Chapter 384 The strong have the right to speak, regardless of gender.
Yan Fengju's words were sharp, yet full of confidence. Everyone in the room was shocked by her attitude. She, however, acted as if nothing had happened, gently pulling her sleeve from Madam Yan's grasp, bowing to Grand Tutor Yan, and saying, "Granddaughter takes her leave."
Grand Tutor Yan snapped out of his reverie and waved his hand. "I understand what you mean. Go back and get some rest. You have to go on duty tomorrow."
Yan Fengju turned and strode away, and everyone in the room watched her retreating figure until she disappeared. They had to admit that Yan Fengju was no longer the ordinary concubine's daughter who had remained hidden in the mansion. She was now a girl with sharp edges and a clear mind, and her inner resilience could no longer be concealed; no one could manipulate her anymore.
Grand Tutor Yan realized once again that even women, as long as they have wisdom and real skills, can earn a place in this world without having to depend on anyone or live at the mercy of anyone.
Like the Duke of Chu, and his granddaughter Yan Fengju.
"Fengju's meaning is very clear: she will not register under your name." Grand Tutor Yan snapped out of his thoughts and looked at Madam Yan, who was still in a daze, and said, "Since she says so, then so be it. As for Fengxi's marriage, I have my own plans. You may go back now."
Madam Yan turned around in disbelief, only to see Grand Tutor Yan's expression leaving no room for argument. She wasn't stupid; she knew that continuing the commotion would only bring her more trouble. She could only bow to Grand Tutor Yan, then pull Yan Fengxi along, stumbling out of the room.
She never imagined that Yan Fengju didn't want to be the legitimate daughter, much less that she could speak so forcefully to Grand Tutor Yan. Even he, the head of the household, had never considered speaking to the man in charge of the family like that, let alone a concubine's daughter like her. What gave Yan Fengju the right?
With her limited knowledge, she naturally wouldn't know the rules of this world. Strength is the foundation for breaking all constraints, and the strong have the right to speak, regardless of gender.
Yan Shuyang, who was inside the room, was also unaware of this rule. He was apologizing to Grand Tutor Yan, "It's all my fault. I have been too indulgent towards Fengxi, which has allowed her to develop such an arrogant and domineering personality, and even say such disobedient things in front of you."
And then there's Fengju… Her son never imagined she would have such a strong personality; he'd misjudged her.
Grand Tutor Yan glanced at him with some disappointment and said wearily, "Don't you understand yet? The Duke of Chu was able to enter the court as a woman, inherit his title, and now he is favored by the Emperor. Fengju, a concubine's daughter, has entered the Imperial Crafts Bureau by herself despite having no one to teach her. She will have a bright future ahead of her."
Yan Shuyang frowned upon hearing this. He seemed to understand these words, yet he also seemed not to quite understand them.
Seeing his expression, Grand Tutor Yan sighed again and said, "Now that Fengju speaks like this, you think she's tough. Would you think the same way if it were Fenghua?"
"Of course not," Yan Shuyang said. "Feng Hua is a man..."
Halfway through his sentence, Yan Shuyang realized what was happening, and a look of sudden understanding appeared on his face.
"In the Shang Dynasty, Fu Hao led her troops into battle and was revered by the people for her outstanding military achievements; in the Han Dynasty, Ban Zhao continued the Book of Han and established her reputation through writing, so much so that even the emperor had to call her 'Great Master'. Then there is our great empress Gaozu, who governed the country no less than any other emperor."
Grand Tutor Yan slowly rose, paced a few steps, and said, “It is clear that in this world, we do not distinguish between men and women, but only between abilities. We always keep the distinction between men and women in mind, but we forget that those who have been able to determine the fate of the world since ancient times have never been those whose appearance is male or female, but those whose sharpness is in their bones.”
These words made Yan Shuyang truly understand Grand Tutor Yan's meaning, but she felt a vague unease. For thousands of years, men had dominated the world, and women had depended on men, hoping to gain their favor for a better life. These outliers among women, while admirable in some ways, ultimately challenged male authority.
However, putting aside historical figures, he can't even control the daughter of the person in front of him now, let alone the Duke of Chu who is currently highly valued by the emperor.
Suppressing his slight discomfort, Yan Shuyang obediently told Grand Tutor Yan, "Your son understands."
Grand Tutor Yan glanced at him. He knew his son quite well, and he could guess most of what his son was thinking at that moment. He sighed again; his son was still somewhat narrow-minded and narrow-minded.
This world has always been a man's domain, with rules, authority, and the right to speak all tilting in favor of men. Yet, in such a world, which woman who can break through these constraints and stand out isn't a rare talent, one in a million?
Their character is a hundred times stronger than that of ordinary men, otherwise they wouldn't be able to withstand the open and hidden attacks; their wisdom is much more insightful than that of most men, otherwise they wouldn't be able to see through the intricacies of this world. The prejudices and pressures they bear on their shoulders are already much heavier than those of men. To have reached this point, their character, wisdom, and abilities have already far surpassed those of many men in the world.
Therefore, if you can befriend such a woman, you should never make her your enemy.
"You don't need to worry about Fengju's matter," Grand Tutor Yan said, not in the mood to lecture his son. "Keep an eye on your wife and Fengxi, and don't let them do anything out of line again."
"Yes," Yan Shuyang replied immediately.
Grand Tutor Yan wearily waved for Yan Shuyang to leave, then stood by the window gazing at the pitch-black night. The capital city was likely about to undergo a dramatic transformation...
...
Madam Yan and Yan Fengxi staggered back to Madam Yan's courtyard. They sat blankly in the small flower hall, remaining silent for a long time. They couldn't understand why Yan Fengju refused to become the legitimate daughter.
Madam Yan clenched the handkerchief in her hand, her knuckles turning white. She felt as if a fire was burning inside her, something she wanted to vent but couldn't, causing a burning pain in her chest.
The status of a legitimate daughter is a ladder to heaven that countless concubine's daughters yearn for but cannot attain. It can erase the stigma of one's birth and allow one to stand tall in one's husband's family. How could Yan Fengju just say she doesn't want it? What makes her think she can stand shoulder to shoulder with legitimate daughters just because she entered the Heavenly Crafts Bureau?
Yan Fengxi bit her lip, tears still welling up in her eyes, her grievances mixed with anger rising to her head. She had gone to great lengths to climb the social ladder, even willingly accepting the position of a concubine, but Yan Fengju had trampled the legitimate daughter's status that was offered to her.
Isn't this a slap in the face? She's clearly taking advantage and acting innocent, does she really think she's so great? If it weren't for her math skills, she'd still be a concubine's daughter in the mansion, having to watch everyone's face!
At this moment, the faces of the two men were horribly distorted.
"Kill her."
Yan Fengxi's voice suddenly rang out in the room, like an ice-cold dagger suddenly slicing through the silent air, carrying a chilling coldness.
Hearing this voice, Madam Yan felt a chill run down her spine. She pressed her lips tightly together and remained silent for a while before saying, "No, you didn't succeed last time."
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