Three Kingdoms

Marriage in the Han Dynasty is actually quite interesting. It seems to be in a special era of transformation. It is a link between the past and the future. It has the scary-sounding restrictive constraints of later Confucianism, and also has the behavior pattern similar to that of free women in later generations.

Fei Qian found this contradictory phenomenon very interesting.

Huang Yueying was busy walking around in front of Fei Qian, carrying out the small things she had made during this period, like treasures, without being affected at all by the news about Pei's daughter...

Before, Fei Qian was worried that Pei's daughter would make Huang Yueying sad, but now it seems that Huang Yueying has no special emotional expression, and it doesn't look like she is trying to pretend that nothing has happened.

In ancient times, it was not only the privilege of men to hit someone with a big stick and drag them into the cave. Those big-bodied women with big hands and feet also had the same thoughts and actions when they saw the little girl. Speaking of which, if the people of later generations really lived in primitive society, they would be dressed in white, smooth and hairless. At least they would have a lot less body hair than the indigenous people. Tsk tsk, they are used to eating primitive food with heavy taste. Feet ladies definitely want to try something new...

As for the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, it was relatively better. There were still unmarried women who climbed on the wall of men, which later generations of Confucianists would never tolerate. Even though it was possible that Song Yu was trying to flatter himself, there was no uproar after he spoke out. In the eyes of later generations of Confucians, these women who cheated on women without shame can illustrate the problem.

In the early Han Dynasty, many women still had considerable freedom, and the concept of chastity was relatively weak. It was not as required by later Confucianism that even if a strange man looked at him, the belt and flesh should be cut off to preserve chastity. …

Of course, the poor and untouchables can only choose to cut off their own, while the rich and powerful can choose to cut off others.

In the Tang Dynasty, haha, women's freedom was regarded as a reflection before death, and then it was covered in the coffin with seventy or eighty nails driven into it.

So the current Han Dynasty seems to be in a period of development and change in terms of female restraint. There are such requirements, but they are not very strong. At least Fei Qian knows that the matter of divorce in the Han Dynasty is not like the rampant Confucianism in later generations. In that era, only men had rights, and women could also "divorce" their husbands when they were unhappy. For example, if the husband's family was poor, suffering from serious diseases, bad conduct, sharp emotional conflicts, etc., in the Han Dynasty it should be called "seeking to leave" or "to marry". Leave".

For example, classmate Lao Cao was tragically kicked off. Fei Qian even wondered with some malice whether it was because of this that Lao Cao particularly loved playing the role of Lao Wang...

The so-called "preserve the laws of nature and eliminate human desires", "starving to death is a small thing, losing integrity is a big thing" and other golden slogans. In the Han Dynasty, most of them were the same as the five lectures, four virtues and three loves of later generations, and they were painted on the walls. , It’s a good thing to do, but if you don’t do it, there won’t necessarily be government officials coming to arrest you right away. Dong Zhongshu expressed his support for widows remarrying, and even Liu Bian had to specifically ask Tang Ji when he drank poisonous wine, which shows that widows' observance of festivals was not an ordinary thing in the Han Dynasty.

"..." Huang Yueying waved her hand in front of Fei Qian's eyes in dissatisfaction.

"Ah... I'm sorry, I was thinking about something. What's wrong?" Fei Qian came back to his senses and asked.

"...Hey, here..." Huang Yueying glared at Fei Qian with her round eyes, then put a model in Fei Qian's hand, and said in a cooing voice, "This is the model of the latest ballista... um , I thought this way. At the beginning, I installed the shaft in the carriage according to the style of the carriage, but later I found that if I did this, the shaft would break too easily, especially the blades, so I later removed the carriage. I added a short shaft directly to the lower plate of the crossbow and changed it to iron. This is a lot more convenient, but it turns into a wheel and is easy to break..."

"Then I changed the hub and rails again, and replaced them all with iron ones. Although this solved the previous problem, new problems have arisen..." Huang Yueying mumbled helplessly. The small fingers pointed at the ballista model, and one or two scratches could be faintly seen on the delicate skin of the fingers, which seemed to have been accidentally cut.

Fei Qian held Huang Yueying's little hand that kept touching it, then rubbed the back of Huang Yueying's delicate and smooth hand and the slightly rough finger pads with his fingers, and said: "Let me guess, um... because too heavy?"

