Xiang Jingyu asked Lin Zixuan to talk about this matter, which stemmed from the image that Lin Zixuan established to support women's liberation.

In his novels, there are independent women, and he proposes the standard of women in the new era, that is, "self-esteem, self-confidence, self-reliance, and self-improvement", and he also supports his wife to start a company.

With the opening of Yunshang Women's Clothing Company, this matter has been well known.

Especially when Yin Mingzhu appeared in a social occasion wearing a newly designed cheongsam, it brought a fashion trend of oriental charm and made Yunshang women's clothing famous.

Moreover, Yunshang women's clothing only makes women's clothing, which is different from the tailor shop that makes other men's clothing and women's clothing, which is more professional.

Women with a lot of money prefer this kind of store that specializes in serving them, because only women know women better, and women's clothing has become a place for them to socialize.

Lin Zixuan operated Yunshang women's clothing according to the concept of the later club, and specially divided the rest room and dressing room in the store.

Refreshments and coffee were prepared, and the women could chat while choosing the outfit they needed.

In the eyes of some conservative families, it is unethical for Lin Zixuan to let his wife start a company, and women should teach their husbands and children at home, but more people expressed their appreciation.

After all, times are different, society is becoming more and more open, and women are gradually participating in social activities.

For example, a woman named Zheng Yuxiu was the first female lawyer in China.

She participated in the League, assassinated Yuan Shikai, and went to Paris in 1914 to study, where she received a doctorate in law from the University of Paris, becoming the first woman in China to receive this degree.

The most famous is the "Rose Branch Incident".

June 27, 1919. It was the day before the signing of the Paris Treaty.

Zheng Yuxiu, as the leader of the student organization, surrounded the apartment of Lu Zhengxiang, China's chief negotiator, along with representatives of international students and laborers, and demanded that the Chinese delegation refuse to sign.

She was elected as a representative to negotiate with Lu Zhengxiang. During the negotiations, Lu Zhengxiang received instructions from the Beiyang government to sign the peace treaty.

Zheng Yuxiu saw that the situation was not good. He casually folded a rose branch, covered it with his sleeve, pressed against Lu Zhengxiang's waist, and said sharply: "If you want to sign, my gun will not let you go." ”

Lu Zhengxiang was very frightened after hearing this, and never mentioned the signing again, so the Chinese government was able to reserve the right to take back Shandong.

In 1919, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Guangzhou Military Government appointed Zheng Yuxiu as an honorary member of the Diplomatic Investigation, becoming the first woman in China to participate in politics.

So. In this era, more and more women are standing up to participate in social change and fight for their rights.

This is the general trend of the times, although there are many difficulties, but it is unstoppable.

Xiang Jingyu carefully observed Lin Zixuan, and also learned about Lin Zixuan from Ding Ling, she felt that Lin Zixuan was indeed supporting women's liberation, not talking about it. Just shouting a few slogans.

In other words, Lin Zixuan has the concept of equality between men and women, and he is an object worth fighting for.

She advocated for women's emancipation, not just by relying on propaganda. There must also be practical actions.

Xiang Jingyu decided to start with the female silk factory workers, and the female silk factory workers in Shanghai were severely exploited, and the salary of four corners a day was stipulated. It will also be deducted two corners, which is almost the same as the treatment of child labor.

Representatives of women silk mill workers appealed several times for social assistance. But with little success.

Here is an explanation for the reason why most of the silk factories in Shanghai are in the hands of Chinese compradors.

China's raw silk is mainly exported to Europe and the United States. The compradors who served the company's raw silk exports, including silk merchants with close ties to the company's raw silk exports, were an important pillar of the founders and hosts of the Shanghai Hyundai Silk Reeling Factory.

The operators of these silk factories are not only compradors of foreign banks, but also brokers who also deal in silk numbers.

They used the signboard of foreign companies and relied on the power of Westerners to expand their business and monopolize the silk reeling industry.

Women workers are the main source of workers in silk mills and yarn mills, accounting for more than 90 per cent, and at least 40,000 women workers work in silk mills and yarn mills in Shanghai.

Most of these female workers are not native to Shanghai, but from other places, most of them from northern Jiangsu.

They were taken to Shanghai by the contractor and arranged to work.

The foreman paid the girl's parents a small sum of money, usually in three years, with a total amount ranging from 30 to 50 yuan, and made a contract for three years of room and board, but during these three years, all the wages of the contractor belonged to the foreman.

As a result, their lives are under the tight control of the contractor.

In addition, there is a "bring meal" system, that is, the female worker pays the contractor 8 yuan per month for room and board, but this relationship does not sign a contract and can be canceled at any time.

These foremen were members of various forces in society, and they colluded with the owners of the silk mills to exploit the female workers.

This is a common phenomenon in this era, the factory is not responsible for recruiting workers directly, but hands them over to the contract foreman, so that if something happens to a female worker, the contract foreman is also responsible for handling it.

A silk factory needs thousands of female workers, and there are more than a dozen silk factories in Shanghai, and the total number of female workers in silk factories is tens of thousands.

Xiang Jingyu is preparing to organize a strike of female silk factory workers to protest against the exploitation of factories and contract foremen, and the Lin family has a pivotal position in Shanghai's textile industry, which is one of the reasons why she sought out Lin Zixuan.

She wanted to convince Lin Zixuan to support the strike and let the Lin family's yarn factory set an example.

Perhaps it was the last time that the Lin family's yarn factory announced that it would no longer recruit children under the age of 12, which made Xiang Jingyu feel that the Lin family could be used as a breakthrough.

Lin Zixuan sympathized with those female workers and wanted to improve their situation, but this was not something that the factory could do unilaterally, and it also involved social forces, including the situation of the female workers' families.

The female worker was brought to Shanghai by the contractor and signed the contract.

Even if the factory raises the wages of female workers, it will fall into the hands of the contractor, and if the factory avoids the contractor and recruits directly, it will not only be difficult to recruit female workers, but will also be disrupted by the contractor.

He doesn't think the factory can get rid of the contractor now, especially in Shanghai, a place where there are many fish and dragons.

Of course, he supported the legitimate demands of the women workers in the silk mill, and the outcome depended on the outcome of the negotiations between the two sides.

However, on March 10, the Shanghai Xiangjing Silk Factory in Zhabei caught fire, because the doors and windows of the dormitory were nailed to death by the factory, and the female workers could not escape, resulting in the tragedy of more than 100 female workers.

This incident once again brought the plight of the women silk mill workers to the public, and public opinion was in an uproar.

On behalf of the Lin family, Lin Zixuan announced that the yarn factory under the Lin family will increase the treatment and leave restrictions of female workers, improve their working and living environment, and protect their most basic right to survival.

That's all he can do.

Whether the lives of women workers can be better, or whether they can continue to be exploited by contract foremen, is a complex social issue.

In this era, some women are fighting for the right to participate in social activities, and some women are still struggling on the edge of survival, but society is moving forward after all. (To be continued.) )