Chapter 97: Fear of Power

  "What? You're so brutal?! That's what you get! You deserve to be torn, hacked, killed and eaten!" The hot-blooded young man shouted non-stop.

  "I don't know, being a bit ruthless to the barbarians, what's there to be ashamed of?" Wu Yanjuan seemed to be defending Zhou Huaixuan.

  Sheng Siyan originally wanted to speak up for Zhou Huanxuan, but hearing Wu Chanjuan beat her to it, she could only lower her eyes and remain silent.

  Li Ji Niang sighed: "There's another thing, my daughter's family is not easy to talk about. In short, being cruel to the enemy is indeed nothing wrong, but this cruelty should also have a limit. If it exceeds that limit, it won't be good. Our Great Xia Empire emphasizes governing the country with benevolence, and although the barbarians are enemies, we should first try to transform them with virtue. How can simply fighting and killing solve the problem?"

  Wu Chanjuan opened her mouth, but didn't know how to refute it.

  Sheng Siyan waited for a moment, seeing that no one in the house was speaking up for Zhou Huaixuan anymore, before saying indifferently: "Winning people over with virtue also depends on who the person is. Some people can be moved by it, while others will only think you're foolish and laughable, and next time they'll come at you even more ferociously. As for barbarians, they're originally uncivilized people who fear power but not virtue. To talk about 'winning them over with virtue' is to dig one's own grave."

  There are some uncivilized nations, when you talk to them about benevolence, righteousness, etiquette, wisdom and sincerity, it's like playing a zither to a cow, completely ineffective, and instead they will think you're easy to bully and turn around to beat you.

  However, if you don't treat them as human beings, and instead slap them in the face one by one, even to the point of killing or injuring many of them, putting them on the brink of extinction, only then will they remember it deeply, surrender willingly, and kneel down to lick your boots. — This is the meaning of "fearing power but not submitting to virtue".

  "Awe-inspiring power is not as good as virtuous conduct?!!! — Well said!!"

  A burst of applause came from the entrance of the Green Willow Pavilion.

  Everyone turned their heads and saw that Zhou Wu, the fourth master of the Divine Prefecture, Zhou Huairu, was standing at the door with a majestic demeanor. By his side, he was holding onto a young man.

  He was accompanied by Zheng Zhongyi, the eldest son of Zheng Jia's second house and Zheng Yuer's elder brother.

  Zheng Yuer hurriedly welcomed him. Smiling and greeting: "Big brother, Lord Thursday." He also took a look at the smiling young man and said: "Lord Saturday, wasn't it said that you were ill recently? Are you better now?"

  That young man was Zhou Huai's younger brother, Zhou Huaixin, who was only ten years old and the youngest son of Wu Yunji, the wife of the third house of the Zhou family, who was over thirty years old and was extremely spoiled.

  Wu Chanjuan came and hurriedly brought Wu Zhaojun over. They paid their respects to Zhou Huairu and Zhou Huaixin.

  Zhou Huairu and Zhou Huaixin's mother, Wu Yunji, was from the Wu Guo Gong family and was the youngest daughter of Madame Wu. She had been betrothed to the youngest son of the Shenjiang Fu Zhou family since childhood.

  Wu Chanjuan and Wu Zhaokun are cousins with the three sons of Zhou Jia Sanfang, and they used to come and go frequently.

  Zhou Huaili smiled and nodded at Wu Chanjuan, then asked Zhou Huaixin to call her sister, but for Wu Zhaojun, he just casually nodded.

  Luckily, Wu Zhaokun was only six years old and still vague about human relationships, so he didn't pay attention. Moreover, it was his first time following his second sister to this kind of occasion, and he was a bit shy, always wanting to hide from people.

  Zhou Huai Xin followed Zheng Yu Er and Wu Chan Juan inside. Sat at the same table as the young man, sitting together with Wu Zhao Kun.

  Zhou Huairu is late today. He deliberately sent his younger brother over. The other males in the Zhou family, all over twelve years old, cannot come to this inner courtyard Green Yang Pavilion with the girls for a banquet.

