Mingyi stood in the Nether Domain, gazing at Qin Zongyou with a faint smile. "If you can so much as graze a single strand of my hair today, I'll admit that women are inherently weaker than men. Otherwise, kneel and call me 'Grand Auntie.'"
Qin Zongyou had heard of Mingyi's reputation and had no desire to fight her, but her challenge came too swiftly, leaving him no graceful way to back down.
"Women are always so impulsive. We're here to discuss matters—who wants to brawl with you? Even if you win, it doesn't prove anything about other women," he muttered vaguely.
Mingyi disdainfully spat out two words: "Pathetic."
Qin Zongyou's face flushed with anger. "What did you say?"
"I said the men of Azure Snow—every last one of you—are pathetic. Incapable of protecting your mothers above or your wives and daughters below. You prattle on about how women are weak, yet you scramble to buy women from other cities. You deny baby girls any chance at life, then have the audacity to weep about the scarcity of women."
Her voice was icy. "In Sunspire City, women are born equal to men. They read poetry, study Essence Power, and serve the Azure Cloud Realm alongside men. They are the undying sun—why should they be forcibly sold to Azure Snow, reduced to nothing but breeding vessels with no dignity?"
"You—Sunspire City is an exception. I won't argue about your women," Qin Zongyou stammered, casting desperate glances at the representatives of the other cities. "But elsewhere, it's normal for men to rule as city lords. Surely you understand our plight? Why should the laws of one city bind the other five?"
Zheng Tiao from Flying Blossom City raised a hand. "Don't lump us in with you. Flying Blossom reveres flowers—naturally, we cherish our women. We have no desire to see them sold off as breeding stock."
"Chasing Moon doesn't need the paltry coin from selling women. We don't engage in such trade."
"Star Yearn City was the first to appoint a woman as a Golden Hairpin Fighter. Naturally, we oppose Azure Snow's practices."
Only Newgrass City remained noncommittal, while the rest stood with Mingyi. Not out of principle—simply because their own cities already suffered from a shortage of women, making it difficult for ordinary families to find wives, let alone spare any for sale.
Qin Zongyou was livid. "You—all of you! You just want to strangle Azure Snow City to death so you can seize our territory!"
"Minister Qin, that's an unfair accusation. The Six Cities are united under His Majesty's rule—talk of seizing land is baseless," Qin Shangwu warned with a sharp look.
"I don't care. I won't agree to this clause," Qin Zongyou snapped, realizing no one would back him and resorting to obstinacy.
Mingyi dispersed the Nether Domain and scoffed. "How noble."
In Azure Snow City, no woman would dare speak like this. Qin Zongyou's veins bulged on the back of his hand as he growled, "I thought His Majesty summoned us today to draft laws through consensus among the Six Cities. If we're just going to heed one faction's demands, why not issue decrees outright? Why bother calling us here?"
Seeing that no fight would break out, Ji Bozhai returned to his seat at the head of the hall and remarked coolly, "Laws require each city's cooperation to enforce. If you refuse to comply, any decree I issue would be meaningless."
About time he realized that.
Qin Zongyou finally regained some confidence and glared venomously at Mingyi.
But before his gaze could land on her, Situ Ling stepped between them and said calmly, "Our city lord speaks the truth. The root of Azure Snow's female shortage lies in your contempt for women. Families there treat sons as treasures while drowning most daughters at birth. Over time, only one in ten surviving adults is female.""Lord Qin believes that buying and selling can solve Azure Snow's urgent needs, and indeed there are impoverished families in various cities who would sell their daughters to you for money. But what happens after they're sold? How many women can endure Concentrated Breeding? By the time they give birth, many would have already taken their own lives. Azure Snow would lose both the women and the gains."
Qin Zongyou's face darkened.
Situ Ling had clearly investigated Azure Snow's situation. Every year, tens of thousands of women were subjected to Concentrated Breeding, yet only half survived to childbirth. Among those children, half were girls, and most mothers chose to end their lives along with their daughters. Fewer than thirty percent lived long enough to raise a son.
With fewer women undergoing Concentrated Breeding each year, Azure Snow's population dwindled. If this continued, they wouldn’t even be able to hold their city.
"You speak well enough," he said grimly. "But do you have a solution?"
"The solution isn’t difficult," Situ Ling replied. "Stop Concentrated Breeding. Let families arrange marriages freely. Women should no longer be treated as tradable goods for pleasure, and the government should no longer confiscate female dependents."
"How can that work? Even with Concentrated Breeding, things worsen yearly. If they marry freely, won’t the women just flee?"
Mingyi rolled her eyes in exasperation. "If someone locked you up and treated you like livestock, wouldn’t you run? But if someone gave you a home and a comfortable life, why would you flee?"
"But Azure Snow has far more men than women. If one man gets a wife, another won’t. It’ll cause major conflicts."
"I said free marriage—whether they can find wives depends on their own efforts. As long as the government doesn’t interfere, the blame won’t fall on you."
"But—"
"Lord Qin, take some time to think it over," Ji Bozhai interjected, raising a hand. "You’ll be staying in Sunspire City for a while. You might as well look around."
Mingyi nodded, then added uneasily, "And remember, trafficking women in my city is a capital offense."
Qin Zongyou glared at her, irritated by this young woman dictating terms among seasoned men—so improper.
Yet he couldn’t help thinking: if his daughter had lived, wouldn’t he have been proud to see her thrive like this?
Qin Zongyou wasn’t blind to the cruelty of Concentrated Breeding. He, too, had once had a daughter—one he deliberately let escape before she could be seized by soldiers.
But city traditions ran deep. Change was never easy; a few words couldn’t overturn generations of thinking.
With a grunt, he fell silent.
The discussions lasted from dusk until late into the night, with only half an hour’s respite.
Ji Bozhai absently touched the scallion pancake he’d kept warm with Essence Power in his robe, glancing at Mingyi. He pondered how to give it to her without seeming obsequious.
Before he could decide, Situ Ling appeared before Mingyi with a bowl of bird’s nest simmered in milk.
"Sister, try this—I had it kept warm just for you," he said, flashing his little canine teeth. "If it’s not sweet enough, I’ve got honey too."
Mingyi accepted it in surprise and took a sip. "This must’ve been quite a hassle to prepare.""Yes, it took me quite some effort, but if it makes you happy, it's all worth it." He watched eagerly as she ate, asking with anticipation, "Well, how does it taste?"
Mingyi smiled and nodded, glancing at the other bowl beside her. "You should try some too."
Situ Ling's eyes lit up, and he immediately took a sip from her spoon before handing it back to her. "Mmm, sweet."
Mingyi stared at him in surprise, then looked down at her own spoon.
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