Red clouds filled the sky outside the window.
The light was dim.
The female workers walked out in twos and threes.
As they coughed, they squeezed into the clean room to wash up.
After a short rest, they prepared to go back and finish their work for the day before dawn.
One of the young girls had been working hard and was sweating profusely. She really had no energy left.
She took a short leave.
She sat on a stool in the clean room and panted.
Another female worker who was older than her and looked 60 to 70% similar sat beside her and asked, "Are you tired? Drink some water? "
The little girl drank a mouthful of water tiredly.
She wiped her sweat.
Suddenly, she raised her head and asked another female worker, "Sister.
What is' freedom '? Is it like what Sister Li said, like in the opera?
'Go wherever you want, do whatever you want '? Those clan leaders and village elders.
They can't control us anymore? "
Her sister stroked her head.
She replied, "Weren't you rescued? Then, that's probably what it means. "
The little girl yawned and said, "Yes. Those annoying people can't control me anymore. But 'freedom' is so tiring … "
"Tiring is only a few years. Sister Li and Master Chen both said that in the past, we were 'tired'. We were working like cows and horses for others, being wives, concubines, and servants. We didn't have anything of our own. Now, as long as we are willing to work hard and save money, we can … we can live like Sister Li … "
The little girl agreed with her sister, her voice getting softer and softer. "Sister, I still want to watch another show. The one where the little widow wears a flower … "
"Okay. Sister Li said that we will get more pay today. Then let's do some more work. After work, we will get paid and go watch the show. Sister … Sister? "
The red glow of dusk shone through the low windows of the clean room. The little girl was too tired. With a smile on her face, she had already fallen asleep on her sister's shoulder.
She probably dreamed of something sweet.
When the female worker carried her sister out of the clean room with difficulty, she bumped into a slender girl. She was wearing a dress with flowers scattered on it. Her movements were romantic and her appearance was peerless. Her eyebrows seemed to be furrowed, and she was born with a sentimental appearance. Judging from the description, she was a delicate lady in a golden door.
"Hello, Miss Lin!"
"Hello." Miss Lin nodded at her and handed her a script. "Take it and learn how to read. Since you are already familiar with that play, you can recognize a few words. I have circled the words that correspond to the play you heard today. If you don't know anything in the future, you can come and ask me. "
The female worker was shocked. She took the script with one hand and almost teared up. "Thank you for your concern, Miss Lin. It's my sister who doesn't know any better … I …"
Yesterday, when he was watching a play after work, his younger sister said that she wanted to learn how to read.
She happened to bump into Miss Lin, who had followed Miss Li to watch the show. She was afraid that others would laugh at her younger sister's wishful thinking, so she quickly reprimanded her younger sister.
................. Miss......
She originally thought that Miss Lin was just saying it casually. She didn't expect her to remember it so well and spend so much effort on a few female workers whom she had only met a few times. She grabbed Miss Lin's hand excitedly and was speechless for a long time.
In a daze, he thought about it again. Miss Lin, who looked like a delicate girl, had thick calluses on her fingers that held the pen. She was a scholar.
How could those rotten scholars be considered scholars? Only someone like Miss Lin could be considered a scholar!
Miss Lin smiled. "It's nothing. Learning to read and write is a good thing. Doing this is also a merit of mine. But since you want to learn how to read, you have to work hard. You are busy with work every day and will be tired. Don't blame me when the time comes. "
As they were talking, Li Qingqing came to see who was missing. She found that two female workers were missing and came to call them.
The female worker hurriedly woke up her younger sister and thanked Miss Lin profusely before leaving.
Li Qingqing came to call the workers. When she saw who it was, she smiled. "Sister Lin, why are you here?"
Lin Daiyu smiled. "You don't visit a temple for no reason. Can't I come to your temple for no reason? Okay, then I won't disturb this temple. Zhenye, this little one will leave now. "
She pretended to leave.
"Hey!" Li Qingqing hurriedly pulled her back. She was so angry that she laughed and slapped her on the arm. "Sister Lin, look at your mouth! Slap your mouth! "
After messing around for a while, Lin Daiyu said, "When I came, I heard two girls talking about 'freedom'. They said they wanted to see the play 'The Little Widow Dai Honghua'. Did you go see it? "
"Ah, I wanted to go, but I was busy."
