Chapter 213: Years Later
"Ahhh, I love Daqian so much! Why don't I live in that era!"
In a bright classroom, a group of students couldn't help but start a discussion after the history class had just ended.
"That's right. The Daqian era was simply a paradise for women! Wang Wanru was born in a merchant family, but she was able to become the Minister of Commerce. She also set a precedent for marrying a husband and taking a maid. It's amazing!" said a girl with a ponytail with envy.
The short-haired girl next to her nodded repeatedly, her eyes shining: "And Zhao Wanqing, as the Minister of Education, she has made so many sacrifices for girls to go to school. She is really great!"
At this time, a boy wearing glasses also came over and said, "The emperor Shen Minghui and the queen Lin Yuxi are amazing. They are a model of monogamy, deep love, and mutual achievement. The power of the queen Lin Yuxi is even comparable to that of the emperor Shen Minghui at that time. This is simply unimaginable in ancient times!"
"Yes, yes! Emperor Shengzong is not afraid of Queen Lin Yuxi seizing power and has given her so much trust! They really love each other so much, I am crying!"
"And the fifth princess, Shen Mingyue, likes several men at the same time, but Emperor Shengzong actually grants marriages to all of them. Isn't he too open-minded!" A chubby girl clapped her hands excitedly.
When everyone was discussing heatedly, the head teacher came in, looked at this group of enthusiastic students, and said with a smile, "It seems that everyone is very interested in the Daqian era. How about we hold a seminar on the history of the Daqian Zhaoxi period?"
When the students heard the teacher's proposal, they cheered. They divided into groups and began to discuss various topics during the Zhaoxi period of Daqian.
During the group discussion, a girl with a ponytail said excitedly, "My favorite are the princesses during the time of Emperor Shengzong!" Her eyes sparkled with admiration and she looked radiant.
"Yes! The eldest princess and the second princess are simply heroines." The boy next to him couldn't help but agree, waving his hands excitedly as he spoke.
"Think about it, when the eldest princess married far away from home, her situation was so difficult. She couldn't speak the language, and the customs were different. But she relied on her intelligence and perseverance to learn the local language and gain a deep understanding of their culture."
A girl wearing glasses pushed her glasses up, her face full of admiration, and continued,
"Later, the princess discovered that although the grassland people were brave and good at fighting, they had many problems in governance and development. So she proposed a series of reform measures, such as rationally developing and planning animal husbandry, exploring commerce and handicrafts, etc. Gradually, she won the respect and trust of the grassland people and eventually gained absolute leadership."
"I heard that the second princess is also very powerful!" A tall boy came over, "She is so heroic on the battlefield, commanding the battle with ease."
"If the eldest princess conquered those nations with her outstanding leadership charisma, then the second princess conquered those nations entirely with her superior military power and strong charisma!"
"Yes, yes, yes!" Everyone nodded.
Another short-haired girl continued, "And they didn't fight among themselves. Later, they led the grassland peoples to fight everywhere and expanded the territory of Daqian to an extraordinary extent. At that time, the area of Daqian actually occupied one-third of the entire world, and surrounded the entire Asia and Africa. Can you believe it?"
At this time, a girl who had been listening silently said softly: "I think the most valuable thing about them is that they have the courage to face unknown challenges, leave their familiar environment, and fight for a world for themselves in a foreign country." She clasped her hands in front of her chest, as if she was feeling the princesses' perseverance.
One classmate held his chin up and thought: "I think they can achieve such success, on the one hand, because of their own talents, and on the other hand, it is also because the atmosphere of Daqian at that time gave them the opportunity to display their talents."
"That's right!" The monitor stood up and said, "In that era when men were superior to women, women were able to fully exert their abilities and pursue their own ideals. The eldest and second princesses are the best examples."
One boy couldn't help but clench his fists: "I really want to travel back to that era and see their elegance with my own eyes!"
