Side Story: Changing Fate 3

The onlookers were stunned to hear that those who beat and abused women and children could be punished with beatings or even imprisonment.

Because there was no such law originally, it was common for men to beat their wives. As long as it wasn't too serious, the wife's family would usually intervene, and the husband's family would be more cautious and restrain themselves, ensuring they wouldn't do it again, and the matter would be resolved.

This is also why women often rely heavily on their maternal family—their parents and brothers. Even if their maternal family bleeds them dry, they dare not have too much of a falling out with them. After all, how well they live in their husband's family depends entirely on how supportive their maternal family is.

The emergence of those who prioritize their brothers' or mothers' families over their own, as well as the deep-rooted patriarchal ideology, are all due to this reason.

Not to mention that the parents wanted to have a son, even the older sister desperately wanted her parents to have a son. Otherwise, when they got married, their maternal family wouldn't have any brothers to support them, and they would be bullied without any recourse.

After reading the law, Lady Wen continued, "Besides this one concerning Yuan Meiniang, I think everyone should also know the content of Article 1, Chapter 17 of our Great Jin Code. That is, as long as a woman applies and the government verifies that there is no concealment or false reporting, she can establish a female household."

Upon hearing this, the crowd began to discuss it again.

It's not that the Great Jin can't establish female households, but the conditions are extremely harsh. Not only must the woman have no male relatives to rely on, but the clan chief, village chief, and neighborhood chief must also sign their consent.

Agreeing to establish a female-owned household means the village or clan must allocate a plot of land for housing and protect the safety and reputation of the woman in that household. Which village or clan chief would be willing to do something that diminishes the vested interests of men?

"Chapter Seventeen, Article One." After saying this, Lady Wen looked around solemnly, waiting for everyone to quiet down before continuing, "Women also have inheritance rights."

Upon hearing this, some onlookers couldn't help but exclaim, "Huh? Doesn't this mean that when parents die, the daughters in the family can also inherit the property? Those families with only daughters and no sons won't have their inheritance wiped out?"

"Hush, be quiet!"

Then, Lady Wen, holding the document, loudly proclaimed. "If the parents have passed away and there are unmarried daughters, or if the family consists only of daughters and has no sons, the parents' property shall be inherited equally by their daughters. If all the daughters are married, the property shall be added to their dowries."

The official documents of the Great Jin Dynasty would naturally not be written so explicitly.

But that's exactly what the Crown Princess did when she read a law to them. Now, Lady Wen and Lady Ma understand her intention: not many people are literate, and if she reads it in a very literary style, who will understand it?

By reading the document aloud in a straightforward manner, she was letting the public know that what she was saying was written in the law, that it was a very serious matter, and that everyone had to abide by it.

Lady Wen finished reading this sentence, Lady Ma said, "Did everyone hear that? Women can establish their own households and have inheritance rights. If Lady Yuan gets divorced, she doesn't need to go back to her parents' home; she can establish her own household. Her daughter can also inherit her future property."

"Furthermore, Sun Baogen has abused women and children, which violates the law. Our Women's Federation has reported the case to the police, and the authorities will punish him."

She then lowered her head and asked Yuan Meiniang, "Lady Yuan, what do you want to say?"

"I... I want a divorce, I want to establish a female household, and I want to take my two daughters with me," Yuan Meiniang said.

Normally, Sun's mother would have jumped three feet high and given Yuan Meiniang a severe scolding.

But right now, all she could think about was that her son had broken the law and was going to be taken to the yamen. She was frantic and wanted to sneak into the house so that her son could escape and hide in the chaos.

But as soon as her eyes glanced towards the front door, they widened in surprise.

Two constables were escorting her precious son out.

Upon Sun Baogen cried out, "Mother, save me! I haven't done anything wrong, why are you arresting me?"

The onlookers were immediately agitated upon seeing this.

They were terrified when they heard that these regulations existed in the laws of the Great Jin. But before they could recover, they saw Sun Baogen being arrested. Moreover, it wasn't the servants brought by these ladies who arrested him, but rather yamen runners dressed in yamen uniforms and wearing waist badges.

