Chapter 458 Taking Charge for Liu Qianrou
Two years later, Xichun had become the headmistress of the women's official school in Sichuan.
She not only taught poetry and literature, but also offered practical courses in medicine, textiles, and other fields, enabling local women to learn a skill.
Upon learning of this, the Emperor issued a special decree to commend her and also pardoned the women of the Ning family from their status as slaves. However, Xichun declined the opportunity to return to the capital, requesting only to remain in Sichuan to continue her educational endeavors.
Years later, Daiyu was ordered to inspect women's official schools in various places, and she made a special trip to Sichuan.
The once aloof young girl has now become a composed and confident headmaster.
The size of the official school expanded several times over, with hundreds of students.
Xichun led Daiyu on a tour, listing the sights with great familiarity: "This is the medicine department; the students can all identify herbs. This is the textile department; the Shu brocade they weave is already being sold in the capital..."
As the sun set, the two stood on the hilltop gazing into the distance.
Xichun said softly, "Sister Lin, thank you for saving me back then. If it weren't for you, I'm afraid I would have already..."
Daiyu held her hand: "It's all thanks to your own hard work. In fact, I should thank you for making this place so well-run."
Xichun gazed at the brightly lit school below the mountain, her eyes shining: "Sister, do you know what my greatest wish is right now?"
What is it?
"So that all women in the world can read and understand reason, and no longer depend on others for survival."
Upon hearing this, Daiyu smiled with relief.
She knew that Xichun had finally found a life more meaningful than that of a noblewoman.
As night falls, the sound of students reading aloud can be heard on the mountain breeze.
The two women stood side by side, gazing at the world they had created together.
Perhaps this is the best ending: not all redemption requires a reward, but rather that those who are redeemed can also redeem others.
The Girls' Academy, and later the Heroines' Academy, both practiced the idea that the academy was a strong support for its students. Whether they were current students or graduates, they were all within the academy's care.
As a former student of the girls' academy, Liu Qianrou did indeed use this title to secure a good marriage—marrying into the Zhang family, a family of upright and scholarly officials.
Zhang Mingyuan, the young master of the Zhang family, was a refined and gentle scholar who was quite impressed with Liu Qianrou's liveliness and cheerfulness upon their first meeting.
However, married life was far from the wonderful life Liu Qianrou had imagined.
The Zhang family is a scholarly family with strict rules.
Liu Qianrou grew up in a military family and was straightforward and generous in her actions, but in the Zhang family she was labeled as "unruly" and "rude".
Her mother-in-law, Madam Zhang, often admonished her: "Our Zhang family is a family of upright people, unlike your military families. You must know how to restrain your actions."
What hurt Liu Qianrou the most was that she and her husband Zhang Mingyuan were also drifting further and further apart.
Zhang Mingyuan was fond of talented women who could compose poems, while Liu Qianrou, although literate, had little interest in poetry and prose.
To make matters worse, Mingyuan's cousin, Su Wanrou, had been living with the Zhang family for many years. She was a talented woman who was proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and often exchanged poems with Mingyuan, making Liu Qianrou seem even more like an outsider.
That day, Liu Qianrou was scolded by her mother-in-law for talking a few extra words with several military officers' wives at the flower fair: "Those women from military families are vulgar and uncouth. You should stay away from them and avoid corrupting the reputation of our Zhang family."
Liu Qianrou couldn't help but retort: "Military generals protect their homes and country, how can that be considered vulgar?"
Madam Zhang was furious: "Well, well! She's only been married for a few days and she already dares to talk back to her mother-in-law? Mingyuan, look at the fine wife you've married!"
Mingyuan frowned and said, "Qianrou, Mother is right. You should avoid associating with those people."
Looking at her husband's indifferent expression, Liu Qianrou felt a chill in her heart.
To make matters worse, the Liu family ran into trouble at this time.
Due to the escalating border conflict, all the men of the Liu family went to the battlefield, but treacherous officials in the court took the opportunity to falsely accuse the Liu family of colluding with the enemy.
To protect the Liu family, the Emperor ostensibly confined the women of the Liu family to their residence, but in reality, he feared they would be harmed by treacherous people.
Outsiders, unaware of the inside story, all thought the Liu family was about to fall.
The Zhang family's attitude changed drastically. Madam Zhang even said in front of the servants, "If I had known, I shouldn't have married this jinx!"
Liu Qianrou's life in the Zhang family became increasingly difficult.
The food was often cold, and her monthly allowance was severely reduced. What was even more terrifying was that she discovered she was pregnant, but dared not say a word, fearing that she would be harmed.
However, things didn't go as planned. That day, Su Wanrou brought over a bowl of medicine to help with pregnancy and said softly, "My sister-in-law hasn't been looking well lately. This is a prescription I specially asked for to help with pregnancy."
Although Liu Qianrou felt something was amiss, she drank it out of politeness. That night, she suffered excruciating abdominal pain and miscarried.
Madam Zhang not only did not pursue the matter, but also said that Liu Qianrou was "careless," and Zhang Mingyuan avoided seeing her altogether.
Liu Qianrou lay on the cold bed, tears streaming down her face, finally realizing that she was always an outsider in this family.
Xiangtao encountered Liu Qianrou's maid on the street several times. Seeing that she was acting suspiciously, secretly buying medicine, and gazing at the gate of the Liu family with tears in her eyes, Xiangtao felt something was wrong and immediately reported the matter to the academy.
Yuan Hongqu quickly found out what had happened to Liu Qianrou.
When the news reached them, Daiyu happened to be there. Upon hearing about Liu Qianrou's ordeal, she immediately threw down the book in her hand: "That Zhang family! How dare they bully our academy's students like this!"
Yuan Hongqu was even more furious: "Although Qianrou is not a diligent student, she is kind-hearted. How can she suffer such injustice!"
The two immediately decided to seek justice for Liu Qianrou.
The first to step forward was Wang Xifeng.
She sent an invitation to the Zhang family in the name of the Rongguo Mansion, inviting Madam Zhang to visit. Although the Zhang family was a respectable scholarly family, it was still quite an honor to receive an invitation from a family like the Rongguo Mansion, so they gladly accepted.
To everyone's surprise, upon arriving at the Rongguo Mansion, they saw Wang Xifeng sitting at the head of the table with a cold face, flanked by several ladies with official titles.
"Madam Zhang, you have quite the airs!" Wang Xifeng sneered. "Are our academy's students so worthless in your Zhang family?"
Madam Zhang hadn't considered the possibility that it was Liu Qianrou: "Second Madam, is there some misunderstanding?"
"A misunderstanding?" Wang Xifeng sneered.
"Liu Qianrou comes from a girls' academy, doesn't your family know that! How can you bully a student from a girls' academy like this? Do you really think our academy is just for show? Do you really think their senior sister, the Empress, won't stand up for them?"
Madam Zhang then realized that today's banquet was a trap.
"Second Madam, Liu Qianrou is my Zhang family's daughter-in-law. Our family will never mistreat her. You don't need to worry about these family matters."
"Family matters?" Yuan Hongqu emerged from behind the screen. "Since Liu Qianrou studied at the Girls' Academy, she is our student. If a student of the academy is bullied, it is the academy's business!"
On the other side, Daiyu led the students of the Women's Academy to the door to demand the person.
A large crowd immediately gathered in front of the Zhang family's house; they were all ordinary people who came to see what was going on.
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