Chapter 15: The White Clouds Drift for a Thousand Years
At noon, the sun was intense, causing everyone to squint and raise their hands to block the glaring light.
The light forced them to lower their heads. The first thing they saw was a secluded and elegant cottage before them.
The environment here was not only quiet, but it was also a four-courtyard compound. With flying eaves and green tiles, even the bamboo planted on the side stood tall and upright.
Er Ya looked around, sizing the place up. At first, her expression revealed a hint of confusion.
But she soon snapped out of it, looking at Ming Ji with vigilance. “What exactly do you mean?”
Ming Ji didn’t answer her question directly. He simply glanced back, signaling them to follow him, and said softly, “Let’s go inside and take a look.”
Walking closer, they stepped onto the moss-covered steps and looked further into the courtyard.
“Who says women are not heroes? Night after night, the dragon sword sings on the wall.”
The sound of reading aloud in the courtyard was resonant and powerful, causing Er Ya to freeze when she heard it.
It was hard to imagine that in an era where women could only marry and become wives, there were so many with high aspirations reciting such poems together.
Er Ya’s eyes gradually moistened. As if some consciousness had been awakened, her originally lifeless eyes gained a little luster.
Through the window lattice, seeing those spirited female students, the corners of her mouth slowly hooked into a smile.
“It is truly an excellent school. Girls with ambition.”
“I thought… I would never encounter this in my lifetime.”
Ming Ji didn’t speak, letting Er Ya voice her past.
“Who didn’t have ideas and ambitions at the start? I also held onto that belief back then. But when I finally produced results, I was betrayed and deceived by others.”
“Once upon a time, I also wanted to save the women here. But now, for survival, I have become an unscrupulous person.”
As Er Ya spoke, she wiped the tears from her cheeks with her sleeve in a messy fashion.
At first, she was somewhat wary. For a moment, she couldn’t believe there was such an enlightened immortal who, despite holding a high position, would extend a helping hand to women of low status.
Clearly… the cultivation race was supposed to be the most hypocritical.
“You aren’t tricking me, are you? Deliberately creating such a place to seek profit from me?”
Because of the veil hat, Er Ya didn’t know what Ming Ji looked like. However, she could guess from the appearance and temperament of the disciples around him that he was an extraordinary person.
Before she could continue, Wei Zixi spoke up first. “What do you have that my Master could plot for?”
Er Ya snorted disdainfully. “Do you really think I haven’t seen cultivators? They are all hypocritical villains, pretending to save people, but actually just wanting a good reputation.”
Saying this, she blinked her eyes spiritedly and continued, “Aren’t you afraid… I will tell the local officials about this place and say you are running a private school?”
Er Ya curled her lips in a feigned malicious smile and made a gesture to leave. “At that time, perhaps none of these women will survive.”
The disciples muttered in their hearts: Where did such a woman come from? Not only does she repay kindness with enmity, but now she openly says she will harm innocent women.
Naturally, they wouldn’t let such a thing happen. Just as they were about to stop Er Ya, Ming Ji’s affirmative voice rang in their ears. “You won’t.”
Er Ya stopped in her tracks. Although Ming Ji was right, she subconsciously retorted, “Who says I won’t? I am a female thief who steals; I am the worst villain in the world.”
Ming Ji didn’t agree with this statement. Instead, he raised his eyes to look at Wei Zixi and the others, his tone serious. “As your Master, teaching you cultivation is one aspect. But most importantly, I must teach you Virtue.”
“Today is the first lesson I will teach you.”
After saying this, he looked at Er Ya and said, “If you don’t believe me, go into the school and take a look.”
As soon as his voice fell, Ming Ji walked ahead. The others followed him, sitting quietly behind the students.
In this way, they wouldn’t disturb the class.
The female teacher on the podium was lecturing when she suddenly noticed the extra people.
She was stunned for a moment, then recalling the Headmaster’s instructions, she straightened her expression and continued teaching.
“Our Jiayu Academy was founded a hundred years ago. Since you are willing to sit here, you must be unwilling to just marry and become wives, unwilling to become appendages of men.”
“Women are not inferior to men. You will understand more and more that you are no worse than men.”
Hearing this, a female student immediately chimed in, “Student understands the teacher’s meaning, and I believe that all the female students present are no worse than men!”
Hearing these words, Er Ya slowly closed her eyes, recalling events from many years ago.
Once, in the 21st century, she was also an extremely excellent female university student who had won countless awards.
Now… how did it come to this?
After listening for about an hour, the group slipped out quietly.
They returned to the courtyard. Looking at the female students, they were silent and speechless.
The first to speak was still Wei Zixi. He looked at Ming Ji with eyes like the blazing sun and said, “Master, I think I understand your meaning.”
“Even in the cultivation world, women in sects are not valued.”
“Some men fear their cultivation will surpass their own. For example, some narrow-minded Sect Leaders and Elders give all resources to men, thinking women are just there to make up the numbers.”
“It is even more serious in the human realm.”
The one who took over the conversation now was the previously silent Er Ya. She sighed slightly, her words full of sorrow. “In this dynasty, women cannot read or learn. Some men use the slogan ‘a woman without talent is virtuous’ to turn them into reproductive tools that cannot think.”
“Little do they know, this sentence was distorted. The ancestors’ original meaning was: if a woman cannot read, having virtue is still good.”
When Er Ya said this, her eyes were full of anger, and a sarcastic smile appeared on her face. “This is because they are afraid. They are afraid that if women read too much, they won’t want to just be wives and mothers, and they won’t be controlled by them!”
Ming Ji listened quietly. Through the veil, he slowly looked at Er Ya. “Then, do you want to stay here and study? Here, there are many women like you who refuse to give up.”
Er Ya looked at Ming Ji again. Her expression hesitated upon hearing the news. “So, you are different from them. But I want to know, why are you willing to help me?”
Ming Ji’s expression remained gentle. Hearing this, he subconsciously looked at the Xuanshuang Flute at his waist. His eyes revealed an emotion that couldn’t be described.
It was more like… missing someone.
“Because you look very much like an old friend of mine. Your eyes tell me you are unwilling to accept this fate.”
Er Ya nodded slowly, her thoughts pierced by him.
At first, her mood was somewhat low.
But within a moment, this depression transformed into a powerful vitality. Her raised eyes were full of brightness, and her tone was firm. “I want to stay here.”
Ming Ji wasn’t surprised by this answer. He chuckled lightly, gazing at Er Ya—this girl who was strong enough.
“The name Er Ya does not suit you.”
Er Ya raised a brilliant smile again. The dazzling sunlight happened to shine on her, appearing to dispel all the darkness and injustice she had suffered over the past decade.
“So… I’m not called Er Ya. I have my own name.”
“My surname is Wu, and my name is taken from ‘The white clouds drift for a thousand years’ (Bai Yun Qian Zai Kong You You).”
“My parents hoped I would be carefree (Wu You) and happy in this life.”
Er Ya looked at the bamboo in the courtyard, seemingly falling into memories. After a long time, she spoke slowly.
“So, my name is Wu You.”
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