eurekapd Chapter 256 Ambition
Chapter 256 Ambition
Yuan Qi seemed to be particularly talkative today: "Not to mention the poor families here, even in many relatively wealthy families, the lives of girls are not even one tenth of those of boys, such as Lu Ju..."
Lu Ju had been following Yuan Qi all the time, and she shrank back in fright when she was suddenly mentioned.
Yuan Qi didn't notice it, and pulled Lu Ju forward: "A maid like Lu Ju, her family is not so poor, but she was sold to the Yuan family to be a servant at an early age in order to marry her brother. Originally, she signed a living contract, but later, because her brother was not making progress and owed gambling debts, they simply sold their daughter to death. If it weren't for the poverty of the family and the fact that she was a girl, how could she have been sold to someone else's family to be a servant since she was a child?"
Lu Ju was originally an extrovert, and after years of experience with Yuan Qi, she was able to handle things, but for some reason, she was instinctively afraid when facing Prince Yi.
But she also knew that her young lady was using her as an example, so she nodded boldly: "Yes, what the young lady said is true. But I am also lucky. I was bought by the Yuan family and can follow the young lady for the rest of my life. It has become a blessing for me."
"What's a lifetime? Don't worry, sooner or later I will find a good family worthy of you." Yuan Qi pointed at Lu Ju.
Luju smiled shyly and stepped back.
Zhou Chang understood this in his mind, but it was not so easy for him to let it go.
Yuan Qi also had some insight and continued, "Your Highness Prince Yi may not have thought that it was better for the girl to die early. Otherwise, she would have been born in such a family with a mother like that. Who knows what her fate would be in two years."
"That's true. If that girl were alive, maybe, not..." Zhou Chang thought of something and looked towards the epidemic area. "One day, if all women can study with dignity, perhaps a tragedy like the one just now will be possible..."
"So what if I study?" Yuan Qi shook her head again, "I used to think the same as Your Highness Prince Yi, but after experiencing more, I no longer think so."
"Why? In any case, if women can read and understand, Mrs. Zhang would not regard her daughter's life as worthless. Even she herself does not consider herself as a human being." As the distance increased, Zhou Chang could not see the faces of the people behind the fence. He could only see a long line of ragged bodies.
"In such a world, what's the point for women to study and learn knowledge? It will only make them more miserable." Yuan Qi also looked back in the direction Zhou Chang was looking.
"Miss Yuan, do you have any better idea?" Zhou Chang suddenly felt confused. The long line seemed endless, just like the sufferings in life had no end.
Yuan Qi smiled and said proudly, "I want to open a women's workshop. Even if women are well-educated, they will not have the opportunity to work. Even if they work, they will be slaves and servants, and in the end even their families will look down on them. The women's workshop can provide an opportunity for all women in the world who want to be self-reliant to work, so that they can support themselves, without relying on anyone, and be independent between heaven and earth."
"Women's workshop?" Zhou Chang was shocked. Yuan Qi's idea was indeed more far-sighted than hers.
What’s the point of studying? If you are not financially independent, it will be difficult to be spiritually independent, and your social status will also be independent.
Yuan Qiqiuhong's bright eyes emerged from the shadow of his hood, looking up at the sky, full of hope: "No matter how much a woman studies, if she has no place to put her skills to use, it is just a decorative facade. She cannot participate in the imperial examinations and cannot change her status. Especially for women from poor families, who don't even have the opportunity to touch a book, it would be better to do something more practical so that they can earn their own income, so that whether they get married or not, their lives will be better."
"Miss Yuan, what an ambition." Zhou Chang stared at Yuan Qi's face and couldn't take his eyes off her. Yuan Qi was her ideal, even more ideal than her ideal. That was a surprise.
Originally, she had fantasized that if she could one day assume Yuan Qi's identity, she would definitely use the modern thinking from her previous life and the resources of the Yuan family to build a career.
But now it seems that her pattern and cognition are not as good as Yuan Qi's. On the contrary, Yuan Qi was born in a feudal world where men are superior to women, but he can have such extraordinary insights, which is extremely rare.
"I originally planned to open several silk weaving workshops in various places, and they can be changed into women's workshops. Ordinary women do these things at home. In the future, in Lin Country and even the whole world, there will be workshops that provide jobs for women. Not only weaving, but also embroidery, clothing, and even jewelry, tea art..." Yuan Qi was completely unaware of Zhou Chang's thoughts. He was immersed in his dreams. He muttered for a long time before reacting and quickly stopped talking, "Ah, Your Highness Prince Yi, I am nagging."
Yuan Qi's profile was glowing, and Zhou Chang's eyes were fixed on him. His body and consciousness seemed to be his own and yet not his own. He couldn't help but say, "Okay, I support you. If you need any help, just come to me."
Yuan Qi didn't know why she was so talkative in front of Prince Yi today, and she felt annoyed about it. When she looked up, she found Prince Yi staring at her blankly. Her cheeks flushed and she hid her face under her hood: "Your Highness Prince Yi has such a heart. I would like to thank you on behalf of those women."
"It hasn't even started yet, why are you so anxious to thank me?" Zhou Chang retracted his gaze.
"Who said it hasn't started? Actually..." Yuan Qi stopped talking halfway through, and a blush appeared on the half of his face exposed under the hood.
Zhou Chang was stunned for a moment, then he smiled indifferently: "Haha, it turns out that I am still ignorant. I didn't expect Miss Yuan to have achieved something so far. Her ambitions and aspirations are not inferior to those of men, and are even stronger than most men. I am ashamed of myself and I really admire her."
"Your Highness Prince Yi has a heart for the world, how can a little girl like me compare to you? Your Highness, you flatter me." Yuan Qi's cheeks turned redder, and she bowed her head deeply, as if in a hurry to avoid it. "Your Highness Prince Yi, if there is nothing else, I should leave now."
"Ah, Miss Yuan, wait a minute..." Zhou Chang wanted to see the guest off, but an idea popped up in his mind, and then he took out a prescription from his arms, "It's courtesy to exchange gifts, take this, this is a prescription copied from Taoist Yun Huazi. Now that the epidemic is spreading throughout the city, no one can avoid it. Master Yuan and I should drink a bowl of medicine every day, just in case."
"As for reciprocity, I would like to thank His Royal Highness Prince Yi for giving me the prescription." Yuan Qi Qiuhong's eyes sparkled, but she did not refuse and took it.
"Miss Yuan, I am very grateful for your consolation today. Unfortunately, I have nothing to offer, so I can only thank you with this." Zhou Chang understood the meaning of Yuan Qi's words to her at this moment, and smiled again, completely sweeping away the gloom just now, "Haha, Miss Yuan, don't take it to heart. It's just that the medicinal materials are too expensive nowadays, and I can't afford them, so I only sent a piece of paper."
Yuan Qi had already hidden himself completely in his cloak. When he heard this, he paused but didn't say anything. He bowed and turned to leave.