"Then are you free now? Come with me to watch the play. We are busy with our own things and haven't seen each other for a few days. "
Li Qingqing immediately agreed, "I'll be done here soon. Elder Sister, please wait for a moment and have some tea first."
When the day's work was over, the sky was completely dark. Lin Daiyu and Miss Lin got on the carriage and went to a pear garden that was opened by several workshops.
When they sat down, it happened to be time. The gongs and drums of a play had just been beaten.
Xiaoxiang's Gentleman's Words was circulated in the north. There were still many scholars, officials, and dignitaries who hated it and blocked it. In the south, the southern scholars and common people fought for haili. There were the most workshops, and the gentry and good people's power was the weakest in the north. Most of them were small families who left their families and rejected others. Most of them were young people who were dissatisfied with the emperor and his ministers. Even Zhejiang's Governor Zhu couldn't control the eagerness of people's words.
Moreover, in the southernmost area, there were local business people who learned from the imperial bulletin and overseas tabloids. It spread everywhere by relying on convenient water transportation and the steam ships introduced from the Western Hemisphere. It was even more difficult to ban those "crazy rebellious disciples" from saying "no emperor, no father, and disgraceful".
Therefore, in the southern provinces, all of Xiao Xiang Junzi's works were very popular. "Willow Tree", "Fierce Maiden Temple", "Singing Immortal", and recently, "Li Xianglan's Work Diary" were added. They were the storytellers and regulars of the pear garden. Every time they went on stage, the place would be full.
This pear garden was no exception.
This pear garden was built near a few factories. Most of the workers who lived nearby came here to watch the show.
Most of them were female workers.
Recently, the garden had been performing "Li Xianglan's Work Diary" every day.
Today, they were performing "The Little Widow and the Red Head Flower" in "Li Xianglan's Work Diary".
After being rescued, the little sister, who usually lived near the workshop and didn't dare to go too far away, received her salary for the first time. She timidly followed her sisters to buy goods and new clothes on the street.
In order to avoid criticism, she untied her widow's hair and combed it into a big braid. Under the encouragement of her sisters, she also gathered the courage to buy herself a red head flower.
She wore black clothes and a bright red head flower. When she followed them through the county, some people recognized the protagonist of the strange story in the countryside and whispered, "That's the woman who was kidnapped to work … She's a widow!"
People pointed at the widow who was in her early teens. Soon, a series of naughty boys who were only a few years younger than her followed behind her as if they were chasing some strange animal.
"The little widow went out to buy a hair flower! The little widow is wearing a hair flower! "
When the little sister heard such shouts, she was so scared that her whole body turned cold. She remembered that before she was drowned in a pig cage, she had seen all the widows in her husband's village. They were all haggard and dark, like skeletons.
No one had ever dared to wear such a bright red head flower.
She was extremely uneasy. She picked the red head flower and held it in her hand. Ignoring everything else, she quickly ran away. People were still saying behind her, "Look! A widow can actually run so fast! "
Because she ran too fast, she tripped and fell. Her big braid fell apart, and the red head flower she held tightly in her hand fell into the mud.
People roared with laughter.
A few female workers who had gone to the other side to buy things came back. Seeing this scene, her delicate sister trembled all over. She suddenly picked up the broom in her hand and rushed up to those people who were pointing at her. She cried and hit them: "Go away, go away!"
The crowd muttered 'crazy woman' and dispersed in a hubbub. Someone said, "Ah, fierce woman! Can't people laugh when a widow wears a red head flower? "
A few other female workers immediately went up and grabbed that person. "Who are you? She's not a widow. She's not spending your money. She's not wearing it for you to see. What do you care? You should go to hell for having your tongue pulled out! "
The skinny peddler who had spoken was pulled out of the crowd. Seeing that there were so many people, and that everyone was just watching, he was so scared that he shut up and kept apologizing.
Later, a few older girls helped the little sister up and put the red head flower on her in front of everyone.
The little sister did not dare to wear it. She timidly said, "Red head flowers are for little girls. I'm a widow. I can't wear it."
The older sister panted and threw down the broom. She wiped her tears and loudly shouted, "Wear it, why not wear it! You're the one who spent the money. They sold it to you! Not only do you wear it, but you'll also come back to buy it in the future! If you think a widow's money is dirty, don't do our business! "
They clustered the little sister in the middle. The older sister coiled the widow's hair in front of everyone.
The little girl asked the older girls, "Does it look good?"
