"But I seem to have seen some women holding positions in important institutions." Loran Hill thought of his friend from the Marigold Mansion.
"Sister, you must be talking about disciples from big sects. They are different from ordinary people." She explained.
"I've been to many states and counties. Although people don't explicitly define them, they generally divide people into three categories. The first category is normal men, who work at home and venture out into the world or do business. The second category is ordinary women. From a young age, they have to help with household chores. Once they grow up, they get married, serve their husbands, and take care of their children. For example, even if I come from a decent family, I'm still subject to many restrictions. For example, I can't meet people casually when I'm young, I can't show my face in public, and I have to behave in a dignified manner."
"The third category is different. If you are a formal disciple of a major sect, one whose name is on the roster, you can travel freely with a sword. Local authorities will also give you a certain degree of respect. Even if you are a woman, you will not be looked down upon by others. Outsiders will treat you the same as those with honors and will not neglect or look down on you."
"So, for a long time, I've been envious of people like that. Ever since I had my child, I've been thinking about sending her to a major sect to study and see if she can be accepted as a disciple."
"But I also know that some things depend on fate. I have an older sister who was an inner disciple of a major sect. Unfortunately, her child didn't inherit her talent, so she ended up joining a smaller branch sect. But it's still pretty good."
"Sister, how are you feeling in the West? Is it very different from here?"
"The Western Continent? In the past, it was about the same. Generally, only the children of nobles and wealthy businessmen could get a good education. The monopoly of knowledge was even worse than in the East." Loran Hill shook his head.
In the Eastern Dynasty, even poor families can enter factions like the Tuo Shi Tang through hard work and adventure, and then earn a place for themselves. However, ordinary people in the Western Continent cannot obtain extraordinary knowledge at all, nor do they know how to practice and condense an extraordinary core.
Perhaps for this reason, Eastern dynasties have always had a higher density and number of transcendents than Western dynasties. Factions, large and small, across various regions serve not only as teachers and inheritors of transcendental knowledge, but also as specialized organizations. Some are transport gangs, some are doctors, and some are dyers. These organizations, combining learning and practical application, fill many gaps in dynastic governance.
"However, things have changed a lot in the West right now. I can't really explain a lot of it. If I have the chance, I'd like to go there and take a look."
"Haha, thank you for your advice, sister. I think we have to wait a few more years until the children are older before we can go on a long trip."
Afterwards, the two sat in the pavilion and talked for a long time. The lady introduced Nanfengzhou's specialties, such as persimmon tea and ice-cracked porcelain, to Loran Hill, saying that he could buy some when he left and give them to his friends.
Because Nanfengzhou is the main trading point between the East and West Continents, in response to the strong demand from the Western Continent, many porcelain workshops simply moved here. After making their products, they directly loaded them onto ships and shipped them to the West, saving a lot of transportation costs.
"Ice crackle porcelain has a deep blue color. After being fired and left for a while, it emits a continuous, crisp sound, like a wind chime. The cracks on the bottom of the glaze are even and beautiful, like ice flowers, which is very attractive."
"Speaking of which, my husband went to the Ice Porcelain Sect's branch here this morning. He will probably bring back a batch of good samples when he returns late this afternoon. Sister, you live in courtyard number 2, so I'll have someone send you a box."
"Well...thank you, sister." Loran Hill wanted to refuse, but he didn't want to disappoint the lady's kindness and enthusiasm, so he nodded and told her the yard where he would rest.
I'll just give her a return gift when the time comes. I also brought some specialties from the Western Continent, but they're of no use if I just keep them in the storage space.
After the situation in the empire stabilized, she traveled to many places again. Sometimes when she saw nice things, she would buy a lot of them. This accumulated over time. Of course, the most of them were things from the Emerald Forest.
Not only Westena, the Queen of Elves, but even Aihekatri gave her a lot of things when she left.
"My name is Ran Yinan, what should I call you, sister?"
When they were about to part, the lady asked the girl's name. It didn't look like she did it on purpose, but she really just remembered it at that moment.
"Call me Jialan." Loran Hill looked at the lady's innocent and naive appearance and answered with a smile.
"Nice name~" She gave a thumbs up, then covered her mouth and laughed.
Afterwards, the two went down the mountain and walked together for a while before finally parting reluctantly.
"See you next time~" Ran Yinan waved and walked down the hill.
Watching the lady and her maid walking towards a distant courtyard, Loran Hill felt that such people were rare. Even after being married for many years, they still maintained an innocent and romantic sentiment, sharing many things with others without utilitarianism or prejudice.
After spending a whole morning with this lady, Loran Hill felt much better. This time, he also learned a lot of things from other people that he didn't know before.
The Plantagenet dynasty was both conservative and open-minded. Its conservatism lay in the dynasty's officials, which had many rules and concerns. Its openness lay in the various factions across the country, which competed with each other, brought forth new ideas, and continuously inherited and carried forward the tradition, allowing the people to maintain a high level of vitality. The existence of these factions also filled in many areas that were not taken care of under the dynasty system, allowing order to exist and preventing chaos in the world.
Even in Minzezhou, in the remote areas of the swamps and mountains, there are still caravans patrolling periodically and trading goods. Local factions send people to deal with the monsters and aliens that cause chaos. The blood sacrifice demon masters that were popular in ancient times are almost gone now, and the world is generally in a stable and peaceful state.
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