Xu Ke sighed. Dongqing Dynasty only had a Post-War Recovery Act for a short time, but because of some gentry clans’ exploitation and obstruction, it hadn’t been implemented for very long.
The current situation was that a lot of friction still existed between the counties, and the North and South Border had been eyeing the Dongqing Dynasty. The counties were at the precipice of war.
People with insight shared the same opinion: that the world was going to devolve into chaos again after such a long period of peace.
The Five Counties at loggerheads with each other at the present time were a repetition of the period history of The Sixteen Countries. Xu Ke felt powerless to change it.
People in the current period were like rootless duckweed, floating around with nothing to rely on.
A clear, young boy’s voice blew into his ears. His voice seemed to have the charm and ability to comfort and stabilize souls.
“The young men sacrifice their lives on the battlefield, and the women who are left behind have no power to keep themselves safe. It is very likely that they will be abducted by the barbarians from the Northern and Southern Borders. They will be going through all sorts of torture. Either they constantly give birth to kids, or they will be treated as a goat with two feet and get slaughtered for meat when they are short of food.”
“Then your point is what, Langjun?”
Xu Ke admired the miracle women from the former dynasty wholeheartedly, even though he was a man. Because of his respect, it even influenced his choice of future wife.
His mom had a great impact on him, too. That tough woman lost her husband when she was young, but she managed to raise Xu Ke all by herself. She lectured him on the principles of being a good man and created opportunities for him to get educated. She was as strong as weeds––no matter how furious the wind blew over it and how many times it got stepped on by others, she was not going to give up.
He couldn’t imagine if he happened to marry a meek and restrained woman who cried over trifles and screamed from seeing mice and bugs. What was going to happen to his wife and children if he had a terrible accident? Who would they rely on?
That was why he agreed to Jiang Pengji’s theory, even though it sounded absurd.
Xu Ke started to feel as though he had met the most brilliant master. However, soon after, he realized it was just an illusion that he was emotionally touched by her.
“Women can do great things, but then we stifle them like a caged bird and keep their wings just for decoration. Is their function only for exhibition and to be someone’s possession––just for giving birth to children, assisting the husband, and educating their kids? And they don’t have any value?”
Meng Hun didn’t say a word, but he shook his head at that.
Anyone who had a baby girl and raised their babies just to be another man’s servant would definitely be unacceptable.
Meng Hun said, “As a father, I wouldn’t be fond of the idea of my own blood being treated like a slave.”
Xu Ke was just a young boy without experience, but he found it was too difficult for him to accept that when he imagined his own future.
Husbands and fathers were two totally different identities, so naturally they would have different perspectives.
“I don’t think that is the point. The point is, it is such a waste of human resource! You basically raise a loser and you waste a large resource of combat force. Why do we divide the territories for men to fight in the battlefield and women hide in the kitchen and bedroom? Why don’t we go fight together?”
Xu Ke and Meng Hun were speechless. That wasn’t the way it was supposed to be.
So, from the beginning until now, she had said a lot to prepare for the situation. She actually just meant to say it was a waste of force for women to stay at home.
That was her real purpose––to use women like men.
Meng Hun coughed gently. He intended to say something to make it less awkward.
“Langjun is still too young to know many things.”
“Enlighten me about what I don’t really know.” Jiang Pengji felt uncomfortable if they didn’t follow the her script.
“The reason why women are mostly in the inner chamber is because they are different… different from men.” He vaguely gave her an explanation.
How could he express to Langjun that the physical structure was different between men and women? They had women issues every month after they turned into a real woman and their bodies became more fragile. It would be nine months for women from when they became pregnant until their due time and they had to reduce their workload because of their body. It was like a step into hell for them to birth the children.
Langjun was still a boy who had never experienced anything like that and it was going to be suggestive to him.
This is awkward. Meng Hun peeked at Xu Ke. As a bookman who used words on daily basis, you should use your advantage and speak for me at least.
Xu Ke looked around, but would not look at him.
Jiang Pengji had nothing to say.
The two men somehow believed that she was the clueless one. As a matter of fact, she sensed what they were implying from the mysterious lack of eye contact between them.
They believed that the biological differences between men and women determined that men should dominated the exterior affairs and women could only take care of the chores? And with the development of society, the latter’s social status were somehow declining? It did make sense for the people from the ancient era, but it was completely nonsense to her.
“There isn’t anything that can’t be done in this world…” Jiang Pengji raised her head and said.
Xu Ke and Meng Hun cut off their eye contact and both looked at her. They were unsure what that meant.
Jiang Pengji didn’t plan to explain it to them.