The red head flower was stained with mud. It was dirty and wrinkled together. It looked very ugly.
The older sister nodded with tears in her eyes. "It looks good."
They clustered around the little sister who had put on the red head flower and swaggered across the street.
This time, people pointed and looked at the bright widow's head, but no one dared to say a word.
At the end of the play, someone behind the stage sang, "Black clothes and black hair passing through spring and autumn, empty guarding the door of firewood for years. Old people hate red apricots, stealing one to comfort their old age. "
There was silence in the venue. A few middle-aged female workers were wiping their tears. When the play was over. The people below the stage reflected on it again and again. Only then did some people stand up.
Li Qingqing was secretly speechless when she saw this.
In the past, she did not like to accompany Uncle Dao and other opera friends to watch China's operas. It was because since ancient times, most people watched operas for fun. If the operas were too elegant, they would not understand it. They would make a fuss. They would eat melon seeds and chat.
But recently, her previous impression had changed.
It was all because the operas of Xiaoxiang Lin beside her could be said to be both elegant and popular.
Sometimes, when she accompanied others to watch operas, when it came to operas such as "Fierce Maiden Temple" and "Immortal Song", there was complete silence.
No one was eating melon seeds and shouting anymore.
From time to time, faint choking sounds could be heard nearby.
People were immersed in it, as if they were worried about their own fate, worried about the fate of the people in the play.
This could not be called a miracle.
After the people left, the play was over, and the opera troupe also left.
Because Li Qingqing could be considered the daughter of the investor behind this theater, the gatekeeper still sat with them.
At this time, the sky was completely dark. They sat in a corridor beside the stage. There were benches in the hall, and lanterns hung in the corridor, emitting a dim yellow light, attracting moths to circle around.
Two beautiful young people sat in the corridor beside the stage. Under the dim light, they had a conversation.
"Qingqing, how do you feel?"
Li Qingqing shook her head and said with emotion, "The pig cage on the body and the pig cage in the heart must be burned. Only then can it be called freedom."
Daiyu listened and said with a smile, "Today, I heard the little girl you rescued ask her sister what freedom is. Now you're saying this word again. During this period of time, I've been thinking about something, and I want to talk to you about this' freedom '. "
Li Qingqing was immediately interested. "Oh? Sister, please speak. "
Daiyu smiled and said, "This is the first time I've heard this word from your mouth. You go first. "
Li Qingqing thought for a moment and waved her arm in high spirits. "Hey, freedom, literally means' I make my own decisions'. In other words, we do as we please. Doesn't that mean we can do whatever we want?"
"Then," the thin, dissolute young man opposite her, who seemed to be used to being sentimental smiled, "I have a few questions."
"The first question. These days, when I was writing Li Xianglan's diary, I often walked around and read some tabloids from the south. Qingqing, you're a kind-hearted person. But not all workshop owners are kind-hearted. In addition to renting land from others, I see that many workshop owners often use all kinds of methods, such as deceiving, or even forcing, and taking the fields of farmers by force to use them as venues. As a result, the farmers lose their own land, become homeless, leave the fields, and have to work for them. "
"Is this freedom as well? Since you want to do something, do it. Others want to be farmers, but you force them to be homeless and have to work in other industries. Is this freedom? "
Li Qingqing felt a headache coming on. She stared at Lin Daiyu without saying anything.
"Then, the second question. If you want to do something, do it. I heard that a generation of businessmen in Jiangnan used all kinds of methods, including the above-mentioned acquisition of land, hiring original farmers, and changing the original crops to cotton.
There were also those who raised the price and made the local farmers take the initiative to grow only one kind of product. This caused a generation of farmers in Jiangnan to retreat. Is this also 'freedom' under the guidance of others? "
"This —" Li Qingqing felt a headache coming on. "Sister Lin … wait …"
Lin Daiyu raised the corner of her mouth and stretched out a third finger. "The third question: If someone wants to be a cow or a horse for the rest of her life and have all the affairs of her life arranged by others, she will let her own freedom. Yet, you're telling her to make her own decisions and do whatever she wants. She just has to find herself a parents-in-law to serve her carefully. This is also your 'freedom', right? "
Li Qingqing was completely speechless. According to what she had just said, this was indeed 'freedom'.
