webnovelfull Chapter 426 Bathing
Chapter 426 Bathing
Under the vast mountains and rivers of the Tang Dynasty, for those ordinary people who work hard to make a living, new tricks and measures of the court emerge one after another, which can be said to be endless, and this trend is even more turbulent every year.
In previous years, the people worked quietly on their own three-acre land, secretly thinking that perhaps the world would be like a gurgling stream, remaining calm and peaceful forever.
Although we cannot say that we are rich and powerful, at least we can live a stable and peaceful life.
Since the current Majesty ascended the throne, it has been a long time since he passed away. Now, it is already the seventh year of Qianwu.
During these few years, the court issued new policies and decrees one after another, which was too numerous to keep up.
Moreover, the contents of these decrees are mostly beyond the cognitive scope passed down from generation to generation by the people. They are all novel regulations that they have never heard of in their previous ordinary lives, and even cannot be touched by their imagination.
The customs of the people have long been deeply shackled by traditional concepts. Many people firmly believe in the decadent idea of male superiority and female inferiority that has been passed down since ancient times and find it difficult to break free.
In their outdated cognition, the birth of a baby girl is a business that is destined to lose money in the family.
Only a baby boy can shoulder the responsibility of establishing a family, taking care of all the affairs of the family and becoming the backbone of the family's continuation when he grows up.
Even though the weather is good and the granaries are full, every household can barely fill their stomachs and no longer worry about the suffering of hunger, but once they mention spending energy to support a baby girl, their faces will unconsciously reveal a hundred expressions of reluctance.
Even though the baby girl is their own flesh and blood, the innate bond of family affection seems fragile under the erosion of these outdated ideas, and it is difficult to change their deep-seated prejudice and indifference towards the baby girl.
The Shaohua Division, newly established by the imperial court, came into being with the order to break the traditional constraints and pursue equality and freedom.
The original intention of its establishment was to devote itself wholeheartedly to improving the status of women in the Tang Dynasty, so that they could break free from long-standing constraints and have their own piece of sky.
When Wu Meiniang took over this challenging task, relying on her understanding of human nature, she was convinced that the biggest obstacle must come from the male group in the world.
In this environment where men are superior to women, only men will stick to the old ways, cling to the existing power structure and social order, and be unwilling to see women gain equal status and rights with them.
But who would have thought that when this policy to improve the status of women began to be implemented among the people, reality gave everyone an unexpected answer.
Those men who were originally regarded by Wu Meiniang as the biggest obstacles were unexpectedly calm and gentle when faced with this change.
Most men showed an almost indifferent attitude towards this matter. This change concerning the fate of women had little to do with them.
If you look closely, you can find that deep down in their hearts, they actually have a hint of approval.
After all, who in this world doesn’t have a wife, and who doesn’t grow up under the care of their mother?
The bond of family affection played a quiet role in this transformation, preventing men from becoming a huge obstacle to change as expected.
Fate always likes to set up obstacles in places where people least expect them.
The real resistance comes from older women.
Once upon a time, as daughters-in-law, they silently endured all kinds of grievances in their husband's family, took care of all the big and small affairs of the family, served their parents-in-law, and lived cautiously in that small world.
After finally becoming a mother-in-law who can call the shots at home, I thought I could finally enjoy the feeling of being superior.
Relying on her years of experience as a daughter-in-law and finally becoming a mother-in-law, she enjoys the filial piety of the younger generation and inflicts doubly the suffering she once endured on her daughter-in-law. Only in this way can she make up for the grievances she suffered over the years.
But who could have expected that His Majesty's decree to improve the status of women would instantly shatter their dreams of becoming mothers-in-law.
This decree made the old women who were accustomed to the traditional family model feel at a loss.
Naturally, they didn't dare to say much to His Majesty, but they could say that to Wu Meiniang.
For a time, Wu Meiniang's reputation plummeted and took a sharp turn for the worse.
From being the Tang Dynasty female official that everyone loved at the beginning, she became a high-ranking cargo carrier.
Everywhere you look, you can hear old women gathering together in the streets, alleys, teahouses and taverns, chattering and gossiping, making up stories about Wu Meiniang.