“This subject has gone too far. Anyway, Nongqin will be training with the troop in the cottage. And about the assignments for training, she doesn’t have to get special treatment and no one gives her slack. You do whatever you need to do. I will make extra arrangements once she is ready for it.”
Jiang Pengji had the faith in herself that whoever took personal lessons with her wouldn’t struggle with the power level fives.
Meng Hun nodded, but he was still going to provide some protection. As a little girl, she would still take it differently than the coarse men.
“I don’t have a problem with that. The servant girl who wants to learn some martial arts will always be helpful in that she could keep you safe at least, Langjun. The only issue I can think of would be that the troop members are mostly rude and rough men. They sometimes like to talk dirty to each other, so I’m afraid that she will get upset about it.” Meng Hun couldn’t guarantee that he could avoid all situations like that entirely.
Jiang Pengji didn’t take it serious and said to him, “It won’t be a big deal. She could just punch those who cannot control their dirty mouths in the face and shatter several teeth of theirs.”
One doesn’t try to make sense when they can fix it with fists. Fists make the most sense.
Meng Hun ceased saying anything further.
If it was his own subordinate, Meng Hun would for sure be criticizing him. But it was from Langjun, his boss.
All right, do whatever you want!
Xu Ke seemed to remember something after Meng Hun left to make some preparations. He abruptly questioned her. “Is it only because you reckon it’s a waste of force? That’s why you want to put women to battle?”
Jiang Pengji sneakily smiled at him. “You know me the best, Xiao Yu.”
Xu Ke knew it.
All of the sudden, he lost the interest in hearing her out. He was concerned it was going to ruin his view of the world. But it was apparently too late.
“The average person values boys far more than girls. There is a tremendous amount of girls abandoned or eaten by wild animals after they are born. Even if they are raised to adults, they don’t get fairly treated. There is a large portion of girls who are sold for cheap when the boys need money to get married or there are some family affairs, like building a house.” Xu Ke assumed that was what she was about to say, but Jiang Pengji wanted him to keep listening. “The same amount of money to pay for two girls would be barely enough for a man. We might have some money left from the budget.”
The whole point was that it was cheaper to use women. With the same funds, she could form two troops of women.
Xu Ke seriously had nothing to say; it was just as he expected. There was no hope for him to live.
Xu Ke sighed. Dongqing Dynasty only had a Post-War Recovery Act for a short time, but because of some gentry clans’ exploitation and obstruction, it hadn’t been implemented for very long.
The current situation was that a lot of friction still existed between the counties, and the North and South Border had been eyeing the Dongqing Dynasty. The counties were at the precipice of war.
People with insight shared the same opinion: that the world was going to devolve into chaos again after such a long period of peace.
The Five Counties at loggerheads with each other at the present time were a repetition of the period history of The Sixteen Countries. Xu Ke felt powerless to change it.
People in the current period were like rootless duckweed, floating around with nothing to rely on.
A clear, young boy’s voice blew into his ears. His voice seemed to have the charm and ability to comfort and stabilize souls.
“The young men sacrifice their lives on the battlefield, and the women who are left behind have no power to keep themselves safe. It is very likely that they will be abducted by the barbarians from the Northern and Southern Borders. They will be going through all sorts of torture. Either they constantly give birth to kids, or they will be treated as a goat with two feet and get slaughtered for meat when they are short of food.”
“Then your point is what, Langjun?”
Xu Ke admired the miracle women from the former dynasty wholeheartedly, even though he was a man. Because of his respect, it even influenced his choice of future wife.
His mom had a great impact on him, too. That tough woman lost her husband when she was young, but she managed to raise Xu Ke all by herself. She lectured him on the principles of being a good man and created opportunities for him to get educated. She was as strong as weeds––no matter how furious the wind blew over it and how many times it got stepped on by others, she was not going to give up.
He couldn’t imagine if he happened to marry a meek and restrained woman who cried over trifles and screamed from seeing mice and bugs. What was going to happen to his wife and children if he had a terrible accident? Who would they rely on?
That was why he agreed to Jiang Pengji’s theory, even though it sounded absurd.
Xu Ke started to feel as though he had met the most brilliant master. However, soon after, he realized it was just an illusion that he was emotionally touched by her.
“Women can do great things, but then we stifle them like a caged bird and keep their wings just for decoration. Is their function only for exhibition and to be someone’s possession––just for giving birth to children, assisting the husband, and educating their kids? And they don’t have any value?”
Meng Hun didn’t say a word, but he shook his head at that.
Anyone who had a baby girl and raised their babies just to be another man’s servant would definitely be unacceptable.