  When they were young, they were also familiar with this kind of occasion.

  It can be said that many of their marriages originated from these gatherings and outings during their youth.

  This is the initial interaction between men and women.

  A marriage between completely unfamiliar men and women, with no prior introduction or acquaintance, had never occurred in the Great Xia Empire.

  However, some self-proclaimed "enlightened" individuals have gradually seen the great defense of propriety in the "Four Books for Women" promoted by Confucian scholars and have begun to persuade those aristocratic families to restrain their daughters even more severely, strongly advocating for "men and women not sitting together after the age of seven", as well as women not going out of the main gate or stepping over the threshold of the second gate.

  But now that the empress dowager is in power, women from noble families hold high status, and no one pays attention to the words of those pedantic people.

  The women who were influenced by Ruyi's thoughts were mainly from middle-class families, so the status of women in the Great Xia Dynasty today is basically polarized.

  Upper-class women of good families are freer and have fewer rules; they also haven't yet been infected with the trite saying that "a woman without talent is virtuous".

  The women of middle-class families have already begun their days locked in cages by heavy social etiquette.

  But the women at the very bottom, however, are forced by their livelihood to not be idle in the backyard. Many families are already lucky to have a roof over their heads, let alone a backyard... Not to mention a second door...

  Zhou Huairui handed his younger brother over to Zheng Yuer to take in, standing at the door and taking another look inside, smiling and asking: "Which young lady just said 'fear of power not submitting to virtue'? It's really inspiring. The Ministry of War, the Ministry of Rites, the Ministry of Officials, and the Divine General's Mansion have debated for decades, but no one has been able to express this truth in such a clear and concise way."

  Niu Xiaoye immediately pointed in the direction of Sheng Siyan with his finger, "It's her, Sheng Siyan of the Sheng Guo Gong Fu!" Finally, he added another sentence, "My bosom friend. We have a life-and-death friendship!"

  Sheng Si's eyebrows furrowed, and she smiled wryly: "I don't dare. These days my family has had some issues, I haven't been out for a long time, and old friends have become distant. I hope everyone won't mind." She subtly hinted that she was no longer close to Niu Xiaoye.

  Moreover, she has been calling her "Niu Dagu Niang" all day today, while calling Zheng Yuer "Yuer Jie" with a clear distinction between intimacy and distance.

  Only Zheng Yuer, Wu Cuiniang and Li Xiangniang, who were a bit older, understood what she meant, while the other younger girls and young men still didn't get it, thinking that Sheng Siyan was just being modest.

  Sheng Siyan also understood that she had been too indulgent towards Niu Xiaoye in front of others, which made the other party frequently take advantage of this point and pretend to be close to her.

  This is also because she didn't know him well at first, so it's hard to change now, and she has accepted it.

  Come slowly.

  A horse's strength is known by its long journey, and a person's heart is seen over time. As days go by, everyone will naturally understand.

  Moreover, the Empress Dowager had just praised Niu Xiaoye for "saving the eldest daughter of Prince Sheng", and now the eldest daughter of Prince Sheng hastily jumped out to say that she was not a good friend with Niu Xiaoye. Isn't this slapping the Empress Dowager in the face?

  So this loss. Sheng Siyan pinched her nose and had to swallow it down.

  But she is not a soft persimmon either.

  Niu Xiaoye is still unaware of her surroundings. Don't blame her for being impolite then.

  Sheng Siyan thought to herself as she watched with interest, nodding her head in response to the Fourth Master of Shenjiang Manor.

  Zhou Huairu walked over and saluted her with a fist: "Sheng Dagu, may I borrow the phrase 'awe without submission to virtue'?"

  Sheng Siyan hastily stood up and returned a courtesy, asking in surprise: "Borrow? May I ask, Fourth Master Zhou, what do you mean by this? I was just speaking from the heart."

  Zhou Huairui sighed, "This is a matter of the imperial court and shouldn't be told to you. But now that the Northwestern barbarians haven't been eliminated, the imperial court wants me to lead the Divine General's Manor back to the capital. I'm so angry that I want my older brother to bind himself and return to the capital for reflection. I've been arguing with them all along, but it hasn't worked. I think it's mainly because I haven't hit the nail on the head. Today, hearing Miss Sheng's words is like a sudden enlightenment, and I suddenly understand where the problem lies. I plan to try again."

