On this day, Chuanwen went to the girls' school as usual, but on the way he encountered someone jumping into the lake. The people around him did not dare to save him and stayed far away. Some people looked at him with sympathy, while others looked smug and clapped their hands, saying that it was good that he died!
Chuanwen looked into the lake and saw a girl of about fifteen or sixteen years old. She seemed to want to die and didn't struggle much.
Chuanwen recognized her as the daughter of the family that often sold sesame cakes on the street. She often walked this road to the girls' school and sometimes bought some snacks on the roadside. Chuanwen loved the sweet sesame cakes from that stall, and after buying them a few times, he became somewhat familiar with the girl.
However, in Chuanwen's memory, the girl was quite cheerful and always smiled at customers who came to buy sesame cakes. Why would she be so despondent as to jump into the lake?
Chuanwen called out to Wenxue, and Wenxue immediately took off using her light-footed skills. Her swift movements left a trail of wind that ruffled Chuanwen's hair.
Chuan Wen remained silent, but Wen Xue's expression clearly indicated that she had long wanted to take action.
Chuanwen smiled, though. Wenxue's dream was to be a chivalrous knight-errant, and it was good to have some passion and loyalty.
The girl was pulled out of the lake by Wenxue and carried to the shore. Chuanwen also got off the carriage and came over.
She had already found out from the script why the girl jumped into the lake: [She had also been kidnapped by a notorious womanizer. Although the womanizer hadn't done anything to them, no one believed her, and everyone around her wanted her to die to preserve her chastity, including her parents and family.]
When the girl was rescued, the crowd began to stir, pointing and whispering, and some even questioned Chuanwen and the others about why they had saved her!
Chuanwen looked in the direction of the voice and saw a middle-aged man with a goatee, wearing a long gown, who appeared to be a scholar.
Chuanwen looked straight at the man. The man saw that Chuanwen was dressed well and first shrank back by three points. Then, when he met Chuanwen's intimidating gaze, he shrank back by another three points.
However, considering that the other party was only a fourteen or fifteen-year-old girl, the middle-aged man's six-tenths of his imposing manner returned, and he said to Chuanwen in the manner of an elder educating a junior: "This young lady's intention to save people is good, but this woman has lost her chastity, and your saving her will only harm her."
Chuanwen blinked in confusion and asked, "Why?"
The middle-aged man laughed, as if Chuanwen's question was particularly ridiculous. However, seeing Chuanwen's powerful and influential appearance, he patiently explained, "She was kidnapped by a notorious womanizer and has already been defiled. If she doesn't die, her family will be ridiculed, her sisters will be unable to get married, and her brothers will be unable to marry girls from good families."
He patiently explained a lot, but Chuanwen still didn't understand and asked him, "Why?"
The middle-aged man got a little angry and said to Chuanwen, "You're supposed to be a girl from a wealthy family, how come you don't even understand these virtues of womanhood!"
This time, Chuanwen understood what he meant and nodded, "Yes, yes, I just don't understand. Why should a woman care about chastity? Why should she die if she loses her chastity while you live a good life by her side?"
The middle-aged man was even angrier, his face turning red with anger. He pointed at Chuanwen, his finger trembling, "What...what does this have to do with me!"
"Yeah, what's it to you!"
Chuanwen's innocent face could infuriate anyone. The middle-aged man finally realized that Chuanwen was indirectly scolding him for meddling in other people's business, which made him even angrier.
The murmurs among the crowd grew louder and louder, but besides discussing whose it was, most of the discussion was about condemning Chuanwen for saying such things. Women have always been expected to uphold traditional virtues, and Chuanwen dared to say that women should care about chastity, especially in public. How could he possibly disregard etiquette?
The middle-aged man clearly thought the same thing, pointing at Chuanwen and saying that with her kind of thinking, no one would dare to want her.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Chuanwen chuckled. She had just gotten engaged not long ago. However, she didn't want to waste any more words with this person, so she turned her head to the other side, letting the Minister of War preside over the matter.
Yes, the Minister of War was secretly joining in the fun among the crowd. Unexpectedly, he was called out by name by Chuanwen, and when he met Chuanwen's expectant eyes, a chill ran down his spine.
He regretted it. Why did he even bother to join in the fun? He should have turned around and left when he saw Chuanwen.
Sigh, I suddenly feel like they're really crazy. They see a post and really want to hear gossip and join in the fun, but when they get called out, they regret ever listening to this gossip and joining in the fun.
However, Chuanwen couldn't understand the Minister of War's dilemma, because she realized that in ancient times, one could also turn to the police if they encountered difficulties. Although the Minister of War wasn't a policeman, his role was almost the same.
If the Minister of War were to advocate, like that middle-aged man, that a woman who has lost her chastity should die, Chuanwen would not be afraid, because she dared to let the Minister of War stand up for her, and she was not afraid that he would not side with her. In other words, she could now use her daughter to command the Minister of War!
The Minister of War's two daughters are intelligent and outstanding in girls' schools. If he still advocates that women should abide by the traditional virtues of womanhood, that is, that women should stay at home and take care of their husbands and children, why would they learn black box technology or enter officialdom to share the pie?
If he wants to consider the long-term interests of the family, he really has to join forces with Chuanwen today.
Therefore, there is no such thing as unchanging ideology; it is all driven by self-interest.
"Well, now that the emperor allows women to attend school and become officials, the world doesn't have to be so harsh on women anymore."
Heaven knows how much pressure the Minister of War was under when he said those words, especially since he shared the same thoughts as the middle-aged man.
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