Chapter 74: The Village of Chastity

The road was blocked by heavy snow, making it difficult to walk. One wrong step and you might step into a pit. Zhou Yinghuai took a shovel from the corner of the wall, and he also took an axe for Xiang Hongbin in case of emergency.

“Saving people is the priority, we’ll talk on the way.”

Jiang An’an pushed Jiang Degui back into the house, “Dad, don’t go, if we haven’t come back by evening, we’ll stay at the town’s guesthouse for two days and wait for the snow to melt.”

Jiang Degui looked at the two bodyguards he had found for his daughter, especially Xiang Hongbin’s unusually strong physique, he nodded in satisfaction.

Finally, he couldn’t help but remind her, “Be polite when you’re on other people’s territory, just try your best, if you can’t fight, run away.”

Jiang An’an lazily hummed in response, waving the wooden stick in her hand, she followed Zhou Yinghuai and the others.

The two big men walked ahead, clearing the way, blocking the howling north wind. Jiang An’an stepped on their footprints, it was indeed much easier.

On the other side.

Jiang Degui stroked his chin and fell into deep thought.

His daughter’s fierce appearance didn’t look like she was going to save someone, but rather to fight!

–

Twenty years ago, Xinghua Brigade had another name: the Village of Chastity.

It was dominated by the Wu clan, and for centuries, the village had been self-sufficient, with marriages within the clan.

Women in Xinghua Brigade had a very high status, eligible women would all enter the clan school to learn to read and write, they studied the “Book of Women’s Precepts” and “Inner Instructions” and other female classics.

Therefore, they especially valued virtuous women.

“Records of the Clouds” states: “Once they are together, they will never change for the rest of their lives, so when their husbands die, they will not remarry.” If a widow could remain chaste until death, the clan would build a chastity archway for her.

If a family produced a widow who had remained chaste for over fifty years, it would be a great honor for the family. All the unmarried girls would be in high demand, and every household would compete to marry them.

Widows who had lost their husbands would wear a red sash, representing their chastity.

Once the red sash broke, it would be considered unchaste, and they would be punished by the clan.

After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, many cadres went to Xinghua Brigade to do ideological work, but it was all in vain. The clan power in Xinghua Brigade was strong, all the children were brainwashed from birth, day after day, feudal ideas had become ingrained in their blood.

But everything changed after the educated youths went to the countryside.

New ideas and new thoughts impacted the hearts of young girls, opening a new door for them.

Wu Lingyu was the first to resist!

She originally had a childhood sweetheart, but her parents married her to another man. However, her husband died in a mountain-climbing accident while chopping wood just one month after their wedding, she became a widow at a young age.

Faced with her childhood sweetheart’s repeated advances, Wu Lingyu was moved, for the first time in her life, she made a rebellious move – she eloped!

Either she would escape from the village and live with her lover for the rest of her life, or she would be caught and face death.

Wu Lingyu never expected to be betrayed, she lay in the iron cage in despair, letting the wind and snow cover her little by little.

In her daze, she suddenly saw a beautiful face.

Is she dead?

Otherwise, why would I see a fairy?

Wu Lingyu tried to force a smile, but her body was already frozen stiff, she couldn’t even make a simple movement.

Just then, she heard the fairy say, “Hold on, I’ll get you out soon.”

“Smash!”

Then came the sound of “bang, bang, bang”, the axe smashed against the iron lock, sparks flew, and the whole cage shook.

The man wielding the axe was incredibly strong and sturdy, his arms were full of veins as he swung, like a big black bear.

Wu Lingyu’s mind cleared in an instant.

Not far away, the villagers heard the commotion and rushed out with their weapons, quickly surrounding the three of them, their voices were noisy.

“The clan leader was right, the adulterer has come to save her. But there are two men, which one is it?”

“It must be the most handsome one, Wu Lingyu is the most beautiful woman in our village after all, she wouldn’t fall for the bear, would she?”

Bear Xiang Hongbin: “…”

He pursed his lips and hit harder.

With a clang, the iron lock broke. Xiang Hongbin turned around and gave the crowd a cold look, scaring the villagers back.

“Stop!”

A stern shout came from behind the crowd.

“It’s the clan leader!”

“The clan leader is here, he’s definitely going to make those adulterers pay.”

The villagers automatically made way, their faces full of schadenfreude.

Soon, a thin, stern old man with a cane slowly walked forward, his hands behind his back.

Jiang An’an recognized that face, wasn’t he the brigade leader who had caused trouble on the first day of the lecture, he had even tried to pull her down from her position as a cadre.

The old man was full of malice, he definitely wouldn’t let them go.

She loved a challenge!

Jiang An’an stepped forward, offering a warm smile and greeting, “Captain Wu, long time no see, how are you doing? Are you still in good health?”

Wu, the clan leader, his wrinkled face twitched, his eyes were almost spitting fire, “Jiang An’an, how come it’s you?”

It was a disgrace to have a woman ride on their heads and command them, the brigade leaders, to work!

The commune leaders were foolish, but he was very clear-headed.

“This is a family matter of our Xinghua Brigade, you have no right to interfere, the Women’s Federation, get out of here with your entourage.”

Jiang An’an sighed, “You’re really senile. Saving women is the Women’s Federation’s duty. It seems you haven’t studied properly. Are you getting old and your memory is failing?”

She kindly suggested, “You’re holding several positions, it must be tiring. Why don’t you step down from the position of brigade leader and leave it to a young person with drive?”

It was rare for her to be so helpful, but the old man didn’t appreciate it, and he was also very unsportsmanlike.

He pointed his cane forward, “Three thieves have broken into the village to steal things, beat them up!”

The villagers obeyed the clan leader’s orders and rushed forward with their weapons.

Jiang An’an tilted her head and shouted, “I’m a cadre from the county, you’re illegally imprisoning and abusing women, that’s a crime. If anyone dares to lay a hand on me, it’s an additional crime!”

A cadre from the county?

The little girl was actually an official!

The villagers stopped in their tracks and looked back at the clan leader.

Wu, the clan leader, was so angry that his beard trembled, “A daughter’s loss of chastity is a misfortune for the whole clan, a disgrace. Don’t listen to her nonsense, for centuries, no official has ever interfered with clan affairs.

She’s talking nonsense, who can prove she’s a cadre from the county? Maybe she was sent by the adulterer.

Old Five, that’s your daughter who has ruined the clan’s reputation, what are you standing there for?”

The thin, dark man called Old Five was startled, he was the first to rush forward with a hoe, his face full of anger.

Jiang An’an gripped the iron rod, she turned her neck, wrists, and ankles, starting to warm up.

She was sorry.

She hadn’t felt this excited in a long time.

Today, she would let these unruly villagers see what the champion of the city fencing competition was capable of!

Suddenly.

Zhou Yinghuai suddenly reached out and pulled the champion behind him.

Jiang An’an: “…”

Wu Lao Wu was no match for Xiang Hongbin, he easily grabbed the hoe, Xiang Hongbin grabbed his collar and lifted him off the ground.

It was like lifting a chicken!

The scene seemed to be paused, the villagers’ forward steps were frozen in place. Only the sound of the howling north wind blowing across the ground remained.