  Wu Chanjuan walked over and asked Zhou Huaili worriedly: "Is it really that serious?"

  "Alas, he is also my elder brother. The karma he has created is too heavy." Zhou Huai Li shook his head and pursed the corner of his lips, "But after all, he is my elder brother. He suffers humiliation, it means that our Shen Jiang Fu suffers humiliation. I cannot let them treat my elder brother like this!"

  "Then go quickly. It's just one sentence, Sheng Da Jie won't mind, right, Sheng Da Jie?" Wu Yanjuan turned to look at Sheng Siyan, with a pleading gaze.

  Sheng Siyan was taken aback and nodded blankly, "Uh, it's just one sentence, if it's useful, then say it."

  Wu Chanjuan was overjoyed and for the first time found that Sheng Siyan, whom she had never liked before, suddenly looked pleasing to her eyes.

  "Thank you, Sheng Da Niang," Zhou Huai Li said, looking at her deeply before turning and leaving.

  Wu Chanjuan caught a glimpse of Zhou Huaili's gaze at Sheng Siyan when he was about to leave, and her heart skipped a beat. She quickly came over and grabbed Sheng Siyan's hand, saying affectionately: "Siyan, it was my fault for being arrogant and unreasonable when I was young. I apologize to you. If you're still angry, just hit me with a stone, and I won't fight back!"

  At first, she was holding Sheng Siyan's hair and banging his head against the wall with a fierce momentum, refusing to give in. Now, however, for just one sentence, she is willing to let Sheng Siyan hit her with a stone!

  Sheng Siyan didn't know what to say, and was stunned for a while. She then said in a low voice: "What can be done? If Zheng Dainai finds out, I'll be finished!"

  Wu Chanjuan smiled and whispered to her, "Or else, I'll compensate you...compensate you with a perfect husband! Guaranteed to be tall, powerful, and handsome!"

  "You're talking nonsense again! I'm going to hit you on the head with a stone!" Sheng Siyan hurriedly covered her mouth.

  Wu Chanjuan's laughter was like the tinkling of a silver bell, her eyes were large and bright, shining with a deep and moving light, every young man who saw this scene was stunned, even many girls were no exception.

  Wu Chanjuan smiled and sat back in her own seat with a lowered gaze.

  Everyone woke up with a start and savored the unforgettable scene from just now.

  Niu Xiaoye's eyes rolled around, she lowered her head to eat a few more bites of food, and then wanted to show off again about her closeness with Sheng Siyan. Zheng Yuer smiled and interrupted her, "Xiaoye, you clearly have the best relationship with the eldest daughters of the Zhong and Qiu families, so why do you always only talk about Siyan? Aren't you afraid that the girls from the Zhong and Qiu families will find out and not only be resentful towards you, but also unhappy with Siyan?"

  Niu Xiaoye blinked, laughing and said: "Haha, friends also have intimacy and distance, right? Otherwise, how can we say that we share good fortune together and face difficulties together? Is that right, Sihuan? If someone stabs me in the back, it's like stabbing you in the back, is that right?"

  Sheng Siyan smiled lightly and didn't respond, with an expression that neither confirmed nor denied.

  Zheng Yuer hugged Sheng Siyan's shoulder, as if she were her own sister, and said to Niu Xiaoye: "I only know that for friends, you can stab each other in the ribs, but I've never heard of stabbing two knives into a friend's body just because you're friends."

  The first update is delivered. There will be bonus updates in the afternoon. Is it Monday already? I forgot to ask for your pink tickets and recommendation votes (⊙o⊙) oh~~~

  。

  PS: Thank you snowlyliu for the He Shi Bi reward yesterday. Thanks to everyone who rewarded me with a Peace Sign yesterday. There will be an extra update this afternoon. Don't forget to vote for recommendation tickets and pink tickets, guys! Monday's recommendation ticket is very important |o^_^o|