flstandardbreds Chapter 136 Complete Victory
Chapter 136 Complete Victory
Song Qi was so angry that her face turned red, and her beautiful face was twisted in a grotesque expression. In the eyes of everyone, she looked so ugly, and her usual gentle and dignified image was completely gone.
However, she remained oblivious and gritted her teeth, saying, "I refuse to accept this! She must have plagiarized someone else's work! Fine, if she can compose another good poem within seven steps, I'll be completely convinced!"
The eldest princess glanced at Zisu, who nodded to her: "Very well, I'll compose another poem and leave you speechless!"
The eldest princess understood immediately and said to Song Qi, "Things shouldn't happen more than three times. You've provoked me time and time again, and Princess Yulin is kind-hearted, which is why she hasn't held it against you. Here's what we'll do: if Princess Yulin can compose another good poem within seven steps, you can kneel down, kowtow to her, and bark like a dog!"
Just because I'm not showing my teeth doesn't mean I'm a pushover!
Upon hearing this, Song Qi turned pale: "Kowtowing? Barking like a dog? Can't you change it to something else?" What if that little bitch Shangguan Zisu wins? No, she didn't want to kowtow or bark like a dog!
The eldest princess said, "No! This matter is settled!"
Zisu looked at Song Qi with a half-smile: "Song Qi, please give me a question!"
Song Qi then said, "This time, let's use the willows of spring as the theme!"
Hmph! I refuse to believe that you have the ability to compose a poem within seven steps on the theme of willows!
Upon hearing this, everyone couldn't help but shake their heads inwardly: This Song Qi is too unethical! What good poems can be written with willows as the theme? These days, most poems are on themes like plum blossoms, bamboo, chrysanthemums, and peonies; those are easier to write.
Zisu smiled nonchalantly and began to stroll again. This time, she took ten steps before slowly reciting: "A tall tree adorned with jade, ten thousand green silk ribbons hanging down. Who could have cut such delicate leaves? The spring breeze of February is like a pair of scissors."
As soon as he finished speaking, thunderous applause erupted.
"Good, very good! Princess Yulin, well done!" Dongfang Ming was the first to applaud. He was Fang Heng's good friend, and naturally he wanted to support the woman Fang Heng liked.
Xu Chu couldn't help but exclaim, "Princess Yulin truly lives up to her reputation! She is a woman who is just as capable as any man. These three poems are masterpieces! I, Xu, am ashamed of my inferiority and humbly admit defeat!"
Since the runner-up had said that, Song Qi had nothing more to say.
Everyone present looked at Zisu with such fervor. Especially the young masters and noblemen, whose gazes towards Zisu were burning with admiration and affection.
Taking advantage of the moment when no one was looking, Song Qi moved her feet, trying to slip away.
The eldest princess, with her sharp eyes, sneered, "Seventh Miss Song, trying to slip away? You haven't even kowtowed or barked like a dog yet, how can you leave?"
Song Qi's face turned deathly pale. Being targeted by Zisu wouldn't frighten her. However, being targeted by the Eldest Princess was a very serious matter!
"Kneel down and kowtow, bark like a dog!" Hua'er shouted angrily.
Yue'er chimed in, "Hurry up! A bet's a bet! Kneel down and bark like a dog!"
"Yes, you have to accept the consequences of your bet, you can't cheat! Otherwise, you're a dog, a cheater, a person without any integrity!" someone shouted, his words full of schadenfreude.
Song Qi looked at her friends with pleading eyes, but when her friends looked at the Princess, they couldn't help but feel scared and silently lowered their heads.
In front of the Princess, what right did they have to act presumptuously? Now, it's obvious that Song Qi is in the wrong, so how could they dare to support her?
The eldest princess waved her hand sternly: "I'll give you two choices. One is to kneel down obediently, kowtow, and bark like a dog; the other is to pay 20,000 taels of silver as an apology to Princess Yulin! The reason I'm allowing you to pay is because the yamen can pay for sins; otherwise, you would have to kowtow and bark like a dog today! Whether you pay money or kowtow and bark like a dog, it's up to you! I'll count to ten, and if you haven't made a decision by then, don't blame me for being impolite!"