Huang Yueying nodded and said helplessly: "That's right! As a result, many of the original wooden components were replaced with iron ones. Although they are indeed more durable, they also weigh a lot more... Another point is , once it breaks, it will be more difficult to repair on the battlefield or while traveling..."

"Well, that's a question..." Fei Qian also nodded, thinking about this question.

As Huang Yueying said, the ancients may not have known that replacing wooden structures with metal materials would increase the durability of the equipment. However, similarly, if parts are damaged during transportation or combat, unless you carry extra spare parts Part replacement, otherwise it is not as convenient as wood. At least wood is easier to temporarily process, while metal materials must have a stove and a hammer...

With her hand held by Fei Qian, Huang Yueying gradually stopped talking and her face was a little red. Although they were already a couple, being intimate in public was still a very embarrassing thing for Huang Yueying, and she was reluctant to break away from Fei Qian. Hidden hand, then glared at the attendants and slaves on the side, just like a little milk cat showing its teeth and blowing its beard to show that it is super fierce, please stay away from me.

However, the attendants and slaves were very eye-catching. After all, no matter how small a cat was, they were still cats, and they were just bugs, or at most mice, so they all lowered their heads in silence and retreated quietly.

"In this way, is it possible to try using two axles and four wheels to distribute the weight?" Fei Qian turned the crossbow model upside down and looked at it, pointing to the bottom and said, "It seems that this can also be modified... You can make an iron Try the bearings, um, but iron is still too easy to rust, how about replacing them with copper ones?"

Fei Qian was thinking about it while talking to Huang Yueying. This made Huang Yueying very happy, her big eyes narrowed into a straight line, looking at Fei Qian, the smile on her face could not be hidden. In Huang Yueying's mind, I am afraid that only Fei Qian will discuss these things that she likes with her, while most of the other nobles will sneer. Even Pang Shiyuan, who has grown up together since childhood, will shake his head when talking about these things.

"Huh? What's wrong?" Fei Qian turned around and asked.

Huang Yueying quickly shook her head and said: "It's okay, it's okay..."

"By the way," Fei Qian thought of something and looked at Huang Yueying and said, "I just heard the rumors about Senior Sister Cai before, but you ended up crying. Now there is a Pei daughter coming, and why do I feel that you don't seem to care too much? ?”

Huang Yueying frowned, stared at Fei Qian with her round eyes, and said seriously: "Well...could it be that Mr. Lang, you also like Pei's daughter?"

"Like it?" Fei Qian shook his head and said, "I've never met before, so how can I like it? It's just a transaction, and the Pei daughter is also a poor person..."

Huang Yueying exhaled, puffed up her cheeks, and said, "What's so pitiful about this...isn't it all like this?"

Fei Qian was stunned for a moment, then nodded slowly and said, "Yes, that's true."

As long as it is in a patriarchal society, the higher the senior women are, the less they can fall in love freely and marry independently. There are often some factors that may be political or economic. In the eyes of others, they may think it is a kind of pity. But it's not.

There must be gains and losses. As a person who enjoys the wealth and power of the family, if he only wants to gain and does not want to pay, he will often be abandoned by the entire family. Using marriage as an exchange is actually a kind of transaction in some form, and it is not a pity at all. Not pitiful.

This is the case for Pei's daughter.

"Oh, I kind of understand..." Fei Qian held Huang Yueying's hand and said with a smile, "Because it's not what I like, so you don't care, right?"

Huang Yueying immediately held her tongue, lowered her head, and muttered: "Sure enough, Lang Jun still likes Senior Sister Cai..."

What kind of logic is this!

Fei Qian was speechless.

Huang Yueying secretly glanced at Fei Qian, opened her mouth, but didn't know what to say, and her big eyes became misty again...

Fei Qian suddenly understood the contrast between Huang Yueying's before and after.

For Huang Yueying, Pei's daughter, whom she has never met even once, is just a concubine at most. She is not regarded as a person or a woman, but more like a tool that can make her husband and son-in-law have more love. A tool for the reproduction of many descendants. It's like the wife of later generations discovers the wonderful picture album hidden by her husband, the folder hidden in the hard drive, or the inflatable doll. Although it is a little uncomfortable, it is not so much that she wants to jump up and make a fuss and feels that the sky is about to collapse. The feeling.

But Cai Yan was like a real person to Huang Yueying. Although Fei Qian did not do anything, Huang Yueying truly felt the threat to herself.

