kvmb What you learn in Chapter 513 is always worthwhile.
What you learn in Chapter 513 is always worthwhile.
“Great,”
Jiang Zhiyi's voice trembled slightly, "This idea is too shocking, I, I..."
She was momentarily unable to express her feelings.
Born into a prominent family, she received the best education from a young age. Her academic and political skills surpassed those of many men. Even so, her family instilled in her the importance of being a good matriarch.
Her talent, her looks, and her personality can only be added value to her future role as a matriarch or a lady of a large family. She had thought about it all her life, but never considered how to break free from that.
She could understand many of Lu Yangyang's thoughts, but they were truly, truly shocking to her.
This was clearly not a difficult task. In many family affairs she had handled in the past, and in the books she had read, there were some similarities, but she had never thought about how to connect them with the current situation.
Along this journey, time and again, it seemed to open up a new world for her.
Looking at her excited expression, Lu Yangyang wasn't entirely sure either: "I don't know if it will work, but it reminds me of when I was studying in the capital. What does it matter what you learn? As long as it's useful, that's fine. So we can try it first and see if it's really useful or if it can really be implemented. If it really works, it's a long-term endeavor, and what we learn is always worthwhile."
Jiang Zhiyi nodded solemnly, "Yes, what we learn is always worthwhile. I understand what you mean. I will have someone put together the plan tomorrow, no, tonight. I will go to see Prefect Ling when he is free. We will set up an academy to help the girls find work in the future, so that they can learn useful skills and support themselves so that they will no longer have to compromise on how to survive."
Lu Yangyang also got excited and nodded, "Yes."
Just then, an announcement came from outside the door: "Miss Jiang, someone requests an audience."
Jiang Zhiyi got up to open the door, and there stood Xiu Niang carrying a food box.
Xiu Niang looked over nervously, but when she saw Lu Yangyang, she exclaimed in surprise, "Sister!"
Lu Yangyang waved to her: "Xiuniang? What brings you here?"
Xiu Niang walked in carrying a food box, placed it on the table, opened the lid, and looked at her shyly, saying, "I... I used the kitchen here to make some food for my sister."
Lu Yangyang had smelled the aroma as soon as Xiu Niang opened the food box. After all that fuss, she was starving, and the smell made her stomach rumble even more. She immediately exclaimed, "Xiu Niang, are you a tapeworm in my stomach? How did you know I was hungry? I'm starving! It smells so good!"
Lu Yangyang quickly got up and helped take out the food from inside. It was a few very ordinary dishes, which looked very simple, but the aroma wafting to the nose was extremely tempting. With Lu Yangyang praising it like that, Xiu Niang's little face turned red.
They quickly and diligently set out the bowls and chopsticks.
Lu Yangyang turned around to wash her hands, then turned back to invite Xiu Niang and Jiang Zhiyi to sit down: "Come and eat together!"
Then she asked Xiu Niang, "Is the other sisters' food ready yet?"
Xiu Niang quickly nodded: "My mother took me to find Aunt Liu who was cooking in the kitchen, and I cooked with her."
Lu Yangyang picked up her chopsticks, took a bite, and couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, "Little Xiu's mother, you're amazing! This is so delicious!"
Jiang Zhiyi also tried it and praised, "It's really good. It retains the natural sweetness of the ingredients and has a unique flavor."
Xiu Niang blushed as they praised her, but her eyes grew brighter and brighter.
Lu Yangyang looked at her and saw that she was still standing. "Why don't you sit down?"
Xiu Niang quickly took a step back, a little embarrassed, and whispered, "My mother told me that my sisters are all noble people and cannot be unruly. Sisters, you eat, I'll go to the kitchen."
As she was about to leave, Lu Yangyang grabbed her hand, pulled her back, and pressed her into a chair: "What do you mean by expensive or not? Have you forgotten what I told you before? I used to be just like you, even worse off than you. If you study hard in the future, you might be even more successful than us!"
Xiu Niang stared blankly at them, then asked softly, "Can...can I really do it?"
Lu Yangyang tilted her head and looked at her: "Then tell me, is there anything wrong with it?"
Xiu Niang bit her lip, recalling what she had overheard that day, and said to Lu Yangyang, "This afternoon, while helping my mother, I learned that those other women, like me, were sent away as brides. If I hadn't met them, I might be dead by now. And those women, they barely survived, but they don't know how to go on living. I heard some of them scolding Sister Hongdou for being heartless, for not even wanting her own flesh and blood, for not being worthy of being a mother, but they also envied her for daring to make such a decision. They clearly don't want them either, but they're struggling with how to take this step, not knowing what to do. Sister, will you continue to take them in now? I don't understand, so I asked my mother. My mother just sighed and told me not to be afraid, that as long as she's alive, she won't let me starve to death. But sister, I'm all grown up now, I can do many things, why would I starve to death?"
Xiu Niang was a very diligent girl. She helped her mother manage the household chores very well. Whenever she had time, she would go to the foot of the nearby mountain to dig up some edible wild vegetables and fruits with the other girls. She would also make some sachets and handkerchiefs to take to the city to exchange for money.
She thought that if she couldn't get married in the future, she could sell herself to someone as a maid. As long as she worked hard, she wouldn't starve, right?
But when she said that, her mother felt sorry for her and hugged her, crying.
Lu Yangyang nodded at her: "You're right. You can already do a lot of things. As long as you work hard in the future, you definitely won't starve to death."
Xiu Niang's face, which had just darkened, immediately brightened.
Lu Yangyang said to her, "If there were an academy that could teach you to read and write, to keep accounts, or to practice medicine and cook, and then let you work and earn money after you've finished your studies, would you be willing to go?"
Xiu Niang's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. Before Lu Yangyang could even finish speaking, she hurriedly nodded and replied, "I'm willing. Can I work? If I work, will it be like being a maid in a wealthy family? I'll get a monthly salary, and I can support myself and my mother!"
“Yes,” Lu Yangyang affirmed.
Xiu Niang asked in disbelief, "Sister, does such a place really exist?"
Lu Yangyang and Jiang Zhiyi exchanged a glance and nodded, saying, "We'll have it soon!"
"That's great! I'll go tell my mother right now. She'll be shocked if she knows I can work and earn money to support the family in the future. But then I can take care of her!" Xiu Niang stood up excitedly and whispered, "After my brother left, my mother always secretly wiped away her tears. I know she misses my brother, but I also want to be able to support my mother!"