Nursing a Slight, Uncle and Brother Bully a Weak Girl; Startled by a Riddle, Wife and Concubine Admonish a Foolish Man

When Lady Xing and Lady Wang had heard what Lady You said, they both understood in their hearts that Xichun could hardly be persuaded to turn back. Lady Wang had no choice but to say, “If the girl has set her heart on cultivating the Way, it must be a fate planted in a former life. We truly cannot stop her. Only, for a young lady of a great household like ours to leave the world is, after all, not quite proper. Now that your sister-in-law agrees to let you cultivate, that may be counted a good thing. But there is one thing I must say: there is no need to shave your head. If your heart is truly set on the Way, why care about your hair? Think of Miaoyu. She too cultivated with her hair unshaven, but later her worldly heart stirred, and she came to such an end. Since the girl’s mind is made up, we will treat the rooms you now live in as your quiet chamber for cultivation. As for the maids who serve you, we must ask them themselves: those willing to follow you in cultivation may no longer speak of marriage; those unwilling we will settle elsewhere.” When Xichun heard......