Fei Qian smiled, then rubbed Huang Yueying's head and said softly: "Silly girl, what are you worried about? You are my wife and will always be."

"Really?" Huang Yueying opened her eyes wide, full of expectation, like a puppy that heard it was about to go out for a walk, wagging its tail, as if the joy in her heart would burst out in the next second.

"Really!" Fei Qian nodded and said.

"Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu" Huang Yueying couldn't help but fell into Fei Qian's arms, threw her head into Fei Qian's chest, and cried out.

"Ah, why are you crying..." Fei Qian couldn't help but dumbfounded, "There is someone else..."

The servants and maids serving around the lobby quickly wanted to shrink their heads to the ground, and they just held up a sign to show that they could hear nothing and see nothing.

Huang Yueying jumped up with a "Ah!", blushed with embarrassment, and wanted to run to the inner room with tears in her eyes.

"It's okay, it's okay, just rub it and it'll be fine..." Fei Qian quickly grabbed Huang Yueying and said, "I still have something I haven't said yet..."

"..." Huang Yueying tilted her head and twisted her face to prevent Fei Qian from seeing the embarrassment on her face, and suddenly said, "...Well, as long as Senior Sister Cai agrees, I...I have no objection... "

"What!" Fei Qian couldn't breathe, so he flicked Huang Yueying's head and said, "Let's talk about business, what are you thinking about!"

"Ah!" Huang Yueying covered her forehead.

"Yesterday Zijing and I said that we wanted to set up an agricultural society..." Fei Qian briefly recounted what he and Zao Zhi had said, and then said, "...but if there are only people from the agricultural society who teach agriculture, It's still not enough... After all, the measurement scales in each county are different. Even if the people from the Agricultural Society teach the specific methods, if the measurements are different, there will still be problems. Therefore, I want Huang to send some people to be a lecturer. Society, together with the Agricultural Society, wherever the agricultural people go, you will also go there, and measure it uniformly, so that there will be no deviation..."

Huang Yueying was attracted, tilted her head and thought for a while, then said: "Actually, it's not a big problem, because each county has its own standards, and the deviation is only a little..."

"Yes, but the problem is that I need to solve more than just the measurement problem..." Fei Qian smiled, lowered his voice, and whispered something in Huang Yueying's ear.

Huang Yueying opened her eyes suddenly and looked at Fei Qian in disbelief.

Fei Qian nodded and continued to speak softly: "...People who study agriculture must be proficient in farming, but for some other matters, people who study engineering must be proficient in engineering, so you must take the lead in doing this... How about, Can it be done?”

Huang Yueying pointed at herself and said with some hesitation: "Yes, of course I am willing...but what should I do?"

Fei Qian smiled, gave a hint and said, "Don't you have the order of the elders of the Mo family..." The Huang family and the people of the Mo family temporarily set up the entire surveying and surveying structure, and will slowly add and improve it later.

The key is that this era really ignores geography too much. An atlas can be painted like a landscape painting and can only be used as a rough basis for judgment. What can the rest be used for?

What is the surrounding geography like, whether horse racing is possible, whether there are any military forts, and the number of garrisoned troops. These things that require surveying, mapping, and surveying may not be understood by agricultural officers who are proficient in farming, but people from the Huang family and the Moh family are basically good at it. Moreover, the Agricultural Society was used as a cover on the surface, and the princes in the Han Dynasty did not have this awareness, so Fei Qian would probably take advantage of this loophole...

Think about it, when conflicts do not occur, the Agricultural Society must be extremely popular, because no one will have trouble with the food in their own fields, and once the conflicts are irreconcilable and fighting breaks out, their own side will already know Knowing the terrain of the mountains and rivers on the opposite side and the placement of soldiers, this will give you a huge advantage!

"Yes... there is an elder's order..." Huang Yueying's big round eyes gradually glowed, as if she had found some new toy, and even the faint tears on her face were ignored, "Let's let me see……"

The Han Dynasty also had a tradition of appointing female officials, such as female teachers, female historians, and even female ministers, female royal chiefs, etc. Therefore, it was not a treasonous thing for women to hold some positions in the Han Dynasty, and Fei Qian did not accept such confidential matters. Don't worry and leave it to other people. After much deliberation, Huang Yueying is the most suitable.

As for future issues…

Forget it, let’s take care of the present first.