These constables from the Five Cities Military Command often patrolled the streets, and they all looked familiar. This wasn't an act; they were genuine constables from the yamen (government office).

"The government office faces south; those with reason but no money should not enter." Once inside, getting out is difficult; you'll be lucky to escape with your life.

Sun's mother was shocked and ran up to stop the bailiffs. "Sir, my son has not broken the law, you can't take him away!"

"Hmph, not breaking the law?" The constable pointed at Yuan Meiniang and said, "You almost beat someone to death, how can you not be breaking the law?" He then pushed away Sun's mother, "Don't cause trouble, or we'll arrest you too."

Not daring to offend the officials, Sun's mother rushed to Yuan Meiniang, pleading, "Meiniang, Meiniang, you can't do this! Baogen is your husband, the father of your child! If you send him to jail, who will you rely on for the rest of your life? Please beg the ladies to release Baogen. He won't dare to do it again, he won't hit you anymore. We, mother and son, will definitely treat you well and never beat or scold you again."

Lady Ma Lady Wen looked at Yuan Meiniang.

Worried that Yuan Meiniang might be misled, Auntie Wang quickly said, "Meiniang, you'd better think this through. If you back down now, the Women's Federation won't care about you anymore. You might get beaten to death and no one will even know."

Sun's mother was so angry she wanted to bite her, and she pointed at Auntie Wang, about to curse, but Lady Ma shouted at her, "Shut up."

She lowered her head and asked Yuan Meiniang, "What did you say?"

"I won't let him go. Let him go to jail. I still want a divorce." Yuan Meiniang's attitude was very firm.

A smile finally appeared on Lady Ma's face, "Well done. We women should be like this."

She stood up and said to the crowd, "No matter what, you have to stand up for yourself. If you can't stand up for yourself, no one can help you; you'll only be bullied and beaten."

With that, she waved to the two constables. "Let's go."

The yamen runners dragged Sun Baogen along, while the servants brought by Lady Ma and Lady Wen carried Yuan Meiniang on their backs and held the two children, heading towards the North City Military Command.

A group of people followed behind, intending to go and see what the commotion was about.

The establishment of the Women's Women's Federation and the amendments and additions to the Great Jin Code were supported not only by Zhao Ruxi, but also by Grand Princess Shangde, Empress Cen, and the wives of various powerful families and officials. Once the Women's Federation was mobilized, the officials in the government offices had to support them, whether they wanted to or not. Not to mention that Lord Chen in the Commandery was also Lady Ma's husband.

Commander Chen had already received the message and was waiting at the yamen.

The group entered the yamen. Yuan Meiniang confessed, and Auntie Wang acted as a witness. The injuries on Yuan Meiniang and her two daughters were physical evidence. Without further ado, Sun Baogen was convicted.

"My lord, my lord, we are willing to pay money to atone for our sins, we are willing to apologize to Meiniang, we are willing to make amends..." Sun's mother kept kowtowing beside her.

Commander Chen looked at his wife.

Lady Ma asked Yuan Meiniang, "Yuan Meiniang, what do you say?"

On the way here, Lady Ma had already spoken with Yuan Meiniang.

Yuan Meiniang laid out the agreed-upon terms directly, "I want a divorce, and I want to take my two daughters with me. They also want to give us fifteen taels of silver for medical expenses."

Commander Chen slammed his gavel. "Sun Baogen, if you agree to Yuan Meiniang's conditions, then you can be treated leniently, receiving only ten strokes of the cane before being released to go home."

According to the law, Sun Baogen should have been given twenty-five strokes of the cane and imprisoned for six months.

Now that he wouldn't have to go to jail anymore, and his sentence of fifteen strokes had been reduced, his life was safe. Although Sun's mother was heartbroken over the fifteen taels of silver and deeply resented Yuan Meiniang, who had gotten them into this mess and was now out of control, she was still willing to let her son avoid suffering.

Before Sun Baogen speak, she shouted, "We're willing! We're willing!"