Fight the wicked, trample her peers, make a name for herself, and win the admiration of thousands. When the time comes, happily marry the man of her dreams, then enjoy her husband's success and raise a houseful of children.
That is the script for a woman in an inner-courtyard battle. It is not Dong Jingtang's.
In Dong Jingtang's dictionary, there is no smiling while hiding a knife. If someone won't back down, she fights.
Reading notes:
1. This is a fictional setting, very loosely based on anything historical. Sticklers for historical accuracy, stay away.
2. I'll try not to pile on melodrama, but sometimes life really is that melodramatic.
Theme: Treasure every moment as you go.
