nucmednet Chapter 222 The Eldest Princess's Approval
Chapter 222 The Eldest Princess's Approval
Shi Wanxia stared intently at the troublemaker and calmly replied, "My fellow villager, even ancestral rules need to evolve with the times."
“If we cling to the old ways, won’t Xinyang be forever trapped in outdated customs and unable to develop? Women’s education is not about abandoning their responsibilities of serving their parents-in-law and raising children, but about enabling them to manage their families better with greater wisdom.”
The troublemaker persisted, saying, "It's always been this way. What right do you, a mere county magistrate, have to change it? If women study, they'll become restless and unfaithful!"
"That's right. Men should work hard outside, while women should stay at home, take care of the household chores, and be filial to their parents and in-laws. This is the harmony of yin and yang. What you're doing is disrupting the balance of yin and yang."
Beside him stood a man dressed in plain white robes, holding a book. He retorted unhappily, saying that if women were truly allowed to read, it would be a huge problem.
“Mr. Liu is right. As the sage said, a woman’s virtue lies in her lack of talent. How can all women be as audacious and reckless as the county magistrate? You are trying to overturn the thousand-year-old tradition of our dynasty and make us all tools for climbing the social ladder.”
Shi Wanxia smiled slightly and said, "As the local official, I have a responsibility to enable the people of Xinyang to live a better life and allow women to realize their value."
"Think about it: if the women in your household could read and write, wouldn't they be a great help when you're running your business? Furthermore, if there's a year of disaster, wouldn't a woman with medical knowledge be able to save her family from illness and danger? How could she be restless at home?"
"Furthermore, how can you be so sure that the saying 'a woman's virtue lies in her lack of talent' came from Confucius? Did you hear him say it with your own ears?"
The group of scholars, led by Liu Fan, were momentarily speechless.
"It's rare to see you so argumentative. With such a sharp tongue, no wonder you want all the women in Xinyang to become like you?"
“Since ancient times, women have been expected to follow traditional virtues and appearances. How can they be so willful and reckless!” Liu Fan’s supporters shouted and echoed in unison.
One of them shouted in a shrill voice, "That's right, Magistrate! With you showing your face like this, no one dares to marry you. You just want to ruin the many women of Xinyang and make them so restless. Is this how you conduct yourself as an official?"
Upon hearing this, Xu Mingyi and the others were immediately enraged and shouted angrily, "How dare you slander Lord Shi! You..."
Xu Mingyi's face flushed red, veins bulged on his forehead, and his eyes widened, wishing he could teach these people who had uttered such vile words a lesson. However, before he could finish speaking, Shi Wanxia gently raised her hand to stop him.
Shi Wanxia chuckled and shook her head, her smile seemingly reassuring him and signaling him not to act impulsively.
As evening fell, Xia Lian moved with light steps, her gaze sweeping over the troublemakers with an indifferent and detached expression.
"You gentlemen seem to be scholars, yet you haven't grasped the principles you should understand after reading so many books. No wonder!"
Her hesitant, unspoken expression was like an invisible fire, instantly enraging those self-important scholars. Like cats whose tails had been stepped on, they hurled wild and arrogant remarks.
"You're just a lowly county magistrate, don't spread these heretical rumors! Women should follow the old ways, and what you're doing is heresy!"
"Don't think that just because you've read some books you can do whatever you want. The rules of Xinyang are not something you can easily change!"
The commotion grew louder, and the situation descended into chaos. Just then, Ye Wenshu moved gracefully, biting her lower lip as if she had made a tremendous decision. This was the first time she had disregarded etiquette and rules, resolutely standing up to defend Miss Shi.
“You are scholars who have read the Four Books and Five Classics, how can you be so lacking in the integrity of scholars? What Miss Shi said makes sense to me. Women should not be defined by you like this. We can only be ourselves. Pangu created the world and Nuwa created mankind. We all have the same ancestor. Why should we distinguish between superior and inferior? We women can also hold up half the sky.”
Ye Wenshu's voice was clear and melodious, yet carried an undeniable firmness. Her posture was graceful yet upright, her gaze calmly meeting the troublemakers' eyes. Her cheeks were slightly flushed with excitement, like peach blossoms blooming in spring.
Her words were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly creating ripples. The surrounding people began to whisper among themselves; some nodded in agreement, while others remained frowning, their faces full of suspicion.
Shen Yanchu stood in a corner of the crowd, quietly watching this scene. His gaze followed Shi Wanxia, his heart filled with mixed emotions. On one hand, he was worried about her situation; on the other hand, he was impressed by her courage and perseverance.
He knew that Shi Wanxia's actions were not impulsive, but rather driven by her profound understanding of the status and value of women.
What shocked him even more was that Miss Ye had also stood up to support Miss Shi. Wait a minute! When did they become so close?
The troublemakers were momentarily speechless, but they still stubbornly refused to give up. An old man next to them slowly spoke up: "Magistrate Shi, although I am old-fashioned, I think there is some truth to what you have to say."
"Perhaps, this matter of girls' education is worth a try." With the old man taking the lead, more people echoed his sentiments, and the original voices of opposition gradually weakened.
However, some stubborn individuals snorted and turned away, determined to fight this girls' school to the end. But Shi Wanxia knew that the road to change was never smooth, but as long as the seeds of hope were planted, they would one day take root and sprout.
Soon, the crowd gradually dispersed. Princess Shen Yunzheng, accompanied by her husband and Shen Yanchu, approached her. The girl's words had changed Shen Yunzheng's mind; although the girl was audacious and reckless...
But everything she said and did was for women and for the working class, for which she did not hesitate to show her face and argue with those people.
She admired this brave and resilient girl, but wondered if she could handle it. The Emperor would never approve of a woman holding office. She wouldn't be able to protect her then, just as Shu'er had spoken up for her earlier.
"Shu'er, you truly are a girl I value. You did very well today, and you were very brave. Although you lacked a bit of grace, those who dare to carry firewood for others will always be warmed by others."
Ye Wenshu lowered her head somewhat embarrassed. She had indeed been a bit rash today, but she didn't regret it.
Shen Yunzheng looked at Shi Wanxia: "Lord Shi, you are a very competent magistrate. I should go back now. Do a good job. I have high hopes for you. If you encounter any difficulties or dangers in the future, you can send someone to find me. I will definitely help you if I can."
Shi Wanxia was overjoyed. She hadn't expected the princess, who had always been unsupportive of her, to speak up and praise her. She quickly tried to curtsy in gratitude, but Shen Yunzheng stopped her and took out one of her personal jade pendants from her bosom.
“This jade pendant is a symbol of my status. No one except the current emperor has the right to make you kneel. What you say is true, my knees are worth ten thousand taels of gold.”
"Do whatever you want. If you don't have enough manpower and money, I can provide it."
Shi Wanxia quickly refused. "I appreciate Princess E's kindness, but I only want to rely on myself to carve out a better future for women in the world."
Shen Yunzheng smiled and placed the jade pendant into her hand. "Take it. I will be returning to the capital tomorrow. You and my son should still have things to discuss, so I won't disturb you any longer."