to support her.
Jiang Wanjun laughed and said, "You've been kneeling all night, aren't you tired? Even the Empress is tired of helping you. Stop kneeling now."
"If you wish in the future, you can wait until your status is restored and take the exam to become a female official in the inner palace, or you can participate in the imperial examination."
"Really... really okay?" Lady Qu was stunned for a moment.
"How can someone of my status participate in the imperial examinations?"
Jiang Wanjun smiled and nodded, "I am currently drafting these."
Lady Qu clenched her hands excitedly, "It seems I can't participate in the imperial examination. All I know how to do these years is dance. Let the younger girls participate instead."
“I will stay here and earn my living for them.”
“You can take the female official examination. With your dance skills, you will definitely have no problem getting into the Shangyue Bureau in the palace.”
"As for those who are younger, I will naturally arrange a place where they can learn and have a livelihood."
"But the road to advancement is difficult, and whether they succeed depends on their own efforts."
Upon hearing this, Lady Qu was about to kneel down again, but after seeing the expressions of Jiang Wanjun and Song Zhuyi, she curtsied and said, "Thank you, Your Highness, thank you, sir."
"On their behalf, I thank you."
"They will never forget your kindness in this lifetime."
The Empress Dowager gently patted Lady Qu's shoulder, "As women, we should help each other, especially in this patriarchal dynasty, we should strive to carve out our own place in the world."
"This is what the Princess Consort of Langya once told me, and now I will repeat it to you verbatim."
"I hope that all women in this world can have the ability to live without depending on men."
"I wish you all to be strong and resolute, and to be proud and vigorous."
"I do not wish for you to spend your lives solely devoted to being good wives and mothers, or vying for men."
Lady Qu's eyes were filled with tears, "Your Majesty..."
"Alright, it's getting late. I need to escort Her Majesty back to the palace," Jiang Wanjun said. If it were any later, the palace gates would be locked.
Jiang Wanjun was afraid that the Empress Dowager would get too caught up in the fun and not want to return to the palace, so she said casually.
Lady Qu said softly, "I will send someone to escort Lord Jiang and the Empress away immediately."
Just as Lady Qu was about to leave,
Then they heard a knocking sound at the door. "Miss, something bad has happened."
Madam Qu's expression tightened, and she opened the door. "What happened?"
"The Han family has brought people again." The little maid cried anxiously, "It seems they are determined to take Qingqing away today."
"I understand. You can go out now. I'll be right there," said Madam Qu as she closed the door.
Before the Empress Dowager and Jiang Wanjun could ask, she spoke first, "It's just two troublemakers. It's common for troublemakers to cause trouble in a place like this. It's nothing to be surprised about. I'd better escort Your Highness and the Lord away first."
“Wait a minute,” Jiang Wanjun said, “Is the Han family you’re talking about the one whose son died a few days ago?”
"Are they related to Han Fei of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau?"
The Empress Dowager hadn't originally planned to leave, but upon hearing this, she said, "Han Fei? I've heard some rumors that the Han family in the capital is acting recklessly because the late Emperor valued Han Fei."
"But Han Fei was very clever. He managed to escape unscathed in times of crisis, and the late emperor never found fault with him until his death, so he survived."
"He's as slippery as an eel," Jiang Wanjun chimed in. "Did someone here offend him?"
Seeing this, Madam Qu no longer concealed anything, "He is Han Fei's nephew. When he was alive, he always liked to come to this pleasure boat. He was very fond of a girl here named Qingqing."
“Every time he comes, he pesters Qingqing, but Qingqing has only been here for a short time and has just come of age... The sisters here can’t bear to see her being harmed by that beast, so they try their best to stop him.”
"I heard a few days ago that the person suddenly died. I don't know the specific reason. We were all relieved for Qingqing."
"But the Han family actually sent someone to say they wanted to take Qingqing back and arrange a ghost marriage for them."
“Of course we refused, but no matter what methods we used, the Han family just wouldn’t let go.”
"Then they would send people over every few days, insisting that Qingqing had already pledged her life to their young master and should go down to be with him."
"Bang!" Song Zhuyi slammed her hand on the table. "This is outrageous!"
"I want to see for myself what kind of monsters and demons this Han family is, that they would send a fifteen-year-old child to be buried with them."
"When did our Eastern Mausoleum have such a custom?"
“Your Majesty, I will have someone escort you back first. I will handle this matter,” Jiang Wanjun said. “If Your Majesty goes out like this, I wonder what those old men in the court will say tomorrow.”
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