The head teacher standing nearby couldn't help but smile and shook his head: "Time travel is impossible, but we can draw wisdom and strength from history. The reason why the Daqian era was so glorious was inseparable from the awakening and efforts of women, and the enlightenment and support of the royal family."
"Teacher, what did the society at that time think about women marrying husbands and maids?" a girl asked curiously.
The head teacher thought for a moment and said: "In the beginning, there must have been some opposition. But as time goes by, people gradually realize that this is a way for women to pursue equality and freedom."
"Moreover, outstanding women like Wang Wanru have proved through their actions that women are capable of taking on more responsibilities and have the right to pursue their own happiness."
"Of course, there are many who choose to join forces and practice monogamy, such as Emperor Shengzong and Empress Zhaoxian at that time, who are a good example!"
The students listened attentively, as if they were back in the prosperous Daqian era.
……
At the same time, discussions about Daqian were also extremely heated on an online forum.
"Daqian is truly the peak era of women's rights. I'm so envious!" netizen "Qingfeng Xulai" posted.
"That's right! It's such a huge progress that women can take part in the imperial examinations and serve as officials in the court!" "Ming Yue Tian Ya" replied.
"If I could live in that era, I would study hard and pass the imperial examinations!" The "dream-chasing girl" is full of yearning.
"And those princesses are so awesome. They have expanded the territory for Daqian. They are truly heroines!" "Iron-blooded and Loyal Heart" exclaimed in admiration.
"I wonder what men at that time thought when faced with the rise in women's status." "Curious Baby" raised a question.
“Maybe people will feel a little uncomfortable at first, but they will eventually accept and support it. After all, times are progressing,” analyzed “Everyone has their own opinion.”
"That was an era of the strong. Regardless of whether they were men or women, no one cared if they had three wives and four concubines or three husbands and four maids. Those who were incompetent could just wait to be married off!"
"Hahahaha, no matter what, Daqian is a place that people yearn for. If I could travel through time, I would go there right away!" The message "Travel through time and space" attracted a lot of likes.
……
In a coffee shop, two young men were also talking about the Daqian era.
"I think the most admirable person in the Daqian era is Empress Dowager Ruici. She watched one farce after another that seemed to be heretical, but she didn't stop it. How broad-minded and knowledgeable she must be!"
The girl stirred her coffee gently, her eyes full of emotion.
The boy nodded: "Yes, the royal family of the old Shen family is indeed open-minded. The prosperity of an era is inseparable from the wisdom and tolerance of the ruler."
The girl held her chin and said thoughtfully: "What would it be like if we lived in that era?"
The boy smiled and said, "Perhaps you will become a female general and fight on the battlefield; and I may be a little servant in your house."
The girl burst out laughing: "Go to hell, you are still a young maid, you are so beautiful!"
The two smiled at each other and continued to immerse themselves in their beautiful imaginations of the Daqian era.
……
In an ancient library, an old man was quietly flipping through a history book about Daqian, his eyes full of emotion.
The young man beside him couldn't help but ask: "Grandpa, why are you so interested in Daqian?"
The old man slowly put down the book, his eyes deep: "My child, the Daqian era was a great era. It witnessed the rise of women and the transformation of society. It was a history full of hope and dreams."
"This era tells us that social progress requires constantly breaking conventions and courageously pursuing equality and justice."
“The people of that era set an example for us with their actions.”
The young man nodded thoughtfully: "Grandpa, I think I understand a little bit. What you mean is: we should learn lessons from history and work hard to create a better future?"
The old man smiled with relief: "That's right, child. I hope we can make this world a better place, with no more gender discrimination and no more inequality."
"I hope that your generation can also create a glorious era of your own!"
In this era full of yearning and thinking, the stories of the Daqian era still shine in people's hearts, inspiring generations to work tirelessly for equality, freedom and progress.
"Ahhh, I really love Daqian!" Such voices kept ringing in different corners, as if traveling through time and space, resonating with that great era.