Chapter 1358 – The Ladies’ Tea Party (I)
No matter how much Jiang Pengji has changed this era, such transformations still need time to ferment and spread.
As time drags on, new ideas will gradually replace the ingrained old thinking.
It would take decades, if not longer, to fully erupt; for now, the old mindset remains dominant.
In people’s established beliefs, men work outside to make money and socialize, while women stay inside to maintain the household, care for children, and support elders.
This division of labor seems clear-cut, yet it actually restricts women’s activity and perspective, making the idea of “male superiority, female inferiority” even more entrenched.
Even noble girls from distinguished families cannot escape the realms of the inner chamber, husbands, elders, and children.
In addition to these responsibilities, there’s the so-called “ladies’ diplomacy,” where the noblewomen assist their husbands in expanding and consolidating their networks during external activities.
Before Wanzhou’s rise, Jiang Pengji had few subordinates, half of whom were single or child-free.
After Wanzhou’s rise, the Golden Scales Pavilion attracted a large number of mid-level talents for Jiang Pengji, most of whom were married.
When their husbands were dispatched for battles or to manage local economies, the ladies remained in Wanzhou.
As the days wore on, they began to feel somewhat restless and gradually started to visit one another.
The size of these ladies’ social circles depended on their husbands’ status and connections in the officialdom, with better relationships leading to larger circles.
The deeper the friendships among the ladies, the higher their husbands’ statuses, resulting in an expansive social circle.
Even if relationships weren’t great, festive occasions would inevitably increase interactions, and familiarity would naturally develop over time.
Before Jiang Pengji launched an attack on Huang Song, the ladies had already begun visiting each other, and when she returned from battle, various tea parties flourished.
The tea party was a battlefield for these ladies to demonstrate their “diplomatic skills,” keeping a mental ledger of which relationships to cultivate and which to distance themselves from. Han Yu’s wife, being the highest-ranking noble among them, naturally had the most refined strategies.
Though she looked down on these women of lower birth, finding them crude and stupid, she maintained a facade of indifference.
The tea party she hosted was the best and most elaborate in the entire Wanzhou noblewomen’s circle, leaving the other ladies envious.
Outsiders were unaware that her relationship with Han Yu was nearly at a breaking point; seeing her live so exquisitely and elegantly would surely make others envy their seemingly loving marriage—a model couple, if you will. Lady Han enjoyed being the center of attention, which brought her a sense of nostalgia.
Back in Zhe Prefecture, her tea parties also shunned the unrefined; no lady of low status or birth could even receive an invitation. Now, she had to endure a gathering of women with varying levels of sophistication who lacked refinement.
Even more frustrating was that these rough women had the tendency to complain about their husbands and share their grievances during the tea party.
As Jiang Pengji’s status soared, their woes multiplied.
With their husbands’ careers flourishing and their own positions rising, it seemed every household had at least one stunning concubine sprouting up.
These concubines threatened their positions as the main wives, some even went so far as to get pregnant, practically looming over them.
The ladies seemed to have found common ground, and once they started chatting, they couldn’t stop; Lady Han felt increasingly disgusted inside.
These coarse women, no wonder their husbands abandoned them as they aged and faded—what man would fancy a superficial, rowdy old hag?
“Last night that little hussy kept whining about a stomachache, clearly just overindulging. What a pain, trying to pin the blame on me as if I’m out to harm her child—what do I even gain from it? She’s just a lowly concubine, thinking too highly of herself.”
Despite claiming not to care, she was twisting her napkin into shreds, her eyes reddening.
“This is nothing, the lady from Chang’an Lane is truly in dire straits,” another lady sighed. “Her mother-in-law disapproves of her, and her husband has turned against her, eyeing that concubine to elevate her status. She refuses to step down, and I heard she was slapped in front of the whole household by her mother-in-law—her face was swollen for days! Such a ruckus from last night, what if it spreads—”
These ladies, bored with their lives, naturally found the tea party a good way to pass the time, becoming frequent attendees who were all too familiar with one another. They immediately understood who the lady from Chang’an Lane was, expressing empathy and lamenting her fate.
Hearing this gossip only frustrated Lady Han further.
Did these foolish women not understand the saying, “family disgrace must not be aired”?
Carelessly sharing scandals from their households was why their husbands despised them.
Lady Han intended to have a sip of tea to calm her nerves when a stranger’s voice reached her ears.
The voice wasn’t as melodious as a lark but instead rough and hoarse, with barely a trace of femininity.
She said, “Such a man should be discarded.”
Hearing her, the other ladies turned to see a plainly dressed woman seated in the corner, her attire far from flashy.
If not for her presence among them, others might think she was just a wet nurse from the servants’ quarters.
“How can you speak like that?”
The woman replied, “Did I say something wrong? A man who changes his heart, indulges his concubines at his wife’s expense, and allows his home to be filled with foul winds—what great achievements can such a man expect in this life? It’s better to leave him early and remarry someone sensible.”
The ladies blushed at her words.
They could complain, but they never considered divorce.
Moreover, that was their husband; who is she, the wife of some minor official, to judge them?
One lady exclaimed, “What a reckless woman.”
“I just noticed this lady’s right foot is injured,” another seated beside her said coldly. “A woman whose right foot troubles her is at risk of becoming a discarded wife. Instead of ranting here and disrupting other households’ peace, perhaps you should think of ways to avoid being cast aside.”
This was still a relatively polite remark; others directly questioned the woman’s identity.
Her attire was hardly that of an esteemed noble; even if she were a lady, she would be from a minor official’s household.
What business did the wives of minor officials have attending such a high-level tea party?
Though Lady Han had a rather dramatic personality, her memory and capabilities stood out among noblewomen.
Even with over a hundred guests, she could accurately identify each person, casually engaging in small talk.
She organized the invitations to the tea party herself, and naturally, no invite would go to a nameless officials’ wife.
She scrutinized the woman, attempting to recall which invitation matched her.
Lady Han’s tea party was the most renowned among Wanzhou’s noblewomen; since she was Han Yu’s wife, no invitations would miss the likes of Feng Jin and others’ companions. Yet, many of them had graciously declined; the only woman who responded was Dian Yin’s wife… Could it be…
Before Lady Han could intervene to smooth things over, Dian Yin’s wife smiled instead of getting angry and clearly articulated, “You needn’t worry; our household has never known a discarded wife, only a discarded husband. If he were ever unfaithful, I would report it to the Lord and request a divorce.”
The other ladies attempted to stifle their laughter.
What kind of nonsense is a “discarded husband”?
