bayedsolid Chapter 371 Lü Zhi Begins to Awaken
Chapter 371 Lü Zhi Begins to Awaken
Chapter 371 Lü Zhi Begins to Awaken
However, Lü Zhi could not see the "immeasurable nobility" her father spoke of, and she couldn't understand the deeper meaning behind his so-called concern for her. In her eyes, Liu Ji was idle all day, without any proper livelihood, and his family was destitute. Moreover, rumors circulated that he had an ambiguous relationship with a widow, some even claiming with certainty that she had borne him a son. Lü Zhi had no way of knowing whether these rumors were true or false, but thinking that she was in the prime of her youth, was she really going to entrust her life to such a useless man, wasting her time and years?
Every night, Lü Zhi tossed and turned in bed, unable to fall asleep for a long time. The uncertainty and fear about the future were like a giant net, tightly enveloping her and making her feel suffocated. She truly didn't know what to do. On one hand, she was powerless to break free from her father's control; on the other hand, she couldn't bring herself to betray her parents and elope to escape this arranged marriage.
From childhood, she had witnessed her sisters marry one by one, obeying their father's arrangements. Now that it was her turn, should she willingly accept the marriage and, like many other women, wholeheartedly care for her husband's family and respectfully serve her in-laws? But how could she be content to compromise so easily and give up the chance to pursue her own true happiness? Should she then defy her father's wishes, boldly rebel against this marriage, and resolutely run away from home? Countless thoughts intertwined in Lü Zhi's mind, causing her great distress and pain.
During their time with Lü Zhi, Chunhua and Qiuzhu keenly sensed her resistance to the marriage. However, they remained silent, as if by unspoken agreement, and did not rush to bring up the matter. Instead, they chose to talk about their own childhood experiences, attempting to bridge the gap with Lü Zhi in a subtle and friendly way.
Chunhua spoke slowly, her voice soft yet filled with emotion: "Miss, do you know? Qiuzhu and I were originally from the State of Wei when we were young. Those were truly miserable days! Before the Qin army invaded, my family often went a whole day without a proper meal. My eldest sister suffered even more misfortune; one day, a passing Wei general took a liking to her and kidnapped her without a word. To this day, there is no news of her, and her fate remains unknown. There were also those despicable bullies in the village who would often break into our homes in the dead of night, wantonly robbing us of our meager food and money. In those years, my parents lived in constant fear, never daring to sleep peacefully."
At this point, Chunhua's eyes reddened, and after a brief pause, she continued, "Later, the Qin army finally invaded, and we became Qin people. Although life was still hard, at least no village bullies dared to rob us anymore. Moreover, I clearly saw my parents' expressions gradually improve, no longer as worried and distressed as before. So, in my opinion, the Qin people were much better than the Wei people!"
Qiu Zhu abruptly interrupted Chun Hua, saying sternly, "Don't talk nonsense here!"
Upon hearing this, Chunhua lowered her head instantly like a startled rabbit, her voice barely audible as she whispered, "I'm telling the truth..."
Empress Lü, who was standing nearby, leaned over with great interest and asked curiously, "Then tell us quickly, what kind of country is Qin?"
Chunhua took a deep breath, seemingly recalling her past experiences, and slowly began to speak: "Back then, when I was only nine years old, I was unfortunately kidnapped and sold by human traffickers. From then on, I followed those traffickers to countless places. However, what I envied most were the people of Xianyang City. Although they worked hard every day, I could clearly see the smiles of happiness and contentment on their faces. This kind of heartfelt joy is extremely rare in other places; I have never seen such genuine smiles on the faces of people in other places."
At this moment, Qiu Zhu couldn't help but chime in, excitedly describing, "In recent years, I've heard that Princess Jiayang of Qin has accomplished many earth-shattering feats! She actually built a type of road called a cement road, and the surface is flatter than anyone could imagine, as smooth as a giant mirror. Walking on it, you not only feel no bumps, but your feet don't even feel any pain. What's even more amazing is that even on rainy days, the road remains dry and clean, without a trace of mud."
Chunhua nodded repeatedly in agreement: "That's right! And the heated kang that Princess Jiayang made is even more amazing. Sleeping on such a warm and comfortable kang, you don't have to fear the cold all winter long."
Qiu Zhu continued enthusiastically, "The heated kang and cement road are certainly very nice. But if you ask me, Princess Jiayang's most remarkable invention is papermaking! Look at this paper, such a thin sheet, yet it can write so many words. It's truly amazing!"
Chunhua nodded repeatedly in agreement, "That's right! And I also heard that Qin recently held the imperial examination." Hearing this, Lü Zhi couldn't help but prick up her ears and listen carefully.
Lü Zhi pondered to herself. Although she had been confined to her home, she had naturally heard about these major events happening in the outside world. From a young age, she had studied with her father, learned many characters, and read many books. However, she had never imagined that the Qin court would actually create the imperial examination system as a way to select talent.
It's important to understand that the Qin state's imperial examination system caused a huge sensation not only within its own borders but also in neighboring states. People discussed this novel initiative, speculating about its potential impact on various countries.
Empress Lü sat quietly by the window, gazing into the distance, her thoughts drifting to the bustling scene she had never witnessed. She could almost see the crowds thronging outside the examination hall, a scene of vibrant activity; the candidates, tense yet excited, awaiting their turn, their faces beaming with anticipation and hope for the future. However, for Lü, a woman, all of this existed only in her imagination.
"How wonderful it would be if women could also participate in the imperial examinations!" This thought suddenly and without warning popped into Lü Zhi's mind. But immediately, she shuddered at her own thought. Leaving aside how other countries viewed this matter, even within the powerful Qin state, there had never been a precedent of women participating in the imperial examinations. How could she have been so bold as to have such a rebellious idea? Had she gone mad?