Chapter 19 Yes
Inside the martial arts gym.
Perhaps it was because Shen Wei's gaze was too determined that day, perhaps it was too shocking for a woman to go against the norm and practice martial arts, or perhaps it was because the ten taels of silver were too heavy.
For the past ten days, Manager Wu has been looking at the gate.
He wanted to see whether the woman who swore that her family would definitely agree would ever actually step into the martial arts gym.
"Husband, are you still watching?"
The woman in the cotton and linen dress saw this and sighed on her weather-beaten face: "Don't look at me. I saw that young lady through the crack in the door the other day. She was very pretty."
"She wore a jade hairpin that ordinary people would not even look at, and wore silk and satin that cost dozens of taels per piece."
"Even the embroidery on the pair is inlaid with oriental pearls."
"Either they are unmarried girls from high-ranking families, or they are the mistresses of noble families or the favored concubines. How can such pampered girls endure the pain of martial arts training? Shouldn't they take good care of their husbands and children?"
"That day he suddenly rushed to the martial arts hall and shouted that he wanted to learn martial arts. I guess he was wronged in the backyard and got carried away for a while. He was holding back his anger and he would be comforted once he got back home."
"As a girl, who would want to learn such vulgar things? When I get married, how can I be liked by my husband's family..."
Yes.
How can I please my husband’s family?
When the woman said this, a trace of self-mockery and sadness flashed across her eyes.
Her biological parents despised her for being a daughter and a money-loser, so they threw her into the river to fend for herself. Fortunately, God took pity on her and she did not die, but was picked up by someone.
In order not to be bullied.
She learned a lot of martial arts. She studied very hard and practiced day and night.
But after learning the final part, one, one cannot join the army to fight, two, one, one cannot open a school to teach skills, and three, one, one cannot serve as a servant.
Although she had martial arts skills, she could only marry and have children under the pressure of rumors. Because she did not know needlework and could only do crude skills, she was humiliated and bullied by her mother-in-law and lived without dignity at home.
If it wasn't for the last...
She taught her husband the essence of martial arts and let him open a martial arts school to make money. I'm afraid that when her first child was a daughter, her mother-in-law had already taken a third concubine for her husband.
"makes sense."
"Ah..." Shopkeeper Wu listened to the woman's words and nodded in agreement: "The young masters of the official family."
"Everyone likes delicate women, gentle as water, obedient and sensible, and as graceful as a willow tree."
"If she really learns martial arts, her life will be ruined."
"Once people hear that she can't do needlework or embroidery and can only do boxing, they will definitely despise her and she won't be able to get married in the future."
The woman's fingers gripping the door curtain tightened.
She lowered her eyes, suppressed the bitterness and pain in her heart, smiled in agreement and said nothing more.
then.
Shopkeeper Wu cast his eyes on the woman's slightly protruding belly and said quickly, "You should go in quickly. If a stranger comes later, it will be bad to see you. Even if you are married, you must always remember these rules."
"Has the doctor checked it? Did he say whether the baby is a boy or a girl?"
The woman quickly lowered the curtain, hid behind the wall and said blankly, "No."
Manager Wu didn't get a satisfactory answer and opened his mouth to say something.
suddenly!
He glanced out of the corner of his eye.
I caught a glimpse of Shen Wei standing at the main entrance.
She didn't know when Shen Wei came, how long she stood there, or how many words she heard. She just felt that every word that Manager Wu said was heartbreaking, even though it was directed at that woman.
But Shen Wei is very empathetic.
"you......."
"bass!"
Shopkeeper Wu stood up suddenly and stared at Shen Wei in shock for several seconds: "Are you really here?!"
Shen Wei had already changed into a black suit that was convenient for movement while she was in the carriage. She had asked Xiaoman to specially customize it at the cloth shop these days.
She also took off the pair of elegant high embroidered shoes that she had worn in the Marquis' Mansion.
At first glance.
It looks like he's going to practice martial arts.
"I told you I would come." Shen Wei glanced in the direction of the door curtain, then retracted his gaze and said to Shopkeeper Wu, "I will come here at this time every day from now on."
"You, why are you doing this..." Shopkeeper Wu said with a complicated expression, "Your delicate figure is the most favored by your future husband."
"Learning such crude and unbearable martial arts will surely make your husband despise you in the future. It's not worth it."
"Do you think learning martial arts is vulgar?" Shen Wei replied indifferently.
"Of course it is."
"Then all the men who learn martial arts in the world are rude savages."
"This, this, this!" Shopkeeper Wu's face changed when he heard this outrageous remark: "How can you describe it like that? I'm talking about you women. Men learn martial arts to join the army and become generals."
Shen Wei sneered from the bottom of his throat and said nothing more.
Xiaoman behind him looked at the expression on Shen Wei's face, the kind of world-weary, disapproving look, and one that was fed up with the world, and was stunned.
Since the day she entered the mansion, the girl has been calling for gender equality.
Everyone in the Marquis' Mansion laughed at the girl's wild ideas, but the look in Xiaoman's eyes when she looked at the girl... it was a disgust from the bottom of the girl's soul, deep in her bones, a disgust for what Shopkeeper Wu had said.
The girl thinks that if men can learn martial arts and box, so can girls.
because,
In the girl's hometown, men and women are equal.
"Girl..." Xiaoman looked at Shen Wei with confused eyes, and paused for a long time before speaking out his inner thoughts: "I, I don't want to wait for you in the carriage."
"Can I come in and watch you practice martial arts?"
"Sure." Shen Wei replied with a faint smile.
Before practicing martial arts, you need to lay a solid foundation.
Shen Wei doesn't need to be so powerful or strong, that's too unrealistic.
She just wanted to change this fragile body that panted three times after taking two steps. She wanted to have the power to protect herself when facing danger. She wanted to pick up a knife, draw a bow, and run. That was enough.
Manager Wu arranged the next plan for Shen Wei in a confused state.
In the first three months, the focus is on strengthening your physical strength and core.
In the last three months, learn some basic weapon movements.
The main hall is spacious, but those who learn martial arts are all outsiders.
Shen Wei, a woman, usually has to avoid and give way to guests, so it is not convenient for her to go. Therefore, Manager Wu opened a small room for her.
Shen Wei gladly accepted this arrangement. Under the guidance of Manager Wu, he stretched out his hands and clenched his fists. He hung a small wooden barrel on his wrists to increase gravity, placed a porcelain bowl on his head, and bent his legs to stand in a horse stance.
"Lay the foundation first. If you can't stick with it, don't come. This is just the beginning."
"Weighted horse stance, four sets a day."
"Two sticks of incense constitute one group."
"After you have completed one set, you can take down the barrel and relax for a while. When you are done, you can continue. Girl, I am not saying that you are discouraged, but it is difficult for ordinary men to endure such pain."
"As a woman, you'd better go back and play the piano, paint, and learn how to please your future husband. You can't persist." Manager Wu said with a look of denial.
Shen Wei adjusted his breathing, with an unyielding spirit in his eyes: "I can do it."