As he spoke, he indeed began counting: "One, two, three..."
Miss Song looked terrified and said repeatedly, "Your Highness, I'll pay! I'll pay! I'll send my maid home to get the money right away!"
After saying that, he hurriedly assigned two maids: "You two go back to the manor immediately and ask my father for 20,000 taels of silver. You must come back as soon as possible!"
"Yes, Miss!" Her maidservant hurriedly left.
"You're smart enough not to renege on your promise! You'll stay here and not go anywhere until your maid returns!" The princess gave her a disgusted look and said coldly.
Song Qi was filled with hatred, but dared not utter a word of rebuttal. He lowered his head and replied in a low voice, "Yes, Your Highness."
The princess didn't look at her again, but reached out and took Zisu's arm, saying affectionately, "Good child, if you have something to say, say it now!"
"Yes, thank you, Your Highness!" Zisu smiled brightly and said frankly to everyone, "Recently, there have been rumors in and around the capital that I am shameless for demanding that my future husband not take concubines, which is a disgraceful act. All sorts of insults against me are unbearable to hear. Here, I would like to take this opportunity to say a few words to everyone."
Her words caused everyone to stop eating, drinking, writing, and drawing, and they all pricked up their ears, eager to hear what she had to say. After today's events, everyone had even higher expectations for Princess Yulin. She was undoubtedly a good girl! Several promising young men even thought to themselves: If I could marry her, then not having concubines wouldn't be a problem! A good woman, in fact, is enough with just one!
Zisu stood on a step and said to everyone, word by word, "There is a saying: 'Do not do to others what you would not have them do to you.' It means that you should not impose on others what you yourself do not want!"
Do not do to others what you would not have them do to you? Wow, what a classic line! How intelligent must Princess Yulin be to come up with such a line!
This sentence had never appeared in this time and space before. Everyone assumed that Zisu had created it herself.
Zisu continued, "Ladies here, weren't you sad and heartbroken when your husbands took concubines? You must have been very sad and heartbroken, right? So, don't make it sound so high and mighty! Also, when your mothers-in-law tried to give your husbands women, you must have been very unhappy, even angry and resentful, right? If that's the case, why do you also try to give your sons women and cause trouble for your daughters-in-law? Women have it tough, and as fellow women, why make things difficult for other women? Don't try to justify it by saying that you're giving your sons women so that they can have more children!"
Which family with concubines doesn't experience chaos and turmoil? Which aristocratic family doesn't have several women miscarrying every year? And these women who miscarry are either schemed against by the principal wife or poisoned by the concubine! Even if they are lucky enough to give birth to a large number of legitimate sons and daughters, as well as a large number of illegitimate sons and daughters, won't they still fight to the death between the legitimate and illegitimate children? In the end, very few of their children will be successful.
On the contrary, look at families without concubines; the wives usually have quite a few children, at least three to five. And whether sons or daughters, most of them are successful and good! Don't try to justify taking concubines by claiming it's about having many children; that's just a man's selfish desire to have multiple wives! And a mother-in-law trying to force a daughter into her son's life is also an extremely selfish act. The reason is simply that she herself suffered oppression from her mother-in-law, so she's twisted and can't stand seeing her daughter-in-law being affectionate with her, so she wants to cause her daughter-in-law distress! What about having many children? That's all just deceiving yourself and others!
After Zisu finished speaking, she returned to the Princess's side, sat down in a chair, picked up her teacup, and elegantly took several sips. After talking so much, her mouth was really dry; a sip of good tea felt incredibly comforting!
The ladies present couldn't help but exchange bewildered glances, their little schemes exposed by Zisu on the spot. They felt both uncomfortable and ashamed.
Yes, why should women make things difficult for each other?
That's a very well said statement!
Why should a mother-in-law make things difficult for her daughter-in-law?
