in2ebook Chapter 493: Establishing a Girls' School
Chapter 493: Establishing a Girls' School
Mu Yao slowly pulled her hand back from Old Madam Kong's grasp, "Old Madam, you don't need to persuade me. I've thought it through clearly. My relationship with Kong Lin has come to an end. I divorced him not because of the things Hong Qiao caused, but simply because I have no feelings for him anymore. Even if Hong Qiao wasn't here today, there would be someone else. As for why you didn't torture me, it's because I have the Pingxi Marquis Mansion behind me. You wouldn't dare. My mother-in-law is weak in character, and the old lady is thinking of the dowry in my hands. If she wants to covet my dowry, she naturally won't treat me badly."
"As for my identity as a second wife, I don't care at all. There are many second wives in the world, not just me. And women are not born to live only around men and children. I have tasted the bitterness of love, so for the rest of my life, I can freely pursue the life I want and do meaningful things. I don't have to get married and stay with a man for a lifetime of trouble and worry. So I still have to thank the old lady for reminding me."
After hearing what Mu Yao said, Mrs. Kong's face turned extremely ugly. "Mu Yao, you will definitely regret divorcing my grandson."
"I don't know whether I will regret it later, but if I don't divorce Kong Lin, I will definitely regret it. After all, if I don't divorce, I can only stay in the inner house and live a widow's life. This is not the life I want." Mu Yao's cold eyes swept across Madam Kong.
Gu Jianchu didn't expect Mu Yao to be so open-minded, and immediately smiled, "Miss Mu is right. Women are not born into this world with only one path to live, which is to get married and have children. There are many other paths to choose from. You can realize your own life and do what you like."
"Zhuxi, please help me draft an imperial decree of divorce for Miss Muyao. Miss Muyao, please get up. Your bright and glorious life is about to begin again. Go and do what you like. If you need anything, you can come to the palace to find me." Gu Jianchu stood up personally and helped Muyao up.
Mu Yao was helped up by the Queen in panic. After she stood up, she immediately kept a safe distance from the Queen, because when the Queen helped her, she could feel the Emperor's cold eyes sweeping over her.
"Thank you, Your Majesty. I want to find your sister and help out at Chunshui Embroidery Workshop. Just like your sister, I want to do something meaningful and do something for those women." This is what Mu Yao wants to do right now.
Since my sister's Chunshui Embroidery Workshop opened, it has taken in many poor women who were kicked out by their husbands' families or relatives, providing them with a place to live and earn some money.
However, when my sister opened the Chunshui Embroidery Workshop, she probably didn't expect to accept so many people.
It's a bit crowded now. I guess when Mu Yao goes there, the two of them will discuss expansion.
When Zhuxi drafted the edict, it was naturally necessary to stamp it with the phoenix seal, but the phoenix seal was in the palace, and it would take some time to get it stamped. However, with the Queen's words, the two were considered to be divorced, so the people brought by Pingxi Bo played a role. They started moving things according to the dowry list that Mu Yao brought in. Those that could not be moved were directly smashed. The main point was that anything that could not be moved would not be left to the Shangshu Mansion. As for the money that Muyao subsidized, Muyao did not take it back, just as a way to repay the friendship during this period.
After the Pingxi Marquis' Mansion moved the dowry away, there was not much left in the Shangshu Mansion, probably only the load-bearing walls and simple tables, chairs and benches.
Pingxi Bo didn't even leave a charcoal brazier as a dowry for the Shangshu Mansion. The people in the Shangshu Mansion could only watch Pingxi Bo's Mansion move the things away and could do nothing.
Old Madam Kong was even forced to cover her chest, and finally she could only close her eyes and not look.
As for Cao Li's matter, it was handed over to the Ministry of Justice and the Dali Temple for handling. After Mu Yao's matter was resolved, Gu Jianchu and Xie Ci'an had no reason to stay any longer, and they, together with their mistress Xie Qingzhi, left the Shangshu Mansion one after another.
After the three men left, the armchair they had sat on was taken away by people from the Pingxi Marquis' Mansion.
Gu Jianchu and Xie Ci'an wanted to return to the palace, while Xie Qingzhi wanted to return to the mansion. The three of them had different routes, so they had to go their separate ways.
The carriage was warm. Gu Jianchu took off his cloak and casually put it aside. On the table stood a small red clay stove, boiling a pot of hot tea. The hot tea was now completely boiling. Xie Ci'an picked it up and poured two cups, then handed one to Gu Jianchu. "Achu, have a cup of hot tea to warm yourself up. You have been wronged in this Shangshu Mansion. Even without a charcoal fire, the tea is not boiling hot."
"It's not that I feel wronged, but I didn't expect it to involve such a big thing." Gu Jianchu took the teacup and held it in the water. After the tea cooled down a little, he took a sip and put it back on the table.
Gu Jianchu stared at the boiling teapot with a gloomy expression.
Xie Ci'an knew that she must be unhappy about what happened today.
Xie Ci'an grabbed her slender fingers. Gu Jianchu's fingers were not warm, but only warm, perhaps because they were eroded by the cold air in the Shangshu Mansion.
While Xie Ci'an was holding Gu Jianchu's hand, he also put his other hand around her waist and gently pulled her onto his knees. "What happened to Cao Li is not what you want. Even with the strictest laws, there are always places where filth and corruption can hide. There are also criminals who exploit loopholes in the law to do evil things. What's more, Cao Li is indeed a smart man. Even if he did something evil, he chose people who would not be discovered by the government."
Gu Jianchu nestled in Xie Ci'an's arms, her head naturally resting on his shoulder. "My unhappiness is not entirely due to these things. I am thinking about the pitiful and miserable aspects of women in the world. Many people, even if they are bullied by their husband's family or their own family, will blame themselves and think it is their own fault, instead of thinking about the problem as open-mindedly as Mu Yao. Mu Yao is right in what she said. Women in the world should not be trapped in the inner house with their husbands and children. They should also do what they like to do, like my sister and Wen Nuan, who embroider and do business. As long as they make money and have an income, they can decide their own lives and live freely. Maybe they can also become officials. They don't have to rely on men or have only one way to get married."
"To the emperor, may my words be too unorthodox? After all, they challenge men's rights and allow women to do what they like without being restricted by the harem." After asking this question, Gu Jianchu observed Xie Ci'an's expression cautiously.