The altar wasn't built by the current dynasty, but rather renovated on ruins left behind by the previous dynasty. It was vast and majestic. He Qing, standing on the shaft of the cart and gazing out into the distance, couldn't help but feel a sense of awe. However, this feeling was soon shattered.
As a female member of the family, she was not qualified to participate in the sacrifice. So soon, people from the Ministry of Internal Affairs came to arrange for them to avoid disrupting the sacrificial ceremony ahead.
He Qing was arranged to stay with the royal family members, and the couple looked very lively.
No one complained about not being able to participate in the sacrifices, as if this was the norm. Not only were women not allowed to participate in large-scale sacrifices like this, but most women were also not allowed to participate in various sacrifices, big or small, during the four seasons and eight festivals.
Women from the royal family were not allowed to enter the Taimiao, and women from the common people were not allowed to enter the ancestral hall, otherwise they would "defile" their ancestors.
That's ridiculous.
He Qing felt increasingly depressed as she found herself surrounded by such a group of people. Only she knew that none of this was natural. In ancient times, before agriculture emerged and when humans relied solely on hunting and gathering, there existed a matriarchal society where women, due to their reproductive abilities, held a far higher status than men.
In the world she remembered, after several liberations, although women were still excluded and suppressed because of their gender and suffered humiliation and injustice, compared with the present, those were days that she could not even imagine.
Everyone can make their own decisions, regardless of gender, age, origin or background.
He Qing knew, of course, that such a day didn't come overnight. It was finally won after countless ancestors bravely fought for it, shed their blood and sacrificed their lives, paying a terrible price.
But—but there must be someone who started it first, right?
Once this thought emerged from the depths of her heart, it could no longer be erased. He Qing's heartbeat accelerated, and she tried to suppress it, but it was useless. She asked herself, after being reborn, what kind of life do I want to live?
I may not have the experience of being at the mercy of others and having no one to turn to like in my previous life, but is that enough?
She will not experience this only because she has the support of the Grand Empress Dowager and took the initiative to become a nun. But in the future, countless women will follow in her footsteps and embark on this tragic path.
If you don't fight for it, nothing will ever change.
However, the road ahead was fraught with danger and difficulty, and the mere thought of it was frightening. He Qing did not dare to make up her mind to do it rashly. She was just an ordinary girl, young, with little experience and a short-sighted vision. She did not know how far she could go, nor did she know if she had the courage to persevere.
The people around were still gossiping about other people, which made He Qing feel uncomfortable. He simply stood up and left the table to go outside for some fresh air.
The atmosphere here was quite solemn, and no one wandered around casually. He Qing found a corner to stay, unnoticed, and drifted off into a trance. It wasn't until the ground beneath his feet began to shake that He Qing suddenly came to his senses.
There's an earthquake!
Until this moment, her heart, which had been tense for a long time, slowly calmed down.
More people would panic because of this sudden earthquake, but for He Qing, when the earthquake really happened, it was the time when everything was settled.
Everyone in the court who had previously questioned Empress Dowager Zhang and the dream had to recalibrate their stance. For some reason, it felt a bit refreshing to think about it. Especially that arrogant Gu Zheng, who thought he was the only smart one, wondering how he felt when he discovered that the earthquake he hadn't believed in actually happened.
He Qing pondered this question as he returned to the side hall where he had been temporarily staying. He was immediately grabbed by Yu Ping, "Where has Master Zhen gone? The Empress Dowager has sent someone to look for you, asking you to accompany her over there!"
"I'll go right away." He Qing immediately perked up after hearing that.
The altar only felt the tremors, but wasn't significantly affected. After a brief moment of panic, things stabilized. The most important issue now was the capital.
When He Qing arrived, the messenger came and said that there were several cracks nearly half a meter wide on the ground in the capital, and many houses nearby were damaged. Fortunately, people were prepared and escaped, but they could not take their belongings with them and suffered some losses.
The army is currently patrolling and maintaining order. Although the people are slightly panicked, the situation is under control. Several officials who stayed behind in the capital instead of accompanying the emperor today have asked everyone to return quickly to take charge of the situation.
"Thank God, nothing went wrong." The Grand Empress Dowager was the first to breathe a sigh of relief. "This is only possible thanks to the blessing of Heaven and the mercy of our ancestors!"
The ministers inevitably followed up with a few clichés, and Xue Zhizhi finally said, "Since the sacrifices have ended and the earthquake has occurred, we must return to the capital as soon as possible to deal with the subsequent matters."
"That's exactly what we should do," the Grand Empress Dowager nodded. "But there are too many of us, and it would be troublesome to travel. It would be better to send some of them back to the capital first."
"I am willing to share the country's worries." Xue Zhidao said immediately.
The Grand Empress Dowager shook her head. "Prime Minister Xue has good intentions, but you are old. How can you be so worried and busy? Since it is not a matter of utmost urgency, let the young people handle it." She turned to Gu Zheng and said, "Master Gu is young and promising, so I will leave this matter to you."
"I will obey your command." Gu Zheng stepped out and responded.
He Qing looked up and met Gu Zheng's gaze as he straightened up. Their eyes met and then separated. He Qing walked to Empress Dowager Zhang's side and whispered, "Your Majesty, there should be someone in the palace to take charge of the overall situation."
Empress Dowager Zhang nodded and said to the Grand Empress Dowager, "Mother, without the head of the palace, chaos is likely to break out. Lord Gu is an outsider, after all, so it's not appropriate for him to interfere in palace affairs. It would be better to ask Master Huiru to return first and take care of everything."
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