She stared at her friend who seemed sentimental but was actually very meticulous and unusually stubborn. "I have no other choice. I have always done things according to my temperament, and I usually only care about the workshop. I have never thought about these things. Lin Daiyu, Sister Lin, Immortal Lin, please forgive me! "
Lin Daiyu couldn't help but laugh. "You know it!"
"What do I know? You are still joking with me. If I knew, I would definitely refute you. Why would I obediently beg for mercy and let you make fun of me? "
The wind made the lantern sway slightly, and the flame also swayed with it. Lin Daiyu's rare and handsome face could only be seen in the surrounding darkness.
"Actually, Qingqing, not only do you know this principle, but you also practice it. You just said it too vaguely. "
"Qingqing, these days, I have been thinking about it diligently. The more I think about it, the more familiar it feels. Later, when I flipped through the history books, I realized where the familiarity came from. You should know that during the Zhou dynasty, it was a system of well fields, and most of the work was done by slaves. Later, at the beginning of the Spring and Autumn period and the end of the Warring States period, the Qin Dynasty destroyed the six states. They changed the well fields into private fields and abolished the land into counties. Slaves were originally like animals. Although they did their best, it was difficult for them to eat grain. Their life and death were not up to them. How could they do their best for the government? Since the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, the Zhou dynasty declined, and the well fields were not enough. Slaves were 'free'. "
As she spoke, she stood up and walked back and forth. Although her outline was weak, her spirit was high and upright. She was like those western sculptures full of rationality that Li Qingqing had seen. "The reason why Qin destroyed the six kingdoms was because of the reform of Qin. They treated the slaves well and gave them 'freedom'. Since the slaves were free, they had their own private fields, they could earn their own living and eventually they could fill their stomachs. How could they not be willing to do their best? The people of Qin were united and only cared about themselves. The people of Qin were invincible in the world. "
Li Qingqing listened vaguely and hurriedly complained, "Good sister, although I have read the history books, I don't know much about it. It's the same as if I have never read it."
Lin Daiyu smiled and said, "In short, the freedom you talk about here should be that as long as anyone is willing, they have the freedom to choose to earn money by working. They won't be controlled by people and the land, and they don't even have the right to make a living by themselves. For example, if women are not 'free', you will organize a factory protection team and rob their husbands of their clansmen. You will ensure that they have the right to make a living by their own work. They won't have to rely on their husbands to live, and their husbands' lives and deaths are at their will '. For example, some peasant households are trapped by the land and bound by the country gentry. They can only see that one mu or three mu of land in their lifetime. They are not much better than the slaves in the Zhou dynasty. Then, you will release them from the land and they will no longer be trapped by the land. They will be free to work wherever they want.
For example, there are also some clans that have strict family laws and family rules. The children are controlled by them. Even if they don't want to walk on the path that the clan says, the elders in the family must force them to do so. Then, aren't you sheltering them and letting them leave everyone to form a small family, so that they can choose to make a living by themselves? "
Li Qingqing was stunned for a moment.
Daiyu had fallen ill some time ago and her body was weak. Just now, because she was in high spirits, she spoke a lot. After she finished speaking, she was so tired that she sat down to catch her breath. She then slowly said, "Besides... if you don't take the initiative to promote this kind of 'freedom', in this world of heavy restrictions, where women stay in the backyard, farmers settle down, and merchants work hard. Everyone 'knows their place', who will take care of your factories and the mulberry gardens of many workshop owners?"
After a pause, Lin Daiyu said, "Therefore, I said that you, Uncle Li, Uncle Chen, and the others must be the people who understand these principles the most."
It was already late at night, so they couldn't see Li Qingqing's expression clearly. After a while, they heard her sigh softly. "No wonder Father said that even ten of me wouldn't be as smart as a strand of Sister Lin's hair."
While they were talking, suddenly a voice came from behind Lin Daiyu in the darkness. "Of course Sister Lin is smart!"
Li Qingqing was startled. She pulled Lin Daiyu over and snatched the gun in her hand. She suddenly jumped up and vigilantly looked over. "Who is it?!"
Lin Daiyu was startled at first, but when she heard the person's voice, tears fell like rain. She smiled and said, "We haven't seen each other for a long time. You're flattering me."
Li Qingqing followed her line of sight and looked over.
The match was lit and the lantern was lit. In the light, a pitiful and cute face like a daffodil appeared.
The person who came smiled at Daiyu, full of familiarity and intimacy.
Then he gave Li Qingqing a friendly smile, revealing eight teeth, including two small canine teeth.
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