The ladies present were inwardly distressed. They had been made difficult by their mothers-in-law. Did this mean that from now on, they would be forbidden from making things difficult for their daughters-in-law? Wouldn't that mean they were at a huge disadvantage?
Anyway, all the ladies were quite upset after Zisu exposed them in public today. If they were to try to arrange concubines for their sons in the future, it would be very embarrassing if word got out.
Oh, what is this?
The eldest princess led the applause: "Princess Yulin speaks very well. I think all of you ladies should reflect on this. Why make things difficult for other women? From now on, try to avoid giving your sons concubines; it's immoral!"
Upon hearing this, the ladies present paled even more.
If the eldest princess says this, and if they make things difficult for their daughters-in-law in the future by giving their sons many concubines, wouldn't they be criticized by their daughters-in-law and the world for being immoral?
Immoral, how serious is that accusation?
Most women would find this unbearable. If she were to arrange a concubine for her son, and he welcomed it, everything would be fine. But what if he didn't want one at all? That would be terrible!
Perilla saplings had a very fruitful harvest at this flower festival.
Firstly, it changed the opinions of many talented young men about her; secondly, those rumors disappeared without a trace. Even if they wanted to discuss it, they dared not do so openly, but only secretly in private.
Yu's mood was brighter and happier than ever before.
When her mother was happy, Zisu felt as relaxed and joyful as the bright sunshine, completely at ease and carefree.
In truth, such a rumor meant nothing to her. Compared to the suffering of her past life, it was a piece of cake and couldn't harm her.
Having been reborn, she has become incredibly strong-willed. It can be said that nothing can harm her except for the safety of her loved ones.
"Do not do to others what you would not have them do to you." This saying is widely circulated in and around the capital. Many kind-hearted women couldn't help but silently ponder this saying, and gradually let go of their responsibilities regarding their daughters-in-law's affairs.
The practice of arranging concubines and maids for one's son has somehow acquired a tinge of shame. Except for a very few shameless women, most dare not be overtly discreet when arranging such arrangements for their sons. At least, they no longer feel justified in doing so, and they no longer readily accuse their daughters-in-law of being "jealous" if the daughter-in-law doesn't want to provide a concubine.
Upon learning this, Fang Heng couldn't help but praise Zisu in his heart.
Zisu, well done! No wonder you're the woman he loves!
Upon hearing this, Madam Ying couldn't help but shed tears, yet at the same time, she felt somewhat comforted. Her tears stemmed from her misfortune at being born at the wrong time; had she been born twenty years later, her mother-in-law would never have dared to arrange for her husband to take five concubines at once!
Five concubines, all sorts of women—thin, plump, gentle, fiery—each beautiful as a flower. These women stole her husband's affections; with so many women, he was too busy to spend time with her even a few nights a month. Instigated by her mother-in-law, her husband misunderstood her and gradually grew more distant. When she became pregnant with Fang Qiong, she barely saw her husband a few times a year.
However, Zisu's words were very timely! If she had spoken earlier, Marquis Zhongxin probably wouldn't have dared to take a concubine at this critical juncture. In that case, she wouldn't have been able to leave the Marquis Zhongxin's residence. She would have been locked in that cage, continuing to endure agonizing and unbearable days.
"Zisu is a good girl. Do you have any feelings for her?" Ying asked her son when she found an opportunity.
Fang Heng: "I do like her very much, but as you know, my son has been married before and has two children. If Zisu marries into the family, she will be my second wife, and I'm worried that she won't like me."
"Sigh, you're right. Even if she likes you, I'm worried her parents won't approve," Ying sighed.
What decent family's parents would want their daughter to become a second wife? It seems the son's path to winning her back will be long and arduous. Well, as a mother, she needs to become stronger and more decisive, otherwise she'll hold her son back. Someone as strong and decisive as Zisu would probably look down on a mother-in-law as spineless as her, wouldn't she?
From this day forward, she would make changes for the sake of her children!
There will be one more update today. Please vote with your monthly tickets, thank you! This is my only chance to climb the new book monthly ticket rankings, so I look forward to your support and encouragement. Thank you very much!