Meng Hun said, “As a father, I wouldn’t be fond of the idea of my own blood being treated like a slave.”
Xu Ke was just a young boy without experience, but he found it was too difficult for him to accept that when he imagined his own future.
Husbands and fathers were two totally different identities, so naturally they would have different perspectives.
“I don’t think that is the point. The point is, it is such a waste of human resource! You basically raise a loser and you waste a large resource of combat force. Why do we divide the territories for men to fight in the battlefield and women hide in the kitchen and bedroom? Why don’t we go fight together?”
Xu Ke and Meng Hun were speechless. That wasn’t the way it was supposed to be.
So, from the beginning until now, she had said a lot to prepare for the situation. She actually just meant to say it was a waste of force for women to stay at home.
That was her real purpose––to use women like men.
Meng Hun coughed gently. He intended to say something to make it less awkward.
“Langjun is still too young to know many things.”
“Enlighten me about what I don’t really know.” Jiang Pengji felt uncomfortable if they didn’t follow the her script.
“The reason why women are mostly in the inner chamber is because they are different… different from men.” He vaguely gave her an explanation.
How could he express to Langjun that the physical structure was different between men and women? They had women issues every month after they turned into a real woman and their bodies became more fragile. It would be nine months for women from when they became pregnant until their due time and they had to reduce their workload because of their body. It was like a step into hell for them to birth the children.
Langjun was still a boy who had never experienced anything like that and it was going to be suggestive to him.
This is awkward. Meng Hun peeked at Xu Ke. As a bookman who used words on daily basis, you should use your advantage and speak for me at least.
Xu Ke looked around, but would not look at him.
Jiang Pengji had nothing to say.
The two men somehow believed that she was the clueless one. As a matter of fact, she sensed what they were implying from the mysterious lack of eye contact between them.
They believed that the biological differences between men and women determined that men should dominated the exterior affairs and women could only take care of the chores? And with the development of society, the latter’s social status were somehow declining? It did make sense for the people from the ancient era, but it was completely nonsense to her.
“There isn’t anything that can’t be done in this world…” Jiang Pengji raised her head and said.
Xu Ke and Meng Hun cut off their eye contact and both looked at her. They were unsure what that meant.
Jiang Pengji didn’t plan to explain it to them.
“This subject has gone too far. Anyway, Nongqin will be training with the troop in the cottage. And about the assignments for training, she doesn’t have to get special treatment and no one gives her slack. You do whatever you need to do. I will make extra arrangements once she is ready for it.”
Jiang Pengji had the faith in herself that whoever took personal lessons with her wouldn’t struggle with the power level fives.
Meng Hun nodded, but he was still going to provide some protection. As a little girl, she would still take it differently than the coarse men.
“I don’t have a problem with that. The servant girl who wants to learn some martial arts will always be helpful in that she could keep you safe at least, Langjun. The only issue I can think of would be that the troop members are mostly rude and rough men. They sometimes like to talk dirty to each other, so I’m afraid that she will get upset about it.” Meng Hun couldn’t guarantee that he could avoid all situations like that entirely.
Jiang Pengji didn’t take it serious and said to him, “It won’t be a big deal. She could just punch those who cannot control their dirty mouths in the face and shatter several teeth of theirs.”
One doesn’t try to make sense when they can fix it with fists. Fists make the most sense.
Meng Hun ceased saying anything further.
If it was his own subordinate, Meng Hun would for sure be criticizing him. But it was from Langjun, his boss.
All right, do whatever you want!
Xu Ke seemed to remember something after Meng Hun left to make some preparations. He abruptly questioned her. “Is it only because you reckon it’s a waste of force? That’s why you want to put women to battle?”
Jiang Pengji sneakily smiled at him. “You know me the best, Xiao Yu.”
Xu Ke knew it.
All of the sudden, he lost the interest in hearing her out. He was concerned it was going to ruin his view of the world. But it was apparently too late.
“The average person values boys far more than girls. There is a tremendous amount of girls abandoned or eaten by wild animals after they are born. Even if they are raised to adults, they don’t get fairly treated. There is a large portion of girls who are sold for cheap when the boys need money to get married or there are some family affairs, like building a house.” Xu Ke assumed that was what she was about to say, but Jiang Pengji wanted him to keep listening. “The same amount of money to pay for two girls would be barely enough for a man. We might have some money left from the budget.”
The whole point was that it was cheaper to use women. With the same funds, she could form two troops of women.
Xu Ke seriously had nothing to say; it was just as he expected. There was no hope for him to live.