They expressed their dissatisfaction and portrayed Wu Meiniang as the culprit who disrupted the traditional order.
Even though there were many rumors outside, since this matter had been entrusted to Wu Meiniang to handle carefully, Li Chengqian naturally trusted Wu Meiniang.
Just kidding, if Wu Meiniang can't handle this matter, then really no one can.
The Songhe Tower in Xianyang City has carved beams and painted buildings, and flying eaves and brackets, showing an ancient and elegant atmosphere.
The building was bustling with people, and the diners coming and going were either discussing world affairs or savoring the delicacies on their plates.
In the private room on the second floor of Songhe Tower, Li Shimin, Yuchi Jingde and Cheng Yaojin were lying comfortably on the wooden bed that was emitting wisps of hot air, enjoying the perfect bathing service of the skilled old man behind them.
The steaming water vapor slowly spread throughout the room, enveloping this small world in a warm and comfortable atmosphere.
The three of them each picked up a glass of slightly cool fresh juice.
They took a sip and then couldn't help but let out a sigh of satisfaction.
Cheng Yaojin's face was filled with a happy smile. He was enjoying the old man's vigorous scrubbing technique. He turned slightly and said to Li Shimin, "Brother Li, don't tell me, this one-stop bath is so comfortable."
"After taking a shower, I'll go get a massage to loosen up all my muscles and bones, and drive away the fatigue I've accumulated over the past few days."
"Finally, I'll go downstairs and order a table of delicious food. What a joyful life this is. This kind of life is worth living in vain!"
Cheng Yaojin said cheerfully.
The three old men who were responsible for scrubbing their backs behind them were all people who had seen the world.
Their hands danced skillfully on the guests' backs, sometimes lightly, sometimes heavily, just the right amount of pressure.
The old man who was rubbing Li Shimin's back with the most skillful technique, in between rubbing his back, would occasionally use his weathered hands to give Li Shimin a soothing massage on his back.
His eyes swept over Li Shimin's scarred back. Those deep and shallow, crisscrossing knife wounds made the old man startled for a moment. Then he asked, "Brother, you have a lot of experience. Look at these densely packed knife wounds. I bet you must have suffered a lot in your youth, didn't you?"
When Li Shimin heard the old man's question, he shook his head.
"It's nothing extraordinary. I just messed around in the underworld when I was young."
There was a hint of humility in his tone, as if everything was just a passing cloud and not worth mentioning.
"Hahaha……"
The old man laughed heartily after hearing Li Shimin's self-deprecating words.
The laughter echoed in the steaming bathroom, adding a touch of harmony to the already relaxing and comfortable atmosphere.
Li Shimin looked at the talkative old man and suddenly felt a little curious.
He wondered what the common people thought about the affairs of the court.
So he asked, "Brother, I want to ask you something."
"In your opinion, who is better, His Majesty or the Emperor Emeritus of the Tang Dynasty?"
Li Shimin's question instantly opened the mouths of the three old men.
On weekdays, they are keen to get together with their neighbors after work to talk about national affairs.
Although they live in the market, they also have their own opinions on the affairs in the court.
In their eyes, every move of the court is closely related to their own lives, so they are always interested in these topics.
The old man who was rubbing Li Shimin's back paused for a moment, then continued rubbing his back while saying enthusiastically, "Brother, if it were in the past, the kindness of the retired emperor would naturally be beyond doubt."
"During the chaotic times at the end of the Sui Dynasty, life for ordinary people was extremely difficult."
"The people were displaced and had no place to live."
"Everywhere there were starving people, people exchanging their own children for food. Those days were truly dark and gloomy."
"To be honest, I can now rub your back in Songhelou, and after get off work, I can go home to hug my grandchildren and enjoy the joy of family. When I was young, I couldn't even imagine such a life."
"Before Your Majesty ascended the throne, in my heart, the Emperor Retired was a wise and powerful hero, unmatched by anyone."
"Back then, he wielded a three-foot-long sword, galloping across the battlefields. In those turbulent times, he single-handedly pacified the Tang Dynasty. The mighty name of the Qin King of the Tang Dynasty is well-known to everyone!"
At this point, the old man even stopped what he was doing and raised a thumbs up to express his respect for the emperor.