Yang Ruxin nodded. "That Commandery Princess is really something. But she’s right, who would want to sleep with a man who’s like a public bus?"
"Public bus?" Gu Qingheng frowned.
"It’s like..." Yang Ruxin touched her nose awkwardly, "just a metaphor. Old Uncle’s mule cart is for making money; as long as you pay, anyone can rent it and sit on it... And those men sleep with any woman... Heihei, you know what I mean..."
How smart was Gu Qingheng? He understood immediately and the corners of his mouth twitched, "It seems like you... but don’t forget, it’s normal for a man to have three wives and four concubines. The Emperor himself has three thousand beauties in the Harem. Moreover, even though the current laws allow women to marry and divorce, they still have to bear a lot of gossip."
Yang Ruxin understood. Even if the laws allowed it, the number of women who could really remarry and still have a good life was very few. Spittle could drown people, and people’s thinking was still patriarchal. She couldn’t help but sigh.
Gu Qingheng was conflicted inside, but he still pretended not to care and said, "It seems like you’re quite opposed to it, huh?"
"Of course." Yang Ruxin nodded emphatically, truly unable to accept a man having multiple wives and concubines, "All those filthy affairs in the big families, aren’t they all caused by women competing for favor and property? Just hearing about it disgusts me..." She paused, "I’d rather stay single for a lifetime than marry a man like that..."
Gu Qingheng’s hand clenched unconsciously. He couldn’t deny that Yang Ruxin was absolutely right. Wasn’t it because of such a man favoring concubines over his wife that his own mother passed away early, and he ended up in this current state?
"Let’s get off this topic. Hurry up and continue about that Commandery Princess..." Seeing that Gu Qingheng seemed to be in a bad mood, Yang Ruxin quickly changed the subject, as they had digressed.
"But, in the Great Xuan Dynasty, the law also stipulates that if a woman isn’t married by the age of twenty-five, she would be punished..." Gu Qingheng didn’t follow Yang Ruxin’s lead and continued to drop another bombshell.
"What?" Yang Ruxin almost screamed, "That’s a rule too?"
"Yes." Gu Qingheng nodded, "The Palace maids are released from the palace once they reach the age of twenty-four, then they’re given a year to find a marriage."
"Oh, come on!" Yang Ruxin rolled her eyes. Not marrying was a crime too, but then a thought struck her, "What about widows?"
"They wouldn’t be punished."
"That’s fine then." Yang Ruxin let out a sigh of relief and even snapped her fingers, "If worst comes to worst, I’ll just marry someone who’s about to die..." How could a living person be killed by holding in pee? There’s always a way to deal with the policy.
Three stark lines appeared on Gu Qingheng’s forehead. Did he look like someone who was about to die? Wait, no, did he look like someone who would take multiple wives and concubines?
"Alright, let’s not talk about that anymore." Yang Ruxin waved her hand, "It’s too early for that, let’s go back to the Commandery Princess. What happened to her afterward?"
"Xinxin, if..." Gu Qingheng still couldn’t let it go, so eager to understand her thoughts that he once again ignored her question, "If there is a man who won’t take multiple wives and concubines, would you consider it?"
"Is he good-looking?" Yang Ruxin thought for a moment before counter-asking.